The Cop

The Cop
Jan Hudson

City Boy Moves Home– For NowAs Dr. Kelly Martin discovers, Cole Younger Outlaw is one ornery patient. The hard-bitten Houston cop doesn't seem happy about recovering from his gunshot wounds in Naconiche–home of his protective family, the Double Dip ice cream parlor and a police department whose biggest concern is filling people in on the latest gossip. Kelly loves this small town, but the place seems to get on Cole's nerves.No question there's heat between them. No question that Cole's feelings for her are genuine. But could he live here? Kelly knows she couldn't possibly move to Houston. And what are they going to do about the baby?TEXAS OUTLAWS

“Not many men can handle the demands of a doctor’s life—except maybe another doctor.”

“Or a cop,” Carrie said.

“I can’t believe we’re having this conversation,” Kelly replied. “Trust me, there is absolutely no chance of a relationship between Cole and me. None. Zip. Nada.”

Carrie grinned. “But you have to admit he’s a hunk.”

“Really? I hadn’t noticed.”

“Li-ar,” Carrie singsonged.

Kelly only smiled, and they parted company.

Oh, she’d noticed that Cole Younger Outlaw was a hunk. Every female hormone in her body was on red alert. She glanced toward him and found him watching her.

He winked.

Good Lord, could he read her mind?

Dear Reader,

This is the last of three stories about the Outlaw brothers, The Sheriff, The Judge and now The Cop, all from a family traditionally named for famous outlaws and all in law enforcement and public service. When I was creating Cole Younger Outlaw’s story, I first considered setting it in Houston—logical, since the oldest son had been in HPD homicide for many years—but the colorful characters in the small town of Naconiche (NAK-uh-KNEE-chee) had grown on me. To prove that good things can come of terrible incidents, I brought Cole back to his hometown to recuperate from his serious injury…and to find a whole new life in the place of his roots.

Now, there’s no real town named Naconiche—and, no, it’s not patterned after Nacogdoches, the historical small town where I lived for many years—but there is a Naconiche Creek in East Texas, and I liked the sound of the Indian word. The Outlaws’ hometown is a composite of many places in the heart of the Piney Woods where my ancestors lived when Texas was still a republic.

Naconiche and the Twilight Inn seem to be magical places, and with one gorgeous redhead thrown into the mix, the cynical and battle-scarred cop is about to be turned every which way but loose. I had fun writing about the sassy Dr. Kelly Martin and the tough Cole Outlaw, and I can promise that you’re in for lots of love and laughter! Join me and see if I’m not right.

Visit me at www.eclectics.com/JanHudson.

Jan Hudson

The Cop

Jan Hudson

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

For Karen Solem, Agent Extraordinaire

And with special thanks to Sherry Wallace,

Hospice of Deep East Texas

and Greg Sowell,

Nacogdoches Police Department

Contents

Chapter One (#u7d54efa4-625a-5da8-9274-62e57b742b7a)

Chapter Two (#u5598f87a-9222-55a7-859c-fcd579d5a79d)

Chapter Three (#uc28024d3-83b0-5f01-9750-ce408856188a)

Chapter Four (#u402aed7e-9687-5461-a26f-c0bc21efdc7a)

Chapter Five (#u4d6fd8af-2579-5c4e-a167-8126dddac4e5)

Chapter Six (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Seven (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Eight (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Nine (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Ten (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Eleven (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Twelve (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Thirteen (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Fourteen (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Fifteen (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Sixteen (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Seventeen (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Eighteen (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Nineteen (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Twenty (#litres_trial_promo)

Epilogue (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter One

“Pull off your pants and lie down,” she repeated.