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Autumn Sage is now available!
A Cowboy of Her Own
Introducing a new series: A Cowboy of Her Own! Follow the romantic adventures of a new, modern generation of Morenos and Merrills in present-day Cabrillo. (Want to know how everyone’s related? Check out the family tree on my website!)
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First in the series is Her Billionaire Rancher Boss, available now:
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She’s handed in her resignation—but this wealthy rancher is ready to offer her another position…
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Benedict Merrill is handsome, wealthy, and the perfect cowboy. Unfortunately for Pilar Lopez, he’s also her boss, which means he’s completely off limits. She has no plans to seduce him, at least not outside of her wildest fantasies.
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But when she hands in her resignation, Benedict reveals plans of his own—ones that involve Pilar in his bed. She can handle a short-term affair no sweat. But when she starts to fall for Benedict, will she be able to handle loving him for always?
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Turn the page for a sneak peek!
Her Billionaire Rancher Boss
Pilar Lopez tucked the envelope behind her tablet computer, shifting the corners this way and that. And never completely concealing it.
Could he see it? That was all that mattered.
He being her boss, Benedict Merrill. Sitting behind his desk in a bright white button-down shirt, long legs stretched out before him in starched and pressed Wranglers. She couldn’t see from here, but she imagined his battered black ropers were crossed at the ankle.
When a man ran one of the largest cattle-ranches-turned-hotel-and-resort in Southern California—not to mention the stock horse operation—he could wear Western business casual to work. Not that Benedict was casual. He was tough, efficient, almost cold.
Too bad his demeanor didn’t chill her attraction to him.
Only three more months. As soon as you give him that letter.
But not now. He was frowning—not at her, but at some expense report. Not a good time then.
She’d only been telling herself that for a week.
Today. She would definitely do it today. Just not at this particular moment.
“Tell Liliana,” he said in his deep voice, “that the feed bill for her horses was too damn high this month. I don’t know what she’s feeding them, but it sure ain’t alfalfa based on the price I saw. She needs to get a better price if she’s gonna buy that much.”
“I can do that.” She made a note on her tablet to talk to Benedict’s younger sister. Liliana ran the stock operations, although Benedict kept a close eye on everything. He treated his siblings with the same businesslike reserve he treated his employees. At least on company time. She guessed he was more approachable off the clock, considering that his siblings seemed to like him.
There was nothing in his office to hint at some hidden warmth though. Spartan was a good word for it—in the lacking things sense, not the naked warrior sense. He liked everything squared away and in its proper place. Very type A, Mr. Benedict Merrill.
The sparsity of his office décor wasn’t meant to highlight the man himself, but that’s exactly what it did. You couldn’t look anywhere but at him.
At least Pilar couldn’t.
He reached across the desk, the light catching the heavy watch he wore, his sleeves rolled up to reveal sinewy forearms, rough with hair and golden skinned. Her stomach clenched as she fought her reaction.
The first four years she’d worked for him, she’d been as crisp, as unfeeling, as he was. On the inside and on the outside. But the past year… she’d begun to notice him. Like notice him.
He tapped a finger on the paper in his hand. “Luke wants to meet about this?”
Luke ran the resort. Liliana and Luke and Benedict, another generation of Merrills to run things in Cabrillo.
And Josh, but no one spoke of Josh. At least not to Benedict’s face.
“Would you like me to set it up?” She looked down at the tablet, fingers poised over the small keyboard, waiting for him to tell her yes.
He didn’t.
She glanced up to find him watching her. His gaze pressed on her with a weight it had never had before, her bones seeming to shift under it.
She dropped her eyes back to the tablet, resisting the urge to rub the goose bumps from her arms.
Be cool. Of course he’s looking at you—what else is there to look at?
“Pilar?”
A tiny shiver danced down her spine at the way he said her name—a softly breathed P to open it and ending on a rolling R. Just as it was meant to be pronounced.
He leaned toward her, a hank of dark brown hair falling across his brow, his blue eyes narrowing. “Is everything all right?”
She shifted in the chair, her skirt dragging up her thighs half an inch. Damn. She didn’t want to have to tug down her skirt in front of him. She froze, hoping to arrest its climb. “Everything’s fine. When should I schedule the meeting?”
He leaned even closer and put on a reassuring—and devastating—smile. “If there’s anything the matter, you can tell me. We’re friends, you know.”
Friends. Friends shared jokes and secrets and mundanities. A friend didn’t take dictation for another friend.
But that wasn’t quite fair. They might not be friends, but he did care. She wouldn’t have this job if he didn’t. His solicitude made her attraction to him that much more painful.
She pulled up her I’m a friendly and competent admin smile, the one she used on everyone who came through his office. “Everything’s great.”
The envelope beneath her tablet poked through the knit of her tights to scrape the skin of her knee, a potent reminder that she was a liar.
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Click here for more!
Afterword
I never intended to be a romance author. Like so many romance novels, this book got its start during nap time. (And was inspired by a re-read of Ramona.) Now four years and three kids later, it’s finally out in the world.
As with most of my books, Catarina and Jace’s story was inspired by numerous family legends. None of my novels would exist without the efforts of generations of my family to preserve our history. I am indebted in more ways than one to all those who came before and I hope to do my part to continue to preserve this history for those who come after.
One note on historical accuracy: the Harper family in this book was based on an actual family who were community leaders in the San Jacintos. They had a son who served as sheriff—and lost his life in the line of duty in 1895.
Also by Genevieve Turner
Las Morenas
Summer Chaparral
Autumn Sage
High Country Spring
The Farmer Takes a Wife
The Sheriff Takes a Bride
Las Morenas: The Complete Series
A Cowboy of Her Own
Her Billionaire Rancher Boss
Her Bull Rider’s Baby
Rescued by Her Fire Fighter
Her Cowboy Rival
Reunited with Her Cowboy
A Cowboy of Her Own: Books 1-3
Always a Cowboy
Forever a Soldier
Forever a Maverick
Forever a Heartbreaker
Forever a Bad Boy
Los Caballeros
The Gaucho’s Lady
About the Author
Genevieve Turner is a USA Today bestselling author of western romance. She loves cowboys, the rural life, and happily ever afters. She lives in beautiful Southern California with the perfect number of kids, dogs, and turkeys—and probably too many chickens.
You can find her on the web at www.genturner.com.
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