The Rancher's Bride

The Rancher's Bride
Stella Bagwell

twins on the doorstepRose Murdock had married the most handsome rancher in town, but love hadn't gotten Harlan Hamilton to the altar. They'd struck a dry-eyed deal to live together in holy matrimony, and Rose knew the tall, dark and irresistible man was her husband in name only….Harlan had thought his lovely bride wanted this marriage to be strictly business. But the beguiling glow in Rose's eyes made this rugged cowboy wonder if his feelings of passion were returned. Could the woman who'd become such a loving mother to his little girl also become his wife…in every sense of the word?twins on the doorstep. Those little babies lead the Murdock sisters straight to love!

Table of Contents

Cover Page (#udc5b5e82-2386-5117-86bc-e92a2a3d40e7)

Excerpt (#uc7380560-9875-5d82-8df1-8f1743f54d1c)

Dear Reader (#ub194b5b2-2109-530f-90c1-694d368d0c26)

Title Page (#u1323fc37-c63a-54bd-93b8-2d52a0229e88)

Dedication (#ub07f0f66-d5bc-5474-b7ad-188f9a774977)

About the Author (#uf193ccb3-0dbd-5c0d-aadc-cf2a57bcadf9)

A Letter (#ud9f12342-88c4-5e0d-9efa-6dbb568e48d3)

Chapter One (#u97592f25-8f50-5587-9903-90eb23b13a89)

Chapter Two (#ua56e0ab6-8beb-586e-a61d-5c650c8ca05b)

Chapter Three (#u12497f0a-7986-5161-877d-9b485d624839)

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)

Copyright (#litres_trial_promo)

Harlan wanted her to be his wife!

What was she going to do? What did she want to do?

“Rose?”

She heard him coming up behind her. Quickly she sucked in several breaths of cool night air.

His fingers touched the back of her neck and she wilted inside.

“I know this is very sudden for you,” he murmured. “But please don’t say no.”

Her throat grew tighter. “Just what sort of marriage would this be?”

“What do you mean?”

She glanced over her shoulder at him. He was such a strong, handsome man. A man made to love a woman. He didn’t need her for a wife. He needed someone who would be not only a companion and friend, but also his lover. If he didn’t realize that, she certainly did.

“I mean—” Oh, how could she do this? She turned to face him. “Are you expecting us…to have a sexual relationship?”

Dear Reader,

Love is always in the air at Silhouette Romance. But this month, it might take a while for the characters of May’s stunning lineup to figure that out! Here’s what some of them have to say:

“I’ve just found out the birth mother of my son is back in town. What’s a protective single dad to do?”—FABULOUS FATHER Jared O’Neal in Anne Peters’s My Baby, Your Son

“What was I thinking, inviting a perfect—albeit beautiful—stranger to stay at my house?”—member of THE SINGLE DADDY CLUB. Reece Newton, from Beauty and the Bachelor Dad by Donna Clayton

“I’ve got one last chance to keep my ranch but it means agreeing to marry a man I hardly know!”—Rose Murdock from The Rancher’s Bride by Stella Bagwell, part of her TWINS ON THE DOORSTEP miniseries

“Would you believe my little white lie of a fiancé just showed up—and he’s better than I ever imagined!” —Ellen Rhoades, one of our SURPRISE BRIDES in Myrna Mackenzie’s The Secret Groom

“I will not allow my search for a bride to be waylaid by that attractive, but totally unsuitable, redhead again!”—sexy rancher Rafe McMasters in Cowboy Seeks Perfect Wife by Linda Lewis

“We know Sabrina would be the perfect mom for us—we just have to convince Dad to marry her!”—the precocious twins from Gayle Kaye’s Daddyhood

Happy Reading!

Melissa Senate

Senior Editor

Please address questions and book requests to:

Silhouette Reader Service

U.S.: 3010 Walden Ave., P.O. Box 1325, Buffalo, NY 14269

Canadian: P.O. Box 609, Fort Erie, Ont. L2A 5X3

The Rancher’s Bride

Stella Bagwell

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

To Charles and Denise, for their appreciation of the great West and its cowboys. Love ya.