All-American protector
After a successful career as a Texas rodeo champ, Johnny Lang quit living on the wild side. Now he was devoted to a cause he understood all too well: giving kids a second chance. But when he hires a mysterious woman, Johnny knows trouble has reentered his life. Not only is Rachel Presley beautiful, but the fear in her eyes—and in those of her five-year-old son—practically breaks his hardened heart. It isn’t long before strange “accidents” put Rachel in serious jeopardy, convincing Johnny her past has caught up with her. Sharing some of his secrets is the only way to get to the bottom of Rachel’s...even if retelling them could have their own dangerous consequences.
“Mommy, look there’s a dog! A real dog!”
“That’s Cleopatra, but we call her Cleo,” Johnny said. “Come on, Kenny. She’s been lonely and needs a friend.”
Rachel sensed he wasn’t just talking about the dog. That he had figured out more about her from their initial meeting than she’d intended to reveal.
No…that wasn’t possible.
“Cleo was a stray I found on the side of the road,” he said. “She’d been abandoned and abused. She needs someone to love her.”
Tears burned Rachel’s throat. He sounded so sincere.
And somehow he’d picked up on the fact that her son needed stability. Peace. Normalcy.
She let him guide her toward the dining hall. They would stay, she decided.
But at the first sign of trouble, that her ex had followed them, they’d hit the road and never look back.
Certified Cowboy
Rita Herron
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Award-winning author Rita Herron wrote her first book when she was twelve, but didn’t think real people grew up to be writers. Now she writes so she doesn’t have to get a real job. A former kindergarten teacher and workshop leader, she traded her storytelling to kids for romance, and now she writes romantic comedies and romantic suspense. She lives in Georgia with her own romance hero and three kids. She loves to hear from readers, so please write her at P.O. Box 921225, Norcross, GA 30092-1225, or visit her website at www.ritaherron.com.
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CAST OF CHARACTERS
Johnny Long—This sexy rodeo star turned rancher has problems of his own. But when danger strikes, he wants to protect a single mom and her son. Only she has secrets in her eyes, and Johnny must protect his heart.
Rachel Presley—She’s running for her life. Will her ex-husband catch her in the end?
Kenny Presley—The little boy craves a home and a family. Will he find it at the Bucking Bronc Lodge?
Rex Presley—How far will he go to get his wife back? And when he does, will he kill her as he vowed?
Rich Copeland—The rich rancher who owns the spread next to the Bucking Bronc Lodge is adamantly against housing troubled kids next door. Would he sabotage the ranch and endanger lives to make the ranch fail?
Ricardo Mendez—The orphaned teenager is out to cause trouble. Could he be making problems at the ranch?
Frank Dunham—An ex-con who’s working at the ranch and a friend of Carter Flagstone’s, a man who had a vendetta against Johnny and his friend Brandon. Would Carter pay Frank to cause trouble as a way of getting revenge?
Dewey Burgess—He attacked Rachel in the barn. Did he have his own agenda, or is he working for Rachel’s ex?
To a great friend and writer, Delores Fossen—thanks for talking up the cowboys!
Contents
Chapter One
Rachel Presley was suffocating.
“I told you I’d never let you go.”
Her ex-husband’s sinister voice made her body convulse with fear. Rex had found her.