LITMIR.BIZ

      In the cowboy’s arms…

      Imagine a world where men are strong and true to their word…and where romance always wins the day! These rugged ranchers may seem tough on the exterior, but they are about to meet their match when they meet strong, loving women to care for them!

      If you love gorgeous cowboys and Western settings, this miniseries is for you!

      Judy takes us to the wilds of Wyoming in The Rancher’s Inherited Family Out in August, only from Harlequin Romance^®

      CONTENTS

      CHAPTER ONE

      CHAPTER TWO

      CHAPTER THREE

      CHAPTER FOUR

      CHAPTER FIVE

      CHAPTER SIX

      CHAPTER SEVEN

      CHAPTER EIGHT

      CHAPTER NINE

      CHAPTER TEN

      CHAPTER ELEVEN

      CHAPTER TWELVE

      CHAPTER THIRTEEN

      EPILOGUE

      CHAPTER ONE

      JASON Welborn stared at the young woman who had just approached the check-in desk of the local hotel in McAffee, Oklahoma. She wasn’t what he expected.

      With a frown, he approached her. “Miss Watson?”

      The woman whirled around in surprise, the hope in her gaze quickly dying. “Yes?”

      “I’m Jason Welborn, your father’s partner. He had an appointment this morning that he couldn’t miss. He asked me to meet you and invite you to the ranch. He’ll meet us there.”

      “All right. As soon as I register, I’ll—”

      “No,” Jason interrupted. “Sam wanted you to come to the ranch for the length of your stay.” She continued to stare at him. “If you don’t mind,” he added reluctantly.

      Jason saw the woman pause slightly, as if she wondered whether going with him was a good idea. After taking a deep breath she collected herself, “Very well, Mr. Welborn.” Then she turned and thanked the man behind the desk and said to Jason, “I can follow you to the ranch. I have a rental car.”

      Jason didn’t think Sam had planned on her hiring a rental car. With a shrug he agreed.

      He followed her out the door and took the opportunity to take a closer look at the woman he had come to meet and who he already didn’t trust. She was good-looking, he’d give her that. Her dark hair was pulled back in a simple ponytail, and her features were perfect, her blue eyes remarkably like her father’s. But if she was anything like her mother, from what Sam had said, she was to be avoided at all costs.

      Once she was in her car, a brand-new sedan, Jason climbed into his SUV and headed down the narrow road that would lead to the ranch he shared with Sam Sanders. He’d met Sam ten years ago, long after Jennifer Watson had been taken away by her mother to live in New York. Sam had been a drunkard, wasting his life and his ranch.

      Jason frowned as he recalled that night many years ago. Sam had been sure he could drive home from the bar, but Jason had driven him. Jason’s own parents had died in an accident with a drunk and the pain still haunted him. Jason had made sure that Sam had gotten home safely, and their close friendship had begun that night.

      Now this woman was going to hurt Sam. Jason just knew that was going to happen. A New York woman, just like her mother. He ground his teeth and fought to control his anger.

      When he parked by the barn, she pulled up next to him. Jason noticed that she just sat in her car, not moving. What was wrong with her? Was she waiting for him to open her door? She probably had people who did that for her in New York. Well, not here. Jason wanted to walk away, leave her sitting in her car. But Sam had asked him to do the job.

      Opening her car door, he said, “We’re here Miss Watson, are you going to get out?”

      She turned to stare at him. “Oh! Oh, yes…It hasn’t changed that much, has it?”

      He stared at her. Then he turned away. She hadn’t seen the place when it had been suffering from Sam’s neglect. “Rachel is waiting to see you.”

      His words stirred her, much to his surprise. Rachel had been the housekeeper for as long as Jason had known Sam. Was she so important to Jennifer after all these years? Where did that leave Sam?

      “Do you think Da—I mean, Sam—is back, too?”

      “Not yet.”

      “Oh, okay. I’ll…I’ll just get my bag.”

      He stood there, fighting the gentlemanly behavior his mother had taught him. After she lifted her bag from the trunk of her rental car, Jason reached out and took it. Without waiting for her, he started toward the house.

      When he didn’t hear her following him, he turned around. “Aren’t you coming, Miss Watson?”

      Jason noticed that she simply stood looking up at the house, wringing her hands together as though she was nervous. Eventually she shook herself and looked Jason squarely in the eye. “Sorry. Yes! Yes, I’m coming.” She started walking toward the house.

      Her shoes had a low heel. Acceptable wear. In the hard-packed

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