What is sexier than a rough and rugged billionaire cowboy?
Team him up with a badass British spy who’s also a duchess.

A rancher hellbent on maintaining the status quo.
A lady who detests the elite.
Wild and wanton, opposites attract.

THE RANCHER

Long, hot days, working my ass off—just waiting for the cool nights to come—so I can kick back and enjoy the starry night. That’s what I do and who I am. Letting go of the passionate and determined lady seems unimaginable. With fire and heat, she can’t be tamed. She belongs elsewhere. It’s a truth I have to accept.

THE LADY

Debutante, elite, aristocrat—they’re all words that mean nothing. I need more. I need power, passion, adventure, and danger. Being a part of Her Majesty’s Secret Service is the only answer, my only dream, to end this nightmare of boredom. But walking away from him, the rugged and rough rancher who stole my heart, is more terrifying than anything. Can a lady have a bit of both worlds without everything crumbling down?_____________________
NOTE:
Previously released as Shadow.
While each book in the Royal Agents of MI6 series is a standalone with its own HEA, they may be more enjoyable read in order.

This book follows Darrow’s role in every book to date as it takes us through her story.

I really enjoyed reading about her time in Texas, where she gets the nickname Shadow from Quint. A full day spent with him when Wren is sick, turns into a fun night at the Long Branch. One that doesn’t quite end the way Darrow would have liked.

A turning point for them is going to the rodeo where Quint is competing.

This is a favorite scene.

I checked my watch for the fourth time in as many minutes. It was a little after seven. Quint had said we’d leave at eight. Maybe I should wheel my trunk out to the porch and wait there. Or would that make me look too anxious? Thank God Wren had suggested I wear jeans. I probably wouldn’t have, and what message might that have sent?

“Argh,” I growled again. Why was I doing this to myself? If only I hadn’t had dinner with Quint that night, I wouldn’t be so nervous now.

“Everything okay in here?”

I sprung off the bed when Quint stepped into the room. “Fine. Everything is fine. Are we ready to go? Sorry, I should’ve wheeled my trunk out. I don’t know what I was thinking. You know, maybe I should—”

Quint walked over and put a finger on my lips. “I will take care of your, uh… trunk. No, you shouldn’t have wheeled it out. We aren’t leaving for another half hour, and breakfast is ready and waiting in the kitchen. Before you say anything on that subject, I want you to know that Tee-Tee brought over some of her breakfast burritos earlier, and they’re being kept warm in the oven. Okay?”

His finger was still on my lips, so I nodded.

“Finally, I want you to know how glad I am that you’re going along this weekend. The other thing I want you to know is that I’m sorry the stupid way I acted has resulted in you being so nervous around me.”

“I’ve always been nervous around you,” I whispered when he moved his fingers away.

“I’m even sorrier for that.”

“Quint? What happened that night?”

For a minute, I thought he was leaving when he walked over to the bedroom door. Instead, he closed it and returned to where I stood.

“I had an amazing time with you that night. Better than any other night I can remember. You yourself told me that you were here in part because your previous relationship ended. If I hadn’t backed off, I might’ve done something neither of us was ready for.”

“I wanted you to.”

He cupped my cheek. “I know you did, and while I didn’t handle it right, we’re both better off now because nothing happened between us then.”

I took a step back. “I’m worried it’s going to happen again.”

He took my hand in his. “I promise it won’t.”

“What is this, exactly? Am I going to the rodeo to help with the team? Or am I going with you?”

Instead of answering, Quint brought his other hand to my cheek and looked into my eyes before leaning in to kiss me. What started off as a soft, sweet kiss, quickly became harder, more heated when I put my arms around his neck and kissed him back.

He didn’t pull away until we both heard Wren’s footsteps in the hallway.

“Does that answer your question?” he asked, resting his forehead against mine.

“Pretty much.”

When he took a step back, I was afraid I would crumble into a heap on the floor. In the history of kisses I’d experienced in my lifetime, that was by far the hottest. I hoped Quint didn’t ask me more questions, because I wasn’t sure I could speak let alone think. What had he said? Something about breakfast?

“Darrow, are you okay?”

“Um, yeah. Can we go eat now?”
Heather Slade. The Rancher and the Lady (Kindle Locations 1039-1068). The Royal Agents of MI6 Book Four.

So much happens in this book, it is emotional and fun with suspense and their simmer to sizzle relationship will have you sniffling.

Darrow is funny, loving and intelligent. Qualities that for some reason most of the males in her life don’t seem to see. She has also been influenced by a comment made by one of her professors at Oxford and that becomes pivotal in this book.

It’s her relationship with Quint that actually leads to some life changing events for her. I loved seeing her brothers Thornton ‘Shiver’ and his wife Orina ‘Losha’, and Sutton ‘Wilder’ with Wren in this book, Axel ‘Pinch’ is also very involved in this story along with Esland ‘True’ Darrow’s best friend. There is also Doc and Merrigan from K19 in this one and mentions of Burns and Leech. Oh, I can’t forget Ranger and Diesel, they’re around for a bit too.

If you haven’t read the other books, this one will make you want to go read them too. I have so much love for this series and really all of Heather’s series, the characters have wormed their way into my heart and I can’t wait for the next books.

5 Contented Purrs for Heather!

Heather Slade

My books are filled with things that bring me joy: music, wine, skiing, families, artists, and cowboys. Not always in that order.

I’m an Amazon best-selling author, and a PAN member of Romance Writers of America. I speak, teach, blog, am an executive sommelier, and all-around entrepreneur.

I grew up an east coast girl, and then spent half my life on the west coast. Now my husband, our two boys, and I happily call Colorado home.