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      A father figure...a dad.

      That’s how her son viewed him? He should’ve been more careful, not gotten so involved. Now he was leaving and the boy would be hurt.

      “I’m sorry,” he said.

      “I never realized how much he missed having a man in his life. Not surprising, of course. In Jaye’s eyes, you’re a perfect image of what a father should be... strong, kind. Everything he longs for. Everything I didn’t give him.” She shook her head. “Maybe because I’m scared of letting someone in.”

      “You’re not afraid of anything,” he said, grasping her hand.

      “I am afraid,” she admitted, holding his glance. “I’m absolutely terrified. Of you. Of...this.”

      “Me, too,” he said quietly.

      “So what do we do?”

      “I don’t know. Ignore it. Go with it. Honestly, I have no idea.” He rubbed her palm with his thumb. The action was hypnotic and sexy and she swayed toward him. He felt her heat. “I promised myself... I promised you that I’d keep my distance.” He looked down at how close she was. “Ash, you should tell me to leave.”

      She touched his face, cradling his jaw. “I should...” she said, her words trailing. “But somehow, I can’t.”

      * * *

       The Cedar River Cowboys:

      Riding into town with romance on their minds!

      The Rancher’s Unexpected Family

      Helen Lacey

       www.millsandboon.co.uk

      HELEN LACEY grew up reading Black Beauty and Little House on the Prairie. These childhood classics inspired her to write her first book when she was seven, a story about a girl and her horse. She loves writing for Mills & Boon Cherish, where she can create strong heroes with soft hearts and heroines with gumption who get their happily-ever-after. For more about Helen, visit her website, www.helenlacey.com.

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      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

       Chapter Twelve

       Epilogue

       Extract

       Copyright

       Chapter One

      There was one thing Cole Quartermaine knew, and that was that he knew nothing about how to handle surly teenagers.

      In particular, his surly teenage daughter, who was sulking in the passenger seat of his rental car, earbuds plugged into her ears, her mouth pressed into a flat, grim line.

      She hates me.

      No surprise there. It had been a fraught eight months since he’d first discovered the existence of fourteen-year-old Maisy, and that he was father to a girl who had no interest in getting to know him or having any kind of relationship. But he desperately wanted to

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