Helen Lacey - The Rancher's Unexpected Family

1 Cowgirl Cop + 1 Single Dad = Double the Desire!

Running a ranch for troubled kids, policing the town and raising a son—Ash McCune is in complete control of her hectic life. Till one sexy single dad arrives on her Cedar River ranch with his daughter. Cole Quartermaine is rich, successful, a good father. But in weeks, he’s leaving. So why does he make her feel something she hasn’t felt in years—like a woman?

Cole needs this ranch to connect with his newfound daughter. What he doesn’t need is a jaw-dropping attraction to the cowgirl cop who runs it. Nor hero worship from her son. He’s got three weeks to resist her and return to the city, a party of two…or stay and make a family of four.

A father figure...a dad.

That’s how her son viewed him? He should’ve been more careful, not gotten so involved. Now he was leaving and the boy would be hurt.

“I’m sorry,” he said.

“I never realized how much he missed having a man in his life. Not surprising, of course. In Jaye’s eyes, you’re a perfect image of what a father should be... strong, kind. Everything he longs for. Everything I didn’t give him.” She shook her head. “Maybe because I’m scared of letting someone in.”

“You’re not afraid of anything,” he said, grasping her hand.

“I amafraid,” she admitted, holding his glance. “I’m absolutely terrified. Of you. Of...this.”

“Me, too,” he said quietly.

“So what do we do?”

“I don’t know. Ignore it. Go with it. Honestly, I have no idea.” He rubbed her palm with his thumb. The action was hypnotic and sexy and she swayed toward him. He felt her heat. “I promised myself... I promised you that I’d keep my distance.” He looked down at how close she was. “Ash, you should tell me to leave.”

She touched his face, cradling his jaw. “I should...” she said, her words trailing. “But somehow, I can’t.”

* * *

The Cedar River Cowboys:

Riding into town with romance on their minds!

The Rancher’s Unexpected Family

Helen Lacey

www.millsandboon.co.uk

HELEN LACEYgrew up reading Black Beauty and Little House on the Prairie . These childhood classics inspired her to write her first book when she was seven, a story about a girl and her horse. She loves writing for Mills & Boon Cherish, where she can create strong heroes with soft hearts and heroines with gumption who get their happily-ever-after. For more about Helen, visit her website, www.helenlacey.com.

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For Nas Dean

Thank you for all that you do

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text 1 Cowgirl Cop + 1 Single Dad = Double the Desire! Running a ranch for troubled kids, policing the town and raising a son—Ash McCune is in complete control of her hectic life. Till one sexy single dad arrives on her Cedar River ranch with his daughter. Cole Quartermaine is rich, successful, a good father. But in weeks, he’s leaving. So why does he make her feel something she hasn’t felt in years—like a woman? Cole needs this ranch to connect with his newfound daughter. What he doesn’t need is a jaw-dropping attraction to the cowgirl cop who runs it. Nor hero worship from her son. He’s got three weeks to resist her and return to the city, a party of two…or stay and make a family of four.

Introduction A father figure...a dad. That’s how her son viewed him? He should’ve been more careful, not gotten so involved. Now he was leaving and the boy would be hurt. “I’m sorry,” he said. “I never realized how much he missed having a man in his life. Not surprising, of course. In Jaye’s eyes, you’re a perfect image of what a father should be... strong, kind. Everything he longs for. Everything I didn’t give him.” She shook her head. “Maybe because I’m scared of letting someone in.” “You’re not afraid of anything,” he said, grasping her hand. “I am afraid,” she admitted, holding his glance. “I’m absolutely terrified. Of you. Of...this.” “Me, too,” he said quietly. “So what do we do?” “I don’t know. Ignore it. Go with it. Honestly, I have no idea.” He rubbed her palm with his thumb. The action was hypnotic and sexy and she swayed toward him. He felt her heat. “I promised myself... I promised you that I’d keep my distance.” He looked down at how close she was. “Ash, you should tell me to leave.” She touched his face, cradling his jaw. “I should...” she said, her words trailing. “But somehow, I can’t.” * * * The Cedar River Cowboys: Riding into town with romance on their minds!

Title Page The Rancher’s Unexpected Family Helen Lacey www.millsandboon.co.uk

About the Author HELEN LACEY grew up reading Black Beauty and Little House on the Prairie . These childhood classics inspired her to write her first book when she was seven, a story about a girl and her horse. She loves writing for Mills & Boon Cherish, where she can create strong heroes with soft hearts and heroines with gumption who get their happily-ever-after. For more about Helen, visit her website, www.helenlacey.com .

Dedication For Nas Dean Thank you for all that you do

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Epilogue

Extract

Copyright

Chapter One

There was one thing Cole Quartermaine knew, and that was that he knew nothing about how to handle surly teenagers.

In particular, his surly teenage daughter, who was sulking in the passenger seat of his rental car, earbuds plugged into her ears, her mouth pressed into a flat, grim line.

She hates me.

No surprise there. It had been a fraught eight months since he’d first discovered the existence of fourteen-year-old Maisy, and that he was father to a girl who had no interest in getting to know him or having any kind of relationship. But he desperately wanted to work things out with his daughter...no matter how much she resisted. She didn’t care who he was, or that they shared the same blood. She called him Cole and he didn’t insist she say anything different.

To be honest, he wasn’t even sure how he’d react if she actually did call him Dad.

He concentrated on the drive and glanced to the right, at the sign welcoming them to town. Cedar River, South Dakota—population, three thousand and something. A speck on the map that sat in the shadow of the Black Hills. It was where he’d be staying for the next few weeks—a world away from Phoenix and the life he had there.

But he had to do it. For Maisy’s sake. The last few months had been hard on them both. She didn’t want to be with him, she didn’t want anything to do with him or his folks or either of his younger sisters. And since the alternative was foster care, Cole knew this might be the only chance he had of truly connecting with his daughter. When his lawyer and friend, Joel, had suggested it, he’d resisted the idea. He wasn’t a small-town kind of person. He had lived most of his life in Phoenix, Arizona, although he’d traveled the country extensively when he was competing on the NASCAR circuit. But now that he was retired from racing and managing his family-owned race team, Cole spent the majority of the year in his city apartment in Phoenix.