A Cowboy's Christmas Proposal

At a magical time of year...

Can a cowboy help falling in love?

For single dad Owen Caufield, living and working at Sweetheart Ranch for a month is the perfect change of pace. While the cowboy turned wedding officiant can now spend more time with his children, Molly O’Malley, his new boss, is less thrilled. A wedding ranch isn’t the best place for three rambunctious youngsters. But amid the chaos—and the coming holidays—it may be the best place to fall in love...

Since 2006, New York Times bestselling author CATHY MCDAVID has been happily penning contemporary Westerns for Harlequin. Every day, she gets to write about handsome cowboys riding the range or busting a bronc. It’s a tough job, but she’s willing to make the sacrifice. Cathy shares her Arizona home with her own real-life sweetheart and a trio of odd pets. Her grown twins have left to embark on lives of their own, and she couldn’t be prouder of their accomplishments.

Also By Cathy McDavid

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Discover more at millsandboon.co.uk

A Cowboy’s Christmas Proposal

Cathy McDavid

www.millsandboon.co.uk

ISBN: 978-1-474-09039-1

A COWBOY’S CHRISTMAS PROPOSAL

© 2018 by Cathy McDavid

Published in Great Britain 2018

by Mills & Boon, an imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers 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.

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“Goodnight, Owen.” She started to leave.

He reached for her. “Wait.”

“What?”

Placing his hands on her shoulders, he tilted her toward the porch light. “You have some soot on your face.”

“Do I?” She dabbed at her cheeks, smearing rather than removing the soot.

“Here. Let me.”

He removed a kerchief from his coat pocket and gently wiped her face. While pretending to scrutinize his work, he studied her eyes, which never veered from his.

Molly might have trouble expressing her innermost feelings but they were clearly telegraphed in the tiny nuances of her expression. What Owen saw made his heart bounce wildly inside his chest. She didn’t entirely object to his touch. Even enjoyed it.

He took a leap, not caring about the consequences. “I’m going to kiss you, Molly.”

“You are?” she breathed.

“Unless you object.”

He waited for her to say she did. When one moment stretched into two, he dipped his head and brushed his lips slowly across hers.

Dear Reader,

It’s true, change is inevitable—and I say that with a big smile on my face. A Cowboy’s Christmas Proposal represents two big changes for me, ones I’m really excited about. After thirty books for Harlequin Western Romance, I’m now writing for Harlequin Heartwarming and couldn’t be happier. I’ve been a huge fan of the line for years. I love the longer length that allows me to more fully explore the main characters’ relationship. Also, several of my close friends write for Heartwarming, and I couldn’t be in better company.

The other big change is that A Cowboy’s Christmas Proposal is the first of four books in a brand-new series, The Sweetheart Ranch. The idea came to me not long ago when I was researching wedding venues online for my own wedding—yes, I’m still a bit of a newlywed. I thought what fun it would be to create a Western-themed honeymoon bed-and-breakfast complete with a wedding chapel. It was an “aha” moment that just felt right!