Desert Heart

New York: Zebra Books; Kensington Publishing Corp, 2009. Reprint. Third paperback printing stated. Mass-market paperback. Good. Signed by author. Inscription signed and has a smiley face drawn also. Front cover has corner creased.. Mass market paperback. Glued binding. 528 p. He vowed to protect her...As a child, Lorelei Spencer worshipped Rand McAllister-until she spied him in an embrace that proved he was an arrogant scoundrel. Seven years in St. Louis have transformed Lorelei into a confident young woman, eager to return to Arizona to run her late father's gold mine. Discovering that Rand is now her legal guardian is an unwelcome surprise-for the virile deputy marshal still fascinates her, his every kiss a promise that leaves her aching with need. And to possess her-scarred by betrayal, Rand has no wish to get entangled with another woman. But he can't ignore his duty toward the maddeningly independent Lorelei, or his body's hungry response to hers. Now, drawn to her by fierce desire and a fragile sliver of trust, Rand must find a way to keep Lorelei safe from ruthless enemies-and claim her proud heart for his own...From an on-line posting: "After working as a department manager for Famous-Barr, and briefly as a clerk at a bookstore, Bobbi Smith gave up on career security and began writing. She sold her first book to Zebra in 1982. Since then, Bobbi has written over 38 books and six short stories. To date, there are more than five million of her novels in print. Awarded the prestigious Romantic Times Storyteller of the Year Award, her books have appeared on several bestseller lists. When she's not working on her novels, she is frequently appearing as a guest speaker for Romantic Writers Association conferences. "