Harlequin Special Edition July 2013 - Bundle 1 of 2: Marooned with the MaverickHer McKnight in Shining ArmorCelebration's Bride

by Christine Rimmer

He laughed, a bold, booming sound. “I’ll be there before noon, you watch me.”

  “We’ll have to arrange to meet somewhere. As I said, my house is a total loss.” And she didn’t want to meet him at the ranch. Too awkward, with her parents there....

  “How about the middle of Main Street? You’ll see me coming. I’ll be the one in the CU helicopter.”

  “A helicopter?” How very, very Dane.

  “Yeah. I’m getting the use of it courtesy of a generous alumnus. I’m coming, honey. I am as good as on my way....”

  * * *

  Collin, Gage and the rest of the committee were finishing up their endless meeting in one of the town hall conference rooms when they heard a helicopter overhead.

  Nathan frowned. “We’re not expecting a visit from the governor.”

  But then the helo loomed outside the window, coming in. Apparently, it was going to land in the street out in front. It was black and silver, with a giant gold CU painted on the belly.

  Gage leveled that steady gaze of his on Collin. “Looks like Coach Everhart is dropping in to see how Willa’s doing.”

  Collin reminded himself that he had to stay out of it. He needed to let Willa figure out what she wanted for herself.

  But then, he couldn’t do it. He could not just sit there.

  He shot to his feet and headed for the door. Behind him, he thought he heard a low chuckle from Gage.

  * * *

  Willa was waiting on the sidewalk as the helicopter touched down. There were people all around her, folks she’d known all her life. They’d come running out of the library, the church and the town hall. Others had halted on the street. Everyone stared upward. It wasn’t every day that a helicopter flew down and landed in the middle of town.

  Leave it to Dane to make his arrival an event.

  The chopper touched down. Dane jumped out before the blades stopped whirling, bending low to keep his handsome blond head out of danger. “Willa!” He ran toward her, rising to his full six feet six inches as he cleared the slowing blades.

  Dread and misery and a healthy dose of embarrassment formed a leadlike ball in the pit of her stomach. She wrapped her arms around herself and waited grimly for him to reach her. Paige had given her the use of her house so she and Dane could be alone when she said the things she had to say.

  “Willa!” The wonderful, rough deep voice came from behind her.

  She stiffened, gasped, certain she couldn’t have heard right. And then she whirled toward that voice, her heart in her throat.

  Collin.

  He was real. He was there. He reached out and put his warm, strong hands on her shoulders and she trembled with happiness just at his touch.

  “Willa...” He stared at her with such frank longing in those beautiful dark eyes. She blinked at him, hardly daring to believe, and a ragged, hopeful sound escaped her. And he said, “Willa, damn it. I want you and I love you. Maybe I’ve always loved you, since way back when we were kids and I used spy on you playing with your Barbie dolls out in your dad’s back pasture. Yeah, I know...” He tipped his head in the direction of the tall man behind her. “That other guy may be a better man. But there’s no way he loves you like I do. And there’s also no way I’m not trying again, no way I’m letting you go without pulling out all the stops.” And then he dropped to his knees in front of her, the way he had last Friday. Only, somehow, nothing at all like last Friday. Because that had been all wrong.

  And this, now, this moment? It was so very right.

  He grabbed her hand and said fervently, “Stay, Willa. I’m asking. I’m begging. Stay here in Rust Creek Falls and be my wife.”

  People started clapping. Some shouted encouragements.

  “You tell her, Collin!”

  “Say it like you feel it!”

  “Don’t let her get away!”

  There were whistles and catcalls.

  Willa hardly heard them. For her, at that moment, there was only Collin, though he was looking kind of hazy through her happy tears. She confessed, “You really had me worried there.”

  “I know. I messed up. But I swear to you, right here on Main Street, in front of God, the library, that other guy—and way too many of our friends and neighbors—that when it comes to you and me, I won’t mess up again.”

  She tugged on his hand. “Come here. Up here to me.” And he swept to his feet once more. “I love you, Collin Traub,” she told him. “I will always love you. And yes. Absolutely. You and me. From this day forward.”

  “Willa...” He grabbed her close and kissed her, a real kiss, deep and long and sweet. Everybody clapped all the harder.

  When he lifted his head, she blinked up at him, dazed with joy. “Buster?”

  “At Thelma’s.” He bent to kiss her again.

  “Ahem,” said the man behind her.

  Willa pressed her hands to Collin’s warm, hard chest. They shared a long, steady look, one of perfect understanding. And then, together, they turned to face Dane.

  As it happened, Dane Everhart was not only a great guy, he was also a good sport. He said wryly, “Looks to me like I don’t have a chance here.”

  Willa answered gently, “You’re a good man, Dane. And I was wrong not to be straight with you from the first.”

  Dane gave a low chuckle. “Sometimes I’m a little pushy when it comes to going after what I want.” He nodded at Collin. “You’re a lucky man.”

  Collin pulled Willa closer to his side. “You’re right. And I know it. I’m the luckiest man alive.”

  Dane held out his hand to Willa. She took it and they shook. “Be happy,” he said.

  “I will.”

  And then he turned and ran to the helicopter. The blades started whirling again.

  Willa threw herself into Collin’s waiting arms. They didn’t see Dane go. They were too busy sharing another long, hot, perfect kiss, one that sealed their mutual commitment to their town, to each other and to the future they would build together with their own loving hands.

  * * *

  They were married three days later, on Saturday, July 27 with Pastor Alderson presiding.

  It was a simple afternoon ceremony in the Community Church. The whole town attended and there was a big potluck afterward. Willa wore her mother’s wedding dress. Paige stood up as her maid of honor and Collin asked his brother Sutter to come out from Seattle to be his best man.

  If people whispered about how the maid of honor and the best man used to be together, they didn’t whisper for long. Paige and Sutter conducted themselves with quiet dignity and the talk quickly died down.

  It was one of those weddings where all the guests were smiling, a feel-good kind of day. Rust Creek Falls may have suffered through the flood of the century. But now the sun was shining and love ruled the day. Everyone could see that the bride and groom were meant for each other. Willa glowed with pure happiness.

  And the former Traub bad boy had eyes only for his bride.

  * * * * *

  Don’t miss THE MAVERICK’S SUMMER LOVE

  by USA TODAY bestselling author Christyne Butler,

  the next book in

  MONTANA MAVERICKS: RUST CREEK COWBOYS

  On sale August 2013,

  wherever Harlequin books are sold.

  Her McKnight in Shining Armor

  By Teresa Southwick

  Contents

  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 One

  Alex McKnight needed a woman.

  More specifically, he needed his architect, who just happened to be a very hot woman. The fact that he’d noticed was
a problem because he didn’t date coworkers, or any other ladies in Blackwater Lake, Montana, for that matter. He had a business to run in this town and couldn’t afford to feed the rumor mill and tick off prospective clients with stuff from his personal life.

  A bigger problem was that the very hot female architect was two hours late for work, and that didn’t bode well for completing the Mercy Medical Clinic expansion on time. He had projects stacked up like planes waiting to land and if this one ran behind all the rest could crash and burn.

  He looked at his watch and swore softly. It was going on noon and still no word from Miss Suellen Hart. Tomorrow the cement foundation was being poured, and last Friday, when he’d spoken with her, she’d promised to fly out of Dallas in plenty of time to be here for the event on Monday.

  “They don’t call. They don’t write. So much for promises,” he mumbled.

  Maybe he was a tad critical, but in his opinion, he had an excellent reason. His wife, ex-wife, had promised to love, honor and all the rest of that baloney. But vows hadn’t stopped her from running back into the arms of the man who’d fathered the baby she’d let Alex believe was his. She’d ripped out the foundation of his life, and if that wasn’t cause to be bitter, he didn’t know what was.

  Alex walked the wood form set in the prepared ground that would hold the cement foundation of the clinic addition. He inspected every weight-bearing wall support to make sure they were in the right place. It would have been nice for the architect to be here with him to corroborate his judgment, although that was just a formality. He knew his job.

  Just then he heard a car squeal into the temporary parking lot for the clinic. He turned and saw the little compact, a rental from the airport, skid to a stop by the construction trailer. The door opened, and out swung the best-looking pair of legs he’d seen east of California, and the rest of her was just as impressive. She was wearing a red skirt and snug matching jacket. The coordinating four-inch heels had come-and-get-me written all over them.

  She leaned back inside, showing a pretty good view of her backside, then pulled out a purse the size of a Toyota. Much as he might like to avoid her forever, Alex knew he couldn’t, so he moseyed over to meet her.

  Miss Suellen Hart smiled as if being welcomed to a garden party. “So nice to see you again, Mr. McKnight.”

  He’d met her when she’d come to town for meetings on the project and accepted the fact that she was a looker, but it wasn’t nice to see her again. She’d asked him to call her Ellie and at the time he’d thought it was cute. But not anymore. This woman pushed his buttons, none of the good ones.

  “I thought you were going to call me Alex.”

  “I forgot.” There was apology in her Texas bluebonnet-colored eyes. “Not surprisin’ what with being late and all. I am so sorry, Alex. I’m normally punctual to a fault, although you have no reason to believe that. My plan was to fly in yesterday and get settled, but Mother Nature had other ideas. Y’all know how ladies have an inclination toward changin’ their minds?”

  “I do,” he said dryly.

  “Well, in Texas they say if y’all don’t like the weather, just wait a minute. My flight from Dallas was canceled because of thunderstorms, and I was stuck at the airport. Cell service was sporadic to nonexistent, and I couldn’t get a call through. I got here as quick as I could from that cute little Montana airport just a hop, skip and jump down the highway.”

  That cute little airport was close to a hundred miles from Blackwater Lake on a winding two-lane road. With mountains all around cell service was notorious for cutting in and out. “Stuff happens.”

  “Y’all must think I’m a flake.”

  Not the first word that came to his mind. Especially when she spoke in a breathless Southern drawl that was a little gravel, a little honey and all woman. “That wouldn’t be fair.”

  “I promise that no one works harder than me. Y’all won’t be disappointed.” She took a breath. “I do apologize. Am I talkin’ too much?”

  “No.” Damned if he couldn’t listen to the Southern comfort in her voice all day.

  “I must have had a bucket of coffee. Don’t you worry. It’ll wear off.”

  Studying her more closely, he could see that her skirt was wrinkled as if she’d slept in it, and fatigue had carved dark circles under those big, beautiful eyes. It was a look that made him want to take care of her, and that was a habit he thought he’d learned to break.

  “You’re here now.” He almost added better late than never. He didn’t, because she was pretty enough to be tempting, which made never a better alternative. “I’ll show you the office.”

  “Okay. I’m anxious to get started.” She smiled brightly. “I swear Mayor Goodson and the town council won’t regret they picked me for the job.”

  “Your bid was the cheapest,” he said. “No offense.”

  “None taken. I needed the work. It has to be said that I didn’t expect y’all to be one of those contractors who believes the architect relationship is terminated on completion of the construction documents.”

  “What you’re really saying is you’re glad I don’t think your presence on the job is both a nuisance and an unnecessary expense.”

  “Those words would never cross my lips.”

  And very fine lips they were, he thought, then ordered himself to focus. On work. “I believe an architect has a critical role to play during construction, and this addition to Mercy Medical Clinic isn’t like an ordinary house.”

  She nodded. “If it were simply exam rooms there’d be very little challenge, but the outpatient surgery center needs more in the way of electrical and plumbing.”

  “One of the reasons the town council accepted your bid was the fact that you agreed to absorb the expense of being on site during the construction process.”

  “To keep a project on track and within budget inspections are advisable a minimum of three times a week. As remote as Blackwater Lake is, sticking around seemed like a good idea.”

  “You must have really wanted the job.” He studied her closely and saw her smile slip for just a moment.

  “It’s an investment in the future. Everyone’s got to start their own business somewhere.”

  “Yeah.”

  Except Alex was pretty sure this wasn’t her start. He’d read her resume, and there was a yearlong gap between college and when she’d gone to work for Hart Industries, her family’s company in Dallas. He wondered what had happened during that year. Nothing good if it was left blank. But she could have fudged the dates and she hadn’t. One point to her.

  And none of that was his problem, since he hadn’t made the decision to hire her. He just had to do his best with that decision. “Come inside.”

  “I just have to get some things from the car if y’all want to go on ahead.”

  “Can I take something?” he asked.

  “No, I’m used to this.” She opened the trunk, and he saw a couple suitcases inside. She grabbed a briefcase and several tubes that probably contained blueprints.

  “Is that everything?” When she nodded, he closed it up and said, “Follow me.”

  Alex was normally a “ladies first” kind of guy, but if he walked in front, he wouldn’t have to look at the way that tight little skirt wrapped her world-class butt in silk. And just like that he got an image of tangled legs and twisted sheets with all that long shiny brown hair of hers spread out on a white pillow.

  Whoa. Alex couldn’t believe he’d just thought about sex with this woman. Then again, he reasoned, it had been a long time. This reaction wasn’t personal, just a man’s normal response to a pretty lady.

  He opened the trailer door and let her precede him inside. “After you.”

  “If y’all don’t mind I’ll just get to work and make up for lost time.” She looked around. “Is it all right if I use that desk?”

  “Help yourself,” he answered.

  She walked across the room and put down her expensive leather briefcase and gigantic pur
se, and let the unwieldy tubes fall haphazardly on the flat surface. She pulled out her laptop and opened it, all business now. But, damn it, she’d just driven in from the airport after a crappy trip, and the silence after her Southern fried soliloquy felt all wrong.

  “Would you like a cup of coffee?” He pointed to the corner, where a pot was set up on a small table.

  “Oh, Lord, no thank you. I think my head would explode.”

  “I guess you’re staying at Blackwater Lake Lodge?”

  “Actually no. They couldn’t confirm a reservation for the length of my stay.”

  “I’m surprised.” He walked over and rested a hip on the corner of the desk, then leveled a friendly smile at her. He’d been told it could bring a woman to her knees, but that wasn’t his intention. He needed this job to come in early and on budget—in other words, go smoothly. The best way to make that happen was for the two of them to get along.

  “I was told that spring and summer bookings are really up this year.”

  “That might have something to do with the recent publicity generated by the hotel’s new executive manager. Camille Halliday,” he added.

  Ellie’s brows pulled together thoughtfully. “Why does that name sound familiar?”

  “She’s part of the Halliday Hospitality family and apparently something of a wild child in her youth.”

  She nodded thoughtfully. “Right around the time I was here before there was a lot of talk about the press hounding her and a picture in the paper of her kissing your brother.”

  “That’s right.”

  She nodded. “I met with Dr. McKnight, and he couldn’t have been sweeter to me. Dr. Stone, too. We had several conversations about their expectations and suggestions for the clinic expansion before I drew up the plans.”

  “By the way, he’s engaged now.”

  “Who?”

  “My brother, Ben. To Camille Halliday.”

  “That’s really nice.” She smiled, then turned her attention to the laptop. “Now, I brought my own copy of the building plans, but I see y’all have the blueprints tacked on the wall—”

  “Do you have a place to stay?” The question was nothing more than curiosity, he told himself.