Outcast Cowboys — Sarah Masters

You can run but you can't hide. Problems have a habit of following you, even if it's only inside your head.

Ross decides to start a new life away from the grim belly of London, England, unable to stomach being a cop any longer. He tells himself he's moving miles away to find himself a bed partner, but he's lying. He has to. Facing up to the real reason he's leaving isn't something he can handle. His last undercover job proved too much -- his life was at risk -- and if he stays in London he'll likely end up dead. Nightmares plague him, his subconscious unable to switch the past off. So he moves to a ranch in America, thinking the new surroundings and different lifestyle will help him to heal -- and to forget. What he soon realizes is he's jumping from the frying pan into the fire…

Joe's passion -- that of caring for the horses -- is the only thing that keeps him sane. He's a surly man, and for good reason -- a reason he hasn't told a soul. Folks think he's mean and unapproachable and suspect him of committing murder. More than once. Locals assume that Joe got let off the hook. Nothing could be further from the truth, but Joe lets people think what they will. He's done with their speculation and sly looks.

When Ross and Joe meet, tension is rife. The air between them prickles with animosity as well as sexual tension. Both have a past they can't get over. Both have skeletons in their closets they wish would turn to dust. And both have to make a decision. Can they cast their fears aside and trust each other, or have the terrors they've experienced ruined them for love?