Home on the Ranch: Arizonawhere love burns brightly under the desert sun!
The Arizona ranch was supposed to be their homea place where Tandy Graham could start a new life with her young son. Instead, Tandy finds a community of hostile ranchers who expect her to fail. The only person they hate more? Her handsome new tenant, biologist Wyatt Hunt.
Tracking wildlife means Wyatt can never settle down. Still, he cant stop himself from becoming more involved with life on the ranch, and with Tandy. As his feelings for her grow stronger, Wyatt knows hes playing a dangerous gameone that ends with him choosing between the career he adores and the woman he loves.
His heated gaze never veered from her eyes...
This isnt smart, Tandy murmured.
Wyatt continued to smile softly and pulled her onto his lap, where he kissed her again. A kiss that went deeper and lasted longer.
It lasted so long her fingers curled into the fabric of his shirt. Once they broke apart, Tandy loosened a hand and ran a tentative finger over his lips. This could easily lead to more. But we have to be realistic.
How so?
I have obligations. Namely a son and a ranch.
Neither of which Id do anything to hurt.
She sighed. Youre a good man. I know youd never mean to hurt me or Scotty. But we both know your job is going to take you away. I cant do a one-night stand. Or even one week or one month.
Closing his eyes, Wyatt set his forehead against hers.
I can promise you tonight.
Marrying the Rancher
Roz Denny Fox
www.millsandboon.co.uk
ROZ DENNY FOXs first book was published by Mills & Boon in 1990. She writes for several Mills & Boon lines and her books are published worldwide in a number of languages. Rozs warm home-and-family-focused love stories have been nominated for various industry awards, including the Romance Writers of Americas RITA® Award, the Holt Medallion, the Golden Quill and others. Roz has been a member of the Romance Writers of America since 1987 and is currently a member of Tucsons Saguaro Romance Writers, where she has received the Barbara Award for outstanding chapter service. In 2013 Roz received her fifty-book pin from Mills & Boon. Readers can contact her on Facebook, at rdfox@cox.net, or visit her website at www.korynna.com/rozfox.
This book is dedicated to the many people who work at and volunteer with the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum. It sits amid cacti and boulders on ninety-eight natural acres. If you have the opportunity to come to Tucson I hope youll schedule a visit to the museum.
Contents
Cover
Back Cover Text
Introduction
Title Page
About the Author
Dedication
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Extract
Copyright
Chapter One
Ms. Graham, youre the reason the Aravaipa Cattle and Sheep Ranchers Association called this emergency meeting. Preston Hicks sauntered down the grange hall aisle and loomed over where Tandy sat with an arm around her son, Scotty. Hed fallen asleep but came sharply awake at the mans loud verbal attack.
Tandy and Scotty had arrived late and slipped into empty seats in the back row. Stymied as to why she was being singled out, she glanced surreptitiously around, but saw only stern ranchers she probably once knew but hadnt seen in a dozen years.
Whats your problem? Ive only operated Spiritridge Ranch a couple of months. I havent fully rebuilt a herd. Recognizing her sleepy son probably shouldnt be here, she gathered him closer. He wouldnt have come except that as a newly single mom, shed had no one to leave him with. And the message left on her answering machine had indicated this meeting was important.
Hicks, her closest neighbor and the president of the association, glared down at her from his lofty height and hooked his thumbs over a belt circling his portly belly. I offered to buy your fathers ranch. Since its doubtful you know a thing about raising cattle, all of us expect sooner or later youll fail. It wouldve been smarter if youd stayed in the army and let me have the ranch.
Garnering murmurs of agreement in the room, the man hitched his pants higher.
I beg your pardon! I grew up here, Tandy asserted.
Yeah, well, I dont recall you helped your pa work cattle.
Because I was busy with schoolwork and sports.
He wagged a beefy finger in her face. The past is over. What everyone here agrees with is that you cant rent a casita to that damned wolf man. We know Curt, rest his soul, had the poor judgment to let Game and Fish come into our Eastern Arizona sector to do their dirty work after old-timers had rid the area of predators. No one wanted to hound Curt, him being so sick and all. Youre a different story. Youre a Johnny-come-lately who has no business messing in here at all.
You mean a Janie-come-lately, called an equally paunchy man, slapping a worn ten-gallon hat on his knee. His comment caused the room full of men to erupt in snickers while Tandy pondered how little time shed had as a kid to help her dad with the ranch. But shed loved it. After all, it had been her home.