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"Yes, you have a son."

The past is about to catch up with Congressman Xander Langston…in more ways than one. While his reelection campaign is in full swing, unidentified remains surface on his family's farm and scandal ensues. Yet, when he returns home, it's his reunion with Rose Pierce that's consuming all his waking thoughts.

His high school sweetheart has blossomed into a radiant beauty. The thrill of first love that Xander had once dismissed is proving to be a more enduring proposition. But Rose has a secret, too—will it put a stop to their second chance and derail his career for good?

Be sure to read other scandalous stories from the Secrets of Eden series by Andrea Laurence, only from Harlequin® Desire!

UNDENIABLE DEMANDS

A BEAUTY UNCOVERED

HER SECRET HUSBAND

• Sales Rank: #2296584 in Books
• Published on: 2014-09-02
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Dimensions: 6.62" h x .50" w x 4.16" l, .21 pounds
• Binding: Mass Market Paperback
• 192 pages

About the Author
Andrea Laurence is an award winning contemporary author who has been a lover of books and writing stories since she learned to read. She always dreamed of seeing her work in print and is thrilled to be able to share her books with the world. A dedicated West Coast girl transplanted into the Deep South, she's working on her own "happily ever after" with her boyfriend and five fur-babies. You can contact Andrea at her website: http://www.andrealaurence.com.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
Strawberries. The leading story on the news was about strawberries. No murders, no robberies, no political scandals. "Xander," he said to himself with a wry chuckle, "you're not in D.C. anymore."

Xander Langston had been glued to the local news tonight, as he had been for the past two nights, waiting for things to hit the fan. He'd come home to Cornwall to handle the fallout, but so far the local broadcasts had focused on the unseasonably mild weather, the local youth baseball team's successes and the upcoming strawberry festival. He flipped off the old fuzzy television in the living room and tossed the remote onto the coffee table. He was ordering a flat-screen television for the bunkhouse and the main house the next time he got on his laptop. He wouldn't have time to drive into Canton and buy them in person.

If the biggest buzz around town was the Strawberry Days Festival, life was good. No news was good news—especially with his first book hitting shelves next week and an election year coming up. His critics liked to point out that he'd been elected the first time only because his predecessor and mentor, beloved longtime congressman Walt Kimball, had hand-selected him to follow in his footsteps. Whatever the reason, Xander had succeeded in a landslide victory over his opponent. At the time, he was one of the youngest congressmen ever elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, just making the age requirement of twenty-five.

This fall he would be kicking off yet another reelection campaign and Xander would prefer to remain gainfully employed. That meant a solid voting record, no sound bites that could be taken out of context and absolutely no scandals of any kind. Typically, it was easy for Xander to avoid scandals. He wasn't married, so he couldn't have affairs. He didn't have an interest in prostitutes. He'd never been offered any bribes, and even if he had, he would have turned them down.

But everyone had a skeleton in their closet, so to speak. And that was why he was back in Connecticut at the Garden of Eden Christmas Tree Farm watching this crappy television instead of burning the midnight oil in his Capitol Hill office.

With a sigh, Xander got up from the couch and walked over to the window. The sun had already disappeared behind the rolling green hills, but it was still light enough to illuminate the farm. For as far as the eye could see, there was nothing but balsam and Fraser fir trees.

It was a startling view after being away for so long. Looking out the window of his office in the Longworth House Building earned him an excellent view of the Capitol Building and the sea of tourists and buses traveling up and down Independence Avenue. Those people traveled thousands of miles for the sights he ignored on a daily basis. He was too busy to appreciate the classic architecture and historic significance surrounding him. Most of the time, he took the underground tunnels to the Capitol Building and missed it entirely.

He might have a plush, professionally decorated town house a few blocks from the office in the Capitol Hill district, but this place—with its old, worn furniture and acres of trees—was home. This was where he'd grown up. Being back here, surrounded by the calming influences of nature and fresh air, Xander felt more at ease than he had since he left home for Georgetown and a fast-track career in politics. There was no traffic gridlock here, no honking cabs, no frantic running through the metro stations. He could finally breathe.

Things wouldn't stay peaceful here for long, though. The literal skeleton in Xander's closet belonged to Tommy Wilder and last Christmas it had been unearthed by a construction crew on land that used to be part of the farm. So far there had been no luck in identifying the body, but that would soon change. Brody, his computer-genius foster brother and one of the four "Eden boys," had emailed them all about a week ago with news that the police had commissioned a facial re-creation sketch, but it hadn't been released to the public yet. Xander hadn't asked how Brody knew about it. He was just grateful for the heads-up.

When the sketch hit the news, people would start sniffing around the farm for answers. They'd garnered some attention when the body was first unearthed, but no one really believed it had anything to do with his foster parents, Ken and Molly Eden. The sketch would change that. When Tommy was identified, it would place the dead teenager in their care and people would be forced to consider their involvement. His foster parents weren't fit to deal with the journalists and police that would knock on their door looking for information. Ken was recovering from a heart attack and Molly would be too distraught by the idea of Tommy's death to answer questions. They needed someone at the farm to run interference and Xander was the best choice.

From a very early age, he'd had a way with people. He could talk anyone into anything. His mother used to tell everyone he was a born politician. Ladies found him charming. His constituents described him in a poll as "trustworthy, well-spoken and honest." He would use every tool in his arsenal to fight off the press and protect his family.

Xander had been back in Cornwall for two days and so far nothing but Little League and strawberries. That meant he should really take advantage of the peace to run the errand he'd been considering since he arrived home.

He picked up the hardback book on the coffee table and admired his handiwork. "Fostering Faith by Xander Langston," he read aloud. It was still a little surreal even after having author copies for a month already. He'd never intended on writing a book, especially a memoir. Xander had never thought his life was particularly exciting, but the publishing house that had approached him about the project felt otherwise. He was a young and successful congressman whose parents had died tragically and young, thrusting him into the foster-care system. Apparently, that was nonfiction gold.

It had taken a year to write between his official duties and volunteer work at the D.C. Fostering Families Center. Knowing a portion of the proceeds would go to his favorite cause had kept him going when he was stuck in the middle of chapter seven. That and the hefty advance he'd have to return if he changed his mind.

The book came out next week. There would be a charity gala and signing in a couple weeks back in D.C. to raise money for the Fostering Families Center. Hopefully, his reason for coming home wouldn't sink his plans and his sales.

While he was in Cornwall, he wanted to make one special personal delivery. He'd already given copies to his foster parents and his brothers and sister, of course, but he'd brought an extra one on this trip for his high school sweetheart, Rose Pierce. She'd featured heavily in the book as one of the best things to ever happen to him. He wanted her to have an autographed copy and he needed to give it to her in person.

Xander looked down at his watch. It was after seven. His foster brother Wade now lived in Cornwall and had told him that Rose still worked most evenings at Daisy's Diner, just up the highway. This seemed like the perfect time to go. Tonight was Molly's night to play Bunco, so he was on his own for dinner anyway.

He could deliver the book and get a good meal. Daisy's had been a favorite haunt of his teenage years. Rose had worked at the diner back then, too, and he'd wasted many an hour sitting at the counter, sipping milkshakes and talking to her between customers.

Xander climbed into his black Lexus SUV and decided he would get a milkshake tonight for old times' sake, especially if Rose would make it for him. He couldn't remember the last time he'd had one. It might have been the summer before he left for Georgetown. The August heat and his lovesick heart had lured him to the diner nearly every day for a chocolate shake and a few last moments with Rose.

Once he'd left town, life had started moving so quickly. Years had flown by in what felt like minutes. His trips back to Cornwall had been short and infrequent. Lately, he was more interested in a crisp Chardonnay with his meal than a tall glass of chocolate ice cream. Daisy's Diner and its milkshakes had become a distant memory from his childhood. But not Rose.

He still remembered touching her as if it were yesterday. They had been each other's first loves—that young, passionate, all-consuming and overly dramatic love. You never forgot about that. If it were up to him, he would've taken her with him to D.C. He'd asked, damn near begged, but she wouldn't go. She'd had a terminally ill mother and admission to a nearby college that allowed her to stay close to home and care for her.

He'd understood, but he hadn't liked it. He'd also attempted to meet her demand that he go on to Georgetown and forget about her. He'd avoided her when he came to town. He'd even skipped their high school reunion, but he'd realized that forgetting about Rose was impossible. He'd always remember those big brown eyes and pouty lips. He'd always wonder what happened to her.

No longer. Tonight he was going to focus on tracking her down and catching up on lost time. Writing the memoir had brought his memories of Rose to the forefront of his mind. Now that he was back in Connecticut, he had to see her and he wouldn't be distracted from this task, not even by Tommy Wilder's corpse.

Xander pulled into the gravel parking lot at Daisy's. It was a Thursday night and not a particularly busy one if the cars in the lot were any indication. Through the front windows he could see a couple old guys drinking coffee at the counter and a family in the corner booth. He didn't see Rose, but perhaps she was in the kitchen.

He went inside and opted for a booth near the entrance. It was fairly warm in the diner, making him wish he'd chosen a polo shirt and khakis instead of the long-sleeved dress shirt and blazer he had on. He slipped out of his navy Armani jacket and hung it on the coat hook before he sat down on the red leather bench and tossed the book beside him.

The menus were clipped in a metal stand behind the ketchup and the napkin dispenser, so he reached over and started studying. Not much had changed since he'd been here aside from the prices. They still had milkshakes and his favorite bacon cheeseburger with barbecue sauce and crispy onion rings.

It was a heart attack on a platter, but tonight he wouldn't worry about that. He never got to eat casual, home-cooked food like this in D.C. There it was nothing but expensive multicourse meals at gourmet restaurants. Quick lunches included fresh hand-rolled sushi or gyros and falafel from the carts on the street. But the common feature was always eating while working; talking legislation and deals with other political insiders over a meal was standard practice.

This diner made him feel as if he were seventeen all over again. The only thing missing was—

"Hey there, can I get you something to drink?"

Xander looked up and found himself lost in the wide brown eyes that headlined his teenage fantasies. Rosalyn Pierce, his first love, standing right in front of him after all this time, as though he were dreaming while he sat there.

"Xander?" she said, her jaw initially dropping in surprise before she tightened her lips into a stiff line of concern. She was real. His fantasy Rose would've climbed into his lap and nibbled on his ear as she used to.

"Rose," he replied, his mouth suddenly dry. He'd come here specifically looking for her, yet finally coming face-to-face with her threw his entire body for a loop. "Wade mentioned I could find you at Daisy's. I'm so glad you're still working here…." His voice trailed off when he realized it sounded as if she hadn't done much with her life in the past decade. Rose's guarded expression was proof enough of that. Normally he would've phrased that better, but seeing Rose had robbed him of his usual polished poise. "I apologize—that didn't come out right."

She gave him a watery smile and shook her head. "Not to worry. Most people aren't lucky enough to turn their after-school job into a full-time career like I did. If it helps at all, there was a five-year gap where I didn't even step foot in the building, but they couldn't keep me away forever."

A million thoughts raced through Xander's mind and he fought to put them in some sort of order. His heart began pounding in his chest as if he were in a live televised debate and had just been thrown a curveball question by the moderator. Fortunately, he performed best under pressure.

Rose was as beautiful as he remembered, maybe even more so. In high school she'd been just a girl on the verge of becoming a woman. Now her familiar curves were more lush, making the little cotton uniform cling more deli-ciously than he recalled. Her long straight brown hair was pulled into a sleek ponytail that fell over her shoulder. The tip teased at the swell of her breasts, allowing his gaze to follow to her cleavage and, eventually, over to her name tag. It still read Rosalyn P., as it had in school.

Had no one snatched her off the market yet? He quickly glanced at her ring finger, which was as bare as his own. That was a crime. A woman like Rose should've been married years ago to a man who appreciated and worshipped her. Sometimes he wished that man had been him. He should've fought for her, asked her to marry him and not taken no for an answer, but how could he ask her to leave her mother when she was so ill?

Xander wanted to talk to her, to see what she'd been doing since the last time he saw her. She'd left Cornwall to go to Western Connecticut University when he went to Georgetown. The school had a teaching hospital where her mother was being treated and a great elementary education program. She loved kids and had wanted to teach. What had happened? Why was she back to waitressing when she had so much potential?

"I meant I was glad you're still working here because it made you easier to find. Do you have time to chat with me and catch up some?"

She glanced around the restaurant, biting at her lip. He couldn't tell if she thought she shouldn't or she just didn't want to talk to him. There was a hesitation in her that he didn't quite understand. They'd parted well, hadn't they? She'd broken up with him, so if anyone should be upset, it was him, right?

"Maybe in a little bit after this family finishes up. I'm the only server tonight, but they're almost done. In the meantime, what can I get for you to eat?"

Xander turned away from her confusing expression to let his gaze flick back over the menu and then remembered what he'd chosen. "First I think I'll take some iced tea with lemon. Then I'll have the Texan burger with fries and one of your awesome chocolate milkshakes."

Rose stopped writing on her pad and smiled. He could tell she recognized his order even though it had been eleven years since she'd brought him food to the counter. She looked up at him, her expression softening for the first time. "The usual, huh? Some things never change, do they?"

Xander shook his head and held her gaze. Her beauty hadn't faded. His body's reaction to her was just as immediate, powerful and distracting as it had ever been. Every inch of his body had grown tense when he caught a glimpse of her familiar curves and breathed in her perfume. It made him wonder if the magic they'd make under the summer stars would be just as explosive. "They sure don't. And I'm glad."

Most helpful customer reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful.
Good 3rd Book to the Series
By Wednesday @ Busy Bumble Bee Book Reviews
I enjoyed Xander's character I thought he was a relatable person. I also thought he was honorable, takes his responsibilities of his job and his family very seriously. He had a lot going on in his life, but he handled all of the situations with easy and seemed to just go with what life threw at him. And for this reason I could not help but fall in love with him. I think Xander showed me when life is seems to be spinning out of control that you just need to face and deal with it as best you can.

I thought Rose was independent and sweet. As a single mother myself I know how hard it can be to raise your child/children by yourself. She has a lot of strength and courage that she shows with everything that she has been through.

The way the book was written and the way the character's were made it a very easy read. I also think that what Andrea had me I taking from this book is that no matter where you are in life or what has happened in your life, that you can always have the chance at a second chance in life.

I give this book a 4 out 5 stars and recommend it to anyone who likes to read sweet and passionate read with a nice even flow and just enough drama to keep you interested.

**Disclaimer: I was provided an ARC of this book from the author**

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful.
Secrets of Eden is the best series I have read so far.
By Katrina
I thoroughly enjoyed reading "Heir to Scandal", the third book in the Secrets of Eden series. Each book is well written and has kept me anticipating the next. I recommend that the previous two books "Undeniable Demands" and "A Beauty Uncovered" should be read first. This would have to be the best series I have read yet. It has scandal, romance and intrigue and I recommend the entire series as a definite must read.

This book is an awesome read but so annoying finished up with a cliff hanger arghhhh... I so impatiently wait to read "Her Secret Husband" the last book in this series. I need to know what happens next.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful.
Nice addition to the series
By Fiona
This is the third book in the Secrets of Eden series and it's a good addition. Xander is an up and coming politician and he's come home to help smooth over the inevitable media storm when the body found in book two is identified. It is worthwhile to read these in order because of the overall mystery story arc which develops through all four books. The events impact on the romances so it's good to follow it through.

While he is home Xander decides to look up his high school girlfriend. Rose is still working at the local Diner and when they meet, that old spark is sizzling hot.

They have barely reconnected when Xander discovers she has a son and that son bears a remarkable resemblance to himself and his brother. But that isn't the only challenge Rose and Xander will face. Rose has more secrets that could make her an unsuitable wife for a politician and there is the overshadowing mystery that could ruin everything.

I enjoyed this story and found it an easy read. It wasn't overly angsty and Xander was an interesting hero who didn't get all precious over things. The mystery arc ends on a cliffhanger but the romance is very satisfactory.

See all 17 customer reviews...

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** Free Ebook At the Rancher's Request (Lone Star Legends), by Sara Orwig

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She's pregnant and snowbound with a hot Texan in this tale from USA TODAY bestselling author Sara Orwig! 

Pregnant, abandoned and stranded in a Texas blizzard, nurse Savannah Grayson is grateful when billionaire rancher Mike Calhoun rescues her. The widowed father offers shelter—and only shelter—at his vast ranch. 

Determined to never love another woman again, Mike tries to do the right thing and resist his attraction to his vulnerable guest. As they spend cold days building snowmen with his son and long nights talking and kissing by the fire, Mike fights the thaw of his heart…a battle he just might lose.

• Sales Rank: #2144696 in Books
• Published on: 2015-03-03
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Dimensions: 6.61" h x .50" w x 4.21" l, .0 pounds
• Binding: Mass Market Paperback
• 192 pages

About the Author
Sara Orwig lives in Oklahoma and has a deep love of Texas. With a master’s degree in English, Sara taught high school English, was Writer-in-Residence at the University of Central Oklahoma and was one of the first inductees into the Oklahoma Professional Writers Hall of Fame. Sara has written mainstream fiction, historical and contemporary romance. Books are beloved treasures that take Sara to magical worlds. She loves both reading and writing them.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
Mike Calhoun frowned, glancing briefly at the small mirror that allowed him to see Scotty in the backseat. Assured his almost-three-year-old son was okay, Mike peered ahead as sheets of gray rain swept against his truck. With the truck wipers maxed, he guessed visibility was less than fifty yards. He hadn't passed a car or seen any sign of life for the past half hour. To his relief he spotted a small light shining on a sign and he turned, thankful to have reached the shelter of the only gas station between the closest town and his West Texas ranch.

He slowed to stop beneath the extended roof covering eight pumps. Ed had locked up and gone home and Mike didn't blame him. On a stormy Saturday night in the last week of January, Ed wouldn't have had much business anyway.

"We're stopping, Scotty," he said, turning to his son while he left the motor running and the car lights switched on so they would not be in complete darkness. "If we wait, the rain will let up and driving conditions will be better," he said as he unfastened his son's seat belt.

Solemnly, Scotty looked at him. "Can we cross the bridge?"

Smiling, Mike tousled Scotty's black curls. "My little worrier," Mike said. "I think so, Scotty. If we can't cross the north bridge in the front, I'll drive around to the west. It'll take longer, but we can get home. Don't worry. This downpour will slack off soon. It can't rain this hard all night."

Twin specks of light emerged from the rain and grew bigger as a car approached. "Here comes someone else. It may be someone from our ranch."

When the car pulled into the lane next to Mike, smoke poured from beneath the hood. The driver passed the pumps, stopping beyond them, still sheltered by the roof.

The driver's door opened and someone in a parka stepped out and shook the hood away, revealing a woman with a long blond braid.

"This isn't anyone we know. Scotty, stay in the car while I see if she needs help." Mike lowered the front window so Scotty could hear him easily. He cut the car engine. "The lady has car trouble."

Pocketing his car keys, Mike stepped out and closed his door. "Hi, I'm Mike Calhoun. Can I help you?" he asked, looking at a blonde with big blue eyes.

Frowning slightly, she walked around her car. "Thank you. I'm Savannah Grayson. I do need help. I don't know what's wrong with my car. I was so scared it would break down while I was on the highway. It's been clattering and smoke was coming out from beneath the hood. Thank heavens I saw your car in this station. It was like getting tossed a lifeline in a stormy ocean." She looked past him.

"You have a little boy in your truck. I shouldn't take your time."

Mike looked at Scotty and waved even though only a few yards separated them. Smiling, Scotty waved back. "He'll be fine for a bit."

"I don't know what the trouble is—"

"Whoa," Mike said, seeing a flickering orange flame curl from beneath the hood. He stepped to his truck, retrieved his fire extinguisher and opened the hood of her car. As flames shot out, Savannah gasped. He held up the extinguisher and in seconds white foam doused the fire.

"I'm sorry, but this car isn't going anywhere until a mechanic works on it," Mike said, bending over the smoldering engine. "Are you visiting someone around here?" he asked when he straightened. He was certain she didn't live in the area or he would know her.

"No, I'm just passing through. I'm on my way to California from Arkansas. I don't know anyone here. I guess this place is locked up for the night." She frowned again as she looked at the dark station.

"When the rain lets up, I can drive you back to Verity where there's a good hotel. I'll call Ed who owns this gas station and tell him you're leaving your car here for the weekend. It'll be Monday before anyone can look at your car. In the meantime, I'll take you back to Verity and you can get a hotel room."

"Thank you," she said, giving him another faint smile.

"Let's go sit with my son Scotty until this rain lets up. This is a whopper of a storm. We've had a long dry spell, so now we're getting the rain all at once to make up for it. This is supposed to change to snow later tonight."

As she nodded, Mike opened the truck door.

Sliding into the truck on the passenger side, she turned to smile at Scotty. "Hi."

"Hi," he replied, staring at her. Mike turned to her. "Savannah, this is Scotty. Scotty, this is Ms. Grayson."

"Hi, Ms. Grayson," he said.

Mike closed her door. He walked around to sit behind the steering wheel while she shed her parka and smoothed the oversize navy sweatshirt she wore. The interior of his truck had cooled with the window lowered, so Mike turned on the engine, the heater and defrost. Lights from the dash gave a soft glow in the car.

"I don't know what I would have done if you hadn't been here," Savannah said. "Probably driven it out into the rain, opened the hood and then ran. I suppose the rain would have put out the fire."

Mike laughed. "Guess it is a good thing I was here. Where in Arkansas are you from?" he asked, looking into big eyes that were the deep blue of a summer sky.

"Little Rock," she replied.

The first hailstone caught their attention. In seconds another struck, then hail began hurtling at the car and ground.

"Thank goodness we're sheltered and I'm not still out on the highway," Savannah said.

"Those are big hailstones. I'm glad we're both here." He took a few minutes to call Ed about her car, then pocketed his phone. "All set for Monday morning," he told Savannah. "Why don't you take what you need from your car and then lock it. You can leave the key in the drop box on the station door."

"This is nice of you. I hate for you to have to drive back to Verity."

"I don't mind," he answered. Hailstones fell harder, faster, bouncing when they hit the pavement. Lightning flashed and thunder rumbled.

"Damn. We're having a bad storm. Excuse me a minute. I want to check at the ranch." He called his foreman, explaining he was waiting out the storm at Ed's station. After a lengthy report from Ray on how things were faring, Mike said he'd check back in later.

He slipped his phone into his pocket. "I don't live far from here. We're not going to get back into Verity tonight because the river is flooding and we'd need to cross a bridge to get into town. Also, the temperature is dropping. If it keeps up, this will turn to sleet and roads can get slick in the blink of an eye."

"Seems I've gone from bad to worse," she said, gazing at the rain.

"Savannah, you're welcome to come back to my ranch with me. You can get a character reference from the sheriff of Verity. I have his phone number—he's my relative. Or if you want to check in with someone who's not a relative of mine, I can give you my banker's or lawyer's number. I just don't want you to worry about coming home with us."

She laughed. "Mercy. That's a lot of references."

"I'm calling the sheriff now and you can talk to him."

"Please, you don't need to call. I think your best reference is sitting in the backseat."

Startled, Mike looked up to see a twinkle in her blue eyes. "Scotty?"

She turned to Scotty. "Scotty, can I trust your daddy?"

"Yes, ma'am."

She smiled at Mike, an enticing smile that revealed even white teeth and made the evening seem suddenly better. "I think you've given me enough assurances that I'll be safe to go with you. You don't need to call the sheriff. Do you need to call your wife and tell her you're bringing a guest home?"

Mike felt a clutch to his insides. No one had asked about Elise in a long time, but it still hurt when he was questioned. "I'm a widower."

"I'm sorry," she said instantly.

"Thanks. I think the hail has let up slightly. Let's get things out of your car and get going while we can. Scotty, just sit tight. I'm going to help Ms. Grayson move some of her bags to our car."

"Yes, sir," Scotty replied.

In minutes they had moved suitcases, a laptop, two backpacks and a box. As soon as she locked her car and dropped the keys in the drop box, they climbed into his truck and he drove back onto the state highway. She glanced back at her car.

"Your car will be okay there."

"I wasn't worried. It's an older car with a burned, damaged engine and I don't think anyone would want it. And thanks so much for your help," she added. "I hope I don't crowd you. I can sleep anywhere—sofa, floor, anything works."

He smiled. "You won't have to sleep on the floor. I have plenty of room."

They became quiet while Mike concentrated on his driving. The rain was still heavy, but not the downpour it had been, which improved visibility.

Almost an hour later as they neared the turn for the front gate, Mike called his foreman again on a handsfree phone in his truck. When he ended the brief call, he glanced in the mirror at his son. Big brown eyes gazed back at him.

"Scotty, we'll need to go around the creek to get home. But don't worry because I promise we'll get home."

Scotty smiled and nodded, and Mike glanced at Savannah. "My foreman drove to the creek that crosses the ranch. We can't get there the usual way from this road. I have to take a longer route."

"Whatever is necessary. Anything beats staying alone in my burned car in the rain all night," she said, smiling. "I'm just thankful to have a roof over my head tonight and be where people are."

The downpour suddenly thickened, sheets of rain sweeping over the vehicle again and then hailstones began bouncing off his truck.

"Dammit," Mike said softly, glancing quickly in the mirror and seeing Scotty's eyes wide and frightened.

"Daddy, I don't like this."

"It'll quit in a minute, Scotty, and with every mile we're getting closer to home."

"Scotty," Savannah said, rummaging in her purse and turning slightly to reach between the seats. "I keep a tiny flashlight in my purse. You take it. And look at this. It's a compass—it shows you which direction you're headed. See this letter. It's a W. W means west. We'll be much closer to your home when the needle points to—" She paused.

"N," Mike said.

"N is for north," Scotty replied.

"Very good, Scotty," Savannah said. "How old is he?" she asked Mike.

"Yes. He'll soon turn three and he's with adults all the time. He knows about a compass."

"Scotty, you can watch that compass to see which direction we're going. You have a flashlight so you can see the letters." As the hail increased, she raised her voice. "You'll know when we turn that you're closer to your home. Look here. I have a marble that was in my purse. I'll hide it in one of my hands and you guess which one it's in."

Mike listened to Savannah play with Scotty. She had gotten his mind off the storm and he was looking at her hands, guessing about the marble. Mike wondered if she had younger siblings. He realized he had been gripping the steering wheel tightly and he relaxed. The hail receded, but the rain still came in pounding sheets over his truck, making driving hazardous.

While Scotty played with the flashlight, Savannah turned back around.

"Thanks," Mike said.

"Sure. Kids are fun."

"Do you have siblings?" Mike asked.

"Oh, yes. There are four of us and I'm the youngest. I have four little nieces and nephews, too. I like babies and children."

Mike wanted to ask her more about herself, but he turned his attention back to his driving and they rode in silence while he concentrated on getting home.

It was almost another thirty minutes when Savannah saw a wide gate ahead with a high iron arch over the road and the letters MC in the center at the top. Rain still poured and the wipers were a constant swish. At a post near the gate Mike slowed to reach out to punch a code. When the gate swung open, he drove across a cattle guard, a silver grill of flat steel tubing with a slightly rougher surface than the road, and then the gate closed behind him.

"Your son is asleep," Savannah whispered.

"I figured he would be. He's had a busy day in town. And you don't have to whisper, he's out."

"I don't want to wake him."

"It's just as well he's asleep because he's a worrier and we have to cross a swollen creek. At the main entrance to my ranch, there's a bridge, but it's older, already underwater and less reliable. The bridge on this part of the creek is newer, higher and wider so we've always been able to get across."

"You better," she whispered. "You promised him."

When Mike glanced at her, Savannah smiled.

"Kids have great trust," he said with his attention back on the road.

"Not if it isn't earned. You must have always come through for him."

"I hope I always can. He knows there are some things beyond me," Mike said.

"We'll hope crossing this bridge tonight isn't one of them." Savannah was thankful to have found Mike and Scotty. Otherwise, she would have been on a deserted road in the storm for the rest of the night and maybe a lot longer and she wouldn't have known where or when to get help. Thinking about it, she shivered and studied Mike's profile. He had a wide-brimmed black hat squarely on his head. He was in a leather, fleece-lined parka with fur trim and wore jeans and boots. He looked as competent as he was proving to be. His son was an adorable miniature of his dad with black hair and dark brown eyes.

After a time she wondered how big Mike's ranch was because it seemed as if they had been driving a long time since going through the gate.

"There it is," Mike said as if he guessed her thoughts. She peered through the streaming rain and could see what looked like a river. Swollen with surging black water, it was bigger than any creek she had ever seen. Rushing water had spilled out of the banks earlier in the evening. Mike's truck headlights revealed seven men in slickers getting out of two pickups on the other side of the raging creek.

"I'll be damned," he said quietly, frowning as he peered through his windshield. "I've never seen the creek this high. Not ever."

Chilled again by apprehension, she looked as the rushing water spread out of creek banks and splashed across the bridge that was already underwater.

"The bridge is covered by the creek," she said, her apprehension mounting swiftly. "Can we cross?"

"We're going to," Mike replied, stopping to phone his foreman. "Thanks for coming, Ray. I really appreciate all of you being here." Mike paused to listen. "I think we'll make it, but I'm glad you're here. Thanks." Mike put away his phone and she watched as the men turned lights on the raging creek.

Most helpful customer reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful.
Quick and enjoyable
By jennifer schultheis
At the Rancher's Request was a quick and enjoyable read for me. The book was well-written and included strong characters. Savannah and Mike meet under unusual circumstances when a blizzard hits and Savannah's car catches fire. He has no choice but to take her home with him. Soon, they both realize they need each other. You can definitely feel the passion between Savannah and Mike and I love the interactions between her and Scotty. I did have trouble recognizing Scotty as an almost three year old though. His manners and vocabulary made me feel as if he was more like 5, but that didn't make me love this story any less. Great book with great characters.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful.
Not a good book
By Lisa L
This was so boring to read. No real storyline. I was disappointed in the author and editor on this book. The story started out well and then went downhill. I do agree with the other reviewers that Scotty had more social and language skills than a three year old. He should have been aged more towards a five year old. My issue with this book is that you had chapter after chapter of no story. All that Savannah and Mike did was eat dinner, read a story to Scotty, put Scotty to bed and have sex. There was no conflict. There was also too much of internal dialogue within the two main characters. One issue is that Savannah is pregnant and Mike asks her if she wants to get into the hot tub. They both should have known that was a no no for a pregnant woman. When they get into the tub it has faucets and he is filling the tub. A hot tub does not have faucets and is always full of water. A jacuzzi tub has faucets and you fill with water. I know this is a small detail but I think that it shows the book was not edited well. I would not recommend this book. Chapter ten and eleven were the only chapters that I enjoyed. There was actual action and decisions were made for the HEA.

0 of 0 people found the following review helpful.
Good book
By S. Frank
Good book about two people whose past hurts keep them from wanting to risk their hearts again. Mike is the widowed father of a three year old boy. The death of his wife hit him hard and he doesn't want to go through anything like that again. Savannah was engaged to a man who didn't bother to tell her he doesn't want kids until she gets pregnant. Devastated by the realization that she hadn't really known the man she thought she loved, she breaks their engagement and leaves home to go visit her aunt in California.

Mike and Savannah meet during a rainstorm where Mike and his son Scotty have pulled into a gas station to wait out the downpour. Savannah pulls in because her car is making noises and just as she stops the engine erupts into flames. Mike puts the fire out and invites Savannah to stay at his ranch until her car is fixed. He even tells her she can call the local sheriff for a reference if she needs one. She accepts his offer, hoping it will just be for a couple days.

Neither of them expected the strength of the attraction between them. Savannah insists that they do not give in to it, as she is still healing from her previous relationship and doesn't want to make another mistake. Mike doesn't want another relationship either, but feels that they can enjoy each other without making an emotional commitment.

Because it will take time for her car repair, Savannah ends up staying longer than she expected. She started getting really attached to Scotty and liked taking care of him when Mike had to be out on the ranch. She also began developing feelings for Mike as she got to know him better, realizing that he's nothing at all like her ex. She has to keep reminding herself that she isn't staying and that she's not ready to risk her heart again. But she also finds it very easy to give in to his kisses and doesn't trust herself to be able to keep her heart protected.

Mike bugged me a little bit. He knows he doesn't want a commitment and that Savannah is still hurting from her previous relationship. She has told him repeatedly that giving in to their attraction would be a bad idea. But he keeps finding excuses to kiss her and every time he pushes for more, trying to convince her that they can keep their emotions out of it. However, even though he can't deny that his actions may cause her more hurt, he keeps doing it. It does come back to bite him though, as he discovers that being with Savannah has begun to change him more than he expected.

A medical crisis with her pregnancy delays Savannah's departure, and also brings Mike to the conclusion that he has lost his heart to her after all. Both he and Savannah have to find a way to let go of their past hurts if they want to have a chance to have a future together. I liked the way it worked out for them.

Scotty was an adorable little boy and had a big part in bringing Mike and Savannah together. My biggest issue with him was that he did not talk or act like a child just turning three. He was way too articulate and able to be reasoned with. I thought he was more like a five year old.

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# Download Ebook Tomas: Cowboy Homecoming, by Linda Warren

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Tomas: Cowboy Homecoming, by Linda Warren

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• Sales Rank: #1870637 in Books
• Published on: 2012-11-27
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Dimensions: 6.76" h x .59" w x 4.04" l, .25 pounds
• Binding: Mass Market Paperback
• 224 pages

Most helpful customer reviews

0 of 0 people found the following review helpful.
Five Stars
By Mary Stewart
good book

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful.
Good tear jerker!
By Rhonda
4 STARS

Tomas is the last of the Harts of the Rodeo continuity series. I know I have missed reading a few of them and hope to read them all. I cried,laughed and smiled throughout the book. Thier were a few love scenes that I skimmed over.
Marine Staff Sergeant Tomas "Tuf" Hart is finally home. He got out of the service two years ago but never came home. He called once and gave his mom his number. Nobody new where or what he was doing. Though a few months ago he was at a rodeo and saw someone from his family but did not stay around to catch up.
On his way home he saw a little girl walking in the road and thier were only a couple of ranches on and he stopped to see where she was going.
Sadie all she said was she was not supposed to talk to strangers. Then her mom was running franticly calling her name. Following her was another little girl her twin. Sadie was running away from home. Sadie is out going twin and Sammie was afraid to be left alone at all, hardly talk to anyone but her family.
Cheyenne Wright the mother he recongized right away. He had a crush on her in high school and asked her out after the third no he stopped asking. Cheyenne and Tuf families did not get along then. She told Tuf that she did not like him but that was a lie. He scared her and excited her at the same time. Her husband was in the war too but could not live with all the anger from it. She moved back in with her father the last year. Thier family now got along in fact her brother is marrying his sister.
The second time he saw Sadie running away he took her back home and told her he had runaway at 6. Sadie then told him why she was always running away to.
After that when he was out running in the morning he would sometimes stop and visit them.
The whole family were working as hard at going to all the rodeos they could to help pay off the ranch balloon payments. They had family meetings and discussed things and how they all could help each other and work together. It was lovely to see them pull together. It was nice to see how all the new couples were doing and changing.
I like Linda story telling. The twins were cute and changed so much. I was really envolved in seeing how Tuf was doing in the rodeo each event.
I was given this ebook to read in exchange for honest review from Netgalley.
11/27/2012 PUB Harlequin Imprint Harlequin American Romance 224pages

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful.
terrific contemporary ranch romance
By A Customer
Marine Staff Sergeant Tomas "Tuf" Hart had no plans to come home except perhaps in a pine box with a flag draped on it. Now two years since he left the marines, Tuf heads to Roundup, Montana as his family's Thunder Ranch faces bankruptcy. On the road he sees a little girl Sadie whose mother calls to her. Tuf recognizes the voice of Cheyenne Wright, who he has wanted since they were teens and rodeo performers.

The adults are attracted to one another and he quickly falls in love with Sadie and her twin Sammie. However, Cheyenne refuses to get involved with a veteran as her late husband Ryan came back from the war zone radically changed into a violent raging maniac. Meanwhile the Hart family banks on Midnight saving the ranch by winning the National Finals Rodeo.

The final Hart romance (written by different authors) is a terrific contemporary ranch romance that adds poignancy with a deep look at how war changes a person and consequently that individual's family. The lead couple is a strong pairing, but it is how the twins differently react to their father's rage and death that make for a strong wounded warrior homecoming.

Harriet Klausner

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? Download Ebook A Trap So Tender, by Jennifer Lewis

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A Wager Most Wild

With businesses to conquer in Singapore and a centuries-old family heirloom to find in Scotland, investor James Drummond is no stranger to a challenge. But making the mysterious Fiona Lam his represents his riskiest power play yet. When he offers her the moon and stars, Fiona counters with a proposal of her own—a bet, to be exact.

Winning a high-stakes horse race against James is Fiona's best chance at reclaiming her family's factory…and her father's honor. Seducing James is just a means to that end…until they end up in bed together! Then all bets are off….

• Sales Rank: #4519494 in Books
• Published on: 2013-03-05
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Dimensions: 6.63" h x .50" w x 4.13" l, .20 pounds
• Binding: Mass Market Paperback
• 192 pages

About the Author
Jennifer Lewis has always been drawn to fairy tales, and stories of passion and enchantment. Writing allows her to bring the characters crowding her imagination to life. She lives in sunny South Florida and enjoys the lush tropical environment and spending time on the beach all year long. Please visit her website at http://www.jenlewis.com.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
Her enemy was handsome. Slate-gray eyes, dark hair and aristocratic features—every inch the Scottish laird.

She shook his offered hand. "Nice to meet you. I'm Fiona Lam."

"James Drummond."

I know. She smiled sweetly. His handshake was firm and his skin cool to the touch. Her own hand suddenly felt hot and she struggled not to pull it back. The glitzy cocktail party hosted by an international bank hummed around them, bright young things in expensive suits meeting and greeting each other, but somehow they all faded into the background. "I'm new to Singapore. Just moved here from San Diego."

"Really?" One elegant eyebrow raised.

"I sold my first business and I'm looking around for new opportunities. Do you work here?"

"Sometimes." He still held her hand. Cheeky devil.

No wonder he had a reputation as a ladies' man. "I have a place in Scotland."

The grand estate she'd heard about. She didn't care about that. She did want her hand back, though. It was getting hotter, and an unpleasant tingling sensation had started to trickle up her arm. She gave a firm tug and he released her fingers with the ghost of a smile.

She tried not to shake out her hand. "I've heard Scotland's beautiful."

"If you like mist and heather." His steely gaze was totally unblinking. No wonder he intimidated his business rivals.

"You don't?"

"I inherited them. Don't really need to have an opinion. Can I get you a drink?"

"Champagne." She sagged with relief as he turned to find a waiter. This guy was pretty intense. Which was fine. She didn't have to like him.

She just needed him to like her.

He returned with two bubbling glasses and handed her one. No one had warned her he was so good-looking. It was more than a little disconcerting. In her experience venture capitalists were usually men in their sixties with hair growing out of their ears. She sipped, then tried not to sneeze as the bubbles tickled the back of her throat. She wasn't a big fan of booze, but she wanted to look as if she fit into James Drummond's rarefied world.

He raised his sculpted chin. "What brings you to Singapore?"

"I'm looking into a couple of business opportunities." Again, his brow lifted. "I'm in business myself. What do you do?"

"I just sold a company that makes decals. Smileworks." The name usually made people smile. It made her smile and she was still sad to have sold it. But not sad about all the money she'd made on the deal.

"I read about the buyout. Congratulations. That was quite a coup."

The sparkle of interest in his eyes had intensified. She felt a tiny rush of power—or was it pleasure? "Thanks. It was fun building Smileworks but I'd taken it as far as I could."

"So what's next for you?" He leaned forward, clearly intrigued.

She shrugged, annoyed to notice that her nipples had tightened beneath her black cocktail dress and hoping he wouldn't notice. "Not sure yet. I'll have to see what sparks my imagination."

In his dark gray suit and dark gray tie, James Drum-mond was sparking her imagination in all kinds of undesirable directions. He was so buttoned down that the prospect of tearing off his crisp white shirt or running fevered fingers through his carefully combed hair seemed an intriguing challenge.

Was it wise to bed an enemy? Probably not, but a little flirtation couldn't hurt. She needed to gain his trust, then figure out how to buy—or steal—her father's factory back.

She managed another sip of the unfamiliar champagne. She had to stay focused. Her dad needed her and at last she could prove to him she cared. It wasn't her fault she'd grown up nine thousand miles away, calling another man Daddy. She hadn't planned the first two decades of her life but she was in charge of the rest and she intended to right some of the wrongs that had been committed against Walter Chen. Starting with the wrongs committed by one James Drummond.

They left the cocktail party together, and James's driver took them to Rain, the hottest new restaurant, where even he had to pull strings to get a reservation.

"This place is stunning. I had no idea Singapore had so much nightlife." She stared around at the minimalist decor with its cool green lighting. "Clearly, I need to get out more."

"Got to keep the worker bees happy or we'd all fly off somewhere else."

He sat opposite her, pleased by the surprise of having dinner with a beautiful woman who'd been in his life for only one hour. Fiona had his attention. Her company, Smileworks, had created an international splash with its funky graphics and new concepts for things to stick decals to—like walls. That she'd already sold it and banked more money than most people made in a lifetime was impressive.

And she was beautiful as well as smart, with dramatic dark eyes framed by slightly arched brows, and a full mouth that begged to be kissed. Her American accent had surprised him, and added to the layers of intrigue. She was exactly the kind of woman he could see himself marrying.

And he needed to marry.

The waiter gave them shiny black menus. He watched her eyelashes flick lower as she scanned hers. Then she looked up and transfixed him with those bright eyes. "What do you recommend?"

"I've heard it's all good, but I can lend my personal recommendation to the sea urchin."

Her eyes widened. "I had no idea those were edible."

The waiter showed him a bottle of his favorite wine and he nodded. When the waiter had filled their glasses and left, he leaned in. "Last time I had the pigeon. That was good, too. All depends on whether you want to eat creatures of land, sea or air."

She laughed. "How about a pond?"

"The duck is very tender." He smiled and lifted his glass to her. "And I expect they could even make pond weed taste good if they wanted."

"A little salt and pepper, saute it with garlic?" Humor sparkled in her lovely eyes. Then she raised her glass and took a sip. "That's some good wine."

A smile tugged at his mouth. "At four hundred dollars a bottle it should be. I like it."

"You spend more time in Singapore than Scotland?" She unfurled her napkin as she asked.

"I do. Scotland's not exactly an international business hub." Funny how she hadn't even asked him what he did yet. That was refreshing. Being new to Singapore, she obviously had no idea of his reputation, which was also a plus. It got tiresome explaining to people that you weren't a vulture, or—lately—that vultures played an important role in the circle of life. "You can work from anywhere these days. I do most of my work over the internet."

"I do, too, but nothing beats meeting people face-to-face." Fiona's face was lovely. Smooth skin with a radiant glow that contrasted with thick dark hair that swept to her shoulders. He wanted to run his fingers through that hair.

And if all went according to his current plan, he would.

"It's funny that you have a Scottish first name, when there's nothing Scottish about you."

She lifted her slim brow with a slightly defiant air.

"I do like plaid. I even bought a pair of plaid shoes the other day. What's Scottish about you?"

"Good question. I'm not sure anyone's ever asked it before. I'm probably the only person I've ever met who actually enjoys single malt whiskey."

She wrinkled her nose. "You're certainly the only one I've met. I tried it once and I won't be doing that again."

"I treat it with a healthy respect, myself, as it's killed a lot of my forebears."

"They were drinkers?"

"Drinkers, fighters, fast drivers, the type of men who go out looking for the end of a sword to run into."

Curiosity sparkled in her eyes, and stirred the arousal gathering low inside him. "And you're not like that?"

"I prefer to be holding the sword."

He expected a laugh, or at least a smile, but she simply seemed to consider his words for a moment. "I suppose that is a better position to be in. Are you afraid of ending up like your ancestors?"

"Can't say I am. Though I keep getting emails and letters from my American cousin who's decided it's her mission to save the Drummond family from an ancient curse by reuniting three parts of a lost chalice."

Her eyes widened. "A curse? Do you think there's anything to it?"

"I don't believe in that kind of nonsense. Hard work and common sense are the cure for most so-called curses I've heard about."

"You did say your ancestors kept wading into trouble." She raised a slim brow. "Maybe there's something to the legend. Where is the chalice supposed to be?"

"According to my cousin's last rather breathless email, she's already found two pieces. One was in the family home where she resides in New York—she's a Drummond herself by marriage—and the other was found in the ocean off an island in Florida, where it sank in a pirate ship three hundred years ago. She thinks the third piece was brought back to Scotland by one of my ancestors."

"How intriguing." She leaned forward, giving him a tantalizing whiff of her soft floral scent. "Are you going to look for it?"

Her obvious excitement stirred a trickle of interest in the idea. He'd almost forgotten about Katherine Drummond and her pleas for him to join in the hunt. He'd been so busy lately he couldn't remember if he'd even responded. "I don't know. Do you think I should?"

"Absolutely." Her eyes shone. "It's so romantic."

Romantic was good. He was already entertaining romantic thoughts about Fiona, whose black cocktail dress wrapped her slim, athletic figure like a glass around a shot of single malt. "She's convinced the third part of the cup is hidden somewhere on my Scottish estate. She's even offered a reward for the person who finds it. I've had to hire security to keep treasure hunters from digging up the lawns and climbing the battlements."

She laughed. "And you've never looked for it at all?"

"Nope. I know easier ways to earn a few thousand dollars."

"But it sounds like an adventure." Fiona glowed, and he found his own body temperature rising in response. He resisted the urge to loosen his collar, which suddenly felt tight. "I think you should search for it. Who knows what fabulous things might happen if you find the missing piece and put the chalice back together?"

"My life is pretty good right now."

"I bet there's at least one aspect of it that could be improved."

I do need a wife. He certainly wasn't going to tell her that. Singapore's conservative culture frowned on a man who was thirty-six years old and still playing the field. It was beginning to affect business. He'd been turned down by a potential partner in a very compelling project who let him know he didn't approve of his lifestyle.

Lifestyle? Just because he liked to mind his own business and control his own destiny didn't make him a womanizer. On the other hand, even serial monogamy began to look a bit flaky after nearly twenty years of dating, simply because of the sheer number of women involved.

There was no shortage of women ready, willing and able to marry him. They usually threw themselves at him once they got wind of the Scottish estate or the millions in investments. What he needed was a cool-headed and congenial business partner. Someone he could trust in the kind of legally binding contractual situation that modern marriage really was.

Someone—perhaps—like Fiona Lam.

She licked a droplet of champagne from her upper lip, sending a surge of heat crashing through him. Breathing deep, he shrugged out of his jacket. Fiona was a very attractive woman, and her high intelligence was even more of a turn-on than her lush lips or shapely legs.

"Or maybe I'm wrong?" She leaned back in her chair, eyes appraising him coolly. "Is there anything you want that you don't already have?"

He laughed. "Always. That's what gets me out of bed in the morning."

"The thrill of the chase?"

"Makes my venture capitalist heart pump hard."

"Maybe you're not so different from your Scottish ancestors. You're just excited by different quarry."

"You could be onto something. They wanted a stag, or the neighbor's estate, I want a nice international conglomerate with growth potential."

She smiled. "You're funny."

"I'm not so sure about that, but I am pretty predictable."

She tilted her head, sending a fall of shiny black hair to one shoulder. "Why haven't you ever married?"

He stilled. "How do you know I haven't?" Did she know more about him than she was letting on?

"No ring. And no tan line where the old ring used to be."

He relaxed slightly. Being somewhat notorious, he tended to be on guard when meeting new people. Besides, anyone reading a business magazine could know the basic facts of his life. It was hardly top-secret information. "Never met the right woman."

"Too picky?"

"Something like that. A marriage isn't like an investment, where it's worth taking a chance on because you can always get out."

"You can always get out, for the right price." A smile tilted her soft mouth.

He grimaced. "Usually the highest price the market will bear. Not attractive to a careful investor."

"You're too cautious to get married, aren't you?"

He nodded. "Or maybe it's just the family curse."

She laughed aloud, a pretty ringing sound, like the bells they used to play in the church back on the estate when he was a kid.

Where did that thought come from?

"I think you need to find the last part of that chalice and put it back together. Think of it as a hunt." She leaned forward, rested her elbows on the table and her neat chin on her interlocked fingers. "It'll be a great story to tell."

A crazy idea flashed into his brain. "Come look for it."

"What?" Her eyes widened.

"Come to Scotland. I have to take a trip back myself right now to deal with some estate matters. You said you'd like to visit. Take a break from the rat race and breathe some highland air."

She was silent, and he could almost hear the cogs turning in her brain. Her eyes sparkled and he could see the idea intrigued her. "But I don't even know you."

"I'm pretty well-known around town. Ask people about me."

"What will they tell me?" She looked deadly serious.

"That I play by my own rules, but always stand by my word." He hesitated, knowing what else she would hear. "That I'm happiest when sinking my teeth into a new business." He deliberately avoided the part about his alleged Casanova ways.

Her eyes had narrowed slightly, and she appeared to be considering his proposal. His pulse ratcheted and he realized how much he wanted her to accept. Even the usually unwelcome prospect of returning to the grim and vast baronial castle and the manager's endless to-do list seemed less daunting with the prospect of the lovely Fiona in residence.

"Okay." She spoke quietly, but without hesitation.

"You'll come?" He couldn't believe it.

"I will." She sat back in her chair, expression still serious. "I've always wanted to go to Scotland, I love the idea of looking for an ancient relic, and I have nothing better to do right now. Why not?"

"Why not, indeed?" They discussed dates for a minute or two and he sent a text to his pilot while the waiter served their food. For the first time in as long as he could remember, his nerves crackled with excitement over something other than an intriguing business deal. "Done. We leave tomorrow."

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0 of 0 people found the following review helpful.
Alternative title "beware of a woman with a goal "
By Addicted to books
The good news is, the heroine was anything but a doormat.Quite the opposite, I'd say.
Otherwise, it was difficult to imagine that any man would be able or willing to forgive and forget that she intentionally played such a devious trick on him
Anyway, it was an interesting story.

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** Get Free Ebook Almost Perfect (Fool's Gold, Book 2), by Susan Mallery

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Back in high school, Liz Sutton was the girl from the wrong side of the tracks. Then she'd stolen the heart of the most popular boy in town, and their secret romance helped her through the worst of times. Until Ethan Hendrix betrayed her and everything they'd ever meant to each other. Devastated and pregnant, Liz left Fool's Gold, California—forever, she thought….

Now Liz must return to town and face the man who doesn't know of their son's existence. And this time she won't have the option of making a quick getaway. Ethan and Liz can't deny their passionate attraction, even after all these years. But will their desire be enough to spark a second chance at love?

• Sales Rank: #227970 in Books
• Brand: HQN Books
• Published on: 2010-06-29
• Released on: 2010-06-29
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Dimensions: 6.62" h x 1.01" w x 4.21" l, .40 pounds
• Binding: Mass Market Paperback
• 384 pages

Features

• Great product!

About the Author

New York Times bestselling author Susan Mallery has entertained millions of readers with her witty and emotional stories about women. Publishers Weekly calls Susan’s prose “luscious and provocative,” and Booklist says “Novels don’t get much better than Mallery’s expert blend of emotional nuance, humor and superb storytelling.” Susan lives in Seattle with her husband and her tiny but intrepid toy poodle. Visit her at www.SusanMallery.com.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.


Liz Sutton had always known the past would come back and bite her in the butt—she just hadn't known it was going to happen today.

Her morning had started normally enough, with getting her son on the bus to school, then going down the hall to her home office, where she wrote five fairly decent pages before stopping for some serious pacing, followed by deleting three of the last five pages. She was figuring out who to murder in the first chapter of her new book, not to mention how he or she would be murdered. Was decapitation just too predictable? Luckily her assistant knocked on her door, sparing her from making a decision.

"Sorry to interrupt," Peggy said, frowning slightly as she held out a piece of paper. "But I thought you'd want to read this."

Liz took the single sheet. It was an e-mail, sent to her Web site. There was a link there for fans to get in touch with her. Peggy handled most of the e-mails, but every now and then she found something she didn't know what to do with.

"A crazed stalker type?" Liz asked, pathetically grateful for the interruption. When the writing was slow, even a death threat was more thrilling than the current work in progress.

"Not exactly. She says she's your niece."

Niece?

Liz scanned the sheet.

Dear Aunt Liz,

My name is Melissa Sutton. My dad is your brother Roy. I'm fourteen years old and my sister Abby is eleven. A few months ago, our dad went to prison. His new wife, our stepmom, said she would take care of us, but she changed her mind and left. I thought Abby and me would be fine. I'm really mature for my age. My teachers say that all the time.

She's been gone a while now and I'm really scared. I haven't told Abby because she's still a kid, but I don't know if we can make it. I don't want to tell Dad what happened because he really liked Bettina and he'll be sad she didn't wait for him.

So I thought maybe you could help. I know we haven't met before, but I've read all your books and I really like them.

Hope to hear from you soon. Your niece, Melissa.

P.S. I'm using the computer at the library, so you can't e-mail me back. But here's our phone number. Even though the lights are off, the phone still works at home.

P.P.S. We're living in your old house in Fool's Gold.

Liz read the e-mail a second time, trying to get the words to make sense. Roy was back in Fool's Gold. Or at least he had been, before heading off to prison.

She hadn't seen her brother in nearly eighteen years. He was a lot older and had left the summer she'd turned twelve. She'd never heard from him again. Apparently he'd married a couple of times and had kids. Daughters. Girls who were living alone in a house that had been run-down and disgusting twelve years ago. She doubted there had been many improvements since.

Questions tumbled through her brain. Questions about her brother and why he'd returned to Fool's Gold after being gone so long. Why he was in prison and what on earth was she supposed to do with two nieces she'd never met?

She glanced at her watch. It was barely eleven. As it was Tyler's last day before summer vacation, he was getting out at twelve-thirty. If she got the car packed in time, they could leave directly from his school and be in Fool's Gold in about four hours.

"I need to deal with this," Liz told her assistant, as she wrote an address on a piece of paper. "Call the electric company in Fool's Gold and get the power turned back on. They should take a credit card for payment. Do the same with the other utilities. I'll call the girls and let them know I'm coming."

"Are they really your nieces?" Peggy asked.

"I guess. I haven't seen my brother since I was their age, but I can't let them stay there alone." She shook her head, determining what else had to be done. Her next book wouldn't be published until the fall, so she didn't have to worry about publicity and book tours. She could work on her new story anywhere she had her laptop. At least that was the theory.

"I don't know how long we'll be gone," she continued. "I'm guessing it will take a couple of weeks to get everything straightened out."

Peggy stared at her. "Just like that?"

"What do you mean?"

"Aren't you going to think about it? Most people would hesitate. You don't even know these girls."

True, Liz thought. But what choice did she have? "They're kids, by themselves, and they're family. I have to do something."

"Which is just like you," Peggy said. "You leap in and do what you think is right which is admirable. But not always smart."

"Someone has to take care of this." Besides, she'd grown up having to take care of things. Her mother hadn't bothered. "With luck, I won't be gone too long."

"Don't worry either way. I can handle things here."

Liz forced a smile. "I know you can. I'mgoing to pack and then get Tyler. We'll drive to Fool's Gold today."

"Maybe it will be nice to go home."

Liz did her best to look normal. "Sure. Okay, I'll call the girls."

She waited until Peggy left before picking up the phone. She dialed the familiar number, then let it ring eight times before hanging up. No answer. Of course, it was a weekday. The girls were probably still in school. She would try again later, from her cell.

She had to pack for herself and her son, phone a few friends and let them know she would be gone for a couple weeks, e-mail her editor and agent to tell them the same. Logistics, she thought as she collected the notes she'd made on her current novel. She was good at logistics. The ability to plan and deal with problems was part of the reason she enjoyed writing her detective mystery series. She'd always been good at the work. It was the rest of life that caused her to stumble time after time.

"Introspection later," she murmured aloud. "Action now."

She powered off her laptop, then disconnected it from the docking station. After collecting her notes, a few pens, pads of paper and her address book, she went down the hall to her bedroom.

A little over an hour later, she'd packed what she hoped was enough, loaded the car and gone over everything with Peggy. Her assistant would take care of the house and make sure the bills were paid.

"Are you all right?" Peggy asked.

"Sure. Great. Why?"

Peggy, a forty-something former executive assistant, frowned. "Just checking. This is a lot to take in." She hesitated. "You know if there's no one else to take care of the girls…"

Liz might suddenly be responsible for two nieces she'd never met. "I know. I'll deal with that when I have more information."

"Mac and I went to Fool's Gold on our honeymoon. Back when I thought marriage was a good thing. I didn't know you were from there."

No one did, Liz thought grimly. She found life easier when she didn't talk about her past. "I left right after high school and moved here. San Francisco is my home now."

Peggy smiled at her. "If you need anything, call me."

"I will."

Liz went downstairs to the single car garage and got into her Lexus. She'd packed four suitcases, a couple boxes with Tyler's favorite movies, his Xbox and a handful of books. She went over the inventory because that was easier than thinking about what she was doing. Going back to the one place she never wanted to be. The town where she'd grown up.

For a second she wondered if she really had to do this. Go rescue a couple kids she'd never met. Then she shook off the thought. Right now there wasn't anyone else. She couldn't leave the two girls on their own. She would deal with the problem, get it resolved and return to her life. Staying was not an option.

Midday traffic was relatively light and she made it to Tyler's school in about twenty minutes. He was talking to his friends, probably making plans for hanging out. When he saw her small SUV, he waved and hurried over.

"Jason says his family's for sure going to Disneyland in August and they're gonna call and talk to you about me going with them," he said as he climbed into the passenger seat.

"Hello to you, too," she greeted with a smile.

He grinned. "Hi, Mom. How was your day?"

"Interesting."

"Great. Now can we talk about Disneyland?"

Her son was the brightest and best part of her life, she thought as she stared into his dark brown eyes. He had her smile, but everything else came from his father. As if her DNA hadn't been strong enough to overpower his.

Tyler was smart, funny, warm and caring. He had dozens of friends, an easygoing disposition and plans to be an architect when he grew up. She knew that everyone said the early teen years were the worst with boys. That by thirteen or fourteen, he would be making her life hell. But that was a problem for another time. Today, Tyler was her world.

A world that had just been shifted off its axis and was tumbling freely through space.

"Disneyland sounds like fun," she agreed. "I'll talk to Jason's mom. If they want to take you and you want to go, then we'll arrange it."

His grin widened. Then he glanced toward the back of the vehicle.

"Whoa, are we going somewhere? Road trip?"

She pulled into traffic, heading toward I-80. She would take it east, until she turned off to drive into Fool's Gold.

"Sort of," she said and tightened her grip on the steering wheel.

Over the years, she'd done her best not to lie to her son. Not about her past or his father. For the most part, she'd simply told him there were questions she wouldn't answer. At four or five, he'd been easily distracted. At eight, he'd been determined to find out the truth. Now he asked less, probably because he knew he couldn't wear her down. But she knew he wondered.

"I got an e-mail today," she announced. "You remember I told you that I have a brother?"

"Uh-huh. Roy. We don't ever see him."

"I know. He's a lot older and he left when I was twelve. I woke up one morning and he was gone. I never saw him again."

She still remembered her mother's sobs, made thicker and louder by the alcohol lingering in her system. From that moment on, her mother spent her life waiting for Roy to return. Nothing else had mattered, certainly not Liz.

Liz had left town shortly after graduating high school. She'd phoned home once, a few weeks later, saying she thought she should check in and tell her mother where she was.

"Don't bother calling again," had been the woman's only response before hanging up the phone.

"So Uncle Roy e-mailed you?"

"Not exactly." Liz didn't know how much to reveal. Telling the truth was one thing, but sharing details was another. "He's, um, in some trouble and I have to help. He has two girls. Your cousins. Melissa is fourteen and Abby is your age."

"I have cousins? You didn't tell me about cousins."

"I didn't know about them until today."

"But they're family."

True enough, she thought. And the word family implied caring and connection. Maybe in most places, but not in the Sutton household. At least not until Liz had had Tyler. She'd done everything she could think of to break the cycle of neglect. She'd been determined to be a warm, loving mother, to offer her child a safe haven.

"I didn't know where Roy was," she said. "He never got in touch with me after he left." For six years, she'd waited, hoping he would come get her and take her away. Until he'd walked out, he'd always taken care of her. Been a buffer between her and her mother. Protected her from the worst of it.

By the time she'd been old enough to go looking, she told herself she no longer cared.

"Do they know we're coming?" Tyler asked. "Do they know about me?"

"Not yet, but they will. We're going to stay with them for a couple of weeks." She didn't mention the fact that Roy was in prison. Time enough for that later. Nor did she discuss the possibility of the girls living with them permanently. Maybe other family could take care of them.

"I grew up in a small town called Fool's Gold," she said. "It's in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountains."

"Do they get snow?" he asked eagerly. Because at age eleven, seeing snow was about the best it could be.

She laughed. "Probably not in June, but yes, they get snow. There's lots to do there. Hiking, swimming. There's a river and a lake."

"We could go camping."

She made a noncommittal noise in her throat, mostly because the thought of camping ranked right up there with being awake during open-heart surgery. Not even thinking about it was pleasant. But then she wasn't an eleven-year-old boy. She hadn't been fascinated by worms and dirt and play cars and plastic guns, either.

More traits she knew he got from his father. Which was another problem. Not the traits, the man himself. Odds were Ethan was still in Fool's Gold. The one place he'd asked her not to be. He'd made it clear he didn't want her or his kid around.

Well, he was just going to have to get over it, she told herself. This was an emergency. She wouldn't make a big deal about Tyler being in town and she certainly wouldn't tell her son about his father. Not when Ethan had rejected them both so completely.

She would deal with the girls and get out as quickly as possible.

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78 of 81 people found the following review helpful.
This was a "Hero" ?
By ptrcfgn
I have to agree with "readsalot", I got half way thru this book and wondered why Liz would even want this guy! Liz is really great---kind, caring,almost too good.
Ethan, on the other hand, thinks primarily about himself and his own needs and wants. Liz nails it when she says that he has only ever loved his own family. If you read the first in this series, "Chasing Perfect" then you'll know that he didn't speak to his best friend Josh for 10 years because Josh became the champion cyclist that Ethan wanted to be and couldn't because of an injury. Then he trashes Liz who he supposedly loves; greets her when she returns to Fool's Gold as though nothing had ever happened; blames HER because he didn't know about his son (inspite of the fact that she had proof that she tried to tell him twice), then trashes her to her own son. This is a love story? I was so frustrated and angry at the end I had to remind myself that this was only a work of fiction. Unless you have masochistic tendencies don't waste your time or money on this would be romance.

25 of 25 people found the following review helpful.
The Hero is such a JERK!
By Rga
I usually am a very easy to satisfy reader. I read novels to unwind and relax, but this one got me really stressed out. REALLY. I kept expecting the time of redemption to come, but it never came. In my opinion, Heros can be forgiven for almost eanything, but not before they suffer a little to prove the reader he is genuinely sorry and in love, etc... This one is basically like this: 'Hero" is a jerk because he is immature, then he is a jerk because he is mad, then he is a jerk because he cannot turn back time, then he is a jerk because he HAS TO DO THE RIGHT THING, and finally, he is a jerk because he actually is forgiven by accident (his plan was only to inform the city part of the blame was his, but after all the crap he put Liz trough he was not capable of 1 great gesture!) I love flawed characters, but this one is not flawed, and he is very far away of being almost perfect, he is simply a jerk.

31 of 33 people found the following review helpful.
not that great
By bjsmith
I usually really like Susan Mallery's books but this one left me tired and bored. The hero was a jerk. It was predictable that Liz would move to Fool's Gold. Why? Ethan didn't deserve her. It seemed that Liz was doing all the compromising. All the parts of people stopping Liz on the street and berating her for how she supposedly treated Ethan were not only unbelievable but sounded really just stupid. I hope the next book in the series is better. I may have to think about buying the book at full price and wait for the discount.

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** Get Free Ebook Almost Perfect (Fool's Gold, Book 2), by Susan Mallery Doc

** Get Free Ebook Almost Perfect (Fool's Gold, Book 2), by Susan Mallery Doc

** Get Free Ebook Almost Perfect (Fool's Gold, Book 2), by Susan Mallery Doc

** Get Free Ebook Almost Perfect (Fool's Gold, Book 2), by Susan Mallery Doc