Corporate Cowboy

Corporate Cowboy
Pamela Bauer

What Austin Bennett needed was a good swift kick!The arrogant CEO had been driving feisty filly Kacy Judd crazy with his excessive demands, blatant disregard of procedures and toe-curling kisses. Someone needed to bring the corporate executive down a peg–and Kacy was just the gal for the job!So, when a minor accident landed Austin back at her ranch–with no memory of his former ill-tempered inclinations–Kacy knew her chance for revenge had arrived. But the passion that had once flared between them was suddenly so much more dangerous. For Kacy hadn't counted on courting an Austin who was a cowboy and a gentleman….

“I’m a man without a past.”

“I don’t care about your past, Austin,” Kacy told him, putting her hands once more on his chest. “I’m not a woman who plays it safe. I’m not going to let you play it safe, either.”

“That sounds like a threat,” Austin said, his breath a bit uneven.

“Think of it as a promise.” The look in his eyes sent a shiver of delightful anticipation through her. “And, I warn you, I always keep my promises.”

Dear Reader,

February is a month made for romance, and here at Mills & Boon American Romance we invite you to be our Valentine!

Every month, we bring you four reasons to celebrate romance, and beloved author Muriel Jensen has reasons of her own—Four Reasons for Fatherhood, to be precise. Join former workaholic Aaron Bradley as he learns about parenthood—and love—from four feisty youngsters and one determined lady in the finale to our exciting miniseries THE DADDY CLUB.

Some men just have a way with women, and our next two heroes are no exception. In Pamela Bauer’s Corporate Cowboy, when Austin Bennett hits his head and loses his memory, Kacy Judd better watch out—because her formerly arrogant boss is suddenly the most irresistible man in town! And in Married by Midnight by Mollie Molay, Maxwell Taylor has more charm than even he suspects—he goes to a wedding one day, and wakes up married the next!

And if you’re wondering HOW TO MARRY…The World’s Best Dad, look no farther than Valerie Taylor’s heartwarming tale. Julie Miles may not follow her own advice, but she’s got gorgeous Ben Harbison’s attention anyway!

We hope you enjoy every romantic minute of our four wonderful stories.

Warm wishes,

Melissa Jeglinski

Associate Senior Editor

Corporate Cowboy

Pamela Bauer

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

For two people who are very dear to me, Kathy and Bill Greising

And to Lois Greiman, a special thanks for answering my questions

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

PAMELA BAUER was born and raised in Minnesota where you need a sense of humor if you’re going to survive winter. That’s why she writes romantic comedies set in the Midwest with heroes who know how to warm a woman’s heart…and toes. She has received awards from Affaire de Coeur and Romantic Times Magazine and her books have appeared on the Waldenbooks romance bestseller list. She currently makes her home in Minnesota where she lives with her husband who is her real-life hero, her two adult children and a Bichon-poo who thinks he’s human. When she’s not writing, she enjoys watching foreign films, going to the theater and fishing.

Books by Pamela Bauer

MILLS & BOON AMERICAN ROMANCE

668—THE PICK-UP MAN

718—MAIL ORDER COWBOY

803—SAVING CHRISTMAS

814—CORPORATE COWBOY

Contents

Chapter One (#ua20d32e4-1285-563a-9096-2e921dc5dd1e)

Chapter Two (#ufd85094b-4ea9-5f6b-8687-1ec7b8b8941d)

Chapter Three (#uc2978654-3f70-5759-9908-c1b128ed4578)

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)

Chapter Twelve (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Thirteen (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter One

“Uh-oh. You weren’t able to convince them, were you?”

Austin Bennett breezed past his secretary, ignoring the stack of messages she held in her outstretched hand. “Six to one in favor of the dude ranch.”

“Oh, my,” Jean trailed after him, distress adding more lines to her already creased face. “I thought at least Henry…” she trailed off.

Austin groaned as he sank into his leather chair. No, not even his father had been on his side. Not that Austin had expected paternal support on this—or any other—issue. He had learned long ago that if he was going to make it in the family business it wouldn’t be because his father had made it easy for him. Quite the opposite. Even after ten years working for Bennett Industries, Austin had never lost the feeling that he needed to prove himself to his father.

And lately Austin felt like a lone salmon swimming upstream. Even employees he had handpicked had suddenly became his father’s advocates and his adversaries.

Austin shouldn’t have expected anything different. Getting along with others had never been easy for him. According to his mother, the very first time he had crawled into a group of toddlers at the day-care center he had created a fuss. The results of grabbing a squeaking rubber hammer from a ten-month-old pacifist were all it took for him for him to realize the world didn’t always look favorably upon those who went after what they wanted in life.

And Austin did go after what he wanted, often with a relentless determination he had learned from his father. It was why the two of them had always been at odds. They were two of a kind and because his father had started in an entry-level position in the furniture manufacturing firm, Austin too—even with an MBA in management—had to work his way up the ranks. With a man like Henry Bennett at the helm, it had been an uphill battle. But he’d made it. He may have stepped on a few toes along the way, but he had done what was necessary to be a success.