Delores Fossen - Cowboy Behind the Badge

Laine was there by the door, waiting for him, and Tucker wasn’t sure who made the first move or even how it happened, but she ended up in his arms.

Strange that it kept happening, and it shouldn’t. Even a hug of comfort was a Texas-sized reminder that it was Laine in his arms and that nothing good could come of this.

Well, nothing reasonable anyway.

Maybe it was because every inch of him was on edge that he even thought of holding her as a stress reliever. Yeah, for a second or two, it was relief, but what always followed were some crystal clear reminders of why they shouldn’t be doing this in the first place.

The heat between them.

The bad blood, too. Hard to hang on to bad blood, though, when the blasted attraction kept getting in the way.

www.millsandboon.co.uk

USA TODAY bestselling author DELORES FOSSENhas sold over fifty novels with millions of copies of her books in print worldwide. She’s received the Booksellers’ Best Award and the RT Reviewers’ Choice Award, and was a finalist for a prestigious RITA® Award. In addition, she’s had nearly a hundred short stories and articles published in national magazines. You can contact the author through her webpage at www.dfossen.net.

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CAST OF CHARACTERS Cast of Characters Chapter One Chapter Two Chapter Three Chapter Four Chapter Five Chapter Six Chapter Seven Chapter Eight Chapter Nine Chapter Ten Chapter Eleven Chapter Twelve Chapter Thirteen Chapter Fourteen Chapter Fifteen Chapter Sixteen Chapter Seventeen Chapter Eighteen Chapter Nineteen Extract Copyright

Texas Ranger Tucker McKinnon—The bad boy lawman of the McKinnon family. He’s not daddy material, or so he thinks, until he’s forced to protect two newborns and the woman he’s long considered his enemy.

Laine Braddock—A child psychologist. She’ll do anything to protect the babies she’s rescued, even if it means turning to Tucker, the last man on earth who’d want to help her.

The newborns—They’re too young to realize the danger or the people willing to risk their lives to keep them safe.

Dawn Cowen—A missing woman at the center of a black market baby farm investigation.

Martin Hague—A social worker who seems too eager to take the rescued babies from Tucker and Laine.

Darren Carty—Laine’s ex-fiancé, who might have a personal stake in not just the investigation but in the babies that Laine rescued.

Rhonda Wesson—Once a victim of a notorious black market baby farm, but does she know more than she’s saying?

Contents

Cover

Excerpt Laine was there by the door, waiting for him, and Tucker wasn’t sure who made the first move or even how it happened, but she ended up in his arms. Strange that it kept happening, and it shouldn’t. Even a hug of comfort was a Texas-sized reminder that it was Laine in his arms and that nothing good could come of this. Well, nothing reasonable anyway. Maybe it was because every inch of him was on edge that he even thought of holding her as a stress reliever. Yeah, for a second or two, it was relief, but what always followed were some crystal clear reminders of why they shouldn’t be doing this in the first place. The heat between them. The bad blood, too. Hard to hang on to bad blood, though, when the blasted attraction kept getting in the way.

Title Page Cowboy Behind the Badge Delores Fossen www.millsandboon.co.uk

About the Author USA TODAY bestselling author DELORES FOSSEN has sold over fifty novels with millions of copies of her books in print worldwide. She’s received the Booksellers’ Best Award and the RT Reviewers’ Choice Award, and was a finalist for a prestigious RITA® Award. In addition, she’s had nearly a hundred short stories and articles published in national magazines. You can contact the author through her webpage at www.dfossen.net .

Cast of Characters CAST OF CHARACTERS Cast of Characters Chapter One Chapter Two Chapter Three Chapter Four Chapter Five Chapter Six Chapter Seven Chapter Eight Chapter Nine Chapter Ten Chapter Eleven Chapter Twelve Chapter Thirteen Chapter Fourteen Chapter Fifteen Chapter Sixteen Chapter Seventeen Chapter Eighteen Chapter Nineteen Extract Copyright Texas Ranger Tucker McKinnon—The bad boy lawman of the McKinnon family. He’s not daddy material, or so he thinks, until he’s forced to protect two newborns and the woman he’s long considered his enemy. Laine Braddock—A child psychologist. She’ll do anything to protect the babies she’s rescued, even if it means turning to Tucker, the last man on earth who’d want to help her. The newborns—They’re too young to realize the danger or the people willing to risk their lives to keep them safe. Dawn Cowen—A missing woman at the center of a black market baby farm investigation. Martin Hague—A social worker who seems too eager to take the rescued babies from Tucker and Laine. Darren Carty—Laine’s ex-fiancé, who might have a personal stake in not just the investigation but in the babies that Laine rescued. Rhonda Wesson—Once a victim of a notorious black market baby farm, but does she know more than she’s saying?

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Nineteen

Extract

Copyright

Chapter One

Tucker McKinnon heard the sound the moment he stepped from the shower. Someone was moving around in his kitchen.

He opened his mouth to call out to his brothers, the only two people who would have let themselves into his house, but then he remembered. His older brother, Cooper, was on his honeymoon, and his kid brother, Colt, was working at the sheriff’s office in town.

So, who was his visitor?

He didn’t like most of the possibilities that came to mind. Heck, it could even be someone connected to the arrest he’d made just hours earlier. The dirt-for-brains fugitive that Tucker had tangled with could have sent someone out to settle the score with the Texas Ranger who’d hauled his sorry butt off to jail.

If so, the score-settler wasn’t being very quiet, and had clearly lost the element of surprise.

Tucker dried off, wincing when he wiped the towel over the cuts and bruises. He wasn’t that old, just thirty-four, but he was too old to be getting into a fistfight with the fugitive who’d gotten the jump on him.

Hurrying, Tucker pulled on his jeans and eased open the door so he could peek inside his bedroom. No one was there, so he grabbed his gun from the holster he’d ditched on the nightstand and stepped into the hall.

The sounds continued.

Someone mumbling. Other sounds, too. He heard the click of the lock on the back door. His intruder, whoever it was, had locked them in together.