Book excerpt: A horse-whispering loner After years as an Army Ranger, Sebastian Donnelly is content to be left alone with his horses. He's better with them than with...people. But that changes when his boss's little sister shows up. There's something about her, a vulnerability that tugs at his need to rescue. And a sexy, vivacious charm that ignites an attraction he ought to ignore. A soon-to-be lawyer Desperate for a break before her last semester of law school, Laurel Maxwell is excited to see her brother marry the woman he loves. Logan and Athena, their happiness, the life they're building at the farm all serve as a reminder that she's barreling toward a future she's no longer sure she wants. One her overbearing father insists is the only path she's meant for. Who's rescuing who? When Laurel is offered the chance to stay on the farm and dogsit while the happy couple honeymoons, she jumps at the chance to get out her life and into Sebastian's strong arms. He wants to help her make her decision, a choice with haunting echoes of his own past. But is there any path that leads to a forever where a brilliant lawyer and reclusive horse trainer could build a life together?