Samantha's Cowboy

*The McKade Brothers

*The McKade Brothers

*The McKade Brothers

**Hearts of Appalachia

**Hearts of Appalachia

**Hearts of Appalachia

Time passed slowly as Sam watched Wade—more specifically as she ogled his chest.

For a guy who wore a suit to work he had nicely defined pecs and biceps. Not the bulging muscles the cowboys flaunted but the lean, hard muscles of a swimmer or a runner. Sam studied the intriguing patch of dark hair in the middle of his chest, before following it down his stomach, where it disappeared beneath the waistband of his jeans. When her eyes reversed direction, she discovered Wade staring at her.

Their gazes clashed and Wade’s brown eyes smoldered with invitation.

Oh, boy. She was in trouble.

Big trouble.

Dear Reader,

Everyone is forgetful at times, but Samantha Cartwright’s forgetfulness comes from an injury that almost took her life as a teenager. She’s convinced her handicap stands in the way of what she really wants—a family of her own.

I created Wade Dawson to rescue Samantha, but he isn’t your typical cowboy. As a matter of fact, he’s the furthest thing from a cowboy—he’s a financial adviser. But Wade shows Samantha that it’s not the clothes that make a man a cowboy—it’s pure stubborn determination. And Wade has plenty of that.

I hope you enjoy watching Samantha and Wade fall in love. If you missed my books about Samantha’s brothers Duke (The Cowboy and the Angel, Nov 2008) and Matt (A Cowboy’s Promise, April 2009), both books remain available through online retailers or may be ordered by your local bookstore. Late in 2010 be on the lookout for a fourth sibling, who mysteriously resurfaces to claim his rightful place in the Cartwright family.

For more information on my books visit www.marinthomas.com. For up-to-date news on Harlequin American Romance authors and their books visit www.harauthors.blogspot.com.

Happy reading!

Marin

Samantha’s Cowboy

Marin Thomas

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Marin Thomas grew up in Janesville, Wisconsin. She attended the University of Arizona in Tucson on a Division I basketball scholarship. In 1986 she graduated with a B.A. in radio-television and married her college sweetheart in a five-minute ceremony in Las Vegas. Marin was inducted in May 2005 into the Janesville Sports Hall of Fame for her basketball accomplishments. Even though she now calls Chicago home, she’s a living testament to the old adage “You can take the girl out of the small town, but you can’t take the small town out of the girl.” Marin’s heart still lies in small-town life, which she loves to write about in her books.

To my niece Desirée—

because you never gave up.

As you look to a future full of possibilities

always remember…

The best helping hand that you will ever receive is the one at the end of your own arm.

—Fred Dehner

Contents

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter One

Samantha Cartwright was fit to be boiled down to glue—that said a lot for a woman who intended to run a sanctuary ranch for neglected horses.

She swung her Chevy Silverado pickup into the no-parking zone in front of First Place Tower at 15 East Fifth Avenue in downtown Tulsa, Oklahoma. Three o’clock on a Friday afternoon and not a soul in sight. The mid-July hundred-degree heat wave had sent the city’s business professionals home early.

Charles Dawson’s ornery backside better be in his office.

No sooner had Sam’s dusty Ropers hit the pavement than a security guard materialized out of thin air. Sucking in his baby smooth cheeks, he pointed to the sign at the curb. Sam fumbled with the floor mat until her fingers found the fifty-dollar bill she kept hidden for emergencies—empty gas tanks or bribes.

“The…sign…says…No…Parking.” The young man emphasized each word as if Sam was slow on the uptake.

She willed herself not to react to the insult. He couldn’t know that her uptake was indeed problematic at times. “I’m not parking here.” She slapped the keys and the money into his palm. “You’re taking my truck for a spin around the block until I return.”

His cheeks inflated like air bags, as he protested, “Ma’am, I can’t.” But she noticed his fingers curled around the cash.

“Of course you can—” Sam read the name embroidered on the front of his blue uniform “—Dave.” She strode toward the building’s entrance, catching her reflection in the dark glass doors. She should have showered and changed into street clothes before driving into the city. Oh, well. Sam had ceased trying to impress men years ago. No matter how she dolled herself up or how many male heads she turned, in the end her shortcomings sent them running. Not even the Cartwright name had been enough to coax a down-on-his-luck cowboy to stick by her side.

“May I help you?” A woman in a lilac-colored suit with blond hair neatly tucked at the nape of her neck stood behind a crescent-shaped kiosk in the middle of the lobby.

Now that Sam had sacrificed the time to make the hour drive into Tulsa everyone appeared eager to assist her—except Mr. Dawson who hadn’t had the courtesy to return one of the several messages she’d left for him over the past two weeks.

The purple flower flashed a placating smile as her French-manicured thumbnail clicked and unclicked the ballpoint pen in her hand. Sam approached the desk, forcing the petite blonde to crane her neck to maintain eye contact. At five feet nine inches, Sam towered over most women.

“Thanks, but I’m afraid the only person able to help me is Mr. Dawson.” Sam veered toward the bank of elevators at the back of the lobby, her boot heels clacking against the marble floor. A plaque on the wall indicated Dawson Investments occupied the fourteenth floor. According to the directory, the building did not have a thirteenth floor.

Once inside the elevator, she patted the front of her jeans, double-checking that the note she’d written earlier in the morning remained tucked inside the pocket. Stick to your agenda and all will be fine.

The doors opened to another lobby and another blond receptionist—this one wearing a fuchsia-colored suit. The woman gave Samantha a head-to-toe glance, nose curling with disgust. “Good afternoon.”

“I’m here to see Charles Dawson.”

“Did you have an appointment with Mr. Dawson?” The receptionist flipped furiously through the day planner on the desk. “I’m positive I rescheduled all of his commitments.”

“This is a spur-of-the-moment visit.”

Veronica Smith—according to the nameplate on the desk—blew out a breath and pressed a hand to her heart. “Oh, good. I didn’t make a mistake.” Her smile widened. “I’m sorry, but Mr. Dawson is out of town.”

Blast it! “When will he return?”

“Not for a few weeks. He’s overseas combining pleasure with business.”

Sam would’ve loved to have given Mr. Dawson the pleasure of her boot against his backside. “Who’s covering for Mr. Dawson in his absence?”

“His nephew, Wade, I mean Mr. Dawson, is handling things.”

“Fine. I’ll see Wayne then.”

“Wade. Wade with a D.”

Whatever. Sam’s nerves pulled taut. “I need to speak with him right away.”

“Mr. Dawson is in a meeting.”

She’d been pushed to the end of her rope and now someone was going to hang. “I’m not leaving until I see Mr. Wade-with-a-D Dawson.”

Veronica frowned. “Excuse me, but who are you?”

“Samantha Cartwright.” In case the woman was totally clueless, she added, “Cartwright Oil.”

The blonde’s eyes rounded, then she tapped her pencil against the desk calendar. “Let me see if I can squeeze you in…”

Sam hadn’t driven sixty-five miles to be squeezed in anywhere. Each time she’d phoned Dawson Investments one of the secretaries had reassured her that her call would be returned. At first Samantha had second-guessed herself and worried that she’d forgotten to leave a message or worse—she’d thought she’d called but hadn’t. After one week she’d kept a log of her phone calls to the firm.

Enough was enough. She left Veronica flipping the pages of her day planner and strolled through the office doors of Dawson Investments. Where to find…Wade with a D?

She marched down a corridor of glassed-in conference rooms. Bingo. At the end of the hall several men in monkey suits crowded around an oval table. The man seated at the head of the table with his back to Sam read a document out loud. The other apes appeared bored to death—one twirled his pencil on his palm. Another played with his BlackBerry. Four others stared bug-eyed into space. And the chimpanzee nearest to her sketched cartoon figures in the margins of a memo.

Sam rapped her knuckles against the glass pane.

The pencil twirler knocked his coffee into his lap. The artist scrambled to cover his drawings. And one of the men who’d been zoning out toppled backward in his chair and landed on the floor, staring at the ceiling.

She’d take a brooding cowboy any day over these pansies in suits.

Finally the head pansy shifted in his seat and stared at her through black-rimmed glasses. Hair neatly styled, no sign of a five o’clock shadow and unlike the other men in the room, he wore a pocket protector in his crisp white shirt along with the traditional red power tie—knot perfectly done.

Mr. Wade with a D was a nerd, albeit a handsome nerd.

His dark brown eyes pinned her and the air rushed from her lungs leaving her light-headed. He waved her into the room.

She didn’t need to be asked twice.

“May I help you?” The rumble of his deep voice contradicted his clean-shaven nerdiness. In her opinion his voice was better suited for whispering sweet nothings behind the barn than translating company performance reports. The outer corner of one dark eyebrow rose above his black frames. Shoot. What had he asked?

“Gentlemen, we’ll resume this meeting on Monday. Enjoy an early start to your weekend.”

The monkeys gathered their belongings and disappeared. Once the door closed, Sam exhaled a sigh of relief. Crowds made her nervous and she appreciated Wade with a D’s thoughtfulness in clearing the room.

Left alone with Calamity Jane, Wade studied the daughter of oil tycoon Dominick Cartwright. Sixteen years had passed since he’d last seen her. Time had transformed a pretty teenage girl into a breathtaking woman. Not even dirt-smudged cheeks, a messy ponytail or faded jeans and a wrinkled shirt detracted from her beauty. Evidence of Spanish ancestry, which rumor claimed she’d inherited from her mother, was apparent in her dusky skin, pitch-black hair, high cheekbones and almond-shaped dark eyes. He hadn’t remembered her being this tall—standing almost eye-to-eye with him—and he resisted rolling forward onto the balls of his feet to gain another inch.

Samantha’s gaze circled the room, skipping over him. Where was the smart-mouthed, self-confident braggart who’d once called him a wimp because he couldn’t climb a tree? He held out his hand. Her grip was warm, firm and callused, her fingernails bitten down to the quick—not the hands of a pampered princess. “Nice to see you again, Samantha.”

A wrinkle formed in the middle of her forehead. “Have we met before?”

The question shot through his ego like a marksman’s arrow. Apparently he hadn’t made much of an impression on her all those years ago—par for the course. He wasn’t a man women swooned over. Even his ex-wife had labeled him and their marriage unremarkable.

“Uncle Charles and your father were college buddies at the University of Oklahoma.” When that didn’t jar her memory, he added, “I accompanied my uncle to the Lazy River Ranch years ago.” Wade had been a junior in college, majoring in finance, when his uncle had suggested he meet one of Dawson Investment’s biggest clients. At the time Wade had no idea his uncle intended to put him in charge of managing Samantha’s trust fund once Wade had joined the firm two years later. “You offered me a lesson in tree climbing that afternoon.” After an uncomfortable silence, Wade accepted that Samantha didn’t remember him.

Feeling like an idiot, he motioned her to the nearest chair. She remained standing and he swallowed his irritation. “What can I do for you?”

“I’ve phoned the office several times, but my messages have gone unreturned. Not until today did I learn that your uncle was out of town on business.”

Darn Veronica. The receptionist his uncle had hired was an airhead. “I apologize for the inconvenience.”

“You should. Better yet, you might have had the courtesy to at least return one of my calls, seeing how my father’s money keeps this firm afloat.”

Now this was the Samantha Cartwright he remembered—bossy and arrogant. Oddly, her waspish attitude put him at ease—much better than the damsel-in-distress expression she’d worn moments ago. He’d never considered himself hero material and no female had ever asked him to save her. “Please accept my apologies. How may I assist you?”

Instead of launching into a tirade, Samantha patted her clothes. Wade found it impossible not to follow the path of her hand, especially when she pressed her fingers against her breast before they dropped to her jeans where she removed a slip of paper from the pocket. She scanned the note, then announced, “I’d like to cash in my trust fund.”

Since joining his uncle’s firm Wade had worked diligently to grow Samantha’s savings. As a matter of fact he’d increased her net worth by several million dollars. “How old are you?”

“Thirty-two. As of today.”

She was of legal age to withdraw money from the trust without her father’s consent. Wade was positive he hadn’t received a reminder of Samantha’s upcoming birthday from the e-mail system he’d set up to notify him of changes in the status of client accounts.

“Are you going to stand there and ogle me or do I get my money?”

Wade would have preferred to ogle but said, “Let’s continue this discussion in my office.” He held open the door and when she brushed past him, he caught a whiff of honeysuckle—the delicate feminine scent at odds with the sullied, sharp-tongued cowgirl. Wade’s office was a windowless room in the middle of the floor—but not for long. He was in line for a promotion to vice president and the position came with a corner office and a view of downtown Tulsa.

“Something to drink? Water? Coffee?” he asked, as soon as Samantha claimed the chair in front of his desk.

“No, thank you.”

Wade wiggled his computer mouse until the screen saver popped up—a photograph of his eight-year-old son, Luke, proudly displaying his first-place spelling-bee ribbon. A few typed passwords later and Wade had Samantha’s personal information in front of him.

Yes, indeed. Samantha Cartwright was thirty-two years old today. For the life of him, Wade couldn’t figure out why she was dressed like a ranch hand on her birthday. He’d have expected her to spend the day getting dolled up for a celebratory night on the town. “Happy birthday,” he said.

“It will be once I have my money.”

What did a pampered rich girl want with millions of dollars? Last he’d heard she worked in her father’s company pulling down a substantial salary—probably doing nothing but sitting at a desk and looking beautiful—like Veronica.

Before Wade accessed the financial particulars of her account, he asked, “Is your father aware that you intend to withdraw money from your trust?”

Her chin jutted. “No, and I’d rather he wasn’t contacted.”

The hair on the back of Wade’s neck stood on end. As his son would say…Wade smelled a stinker. He suspected Samantha was up to no good, but just how far did he stick his nose into her business without crossing the line? “What are your plans for the money?” He’d worked his ass off researching and selecting investments guaranteed to increase the wealth of her holdings. He hated to see his hard work squandered on a Paris Hilton-type shopping spree.

“Am I required to tell you in order to receive my money?”

“No,” he answered honestly.

Her attention shifted to the filing cabinet in the corner, then the keyboard, then the desk calendar before making eye contact with him. “I’m opening a sanctuary ranch for abandoned and neglected horses.”

Now red flags flapped inside Wade’s head. What did a wealthy woman want with rescuing horses? He suspected Samantha’s ranch was nothing more than a pet project she’d ditch once boredom set in.

“I purchased an old farmstead and I need the money to make several renovations.” Her fingers crushed the yellow notepaper in her hand.

“As your financial adviser I’m obligated to warn you that a horse sanctuary isn’t a sound investment.” An image of a stallion eating from a feed bin filled with hundred-dollar bills popped into his head.

Her eyes narrowed. “The ranch may not be a moneymaking venture, but saving horses is a noble cause.”

Wade wasn’t a horse lover. The private school he’d attended before college boasted riding stables, but after landing in the dirt several times during his first and only riding lesson, Wade had participated in indoor activities such as debate and math club. He had to talk sense into Samantha before she wasted years of his time and effort.

Legally he was required to hand over her money no matter how foolish her plans, yet he had a responsibility to Dawson Investments to dispense client funds in a manner that least impacted the company’s bottom line.

“What amount do you need to get this project off the ground?” he asked.

“I hadn’t considered…” She waved her hand in the air. “I’m positive the funds in my account will be more than enough to cover the costs.”

Heartburn stung Wade’s chest. He had a hunch Samantha had jumped into this venture without creating a budget. “My suggestion would be to withdraw money in smaller increments, allowing the remainder of your funds to continue earning interest.” That was sound advice and Dawson Investments would then be able to absorb the loss at a slower pace. “Have you made a list of property improvements?”

She uncrumpled the note in her fist. He caught a glimpse of the chicken scratch on the paper but couldn’t make out the words. “I need to dig a well.”

She bought a ranch with no water source?

“The previous owner’s well is almost dried up,” she continued.

“Have you contacted a water-drilling company?”

“No—”

Samantha Cartwright hadn’t a lick of sense. She should have paid a drilling company to confirm that there was water in the ground before she’d purchased the homestead.

“—but Millicent assures me there’s water.”

“Who’s Millicent?”

“A water witch who lives on the property.”

You’ve got to be kidding. Avoiding the topic of water witches all together, he asked, “What other repairs and renovations are a priority?”

Her front teeth worried her lower lip, giving Wade the impression she hadn’t prepared at all for this hobby. “I’ll need new fencing, corrals. A barn. A house.”

“Everything’s a priority?” At her nod, he said, “Give me a minute to check the balance of your trust.” He entered the security codes and accessed the transaction page of her account.

Holy hell.

If his eyeballs hadn’t been attached to his brain by optic nerves they would have popped out of their sockets and bounced off his keyboard.

Sweat beaded across the bridge of Wade’s nose and his glasses slipped. He shoved them back into place and gaped at the monitor, willing the numbers—any numbers—to appear.

Nothing save Samantha’s name, account ID and a big fat 0 in the balance column. His fingers clicked the keyboard, searching for a transaction code that would allow him to trace the funds, but there were no notations or documentation of a bank account or wire transfer. Samantha’s money had vanished into thin air.

After confiscating the roll of antacid tablets inside his desk drawer, he tossed three into his mouth and chewed furiously. Where the hell had her money gone?

He’d busted his butt for Dawson Investments and had done all his uncle had asked of him—even marrying the daughter of one of the firm’s clients. His uncle had insisted the marriage would be a match made in heaven but in reality it had been a union from hell that had lasted five years too long. Since his divorce Wade had given up a social life—not that a single father had much time for one—and he’d worked twelve-hour days and most weekends. He’d get to the bottom of this mess or die trying because he wasn’t giving his uncle one damned reason to pass Wade over for a promotion.

The problem had to be a computer glitch. On Monday he’d contact the firm’s technology expert to resolve the issue. Until then he needed to buy time.

“What’s the matter?” Samantha’s question cut through Wade’s panic.

“Nothing.” He logged off the account. “Why?”

She pointed to the roll of antacids. “Aren’t you feeling well?”

Surprised by her concern, he said, “I’m fine.” Then he took a deep breath and willed his anxiety aside. “Do you have your birth certificate and a picture ID with you?” At her frown he lied. “Regulations.”

“I didn’t bring my birth certificate.” She handed him her license.

Most people looked like goons in license photos. Samantha resembled a sultry seductress with her long black hair and a half smile that made Wade think of dark corners and slow kisses. “I believe you said you’d rather your father not be informed that you’re accessing your funds.” Please don’t change your mind.

“Will that be a problem?”

“Not at all.” The fewer people who knew about Samantha’s visit today, the better.

“Thank you.”

“Have you contacted a financial planner to assist you with managing the funds once you withdraw them?”

Her teeth nibbled her lip and her gaze shifted to the wall behind Wade. He couldn’t remember Samantha being this unsure. What had happened to the young girl who’d mocked his manhood and delivered a crushing blow to his budding ego? “I’d be happy to advise you on your transactions.”

“I guess that would be all right.”

He blew out a deep breath. “Okay, then. I recommend withdrawing only enough money to tackle one improvement project at a time.”

“I’d prefer to begin several renovations at once in order to get the ranch up and running as soon as possible.”

Wade reached for the antacid tablets. He should have figured she’d make this difficult. “The well needs to be dug before anything else.” Fence posts couldn’t be installed without cement and water was a necessary ingredient in mixing cement.

“All right. I’ll start with the well.”

“In the meantime, you’ll need to acquire estimates on fencing and corrals.”

“Forget the estimates. I’m more concerned with getting the renovations done quickly than with saving a few hundred dollars.” She rolled her eyes. “It’s not like I’ll run out of money.”

Score one for Calamity Jane.

“How long until I receive the first check from my account?” she asked.

“Seven to ten days.” Then he offered, “I’ve got time on my hands this weekend. I’d be happy to contact a drilling company and begin the process for you.” He’d have to raid his 401(k) to pay for the well if he didn’t recover her money by then.