Legally Binding. Ann Voss Peterson

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      He wanted Lindsey

      And she needed him. She circled his neck with her arms, pulling him closer, deeper into the kiss. Her thighs brushed against his.

      What he wouldn’t give to carry her to bed and run his hands over every inch of her smooth skin. He stepped farther into the apartment, pulling her with him. Something crunched under his boot.

      Bart drew back from the kiss and looked down. A smattering of letters and a mail-order catalog were strewn across the floor. A battered answering machine lay on the tile, its plastic casing in shards.

      What was he thinking? Lindsey had been attacked here tonight. She could have been hurt. She could have been killed. She needed him, all right. But not to kiss her, not to make love to her. She needed him to keep her safe.

      He looked up, peering into her intense blue eyes. “Pack your things.”

      “My things.”

      “You’re moving out to the ranch. With me.”

      Dear Harlequin Intrigue Reader,

      As you make travel plans for the summer, don’t forget to pack along this month’s exciting new Harlequin Intrigue books!

      The notion of being able to rewrite history has always been fascinating, so be sure to check out Secret Passage by Amanda Stevens. In this wildly innovative third installment in QUANTUM MEN, supersoldier Zac Riley must complete a vital mission, but his long-lost love is on a crucial mission of her own! Opposites combust in Wanted Woman by B.J. Daniels, which pits a beautiful daredevil on the run against a fiercely protective deputy sheriff—the next book in CASCADES CONCEALED.

      Julie Miller revisits THE TAYLOR CLAN when one of Kansas City’s finest infiltrates a crime boss’s compound and finds himself under the dangerous spell of an aristocratic beauty. Will he be the Last Man Standing? And in Legally Binding by Ann Voss Peterson—the second sizzling story in our female-driven in-line continuity SHOTGUN SALLYS—a reformed bad boy rancher needs the help of the best female legal eagle in Texas to clear him of murder!

      Who can resist those COWBOY COPS? In our latest offering in our Western-themed promotion, Adrianne Lee tantalizes with Denim Detective. This gripping family-in-jeopardy tale has a small-town sheriff riding to the rescue, but he’s about to learn one doozy of a secret…. And finally this month you are cordially invited to partake in Her Royal Bodyguard by Joyce Sullivan, an enchanting mystery about a commoner who discovers she’s a betrothed princess and teams up with an enigmatic bodyguard who vows to protect her from evildoers.

      Enjoy our fabulous lineup this month!

      Sincerely,

      Denise O’Sullivan

      Senior Editor, Harlequin Intrigue

      Legally Binding

      Ann Voss Peterson

       www.millsandboon.co.uk

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      ABOUT THE AUTHOR

      Ever since she was a little girl making her own books out of construction paper, Ann Voss Peterson wanted to write. So when it came time to choose a major at the University of Wisconsin, creative writing was her only choice. Of course, writing wasn’t a practical choice—one needs to earn a living. So Ann found jobs ranging from proofreading legal transcripts to working with quarter horses to washing windows. But no matter how she earned her paycheck, she continued to write the type of stories that captured her heart and imagination—romantic suspense. Ann lives near Madison, Wisconsin, with her husband, her two young sons, her Border collie and her quarter horse mare. Ann loves to hear from readers. E-mail her at [email protected] or visit her Web site at annvosspeterson.com.

      CAST OF CHARACTERS

      Lindsey Wellington—Eager to prove Bart Rawlins innocent, she jumps at the chance to defend him in court.

      Bart Rawlins—After waking up with blood on his hands, a murder charge against him and no memory of the night before, Bart needs Lindsey to prove his innocence.

      Jebediah Rawlins—When Bart’s uncle winds up dead, and old family feud points to Bart as the prime suspect.

      Hurley Zeller—What kind of grudge does the deputy have against Bart?

      Gary Tuttle—Does the foreman at the Four Aces Ranch know more than he’s letting on?

      Kenny Rawlins—Could Bart’s cousin have killed his own father for his inheritance?

      Brandy Carmichael—Who is the mystery blonde?

      Paul Lambert—Lindsey’s boss has faith in her. Is it well-founded?

      Donald Church—The wills and trusts attorney may know all the Rawlins family secrets, but he’s keeping them to himself.

      Nancy Wilks—Does the office administrator of Lambert & Church know more than she should about the firm’s clients?

      Beatrice Jensen—The geriatric nurse has a secret of her own.

      Shotgun Sally—The legendary frontierswoman influences the lives of Kelly, Lindsey and Cara in their quest for the truth!

      To Denise O’Sullivan, Lynda Curnyn and Allison Lyons.

       Thanks for inviting me to Mustang Valley.

      To Susan Kearney and Linda O. Johnston.

       Thanks for exploring Mustang Valley with me.

      And a special thanks to Jack, Sandy, Kevin and Troy Jones

       for introducing me to the state of Texas

       all those years ago!

      Contents

      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

      Epilogue

      Chapter One

      Bart Rawlins forced one eye open. Late-morning sun