by Helen Brooks
She felt him standing behind her. “It’s you, isn’t it, Ellie? Woman in Blue is you. It took me a long time to figure it out, but I finally did. And that’s when everything became clear.”
He took her shoulders and turned her to face him. “I’ve made a lot of stupid mistakes, Ellie, like asking you to sign that prenuptial agreement. You gave me a second chance once, and now I’m having to ask you for a third one. This relationship business is a lot harder than I realized. But I’m willing to learn. I’m a hard worker and I’ll do whatever it takes to make our relationship work because I love you, Ellie. I love you, and if you’ll marry me, I’ll spend the rest of my life proving it to you.”
“Oh, Garek.” She smiled shakily. “I love you so much.”
And then, suddenly, she was in his arms and he was kissing her as if she was more valuable, more beautiful, more precious than a museum full of the finest art in the world.
“Oh, Garek,” she sighed again when they finally had to come up for oxygen. Her cheeks stung from the scrape of his whiskers, but she was too happy to care. “Let’s give the lawyers the prenuptial agreement and go.”
He brushed a curl back from her forehead, his fingers lingering on her skin. “What prenuptial agreement?”
“The one Larry prepared. When I really thought about it, I realized that I’ve let money control me. I believed money was causing all my problems. But it was me and my own fear causing the problems, not the money. I knew I loved you too much to let anything spoil what we had. I have the contract right here, all signed.” She pulled the sheaf of papers out of her purse.
He looked at the documents, then at her. “You signed it even after I told you not to?”
She stared at him. “You told me not to sign it?”
“In the note I left with your landlord this morning.” His forehead creased. “Didn’t you read it?”
“I haven’t been home.” She looked up at him, touched beyond words that he’d trusted her enough to tell her not to sign the agreement. “But it really doesn’t matter now. Let’s give it to the lawyers.”
He frowned. “That’s not going to work. We need a new prenuptial agreement.”
Her smile faltered. “But why?”
“To protect your inheritance.”
“I trust you.”
“I know you do.” He looked down into her troubled eyes. “It’s only practical,” he said gently.
“It just seems so sordid,” she sighed.
He stared at her thoughtfully. “Why don’t we let the lawyers hash out the money issues and we come up with our own agreement.”
“Our own agreement?” Frowning, she watched him pull a pen and paper out of a drawer and motion her to sit down at the desk. She sat down uncertainly. “What do you mean?”
“I mean—write this down—you must never take me to a lecture by Professor Jameson again.”
A smile began to curve her lips. Obediently, she wrote down, Eleanor G. Hibbert Hernandez promises never to take Garek Wisnewski to a Jameson lecture. She then went on to write:
Eleanor G. Hibbert Hernandez gets to choose all the art for the house.
“Hmm.” He pretended to consider that one. “Very well—as long as you don’t buy anything from Caspar.”
She glanced up at him, smiling. “Not even for the bathroom?”
“Especially not for the bathroom. I want that in writing.”
Laughing, she complied. “Very well…but we have to spend Christmas Eve at my family’s.”
“No argument from me there.” He paused a moment, then added slowly, “I’d like to invite my sister and niece, though.”
She smiled at him. “That’s a good idea.”
He grimaced a little. “I’m not so sure. I may live to regret it.”
“No, you won’t,” she said firmly.
He looked at her, a smile quirking the corners of his mouth. “I believe you. Speaking of holidays, that reminds me…You must never buy me a tie again.”
“I thought you liked the tie I gave you.”
“I do,” he said firmly. “I like it so much I want it to forever be unique in my closet.”
“But I could find something different—”
“No.”
She pouted a little. “All right. But you can’t buy me any jewelry then.”
He crouched beside her and looked into her eyes. “I’m afraid I already broke that one.” He pulled a small box out of his pocket and handed it to her. “Open it, Ellie.”
With trembling fingers, she lifted the lid. Her breath caught. A simple platinum ring with a small, exquisitely cut sapphire. “Oh, Garek, it’s beautiful.” She looked up at him, tears in her eyes. “Maybe I’ll make an exception—just this once.”
He pulled her out of the chair and kissed her.
A while later, they came out of the office into the conference room and headed for the door.
Hibbert watched as the couple, smiling at each other, strolled toward the door. He frowned. “Where are you two going?”
“To the courthouse,” Ellie replied. “To get married.”
“B-b-but what about the prenuptial agreement?” Larry sputtered.
“Ellie and I have written up our own arrangement.” Garek looked at the roomful of lawyers. “You have this afternoon to come up with an agreement acceptable to both sides. Otherwise, you’re all fired.”
Without another word, Garek and Ellie strolled out of the room.
“This afternoon!” Mr. Rathskeller exclaimed. “That’s impossible.”
Hibbert, who was still staring after the couple thoughtfully, turned his eaglelike gaze on the lawyer. “Nothing’s impossible. Write up something fair and equitable. That’s all you have to do. But you’d better get to it instead of sitting around bellyaching.”
The lawyers grumbled as they opened their briefcases and pulled out sheaves of paper.
“Love,” one of them muttered in disgust.
Hibbert moving over to stand by the window, frowned deeply, his eyebrows beetling. He was about to make a comment, when he saw Garek and Eleanor come out of the front door of the building. Apparently too impatient to wait for the limo, Garek hailed a taxi and the couple climbed in. As they drove away, through the rear window Hibbert could see the two of them kissing.
The corner of his mouth lifted.
“Yes,” he murmured, sounding wistful. “Love.”
In January 2010 Mills & Boon bring you two classic collections, each featuring three favourite romances by our bestselling authors
CONVENIENT BRIDES
The Italian’s Convenient Wife by Catherine Spencer
His Inconvenient Wife by Melanie Milburne
His Convenient Proposal by Lindsay Armstrong
MILLIONAIRE’S WOMAN
The Millionaire’s Prospective Wife by Helen Brooks
The Millionaire’s Runaway Bride by Catherine George
The Millionaire’s Reward by Angie Ray
All the characters in this book have no existence outside the imagination of the author, and have no relation whatsoever to anyone bearing the same name or names. They are not even distantly inspired by any individual known or unknown to the author, and all the incidents are pure invention.
All Rights Reserved including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form. This edition is published by arrangement with Harlequin Enterprises II B.V./S.à.r.l. The text of this publication or any part thereof may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, storage in an information retrieval system, or otherwise, without the written permission of the publisher.
This book is sold subject to the condition that it shall not, by way of trade or otherwise, be lent, resold, hired out or otherwise circulated without the prior consent of the publisher in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without a similar condition including this condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser.
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First published in Great Britain 2009
Harlequin Mills & Boon Limited,
Eton House, 18-24 Paradise Road, Richmond, Surrey TW9 1SR
The Millionaire’s Prospective Wife © Helen Brooks 2005
The Millionaire’s Runaway Bride © Catherine George 2006
The Millionaire’s Reward © Angela Ray 2005
ISBN: 978-1-4089-1547-9
Table of Contents
Cover Page
Excerpt
Title Page
The Millionaire's Prospective Wife
About The Author
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
The Millionaire's Runaway Bride
About The Author
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
The Millionaire's Reward
About The Author
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
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