Bobby Burleson enjoyed the bachelor life and all the perks that came with being a member of one of the founding families of his small hometown. He had his own home on the Burleson Ranch, plenty of money in the bank from his dividends and salary as a board member of Burleson Incorporated, and his pick of the buckle bunnies that hung out at Tully's Roadhouse after the rodeo almost every weekend. Though his family money made him wealthy enough to never have to work a day in his life, he'd worked his way up from a small-town cop to the police chief position with the Heart's Destiny Police Department. Between his duty to the town and the extra work he did for his family business, Bobby didn't have time for his meddling mother and her friends' matchmaking mischief, much less the relationship they wanted him to find.
Brooklyn Brielle Barns was a mostly na¯ve heiress who lived a sheltered life, unaware of her inheritance from her mother. After her mother died when she was four, she was raised by the household staff, who provided her with a home-school education. Her father neglected her, except when he expected her to play the part of the dutiful daughter at social events. After earning her online degree in English with a special focus on creative writing, she was excited to start her career as an author of children's books. Before she could tell her father her plan for the future, he announced that he'd set up an arranged marriage for her. She was to wed one of his colleagues, a man more than twice her age, whether she liked it or not.
Brooklyn spent six months playing the part of the blushing, virgin bride, attending all the society events her father insisted she should with her unwanted fianc©, while secretly starting her writing career under the alias of Brie Brooks. She stashed her income in secret online accounts, only dipping into it so the household staff, who acted more like her foster parents, could help her buy a car to make her escape from the forced marriage. The unknown heiress became a runaway bride a little over a week before the wedding, hoping to stay hidden away from her oppressive father's evil plans.
When Bobby saw the kidnapped heiress headlines and heard the opinions of his family and friends on the young woman's fate, he felt compelled to investigate. Not because of his duty as a police officer, since a kidnapping in Georgia was way outside his jurisdiction, but because of the strange feeling in his chest when he saw Brooklyn Barns' photos. His inner alpha wanted to rescue the damsel in distress.
When Brooklyn's car broke down in a small Texas town, she felt a sense of safety and home that she'd never felt before. She accepted a job as a live-in cook and housekeeper on a ranch to supplement her author income. It was virgin instalove the moment she met her new boss, but she wasn't sure she could tell him who she really was without risking him sending her back to her unwanted old life.
When Bobby met the woman his mother hired to be his cook and housekeeper, he felt as drawn to her as he did to the images of the Georgia heiress that he no longer believed was kidnapped. As he got to know Brie, he started to see the similarities between her and Brooklyn.
Would he figure out that the two women he was drawn to were one and the same? Would the small-town hero be able to protect his lady in hiding? Could this unlikely couple find their happily ever after?
DISCLAIMER: This small-town cop, damsel in distress, unlikely couple romance book contains references to childhood neglect, profanity, and graphic sex scenes. It is intended for adult readers (18+) who are not easily offended.
