Rula Sinara - Through The Storm

The biggest risk she’ll ever take...

Tessa Henning is no damsel. But she’s definitely in distress. If her husband really is involved in the ivory trade, he’ll come after her when he finds out what she’s uncovered. Unfortunately, the only person who can help is Mac Walker. Stubborn, fiercely independent, danger-loving bush pilot Mac Walker—with whom she shares custody of their orphaned nephew. Though Mac’s no knight in shining armor, he can keep her and their nephew safe in the Serengeti while they wait out this storm. But he can’t protect Tessa from the strange weather brewing inside her, stirring up feelings for Mac she wishes she could ignore.

Mac pulled to a stop and pointed toward a pair of giraffes and their baby enjoying a treetop picnic in the distance.

The female seemed to give Tessa a knowing nod and then lowered her neck and nudged the baby. A family of three. At peace. Something stirred deep inside Tessa.

“Look at them, Nick,” she whispered to their nephew.

“I saw. Now can we go fast again?”

Leave it to a restless teen to spoil the moment. Tessa wanted to stay there and watch. Never before had she been so hyperaware...so in tune with her senses. The way the air softly brushed her skin, the light snap of a twig, the smell of dewy grass and freshly rutted dirt, the striking blue and red of a bird taking flight from the acacia tree ahead of them. Everything around her was awe-inspiring. It didn’t feel risky. It felt right.

She closed her eyes, took a deep breath and was enveloped by a warm, fresh scent that was uniquely Mac’s. She quickly opened her eyes again. The stress, drama and romantic atmosphere of the Serengeti were getting to her. Mac belonged here. There was no separating him from the land and life that surrounded them. Mac and the Serengeti had an understanding. A symbiotic relationship.

A balance.

And he’d made it clear he didn’t have room in his life for anyone else.

Dear Reader Dear Reader TITLE PAGE ABOUT THE AUTHOR DEDICATION Acknowledgments CHAPTER ONE CHAPTER TWO CHAPTER THREE CHAPTER FOUR CHAPTER FIVE CHAPTER SIX CHAPTER SEVEN CHAPTER EIGHT CHAPTER NINE CHAPTER TEN CHAPTER ELEVEN EPILOGUE EXTRACT COPYRIGHT ,

One of my favorite poems is Robert Frost’s “The Road Not Taken.” We all know journeys through life tend to be circuitous with many difficult choices along the way. More often than not, our choice of path is complex and the driving force runs deep. I look back on my own life (hindsight is a great teacher) and can plainly see which of my choices were based on fear, insecurities or even expectations...and which were made because I followed my conscience, listened to my heart and had the courage to be true to myself.

When faced with divergent paths, are you a risk taker? Someone who takes the less-traveled road? The beautiful thing about life is that it allows for change. A journey through life, after all, is about self-discovery. It’s about learning from mistakes and righting the wrong. It’s about connecting with those who share or respect our passions, ethics and values. It’s about opening your heart to love in its many forms.

In this book, the hero and heroine are two very different people brought together by co-guardianship of their nephew. Mac is a risk taker...an adventurer who has convinced himself he’s better off alone. Tessa, on the other hand, craves security...a need that led her to a marriage and husband she’s determined to be loyal to. Yet both Mac and Tessa are facing internal and external battles between right and wrong. Both have made choices based on childhood experiences and both have now reached a crossroads where their choices will either drive them apart...or make them stronger.

I hope you enjoy this third story in my From Kenya, with Love series. My door is open at rulasinara.com, where you can sign up for my newsletter, get information on all my books and find links to my social media hangouts.

Wishing you love, peace and courage in life,

Rula Sinara

www.millsandboon.co.uk

Award-winning and USA TODAY bestselling author RULA SINARA lives in rural Virginia with her family and crazy but endearing pets. She loves organic gardening, attracting wildlife to her yard, planting trees, raising backyard chickens and drinking more coffee than she’ll ever admit to. Rula’s writing has earned her a National Readers’ Choice Award and a Holt Medallion Award of Merit, among other honors. Her door is always open at rulasinara.com, where you can sign up for her newsletter, learn about her latest books and find links to her social media hangouts.

Before you start reading, why not sign up?

Thank you for downloading this Mills & Boon book. If you want to hear about exclusive discounts, special offers and competitions, sign up to our email newsletter today!

SIGN ME UP!

Or simply visit

signup.millsandboon.co.uk

Mills & Boon emails are completely free to receive and you can unsubscribe at any time via the link in any email we send you.

To the elephants and all living things that have endured unspeakable suffering. And to those whose hearts are filled with compassion and respect for all life...regardless of race or species. May your love heal wounds and make the world a better place.

Acknowledgments Acknowledgments CHAPTER ONE CHAPTER TWO CHAPTER THREE CHAPTER FOUR CHAPTER FIVE CHAPTER SIX CHAPTER SEVEN CHAPTER EIGHT CHAPTER NINE CHAPTER TEN CHAPTER ELEVEN EPILOGUE EXTRACT COPYRIGHT

To Claire Caldwell—a brilliant poet, writer and editor—for helping to bring each book in this series to life and whose patience and invaluable guidance gave me the courage to dig deeper...and reach Through the Storm.

Contents

COVER

BACK COVER TEXT The biggest risk she’ll ever take... Tessa Henning is no damsel. But she’s definitely in distress. If her husband really is involved in the ivory trade, he’ll come after her when he finds out what she’s uncovered. Unfortunately, the only person who can help is Mac Walker. Stubborn, fiercely independent, danger-loving bush pilot Mac Walker—with whom she shares custody of their orphaned nephew. Though Mac’s no knight in shining armor, he can keep her and their nephew safe in the Serengeti while they wait out this storm. But he can’t protect Tessa from the strange weather brewing inside her, stirring up feelings for Mac she wishes she could ignore.

INTRODUCTION Mac pulled to a stop and pointed toward a pair of giraffes and their baby enjoying a treetop picnic in the distance. The female seemed to give Tessa a knowing nod and then lowered her neck and nudged the baby. A family of three. At peace. Something stirred deep inside Tessa. “Look at them, Nick,” she whispered to their nephew. “I saw. Now can we go fast again?” Leave it to a restless teen to spoil the moment. Tessa wanted to stay there and watch. Never before had she been so hyperaware...so in tune with her senses. The way the air softly brushed her skin, the light snap of a twig, the smell of dewy grass and freshly rutted dirt, the striking blue and red of a bird taking flight from the acacia tree ahead of them. Everything around her was awe-inspiring. It didn’t feel risky. It felt right. She closed her eyes, took a deep breath and was enveloped by a warm, fresh scent that was uniquely Mac’s. She quickly opened her eyes again. The stress, drama and romantic atmosphere of the Serengeti were getting to her. Mac belonged here. There was no separating him from the land and life that surrounded them. Mac and the Serengeti had an understanding. A symbiotic relationship. A balance. And he’d made it clear he didn’t have room in his life for anyone else.