This hard-nosed cattleman isn't ashamed to beg

Widowed rancher Wade Darland freely admits that Tess Vega's way of thinking has him scratching his head. He believes in shipping old barn animals off to auction, whereas she's just set up a sanctuary for abused and abandoned horses. He can't let a day go by without tucking in to some meat, whereas she hears the word and it sends her fleeing.

And then there's the matter of Wade's children—especially Wade's young daughter, whose motherless childhood is so similar to Tess's own.

Tess's interference in the Darland family circle arouses Wade's ire, and he implores her to say no to Macy when the little girl starts hanging around.

But after a few more encounters with the spunky redhead, Wade is soon begging the cowgirl to say yes—not just to Macy but to him, too.