“I’m not going anywhere. I’m a man of my word.”
She met his gaze. “Somehow I knew that.” “No matter how long it takes, I’m not leaving you.” Austin knew even as he made the promise that there would be hell to pay with his family. She started to turn away. “One more thing,” he said. “Did your sister have a key to this house?” “No.” Realization dawned on her expression. She shivered. “Then there is nothing to worry about,” he said. “Try to get some sleep.” “You, too.” He knew that wouldn’t be easy. An electricity seemed to spark in the air between them. They’d been through so much together already. He didn’t dare imagine what tomorrow would bring. Deliverance at Cardwell Ranch B.J. Daniels New York Times bestselling author B.J. DANIELS wrote her first book after a career as an award-winning newspaper journalist and author of thirty-seven published short stories. That first book, Odd Man Out, received a four-and-a-half-star review from RT Book Reviews and went on to be nominated for Best Intrigue that year. Since then, she has won numerous awards, including a career achievement award for romantic suspense and many nominations and awards for best book. Daniels lives in Montana with her husband, Parker, and two springer spaniels, Spot and Jem. When she isn’t writing, she snowboards, camps, boats and plays tennis. Daniels is a member of Mystery Writers of America, Sisters in Crime, International Thriller Writers, Kiss of Death and Romance Writers of America. To contact her, write to B.J. Daniels, PO Box 1173, Malta, MT 59538, USA, or e-mail her at [email protected]. Check out her website, www.bjdaniels.com. Contents Snow fell in a wall of white, giving Austin Cardwell only glimpses of the winding highway in front of him. He’d already slowed to a crawl as visibility worsened. Now on the radio, he heard that Highway 191 through the Gallatin Canyon—the very one he was on—was closed to all but emergency traffic. “One-ninety-one from West Yellowstone to Bozeman is closed due to several accidents including a semi rollover that has blocked the highway near Big Sky. Another accident near West Yellowstone has also caused problems there. Travelers are advised to wait out the storm.” Great, Austin thought with a curse. Wait out the storm where? He hadn’t seen any place to even pull over for miles let alone a gas station or café. He had no choice but to keep going. This was just what this Texas boy needed, he told himself with a curse. He’d be lucky if he reached Cardwell Ranch tonight. The storm appeared to be getting worse. He couldn’t see more than a few yards in front of the rented SUV’s hood. Earlier he’d gotten a glimpse of the Gallatin River to his left. On his right were steep rock walls as the two-lane highway cut through the canyon. There was nothing but dark, snow-capped pine trees, steep mountain cliffs and the frozen river and snow-slick highway. “Welcome to the frozen north,” he said under his breath as he fought to see the road ahead—and stay on it. He blamed his brothers—not for the storm, but for his even being here. They had insisted he come to Montana for the grand opening of the first Texas Boys Barbecue joint in Montana. They had postponed the grand opening until he was well enough to come. Although the opening was to be January 1, his cousin Dana had pleaded with him to spend Christmas at the ranch.
