www.millsandboon.co.uk

      Heather Tipton and Lorie Hart, for always being there. Joanne Reeson, you are a doll. Georgia Haynes, thank you for everything. Latesha Ballard, for making me smile. Fatin, your voice always cheers me. To all the Scandalous Ladies and Gal Pals, you are the best and truest friends.

      Kimmie Eickholz, you are my best friend—I love my sissy and her angels.

      Isabel Sites, you’re an awesome granny even if you are a feisty heroine.

      Lisa and Dean, thank you for the Boy Scouts, lacrosse, drama, weird music and hair obsessions. I will always remember writing this book during your gall bladder removal, Dean. You were twelve, and having you at home for those three stolen weeks was an adventure that made the Jefferson boys stronger.

      Many thanks to Stacy Boyd, whose memory is better than mine, and all the able editors and other people at Harlequin who have had a hand in making this series so much fun.

      And to all the readers who have written to talk about it—it’s been a dream come true.

      Contents

      Prologue

      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 Fifteen

      Chapter Sixteen

      Epilogue

      Prologue

      Dear sons,

      You’re growing up to be good men, and your mother would be proud. I know I am. Remember the things I’ve taught you. I hope you can forgive me, but if I stay any longer on the ranch where I see and hear your mother every day, I’m going to die of a broken heart. Always remember that I love you.

      —Maverick Jefferson

      Last Jefferson had been to hell and back.

      He was not afraid of physical pain. Emotional pain he preferred to avoid, as did all his brothers. They claimed they were running from commitment, but the simple fact was that the men from the Malfunction Junction ranch were die-hard emotional-pain-avoidance junkies. No pain, all gain.

      Last lived the motto as uncompromisingly as his eleven brothers. Being the youngest of twelve, he had watched. Learned. Now he possessed the soul of an escape artist. He loved his daughter, Annette. He loved his brothers and treasured his memories of growing up. And he had a soft spot for the mother of his daughter.

      But, he thought, as he looked down at the California ground way, way below him, sometimes the only way to forget the past was to take a big flying leap into the future.

      He held his breath the way he did before he rode a bull out of the chute. But this time instead of a bull carrying him hell-bent-for-leather into an arena, he ran until there was no ground left below his feet and nothing but a hang-glider canopy above him to keep him from leaving God’s green earth altogether.

      Chapter One

      If it wasn’t for the very shapely woman standing at the bottom of the California cliff, Last Jefferson might not have miscued his hang-glider landing, ending up in three feet of ocean instead of on the beach as he’d planned.

      Last appreciated the female form, as did all of his brothers. Hers, he thought as she walked toward him, was worth the ocean water bath.

      Until he saw the little boy and girl beside her.

      Had he realized from his airborne position that the beautiful lady had two young children with her, he might have stayed dry. Unfortunately he’d been mainly focused on her sinuous shape and on the lovely cleavage gleaming above her bikini top.

      The water was warmish, at least. He pulled off his helmet, grimacing.

      “Are you all right?” the little boy asked. “You made a big splash when you hit the water.”

      “A big splash,” his sister confirmed. “I bet the sea lions on their rocks heard it.”

      Last dragged himself out of the water,