Judy Christenberry - The Texan's Reluctant Bride

Even as Pete spoke those words, he advanced on her, his eyes never leaving hers.

“I am,” Thomasina replied. “We don’t fit together, Pete. I’m a career woman. You’re an old-fashioned guy. It’d be a mistake for us to get too close.”

Close was exactly what they were now. He stood mere inches from her as he said, “It felt pretty good the other day when I held you.”

“Use your head, Pete. This’ll never work.”

He took her by the shoulders, closing the tiny gap between them. “It’s not my head I want to use. It’s my lips.” A millisecond later his mouth claimed hers and his arms wrapped around her.

Any protest she could muster disappeared like mist, and her heart raced. But how could that be? Pete Schofield was not The One.

Or was he?

Dear Reader,

Working with talented writers is one of the most rewarding aspects of my job. And I’m especially pleased with this month’s lineup because these four authors capture the essence of Silhouette Romance. In their skillful hands, you’ll literally feel as if you’re riding a roller coaster as you experience all the trials and tribulations of true love.

Start off your adventure with Judy Christenberry’s The Texan’s Reluctant Bride (#1778). Part of the author’s new LONE STAR BRIDES miniseries, a career woman discovers what she’s been missing when Mr. Wrong starts looking an awful lot like Mr. Right. Patricia Thayer continues her LOVE AT THE GOODTIME CAFÉ with Familiar Adversaries (#1779). In this reunion romance, the hero and heroine come from feuding families, but they’re about to find out there really is just a thin line separating hate from love! Stop by the BLOSSOM COUNTY FAIR this month for Teresa Carpenter’s Flirting with Fireworks (#1780). Just don’t get burned by the sparks that fly when a fortune-teller’s love transforms a single dad. Finally, Shirley Jump rounds out the month with The Marine’s Kiss (#1781). When a marine wounded in Afghanistan returns home, he winds up helping a schoolteacher restore order to her classroom…but finds her wreaking havoc to his heart!

And be sure to watch for more great romances next month when Judy Christenberry and Susan Meier continue their miniseries.

Happy reading,

Ann Leslie Tuttle

Associate Senior Editor

www.millsandboon.co.uk

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Books by Judy Christenberry

Silhouette Romance

The Nine-Month Bride #1324

* Marry Me, Kate #1344

* Baby in Her Arms #1350

* A Ring for Cinderella #1356

† Never Let You Go #1453

† The Borrowed Groom #1457

† Cherish the Boss #1463

** Snowbound Sweetheart #1476

Newborn Daddy #1511

When the Lights Went Out…#1547

** Least Likely To Wed #1570

Daddy on the Doorstep #1654

** Beauty & the Beastly Rancher #1678

** The Last Crawford Bachelor #1715

Finding a Family #1762

†† The Texan’s Reluctant Bride #1778

Silhouette Books

Hush

The Coltons

The Doctor Delivers

A Colton Family Christmas

“ The Diplomat’s Daughter”

Lone Star Country Club

The Last Bachelor

has been writing romances for over fifteen years because she loves happy endings as much as her readers do. She’s a bestselling author for Harlequin American Romance, but she has a long love of traditional romances and is delighted to tell a story that brings those elements to the reader. A former high school French teacher, Judy devotes her time to writing. She hopes readers have as much fun reading her stories as she does writing them. She spends her spare time reading, watching her favorite sports teams and keeping track of her two adult daughters.

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Epilogue

Thomasina Tyler pasted her most charming smile on her face, smoothed down the jacket of her best suit and opened the door to her boss’s office.

“Ah, Tommie, come in,” Isabel Landon said. “I’ve been telling Mr. Schofield all about you.”

Tommie turned to the gentleman who had risen to his feet as she entered the office, her hand extended. But when she got her first look at the president of the prestigious Boston software company that was moving to Fort Worth, she almost fell off her three-inch heels.

“How do you do, Mr. Schofield,” she managed to eke out, hiding her surprise. Peter Schofield was handsome and young and tall. Even wearing heels, she came up only to his mouth. To his perfectly formed lips. He wore a navy suit that was fitted to him like a second skin, no doubt hand-tailored to accentuate his broad shoulders and lean hips. The taupe shirt brought out the gold in his hazel eyes, and his dark hair was short and styled, probably at the best salon in New England. When he smiled at her and his eyes glittered, she almost forgot why she was there. Almost.

Isabel helped bring her to her senses. “Tommie is one of the best Realtors in Fort Worth. I’m sure she’ll be able to find you the ideal area for your relocation as well as the perfect houses for you and all your executives.”

Tommie’s smile widened even more as she considered the future working with this incredible male specimen. “Please come with me to my office and we’ll get started on your relocation at once,” she said, gesturing to the door.

“With pleasure…” He hesitated, then asked, “May I call you Tommie?”

“Of course.”

Isabel had warned her about the upcoming interview and Tommie had thoroughly prepared for it. Too bad her boss hadn’t warned her about the man himself, she thought. Nevertheless, in her office she had several areas of town picked out with the advantages of each listed for him to consider. Of course, since Mr. Schofield had grown up in Fort Worth, he might already be familiar with the demographics.

Tommie took another quick look over her shoulder at the transplanted Texan. Forget the beef, the beer, the country music, even the presidents—Peter Schofield was the best thing Texas had ever exported!

Smoothing out her red power suit, she reined in her errant thoughts and reached out to open her office door. Her client beat her to it, holding it open for her to precede him.

“Mrs. Landon assures me you’re quite experienced…but you look about eighteen years old,” he said on a short but pleasant-sounding laugh.

Tommie was surprised by her lack of indignation. “Let me put your mind to rest, Mr. Schofield. I’ve been doing this for five years and I’ve won numerous sales awards.” She gestured to the plaques adorning the walls of her office, which was smaller but no less neat and nicely appointed as Isabel’s. “And for the record, I’m twenty-six.” She sat down behind her desk and pulled out some papers. “The same is true on my part. I expected a grizzled older man who’d fought his battles for years to own his own company. You scarcely have a wrinkle.”