A Christmas Wedding For The Cowboy

A Christmas Wedding For The Cowboy
Mary Leo

HAVE WEDDING, NEED BRIDE!Wedding planner Zoe Smart is getting a reputation for being a jinx. The worst part is, the rumors may be true. Zoe's last two brides bailed on their grooms, so she really needs cowboy Carson Grant's wedding to go off without a hitch, aside from the one in her heart every time they meet.Though Carson knows he has to tell Zoe the wedding's canceled, he doesn't want to give the town's wagging tongues more fodder. Besides, Carson is having way more fun planning a nonexistent wedding with Zoe than he ever did planning his real one. But time is running out to tell the truth. Will Carson's ruse charm Zoe's romantic spirit, or will their love be jinxed from the start?

HAVE WEDDING, NEED BRIDE!

Wedding planner Zoe Smart is getting a reputation for being a jinx. The worst part is, the rumors may be true. Zoe’s last two brides bailed on their grooms, so she really needs cowboy Carson Grant’s wedding to go off without a hitch, aside from the one in her heart every time they meet.

Though Carson knows he has to tell Zoe the wedding’s canceled, he doesn’t want to give the town’s wagging tongues more fodder. Besides, Carson is having way more fun planning a nonexistent wedding with Zoe than he ever did planning his real one. But time is running out to tell the truth. Will Carson’s ruse charm Zoe’s romantic spirit, or will their love be jinxed from the start?

“It’s simple, really. I just want a good guy.”

Carson raised an eyebrow at her. “The guy who would recognize what a great person you are, and support you in whatever path you take. The guy who would fight for you, would love you with all his heart and never leave you no matter what happened. The guy who can’t think straight when you’re around him, who can’t breathe when he spots you from across the room, who gives his all to you, no matter what the circumstance. You’re his end, his beginning and in the middle all he wants is to love you. That guy?”

Zoe had to come out of the lusty fog he’d put her in to answer him. She let out a sigh and said, “Yes. Him.”

Never had Zoe been so confused over her emotions for any man in her entire life. The fact that he’d just verbalized everything she had ever dreamed of in a partner had caught her completely off guard. It was as if he’d read her innermost thoughts and put them all out there just to see how she would react.

Dear Reader (#ulink_7a533287-957f-5b15-9ebd-0b15d0b8a2bd),

I’m so excited to introduce you to Carson Grant, town rodeo hero and big brother to four fiercely independent sisters. With all those women in his life, corralling his true love should be a cinch. But until his accident in the rodeo arena, marrying the wrong woman seemed like the right thing to do. That is, until she dumps him only weeks before exchanging vows. Now he can’t seem to bring himself to tell anyone, including his gorgeous wedding planner, Zoe Smart.

Briggs, Idaho, is once again awash in Christmas, and this time there’s more love in the air than snowflakes. The season has always been a magical time for me, so writing about it was as easy as opening gifts on Christmas morning. I absolutely loved creating a playlist of my all-time favorite Christmas tunes, hitting shuffle on my phone, closing my office door and immersing myself in another snowy Christmas in the Teton Valley.

I hope you enjoy reading about the residents of Briggs, Idaho, and that Carson and Zoe warm your heart this holiday season.

Until next time, you can visit me at maryleo.com (http://www.maryleo.com/), where you’ll find a few fun facts about Idaho’s Teton Valley along with some of my favorite Christmas cookie recipes. While there, please sign up for my newsletter to get info on my latest books, upcoming events and giveaways. You can also find me on Facebook and Twitter. Come on over so we can chat.

Till then, I wish you a heartfelt Merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year!

Best,

Mary

A Christmas Wedding for the Cowboy

Mary Leo

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

USA TODAY bestselling author MARY LEO grew up in south Chicago in the tangle of a big Italian family. She’s worked in Hollywood, Las Vegas and in Silicon Valley. Currently she lives in San Diego with her husband, author Terry Watkins, and their sweet kitty, Sophie. Visit her website at maryleo.com (http://maryleo.com).

For my son, Richard Pryde Hughes III, in anticipation of his wedding day.

Contents

Cover (#u4ff52f85-b23b-599d-aa23-8aa58f197b4f)

Back Cover Text (#u248f5ebf-5a35-50fa-920e-618e0ecfe468)

Introduction (#u0d28b815-2eb5-5367-8ca5-c75c6857829c)

Dear Reader (#ue5bc8db2-cf40-593f-984e-7269ca4a1500)

Title Page (#u55586bf3-febf-59dd-bf6d-22c64cd04a24)

About the Author (#ua1a1bca2-b099-55c6-99ae-d66a3e22bddb)

Dedication (#u3be765c0-9ca0-5f00-91b5-a72c59e8e667)

Prologue (#u44f11e4e-89b7-5f81-834e-2cc0ab5cb042)

Chapter One (#ua5cd3a2e-0635-5023-8abb-22d06817b52a)

Chapter Two (#u68407e8a-19f8-592e-948e-3b70cf0a9eb9)

Chapter Three (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Four (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Five (#litres_trial_promo)

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)

Extract (#litres_trial_promo)

Copyright (#litres_trial_promo)

Prologue (#ulink_69181f3c-0de9-5e6b-a3f0-b692cef63bc9)

All at once the excitement of the rodeo came crashing in around Carson Grant, filling his senses with the familiar sights and sounds. The steady beat of loud, badass country music heightened his focus as he readied his bronc, Red Comet, for the ride. Every seat in the large arena was filled with enthusiastic fans who cheered, whistled and clapped as a decked-out Miss Rodeo, sitting high on a black stallion, raced from one end of the rodeo ring to the other holding up an American flag three times her size. She electrified the air and Carson thrived on the buzz. Even his horse, a deep-brown-colored mare, seemed to be fired up.

“Easy boy,” he said as he firmly patted Red Comet’s neck. The horse blew out air, took a step back and turned his head slightly to check out Carson. Once the animal seemed satisfied with what he saw, he bent a knee and faced forward again.

“You got yourself the luck of the draw tonight,” the cowboy attending Carson’s chute said as a wide grin spread across his weathered face. “He’s awful twitchy tonight. Might be wise to ask for anther bronc.”

“Meant to be,” Carson answered, knowing perfectly well that Red Comet was the best bronc in the bunch, the bronc that could give him the highest score. For the past two years, if Red Comet’s rider wasn’t bucked off during the mark out, he’d usually score in the high eighties or low nineties, and Carson intended to be one of them.

He took in a deep breath, savoring the combination of rich earth, manure, sweat and determination as he leaned over Red Comet, giving a tug on his bronc saddle to make sure it felt snug and secure. Adrenaline ripped through his veins as the usual rodeo-high took over his mind and body. It was almost as if he was one with the night, supercharged and eager to go.