In New York Times bestselling author Carla Cassidyâs latest thriller, a loner cowboy meets his match!
A man who keeps his secrets close to his chest, gruff rancher Brody Booth is used to things being complicated. The last thing he expects is for a beautiful woman to be his undoing. But Mandy Wrightâs as unpredictable as the snowstorm that traps them together.
Mandy is independent and trusts no one. When it comes to relationships, sheâs always the first to walk away. Letting Brody close enough to protect her from a killer feels strangeâand thrilling. Having feelings for him is as risky as surrendering to the threat. Can she find a way to outrun danger and fall in love?
âI hope you donât mind the candles. I always light a couple before I go to sleep.â
âI donât mind,â he replied. Hell yes, he minded the candles that painted her face in beautiful shadows and light. Hell yes, he minded the candles that made the room feel so much smaller and much more intimate.
He walked over to the sofa and found a bed pillow and a soft, hot-pink blanket. He placed his gun on the coffee table, unfolded the blanket and then stretched out.
âBrody?â
âYeah?â He answered without opening his eyes.
âSomehow, someway Iâll make this all up to you.â
Visions instantly exploded in his head, erotic visions of the two of them making love. He jerked his head to halt them. âYou donât have to make anything up to me.â
He couldnât be her friend. She was too much of a temptation and he couldnât be friends with a woman he wanted. He didnât want to be friends with anyone.
Heâd see her through this threat and then he had to walk away from her and never look back.
* * *
Be sure to check out the next books in this exciting series:
Cowboys of Holiday RanchâWhere sun, earth and hard work turn men into rugged cowboysâ¦and irresistible heroes!
Chapter 1
Amanda Wright hummed the tune of âLet It Snowâ under her breath as she stamped her feet in an effort to get warm.
The short red Mrs. Santa costume she wore with the white faux fur around the bottom, the neckline and at the cuffs looked cute but did little to provide any real warmth. Wearing flesh-colored tights was almost like being bare-legged, and the short black leather boots on her feet were fashion-forward, but definitely not keeping her toes warm.
She could always step into the small wooden boothâs tiny back room, where an oil heater spewed out a bit of warmth, but it was almost time for her to pack it in for the day and she didnât want to miss her last chance to help make a difference.
Darkness had fallen an hour before, and yet the streets of Bitterroot were aglow with the merry lights of the Christmas season. Illuminated red-and-white candy canes hung from every light pole and shoppers still scurried along the sidewalks, trying to get in last-minute supplies before a predicted big snowstorm struck.
Mandy loved this time of year, when the air smelled of evergreen wreaths and cinnamon sticks, and Christmas carols spilled out of every store doorway. Even though the holiday was still a little over two weeks away, Bitterroot was already in the spirit.
She smiled as she saw Butch Cooper approaching the booth. She had dated Butch for about a month and had only recently broken up with him. Thankfully, despite the breakup they had remained good friends.
âBuy a kiss for a dollar,â she said. âAll proceeds go to the youth program.â
Butch pulled his wallet out of his pocket and withdrew a five-dollar bill. âIâll just donate this to the cause,â he said and handed her the money.
âThanks, Butch,â she replied. He was such a nice guy, but it hadnât taken her long to realize he wasnât the Prince Charming she was waiting for. Although sheâd enjoyed his company, there just hadnât been any real romantic spark with him. âHow are you doing?â
âIâm getting by. What about you?â
âThe same. Iâm keeping busy between the café and this booth,â she replied.
âYouâd better think about getting yourself home soon,â he said. âThereâs freezing rain moving in and then itâs supposed to snow like the devil.â
âIâm planning on packing it up in just a little while. Iâm hoping to make a little more money before I close down for the night.â