The Rancher's Seduction
The last thing this bachelor rancher needs?Temptation beneath the mistletoe!Rancher Marshall Steele’s emotions are on lockdown—until he meets his beautiful new housekeeper. A desire this strong won’t lead to anything but trouble. And yet Marshall can’t stop wanting Tally Benson—her beauty, her kindness. As the holidays heat up, he vows to have her and then let her go. But will their passion survive the secrets she’s been keeping?
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The last thing this bachelor rancher needs?
Temptation beneath the mistletoe!
Rancher Marshall Steeleâs emotions are on lockdownâuntil he meets his beautiful new housekeeper. A desire this strong wonât lead to anything but trouble. And yet Marshall canât stop wanting Tally Bensonâher beauty, her kindness. As the holidays heat up, he vows to have her and then let her go. But will their passion survive the secrets sheâs been keeping?
USA TODAY bestselling author CATHERINE MANN has won numerous awards for her novels, including both a prestigious RITA® Award and an RT Book Reviews Reviewersâ Choice Award. After years of moving around the country bringing up four children, Catherine has settled in her home state of South Carolina, where sheâs active in animal rescue. For more information, visit her website, catherinemann.com.
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ISBN: 978-1-474-07698-2
THE RANCHERâS SEDUCTION
© 2018 Catherine Mann
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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To Vickie Gerlachâ
a dear reader and treasured friend!
Contents
Tallulah Benson had been told at a young age that sheâd been given an exciting name to go with a fairy-tale future. She just wished her life hadnât stalled out at the floor-sweeping version of Cinderella. No crystal slippers for her. She spent her days in sneakers.
She climbed the icy steps to the porch on the sprawling ranch home. To call it a log cabin would be an understatement since the two-story structure sported over eight thousand square feetâor so the job assignment had stated.
Bottom line, TallulahâTallyâwas grateful to have steady work as a housekeeper to pay her bills. If this latest gig cleaning for one of the oil-wealthy Steele family members went well, her résumé would be padded for more jobs cleaning for the rich and famous, which carried a substantial bump in her hourly rate. She needed the work. Both of her parents had died before her eighteenth birthday. She had no cushy savings or family safety net to fall back on.
By nineteen, sheâd learned all too well how harsh life could be when no one had her back. Ten years hadnât dimmed the pain of giving up her baby for adoption, even knowing sheâd made the right decision for her newborn son. These days, she controlled her life.
Tally stabbed the doorbell, the tones pealing through the walls of rancher Marshall Steeleâs home.
Marshall had used a twice-a-week cleaning service in the past. But a recent accident during a rodeo had left him with a broken arm during the Christmas season. So sheâd been hired full-time for six weeks, at his doctorâs recommendation. The opportunity sheâd been waiting for.
She had a history with his family.
She tapped the doorbell again, but no one came. She knocked on the thick oak door andâ
A blistering curse cut the air.
Another expletive reverberated, followed by a substantial splash. She gripped the thick wooden rail, looking around. The frozen pond out front was clear and unbroken. Thank goodness. Winters in Alaska could be treacherous.
