Debra Clopton - Her Unlikely Cowboy

A New Life

Suzie Kent will do anything for her troubled teen son. Even if it means turning to her late husband’s best friend for help. Rancher Tucker McDermott is convinced that the fresh air and hard work of Sunrise Ranch will do Abe and Suzie a world of good. But Suzie’s not so sure that the man she blames for her husband’s death knows best. Soon, spending time with the strong, handsome cowboy revives Suzie’s spirits—and her heart. Can they heal their past sorrows and build a future as a family together?

“I thought you’d like to see this,” he said.

Suzie stepped out of Tucker’s truck and stared at the huge trees that he’d parked beneath. Cottonwoods.

“I’ve never seen this many of them together!” It was a beautiful sight when the cotton tuffs were floating from the branches on their slow free fall to earth. It looked like it was snowing in the middle of May!

“I’ve always liked this spot this time of year,” Tucker said, coming to stand beside her. Smiling down at her, he plucked a bit of cotton from her hair. “It looks good on you,” he said.

She wasn’t thinking about the cotton any longer. “Which way will we go?” she asked, butterflies sifting inside her chest.

“Which way do you want to go?”

She stared at him, her insides completely aflutter. His deep blue eyes were steady and unwavering as they seemed to see every emotional hiding place within her.

“I don’t know.” Were they talking about which way to go to check fences…or something more?

DEBRA CLOPTON

First published in 2005, Debra Clopton is an award-winning, multipublished novelist who has won a Booksellers’ Best Award, an Inspirational Readers’ Choice Award, a Golden Quill, a Cataromance Reviewers’ Choice Award, RT Book Reviews Book of the Year and Harlequin.com’s Readers’ Choice Award. She was also a 2004 finalist for the prestigious RWA Golden Heart, a triple finalist for the American Christian Fiction Writers Carol Award and most recently a finalist for the 2011 Gayle Wilson Award for Excellence.

Married for twenty-two blessed years to her high school sweetheart, Debra was widowed in 2003. Happily, in 2008, a couple of friends played matchmaker and set her up on a blind date. Instantly hitting it off, they were married in 2010. They live in the country with her husband’s two high-school-age sons. Debra has two adult sons, a lovely daughter-in-law and a beautiful granddaughter—life is good! Her greatest awards are her family and spending time with them. You can reach Debra at P.O. Box 1125, Madisonville, TX 77864, or at debraclopton.com.

Her Unlikely Cowboy

Debra Clopton

www.millsandboon.co.uk

Greater love hath no man than this,

that a man lay down his life for his friends.

—John 15:13

This book is dedicated, with much gratitude and sorrow, to the family of and to U.S. Marine SGT. Wade Wilson. Your sacrifice and selfless act of heroism for our freedom will not be forgotten. 1989–2012

Contents

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

Dear Reader

Questions for Discussion

Excerpt

Chapter One

More dread than hope filled Suzie Kent’s heart as she drove around a wide curve toward Dew Drop, Texas. Suddenly, the flash of police lights startled her just as a mass of short, fat donkeys standing in her path yanked her out of her depressed state. Suzie gasped, “Oh!”

“Mom! Stop!” Abe yelled.

A tall man in a cowboy hat, jeans and the tan uniform of a Texas sheriff stood in the middle of the donkeys, waving his arms for her to halt. One minute he was standing, and the next—

“He went down!” Abe yelled again as the sheriff buckled and fell over.

Suzie stomped on the brakes of the monstrosity of a moving truck. The heavy vehicle groaned and rebelled, but fortunately the brakes grabbed and the bulky box on wheels lunged—once, twice, three times before stopping hard. She and Abe strained forward against their seat belts with the force.

Even intent on halting, she was shaken by what they’d witnessed. One of the cute donkeys had just taken down an officer with a well-placed kick.

Abe had his seat belt off and was out the door before Suzie even had time to tell him to be careful. At fifteen he wasn’t listening to her anymore, and this was no different. Hurrying to get out of the truck, she pushed the flashers on then locked her gaze back on her son. He approached the donkeys, yelling and waving his arms wildly. She was thankful when the creatures parted down the road’s yellow center stripe, scurrying like mice out of his way. This gave her a clear view of the downed officer. Sirens sounded in the distance and she hoped their shrill cry signaled help was on the way.

Abe skidded to a halt beside the black-haired man holding his hip and struggling to get up. His back was to them but it was easy to tell he was well built as he struggled to one knee, holding his injured leg straight.

“Mom, he’s hurt!” Abe yelled over his shoulder, bending down and blocking her view of the officer. “I can help you stand up. If you can,” he said. “That donkey blasted you.”

“Thanks,” the officer grunted. “That’d be much appreciated. Donkeys might be innocent-looking, but they can sure make an impact.”

Though she hadn’t yet glimpsed his face, Suzie quickened her pace. The officer looped his arm over Abe’s shoulders just as she reached them.

“Here let me help, too.” She scooted beneath his other arm, placing her hand on his stomach—his very firm stomach. The officer was in shape. Looking up she met his deep marine-blue gaze and froze.

Tucker McDermott!

“Thanks, Suzie. It’s good to see you.” Tucker McDermott’s eyes bored into her, but concern stamped his expression, as if he knew the dismay shooting through her.

Her breath had flown from her lungs and she had no words as she looked into the face of the man she held responsible for her husband’s death.

The man she was also counting on to help her save her son.... Suzie’s world tilted as she realized whose clean, tangy aftershave was teasing her senses and whose unbelievably intense gaze had her insides suddenly rioting. His hair was jet-black and his skin deeply tanned, making his midnight-blue eyes startling in their intensity.

“Tucker,” she managed, hoping her voice didn’t wobble.

Moving to Dew Drop, Texas, to Tucker’s family’s Sunrise Ranch, and asking for his help had taken everything she had left emotionally—and that hadn’t been much since her husband had given his life in the line of duty for fellow marine Tucker, two years earlier.

And now, as circumstances would have it, she was forced to rely on his help.

Tucker grimaced, trying to keep most of his weight off of Suzie and Abe, but his hip clearly hurt.

“Thanks for the rescue. I’m glad y’all saw the pack and stopped in time. I had just arrived and it wouldn’t have been good if you’d wrecked because of these hairy pests.”

Suzie realized the donkey must have kicked him in his bad hip.

Shot.

The word ricocheted through her. He’d been shot in the hip and gone down in a firefight—a firefight after being ambushed.

The firefight in which her husband, Gordon, had stepped in front of him and drawn fire.

Acid rolled in the pit of her stomach thinking about it.