Rafael Pederos is awakened in the middle of the night by his wheelchair-bound sister Pearl. Someone’s in the barn where they shouldn’t be. Rafael tells her to call the cops as he storms out to chase off the rustlers, but he’s too late. They’re already gone, and they’ve taken four pregnant mares with them. Now the future of the Pederos Ranch is up in the air.<br><br>This is where Chad Masters comes in. As a detective-ranger, he swears to track down the missing mares. But that’s easier said than done when he realizes there’s something about Rafael he can’t resist. Now if he can just get past the gruff exterior and teach Rafael how to love again.

Stolen Hearts

“More bad luck for the Pederos clan,” he muttered, running the brush along Sage’s coat. “What else is new?”


He lapsed into silence, hearing the chirp of crickets outside. His mind soon wandered from the missing mares to the offer from the detective-ranger. It was plain as day that he’d require help, so why was he so quick to shoot Chad down? Was it because he feared how the lawman made him feel? Sage nosed him in theshoulder. Rafael banished the silly notion. There was no way he would ever let himself fall in love again.


“Would you like some lemonade? Homemade,” offered Pearl.


Chad removed his Stetson as he ascended the steps and slipped into the welcoming shade of the porch. “That sounds mighty delicious, thank you.”


Chapter 7