Brenda Harlen - The Sheriff's Nine-Month Surprise

A shotgun wedding...

or a Match Made in Haven?

By-the-book attorney Katelyn Gilmore has her entire life mapped out. But a spontaneous weekend of passion with Reid Davidson upends that well-ordered universe. She’s going to have a baby! And what’s more, her hunky fling’s now the new sheriff in town...literally. Reid’s taking his dad-to-be duties seriously and won’t rest until Katelyn has a ring on her finger. Sure, the baby’s the most important thing, but what about true love?

BRENDA HARLEN is a former attorney who once had the privilege of appearing before the Supreme Court of Canada. The practice of law taught her a lot about the world and reinforced her determination to become a writer—because in iction, she could promise a happy ending! Now she is an award-winning, RITA® Award–nominated national bestselling author of more than thirty titles for Mills & Boon. You can keep up-to-date with Brenda on Facebook and Twitter or through her website, www.brendaharlen.com.

Also by Brenda Harlen

The Last Single Garrett Baby Talk & Wedding Bells Building the Perfect Daddy Two Doctors & a Baby The Bachelor Takes a Bride A Forever Kind of Family The Daddy Wish A Wife for One Year The Single Dad’s Second Chance A Very Special Delivery

Discover more at millsandboon.co.uk

The Sheriff’s Nine-Month Surprise

Brenda Harlen

www.millsandboon.co.uk

ISBN: 978-1-474-07737-8

THE SHERIFF’S NINE-MONTH SURPRISE

© 2018 Brenda Harlen

Published in Great Britain 2018

by Mills & Boon, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers 1 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF

All rights reserved including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form. This edition is published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, locations and incidents are purely fictional and bear no relationship to any real life individuals, living or dead, or to any actual places, business establishments, locations, events or incidents. Any resemblance is entirely coincidental.

By payment of the required fees, you are granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right and licence to download and install this e-book on your personal computer, tablet computer, smart phone or other electronic reading device only (each a “Licensed Device”) and to access, display and read the text of this e-book on-screen on your Licensed Device. Except to the extent any of these acts shall be permitted pursuant to any mandatory provision of applicable law but no further, no part of this e-book or its text or images may be reproduced, transmitted, distributed, translated, converted or adapted for use on another file format, communicated to the public, downloaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of publisher.

® and ™ are trademarks owned and used by the trademark owner and/or its licensee. Trademarks marked with ® are registered with the United Kingdom Patent Office and/or the Office for Harmonisation in the Internal Market and in other countries.

www.millsandboon.co.uk

To #professionalromancefans—avid readers

and tireless ambassadors of the genre.

With sincere appreciation.

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text A shotgun wedding... or a Match Made in Haven? By-the-book attorney Katelyn Gilmore has her entire life mapped out. But a spontaneous weekend of passion with Reid Davidson upends that well-ordered universe. She’s going to have a baby! And what’s more, her hunky fling’s now the new sheriff in town...literally. Reid’s taking his dad-to-be duties seriously and won’t rest until Katelyn has a ring on her finger. Sure, the baby’s the most important thing, but what about true love?

About the Author BRENDA HARLEN is a former attorney who once had the privilege of appearing before the Supreme Court of Canada. The practice of law taught her a lot about the world and reinforced her determination to become a writer—because in iction, she could promise a happy ending! Now she is an award-winning, RITA® Award–nominated national bestselling author of more than thirty titles for Mills & Boon. You can keep up-to-date with Brenda on Facebook and Twitter or through her website, www.brendaharlen.com .

Booklist Also by Brenda Harlen The Last Single Garrett Baby Talk & Wedding Bells Building the Perfect Daddy Two Doctors & a Baby The Bachelor Takes a Bride A Forever Kind of Family The Daddy Wish A Wife for One Year The Single Dad’s Second Chance A Very Special Delivery Discover more at millsandboon.co.uk

Title Page The Sheriff’s Nine-Month Surprise Brenda Harlen www.millsandboon.co.uk

Copyright ISBN: 978-1-474-07737-8 THE SHERIFF’S NINE-MONTH SURPRISE © 2018 Brenda Harlen Published in Great Britain 2018 by Mills & Boon, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers 1 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF All rights reserved including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form. This edition is published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A. This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, locations and incidents are purely fictional and bear no relationship to any real life individuals, living or dead, or to any actual places, business establishments, locations, events or incidents. Any resemblance is entirely coincidental. By payment of the required fees, you are granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right and licence to download and install this e-book on your personal computer, tablet computer, smart phone or other electronic reading device only (each a “Licensed Device”) and to access, display and read the text of this e-book on-screen on your Licensed Device. Except to the extent any of these acts shall be permitted pursuant to any mandatory provision of applicable law but no further, no part of this e-book or its text or images may be reproduced, transmitted, distributed, translated, converted or adapted for use on another file format, communicated to the public, downloaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of publisher. ® and ™ are trademarks owned and used by the trademark owner and/or its licensee. Trademarks marked with ® are registered with the United Kingdom Patent Office and/or the Office for Harmonisation in the Internal Market and in other countries. www.millsandboon.co.uk

Dedication To #professionalromancefans—avid readers and tireless ambassadors of the genre. With sincere appreciation.

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

Epilogue

Extract

Chapter One

Twenty-eight months

Katelyn Gilmore fell back onto the king-size mattress and drew in a long, deep breath as she stared up at the textured ceiling of the Courtland Hotel-Boulder City.

Twenty-eight months devoted exclusively to the establishment of her law practice, working long hours every day, including evenings and weekends, to prove herself to her clients and colleagues. Now, after twenty-eight months, she’d finally allowed herself to venture away from the office for a few days.