The Creedence Creek had once been a bustling cattle ranch...until Ms. Eve Terry bought the place out from under foreman Ryder Quinn and turned it into baby central. Who could blame Ryder for being so distressed at seeing his beloved rugged landscape overrun with cooing, two-legged tots?

The new boss lady was so dedicated to making her day-care business flourish...and so danged dangerous to Ryder's usual cool facade, he figured his only recourse was to bet the ranch Eve wouldn't last six months in the Arizona heat. Happily, she agreed to the wager, knowing she could outlast the most dedicated cowboy...and hoping she could convince this particular wrangler to fill some of those cradles with their very own cowpoke babies!

By Sharon Swan