Cowboy Sanctuary

Cowboy Sanctuary
Elle James

A JOB HE COULDN'T REFUSETen years ago Army Ranger Cameron Morgan left his family's ranch with no plans to return… until his job as a bodyguard reunited him with his former sweetheart and the life he'd fled.A PAST HE COULDN'T FORGETJennie Ward had been injured and her ranch sabotaged, so Cameron was critical to surviving an investigation that was getting riskier by the minute. But keeping his professional distance was nearly impossible, especially after Jennie nearly lost her life on his watch.Still, as his need to guard her mixed with his hunger to find the truth, Cameron found it hard to resist the pull of his old life–not to mention Jennie's offer of a second chance…

Cowboy Sanctuary

Elle James

www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)

This book is dedicated to my fellow authors in the

BODYGUARDS UNLIMITED, DENVER, CO series who helped provide inspiration and the glue to stick this project together. And to the amazing editors, Sean Mackiewicz and Allison Lyons, who dreamed up the story line and who invited me to be a part of the project, thank you.

Special thanks and acknowledgment

are given to Elle James for her contribution to the

BODYGUARDS UNLIMITED, DENVER, CO miniseries.

Contents

CAST OF CHARACTERS

Prologue

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

Epilogue

CAST OF CHARACTERS

Cameron Morgan—The black sheep of the Morgan family and bodyguard for Prescott Personal Securities returns to his home to convince his family and their feuding neighbors they are in danger.

Jennie Ward—Once in love with Cameron despite their two families’ differences, she refused to leave her father and the ranch when Cameron left ten years ago. How can she protect her heart from the danger of falling in love again?

Evangeline Prescott—The owner of Prescott Personal Securities who assigns Cameron to help the ranch owners.

Tom Morgan—Owner of the Bar M Ranch and Cameron’s stubborn father. Will he ever forgive his son for loving the enemy’s daughter?

Logan Morgan—Cameron’s moody brother. Why is he still so angry at Cameron?

Brad Carter—Hired hand on the Morgan ranch. Is he there to only help himself?

Hank Ward—Owner of the Flying W and Jennie’s father. Will the attempts on his life leave Jennie to run the ranch on her own?

Vance Franklin—Jennie’s husband who died eight years ago.

Doug Sweeney—Hank Ward’s longtime ranch hand.

Stan Keller—The Flying W ranch foreman and Hank Ward’s old friend.

Rudy Toler—The youngest ranch hand on the Flying W.

Prologue

Jennie Ward fought to stay in the saddle as Lady bucked beneath her like a green filly on her first ride. What was wrong with her? The eight-year-old mare hadn’t behaved like this since she saw that six-foot diamond-back rattlesnake two years ago.

No matter how accomplished a rider, Jennie knew she wouldn’t last long at the rate Lady was jerking her around. She had to get off or be thrown off.

Clutching the saddle horn for balance, she decided that on the count of three, she’d jump. One…two…Jennie kicked her feet free of the stirrups…three! As Lady hit the ground in a bone-jarring, stiff-legged bounce, Jennie shoved against the saddle, launching herself into the air and as far away from the frantic horse as she could manage.

She landed on her hands and knees, rocks gouging her kneecaps, tearing through her denim jeans. Her head banged against the ground, and her vision blurred for a split second. She couldn’t pass out. Not here. Not with a thousand-pound quarter horse thrashing around her. She tucked her arms and legs close to her body and rolled to the side to avoid the horse’s hooves. As soon as she was clear, she scrambled to her feet and scurried behind a tree.

Lady tossed around for another minute before she halted in the middle of the field, flanks lathered and quivering.