Carla Cassidy - Guardian Cowboy

A lone wolf cowboy comes to the rescue

But can he outwit a deadly stalker?

Sawyer Quincy unexpectedly awakes in a stranger’s bed and is mortified. The rancher wants to get to know Janis Little, but threatening notes, slashed tires and gunshots warn him to stay away. Despite the danger surrounding them both, Sawyer falls hard and means to protect her at all costs. When Janis suddenly disappears, Sawyer puts it all on the line to save her.

CARLA CASSIDY is an award-winning, New York Times bestselling author who has written more than one hundred and twenty novels. Carla believes the only thing better than curling up with a good book to read is sitting down at the computer with a good story to write.

Also available by Carla Cassidy

A Real Cowboy

Cowboy of Interest

Cowboy Under Fire

Cowboy at Arms

Operation Cowboy Daddy

Killer Cowboy

Sheltered by the Cowboy

Colton’s Secret Son

Colton Cowboy Hideout

The Colton Bodyguard

Visit millsandboon.co.ukfor more information

Guardian Cowboy

Carla Cassidy

www.millsandboon.co.uk

ISBN: 978-1-474-07861-0

GUARDIAN COWBOY

© 2018 Carla Bracale

Published in Great Britain 2018

by Mills & Boon, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers 1 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF

All rights reserved including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form. This edition is published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, locations and incidents are purely fictional and bear no relationship to any real life individuals, living or dead, or to any actual places, business establishments, locations, events or incidents. Any resemblance is entirely coincidental.

By payment of the required fees, you are granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right and licence to download and install this e-book on your personal computer, tablet computer, smart phone or other electronic reading device only (each a “Licensed Device”) and to access, display and read the text of this e-book on-screen on your Licensed Device. Except to the extent any of these acts shall be permitted pursuant to any mandatory provision of applicable law but no further, no part of this e-book or its text or images may be reproduced, transmitted, distributed, translated, converted or adapted for use on another file format, communicated to the public, downloaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of publisher.

® and ™ are trademarks owned and used by the trademark owner and/or its licensee. Trademarks marked with ® are registered with the United Kingdom Patent Office and/or the Office for Harmonisation in the Internal Market and in other countries.

www.millsandboon.co.uk

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text A lone wolf cowboy comes to the rescue But can he outwit a deadly stalker? Sawyer Quincy unexpectedly awakes in a stranger’s bed and is mortified. The rancher wants to get to know Janis Little, but threatening notes, slashed tires and gunshots warn him to stay away. Despite the danger surrounding them both, Sawyer falls hard and means to protect her at all costs. When Janis suddenly disappears, Sawyer puts it all on the line to save her.

Author Bio CARLA CASSIDY is an award-winning, New York Times bestselling author who has written more than one hundred and twenty novels. Carla believes the only thing better than curling up with a good book to read is sitting down at the computer with a good story to write.

Booklist Also available by Carla Cassidy A Real Cowboy Cowboy of Interest Cowboy Under Fire Cowboy at Arms Operation Cowboy Daddy Killer Cowboy Sheltered by the Cowboy Colton’s Secret Son Colton Cowboy Hideout The Colton Bodyguard Visit millsandboon.co.uk for more information

Title Page Guardian Cowboy Carla Cassidy www.millsandboon.co.uk

Copyright ISBN: 978-1-474-07861-0 GUARDIAN COWBOY © 2018 Carla Bracale Published in Great Britain 2018 by Mills & Boon, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers 1 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF All rights reserved including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form. This edition is published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A. This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, locations and incidents are purely fictional and bear no relationship to any real life individuals, living or dead, or to any actual places, business establishments, locations, events or incidents. Any resemblance is entirely coincidental. By payment of the required fees, you are granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right and licence to download and install this e-book on your personal computer, tablet computer, smart phone or other electronic reading device only (each a “Licensed Device”) and to access, display and read the text of this e-book on-screen on your Licensed Device. Except to the extent any of these acts shall be permitted pursuant to any mandatory provision of applicable law but no further, no part of this e-book or its text or images may be reproduced, transmitted, distributed, translated, converted or adapted for use on another file format, communicated to the public, downloaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of publisher. ® and ™ are trademarks owned and used by the trademark owner and/or its licensee. Trademarks marked with ® are registered with the United Kingdom Patent Office and/or the Office for Harmonisation in the Internal Market and in other countries. www.millsandboon.co.uk

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Epilogue

Extract

Chapter 1

“If one of those cowboys from the Humes’s ranch strokes my butt one more time, I’m going to toss a drink over somebody’s head,” Janis Little exclaimed to fellow Watering Hole waitress, Annie Holbrook, as they both reached the polished bar that stretched almost wall-to-wall along the side of the popular nightspot.

Annie grinned at her. “I double-dog dare you,” she said, her dark eyes snapping with mischief. “Stroking butts is the only way those men can convince themselves they have any kind of a romantic relationship with a woman. I triple-dog dare you.”

Janis laughed as the bartender, Tanner Woodson, approached them. “Ladies, talk to me,” he said.

“Three draft beers,” Annie said.

Janis gave him the orders for her tables and he stepped away to prepare the drinks.

“He is so hot,” Annie whispered to Janis.

Tanner was not only new to the town of Bitterroot, Oklahoma, but tonight was only his third night on the job.

So far, as manager of the bar, Janis was impressed with him. He was friendly with the patrons but not overly so. He was quick and efficient, and when he had a moment to rest, he didn’t. Instead he wiped down the bar, cleaned glasses and restocked the lemons and limes and olives that topped the drinks.