Code Name: Cowboy Read online

  “Go to bed, Alice.”

  Letter to Reader

  Title Page

  Books by Carla Cassidy

  About the Author

  Dedication

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Epilogue

  Copyright

  “Go to bed, Alice.”

  “Should I make some coffee?”

  “Go to your room!” Cameron thundered.

  Alice didn’t waste a moment. She ran as if the hounds of hell were nipping at her heels. But it wasn’t the hounds of hell she feared, it was the devil in blue jeans, the devil named Cameron.

  He wanted her. She’d seen it in his eyes, felt it in his touch. He wanted her, and, God help her, she wanted him.

  Would he come to her? Would he sneak into her room, make his way through the moonlight that filtered through her window?

  She trembled at the thought. The quiver in her body was not a result of fear, but of something much more intense....

  Dear Reader,

  Happy New Year! And welcome to another month of great reading from Silhouette Intimate Moments, just perfect for sitting back after the hectic holidays. You’ll love Marilyn Pappano’s Murphy’s Law, a MEN IN BLUE title set in New Orleans, with all that city’s trademark steam. You’ll remember Jack Murphy and Evie DesJardiens long after you put down this book, I promise you.

  We’ve got some great miniseries titles this month, too. Welcome back to Carla Cassidy’s Western town of MUSTANG, MONTANA in Code Name: Cowboy. Then pay a visit to Margaret Watson’s CAMERON, UTAH in Cowboy with a Badge. And of course, don’t forget our other titles this month. Look for Dangerous To Love, by Sally Tyler Hayes, a book whose title I personally find irresistible. And we’ve got books from a couple of our newest stars, too. Jill Shalvis checks in with Long-Lost Mom, and Virginia Kantra pens our FAMILIES ARE FOREVER title, The Passion of Patrick MacNeill.

  Enjoy them all—and be sure to come back next month for more of the most exciting romantic reading around, right here in Silhouette Intimate Moments.

  Yours,

  Leslie J. Wainger

  Executive Senior Editor

  * * *

  Please address questions and book requests to:

  Silhouette Reader Service

  U.S : 3010 Walden Ave., P.O. Box 1325, Buffalo, NY 14269

  Canadian: P.O Box 609, Fort Erie, Ont. L2A 5X3

  * * *

  CODE NAME: COWBOY

  CARLA CASSIDY

  Books by Carla Cassidy

  Silhouette Intimate Moments

  One of the Good Guys #531

  Try To Remember #560

  Fugitive Father #604

  Behind Closed Doors #778

  †Reluctant Wife #850

  †Reluctant Dad #856

  ‡Her Counterfeit Husband #885

  ‡Code Name: Cowboy #902

  Silhouette Romance

  Patchwork Family #818

  Whatever Alex Wants .. #856

  Fire and Spice #884

  Homespun Hearts #905

  Golden Girl #924

  Something New #942

  Pixie Dust #958

  The Littlest Matchmaker #978

  The Marriage Scheme #996

  Anything for Danny #1048

  *Deputy Daddy #1141

  *Mom in the Making #1147

  *An Impromptu Proposal #1152

  *Daddy on the Run #1158

  Pregnant with His Child.. #1259

  Will You Give My Mommy a Baby? #1315

  Silhouette Desire

  A Fleeting Moment #784

  Under the Boardwalk #882

  Silhouette Shadows

  Swamp Secrets #4

  Heart of the Beast #11

  Silent Screams #25

  Mystery Child #61

  Silhouette Yours Truly

  Pop Goes the Question

  Silhouette Books

  Shadows 1993

  Devil and the Deep Blue Sea

  The Loop

  Getting it Right: Jessica

  *The Baker Brood

  †Sisters

  ‡Mustang, Montana

  CARLA CASSIDY

  is an award-winning author who has written over thirty books for Silhouette. In 1995 she won Best Silhouette Romance of 1995 from Romantic Times Magazine for her Silhouette Romance novel Anything for Danny. In 1998 she also won a Career Achievement Award for Best Innovative series from Romantic Times Magazine.

  Carla believes the only thing better than curling up with a good book to read is sitting down at the computer with a good story to write. She’s looking forward to writing many more books and bringing hours of pleasure to her readers.

  To Mike, a bounty hunter who

  shows hero potential!

  Chapter 1

  Cameron Gallagher had just sat down for lunch when somebody knocked on his front door. He rarely had visitors. His sister, Elena, and her husband and baby were the only ones who came to visit him regularly and he knew they had driven into Billings for the day.

  Maybe it was somebody about the housekeeper job. God, he hoped so. The house was a wreck. Not only did the walls need repainting and some Sheetrock patching, the clutter was knee-deep. He’d spent most of his time in the past couple of months getting ready for winter. The inside of the house hadn’t been a priority.

  When he opened the door, he looked into a pair of eyes so blue he felt as if he’d been punched in the gut.

  “Uh...Mr. Gallagher? Cameron Gallagher?”

  The sound of her voice, low and melodic, pulled him from his initial shock. He nodded curtly as his eyes traveled the length of her.

  She was a small thing...he’d guess just a smidgin over five feet. She looked like a strong gust of wind would take her feet out from beneath her. She was far too thin, with hollow cheeks and dark circles under her eyes. Dark hair framed her face, badly cut and too dark for her complexion.

  “I’ve come about the job.” She held out the flyer Cameron had posted the week before in Stella’s Diner, the local café.

  He figured she’d get one look at the inside of the house and run for the hills. Which was just as good. He didn’t know a thing about her, didn’t even know her name, but he knew in an instant he didn’t want her working for him.

  He opened the door to allow her entry. “Come in.”

  She hesitated only an instant, then stepped inside. As her gaze swept through the living room, he thought he saw her flinch in dismay. He strode over to a chair and moved a pile of papers to the floor. “Have a seat.”

  Gingerly she walked across the room. Cameron noted that her jeans were designer and her sweater appeared to be genuine cashmere. Not exactly housekeeper attire.

  “You’re new to Mustang, Ms....?”

  “Alice...Alice Burwell.”

  Her eyes did not meet his and she seemed uncomfortable.

  “Yes, I’m new here,” she continued. She cleared her throat and looked directly at him. “I’m a hard worker, Mr. Gallagher, and I really need this job.”

  She offered him a shy smile and again he felt as if he’d been kicked in the stomach by a mule. The smile lit her features, transformed her from plain to pretty. Definitely not what he had in mind. “I’m looking for a live-in housekeeper,” he explained. “I’m looking for somebody who can handle hard work and long winters of isolation. I need somebody who can occasionally rustle up a meal for
a gang of rowdy ranch hands and keep her nose out of my personal business.”

  Her blue eyes turned frosty. “I’m stronger than I look. I like winter months, and I can’t imagine I’d be interested in your personal business.”

  Her spunky response renewed his inexplicable urge to get her out of his house. “Look, Ms. Burwell, you just aren’t right for the job.” Cam didn’t try to hide his impatience. He strode to the door and opened it. “Good luck finding something else,” he said, although he knew his tone was too abrupt for any genuine well-wishing.

  She stood, her straight back giving her the illusion of additional height. “I see. I appreciate your time.” Her tone was curt as well, although he sensed an underlying despair. “Goodbye, Mr. Gallagher.”

  He closed the door, but moved to the window and watched as she walked toward her car. He tried not to feel responsible for the slump of her shoulders, the defeat she emanated with her bowed head.

  He continued watching as she reached her car, peered inside, then straightened and looked around. What was she doing? Suddenly she headed toward the large tree in the front yard.

  The tree held the remnants of an ancient tree house. Cameron had been meaning to pull the old boards and plywood out of the branches, but hadn’t done so yet.

  Alice stood at the base of the tree, peering upward. What in the hell was she doing? Deciding he needed to find out, he left the window and headed toward the door. Stepping out onto the porch, he heard Alice calling to somebody who was up in the tree.

  “Come down, honey. You promised you’d stay in the car, and that tree house doesn’t look safe.”

  Cameron walked over to where Alice stood. Her cheeks named pink as she saw him. “Rebecca, get down right now.”

  As Cameron looked up, a tiny head peered down over the side of the rickety platform. With huge blue eyes and pixie features, she looked like a little elf.

  “Mommy, if we put a roof on it, we could live here,” she said.

  Alice’s cheeks flamed brighter. “Rebecca, I’m not going to tell you again. Come down from that tree house.”

  “I can’t.” The two words held a tremble of fear.

  “Going up is always easier than coming down,” Cameron said, suddenly behind her. “I’ll help her down.” Without waiting for a response, he grabbed the massive tree trunk and hoisted himself up by using the natural footholds that had made the tree perfect for climbing.

  When he reached the platform, he peered over it to see a tiny sprite of a girl sitting in the center. She eyed him suspiciously.

  “If you’ll come closer, you can wrap your arms around my neck and I’ll help you get down,” Cameron said.

  Like her mother, the little girl had dark shadows beneath her eyes, shadows that gave her a look of haunted vulnerability. And in the depths of those eyes, he saw a sadness too deep, too profound for a child no bigger than a minute.

  “Rebecca, let Mr. Gallagher help you down,” Alice instructed from the ground below.

  “Are you Mr. Lallager?” Rebecca asked.

  “That’s me.”

  “Are you a cowboy?”

  Cameron had been called many things in his life, most which shouldn’t be repeated for innocent ears. “I ride horses...and most of the time I wear a cowboy hat.”

  She eyed him for a long moment, as if weighing his character with eyes too wise for her tender age. “Okay,” she finally agreed. She scooted on her bottom over to him and wrapped her arms around his neck.

  She smelled of childhood innocence, sweet dreams and sunshine. Cameron felt the scent flood through him and he steeled himself against it. She clung to him trustingly as he carried her back to safety. He deposited her next to her mother.

  “Mommy, I like it here. There’s horses in the back and a swing, and the tree house and everything. Are we going to stay here, Mommy, or do we have to sleep in the car again? I got my fingers crossed so we can stay here.” She held up her hand to show them her crossed fingers.

  Sleep in the car? Cameron gazed at Alice curiously, then looked at the car. The four-door sedan was old, rusted around the tire wells and the front windshield had a crack that ran from the passenger side to the center. They’d been sleeping in the car?

  “Only for the past two nights,” she said as if reading his mind.

  “Things are that bad?” he asked, although he really didn’t want to know. He didn’t want to be drawn into this woman’s problems.

  She shrugged, her shoulders once again stiff with pride. “I told you I needed a job. We’re a bit down on our luck. But we’ll be fine. Come on, Rebecca. We’ll go back into town and see if we can’t find something there.” She took her daughter’s hand and once again started for the car.

  As they walked past Cameron, Rebecca looked back over her shoulder at him. Her expression was painfully sad.

  How could he send them away, knowing they apparently had no money and no place to go? What would happen to them? Cameron cursed beneath his breath, already regretting what he was about to do. “Come back inside. We’ll talk about the terms of the position.”

  “I’ll show you to your room,” Cameron said after they finished a quick discussion about her duties, hours and salary.

  Alicia took Rebecca’s hand and quickly followed him up the stairs, afraid at any moment he might change his mind.

  She had almost turned the car around and left when the house had come into view. There was nothing welcoming about the Gallagher ranch. Dark, weathered wood covered by peeling, gray paint made up the two-story structure. Dark shutters were pulled tight over the upstairs windows, and the front porch had an ominous sag in the center.

  But Alicia knew their options were running out, and she was not only bone weary, but soul weary as well. The flyer she’d seen in the local café had indicated the Gallagher ranch was named the Last Hope Ranch.

  Last Hope Ranch, indeed. She knew she was nearing the last of her hope...hope for a home, a future. She had to settle someplace for Rebecca. And in the back of her mind, she knew this was the last place on earth anyone would ever think to look for her. If nothing else, that made this job perfect for her.

  “It isn’t much, but you should be comfortable in here,” he said as he opened the door to a midsize bedroom. He flipped on the light, as the sunshine was unable to filter through the tightly shuttered windows.

  It was obvious the room wasn’t used on a regular basis. A fine layer of dust coated the surface of the double dresser and an ugly, but serviceable brown quilt covered the full-size bed.

  “This will be fine,” Alicia replied. At least with so little furniture, Rebecca would have room to play with the few toys they’d packed and brought with them.

  Cameron strode to the window, opened it, shoved back the shutters, and the flood of golden sunshine softened the starkness of the room. “The girl can sleep in the room next door,” he said as he turned and looked at Alicia.

  “We don’t need to take up two rooms,” Alicia protested. “Rebecca will be fine in here with me.”

  He frowned, the result an expression as unwelcoming as the appearance of the house. “All kids should have their own rooms.”

  “Oh, yes, Mommy. Please? I want my own room,” Rebecca chimed in.

  Without waiting for Alicia’s reply, Cameron walked to the room next door. In there, he repeated the process of opening the shutters, and the sun played on the hardwood floor of the much smaller room. A single-size bed was against one wall, a chest of drawers on the opposite one. Like the other room, this one looked as if it hadn’t been used in months...or years.

  Rebecca walked across the room and sat on the edge of the bed. She bounced once...twice. “Yes, this will be a good room.” Rebecca gave Cameron the sunny, sweet smile Alicia hadn’t seen from her daughter in a very long time.

  Cameron’s frown seemed to deepen into a genuine scowl. “You can get settled in today and begin work tomorrow. Mornings come early around here. I’m usually up and ready for breakfast by five-thirty.�
�

  Before she could respond, he turned and left the room. His footsteps thundered down the stairs and Alicia released the breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding.

  Her initial meeting with Cameron Gallagher had prompted a renewed urge in Alicia to turn around and leave. The appearance of the house had been unwelcoming, Cameron Gallagher had appeared positively forbidding.

  Her first impression had been of a man made up of varying degrees of darkness. Ebony hair...midnight eyes...the deep shadow of whiskers across his lower jaw. Darkness...with no hint of light anywhere to be found.

  “It’s a good room, isn’t it, Mommy?” Rebecca’s voice pulled Alicia from her thoughts. “Almost as good as the one I used to have.”

  Alicia looked around, trying to still the ache in her heart as she thought of Rebecca’s room in their beautiful four-bedroom house in Texas. There, Rebecca had enjoyed a room fit for a fairy princess, with lots of pink ruffles and bows. The fact that Rebecca was so willing to be content in this austere room only told Alicia how little her daughter had come to expect from life.

  She walked over and gave Rebecca a hug. “Yes, it’s a fine room, although it’s very dusty. Why don’t I go get some cleaning supplies and we’ll clean the two rooms together? Then we’ll get our things from the car and move in.”

  “Okay.” Rebecca hugged Alicia around the waist. “I’m glad I crossed my fingers ’cause I really wanted to live here with the tree house and the horses and the cowboy.”

  Alicia laughed. Hope swelled up in her heart. Surely nobody would ever find them here.

  It had been the whims of fate that had led them to the dusty little town of Mustang, Montana. Hundreds of miles from their home in Dallas, surely they would be safe here...at least for a little while. It had seemed a stroke of good fortune when they’d lunched at the cozy café and Alicia had spotted the flyer advertising for a housekeeper. Out of money, tired of running, Alicia had taken a chance. Now, time alone would tell if she and Rebecca could be happy here.