Cathie Linz - The Marine Meets His Match

“Does the ring fit?”

Rad slid it over her finger and the feel of his hand holding hers, the way he bent his head to watch what he was doing, all seemed like images from a real engagement, from a man presenting the woman he loved with a token of his intentions to spend the rest of his life with her.

Serena swallowed the sudden lump in her throat.

The ring fit.

Perfectly.

Her eyes met his. The intensity she saw there caught her by surprise.

Then he smiled and said, “Mission accomplished.”

If his mission had been to invade her heart, it looked like he was succeeding.

Dear Reader,

From a Texas sweetheart to a Chicago advice columnist, our heroines will sweep you along on their journeys to happily ever after. Don’t miss the tender excitement of Silhouette Romance’s modern-day fairy tales!

In Carolina’s Gone A’Courting (SR #1734), Carolina Brubaker is on a crash course with destiny—and the man of her dreams—if she can survive their summer of forced togetherness! Will she lasso the heart of her ambitious rancher? Find out in the next story in Carolyn Zane’s THE BRUBAKER BRIDES miniseries.

To this once-burned plain Jane a worldly, sophisticated, handsome lawyer is not the kind of man she wants…but her heart has other plans. Be there for the transformation of this no-nonsense woman into the beauty she was meant to be, in My Fair Maggy (SR #1735) by Sharon De Vita.

Catch the next installment of Cathie Linz’s miniseries MEN OF HONOR, The Marine Meets His Match (SR #1736). His favorite independent lady has agreed to play fiancée for this military man who can’t resist telling her what to do. If only he could order her to really fall in love….

Karen Rose Smith brings us another emotional tale of love and family with Once Upon a Baby… (SR #1737). This love-leery sheriff knows he should stay far away from his pretty and pregnant neighbor—he’s not the husband and father type. But delivering her baby changes everything….

I hope you enjoy every page of this month’s heartwarming lineup!

Mavis C. Allen

Associate Senior Editor

www.millsandboon.co.uk

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For all the booksellers who have supported me over the years, including Judi Brownfield and Ellen Fryer from Books at Sunset (whose bookstore inspired my heroine’s store), Maureen Greene from Borders Books, Kathy Baker from Waldenbooks, Cindi Streicher from Waldenbooks, Betty Schulte and the gang from Paperback Outlet, and Sharon Murphy from everywhere —to name just a few. Your enthusiastic handselling has made all the difference in the world, and I appreciate your hard work more than I can say!

Special thanks to United States Marine Corps family Susan and Harry Frank for

answering my many dumb questions. Any artistic license that I may have used

is my idea and my fault, not theirs. Semper Fi!

Silhouette Romance

One of a Kind Marriage #1032

*Daddy in Dress Blues #1470

*Stranded with the Sergeant #1534

*The Marine & the Princess #1561

A Prince at Last!#1594

*Married to a Marine #1616

*Sleeping Beauty & the Marine #1637

*Her Millionaire Marine #1720

*Cinderella’s Sweet-Talking Marine #1727

*The Marine Meets His Match #1736

Silhouette Books

Montana Mavericks

“Baby Wanted”

Silhouette Desire

Change of Heart #408

A Friend in Need #443

As Good as Gold #484

Adam’s Way #519

Smiles #575

Handyman #616

Smooth Sailing #665

Flirting with Trouble #722

Male Ordered Bride #761

Escapades #804

Midnight Ice #846

Bridal Blues #894

A Wife in Time #958

†Michael’s Baby #1023

†Seducing Hunter #1029

†Abbie and the Cowboy #1036

Husband Needed #1098

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 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

“Discipline is a critical part of being a Marine and of succeeding in life. Without discipline there’s chaos. Marines do not like chaos.” U.S. Marine Captain Rad Kozlowski narrowed his eyes, his stare drilling into those few who dared look him in the face. “Chaos indicates a lack of discipline. A lack of willpower. These are not things that will be tolerated in the United States Marine Corps. I want to make that perfectly clear.”

Rad paused for emphasis. “But for those few who can make the grade, the reward is great. Not the financial reward. I’m not talking about money here.” He had an expressive voice and he made good use of it. His inflection was powerful, his delivery one step below barking orders. “I’m talking about being part of a brotherhood with values like honor, courage, commitment. The United States Marine Corps is not for everyone. Because only a few have what it takes to be part of this elite fighting force. Understood?”

The fifth-grade class at Kennedy Middle School nodded solemnly.

“Uh, thank you, Captain Kozlowski.” Mrs. Simpson, the teacher who’d organized the event, sounded a tad nervous. “We appreciate you coming in today for our Career Day and speaking to the class.”

“No problem, ma’am. I was glad to do it.”

Not true. Rad hadn’t joined the Marine Corps to speak to a bunch of rug rats. But when duty called, he always answered. Even when he thought it was dumb and a waste of his time.

“Does anyone have any questions for Captain Kozlowksi? No? Well, then, Captain, thanks again.”

Rad recognized his cue to leave and headed for the nearest exit. He left the gymnasium by a side door. Once out in the Carolina sunshine of a late September day, he paused a moment to take a deep breath.

He smelled her perfume a second before he saw her. The long-legged blonde wearing a red dress. She’d stood at the back during his presentation.

“Congratulations, Captain.” Her mocking comment was not intended to be a compliment. “You managed to scare a bunch of ten-year-olds. Does that make you happy?”

“Deep-dish pizza and cold beer make me happy, ma’am.” Sexy blondes like her also made him happy. Rad completed a quick visual check of her assets—long golden hair gathered up into a ponytail, lush lips, high cheekbones that gave her a ritzy look, big green eyes.