She was so determined to keep any hint of her femininity hidden
A lopsided smile quirked up his mouth. “That wasn’t so bad, was it?”
“Compared to what, dancing a reel with a tumbleweed?” Hallie managed, trying not to give away the effect being this close to him had on her.
Despite her light quip, Jack felt her quickening breath, saw her eyes widen slightly. She might not look or act like any woman he’d known, but she couldn’t help responding like one.
“Come on,” he said, sliding his gaze down her. “Let’s get you inside and out of those britches.”
“You don’t give up, do you, Dakota?” Pulling away from him, she swung around and started toward the house, ignoring his call after her.
“I didn’t intend to take them off you, darlin’,” he said to her back. “Though I’d be glad to help, if you’d like.”
Praise for Nicole Foster’s recent books
Cimarron Rose
“A must read.”
—Rendezvous
“A spirit-lifting, heartwarming story.”
—Romance Reviews Today
Jake’s Angel
“Finely rendered…expressive…Jake’s Angel is a classic romance, and any reader devoted to this genre will love this book.”
—Romance Communications
“A charming tale from a promising new talent.”
—Affaire de Coeur
#639 LADY LYTE’S LITTLE SECRET
Deborah Hale
#640 THE FORBIDDEN BRIDE
Cheryl Reavis
#641 DRAGON’S DAUGHTER
Catherine Archer
Hallie’s Hero
Nicole Foster
Available from Harlequin Historicals and NICOLE FOSTER
Jake’s Angel #522
Cimarron Rose #560
Hallie’s Hero #642
For our families near and far.
Best regards,
Annette and Danette
Contents
Chapter One
Paradise, Arizona Territory, 1876
It couldn’t be gone. Hallie Ryan gripped the battered metal box in her hands, closed her eyes and took a deep breath to fight off the surge of panic. But when she looked again nothing had changed. More than half the money she’d so carefully hoarded all these months was missing.
She realized right then who had taken it. Only Ben would leave part of her money, thinking he’d sweeten her temper by not stealing it all. And Ben would do it even though he knew she’d been scraping together every penny, selling practically all she owned of value, to buy back Eden’s Canyon before the bank sold their ranch to the first buyer who came along.
The only reason they were still living in the house was because she’d choked down her pride and begged Mr. Parsons to let them stay until the bank could find a buyer, giving her a last chance to beg, steal or borrow enough money before they lost everything.
Hallie welcomed the sudden anger flaring up inside her. For the moment, anyway, it pushed away the sick feeling twisting her stomach, and gave her the prod she needed to do something besides curse and cry. Shoving the box back into her wooden chest, she grabbed up her hat and headed for the barn.
She couldn’t remember when she’d been madder at Ben, although her little brother had given her plenty of opportunities in the last year. He was always promising he’d finish one chore or another, always swearing he’d start taking on his share of the responsibilities. But then he’d sneak off to one of the saloons in town to gamble and guzzle a bottle of whiskey or two.
This time, though, he’d gone too far.
Yanking open the barn door, intent on getting
