Cathie Linz - Her Millionaire Marine

† Конец ознакомительного фрагмента. Текст предоставлен ООО «ЛитРес». Прочитайте эту книгу целиком, купив полную легальную версию на ЛитРес. Безопасно оплатить книгу можно банковской картой Visa, MasterCard, Maestro, со счета мобильного телефона, с платежного терминала, в салоне МТС или Связной, через PayPal, WebMoney, Яндекс.Деньги, QIWI Кошелек, бонусными картами или другим удобным Вам способом. Seducing Hunter #1029

† Конец ознакомительного фрагмента. Текст предоставлен ООО «ЛитРес». Прочитайте эту книгу целиком, купив полную легальную версию на ЛитРес. Безопасно оплатить книгу можно банковской картой Visa, MasterCard, Maestro, со счета мобильного телефона, с платежного терминала, в салоне МТС или Связной, через PayPal, WebMoney, Яндекс.Деньги, QIWI Кошелек, бонусными картами или другим удобным Вам способом. Abbie and the Cowboy #1036

Husband Needed #1098

CATHIE LINZ

left her career in a university law library to become a USA TODAY bestselling author of contemporary romances. She is the recipient of the highly coveted Storyteller of the Year Award given by Romantic Times and was recently nominated for a Love and Laughter Career Achievement Award for the delightful humor in her books.

Although Cathie loves to travel, she is always glad to get back home to her family, her various cats, her trusty computer and her hidden cache of Oreo cookies!

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Striker Kozlowski was a dead man. He knew it the instant he saw the top brass gathered in his C.O.’s office at the Marine Corps headquarters in Quantico, Virginia. His buddy Justice Wilder had warned him that one day he’d have to answer for his hotshot ways. Apparently today was that day.

None of Striker’s thoughts showed as he saluted and stood at attention.

“At ease,” Commander Jenks said. “As you know, this is a delicate situation, and while I can understand your reluctance to proceed, the bottom line is that there’s only one thing to be done here.”

“Agreed, sir,” Striker said. “I’ll apologize to the naval officer.”

“What naval officer?”

So this wasn’t about his fight with a naval officer in a bar last night? “Nothing, sir.”

“As I was saying, we’re all aware that you and your grandfather weren’t close. He made no bones about the fact that he didn’t approve of you being a Marine and he informed every senator and every general he met of that fact. I speak for us all when I say you have our condolences.”

“Thank you, sir.” Condolences because he and his grandfather hadn’t gotten along for years, or because the old man had never approved of Striker joining the Marine Corps instead of his oil company?

“His sudden death must still be dealt with,” Commander Jenks added.

Striker went cold. His grandfather was dead? Not possible. Not Hank King, the mega-millionaire Texas oilman who was tougher than the walls of the Alamo and more stubborn than a packload of mules. Gone. Striker had a hard time wrapping his mind around that concept.

Somehow he’d always thought there would be time to sort things out, to mend the fences that had been broken when Striker had followed in his father’s footsteps instead of falling into line by joining his maternal grandfather’s oil business.

Striker had been trained well by the Marines, so his expression remained impassive as his emotions shut down and he went on autopilot.

The office door opened. “Ms. Kate Bradley, sir,” the gunnery sergeant announced.

A female civilian rushed into the room on a cloud of expensive perfume. “I’m sorry I’m late, gentlemen,” she said.

Striker recognized her type immediately. She was a ritzy blonde with high cheekbones and an elegant way about her. Her silky hair was drawn away from her face into some kind of intricate knot. The business suit she wore only hinted at the lush body beneath it. He was no expert on women’s footwear, but he was willing to bet that the shoes she wore were Italian and probably cost more than he made in a month.

She radiated class. She also radiated sex appeal. And she was looking at him with disapproval even though he had yet to say a word. “I’ve been trying to get in touch with you since yesterday,” Kate said, her cultured voice running over him like silk, “but you didn’t return my calls.”

“I apologize, ma’am.” He said the words but he didn’t mean them. “You never said what your call was in regard to.”

“I assumed you’d already told Striker about his grandfather’s passing,” Commander Jenks said, clearly not pleased at this glitch in the game plan and holding Kate responsible for that fact.

She didn’t even squirm, holding her ground as only those born and bred to wealth can. “As I said, I wasn’t able to reach him.”

“Let’s cut to the bottom line here,” Commander Jenks said. “Striker, your grandfather left an unusual codicil in his will regarding you.”

“Sir, my grandfather disowned me years ago,” Striker said.

“No, he didn’t,” Kate said. “He may have talked about doing that, but it was all bluster.” Dropping onto a chair, she balanced her slim leather briefcase on her lap before opening it and removing a sheaf of papers. “I’ve come here today as his attorney and the executor of his will. His wish is that you come to Texas and run King Oil for a period of not less than two months.”

“That dog’s just not gonna hunt,” Striker said, deliberately using a Texas phrase. “I’m a Marine, ma’am, not an oilman. I haven’t had any contact with Hank King since I was nineteen and joined the Marines. That’s been twelve years now. And even before that, we never had much of a relationship given the fact that he never approved of his only child, my mother, marrying a penniless nobody Marine named Kozlowski.”

“I tried to reach your mother to give her the news, but there was no answer at the number I had for her.”

“My parents are taking an extended vacation in a rented RV out west,” Striker replied. “I’ll contact them on their cell phone right after this meeting.”

“I’m sorry for your loss,” Kate said softly. “If it makes it any easier for you, Hank died in his sleep. He wasn’t in any pain.”

“As I said, I barely knew the man.” Striker’s voice was remote.

“Be that as it may, the terms of the will are very clear. You are to return to Texas with me and run King Oil for two months.”

Even saying the words “return to Texas” made Kate’s stomach feel fluttery. She was trying to stay calm, but this meeting was much harder than she’d anticipated. When she’d walked into the office on the Marine base and realized that his commanding officer had broken the news to Striker, she’d felt both guilt and relief.