The Cowboy's Surprise Bride: Montana's Silent Hero, #1

By Maggie C. Brynnon

Erin Richards has a secret. She was running from a life that she wanted desperately to leave behind when she pulled onto the Gentry Ranch in the hopes of becoming the new cook. And as it turns out her new employer, Taggert Gentry, an ex-Marine Special Ops soldier with a secret of his own, just happened to be the most ruggedly handsome man she had ever seen in her life.

Still reeling from the relationship she had just gotten out of, she was sure that it was going to be a long time before she so much as looked a man. But life has a funny habit of proving you wrong just when you think you are the most sure about something.

When things get a little heavy between herself and Taggert, she finds that memories of her past boyfriend, whom she is running from, still haunt her. Then an unexpected visitor arrives with secrets of his own and the Gentry Ranch must brace for its deadliest night ever.

Can she overcome her terrible past and perhaps find love with her new silent hero, or is she just not meant for love at all?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Maggie C. Brynnon
• Release date: Aug 16, 2016
• ISBN: 9781536599107

Book preview

Chapter 1

AS ERIN RICHARDS DROVE her small car down the long dirt road to the ranch house sitting on the side of a hill, she couldn’t believe her eyes at the site before her. She didn’t know that such a beautiful scene could exist outside the imagination, but there it was, spread out before her like a pastel painting from some artist of old.

The air seemed to be so clean here that it almost hurt her to fill her lungs with it after breathing in polluted Chicago air her whole life, but each new breath seemed to invigorate her and fill her body and mind with a new energy and purpose. To the east, purple mountains soared far into the air and snow covered the peaks.

Long valleys spread out before her on both sides of the road with tall grass waving in the gentle breeze that brought with it the slightest scent of flowers. The sky was clearer and more blue here than any she had ever seen. Cattle grazed by the hundreds on each side of the road with calves bucking and running in between their mothers and the rest of the herd. She had never personally witnessed such an immense group of animals, red and black, brown and white.

Ever so often one of the larger animals would raise its head from the grass and show off its magnificently long horns. She knew enough about cattle from spending summers on her grandfather’s farm back in Missouri to recognize the bulls from the cows. The bulls were the largest ones with massive necks and shoulders. But each and every one here was majestic in its own incredible way.

On the far side of the herd she saw a few of the riders making their way toward the ranch house all scattered in among the herd. She counted five men in all. She watched cautiously as one of the riders broke away from all the others and rode toward her. She slowed down her car and allowed him to catch up with her. She then pulled her car off to the side of the road and put it in park, but left the engine running. 

As he neared, he lifted his hat in greeting and she could see that he rode easily in the saddle. Almost like he was born to it. His horse, a gorgeous cream colored buckskin stallion with a dark brown mane, tail and lower legs, stopped near her car. The man dismounted easily, his boots puffing up little clouds of dirt as he strode toward her with the confident walk of a man who wasn’t afraid of any challenge. He absent mindedly trailed the reins of his horse behind him as he walked her way.

Erin watched him intently as he came closer. He was a man of average height, about 6'1" in height, but broader through the chest than most men she had observed of his same size. His blue and red checkered shirt stretched tightly over his muscular physique. The sleeves on his shirt were rolled up to his elbows revealing forearms corded with muscle. The blue jeans he wore were skin tight and faded, yet she suspected that the fading was from actual work and not from them being bought that way.

The man then squatted on his haunches and ran his fingers through his coal-black, medium-length hair, as he looked through the cattle fencing into the car window at her. His brilliant blue eyes were soft, yet piercing, and as he grinned, he revealed straight white teeth. A scar ran down his face from his temple to his throat, but it didn’t detract from his attractiveness... in fact, somehow it made him even more handsome and rugged.

Even through the three or so days worth of stubble on his face, she could still see the dimples at the corner of his mouth when he smiled. Erin found herself smiling back at the tanned, handsome stranger looking into her window. She was immediately put off-guard at how good looking the man was, so much so that she didn’t speak at first, but then she found her voice and managed to get out the hurried pleasantries.

Good morning, sir. My name is Erin Richards, she said.

He shook his head and pointed to his ears. The gesture was one she was very familiar with and one she had seen her own mother do countless times with strangers, but for some reason it just didn’t register with her at first. Then she voiced her name again, a little louder the second time when she got no response.

Once more he shook his head and pointed to his ears.

Oh, god. You’re deaf aren’t you? She realized how stupid her question was and then launched into sign language. It had been more than a few years since her mom passed and she hadn’t used her sign language since. Her fingers formed the signs a little awkwardly at first, but then the more she talked, the easier they  became to make.

You’re deaf. She signed. Sorry... I didn’t understand at first.

He nodded and held up his hands so she could see them. I am. How did you guess?

She chuckled to herself as she got out of the car and walked closer to the fence. I suppose I had that one coming.

I can't believe it that you can sign. Hardly no one does. I can read lips, he signed, but it’s nice to have someone that can actually understand what I’m saying without me having to drag out my notepad. He patted his shirt pocket.

She smiled and nodded. I grew up with deaf family members but I haven't used it in a while so I'm rusty. But I can understand that, she signed. My name is Erin Richards. I spoke to someone over the phone about being a cook and taking care of an elderly gentleman.

That would have been Chunky. He told me you would be coming out. I’m Taggert Gentry. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Ms. Richards. He moved closer and held out his hand through the fence for her to shake.

She was surprised by the gentleness of the handshake because she could feel the rough callouses on his hand. But then something happened to her as she touched his hand, a kind of tingle ran from her hand, up her arm and throughout her entire body. A small part of her mind told her