Jessica Gilmore: The Heiress's Secret Baby

Resolutely Polly held the glass up over the man’s face and tipped it. A perfect stream of cold water fell like rain onto the peacefully slumbering face below .

Polly didn’t quite know what to expect: anger, shock, contrition, or even no reaction at all. He was so very deeply asleep after all. But what she didn’t expect was for one eye to open lazily, for a smile to play around the disturbingly well-cut mouth, or for a hand to shoot out and grab her wrist.

Caught by surprise, she stumbled forward, falling against the chaise as that hand sneaked around her waist, pulling her down, pulling her close.

“Bonjour, chérie.”

His voice was low, gravelly with sleep, and deeply, unmistakably French.

“If you wanted me to wake up you only had to ask.”

“What do you think you’re doing?”

“Saying au revoir, of course.”

He had shifted position and was leaning against the back of the chaise, his eyes skimming every inch of her until she wanted to wrap her arms around her torso, shielding herself from his insolent gaze.

“Au revoir?”

“Of course.” He raised an eyebrow. “As you are dressed to leave I thought you were saying goodbye. But if it was more of a good morning …” the smile widened “… even better.”

“I am not saying au revoir, or good morning, or anything but What on earth are you doing in my office and where are your clothes?”

The Heiress’s

Secret Baby

Jessica Gilmore

www.millsandboon.co.uk

An ex au-pair, bookseller, marketing manager and sea-front trader, JESSICA GILMOREnow works for an environmental charity in York. Married with one daughter, one fluffy dog and two dog-loathing cats, she spends her time avoiding housework and can usually be found with her nose in a book. Jessica writes emotional romance with a hint of humour, a splash of sunshine and a great deal of delicious food—and equally delicious heroes.

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For Jo M

It seems pretty fitting that a book with a Parisian setting is dedicated to you just as we plan our girls’ trip to Paris! I’m not sure how you have managed to be so positive and supportive and brilliant during the past five years; I am completely in awe of your strength. Thank you so much for being such a fantastic friend to me and an inspiration (and ever-patient hairstylist) to Abs.

Here’s to Paris and most of all to medical advances and to a happy, healthy future xxx

Contents

Cover

Introduction Resolutely Polly held the glass up over the man’s face and tipped it. A perfect stream of cold water fell like rain onto the peacefully slumbering face below . Polly didn’t quite know what to expect: anger, shock, contrition, or even no reaction at all. He was so very deeply asleep after all. But what she didn’t expect was for one eye to open lazily, for a smile to play around the disturbingly well-cut mouth, or for a hand to shoot out and grab her wrist. Caught by surprise, she stumbled forward, falling against the chaise as that hand sneaked around her waist, pulling her down, pulling her close. “Bonjour, chérie.” His voice was low, gravelly with sleep, and deeply, unmistakably French. “If you wanted me to wake up you only had to ask.” “What do you think you’re doing?” “Saying au revoir, of course.” He had shifted position and was leaning against the back of the chaise, his eyes skimming every inch of her until she wanted to wrap her arms around her torso, shielding herself from his insolent gaze. “Au revoir?” “Of course.” He raised an eyebrow. “As you are dressed to leave I thought you were saying goodbye. But if it was more of a good morning …” the smile widened “… even better.” “I am not saying au revoir, or good morning, or anything but What on earth are you doing in my office and where are your clothes?”

Title Page The Heiress’s Secret Baby Jessica Gilmore www.millsandboon.co.uk

About the Author An ex au-pair, bookseller, marketing manager and sea-front trader, JESSICA GILMORE now works for an environmental charity in York. Married with one daughter, one fluffy dog and two dog-loathing cats, she spends her time avoiding housework and can usually be found with her nose in a book. Jessica writes emotional romance with a hint of humour, a splash of sunshine and a great deal of delicious food—and equally delicious heroes.

Dedication For Jo M It seems pretty fitting that a book with a Parisian setting is dedicated to you just as we plan our girls’ trip to Paris! I’m not sure how you have managed to be so positive and supportive and brilliant during the past five years; I am completely in awe of your strength. Thank you so much for being such a fantastic friend to me and an inspiration (and ever-patient hairstylist) to Abs. Here’s to Paris and most of all to medical advances and to a happy, healthy future xxx

CHAPTER ONE

CHAPTER TWO

CHAPTER THREE

CHAPTER FOUR

CHAPTER FIVE

CHAPTER SIX

CHAPTER SEVEN

CHAPTER EIGHT

CHAPTER NINE

CHAPTER TEN

CHAPTER ELEVEN

EPILOGUE

Extract

Copyright

CHAPTER ONE

My Secret Bucket List

Swim in the sea, naked

NB: in azure warm seas, not in the North Sea

Sleep out under the stars

Have sex on the beach

NB: the real deal, not the cocktail

Drink an authentic margarita

Fall in love in Paris

POLLY READ THE list through for the last time, feeling the carefree joie de vivre fall away and the old, familiar cloaks of respectability and responsibility settling back onto her shoulders. They were a little heavy, but maybe that was to be expected after three months away.

Three months, five wishes. And she’d achieved four out of the five, which wasn’t bad going. The heaviness lifted for a second as the highlights of the last three months flashed through her mind and then it descended again.

What had she been thinking? She might as well have written the list in a silver pen and decorated it with pink love hearts and butterflies, pinning it on her wall next to a lipstick-kiss-covered poster of a pre-pubescent boy band.

Polly pulled the page out of her diary and, without allowing herself a second’s pause to reconsider, tore it into pieces. It was time to reposition her three-month sabbatical into something more appropriate for the new CEO of a company with a multimillion-pound turnover.

She chewed on the end of her pen for a moment and then started a new list.

My Bucket List

Travel to the Galapagos Islands

See the Northern Lights

Walk the Inca Trail

Write a book

See tigers in the wild

There, two achieved, three to aspire to and all perfectly respectable. Not a grain of sand in any place it definitely shouldn’t be...

The large luxurious town car drew to a smooth halt and jolted her back into the present day, away from dangerous memories. ‘We’re here, Miss Rafferty. Are you sure you don’t want me to take you home first?’