on id="u7bea567a-6192-569f-abeb-6c22eaec43d5">
From lone wolf to family man
When trick roper Zeke Rafferty sees Tess Irwin standing on his front porch, memories of two unforgettable days—and nights—come flooding back. But when the pretty schoolteacher reveals that one plus one will soon equal three, Zeke is stunned. Then he remembers his manners. And asks Tess to marry him.
If you turn down a handsome cowboy’s proposal, is it okay to still want to kiss him? Wait, no! Tess doesn’t want a husband. Besides, she’s holding out for love. A man has a right to know he fathered a child, but beyond that, Tess is raising this child alone. Zeke proved he can make a baby. But can he make the grade as a loving husband and dad?
Praise for Vicki Lewis Thompson
“It’s a wonderful sexy romance, with some very appealing and likable characters, and I’m definitely going to delve into more of the Thunder Mountain Brotherhood series.”
—HarlequinJunkie, Top Pick, on Cowboy Untamed
“The tongue-in-cheek, sweet yet sensual and comfortable family feel... remains until the last page. Cowboy After Dark is a story that will keep you smiling.”
—RT Book Reviews, Top Pick
“Thompson continues to do what she does best, tying together strong family values bound by blood and choice, interspersed with the more sizzling aspects of the relationship.”
—RT Book Reviews on Thunderstruck
“All the characters, background stories and character development are positively stellar; the warm family feeling is not saccharine-sweet, but heartfelt and genuine, and Lexi and Cade’s rekindled romance is believable from beginning to end, along with the classy, sexy and tender love scenes.”
—Fresh Fiction on Midnight Thunder
“Vicki Lewis Thompson has compiled a tale of this terrific family, along with their friends and employees, to keep you glued to the page and ending with that warm and loving feeling.”
—Fresh Fiction on Cowboys and Angels
Say Yes to the Cowboy
Vicki Lewis Thompson
A passion for travel has taken New York Times bestselling author VICKI LEWIS THOMPSON to Europe, Great Britain, the Greek isles, Australia and New Zealand. She’s visited most of North America and has her eye on South America’s rain forests. Africa, India and China beckon. But her first love is her home state of Arizona, with its deserts, mountains, sunsets and—last but not least—cowboys! The wide-open spaces and heroes on horseback influence everything she writes. Connect with her at www.vickilewisthompson.com, Facebook.com/vickilewisthompson and Twitter.com/vickilthompson.
To the many copy editors over the years who’ve tightened my prose and questioned my word choices.
We share the same geeky obsession with language, so it’s too bad we can’t all meet in the bar for a drink.
I know we’d get along!
Contents
When a truck drove up outside the ranch house, Zeke Rafferty put down the barbell and grabbed a towel to mop his face. The workout wasn’t that hard, but the pain in his shoulder made him sweat like a pig. As he pulled on a T-shirt, the soft cotton stuck to his skin.
He’d recently decided to let his beard grow, so he hoped his visitor