Convincing the Rancher. Claire McEwen

      

      About that night…

      Benson, California, represents all that Tess Cole doesn’t want. So she intends to keep her business trip there brief. Too bad her idea to quickly change the mayor’s mind about some planning issues dissolves the moment she recognizes him! That one night with Slaid Jacobs remains a personal favorite for Tess—and for him, too, it seems.

      Even though he’s gorgeous and hot, it’s clear to Tess that the single dad wants a commitment—something she avoids. It’s also clear Slaid is bent on convincing her they can build a future out of their passionate past. And that’s a very tempting offer…

      The last thing Tess wanted was to work with a man she’d slept with.

      “But don’t you ever think about that night?” Slaid asked.

      She forced her voice to sound steady, cool. “Just so you know, I don’t mix up my personal and professional lives.”

      “After what we shared, you couldn’t at least leave a note? I didn’t even know your name.”

      Tess wasn’t used to feeling guilt. She swallowed it. “Well, now you know it. And if you insist I stay, that is still all that you’ll know about me. Clear?”

      Mayor Slaid Jacobs laughed, but it was a bleak sound. “Clear as day.”

      “Okay,” she agreed. “Tomorrow, then. But I hope by then you’ll have reconsidered your choice.”

      “Oh, no.” He sat back down in his chair, crossing his long legs with his boots up on the desk. “I choose you, Tess.”

      Dear Reader,

      Tess Cole, the heroine of this book, appeared fully formed in my imagination while I was writing my first novel, A Ranch to Keep. Unapologetically sexy and completely independent, Tess sat down next to my heroine in a bar and advised her to put on a trench coat and nothing else, and go seduce the man she desired.

      I knew immediately that I wanted to write Tess’s story, but I realized it would be challenging. Tess never had relationships, just the occasional one-night stand, and I had to try to understand why. What made her the way she is? And what kind of man could possibly be strong enough to stand up to her, and soulful enough to soften her?

      Enter Slaid Jacobs, rancher, single dad and respected small-town mayor. Slaid believes in tradition and family and he takes his personal responsibilities and relationships very seriously. So what happens when he falls in love with Tess, who tries to avoid relationships altogether?

      I hope you enjoy their story.

      Wishing you joy,

      Claire McEwen

      Convincing the Rancher

      Claire McEwen

       www.millsandboon.co.uk

      CLAIRE McEWEN lives by the ocean in Northern California with her husband, son and a scruffy, mischievous terrier. When not dreaming up new stories, she can be found digging in her garden with a lot of enthusiasm but, unfortunately, no green thumb. She loves discovering flea-market treasures, walking on the beach, dancing, traveling and reading, of course! Visit her online at clairemcewen.com.

      This book is dedicated to every reader who has overcome a difficult childhood and found a way to live and love despite the scars.

      And to my husband and son, who teach me more about love every day.

      Heartfelt thanks to my sister Beth, who works in public relations and generously shared her knowledge and experience while I was writing this book. And thank you to James Allen of Allterra Solar, who kindly answered all my questions about solar power. Any mistakes, detours from fact and embellishments are all mine!

      And a special thank-you to Danny Click, for his guest appearance.

      Contents

       Cover

       Back Cover Text

       Introduction

      Dear Reader

       Title Page

       About the Author

       Dedication

      CHAPTER ONE

      CHAPTER TWO

CHAPTER THREE

CHAPTER FOUR

CHAPTER FIVE

CHAPTER SIX

CHAPTER SEVEN

       CHAPTER EIGHT

       CHAPTER NINE

       CHAPTER TEN

       CHAPTER ELEVEN

       CHAPTER TWELVE

       CHAPTER THIRTEEN

       CHAPTER FOURTEEN

       CHAPTER FIFTEEN

       CHAPTER SIXTEEN

       CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

       CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

       CHAPTER NINETEEN

       CHAPTER TWENTY

       CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

       CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

       CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

       CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

       CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

       CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

       CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

       CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

       AFTERWORD

       Extract

       Copyright

       CHAPTER ONE

      THE HIGH DESERT air nipped her skin with icy teeth. Tess hunched her shoulders and used her free hand to haul her collar up higher, but the frigid wind worked its way between the seams of her coat, stealing her warmth inch by inch. Clutching her phone, she paced the sidewalk, raising her voice as the wind tried to whip it away. “Ed, just because my friend moved out to this backwoods cow town, that doesn’t make me qualified for this!”

      “We’ve been over this, Tess. You already know the area.” Ed’s voice was calm, and she pictured her boss, comfortable and snug in his San Francisco office, probably sipping excellent coffee. She’d had to endure vile convenience-store slop on the