Too Hard To Handle. Rita Rainville

      Shane McBride was dangerous.

      Of course, it wasn’t his fault that she was wary of men—especially the alpha types. Or that what Christy craved right now was a peaceful life, a life dedicated to her new job and simple pleasures. A life rid of complications—especially the ones created by demanding men.

      Besides, she hadn’t been a bit interested when he’d taken off his shirt, she assured herself. The sight of his hard body hadn’t doubled her pulse rate, either, and his heat hadn’t sizzled through her fingertips, warming her from head to toe.

      Yeah, right, she thought.

      Dear Reader,

      

“Happy Birthday to us.…”

Exactly twenty years ago this May, Silhouette Romance was born. Since then, we’ve grown as a company, and as a series that continues to offer the very best in contemporary category romance fiction. The icing on the cake is this month’s amazing lineup:

      International bestselling author Diana Palmer reprises her SOLDIERS OF FORTUNE miniseries with Mercenary’s Woman. Sorely missed, Rita Rainville returns to Romance with the delightful story of a Too Hard To Handle rancher who turns out to be anything but.…Elizabeth August delivers the dramatic finale to ROYALLY WED. In A Royal Mission, rescuing kidnapped missing princess Victoria Rockford was easy for Lance Grayson. But falling in love wasn’t part of the plan.

      Marie Ferrarella charms us with a Tall, Strong & Cool Under Fire hero whose world turns topsy-turvy when an adorable moppet and her enticing mom venture into his fire station.…Julianna Morris’s BRIDAL FEVER! rages on when Hannah Gets a Husband—her childhood friend who is a new dad. And in Her Sister’s Child, a woman allies with her enemy. Don’t miss this pulse-pounding romance by Lilian Darcy!

      In June, we’re featuring Dixie Browning and Phyllis Halldorson, and in coming months look for new miniseries from many of your favorite authors. It’s an exciting year for Silhouette Books, and we invite you to join the celebration!

      Happy reading!

      Mary-Theresa Hussey

      Senior Editor

      Too Hard to Handle

      Rita Rainville

       www.millsandboon.co.uk

      To my retreat buddies—you know who you are.

      Thanks for the love, laughter and support.

      Books by Rita Rainville

      Silhouette Romance

      Challenge the Devil #313

      McCade’s Woman #346

      *Lady Moonlight #370

      Written on the Wind #400

      *The Perfect Touch #418

      The Glorious Quest #448

      Family Affair #478

      It Takes a Thief #502

      Gentle Persuasion #535

      Never Love a Cowboy #556

      Valley of Rainbows #598

      *No Way To Treat a Lady #663

      Never on Sundae #706

      One Moment of Magic #746

      *Arc of the Arrow #832

      Alone at Last #873

      *Too Hard To Handle #1445

      Silhouette Desire

      A Touch of Class #495

      Paid in Full #639

      High Spirits #792

      Tumbleweed and Gibraltar #828

      Hot Property #874

      Bedazzled #918

      Husband Material #984

      City Girls Need Not Apply #1056

      Silhouette Books

      Silhouette Christmas Stories 1990

      “Lights Out!”

      RITA RAINVILLE

      believes her storytelling ability was honed by her father, a man who told absurd tales with a straight face and a gleam of amusement in his blue eyes. She learned from both parents that laughter, as well as love, makes the world go ’round. Her early years were spent reading every book available and replotting the endings of sad movies.

      Rita has been a romantic for as long as she can remember. She began writing romance novels, and continues to this day, because she believes in humor, happy endings and the enduring qualities of love, honor and commitment. She is also spurred on by letters she receives from readers, letters that say things like, “…when I read your books, I laugh out loud and the pain goes away.”

      Rita is a happily married mother of two super sons, one incredible daughter-in-law and a wonderful grandson. She lives with her husband in northern Arizona.

      Contents

       Chapter One

       Chapter Two

       Chapter Three

       Chapter Four

       Chapter Five

       Chapter Six

       Chapter Seven

       Chapter Eight

       Chapter Nine

       Chapter Ten

       Epilogue

      Chapter One

      “Lady, you’ve got two minutes to get these loonies off my land.”

      Christy Calhoun’s eyes widened as the gaze of the large, tanned man on horseback settled on her. He had scanned her nine companions and the cluster of recreational vehicles scattered around his property before turning to her and issuing the direct order. When he tilted his brown Stetson back off his forehead, she saw that the expression in his narrowed dark eyes was no friendlier than his words.

      One