Lara Lacombe - Colton Baby Homecoming

“Will you be okay on your own with the baby for a minute?” Darcy asked.

Ridge smiled wryly at her concern. “I haven’t broken the baby yet.”

She nodded. “Fair enough. I’ll be right back.”

Ridge waited until Darcy had left, then looked down at the baby in his arms. She slept peacefully, curled up like a little shrimp against his chest.

Her mouth turned up in an impossibly sweet smile, and he felt the weight of responsibility slam down on his shoulders. Even though he wasn’t related to this child and had no idea where she had come from, she was his now.

“I don’t know who left you on my doorstep,” he said softly. “But I promise, I will take care of you.”

It was his calling to take care of the lost—the reason he’d gone into search and rescue in the first place.

He leaned down and pressed a kiss to the soft hair on the top of the baby’s head. “I’ll keep you safe,” he whispered.

* * *

We hope you enjoy this dramatic series:

The Coltons of Texas:Finding love and buried family secrets in the Lone Star State …

Colton Baby Homecoming

Lara Lacombe

www.millsandboon.co.uk

LARA LACOMBEearned a PhD in microbiology and immunology and worked in several labs across the country before moving into the classroom. Her day job as a college science professor gives her time to pursue her other love—writing fast-paced romantic suspense with smart, nerdy heroines and dangerously attractive heroes. She loves to hear from readers! Find her on the web or contact her at laralacombewriter@gmail.com.

For A—you are my heart.

Thank you for letting me write this book!

Contents

Cover

Introduction “Will you be okay on your own with the baby for a minute?” Darcy asked. Ridge smiled wryly at her concern. “I haven’t broken the baby yet.” She nodded. “Fair enough. I’ll be right back.” Ridge waited until Darcy had left, then looked down at the baby in his arms. She slept peacefully, curled up like a little shrimp against his chest. Her mouth turned up in an impossibly sweet smile, and he felt the weight of responsibility slam down on his shoulders. Even though he wasn’t related to this child and had no idea where she had come from, she was his now. “I don’t know who left you on my doorstep,” he said softly. “But I promise, I will take care of you.” It was his calling to take care of the lost—the reason he’d gone into search and rescue in the first place. He leaned down and pressed a kiss to the soft hair on the top of the baby’s head. “I’ll keep you safe,” he whispered. * * * We hope you enjoy this dramatic series: The Coltons of Texas: Finding love and buried family secrets in the Lone Star State …

Title Page Colton Baby Homecoming Lara Lacombe www.millsandboon.co.uk

About the Author LARA LACOMBE earned a PhD in microbiology and immunology and worked in several labs across the country before moving into the classroom. Her day job as a college science professor gives her time to pursue her other love—writing fast-paced romantic suspense with smart, nerdy heroines and dangerously attractive heroes. She loves to hear from readers! Find her on the web or contact her at laralacombewriter@gmail.com .

Dedication For A—you are my heart. Thank you for letting me write this book!

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

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Extract

Copyright

Chapter 1

Ridge Colton climbed behind the wheel of his truck and tried to rub away the gritty, sandpaper feeling from his eyes. He’d been up and at it since before dawn, searching the woods around Granite Gulch with the rest of his team, courtesy of a middle-of-the-night phone call made by a resident. Archie Johansen, a retired school bus driver, had been woken by the sound of footsteps on his porch. A curmudgeon to his core, Archie had grabbed his shotgun and thrown open the door, determined to scare off whoever dared to trespass on his property. As Archie described it, the second he opened his door a dark figure scrambled off his porch and hightailed it for the nearby trees. The old man swore up and down the intruder was carrying a rifle, which had prompted his call to the police. The people of Granite Gulch were normally pretty tough, but with the Alphabet Killer still on the loose, suspicions were running high.

And so Ridge had been dragged from his nice warm bed to comb the area, looking for any signs of an armed and possibly dangerous person skulking around in the woods that surrounded the town.

They hadn’t found anyone, which wasn’t a huge surprise. Secretly, Ridge thought the older man had actually seen an animal snuffling about in search of dinner rather than an armed threat. After all, Archie hadn’t been wearing his glasses at the time, and he hadn’t bothered to turn on his porch light before flinging open the door to do battle. It was hard enough to see in the dark, and Ridge knew from experience that heightened emotions often made people see things that weren’t really there. Still, they couldn’t afford to take any chances. One of these days the Alphabet Killer was going to make a mistake and Ridge wanted to be there to bring him down.

I’ll have to fight the others for the privilege, though, he thought with a small smile. With the exception of his brother Ethan and his youngest sister, Josie, all his siblings had gone into law enforcement and were currently focused on this case. In a way, it was kind of nice they were all working together, even if the circumstances of their reunion were less than ideal. Normal families didn’t need the hunt for a serial killer to bring them together. But then again, their own father had been a serial killer, so normal wasn’t exactly a word that had ever applied to them.

With a sigh, Ridge pushed aside thoughts of his father. Matthew Colton had no place in his life, and he refused to waste energy thinking about the man. It had taken him years to move past his issues with his parentage, and dwelling on a fact that couldn’t be changed wouldn’t do him any good.

A gentle touch on his arm snagged his attention, and he turned to find his partner, Penny, staring up at him with her soulful, dark brown eyes. “I’m okay, girl,” he said, reaching over to scratch behind her ears. Penny, a chocolate Lab, was the best search and rescue dog on the team, and she was always very attuned to Ridge’s moods. In truth, Ridge often felt closer to her than to other people. She didn’t care who his father was, didn’t whisper behind his back or ask awkward questions. She just stayed by his side, a true and loyal friend. She’d melted his heart the moment he’d found her as a lost and abandoned puppy, and he’d do anything for her.

“Ready to head home?” he asked. It had been a long day for her, as well, but she never complained. She let out a soft “ruff” in response, and he started the truck. Keeping one hand on Penny’s head, he idly stroked the velvety softness of her ears as he drove. “How about a bath tonight?” After spending all day in the woods, they both smelled pretty bad, and he needed to check her over for ticks and other unfriendly critters. Might as well kill two birds with one stone.

Her ears pricked forward at the word bath. True to her breed, Penny loved the water. While she’d much rather swim in the lake or splash through a stream, she tolerated a bath and its accompanying shampoo with the long-suffering patience of a martyr.

His mood lifted as he pondered the evening’s activities. First, cleanup for him and Penny. Then he’d build a nice fire so she could warm herself while he threw a steak on the grill. And after dinner, he’d get back to his book. Yes, that sounded like the perfect way to wrap up a disappointing day.