Marie Ferrarella - The Cowboy And The Baby

THE WRANGLER’S SPECIAL DELIVERY

When the father of her baby bails, Devon Bennett finds herself in a difficult position. As in “giving birth in a truck on the side of a road” difficult. Devon’s never felt more alone, until a hunky cowboy rides in to save the day.

Deputy Cody McCullough can’t shake the feeling that Devon and her baby still need him, and not just because they’re staying at his ranch. It’s obvious that the single mom’s heart has been broken before and trusting this cowboy lawman doesn’t come easily. But Cody will do whatever it takes to make Devon feel safe again…and to see that her heart finally has a home.

It was too good to be true.

Devon ran her hand ever so lightly over the bassinet.

“This is wonderful,” she said in a small, halting voice, afraid to speak up because she thought her voice would crack. “Where did you get all this?”

“Miss Joan is very resourceful,” Cody told her matter-of-factly. “Technically,” he specified, “these are all on loan—except for the diapers, of course.”

“I don’t care if they’re on loan,” Devon told him. “The fact that I can use them even for a little while is just wonderful,” she added, tearing up completely.

Nothing made Cody feel more helpless than tears. “Oh, hey, you’re not going to cry, are you?”

“No,” she said, and then promptly had several fat tears go cascading down both of her cheeks.

At a loss, not knowing what else to do, Cody took her into his arms and just held her, saying nothing. He just wanted her to know that he was there for her, no matter what she needed.

The Cowboy and the Baby

Marie Ferrarella

www.millsandboon.co.uk

MARIE FERRARELLA is a USA TODAY bestselling and RITA® Award–winning author who has written more than two hundred and fifty books for Mills & Boon, some under the name Marie Nicole. Her romances are beloved by fans worldwide. Visit her website, marieferrarella.com.

To

Dr. Steve Kang

For Giving Me Hope

That I Could

Wear High Heels Again

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text THE WRANGLER’S SPECIAL DELIVERY When the father of her baby bails, Devon Bennett finds herself in a difficult position. As in “giving birth in a truck on the side of a road” difficult. Devon’s never felt more alone, until a hunky cowboy rides in to save the day. Deputy Cody McCullough can’t shake the feeling that Devon and her baby still need him, and not just because they’re staying at his ranch. It’s obvious that the single mom’s heart has been broken before and trusting this cowboy lawman doesn’t come easily. But Cody will do whatever it takes to make Devon feel safe again…and to see that her heart finally has a home.

Introduction It was too good to be true. Devon ran her hand ever so lightly over the bassinet. “This is wonderful,” she said in a small, halting voice, afraid to speak up because she thought her voice would crack. “Where did you get all this?” “Miss Joan is very resourceful,” Cody told her matter-of-factly. “Technically,” he specified, “these are all on loan—except for the diapers, of course.” “I don’t care if they’re on loan,” Devon told him. “The fact that I can use them even for a little while is just wonderful,” she added, tearing up completely. Nothing made Cody feel more helpless than tears. “Oh, hey, you’re not going to cry, are you?” “No,” she said, and then promptly had several fat tears go cascading down both of her cheeks. At a loss, not knowing what else to do, Cody took her into his arms and just held her, saying nothing. He just wanted her to know that he was there for her, no matter what she needed.

Title Page The Cowboy and the Baby Marie Ferrarella www.millsandboon.co.uk

About the Author MARIE FERRARELLA is a USA TODAY bestselling and RITA® Award–winning author who has written more than two hundred and fifty books for Mills & Boon, some under the name Marie Nicole. Her romances are beloved by fans worldwide. Visit her website, marieferrarella.com .

Dedication To Dr. Steve Kang For Giving Me Hope That I Could Wear High Heels Again

Prologue

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

Epilogue

Extract

Copyright

Prologue

Cody McCullough didn’t like being late.

Ever.

It was a work ethic his big brother Connor had instilled in all of them. Connor had insisted on it that first time he had gathered them all together to tell them that, despite the recent death of their father, they were still going to be a family, still go on living under one roof. Connor had just turned eighteen at the time. That ultimately meant that, as the oldest, Connor was willing to give up his dreams of going away to college in order to become their guardian.

There was no one else to turn to and, besides, Connor had never been one to believe in buck-passing.

Taking care of three younger siblings and a modest cattle ranch was a hell of a responsibility to take on for an eighteen-year-old, so the rest of them—Cody, Cole and Cassidy—figured that the least they could do was not give Connor a hard time about anything, including the rules he saw fit to set down and enforce.

Connor’s Code, they had all come to agree, was there for their own good. If they were to survive in a world that could—all too easily—be rough and cruel, they had to pull together.

And in exchange for not giving Connor any grief, their older brother returned the favor. He backed them whenever he could and never made them feel as if they were victims of a cold fate. He taught them that they were the masters of their own destinies. They just had to fight a little harder to forge them.

Even so, when Cody had decided to do something different with his life—change his career path to become a deputy—he was certain that Connor would voice his objections, or at least display a degree of displeasure with his choice.

Instead, Connor had heard him out when he made his case. At the end, he had nodded, saying, “If that’s what you want to do, do it. You change your mind, the ranch is always going to be here for you. But if you’re going to be a deputy, I want you to be the best damn deputy you can be. I don’t want to hear anyone telling me that the sheriff regrets the day he took you on as Alma’s replacement.”

And Cody had promised to give the job nothing less than his best—which had turned out to be a challenge.

Alma Rodriguez Tyler might have been a small woman, as well as the first female deputy that Forever, Texas, had ever had, but Cody would have been the first one to say that she had left some pretty big boots to fill.

Even so, he had taken to the job like the proverbial duck to water. Cody discovered that he really loved it. Loved putting on the uniform, the badge. Loved being a deputy the way he hadn’t ever really loved being a rancher.

The only part of ranching that was near and dear to his heart was the horses. He loved riding, loved becoming one with the animal beneath him. While his other siblings gradually shifted over to getting around in the family truck or the second-hand Jeep they had all chipped in to buy, Cody loved riding. He had ever since he’d been a toddler and his late father, Josh, had picked him up and put him on the back of his first horse, a sleepy-eyed old mare named Libby.