Twice Garrett had been on the verge of confessing his identity.
âWhat about you and marriage?â Sophia asked, breaking into his thoughts.
âIâm a workaholic, I suppose,â he said. âI havenât ever been deeply in love, and I donât feel ready for marriage.â
As he gazed into her eyes, he wondered what it would be like to come home to her every nightâto make love to her night and day. His thoughts surprised him.
He hated not telling her about the Delaneys, yet he had heard the bitterness in her voice when she spoke of her father, felt her anger smoldering.
He realized she was staring at him with a quizzical smile. âWhat?â he asked.
âYou havenât heard one word Iâve been saying, Garrett. What are you thinking about?â
He focused on her lips before looking into her eyes again while desire consumed him.
He didnât want to admit the truth yet and the burden of guilt was becoming unbearable, but one way to avoid both was to stop her questions with kisses.
Dear Reader,
This second story in the LONE STAR LEGACY series involves the celebration of two people falling in love in spite of seemingly insurmountable obstacles. Love and romance are wonderful, breathtaking, sometimes overwhelming. The road to romance is a fascinating journey.
Set in glittering Dallas and the snow-covered Rockies, The Reluctant Heiress shows how the Delaney brothers discover a half-sister who has to be brought into the family. To achieve this goal, the brothers turn to a trusted friend and valued employee, Garrett Cantrell.
The first meeting between the handsome Garrett and striking Sophia Rivers ignites fires in each of them. Sophia cannot resist Garrett even though she knows she should. Trust is fundamental, and forgiveness is a part of Sophiaâs and Garrettâs story.
Some of the most exciting moments in life happen when two people fall in love. Romance is universal, sought after and just plain fun. Come enjoy Garrettâs and Sophiaâs story.
Thank you for choosing this book.
Sara Orwig
SARA ORWIG lives in Oklahoma. She has a patient husband who will take her on research trips anywhere from big cities to old forts. She is an avid collector of Western history books. With a masterâs degree in English, Sara has written historical romance, mainstream fiction and contemporary romance. Books are beloved treasures that take Sara to magical worlds, and she loves both reading and writing them.
Many thanks to Stacy Boyd and
Maureen Walters.
âI donât have a clue why Iâm here,â Garrett Cantrell, company CFO, said at the family gathering in the Dallas office of Delaney Enterprises.
âBecause Sophia Rivers is our fatherâs child. Sheâs as stubborn as Dad ever was,â Will Delaney stated, combing his fingers through his black hair.
âWe wonât give up. Thereâs too much at stake,â Ryan Delaney added, resting one booted foot on his knee. âWe can be as stubborn as she is. There has to be a way to reach her.â
âWe need to outsmart her instead of the other way around,â Zach Delaney grumbled.
âRight,â said Will. âThatâs why I asked Garrett to join us.â
âIâm sure finding out you have a half sister at the reading of your dadâs will was a shock,â Garrett said, âbut you should face the fact that she doesnât want to meet any of you. Iâd say give it up.â
âIf we donât get her on the board of the Delaney Foundation, we can kiss our inheritances goodbye,â Zach snapped. âAlso, sheâs family. We have a sisterâall these years.â
âI agree,â Will added. âSheâs part of our family and weâd all like to know her.â
âEven if she doesnât want to know you?â Garrett asked.
âI think thatâs because of Dad and not anything weâve done. We just want to unite this family and we donât stand a chance if she wonât speak to us,â Will said. âEach of us has tried and failed to make contact with her. I think the next thing is to send someone neutral.â
Garrett straightened in his chair, his good humor vanishing. âGo through your dadâs lawyer. She communicates with Grady.â
âHer attorney communicates with Grady,â Will replied drily. âGrady has never met the lady.â
âThe bottom line is, we want our inheritances,â Ryan stated. âSheâs costing each of us four billion dollars. Too much to blow off.â
As Garrett looked at the Delaneys, he reflected on how his life had been tied to theirs from the day he was born. His fatherâs life had been closely linked with the family patriarch, Argus Delaney. Besides ties of work and family, Will Delaney, the Delaney CEO, was Garrettâs best friend. Garrett had been raised to feel indebted to the Delaneys, just as his dad had felt obligated. As he thought about what they were about to ask of him, his dread grew exponentially. âI suggest the three of you try again to meet her,â Garrett said.