Carla Cassidy - Just One Kiss

Marissa threw back her head and laughed.

“I don’t see what’s so damned funny,” Jack answered indignantly.

She stepped close to him and placed a hand on his arm. “Trust me, Jack. You have nothing to worry about. You are nothing like the man I intend to marry. At this point, I’m not even sure I like you very much.” Still laughing, she picked up her son and left the balcony.

Jack stared after her, wondering why it irritated him that a woman he hadn’t even known before two days ago was so certain she could never, ever fall for him….

Dear Reader,

Although the anniversary is over, Silhouette Romance is still celebrating our coming of age—we’ll soon be twenty-one! Be sure to join us each and every month for six emotional stories about the romantic journey from first time to forever.

And this month we’ve got a special Valentine’s treat for you! Three stories deal with the special holiday for true lovers. Karen Rose Smith gives us a man who asks an old friend to Be My Bride? Teresa Southwick’s latest title, Secret Ingredient: Love, brings back the delightful Marchetti family. And Carla Cassidy’s Just One Kiss shows how a confirmed bachelor is brought to his knees by a special woman.

Amusing, emotional and oh-so-captivating Carolyn Zane is at it again! Her latest BRUBAKER BRIDES story, Tex’s Exasperating Heiress, features a determined groom, a captivating heiress and the pig that brought them together. And popular author Arlene James tells of The Mesmerizing Mr. Carlyle, part of our AN OLDER MAN thematic miniseries. Readers will love the overwhelming attraction between this couple! Finally, The Runaway Princess marks Patricia Forsythe’s debut in the Romance line. But Patricia is no stranger to love stories, having written many as Patricia Knoll!

Next month, look for appealing stories by Raye Morgan, Susan Meier, Valerie Parv and other exciting authors. And be sure to return in March for a new installment of the popular ROYALLY WED tales!

Happy reading!

Mary-Theresa Hussey

Senior Editor

www.millsandboon.co.uk

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is an award-winning author who has written over thirty-five books for Silhouette. In 1995 she won Best Silhouette Romance from Romantic Times Magazine for Anything for Danny. In 1998 she also won a Career Achievement Award for Best Innovative Series from Romantic Times Magazine. Carla believes the only thing better than curling up with a good book to read is sitting down at the computer with a good story to write. She’s looking forward to writing many more books and bringing hours of pleasure to readers.

Prologue

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Epilogue

“Aren’t they cute?” Samantha Curell pointed to the three toddlers playing in the day-care sandbox.

Samantha’s assistant, Marie, nodded. “They always play well together. And the way they chatter, it’s as if their gibberish is their very own language and they’re solving the world’s problems.”

Actually the three toddlers were not solving the world’s problems. Instead, the two little girls were bragging to the little boy.

“My daddy took me to the movies last night,” eighteen-month-old Claire boasted in the toddler language only other toddlers understood.

“So what?” Twenty-month-old Julie looked bored. “My daddy bought me a new doll and it hugs me when I squeeze its tummy.”

Both girls looked at two-year-old Nathaniel. He frowned. Sometimes he didn’t like girls at all, especially girls who had daddies and liked to brag.

He shoved a toy truck along the floor, trying to pretend he didn’t care about the fact that he didn’t have a father.

“My daddy is so strong, sometimes he lifts me up to touch the ceiling,” Claire continued.

“Well, my daddy is a policeman and he arrests bad people, so he’s really strong,” Julie said, refusing to be outdone.

Unable to resist, Nathaniel abandoned the toy truck. “I’m gonna get me a daddy and he’ll be the best daddy in the whole wide world.”

Claire laughed, her blue eyes disbelieving. At that moment Nathaniel decided that when he got married, he’d marry a woman with brown eyes. “Where are you going to get a daddy?” she asked.

“On vacation. My mom is taking me on a trip tomorrow. A vacation trip. When I get back, I’m gonna have a dad.”

“How are you gonna do that?” Julie asked.

Nathaniel frowned. “I’m not sure, but I’ll think of something.”

“I’ll believe it when I see it,” Claire replied, her little nose in the air.

“You wait and see, I’m going to get me a great daddy,” Nathaniel vowed. He turned at the sound of his mother’s voice.

Marissa Criswell stood talking to Miss Samantha. They were talking grown-up talk and Nathaniel didn’t understand all the words. Just as the grown-ups didn’t understand when he talked to his friends.

“I gotta go,” Nathaniel said to the girls. He carefully climbed out of the sandbox. “I’ll see you when I get back and then you’ll see the daddy I bring home.”

Nathaniel ran to his mom, who opened her arms to welcome him. “Hi, sweetheart,” Marissa said as she picked him up and kissed his cheek. “Were you a good boy today?” Nathaniel snuggled against his mother, who always smelled so nice.

Marissa smiled at Miss Samantha. “Okay, then we’ll see you when we get back.”

“Have a wonderful time,” Miss Samantha replied. “Bye-bye, Nathaniel.” She wiggled her fingers and Nathaniel waved back.

As Marissa carried Nathaniel to their car parked in front of the Hickory Dickory Day Care, Nathaniel gave her neck an extra squeeze.

He knew she had no idea what he had planned. But a boy shouldn’t grow up without a dad. One way or another he was going to get one. And if he got himself a dad, that meant he’d be getting his mom a man—whether she liked it or not!

Excitement made him wiggle impatiently as his mom buckled him into his car seat. Oh, yes, he had a mission…and that mission was to get a daddy.

Sinful.

Decadent.

These words fluttered through Marissa Criswell’s mind as she stretched languidly against the sun-warmed towel. Mason Bridge Beach, Florida, in late June. Three glorious weeks of sun and sand. Three glorious weeks of no work and all play.

She cracked open one eye and raised her head to check on her son. He sat at her feet, shoveling sand across her toes. His blond hair glistened in the sunlight, and his little features were somber with concentration.