The hot dusty town of Salvation, Texas has more than its share of secrets in 1873 when Laura Ashton's stage rolls into town. Sheriff David Slade has no idea what baggage his mail-order bride is bringing into his life. Throw in the nightmares from his Civil War days and he's got more than courting to contend with. Laura's a woman ahead of her time, a woman trained in medicine. And she's got a will that could move mountains. Unfortunately, the only mountains in Salvation are in Sheriff Slade's memory. Can the determined doctor heal his pain, or will the dark secret in her past turn up to steal his Salvation Bride?

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Unedited excerpt:

“Sheriff.”

“Miss Ashton, I’m sorry I had to leave before the stage left, but I was called away on business.”

Frankly, she’d been relieved not to see the sheriff standing on the porch when she escorted Mrs. McGuire back to the stage. It meant she’d have a while yet before she had to face him.

“I’m sorry, too, sir, for leaving you so abruptly after we met. I don’t know where my manners went.”

He smiled then, for the first time, and his eyes crinkled. “I image, ma’am, that you were just as nervous as I was about meeting.”

She smiled back. “True. One has to wonder about the wisdom of agreeing to marry a stranger.”

His smile faded and lead dropped into her stomach.

He turned his hat in his hand and stared at his feet. “Ma’am, I’d hoped it wouldn’t have to be like this, but there’s something we need to discuss.”

Laura’s breath caught in her lungs. He didn’t like her. He was going to send her away. She’d be alone in the world.

“I…can I not change your mind, sir?” she whispered.

“I’m afraid not, ma’am. If I had an alternative, I’d suggest it, but the fact of the matter is the preacher changed his circuit route on us. I expected him to come in two months, giving us time to get to know each other. But he came early and he’s leaving tomorrow.” His hat made another complete turn in his hands. Blue eyes rose to meet hers. “The fact is, Miss Ashton, we have to get married tonight, before he leaves town.”

Her knees buckled. Strong arms gripped her and held her upright.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you and honest, ma’am, I wouldn’t force you into a marriage if it weren’t necessary. I don’t know when the preacher will be back and I learned last week that the Jacobs, they’re the people who have been taking care of Ginny and the ranch for me, are moving to Wyoming in a few days. That means I need to move out onto the Lazy S. I’ll need you there, too, so you can look after Ginny.”

His hands were strong, comforting. She wanted to lean into his solid form, forget the horror she’d barely escaped.

“It wouldn’t be proper for you to live there without benefit of marriage,” he said.

She licked her lips. Thoughts whirled through her mind. There was much she needed to tell him. She fisted her hands on his shirtsleeves. “I need—”

“Ma’am, I know you must be worried about the marriage bed, but I won’t take advantage of you in that way.” His fingers gripped her. “I need you only to care for my house and my daughter. I’ll expect nothing more of you.”

Intimacy between a man and his wife had been the furthest thing from her mind, but he must have taken her hesitation for fear.

She should tell him everything, but if he refused to marry her, what would she do? If the preacher wasn’t coming back to town for months she’d be alone. No friends, no family. No one. She swallowed to wet her throat. “I’d be honored to marry you this evening.”

His fingers dug into her arms. Had he expected she’d refuse his offer? She forced down a hysterical laugh. She was frantic to stay in Salvation, to have a family, to not be alone in the world.

He nodded and dropped his hands. “Fine. I’ll make the arrangements. We can be wed in the hotel parlor. Will seven o’clock be good for you?”

That would be just enough time to bathe and ready her dress.

She nodded.

A COWBOY'S DREAM

OUT NOW

The Wild Rose Press

Unedited excerpt:

The mouthwatering scents of seared steak wafted around Leah as Marcus escorted her into the world famous Kemah Boardwalk Steak House. Her stomach grumbled, a reminder she hadn’t eaten since early morning.

The hostess greeted Marcus by name and smiled warmly at her.  Leah glanced at him, wondering how often he came to the restaurant.  Celebration dinners should be rare, not weekly—unless you found an excuse to celebrate every little thing.  But what made them special then?

She slid into the booth and mentally shook her head.  No matter what Marcus did in the past, this was her celebratory dinner. She smiled as he sat opposite her and determined to enjoy his company for as long as she had it..

The hostess handed them menus. “Would you like something from the bar, Mr. Slade?”

Marcus placed his Stetson beside him on the booth cushion and raised a brow at her.

“Whatever they have on tap will be fine,” she said.

He grinned and nodded.  “Two beers, please.”

Glancing  at his ‘celebration clothing,” she was glad she’d summed him up right.  She’d nearly put on the $900 designer gown she planned to wear to next month’s charity fund raiser and made her look hot as hell, but at the last minute went over what she knew about pro ball player Marcus Slade. Celebrity though he may be, he was obviously still a cowboy at heart.  Instead of the silk and satin confection, she pulled on blue jeans and simple blouse .  She matched his jeans and western-styled shirt quite well.

Leah opened the menu and looked it over.  “You’re a man after my own heart.  There’s nothing better to celebrate with than a beer and a good steak.”

He jerked back as if surprised.  “You mean to say you’ll actually order a steak?”

“Well, of course.” She laughed, brushing her hair behind her ear. “What’s the point of going to a steak house and not ordering a steak?”

He opened his mouth, but then shut it for a moment before uttering, “Truth be told, most of the women I know don’t eat much meat.”

That was no surprise.  Most of the women she’d seen him with were the size of twigs—except in the bosom area—and probably ate weeds.

“Well, I hope you brought along your charge card, because I haven’t eaten much today and I’m starving. I plan to get a really big steak with all the fixings to celebrate.”

Marcus laughed. “Honey, the day I can’t afford to buy a pretty lady a steak is the day I’ll hang it up for good.”

Her heart fluttered at the endearment. Sure, it was common enough for Texans to drop honey and darling like hello and good-bye, but still, hearing it from Marcus made her insides quiver.

The last thing Christina Scott expects Santa to bring her is a sexy—and very familiar—cowboy. Gavin Holloway’s just as shocked to discover she’s the woman he’s sent to pick up from the airport for a Christmas visit with her brother.  They'd spent one hot week together months ago—a week where they both left their identities and individual problems behind.  Neither ever expected a reunion.

Little do they know, Santa's elf has more than coal up his sleeve. Ho ho ho and a badgering we'll go before reindeer two-step on their rooftop and deliver THE PRICELESS GIFT that will leave their snowy days sizzling.

Unedited excerpt:

Seven years ago, Meghan Shelton fell in love with Peter Bourne, Duke of Prestwick, only to learn his seduction was a means to win a bet.  Ashamed and pregnant, Meghan flees England. On her return, she literally runs into Peter.  This time she has more to protect than her heart, she has a daughter, too. 

One look at Meghan and Peter knows he was foolish to think he could seduce her and not love her.  Now he has to gain her forgiveness and work his way back into her heart. Will Meghan be tempted twice by the man she loves?

Tempt Me Twice unedited excerpt

“I hope I am not disturbing you, Meghan.”

Meghan jumped at the voice and whirled to face Prestwick. He stood in front of the closed door, blocking her exit.

“Your Grace.” She gave a curtsey.

“Your Grace,” he taunted.  “I recall a time you called me Peter.”

“Yes, well, that was an age ago, was it not?”

His dark, steady gaze held hers.  “A lifetime ago, Meghan.” He seemed to shake himself. “I owe you an apology for the way I treated you back then.”

If he’d kicked her, she wouldn’t have been more surprised.  She realized the apology, so long in coming, made no difference. He’d not cared for her back then.  It was merely his mature years forcing him to regret his past actions. Was she so pathetic that she would accept his hollow regret?  She gave a humorless laugh.

“Oh, really, Your Grace, do not tell me you have dwelled on that all these years. I assure you, you did not take anything that wasn’t offered.”

“Winston believes differently.”

She arched a brow.  “You men are such odd creatures.  You think you must protect the women of your family from the very things you encourage women of other families to do.  Winston keeps a mistress and yet he would tell you I suffered greatly because you chose to dally with me for a short time.” She stuffed her hands into the pockets of her dress when she noticed they trembled. “I assure you, Prestwick, my emotions are not so fragile as that.  They never were.”

“You were too young to know—“

“But you were old enough to know my mind?” she interrupted.  “How condescending, Your Grace. I begin to see why you men think you must control us.  We are too foolish to make up our minds.”

She prayed he couldn’t detect the wild beating of her heart.

He stared at her.  “I never meant to imply you do not know your own mind, Meghan.  I only wished to tell you I regret the way I treated you.”

She blew out a breath. In what way, she wanted to ask. Instead she said, “And so you have done.  I am meeting Lady Sarah for a game of cards, Your Grace. Please excuse me.” She tried to step around him.

“I think not. You are keeping a secret from me, are you not?”

Panic gripped her. She drew in a shallow breath, clinching a hand to her abdomen.  “N-no, Your Grace, I am not.”

 “No?  Are you sure, Meghan? Did you think I would not realize the truth?”

Shear black fright swept through her.  How had he found out about Marissa?  Did he plan to take her daughter from her?  She would die first.

“I know not what you speak of.  I have no secret from you, Your Grace.”

He moved from the door with long, purposeful strides and stopped in front of her.  “It has taken me a few days to work it out, but trust me, I have finally discovered the truth of the matter.”

Meghan’s lungs seized in her chest.  “You cannot have her.  Do you hear me?  She is mine and you cannot have her.  Have not you taken enough from me, Peter?  Do you plan to also take my daughter? I would fight you to the ends of the earth first.”

He stared, complete surprise on his face.  “What are you talking about? Why would I take your daughter, Meghan?”

Too late she realized her mistake. Already she could see the wheels of his mind working.  Tears burned her eyes.  A deep moan rose in her breast. “Nooooo.”

He gripped her painfully by the shoulders.  “Dear God, Meghan, do not tell me she is mine.”