Falling for the Sheriff. Tanya Michaels

      

      A FRESH START

      Widow Kate Sullivan moved to Cupid’s Bow, Texas, to get her teenage son on the right path. But their new life in the small town gets off to a rocky start when her son is caught shoplifting by the sheriff. Kate is immediately attracted to Cole Trent, but she’s not ready to fall in love again, and certainly not with another cop.

      Cole should have known Cupid’s matchmakers would scramble to fix him up with a smart, beautiful woman like Kate. The single dad has managed to evade their efforts until now, so he and Kate come up with a plan to keep the matchmakers at bay. Pretending to be a couple was a good idea, until Cole realizes his feelings are anything but pretend. Can he convince Kate to give their romance a real chance?

      “Well played!” Admiration danced in Cole’s blue eyes. “You helped convince Becca I’m off the market—I could kiss you.”

      Kate inhaled sharply, but it didn’t seem to put any air in her lungs. “It’s, ah, probably best if you don’t.” She started to take a step backward.

      “Oh, I don’t know.” His voice dropped lower. “Becca’s got spies everywhere.”

      “Cole, I...” Her voice was husky, unfamiliar. Though he was no longer touching her, he stood so close her thoughts were short-circuiting. Could she allow herself to kiss him in the name of convincing Becca he was taken? A flimsy excuse, at best, but so tempting. She swallowed. “I have to go.”

      “Can I call you later? We didn’t finish our conversation.”

      She lifted up on her toes, pressing a quick kiss against his cheek. It was a peck, nothing more, but effervescent giddiness fizzed through her. She’d surprised herself—and she could tell from his sudden, absolute stillness that she’d shocked him.

      “Just in case any of Becca’s spies are watching,” she murmured.

Dear Reader,

      Falling in love isn’t always easy. If it was, they’d probably use a different verb for it! And parenting definitely isn’t easy. Like the heroine in this book, I also have a thirteen-year-old son. (I don’t have small twins like the hero, but since my kids are only a year apart, they were often mistaken for twins in their preschool years.) The thing about love—and parenting—is that the hard work can yield amazing rewards.

      Kate Sullivan loves her son, but he’s become increasingly rebellious in the two years since her police officer husband was killed in the line of duty. After a school suspension, Kate decides to take drastic measures and move them to Cupid’s Bow, Texas. Kate hopes the fresh start will benefit both her and her son.

      But is there room in that fresh start for falling in love?

      Sheriff Cole Trent is a single dad with twin five-year-olds. He has his hands full and, much to his match-making mother’s chagrin, has declared himself too busy to date. But then he meets Kate Sullivan, a beautiful woman who understands his parenting woes and makes him smile. Their attraction is instant, their chemistry unmistakable. But after the devastating loss of her husband, Kate can’t imagine making her heart vulnerable again—especially not with another man in law enforcement. Can Cole convince her that the rewards are worth the risk?

      This book is my first set in Cupid’s Bow, and I hope you’ll come back for future stories about other townspeople! Meanwhile, you can learn more about what I’m writing—and what my crazy family is up to—by following me on Twitter @TanyaMichaels.

      Happy reading!

      Tanya

      Falling for the Sheriff

      Tanya Michaels

       www.millsandboon.co.uk

      TANYA MICHAELS, a New York Times bestselling author and five-time RITA® Award nominee, has been writing love stories since middle school algebra class (which probably explains her math grades). Her books, praised for their poignan­cy and humor, have received awards from readers and reviewers alike. Tanya is an active member of Romance Writers of America and a frequent public speaker. She lives outside Atlanta with her very supportive husband, two highly imaginative kids and a bichon frise who thinks she’s the center of the universe.

      This book is dedicated to all my fellow parents out there also raising one of those wondrous and terrifying creatures known as a “teenager.”

      Contents

       Cover

       Back Cover Text

       Introduction

Dear Reader

       Title Page

       About the Author

       Dedication

Prologue

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

       Chapter Five

       Chapter Six

       Chapter Seven

       Chapter Eight

       Chapter Nine

       Chapter Ten

       Chapter Eleven

       Extract from The Texas Ranger’s Bride by Rebecca Winters

       Copyright

Prologue

      Kate Sullivan had barely spoken on the ride from the middle school to the house. She’d worried that if she opened her mouth to say something, she would start yelling. Or crying. Neither seemed like a good idea while driving.

      As they walked in through the garage door that led to the kitchen, her thirteen-year-old son, Luke, broke the