He will protect her
But can the sheriff resist his forbidden desire?
Oak Grove sheriff Tom Baniff might be hunting Clara Wilsonâs criminal husband, but that doesnât mean he wonât help protect Clara and her young son from the outlawâs deadly threats. When he invites Clara to his hometown, Tom is determined to keep her safe. But with her so close, can he resist the allure of the only woman heâs ever wanted?
âA delightful, charming and gasp-filled romance.â
âRT Book Reviews on Winning the Mail-Order Bride
âRobinsonâs new book is enjoyable and endearing... [A] classic western adventure with strong characters, authentic setting and quick pace.â
âRT Book Reviews on Unwrapping the Rancherâs Secret
A lover of fairy tales and cowboy boots, LAURI ROBINSON canât imagine a better profession than penning happily-ever-after stories about menâand womenâwho pull on a pair of boots before riding off into the sunset...or kick them off for other reasons. Lauri and her husband raised three sons in their rural Minnesota home and are now getting their just rewards by spoiling their grandchildren. Visit: laurirobinson.blogspot.com, Facebook.com/lauri.robinson1 or Twitter.com/LauriR.
Also by Lauri Robinson
Saving MarinaWestern Spring WeddingsHer Cheyenne WarriorUnwrapping the Rancherâs SecretThe Cowboyâs Orphan BrideMail-Order Brides of Oak GroveWinning the Mail-Order BrideWestern Christmas BridesMarried to Claim the Rancherâs Heir
Discover more at millsandboon.co.uk.
ISBN: 978-1-474-07361-5
IN THE SHERIFFâS PROTECTION
© 2018 Lauri Robinson
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.
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 âLicensed Deviceâ) 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.
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Chapter One
âMa, a riderâs cominâ up the road!â Billy exclaimed, his legs going the same speed they always were. At a run. âA man on horseback! Maybe itâs Pa, Ma! Maybe heâs come home!â
Clara Wilson squeezed the edge of the table, willing the fire-hot pain in her leg to ease while trying to find the wherewithal to respond to her son. âShut. The. Door. Billy,â she forced out.
âNo, Ma! Itâs Pa! It has to be.â
âShut the door. Now!â A moan followed her command. One sheâd tried to keep down but couldnât stop. The pain was too strong. So was the excitement in Billyâs voice, hoping the rider was his father. Hugh had let her down too many times to show up now, exactly when she needed him.
Billy did as instructed, and rushed to the table where she sat with her left leg propped up on another chair. âIs it your leg, Ma? Is it hurting again? Pa will be able to help you. I know he will. Thatâs him coming up the road. I just know it.â
And she knew it wasnât. It would be nice if she could believe differently, if things could be different, but they werenât and never would be. Her instincts were too strong, her life too true to form for anything to be different. âYes, itâs my leg. Bolt the door.â