Jackson Raines, every woman's fantasy, is surprised to find his high school secret obsession now living in the cottage on his ranch, Raintree, located in Wyoming. The girl who ridiculed and embarrassed him in his youth is now a gorgeous woman with an adorable little daughter, Holly. Sarah Allen (Hollister) escapes to home after her husband Andrew Hollister is murdered because of his gambling debts and crooked business deals. She also returns a battered and beaten wife harassed and threatened by those trying to locate a disk that will implicate them and used in blackmail. What Jackson doesn't know is that Sarah has been left penniless and is being sought for the millions in taxes Andrew owed the IRS.
Jackson and his brothers Gabe and Dev, raised in near poverty, have all succeeded and are affluent and wealthy citizens. At first, wanting no part of Sarah because of her earlier rejection, Jackson soon feels the same obsession with her as before and wants to protect her and Holly. Jackson and Sarah find the solace and deep-rooted love both have been missing, along with a bonus of incredible sex. After the cottage is totally ransacked and death threats to Sarah escalate, the two of them, along with Gabe and Dev, engage in secretly searching for the source of her predators. Arrests are finally made, but it's a false sense of security for Sarah who becomes a suspect in her husband's death, along with yet another outside threat resulting in the kidnapping of Holly.
I was thoroughly caught up in the mystery of Sarah's complex life and totally surprised by the ending. Through all the chases, gunfire and threats, Jackson's love endures it all with the total support and love for the girl he once vowed to hate for all eternity. This is definitely a page- turner full of compassion and love shared by two unlikely souls. This is a "don't miss" read set in the beautiful surroundings of Wyoming. Kat Martin is a very gifted writer who takes you from the beginning to the end in total suspense.
Unable to resist trouble the "no account Raines boy",
Jackson Raines finds himself entangled with the high school
beauty who humiliated him so many years ago. Enemies of her
dead husband bring trouble. And despite their history,
Jackson is the one man who can save her and her daughter ...
Secrets donβt stay buried long in cattle country. Sarah
Allen,the beautiful girl who humiliated Jackson Raines in
high school, is back in town. Not so long ago, she couldnβt
wait to leave Wind Canyon, Wyoming, in her dust. But
recently widowed, she has nowhere else to go and finds
herself on Jacksonβs ranch.
Despite everything, Jackson is reluctant to get rid of her.
He canβt resist trouble, and Sarah brings her own special
kind. Enemies of her dead husband show up on the ranch
making threats, thinking she has something theyβre owed.
Theyβre not taking no for an answer, but what they will take
is the one thing she has leftβher daughterβand Jackson may
be the only hope she has of getting little Holly home alive.
EXCERPT
Jackson walked from the barn toward the cottage, each of his
steps leaving a boot-print in the snow.
βJackson, wait! Jackson!β
He turned at the sound of his housekeeperβs voice, saw Livvy
Jones running him, her breath huffing out in the cold.
Jackson smiled. βTake it easy, Liv, youβll give yourself a
heart attack.β
She drew in a panting breath and slowly released it. βI
forgot to tell you--I rented the cottage.β
βWhat?β
βWe talked about it, remember? You said we ought to do
something with the place instead of just letting it sit
there and rot into the ground.β
βYes, but--β
βYou said do something, so I did.β
He lifted his cowboy hat then settled it back down on his
forehead. βAll right, I guess thatβs fair.β He looked over
at the cottage. βSo whoβs the new tenant?β
βSarah Hollister. She used to live in Wind Canyon when she
was a girl. She recently lost her husband. She wanted to
come home and I thought this would be the perfect place for
her to recover from her loss.β
βDoesnβt sound familiar.β
βShe was Sarah Allen when she was a girl.β
Jackson took the news like a sucker punch to the stomach.
Sarah Allen. Damn, he had known her voice sounded familiar.
Sarah had been two grades behind him in school. Heβd
thought she was the prettiest, sweetest girl he had ever seen.
Man, had he been wrong.
Jackson glanced over at the cottage. He was no longer that
same insecure boy who had left Wind Canyon sixteen years
ago. But he would never forget the girl who had made him
feel less than a man.
βYou remember her, donβt you?β Livvy asked, breaking into
his thoughts. βShe was real pretty, thick dark brown hair
and big blue eyes. She was kind of shy back then.β
βShy? Iβm afraid that isnβt the Sarah I remember. And I
donβt want her here.β He started walking toward the
cottage, but Livvy caught his arm.
βWhat are you doing? Iβve already taken her money.β
βThen give it back.β
βShe doesnβt want it back. She wants a place to raise her
little girl. I thought it would be nice to have a child
around--and maybe some female company once in a while.β
βFine, but not here. Go back to the house, Livvy. Iβll
take care of this.β Jackson kept on walking. He tried to
tell himself he wouldnβt get the least satisfaction from
throwing Sarah Allen off his land. But he knew it wasnβt
the truth.
* * *
Sarah was on her way back into the living room--wide-planked
wooden floors, a stone fireplace, a comfortable sofa and
chairs--when she heard a knock at the door. For an instant,
fear gripped her. Even with Andrew dead, she worried about
who it might be.
She forced herself to relax. Assuming it must be Olivia
Jones, the lady who had rented her the property, she hurried
over and opened the door.
Her eyes widened. It wasnβt Olivia, it was Jackson Raines.
And he didnβt look happy to see her.
βHello, Sarah.β
She wet her lips, which sudden felt stiff as paper. βHello,
Jackson.β He was even taller than she remembered, around
six-foot-three. He had changed in sixteen years, each of
his features now more distinct, his dark brown eyes more
intense. She remembered the slight cleft in his chin but
now a faint scar bisected one of his nicely shaped eyebrows.
A little tremor of awareness went through her that she was
surprised to feel. It had been years since she had felt any
sort of attraction to a man. After Andrew, she thought
maybe she never would again.
βDo you...umm...work here on the ranch?β she asked.
The corner of his mouth edged up. βYou might say that.β He
looked over her, saw the boxes she had been unpacking. βIβm
afraid we have a problem. Mrs. Jones made a mistake. The
cottage is not for rent.β
Her stomach tightened. βThat...that canβt be right. It was
listed on the Internet. The details have all been worked out.β
βIβll see your money is returned. And Iβll pay for any
extra trouble this might have caused. Just tell me how much
and Iβll write you a check.β
Her voice rose. βI donβt want a check! This is going to be
our home. Holly and I...we need this place. We love it
here already.β
Just then the little girl raced into the living room.
βMommy--thereβs a nest of baby robins under the roof right
outside my window!β
βPlease,β Sarah pleaded, looking up at Jackson again.
βIsnβt there any way you could speak to the owner, tell him
how important it is for Holly and me to stay?β
She glanced away, afraid he would notice the glitter of
tears in her eyes. βShe just lost her father. She needs
this, Jackson. Please...I need it.β
Jackson looked down at Holly who was staring at him as if he
were a real life hero--which, to her, being a cowboy and
their savior last night, he was.
He took a deep breath and slowly released it. βI suppose it
wouldnβt hurt if you stayed for a while. Just donβt get too
comfortable. If things donβt work out, youβll have to find
another place to stay.β
Relief hit her so hard her knees went weak. A bright smile
broke over her face. βSo youβll talk to the owner? Youβll
make sure itβs okay for us to stay?β
He made a scoffing sound. βDonβt worry. Iβll take care of
it.β He turned and started walking.
Sarah ran after him. βWait, I meant to ask.... Whatβs the
name of the man who owns the ranch?β
He kept on walking, his boots crunching in the snow. Over
his shoulder he called back to her. βJackson Raines.β
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