“Linda Broday’s
books always take me back to a west that feels true. Her love stories run deep
with emotion. A delightful read.” —Jodi Thomas, New York Times bestselling author of Promise Me Texas
Callie leaned into
him, borrowing his strength. “I’m so tired of being scared, Rand.”
“Running away won’t
change that. Trust me with your secrets. There’s no reason to hold back any
longer.”
She knew he was
right. It was time to come clean.
“Start with your
name,” he said.
Left with emotional scars from his time in an orphanage,
Rand Sinclair has vowed never to marry. But when he discovers Callie Quinn and
a small orphan boy hiding on his ranch, he can’t help but open his home to the
desperate runaways.
Callie has been betrayed by every man she’s ever known.
While she’s grateful for Rand’s incredible kindness, she knows it’s only a
matter of time before he shows his true colors. But she needs this safe
haven—maybe the outlaw on her trail won’t find them here. Yet as Rand slowly
uncovers her secret fears, they each come to realize that the only way to keep
her safe is for Rand to risk everything to offer her the protection of his
name…and his heart.
Where to Buy
TEXAS MAIL ORDER
BRIDE (Book 1)
TWICE A TEXAS
BRIDE (Book 2)
Linda Broday
now resides in the panhandle of Texas on the Llano Estacado. At a young age,
she discovered a love for storytelling, history, and anything pertaining to the
Old West. Cowboys fascinate her. There’s something about Stetsons, boots, and
tall rugged cowboys that get her fired up! A New York Times and USA Today
bestselling author, Linda has won many awards, including the prestigious
National Readers’ Choice Award and the Texas Gold Award. She blogs regularly at
www.PetticoatsandPistols.com.
Connect with Linda
Broday
Praise for Linda
Broday
“Broday understands the West and its lure. Without
stinting on the gritty reality of a rough Texas life, she brings strong
characters and deep emotions into a very realistic western romance that pulls
no punches.”—RT Book Reviews, 4
stars, on Redemption
“Linda Broday is a wonderfully talented author, who has a
knack for bringing the west to life.”—Roundtable
Reviews
“Broday’s style of storytelling is captivating; readers
become emotionally involved in her stories, and are not disappointed with the
outcomes.”—The Best Reviews
“A compelling tale... sure to touch western romance fans
seeking a sentimental love story.”—RT
Book Reviews, 3 stars, on The Cowboy
Who Came Calling
Howdy, ma’am. I’m Rand
Sinclair the middle brother in the Bachelors of Battle Creek series – Twice a
Texas Bride.
What are you most grateful for?
That I found Callie Quinn
hiding in that outbuilding on my ranch. She was half-frozen and starving and
the six-year-old boy with her was sick. I’m so grateful I found them before
they got in even worse shape or the outlaw Nate Fleming killed her and was able
to hatch his evil plans for the boy. When I think how close Fleming came to
doing that, I start shaking. And if I hadn’t found Callie, I never would’ve
fallen head over heels in love or gotten the family I’d yearned for. She and
Toby changed my life.
What gives your life meaning?
Callie and our adopted
children fill my life to the brim. Before them, I had this deep loneliness
gnawing at me that had eaten away the best part of who I was. The day I found
Callie, I found heaven. She put happiness and contentment in my heart. God, how
I love her!
Who or what do you think of when you think of love?
I always think of my darling
Callie. Her name and love is synonymous. There’s no separating the two. Love
shines from her gorgeous eyes and lights her face. She’s so beautiful that it
hurts to breathe when I look at her. I don’t know how I got so lucky that she
would care for a broken-down rancher. I’m just grateful she did.
Toby barreled out the
kitchen door, trailed by Biscuit. “What’cha doin’?”
“Hi, pardner.” Brett
ruffled Toby’s dark hair. “I brought you something.”
“What is it?”
“Your very own tepee.”
“To keep?” Toby’s eyes
widened and his big grin spread.
“Maybe. We’ll see how it
goes. If you mind your elders, you can keep it. If not, I’ll have to take it
back.”
“I’m the best boy in the
whole world.”
Brett’s grunt seemed to
say that time would tell as he arranged twelve long poles on the ground and
began tying the tops of three together with a length of rawhide. “Where do you
want to put this, Rand?”
“Let’s move it over by the
woodpile, where it’s out of the way.” He was going to be the only white man
with an Indian tepee on his ranch. How had this sorry state of affairs come to
pass? But he wouldn’t say no. It meant too much to Brett and to Toby.
Callie came from the house
looking fit to be tied. “Hello, Brett. I hope this isn’t what it looks like.”
“Miss Callie, I wanted
something special for Toby to play in, that’s all. If you draw the line at him
sleeping out here, that’s all right. It’s up to you to decide when and how
often you want the boy to use it.” Brett gave her a smile. “I’d never undermine
you.”
“This could be very
magical to a child,” Rand said gently.
“Please, ma’am?” Toby
begged. “I wanna be an Indian.”
Biscuit gave a loud whine
and spun around in a circle as though she too was adding her two cents’ worth.
“Please?” Toby persisted.
When she lifted her eyes
to Rand, he gave her a lopsided grin and a wink. Getting tangled up in her warm
whiskey gaze could be quite pleasurable, he found.
“Oh, all right.” Callie
threw up her hands. “But I won’t have you sleeping out here, young man. You’ll
play in it only when I give you permission. And you’ll have chores to do each
day before you can play. Understand?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“It’s too dangerous out
here at night anyway, with that mountain lion hanging around,” Rand said. “I’ll
keep an eye on him during the day. I don’t want you to worry.”
Toby hugged Callie, then
threw his arms around Brett’s waist. “Thank you. I’m glad we came here.”
Brett returned Toby’s hug,
then knelt to rub Biscuit’s head. “Now tell me where you got such a
fine-looking animal.”
Rand stood watching the
pint-sized squirt relay what little facts he knew. He already loved this little
kid. Whatever had happened to them, it made him happy that he could help bring
a light to the boy’s eyes. He remembered how dull they’d been when he’d first
found them in the run-down bunkhouse last week. His mind turned back time to
the days following his, Cooper’s, and Brett’s escape from the orphan train. To
avoid detection, they’d slept during the day and traveled by the light of the
moon, eating food whenever they found some or managed to kill a rabbit or
squirrel. Cooper was always the one to watch over them and fight when things
called for it. He’d once tried to kill Tolbert Early in a bathhouse for
attacking Brett.
Toby had that same
protective instinct. Rand only prayed he could help the boy stay a boy a while
longer. Once you became a man, you could never go back.
“Where are you, brother?”
Brett asked.
“Just thinking that you’d
best explain what we need to do.”
With Biscuit supervising
and pretty much getting in the way, they all pitched in erecting the tepee,
which was made from buffalo hide.
Working side by side with
Callie proved the best part. Each time their hands touched, a current ran up
Rand’s arm. He couldn’t imagine what might happen if the touching involved a
bed and the scent of night around them. He’d probably just explode faster than
a load of nitroglycerin. Likely find pieces of him three states over.
The haunted look had begun
to fade from her eyes a little, and she wasn’t as tense and anxious as when
they first arrived.
Maybe, just maybe, the
fear would be gone soon.
And then he intended to
kiss the daylights out of her.
Of course he’d go slow. He
closed his eyes and watched it play out in his head.
He’d start by kissing each
eyelid, then move to her shell-like ears and trail kisses down her long slender
throat.
Tiny nibbles at the
corners of her mouth.
Trace the seam with his
tongue.
Breathe her fragrance.
Whisper tender words.
Only then would he press
his lips fully against hers and take all that she wanted to give.
And then…
“Rand!”
It took a minute to sink
in that someone was trying to get his attention. “What?”
“Where did you go?” Brett
asked. “I need you to help me get these sewn buffalo hides around this tripod
and cone I’ve made. Of course, if you’d rather take a nap—”
“Just show me what to do,”
Rand snapped.
As they worked, Rand’s
gaze kept straying to Callie’s soft, round curves. The woman was going to be
the death of him yet.
Even so, he was realizing
he’d die a happy man if he could only get a taste of her lips.
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