Series: A Wrangler’s Creek Novel (Book 1)
Mass Market Paperback: 384 pages
Publisher: HQN Books (December 27, 2016)
The Granger siblings thought they’d left their ranching days behind, until fate sends them home to Wrangler’s Creek, Texas—and into the passionate arms of those they’d least expect…
It’s some run of bad luck when Sophie Granger loses her business and gets left at the altar all in one day. Desperate to not appear jilted, Sophie begs Clay McKinnon, Wrangler’s Creek’s smoking-hot police chief, to pretend they’re having an affair. But Clay refuses, leaving Sophie to retreat to the family ranch to lick her wounds.
Hoping to leave his disreputable past behind, Clay moved to Wrangler’s Creek for a fresh start. But that looks unlikely when Sophie’s ex-fiancé shows up married to Clay’s impulsive kid sister. Overcome, Sophie resuggests the affair—but this time for real. Clay is hesitant. City-girl Sophie isn’t usually his type. But he can’t deny the desire she elicits—or his yearning to have her plant her cowboy roots for good.
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Excerpt:
The door to the interim chief’s office was even narrower than the front so Sophie wadded up the dress again. Squeezed. Turned. Grunted. Until she finally broke through to the other side. She must have looked like a vanilla custard oozing through pie crust.
And there he was.
Clay McKinnon. Or the cute cowboy cop as folks called him.
Even though she didn’t make it back to Wrangler’s Creek very often, Sophie had seen him around, but she’d never seen him quite like this. Sweet heaven. There was blood in his cocoa-brown hair, a cut on his forehead and scrapes and scratches on his knuckles.
“Are you all right?” She used her bouquet to point toward the first aid kit on his desk. Little bits of petals and leaves fluttered through the air and fell to the floor.
He nodded, slid his gaze from her tiara headpiece to her muddy bare feet, before he got back to dabbing his knuckles with some hydrogen peroxide.
“I’m having a bad day,” he confirmed. “But something tells me yours is worse.”
“Possibly.”
He didn’t really look at her, but he lifted an eyebrow. “Possibly?”
“Grading on a curve here, but at least I’m not bleeding.” Sophie wasn’t a fan of tears or mud, but the sight of the blood made her queasier than she already was. “Were you attacked?”
This time he lifted his shoulder. “You wouldn’t believe me if I told you.”
Sophie was sure she’d hear the details of the incident soon enough. Well, maybe. Her situation was likely such a hot topic that folks wouldn’t bother to jabber about a puny altercation where the interim Chief of Police had been injured.
“I need a date,” she said, wiping back more of the blasted tears.
Judging from the look he gave her, he was either about to call the mental hospital or laugh at her attempted joke. Nope, no laugh. She hoped this idea of hers sounded better than it was. Actually, she hoped it not only sounded better, but that it was better. Because it didn’t sound very good in her head.
“Date as in the fruit or a date?” he asked.
“Date.” Which, of course, would require some clarification. Chief McKinnon had moved to town several months ago, but their paths hadn’t crossed enough for an actual introduction. “I’m Sophie Granger. I’m head of marketing for Granger Western.”
“I know who you are. You’re getting married—” he checked his watch “—in about fifteen minutes. But judging from your dress and the fact that you want a date, I’m figuring things didn’t go as planned.”
“No.” And that single-word answer was a huge understatement. It also brought on more crying. “My fiancé, Brantley Barnwell, came by the dressing room at the church and said he couldn’t marry me after all.”
About Delores Fossen
USA Today bestselling author, Delores Fossen, has sold over 70 novels with millions of copies of her books in print worldwide. She’s received the Booksellers’ Best Award, the Romantic Times Reviewers’ Choice Award and was a finalist for the prestigious Rita ®. In addition, she’s had nearly a hundred short stories and articles published in national magazines.
Connect with Delores
Delores Fossen’s TLC Book Tours TOUR STOPS
Tuesday, December 27th: Reading Reality
Wednesday, December 28th: Book Reviews and More by Kathy
Friday, December 30th: Books and Bindings
Monday, January 2nd: Books a la Mode – excerpt
Wednesday, January 4th: The Sassy Bookster
Friday, January 6th: A Chick Who Reads
Monday, January 9th: Books and Spoons
Wednesday, January 11th: From the TBR Pile
Friday, January 13th: Written Love Reviews
Monday, January 16th: Mom in Love with Fiction
Wednesday, January 18th: The Romance Dish
Friday, January 20th: Read Love Blog – excerpt
Monday, January 23rd: Stranded in Chaos
Wednesday, January 25th: Susan Peterson
Thursday, January 26th: What I’m Reading
Monday, January 30: Diary of a Stay at Home Mom
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Thanks for featuring this excerpt for the tour!