Stay ... - Allison Leigh (SSE #1170 - Apr 1998)

Series: Men of the Double C Ranch (Book 1) 

WELCOME HOME, STRANGER
After ten long years Jefferson Clay was back. But now he was a different man. Leaner. Mysterious. Pained. Something else had changed, too. The pint-sized tomboy who'd tagged along after him at his family's ranch had matured into a beautiful woman . . . 

Emily Nichols had been hopelessly in love with Jefferson ever since she could remember. And now this gorgeous, enigmatic man was sending her heart further into a tailspin, awakening her woman's passion as no other man could. But would Emily's love be enough to bring Jefferson's deepest, darkest secrets into the light and convince her wounded hero to stay . . . with her . . . forever? 

Very good book, very emotional.  Jefferson is back, but still just as emotionally distant to Emily as he's ever been.  She has been in love with him for as long as she could remember, and those feelings haven't diminished at all.  She can tell he feels something for her too, but he keeps pulling away.  They return to his family's ranch when his father has a heart attack, and they are thrown together even more.  Emily can see that something has put a world of pain in his eyes, and she keeps trying to help him.  Jefferson has loved Emily for years, but he feels that he is not good enough for her.  He has done things in the course of his work that he is sure would disgust her, and he doesn't want to hurt her.  I loved the way that Emily tried so hard to be there for Jefferson, and refused to give up on him.  It took a lot of persistence and stubbornness on her part before he would start to open up to her.  I cried a lot in this book because I could see the pain they were both going through.  I loved some of the things Jefferson's brothers did to try to help and the scene in the kitchen when she told off the guys was great.  I will definitely have to read more of the early books in the series.

A Weaver Proposal - Allison Leigh (HSE #2174 - Mar 2012)

Series: Return to the Double C Ranch (Book 6) 

"Don't call me Cupcake!"

Pregnant and on the run from a scheming ex, heiress Sydney Forrest came to Weaver, Wyoming, to take a man break…only to be confronted with the most exasperating of the breed. Derek Clay was condescending, rude—and so scrumptious she didn't know whether she should set down roots or run for the hills.

If Sydney thought she could lord her wealth over the locals and treat Derek like the hired help, she had another think coming. But he realized pretty quickly that there was a real woman—with real needs—lurking beneath Sydney's polished exterior. She'd made it clear she didn't want to be called "cupcake"—but would she object if Derek ultimately called her…"wife"?

Really good book.  Sydney and Derek struck sparks off each other from the beginning.  She thought he was rude and condescending and he thought she was a snob.  Sydney had come to Weaver to try to change her life.  She wanted to stand on her own feet and make a good life for her baby.   She didn't want Derek bossing her around and trying to take care of her.  Derek couldn't help comparing Sydney to his ex-fiancee.  It took awhile, but he finally started to realize that they were nothing alike.  When they finally stopped sniping at each other, they discovered that they had a lot in common.  I loved the way Sydney became part of the community so quickly.  It was great to see how everyone supported her at the end.