Kate James - When Love Matters Most

Keeping her safe at all costs

Could their backgrounds be any more different? Rick Vasquez, a K-9 unit sergeant with the San Diego Police Department, fled drug-related violence in Mexico as a boy. Madison Long, who recently became primary veterinarian to the SDPD’s canines, is the privileged daughter of a judge. Rick has dedicated his life to curtailing cross-border drug trafficking and preventing other young boys from being drawn into the dark world of the cartels. But everything Rick and Madison value, and the growing love between them, is threatened by the dangers of Rick’s job, and the risks he’s determined to take...

The more he discovered about this woman...

The more he thought there was something special about her.

As he watched Madison examine Sniff, he felt an odd churning in his gut. Yeah, he’d had breakfast at six, grabbed a quick sandwich for lunch and it was almost five now, but he didn’t think his reaction had anything to do with being hungry.

Rick shoved both hands back into his pants pockets. He didn’t want to dwell on the fact that all of a sudden he was tempted to reach out and discover the texture of the veterinarian’s springy red hair or how smooth her flawless complexion really was. He liked women, sure. Too much sometimes. This felt different somehow, and he’d just met her. He considered how gentle and sweet—not a word he used often, but it seemed right—she was with his dog.

That’s it! It was Sniff, he rationalized. Anyone who loved his dog was okay by him.

That was it. That was all.

Dear Reader Dear Reader Title Page About the Author Dedication Acknowledgments 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 CHAPTER TWENTY CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO Copyright ,

Thank you for choosing to read the second book in my K-9 trilogy. This book tells the story of San Diego Police Department K-9 unit sergeant Rick Vasquez, veterinarian Madison Long and Rick’s narcotics detection dogs Sniff and Nitro. While both Rick and Madison do important and meaningful work in their day jobs, they share a passion for making a difference to those in need. Rick is determined to do what he can to keep susceptible youth from getting involved with drugs, and Madison is leading groundbreaking research to help injured animals heal. When two such deeply moral people come into conflict, finding common ground can be surprisingly elusive.

If you enjoyed the first book in the trilogy, When the Right One Comes Along, this book also provides an opportunity to revisit old friends San Diego Police Department search and rescue officer Cal Palmer and Dr. Jessica Hansen (now Palmer).

I hope you enjoy getting to know Rick, Madison and their dogs. If you do, watch for the third and final book of the trilogy, planned for release in early 2016. It’s the story of K-9 unit captain Logan O’Connor and San Diego International Airport chief of security Arianna Atkins. When these two come together, their interaction promises to be explosive!

I would love to hear from you. You can connect with me by email (readers@kate-james.com), through my website ( kate-james.com), Facebook page ( facebook.com/katejamesbooks), Twitter ( @katejamesbooks), or mail me at PO Box 446, Schomberg, ON, L0G 1T0, Canada.

I’ve also provided some discussion questions on my website, in case you’d like to use this story in your book group.

Happy reading!

Kate

When Love Matters Most

Kate James

www.millsandboon.co.uk

KATE JAMES spent much of her childhood abroad before attending university in Canada. She built a successful business career, but her passion has always been literature. As a result, Kate turned her energy to her love of the written word. Kate’s goal is to entertain her readers with engaging stories featuring strong, likable characters. Kate has been honored with numerous awards for her writing. She and her husband, Ken, enjoy traveling and the outdoors with their beloved Labrador retrievers.

To Wil Cohn. With love.

And

To the men and women who dedicate their lives to law enforcement.

Acknowledgments Acknowledgments 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 CHAPTER TWENTY CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO Copyright

Thank you to my editor Paula Eykelhof for always making my books stronger and continuously challenging me to tell the very best stories in the very best way that I can. Also, thank you to Harlequin Heartwarming senior editor Victoria Curran for her unwavering vision, good humor and warmth.

Once again, much thanks to the York Regional Police (Ontario, Canada) and Constable Jim Hilton, in particular. Constable Hilton, a YRP canine unit officer and trainer, was generous with his time, resource materials and limitless knowledge as I conducted my research for this trilogy. I would also like to thank him for introducing me to his explosives detection dog, Max, and proudly showing off some of Max’s considerable skills for me!

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text Keeping her safe at all costs Could their backgrounds be any more different? Rick Vasquez, a K-9 unit sergeant with the San Diego Police Department, fled drug-related violence in Mexico as a boy. Madison Long, who recently became primary veterinarian to the SDPD’s canines, is the privileged daughter of a judge. Rick has dedicated his life to curtailing cross-border drug trafficking and preventing other young boys from being drawn into the dark world of the cartels. But everything Rick and Madison value, and the growing love between them, is threatened by the dangers of Rick’s job, and the risks he’s determined to take...

Introduction The more he discovered about this woman... The more he thought there was something special about her. As he watched Madison examine Sniff, he felt an odd churning in his gut. Yeah, he’d had breakfast at six, grabbed a quick sandwich for lunch and it was almost five now, but he didn’t think his reaction had anything to do with being hungry. Rick shoved both hands back into his pants pockets. He didn’t want to dwell on the fact that all of a sudden he was tempted to reach out and discover the texture of the veterinarian’s springy red hair or how smooth her flawless complexion really was. He liked women, sure. Too much sometimes. This felt different somehow, and he’d just met her. He considered how gentle and sweet—not a word he used often, but it seemed right—she was with his dog. That’s it! It was Sniff, he rationalized. Anyone who loved his dog was okay by him. That was it. That was all.

Dear Reader

Title Page

About the Author

Dedication

Acknowledgments

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

CHAPTER TWENTY

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

Copyright

CHAPTER ONE

ENRIQUE FLINCHED AT the burst of gunfire. That slight motion nearly made him lose his balance. He’d been hiding in the corner of his closet for a while, as high up as possible, bracing himself with his back against one wall and his feet against the facing wall. It wasn’t the first time he’d hidden there, trying to avoid discovery, but at twelve he was almost too big to fit. His muscles spasmed from the exertion. He rubbed his thigh, trying to get the blood circulating.