Rhonda Lee Carver
To Serve. Protect. And desire.
Special Agent Zander Cade discovers his stunning neighbor and realizes she has a handful of secrets that could put him in a difficult situation. He has a job to do, but her beauty and spunk deter his every intention to abide the law. If his instincts are right, she’s a whole lot of trouble…and in danger.
Wynn Makelti has no other choice but to move into her grandmother’s neglected house, at least for the time being. Anything is better than going back to her ex whose criminal activity is catching up to him. The Wyoming scenery isn’t too bad, considering her neighbor has caught, and keeps, her attention. But can he be trusted? She believes he has a few secrets of his own and she makes it a priority to find out what he’s hiding behind his hat, beguiling smile and bad-boy tattoos.
Little by little the secrets begin to unravel and turmoil shows up on her doorstep. As safe as his embrace feels, can she stay and possibly put him at risk from someone from her past? If she leaves, she could lose everything she has come to love.
As risky as loving Wynn is, Zander can’t let her go, even if it puts his career on the line. It’s time she finds out what a real man has to offer and he’s the one to do it. Together they can face the danger closing in…unless she runs before he can prove that he can be trusted to protect her and love her.
Wynn Makelti has had enough. She’s leaving and not coming back. Thankfully she kept her inheritance of her grandmother’s home and a couple of acres a secret from him. Unfortunately the home is in disrepair and in the middle of a snow storm the furnace won’t start. With no stacked firewood she goes in search of wood to burn.
Zander purchased his land from Agnes Makelti’s estate and built his cottage next door to her house. When he sees a flickering light in the shed across the way he decides to confront the intruder.
This is a favorite scene.
“I won’t tell you again. Now drop the flashlight and lift your hands. My dog is dangerous. You might get bit.”
The dog whimpered.
She almost laughed. “I live here.” Her voice trembled a bit. She didn’t like having a gun pointed at her. Who knew what nutcase had his finger on the trigger. Someone who dared come onto her property and hold her at gunpoint, that’s who.
The man’s raw chuckle made the hairs on her neck stand. “Good try, but this place has been empty for over a year. I’d know if someone lived here considering I live next door.”
There was something about his voice… “Wait. You sound familiar. Are you the cowboy who asked to show me around Crooked Creek?”
After a good measure of hesitation, he said, “You’re trespassing. Get your hands up where I can see them.”
With an exaggerated sigh, she reached up and dragged the hat from her head. “It is you. The cookie man. And I am Wynn, the granddaughter of Agnus Makelti who left me her house.”
“Sunofawitch. What the hell?” The words dripped off his lips like a tire losing air. “Sorry, I didn’t send out a town memo saying that I was moving in, but it was sort of last minute. Think you could lower the gun? I don’t trust my life to a frozen, trigger finger.”
“I could have shot you” he grumbled.
“For being in my shed? Or because I didn’t take you up on your invitation for a date? Yikes. Have things changed that much around here?”
“Still have the snark, I see. And I didn’t ask you on a date. I asked if you’d like for me to show you around. That’s called hospitality. They don’t have that where you come from?”
“I wouldn’t exactly call this hospitality,” she huffed.
“I was defending the property.”
“If you don’t object, can we take this inside? I’m forming icicles on my icicles.”
Another too long hesitation and finally, “Okay. Come on, Susie-Q.” With a click of his tongue, the dog followed him, retracing the footsteps she’d made. When they came upon the large impression in the snow where she’d fallen, Zander chuckled. “Snow angel?”
“Funny.” She stomped past him, clenching her teeth against the icy wind and pushed open the door that squeaked loudly in protest. She stepped into the semi-warm kitchen and took off her wet sweatshirt. Thankfully, the seventeen-hundreds-something cookstove gave off a little bit of heat from the last of the kindling. Opening the door to poke the contents, she bumped her numb fingers and an ache traveled up into her wrist. “Shoot!”
“How long were you outside? You’re a pretty shade of blue.”
“Great. Thank you.” Wynn turned and came face to face with sex appeal in nice fitting Wranglers. He was standing three feet from her now, eyes blazing and hair tousled. A lock of the dark mass had fallen over his forehead making him look a lot younger. She guessed he was thirty, maybe thirty-two, but she’d never been good at gauging a person’s age…or their personality.
At least he’d pushed his gun into the waist of his jeans, but he stood in a stance that reminded her of a warrior preparing for battle. She guessed they weren’t on the best of terms and, admittedly, she hadn’t been nice to him earlier. Not that she needed to defend herself, but she didn’t trust anyone now.
Carver, Rhonda Lee. Wanted by the Lawman (Lawmen of Wyoming Book 2) (Kindle Locations 691-725). Kindle Edition.
Wynn has some attraction for the handsome cowboy, but she is keeping her secrets close.
Zander has a big one he’s keeping from her as well, and as all of these start coming out it can make or break this relationship.
Suspenseful, dramatic, funny and sexy. I really enjoyed this book in spite of a couple of editing errors that made it past the proof.
4 Contented Purrs for Rhonda!
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Coming August 21st
Rhonda Lee Carver
Rhonda Lee Carver is a bestselling author of romance. She’s emotional, fun-loving, known to be witty (sometimes at the wrong times), cries during touching commercials, and values a good love story…and a hero who loves to get his hands dirty.
By day, she taps into her creative, fictional world and writes beautifully-flawed, broken characters with big hearts that readers can relate to. In the evening, she travels back to reality and becomes the adoring wife and mother to their amazing kids. She’s also homework virtuoso (at least she thinks so), amateur nurse, mediocre chef, pet-guru (all the strays show up at her house), and a Jackie of all trades. Yoga and chocolate keep her sane. She adds a sprinkle of her own real-life adventures in each story she spins, adventures like the time she rejected a marriage proposal and he swallowed the ring. She wouldn’t give up one thing in her crazy, chaotic, ever-amusing life, except, she might do magic tricks for the bungalow on the beach she’s had her eye on (wishing never hurt anyone).
Writing for Rhonda is like falling in love and finding a new best friend over and over again. Her characters will find a place inside your heart too. Keep reading and she’ll keep writing.
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