Marin Thomas - Beau - Cowboy Protector

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The Heart Of The Matter

Beau Adams can’t stop thinking about Sierra Byrne. Her feisty spirit and ample curves dominate his thoughts, while he should be focused on getting himself and Midnight, the Harts’ prized stallion, to the National Finals Rodeo. When Beau and Sierra’s electric connection finally leads to a steamy night together, Beau hopes it’s the beginning of something more.

As much as Sierra wants to be with Beau, anything long-term is out of the question. A recently diagnosed eye disease will soon leave her blind, and she can’t ask a rising rodeo star like Beau to take on that responsibility. Though she tries to pretend their tryst was just another item on her bucket list, Sierra’s true feelings run a lot deeper. Will she let her affliction steal not only her sight, but her dreams of happiness, as well?

“You look…hot.” His gaze traveled the length of her body.

The compliment sent a rush of pleasure through her. “Thank you.”

“You know what that dress says, don’t you?”

Sierra couldn’t think straight—not with the heady scent of Beau’s cologne swirling around her head. “Wh-what does it say?”

“Kiss me,” he whispered.

They hadn’t sat down to eat and already Beau was making a move on her.

Go ahead. Sierra had fantasized about kissing Beau for months. Did it matter if he kissed her at the beginning of the date instead of at the end? Sierra made a feeble attempt to take the high road. “My aunt’s sitting a few feet behind the door.”

Beau’s gaze zeroed in on Sierra’s mouth. “I’m a quiet kisser.”

Short of breath, she whispered, “Prove it.”

Dear Reader,

If you love rodeo, family drama and sexy, headstrong cowboys then Harts of the Rodeo is the series for you! In Beau: Cowboy Protector, you’ll meet Beau Adams, whose recent falling out with his twin brother has made him more determined than ever to win a national championship in bull riding. Rodeo aside, Beau is feeling a little left out of the holy-matrimony club—his brother and cousins have all married and are starting families of their own. Then Beau finally catches the eye of Sierra Byrne and believes a trip down the aisle might be in his future, but Sierra has other plans that don’t include Beau. After receiving a sober medical diagnosis, Sierra is determined to live life to the fullest before her condition prevents her from participating in the activities she’s always dreamed of doing. Now it’s up to Beau to convince Sierra that “marrying Beau” should be on her list.

Next month look for Tomas: Cowboy Homecoming, the final book in the series, by Linda Warren.

And finally, I’d like to give a shout-out to the talented authors in this continuity: Cathy McDavid, C.J. Carmichael, Roz Denny Fox, Shelley Galloway and Linda Warren. Keeping track of all the details in each book wasn’t easy and I shudder to think of the hundreds of emails that passed between us as we plotted our stories, but we persevered and brought this series to life, even managing a few good laughs along the way. Thanks, ladies, for making this experience so much fun!

Marin

About the Author

MARIN THOMASgrew up in Janesville, Wisconsin. She left the Midwest to attend college in Tucson, Arizona, where she earned a B.A. in radio-TV. Following graduation she married her college sweetheart in a five-minute ceremony at the historic Little Chapel of the West in Las Vegas, Nevada. Over the years she and her family have lived in seven different states, but they’ve now come full circle and returned to Arizona, where the rugged desert and breathtaking sunsets provide plenty of inspiration for Marin’s cowboy books.

Beau: Cowboy Protector

Marin Thomas

www.millsandboon.co.uk

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To my grandmother Dorothy West… Grandma, you blazed your own path through life—rather than becoming a hairdresser like your mother and sisters you became a bookkeeper. And you raised several eyebrows when you set your sights on the lead trumpet player in a popular dance band. Socializing was a huge part of your life and I know you’re up in Heaven dancing your toes off and swigging down Manhattans while listening to Grandpa Bud’s band. Thank you for being such a wonderful grandmother to me, Brett and Amy and a patient, loving great-grandmother to Desirée, Thomas, Michael, Tylesha and Marin. You will be forever in our hearts.

Contents

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

Epilogue

Teaser Chapter

Chapter One

“Where’s your better half?” Bull rider Rusty McLean stopped next to Beau Adams in the cowboy-ready area of the Sweetwater Events Complex in Rock Springs. “Duke was makin’ a run at the National Finals Rodeo this year, then he slipped off the radar. He get injured?”

Beau wished an injury had sidelined his twin from today’s rodeo—he was the only Adams competing this first weekend in October. He’d hauled Thunder Ranch bucking bulls, Bushwhacker and Back Bender, to the competition by himself. Duke, aka deputy sheriff had remained at home protecting the good citizens of Roundup while the Thunder Ranch hands had taken a string of bucking horses to a rodeo in Cody, Wyoming. Beau’s father was off doing who knows what with his new lady friend.

“My brother quit,” Beau said. In July, Duke had blindsided him when he retired from rodeo, leaving Beau to carry on the Adams’ bull-riding legacy. He’d flipped out, angry that his brother had walked away from a possible world title when Beau had sacrificed so much for him. Beau had spent his childhood defending his twin when bullies had teased Duke about his stuttering. Standing up for his brother had carried into their teen years and when they’d reached adulthood, it had become second nature for Beau to make sure that Duke remained in the rodeo limelight.

“You’re joking,” McLean said. “Duke was ranked in the top ten in the country at the beginning of the summer.”

“No joke, McLean. Duke’s done with rodeo.” Once Beau’s anger had cooled, he’d realized Duke had never asked him for any concessions, which made Beau wonder why he’d allowed his brother to beat him in bull riding all these years. He had no one to blame but himself for the tight spot he was in—not enough rodeos left in the season to earn the necessary points to make it to Vegas. Regardless, Beau was determined to salvage what was left of the year by winning a handful of smaller rodeos leading up to the Badlands Bull Bash and Cowboy Stampede in South Dakota the weekend before Thanksgiving. A first-place win would show rodeo fans that Beau Adams was a serious contender for next year’s title.