Laura Drake - Against The Odds

A love stronger than fear...

Former army sniper Douglas “Bear” Steele wants only to be left alone to live a quiet, peaceful existence in the small town of Widow’s Grove. So his attraction to Hope Sanderson is unexpected and inconvenient. Having recently survived a violent bank robbery, Hope has vowed to seize each day and leave behind her safe, ordered life. As Hope and Bear help each other heal, their desire turns to love. But with their lives moving in opposite directions, can they find a balance to let go of the past and embrace the future...together?

The flush Hope felt had nothing to do with the sun.

The engine growl changed pitch as the bike slowed. Bear put his feet down and stopped. Her foot was off the peg and reaching for the ground before she realized what she was doing. It was instinct—to help balance and connect with the sweet, sustaining earth.

“Feet up.” His deep voice rolled like thunder through his back and kept going, reverberating through hers.

“Right. Sorry,” she squeaked. They were at the stop sign corner of King’s Highway and Foxen Canyon Road.

“You’re not smiling.”

Her lips were pulled back from her teeth, but it wasn’t quite a smile. “I’ll try.”

“Look at it this way. You wanted to push the envelope, right?”

“Yeah, but I didn’t want to fall off it.”

“I won’t let you fall, Hope.” He took a hand from the grip and patted the arm that was locked around his waist. “Nothing bad will happen to you when you’re with me. I’ll see to it.”

Dear Reader Dear Reader TITLE PAGE ABOUT THE AUTHOR 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 EPILOGUE EXTRACT COPYRIGHT ,

I never dreamed when I wrote my first book that I’d ever see it in print—much less that it would become a four-book series!

Widow’s Grove has become so real to me (and, I hope, to you) that I feel like I could walk downtown to Hollister Drugs and order one of those great shakes that Sin makes. Or run out to The Tippling Widow Winery. And while I’m out there, I could visit Sam in that beautiful Victorian on the hill…

But this story belongs to Bear. I gave him his very own Angel, as you’ll see when you turn the page.

Now that the last book has been written, I can tell you that you can visit Widow’s Grove! Well, not exactly, but pretty close. I based Widow’s Grove on the central California town of Los Olivos. Sadly, you won’t find the Bar None or The Farmhouse Café, but you will see the Victorians lining the road into town and the flagpole that graces the intersection at the center.

And somewhere, out in those rolling golden hills, is the run-down graying Victorian that began all this so many years ago. I saw it from the back of my husband’s motorcycle in the ’90s. I wouldn’t even know how to find it now, but maybe someday I’ll go back, on my own motorcycle, and cruise the back roads until I do.

I’d like that very much.

Laura Drake

PS: I enjoy hearing from readers. You can contact me and sign up for my newsletter through my website, www.lauradrakebooks.com.

Against the Odds

Laura Drake

www.millsandboon.co.uk

LAURA DRAKE is a RITA® Award–winning author of romance and women’s fiction. She’s put a hundred thousand miles on her motorcycles, riding the back roads, getting to know the small Western towns that are her books’ settings. She gave up the corporate CFO gig to retire in Texas and is currently working on her accent. In the remaining waking hours, she’s a wife, grandmother and motorcycle chick.

Contents

COVER

BACK COVER TEXT A love stronger than fear... Former army sniper Douglas “Bear” Steele wants only to be left alone to live a quiet, peaceful existence in the small town of Widow’s Grove. So his attraction to Hope Sanderson is unexpected and inconvenient. Having recently survived a violent bank robbery, Hope has vowed to seize each day and leave behind her safe, ordered life. As Hope and Bear help each other heal, their desire turns to love. But with their lives moving in opposite directions, can they find a balance to let go of the past and embrace the future...together?

INTRODUCTION The flush Hope felt had nothing to do with the sun. The engine growl changed pitch as the bike slowed. Bear put his feet down and stopped. Her foot was off the peg and reaching for the ground before she realized what she was doing. It was instinct—to help balance and connect with the sweet, sustaining earth. “Feet up.” His deep voice rolled like thunder through his back and kept going, reverberating through hers. “Right. Sorry,” she squeaked. They were at the stop sign corner of King’s Highway and Foxen Canyon Road. “You’re not smiling.” Her lips were pulled back from her teeth, but it wasn’t quite a smile. “I’ll try.” “Look at it this way. You wanted to push the envelope, right?” “Yeah, but I didn’t want to fall off it.” “I won’t let you fall, Hope.” He took a hand from the grip and patted the arm that was locked around his waist. “Nothing bad will happen to you when you’re with me. I’ll see to it.”

Dear Reader Dear Reader Dear Reader TITLE PAGE ABOUT THE AUTHOR 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 EPILOGUE EXTRACT COPYRIGHT , I never dreamed when I wrote my first book that I’d ever see it in print—much less that it would become a four-book series! Widow’s Grove has become so real to me (and, I hope, to you) that I feel like I could walk downtown to Hollister Drugs and order one of those great shakes that Sin makes. Or run out to The Tippling Widow Winery. And while I’m out there, I could visit Sam in that beautiful Victorian on the hill… But this story belongs to Bear. I gave him his very own Angel, as you’ll see when you turn the page. Now that the last book has been written, I can tell you that you can visit Widow’s Grove! Well, not exactly, but pretty close. I based Widow’s Grove on the central California town of Los Olivos. Sadly, you won’t find the Bar None or The Farmhouse Café, but you will see the Victorians lining the road into town and the flagpole that graces the intersection at the center. And somewhere, out in those rolling golden hills, is the run-down graying Victorian that began all this so many years ago. I saw it from the back of my husband’s motorcycle in the ’90s. I wouldn’t even know how to find it now, but maybe someday I’ll go back, on my own motorcycle, and cruise the back roads until I do. I’d like that very much. Laura Drake PS: I enjoy hearing from readers. You can contact me and sign up for my newsletter through my website, www.lauradrakebooks.com .

TITLE PAGE Against the Odds Laura Drake www.millsandboon.co.uk

ABOUT THE AUTHOR LAURA DRAKE is a RITA® Award–winning author of romance and women’s fiction. She’s put a hundred thousand miles on her motorcycles, riding the back roads, getting to know the small Western towns that are her books’ settings. She gave up the corporate CFO gig to retire in Texas and is currently working on her accent. In the remaining waking hours, she’s a wife, grandmother and motorcycle chick.

CHAPTER ONE

CHAPTER TWO