The Rancher's Surprise Son

The Rancher's Surprise Son
Christine Wenger

The Little Boy Had His Eyes Cody Masters always believed that nothing could keep him and his high school sweetheart, Laura Duke, apart. Not her parents, not town gossip–not even a jail sentence! But when the cowboy returns home, he finds a new man in Laura's life. Johnny is three-and-a-half-feet tall, adores his pony and stares back at Cody with all-too-familiar blue eyes…The Mother Had His Heart Even though Laura insists a quickie marriage produced Johnny, Cody isn't giving up on his dream of their family. The only problem is getting her–and the rest of the town–to trust him again. Besides, Laura is harboring a secret that is keeping them apart, but could also bond them, and little Johnny, forever!

Laura reached for a piece of toast and took her coffee with her.

She had an hour before the first guests would arrive, and she was going to enjoy it with Cody and Johnny.

Johnny insisted on putting on his cowboy boots and his cowboy hat. He said that he wanted “to look just like Mr Masters.”

Oh, you do, my little boy. You do.

Laura walked past all the tables with Johnny. She had to admit everything looked beautiful. Where she would be sitting, at the head table, she’d have a perfect view of the barn. Maybe she could catch glimpses of Cody and Johnny during the riding lesson.

As Laura and Johnny approached the barn, Cody appeared, leading Pirate into the corral.

Johnny waved excitedly. “Hi, Mr Masters. Hi, Pirate.”

“Hello, son,” Cody replied, and Laura’s heart did a flip in her chest at that simple greeting, which had much more meaning now.

* * *

Gold Buckle Cowboys: They’ll steal your heart in eight seconds!

The Rancher’s Surprise Son

Christine Wenger

www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)

CHRISTINE WENGER has worked in the criminal justice field for more years than she cares to remember, but now she spends her time reading, writing and seeing the sights in our beautiful world. A native central New Yorker, she loves watching professional bull riding and rodeo with her favorite cowboy, her husband, Jim. You can reach Chris at PO Box 1823, Cicero, NY 13039, USA, or through her website at www.christinewenger.com (http://www.christinewenger.com).

For all cowboys and cowgirls everywhere—in the country, the suburbs and in the city.

(You know who you are!)

Contents

Cover (#ucb832818-5b68-526d-810f-a3190b95ac1e)

Introduction (#ub454ccbf-424c-566d-9b75-20c151a137be)

Title Page (#u1b8a01c9-c025-577e-8043-f83774af7817)

About the Author (#u24d64dbf-6dd8-5a06-bec2-8d67e55c7392)

Dedication (#uef012bbb-bff0-5b73-a761-6c2ca6a3bf8b)

Chapter One (#ulink_51d99f47-7d8e-50e2-8690-d9e16c9af503)

Chapter Two (#ulink_781b476a-c429-540c-9f89-1a1ea1f515f7)

Chapter Three (#ulink_2cff5b98-9ee8-5fc6-b029-5d474be124cb)

Chapter Four (#ulink_358cd5a9-66cf-578f-9490-79090e9ba9c0)

Chapter Five (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Six (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Seven (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Eight (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Nine (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Ten (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Eleven (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Twelve (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Thirteen (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Fourteen (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Fifteen (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Sixteen (#litres_trial_promo)

Extract (#litres_trial_promo)

Copyright (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter One (#ulink_d2093dbf-1b26-5181-bf50-4bc9a4888a1b)

As far as Laura Duke knew, no Duke vehicle had ever left a tread on the Masters family’s Double M Ranch...until now.

It started out to be a perfectly normal day, whatever “normal” meant. Since nothing had been normal for the past several years, Laura was enjoying the quiet respite of visiting with her son Johnny’s babysitter, Cindy Masters, at the nearby Double M.

In a cloud of Arizona desert dust, one of the Duke Ranch’s white pickups came lumbering down the road.

“That looks like one of your trucks,” Cindy said. “I’ve always loved the crown on the side. I told my mom that the Double M needs a cool logo like yours.”

“A crown for a duke,” Laura answered. More like a king, she thought. Since my father rules the entire county.

Laura loved Cindy and so did Laura’s son, Johnny. Cindy was a wonderful babysitter, but Laura asked her to sit only when she was in a jam, like this Friday. She had to speak at an awards luncheon, and her parents would be out of town. Clarissa, Johnny’s nanny, had that day off.

“Sure. I’d love to watch Johnny again,” thirteen-year-old Cindy said. “He’s the cutest.”