Lone Star Daddy

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Lone Star Daddy Page 19

by Stella Bagwell


  Jonas chuckled. “Oh. What has the old codger done now?” he asked. Then, his expression serious, he added, “He is feeling all right, isn’t he? He seemed fine when he retired to his bedroom a few minutes ago.”

  “Don’t worry. He’s feeling great. It was something he said earlier today at the party that I’m wondering about. He implied that he had a surprise in store for Quint. But he didn’t say what. I’m thinking he’s up to something outrageous—probably something connected to the Golden Spur.” Twisting her head around, she looked up at her husband. “I wish he’d get that old mine out of his head once and for all.”

  His eyelids dropping to two sexy slits, Jonas pulled her up from the dressing bench and into his arms. The thin satin of her nightgown heated as his hands began to roam across her back and down to her hips. His touch never failed to thrill her, and she pressed her body closer.

  “Quint’s a big boy. He can take care of himself,” he whispered huskily. “Right now I want your mind on other things. Like you and me. And this.”

  As his head sank toward hers, a dreamy look turned her eyes smoky-blue. “Gramps wanted to know when we’re going to have another baby. I didn’t tell him that I was already expecting our child. I wanted to give you, my love, the gift of telling him and everyone the news.”

  “You and our babies. I couldn’t be more blessed,” he murmured.

  As his lips settled hungrily over hers, Alexa wrapped her arms around his neck and let his kiss carry her away to that special place, where her only thought was loving this man for the rest of her life.

  Stay tuned for Quint’s story!

  Mills & Boon® Special Moments™

  brings you a sneak preview…

  In The Sheikh and The Bought Bride Prince Kateb

  intended to teach gold-digger Victoria McCallen a

  lesson—he’d make her his mistress to pay off her

  father’s gambling debt! Until her true colours as a

  tender, caring woman raised the stakes—and

  turned the tables on the smitten sheikh.

  Turn the page for a peek at this fantastic new story

  from Susan Mallery, available next month in

  Mills & Boon® Special Moments™!

  Don’t forget you can still find all your favourite

  Superromance and Special Edition stories

  every month in Special Moments™!

  The Sheikh and the Bought Bride

  by

  Susan Mattery

  Victoria shivered slightly and wished she’d brought a blanket to wrap around herself as well as her robe. Her high-heeled, feather-covered slippers clicked loudly on the worn stone floor. She kept her gaze firmly on the guard in front of her. His back was much safer than anything else she might see. She was terrified that ancient whips and torture devices could lie behind closed doors. She braced herself for the sound of screams and hoped if she heard any, they wouldn’t be her own.

  Anxiety caused her throat to tighten and made it difficult to breathe. Her father had done something bad. She was sure of it. The only question was how bad and how would the consequences affect her…again.

  The guard led her to an open door, then motioned for her to go inside. She squared her shoulders, sucked in a breath she hoped wouldn’t be her last and stepped into the room.

  Surprisingly, the space wasn’t all that scary. It was larger than she would have expected with tapestries on the wall. A carved gaming table sat in the middle and there were a half dozen or so chairs that—

  Her gaze returned to the gaming table covered with playing cards, then scanned the area until she found her father standing in a corner, obviously trying to look casual.

  One look at Dean McCallan told her the truth. Her charming, handsome, gambler of a father had broken his promise to never play cards again.

  He was pale under his tan. His too-long blond hair no longer looked stylish. He’d gone from successful man of the world to frightened failure in the space of an evening.

  “What did you do?” she asked, not caring there were other people in the room. She had to know how bad things were going to get.

  “Nothing, Vi. You need to believe me.” He held up both hands, as if to show his innocence. “It was a friendly game of poker.”

  “You weren’t supposed to be playing cards. You said you were in recovery. That you hadn’t played in three years.”

  Dean flashed her his famous smile, the one that had always made her mother weak at the knees. It triggered the opposite reaction in Victoria. She knew to brace herself because bad times were coming.

  “The prince offered me a game. It would have been rude to say no.”

  Right. Because it couldn’t be Dean’s fault, she thought bitterly. There was no way her charming father would ever think to say, “Hey, Your Royal Highness, thanks for the invite but I’m not a good bet. Actually I’m too good a bet. Show me a deck of cards and I’ll happily lose myself in any game. I’ll also take the rent money, the food money and any savings my wife might have scraped together.”

  Victoria shook off the past. Her mother had died nearly ten years ago, mostly from the broken heart caused by loving Dean McCallan. She hadn’t seen her father since the funeral and now she was sorry she’d ever gotten in touch with him.

  “How much?” she asked knowing she would have to clean out her savings and very possibly her I.R.A. to make this right.

  Dean glanced at the guards, then gave her a friendly smile. “It’s not exactly about the money, Vi.”

  Her stomach knotted as cold fear swept through her. “Tell me you didn’t cheat,” she whispered, knowing if he had, it would have pushed him past saving.

  There were footsteps in the corridor. Victoria turned and saw Prince Kateb sweep into the room.

  She might be wearing four-inch heels, but he was still considerably taller. His eyes were dark, as was his hair, and there was a vicious scar along one cheek. The end of it just kissed the corner of his mouth, pulling it down and making him seem as if he were contemptuous of everything. Of course, that might not be the scar.

  He wore dark trousers and a white shirt. Practically casual clothes, but on him they appeared regal somehow. Without the scar, he would have been handsome. With it, he was a child’s nightmare come to life. Victoria had to consciously keep from shivering in his presence.

  “This is your father?” Kateb said, staring at Victoria.

  “Yes.”

  “You invited him to visit you?”

  She thought about saying she was sorry. That she hadn’t seen her father in years, and he’d sworn he’d changed. She’d been stupid enough to believe him.

  “Yes.”

  Kateb’s dark gaze seemed to see through to her soul. She pulled her robe more tightly around her body, wishing the fabric was something more substantial than silk. Why couldn’t she have a chenille robe like normal people? And sweats. She should be wearing sweats instead of a short nightie with cute matching panties. Not that Kateb would care about her fashion sense.

  “He cheated at cards,” Kateb said.

  Victoria wasn’t even surprised. She didn’t bother looking at her father. He would say or do anything to try to make the situation better. The truth would only be a happy accident.

  She raised her chin. “I apologize, sir,” she said. “I assume you’ll be deporting him immediately. Is it possible for me to reimburse you for the money he tried to take?”

  Kateb took a step closer. “Deportation isn’t enough punishment for his crime, Ms. McCallan. He has dishonored me and by doing so has dishonored the royal family of El Deharia.”

  “Wh-what does that mean?” Dean asked, his voice shaking. “Vi, you can’t let them hurt me.”

  Victoria ignored him. Her mind raced. Hiring a lawyer wasn’t a quick option. She would have to find one willing to take her father’s case. And as it was against the royal family, that could be a trick. There was always the American embassy, but they tended to frown on U.S. citizens b
reaking local laws. Especially when breaking those laws insulted princes of friendly countries.

  “When his dishonestly was discovered,” Kateb continued, staring into Victoria’s eyes as if to impress the seriousness of the situation upon her, “he didn’t have the money to cover his debts.”

  Why would he bother, she thought bitterly. Dean had never been a fan of being responsible.

  “As I said, sir, I’ll cover his debts.”

  Kateb seemed unimpressed. “He offered something else, instead.”

  Victoria didn’t understand. “What could my father possibly have that would be of interest to you? Whatever he’s been telling you, he’s not a rich man. Please. Let me pay the money he owes you. I have it in the Central Bank. I can get the account number right now and you can confirm I’m—”

  “He offered you.”

  © Susan Macias Redmond 2009

  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.

  ® and ™ are trademarks owned and used by the trademark owner and/or its licensee. Trademarks marked with ® are registered with the United Kingdom Patent Office and/or the Office for Harmonisation in the Internal Market and in other countries.

  First published in Great Britain 2010

  Harlequin Mills & Boon Limited,

  Eton House, 18-24 Paradise Road, Richmond, Surrey TW9 1SR

  © Stella Bagwell 2009

  ISBN: 978-1-408-92052-7

  Table of Contents

  Excerpt

  Other Book By

  Title Page

  About the Author

  Dedication

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Epilogue

  Preview

  Copyright

 

 

 


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