Donna Kauffman - Carried Away

She was awakened from her erotic dream to find herself being dragged from the bed and slung upside down fireman-style over Trevor’s shoulder. She blinked furiously, trying to clear the cobwebs.

“What are you doing?” This demand was delivered to the very hard, very broad back of…Wait a minute. Her dream man wasn’t real, was he? No, she reasoned, she must still be asleep after all. But with the well-muscled arm strapped across the backs of her thighs, she realized her predicament was definitely real.

The breath she’d planned to use to inform him of his mistake was oomphed out of her as he stepped off the porch and headed toward his car. She was outside—in her underwear. “Oh, my God! I don’t have any clothes on!”

“I’ve got them. You can dress at the church. Save the excuses—” Trevor cut her off “—whatever they are.”

Christy was dumped in the front seat of the car and was just winding up to deliver a blistering speech to this Neanderthal. But as she turned to confront him, the words died in her throat. He was the most gorgeous Neanderthal she’d ever laid eyes on….

Dear Reader,

I’ve enjoyed mistaken identity stories ever since Hayley Mills appeared as twins in the Disney movie The Parent Trap. Of course, now I’ve grown up a little, and my fantasies have grown up along with me. When my editor called and asked me to take part in THE WRONG BED series, I thought here was the perfect time to fulfill that particular fantasy!

I had the best time torturing my characters Trevor and Christy during their initial meeting (though I don’t let the mistaken part go on for very long). But by then they are irrevocably involved with each other. I hope you enjoy watching what starts out as a mistake turn into love.

Happy reading!

Donna Kauffman

HARLEQUIN TEMPTATION

828—WALK ON THE WILD SIDE

846—HEAT OF THE NIGHT

HARLEQUIN BLAZE

18—HER SECRET THRILL

Carried Away

Donna Kauffman

www.millsandboon.co.uk

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This book is dedicated to the guys at Crucible.

Thanks for making this world a little bit safer for those in need.

Prologue

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

“SHE’S NOT COMING. I knew it!”

Trevor McQuillen shifted uncomfortably. There was nothing more terrifying than being alone with an unhappy bride on her wedding day. Except perhaps a crying unhappy bride. When tears pooled in Kate’s eyes, Trevor knew he had to take action. “Listen, maybe she just got caught up—”

“No, she’s not here because someone told her Eric was going to be at the reception. She told me not to invite him and I swore I wouldn’t, but I—I just had to do something!” Her bottom lip began to quaver. “I just wanted her to be happy. Like I am with Mike. Viv and Eric belong together and I thought once she was here, with all the sentimentality of the wedding—” She broke off on a gulp of air and a noisy sniff.

Okay, Trevor schooled himself, don’t panic. Five minutes, that’s all Mike had asked. Keep her company for five minutes until her dad arrived. Trevor had commanded sensitive covert operations in four different countries over the past five years. Surely he could handle one crying woman. Mike would never forgive him if he handed over a blubbering bride.

So he did what Lieutenant Commander Trevor McQuillen did best. He assessed the situation and took command of the operation. Kate wanted Vivian to be in her wedding party. If Trevor could fly halfway around the world to stand up for his best buddy, this Vivian could certainly get over herself and whatever problems she’d had with Eric to do the same for her best friend. “Do you know where she is?”

Kate was rubbing her nose with a wad of tissues, and his barked order made her jump. “Wha—? Where Viv is?”

Trevor clamped his jaw tight and willed the tic under his right eye to stop jumping. For once he was happy he was an only child. In a gentler tone, he said, “Yes, ma’am. If you’ll direct me to where she is, I’ll go and get her. Bring her here.”

Kate was already shaking her head, but the way her watery blue eyes lit up with hope, Trevor knew he was going to do this, even if he had to personally put this Viv into her bridesmaid’s dress and truss her into the back seat of his rental sedan.

“She’s—she’s probably at home. I got Tricia to call her, but she didn’t pick up.”

Trevor had no idea who Tricia was—probably one of the dozen or so bridesmaids presently dressing and chattering in the room above the alcove they were standing in. “But you think she’s there?”

She hiccuped and nodded. “I don’t know where else she’d go.” Fresh tears threatened as she gulped in a deep breath. “What was I thinking to play matchmaker on my wedding day?”

Trevor wondered the same thing, but time was of the essence here.

“I just thought it would be so romantic, you know?” She tried to smile as her breath hitched. “I know they still love each other. What better place to realize that than at a wedding?”

“But you believe she’s at home now?” Trevor silently begged her to focus on the solution, not the problem. He’d been risking his life for too long making solutions happen despite people’s refusal to focus. Apparently turning civilian wasn’t going to end that job description. At least not yet. “How far away is it?”

“Five, maybe ten minutes tops.”

He handed her his handkerchief when her tissue finally gave out, trying not to wince when she used it noisily. He shook his head when she offered it back to him and searched the alcove for something to write with. He took the wedding program from the pocket of his dress uniform and scooped up the little half pencil from a box filled with tithe envelopes. “Directions?”

Kate looked uncertain. “What if she—? I mean, I…don’t want to—”

“This is your wedding day and you want her to be here to witness your vows to Mike, right?”

She nodded, dabbing at her pink nose.

“She will probably be upset with herself later if she misses it, so you’re really doing her a favor. If it will make you feel better, I’ll make sure she knows she can leave right after the ceremony and avoid…whatshisname.”

“Eric. He’s her husband. Or was,” she corrected immediately when he frowned. “They got divorced eighteen months ago, but they’re both miserable,” she rushed to add.

Trevor really didn’t want to know about all that. Right now his mission was to make sure his buddy’s wife-to-be was happy and ready to get married. He didn’t want to think about the fact that he was meddling in anyone else’s life, much less their love life. He’d personally guarantee Viv a ride home after the ceremony. Everyone would be happy.

He pushed the pencil and paper at Kate. She smiled through a fresh rush of tears. “Mike was right. You really are hero material. Thanks for saving my day.” Her lip was trembling again. “Thank you so much for doing this.”