Once the daughter of a prominent dentist in Philadelphia, Natalie Allen wasn’t happy with the life she was expected to lead, so she left society behind and headed west. Now, in the little town of Junction, she’s known as Nat, a cowboy working on Boss Daddy’s cattle ranch. She keeps to herself, renting a room in a local boarding house instead of staying in the bunk house, and with her dungarees and short hair, no one realizes she’s living as a man. But Boss Daddy’s pretty daughter Miss Lucille takes a notice to “Mr. Nat,” and the closer the two become, the more conflicted Nat grows. She likes Miss Lucille a lot more than she knows she should, and it’s easy to forget who she’s pretending to be around the boss’s daughter. Then Miss Lucille surprises everyone, Nat included, by announcing their engagement. Nat knows they can’t marry, and if she tells Miss Lucille why, her ruse will be up. Her only choice is to leave Junction behind, even if it means breaking Miss Lucille’s heart. But will Miss Lucille let Nat go so easily?

The Boss's Daughter

Miss Lucille frowns after him a moment longer, but when she turns to me, her smile shines like the sun and her eyes sparkle playfully. Taking my hand in both of hers, she squeezes my fingers and sighs. “Nat! You’re a little early. I really should make you wait. Isn’t that what ladies do when a gentleman comes calling?”


I duck my head, embarrassed. Her skin feels impossibly warm against mine. “This isn’t really calling…”


“You knocked on my door to see me,” she points out. “What would yousay it was?”


I know she’s right, so I just shrug a little and hope she’ll stop staring at me so openly. When she looks at me like that, I’m not really sure why I’m here at all, why shethinks I’m here, why I shouldbe here. I shouldn’t, I know that, I should apologize for wasting her time and scurry back to town, and wash her out of my blood with a tall glass of Stubs’ worst brew.


Chapter 21