Jeannie Watt - To Tempt a Cowgirl

Making an offer on love

Troublemaker-turned-architect Gabe Matthews has an agenda—and a serious relationship is nowhere on it. To repay his mentor, he trades the big city for the rugged country so he can persuade the sexy cowgirl next door, Danica Brody, to sell the Lightning Creek Ranch.

Soon Gabe is pulling out all the stops to get close to Dani. But earning her trust complicates everything. He knows the last thing she needs is another run-in with deception, and the attraction he doesn’t see coming changes his every plan.

Welcome to Lightning Creek Ranch, nestled in the foothills of Montana’s majestic Bitterroot Mountains, home to the strong-willed Brody family. Life isn’t always easy on the Lightning Creek, but challenges are nothing new to the men and women who live and work here.

And there’s something about the ranch, something in the beauty and solitude that works a kind of magic on those in need of a second shot at life...

Dear Reader Dear Reader Title Page About the Author Dedication 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 Extract ,

More often than not, when I start tossing around ideas for a book, the hero comes to me first. He’s a guy with a problem, and after I coax him into the story, it’s my job to make things get worse before they get better. Gabe Matthews, the hero of To Tempt a Cowgirl, didn’t fit the mold. He had a problem—a chaotic childhood and a serious brush with the law—but that’s been taken care of, and now he’s successful and happy. How am I supposed to work with a hero like that?

I need to give him a new problem.

Gabe goes to Montana to help procure the Lightning Creek Ranch in a quiet private sale as a favor to the man who helped him get his life back on track. His plan is to get to know the owner, then broach the matter of a sale. He’s good at what he does and he fully expects to succeed in his mission. What he doesn’t expect is to fall for the owner of the property.

Dani Brody, owner of the Lightning Creek Ranch, has trust issues. She’s been betrayed by her fiancé and has no intention of getting involved with another guy anytime soon...although her new neighbor is proving to be a bit of a temptation. The closer she and Gabe get, the more she thinks he might be a guy worth taking a chance on. And then she discovers the real reason he came to Montana.

Gabe has a problem.

I hope you enjoy reading Dani and Gabe’s story. I made them work for their happy ending, but they’re better off because of it.

Happy reading!

Jeannie Watt

JeannieWatt.com

To Tempt a Cowgirl

Jeannie Watt

www.millsandboon.co.uk

JEANNIE WATT lives in the heart of a rural Nevada ranching community. When she’s not at her computer writing, she collects and sews vintage clothing patterns—her latest obsession. Every now and again she and her husband slip away to San Francisco to soak up the city or run a 10K, but for the most part she enjoys living in her quiet desert setting, thinking up new ways to torture her characters before they get their happily-ever-after.

I’d like to dedicate this book to the staff of the Harlequin Art Department.

Thank you for all the great covers! I swear, sometimes you guys read my mind.

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text Making an offer on love Troublemaker-turned-architect Gabe Matthews has an agenda—and a serious relationship is nowhere on it. To repay his mentor, he trades the big city for the rugged country so he can persuade the sexy cowgirl next door, Danica Brody, to sell the Lightning Creek Ranch. Soon Gabe is pulling out all the stops to get close to Dani. But earning her trust complicates everything. He knows the last thing she needs is another run-in with deception, and the attraction he doesn’t see coming changes his every plan.

Introduction Welcome to Lightning Creek Ranch, nestled in the foothills of Montana’s majestic Bitterroot Mountains, home to the strong-willed Brody family. Life isn’t always easy on the Lightning Creek, but challenges are nothing new to the men and women who live and work here. And there’s something about the ranch, something in the beauty and solitude that works a kind of magic on those in need of a second shot at life...

Dear Reader Dear Reader Dear Reader Title Page About the Author Dedication 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 Extract , More often than not, when I start tossing around ideas for a book, the hero comes to me first. He’s a guy with a problem, and after I coax him into the story, it’s my job to make things get worse before they get better. Gabe Matthews, the hero of To Tempt a Cowgirl, didn’t fit the mold. He had a problem—a chaotic childhood and a serious brush with the law—but that’s been taken care of, and now he’s successful and happy. How am I supposed to work with a hero like that? I need to give him a new problem. Gabe goes to Montana to help procure the Lightning Creek Ranch in a quiet private sale as a favor to the man who helped him get his life back on track. His plan is to get to know the owner, then broach the matter of a sale. He’s good at what he does and he fully expects to succeed in his mission. What he doesn’t expect is to fall for the owner of the property. Dani Brody, owner of the Lightning Creek Ranch, has trust issues. She’s been betrayed by her fiancé and has no intention of getting involved with another guy anytime soon...although her new neighbor is proving to be a bit of a temptation. The closer she and Gabe get, the more she thinks he might be a guy worth taking a chance on. And then she discovers the real reason he came to Montana. Gabe has a problem. I hope you enjoy reading Dani and Gabe’s story. I made them work for their happy ending, but they’re better off because of it. Happy reading! Jeannie Watt JeannieWatt.com

Title Page To Tempt a Cowgirl Jeannie Watt www.millsandboon.co.uk

About the Author JEANNIE WATT lives in the heart of a rural Nevada ranching community. When she’s not at her computer writing, she collects and sews vintage clothing patterns—her latest obsession. Every now and again she and her husband slip away to San Francisco to soak up the city or run a 10K, but for the most part she enjoys living in her quiet desert setting, thinking up new ways to torture her characters before they get their happily-ever-after.

Dedication I’d like to dedicate this book to the staff of the Harlequin Art Department. Thank you for all the great covers! I swear, sometimes you guys read my mind.

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

Extract

CHAPTER ONE

DANICA BRODY STOPPED just inside the door of the livestock sale barn and inhaled deeply. Pine shavings, hay, damp earth and horse—heaven. Her former fiancé hadn’t shared that feeling, which was why walking into this particular barn felt so damned good. She didn’t have to justify her actions to a man who didn’t understand her passion for horses or her need to right a wrong.