Susan Mallery: A Little Bit Pregnant

“You’re not picking me up,” Nicki called after him. “I’ll drive myself.”

He paused and stared at her. “I never let my date drive herself.”

“D-date?”

“Uh-huh.”

He flashed her the kind of smile designed to reduce her to a quivering mass. Damn the man—it worked.

“I’m going to show you all my best moves,” he said. “You’ll be impressed.”

Nicki watched him walk out of the room and had a really bad feeling that Zane was right. She was going to be impressed, and where exactly would that leave her?

Zane thought he could knock her socks off. Well, two could play at that game. Maybe if she surprised him, she could get the upper hand for once. Of course, what she would do with it once she had it was another question entirely!

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Dear Reader,

As you ski into the holiday season, be sure to pick up the latest batch of Silhouette Special Edition romances. Featured this month is Annette Broadrick’s latest miniseries, SECRET SISTERS, about family found after years of separation. The first book in this series is Man in the Mist (#1576), which Annette describes as “…definitely a challenge to write.” About her main characters, Annette says, “Greg, the wounded lion hero—you know the type—gave me and the heroine a very hard time. But we refused to be intimidated and, well, you’ll see what happened!”

You’ll adore this month’s READERS’ RING pick, A Little Bit Pregnant (SE#1573), which is an emotional best-friends-turned-lovers tale by reader favorite Susan Mallery. Her Montana Millionaire (SE#1574) by Crystal Green is part of the popular series MONTANA MAVERICKS: THE KINGSLEYS. Here, a beautiful socialite dazzles the socks off a dashing single dad, but gets her own lesson in love. Nikki Benjamin brings us the exciting conclusion of the baby-focused miniseries MANHATTAN MULTIPLES, with Prince of the City (SE#1575). Two willful individuals, who were lovers in the past, have become bitter enemies. Will they find their way back to each other?

Peggy Webb tantalizes our romantic taste buds with The Christmas Feast (SE#1577), in which a young woman returns home for Christmas, but doesn’t bargain on meeting a man who steals her heart. And don’t miss A Mother’s Reflection (SE#1578), Elissa Ambrose’s powerful tale of finding long-lost family…and true love.

These six stories will enrich your hearts and add some spice to your holiday season. Next month, stay tuned for more page-turning and provocative romances from Silhouette Special Edition.

Happy reading!

Gail Chasan

Senior Editor

A Little Bit Pregnant

Susan Mallery

www.millsandboon.co.uk

To my real-life Nicki

SUSAN MALLERY

is the bestselling and award-winning author of over fifty books for Harlequin and Silhouette Books. She makes her home in the Pacific Northwest with her handsome prince of a husband and her two adorable-but-not-bright cats.

Dear Reader,

Like most Silhouette authors, I’m not just a writer of romances, I’m also a fan. As a reader, I’ve enjoyed the Silhouette Special Edition READERS’ RING books very much and I’m delighted to have a book of mine as part of the collection.

A Little Bit Pregnant is one of those special books that appeared fully formed in my writer’s brain. One minute I was searching for a story for Zane, a character from Shelter in a Soldier’s Arms (SSE #1400), and the next I knew exactly what was going to happen.

Nicki and Zane have a unique relationship. Not just as best friends, but also as soul mates. However, the journey from friends to lovers can be hazardous at best. There is much on the line—if the romantic relationship goes badly, one can lose much more than just a significant other. But if the relationship goes well…is there any greater joy than marrying one’s best friend?

I hope you’ll enjoy Nicki and Zane’s story. Here’s to happy endings for us all.

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Epilogue

Discussion Questions

“Nicki, I’m desperate. You have to help me.”

Nicole Beauman heard the impassioned plea over her headset. The words gave her a measure of satisfaction, but weren’t impressive enough to make her do much more than blink.

“I’m filing my nails, Zane,” she said. “Filing my nails and yawning. That’s how impressed I am.”

Swearing filled her ears. Despite the seven-hundred-plus miles between her and Zane Rankin, the sound was crystal clear. Modern technology was really amazing.

“My butt is hanging in the wind,” Zane told her. “Dammit, Nicki, do something.”

He wasn’t exactly begging, but it was close enough. Sighing softly, she set down her nail file and glanced at the half dozen monitors on the console.

She’d tapped into the impressive security system of the Silicon Valley computer firm Zane was currently trying to break into. Nearly sixty camera positions showed everything from the six entrances to the lobby to the “sensitive” areas. All Nicki has to do was push a couple of buttons to get the view of her choice.

She watched Zane type frantically on a small, portable keyboard that should have unlocked the side door. He knew the sequence of codes to enter, but sometimes these things were tricky, and required a woman’s touch.

“Hit clear,” she told him.

He nodded, pushing a single key, then waited.

She used her keyboard to reenter the codes. When nothing happened, she used a backdoor entry into the security system and unlocked it from the inside. Zane glanced toward the camera monitoring his position and gave her a thumbs-up.

“You’re the best,” he murmured.

“You say that now,” she told him. “But yesterday you carefully explained to me how you didn’t need my help on this job. You said you were perfectly capable of doing it all on your own.”

“I am.”

“Uh-huh.”

She switched camera positions and saw the security guards heading down the main corridor.

“Then you don’t need me to tell you that you’re about to have a close encounter with your hosts, right?”

Through the grainy security camera she saw Zane freeze. He glanced up and down the long hallway, then ducked into a room. Five seconds later, the security guards turned the corner and walked past the closed door.

“You’re clear,” she said when they were out of sight. “And if you have this covered, I’m going to head home.”

There was a heavy sigh that originated in the northern California storeroom and made its way to her headset in Seattle.