The Cowboy's Ultimate Challenge: The Cowboys of Whistle Rock Ranch, #7

By Shirleen Davies

Two broken pasts. Two new beginnings.
The ultimate challenge when history is impossible to ignore.

Aiden Winters is new to his job as a deputy sheriff in Brilliance, Wyoming. The former bounty hunter enjoys keeping the town safe while getting to know those he serves. One person in particular captures his attention more than others. Beautiful and smart, she's the proud owner of a new business and easily makes friends—with one exception. She wants nothing to do with Deputy Aiden Winters.

Laurel Maddox still struggles with her husband's death. Brilliance is meant as a new start, a way to begin again and put the past behind her. The success of her new business fills her time and allows her to make new friends. All is going well, except for one irritating issue. The new deputy won't take the hint and leave her alone.

No matter how hard she tries, Laurel is unable to ignore him. From helping store owners recover after a treacherous rainstorm, to discovering they are both on the Halloween Fair committee, her efforts to disregard the deputy are as frustrating as the man himself.

Her opinion of Aiden begins to change when a threat to her personal safety forces Laurel to work with the deputy. As the danger builds, she realizes his continued presence is better than facing the peril alone.

Protecting Laurel is becoming a full-time job for the deputy. As threats against her mount, Aiden increases the time he spends with her, shocked to realize she is becoming important to him as more than a victim.

As the barriers between them begin to crumble, another heartache, and a figure from her past, pose new obstacles to the tenuous relationship Laurel and Aiden have forged.

Will the new complications be enough to end their already fragile friendship, or will they discover the path to a second chance?

The Cowboy's Ultimate Challenge, book seven in the Cowboys of Whistle Rock Ranch Contemporary Western Romance series, is a clean and wholesome, full-length novel with an HEA and no cliffhanger.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Shirleen Davies
• Release date: Apr 5, 2024
• ISBN: 9781964063010

Book preview

Chapter One

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Brilliance, Wyoming

September

Aiden burst through the saloon doors into chaos. Chairs flew through the air, fists connecting with jaws as two strangers brawled with Dulcy's regulars. As a chair hurtled past his head, Aiden waded into the fray.

Break it up!

The strangers ignored him, grappling their opponents to the ground. Aiden strode forward, grabbing one man's shoulder.

I said, break it up!

The man whirled, his fist connecting with Aiden's jaw. Stunned, he stumbled back. The two strangers slammed their way past the crowd and out the door, jumping into a shiny black Mustang. Tires squealing, they peeled out of the parking lot.

Aiden raced for his SUV, adrenaline pumping through his veins. He flicked on the siren and tore after the Mustang. It blew through two red lights, clipping a sedan and sending it spinning. Jaw set, he swerved around the sedan and stayed on the Mustang’s tail. Grabbing the radio, he called for backup. No way would these punks get away with this.

The Mustang careened around a tight curve, fishtailing on the gravel shoulder. Aiden followed, keeping his sheriff's department SUV on the road as he followed the swerving car out of town and onto the open highway. Pine trees, highway signs, and a stunned hitchhiker whipped past in a blur.

The Mustang accelerated, engine roaring as it topped 90 mph on the winding road. Aiden pushed his SUV faster, maneuvering around slower vehicles. His pulse pounded in his ears.

Up ahead, a minivan pulled onto the road, right into the path of the racing Mustang. The black car’s driver veered one way, then another, missing the minivan by inches before swerving back into the right lane.

Aiden grabbed the radio again. This is Deputy Winters. I'm still in pursuit of a black Mustang, heading north on WYO 7 at high speed. Request immediate backup!

Tires squealing, the Mustang barely made the next turn, crossing the center line. Aiden kept up, holding the SUV steady through the curve. He had to stop these maniacs before they killed someone. Jaw clenched, he focused on the road ahead, ready for whatever came next.

Keeping his eyes locked on the weaving Mustang as they flew down the highway, he picked up speed in his SUV. Pine trees and sheer rock faces blurred past on either side. Up ahead, a green sign flashed by, indicating the turnoff for Whistle Rock Ranch.

The Mustang roared on, passing the exit without slowing. Aiden hoped for what he’d see around the next bend. His backup should be in place by now.

This ends now, Aiden muttered through gritted teeth. He eased off the gas enough to open some distance between his SUV and the Mustang. No point getting caught in the impending crash.

Tires squealing, the Mustang skidded around a sharp curve. The roadblock came into view—one sheriff's SUV parked sideways across the lanes. The Mustang swerved violently, trying to go around. Brakes locked, the car spun out in a cloud of smoke and careened right into the side of the blockade.

Aiden slammed the brakes, fishtailing as he stopped on the shoulder just short of the wreck. The crumpled Mustang was wedged against the sheriff's SUV. Steam rose from the hoods of both vehicles.

With a deep breath, he grabbed his radio. Suspects are down, repeat, suspects are down. We're going to need an ambulance out here. He watched in relief as the deputy appeared from around his crushed SUV, pistol in hand.

Aiden stepped out of his SUV, boots crunching on the gravel shoulder, surprised to see it was Noelle Crawford.

Didn’t expect you, Noelle.

I was a mile away. Made sense I’d set up the road block. She glanced over her shoulder. I really liked that SUV.

Chuckling, he drew his gun. The two approached the wrecked Mustang with caution. Inside, the two men were slumped over, held in place by their seat belts. The driver's head lolled to the side, blood trickling from his temple and corner of his mouth. The passenger was conscious but dazed, blinking several times as he took in the crumpled dashboard.

Holstering his weapon, he wrenched open the driver's side door while Noelle walked to the passenger side.

Aiden caught the conscious man’s attention. Don't move. The passenger groaned without attempting to shift positions. Noelle opened the door, leaning down to assess the man’s visible injuries.

On the other side, Aiden took hold of the driver’s wrist to feel for a pulse. Weak, but steady.

He could hear sirens in the distance, expecting the ambulance he'd requested. He grimaced at the driver’s appearance, his adrenaline beginning to fade.

It had been a close call. Reckless endangerment, fleeing police, DUI. These two were going away for a while.

Aiden glanced back at his SUV, miraculously undamaged. He'd nearly ended up in the trees when it spun out to avoid the crash. Dumb luck had intervened, allowing him to keep control of the vehicle. Too much luck. Aiden sighed, feeling the weight of the day's events. Maybe he was getting too old for high-speed chases.

The wail of the sirens grew louder as the ambulance approached and stopped. The deputies stepped back, letting the paramedics take over. They watched as the men were extricated from the mangled Mustang. Another close call. It was a miracle no one else had been hurt.

Aiden turned to survey the scene. Two wrecked vehicles, debris scattered across the road, skid marks gouged into the asphalt. All because of two punks looking for trouble.

Aiden's jaw tightened. Well, they'd found it.

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Wyatt Bonner was finishing up some paperwork in the office of Whistle Rock Ranch when he heard the distant wail of sirens. At first, he thought nothing of it, but when the sirens grew louder and more urgent, he stood and walked outside.

In the distance, he could see flashing red and blue lights speeding down the highway that bordered the eastern edge of his property. His brow furrowed in concern. Anything having the sheriff's department reacting like that spelled trouble.

Wyatt walked back inside to grab his hat and strode back outside, hopping into his truck. He sped down the long driveway leading from the ranch house, gravel spewing up from his tires. As he reached the highway, he could see a roadblock set up around a crash site heading north.

His heart sank. This was bad. Real bad. Wyatt hit the gas, speeding toward the blockade. An ambulance was already on the scene, lights flashing. As he pulled up, Wyatt recognized Aiden Winters standing on the shoulder with Noelle Crawford, the first female deputy in these parts.

Wyatt threw his truck into park and jumped out, hurrying over to the deputies. What in blazes happened here?

Before Aiden could respond, the crunch of tires on gravel signaled another arrival. Virgil Redcloud's old pickup truck rattled to a stop nearby. Wyatt’s best friend and foreman climbed from the cab, his face creased in a worried frown as he approached the scene.

Everyone all right? Virgil's features sobered as he stopped beside Wyatt.

Everyone except the driver, Aiden answered.

Wyatt nodded down the road. Seems Father heard the sirens.

What in tarnation? Anson Bonner strode up, face grim. As the patriarch of the Bonner family, he'd heard the sirens and crash.

I was chasing some drunk miscreants who started a bar fight at Dulcy’s, Aiden explained. They crashed trying to avoid the roadblock.

Anson blew out a frustrated breath, hands on his hips as he surveyed the damage. Seems we've got a growing criminal element in town, he said. I aim to put a stop to it.

Wyatt held up a hand. Now hold on, Pop. We'll let the deputies and Sheriff Duggan sort this out. They don’t have the need for any of us to get in their way.

Anson bristled, but before he could respond, Virgil spoke up. The safety of this town is what matters most. We must seek justice, not vengeance. Why don’t you run for city council, Anson? It’s a good way for everyone to hear your concerns.

Anson shot him a tense look. My voice is always heard. I don’t need to be a politician for people to listen.

They all knew this wouldn't be the last conversation about the increase in criminal activity in Brilliance. For now, the latest culprits were in custody. With a curt nod to Aiden, Anson strode back to his truck, mind already turning over ways to keep his town and family safe.

Will leave you to your work, Aiden. You, too, Noelle. Come by the ranch anytime if you feel the need for a trail ride. We’ve got plenty of horses. Wyatt smiled.

Aiden let out a long breath as he watched Wyatt and Virgil walk away. He knew Anson’s mode of operation didn’t suit either of the two younger men or Wyatt’s brothers.

The disagreement would continue to simmer beneath the surface between the two generations. There would be time later to hash out differing philosophies on policing and justice in Brilliance. For now, Aiden’s job was to secure the scene and get the criminals off the streets.

Striding over to the mangled Mustang, Aiden leaned in through the open driver’s side door. The pungent stench of alcohol wafted out. The fools should’ve been in bed somewhere instead of racing down the road with a good amount of alcohol in their systems.

He walked over to the ambulance, seeing the passenger strapped down with his eyes wide open. Aiden stepped inside, wanting to finalize the process.

You're under arrest for assault, reckless driving, resisting arrest, and destruction of property. His voice was terse as he continued the man’s rights. He’d have to do the same to the driver when the man gained consciousness. Aiden returned to his SUV as the ambulance made a U-turn for the drive to the hospital.

How about a ride, Noelle?

I’m good. I’ll catch a ride with the tow truck when he arrives.

Want me to stay?

She cocked her head, a disbelieving glint in her eyes. Are you kidding?

Smiling, he shook his head. Blame it on my mama. Manners and all that. Well, I’ll leave you to deal with your wrecked SUV, Deputy. See you later.

Aiden's pulse was still racing from the chase as he drove back to town. He knew Anson was right to be concerned about the rise in crime. They were seeing more outsiders stirring up trouble in the last year.

Still, he hoped cooler heads would prevail in keeping the peace. The elder Bonner had built a successful ranch, and held a good amount of respect around town. Aiden hoped to someday sit down with Anson, hear his ideas. For now, all he wanted was a hard mattress and a few hours of sleep.

Chapter Two

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Laurel smiled as one of her best customers entered Florals & Floats, the bell above the door announcing her arrival. Good morning, Mrs. Collins. Your usual summer bouquet?

The woman returned the smile. You know me too well, Laurel. Though I suppose the whole town is abuzz with news this morning, what with that dramatic car chase last night.

What car chase? Laurel began gathering flowers from the delivery that morning. Setting lilies, daisies, and baby's breath on the work counter, she began assembling them into a stunning bouquet.

While Laurel worked, Mrs. Collins described the story she’d been told. Apparently, two men were drunk and started a fight at Dulcy’s. Deputy Winters went after them when the men shoved out of the saloon and drove away. They drove past Whistle Rock Ranch before backup appeared. It must’ve been thrilling. Can you imagine Aiden flying down those country roads in hot pursuit, sirens blaring, determined to catch those criminals? He's always been so brave and dedicated, even if he can be a bit, well…intense at times.

Laurel stiffened slightly at the mention of Aiden's name. She remembered all too clearly his interrogation after the fire at Whistle Rock Ranch a few months earlier, how he'd grilled her for an hour, convinced she was hiding something. The way his caramel-colored eyes bored into her still made her uneasy.

A little excitement in Brilliance. Well, here's your bouquet. Laurel smiled, though she longed to change the subject. Should I prepare your normal order for delivery on Tuesday?

Perfect. You're a dear. Mrs. Collins glanced at her watch. I’d love to stay and talk more, but I’m meeting a friend for lunch. Thank you, Laurel. As usual, the bouquet is lovely.

After Mrs. Collins left, Laurel busied herself helping other customers at the soda fountain and floral counter. Though doing her best to appear gracious and attentive, her thoughts lingered on Aiden. She couldn't deny her attraction to the handsome deputy, yet she remained wary. Mrs. Collins was right to define him as intense.

Intense, arrogant, stubborn, obnoxious, and a hundred other adjectives. None which appealed to Laurel.

She finished tallying the tab for Mr. Jensen's usual order of daisies and baby's breath for his wife. As she handed him his receipt, her gaze drifted to the colorful blooms in the refrigerated displays along the back wall.

Walking over, she breathed in the sweet, heady scents. Vibrant lilies in shades of pink, yellow,