Cindy Kirk - If the Ring Fits

Travis wasn’t so easily dissuaded. With gentle fingers he tipped her chin up then kissed her lightly on the mouth. “I was wrong to leave you behind in Vegas.”

“You didn’t have a choice.” Mary Karen’s fingers played with a button on his shirt. “You had a plane to catch. So did I.”

“If I’d have stayed we could have gotten the marriage annulled. I know how much you wanted to get that done while we were still there.”

Her hand dropped. “I’m glad now that we didn’t.”

Travis frowned. He must be more tired than he realized. Surely she hadn’t just said she wanted to stay married.

“Don’t get me wrong. I still don’t think marriage between us would work,” Mary Karen continued as if she’d read his mind. “Unless you’ve had an epiphany and changed your mind about children?”

Her tone was light but her blue eyes were dark and serious.

“I love your boys, M.K. You know that. But I’m not interested in spending the next twenty years raising children.”

“That’s what I thought.”

“About the annulment. I think—”

“No annulment.” Mary Karen shook her head, her gaze now on the full moon. “I’m pregnant.”

Dear Reader,

When I wrote the first book in the RX FOR LOVE miniseries, The Doctor’s Baby , I brought in Mary Karen and Travis as secondary characters. In the next two books, In Love with John Doe and The Christmas Proposition , they reappeared as part of this close-knit group of friends.

Though I’d initially planned to write only three books set in Jackson Hole, I found there were other characters clamoring for their own stories. At the top of the list were Mary Karen and Travis. I’d developed a soft spot in my heart for the young doctor with the quirky sense of humor and the mother of three very challenging little boys. I wanted to see them get together and have the happy ending they deserved.

I hope you enjoy their love story!

Warmest regards,

Cindy Kirk

CINDY KIRKhas loved to read for as long as she can remember. In first grade she received an award for reading one hundred books. Growing up, summers were her favorite time of year. Nothing beat going to the library, then coming home and curling up in front of the window air conditioner with a good book. Often the novels she read would spur ideas, and she’d make up her own story (always with a happy ending). When she’d go to bed at night, instead of counting sheep, she’d make up more stories in her head. Since selling her first story to Mills & Boon in 1999, Cindy has been forced to juggle her love of reading with her passion for creating stories of her own … but she doesn’t mind. Writing for Mills & Boon ®Cherish ™is a dream come true. She only hopes you have as much fun reading her books as she has writing them!

Cindy invites you to visit her website at www.cindykirk.com.

www.millsandboon.co.uk

To my mother-in-law, Marfae.

Thanks for all your love and support. You’re the best!

The sound of rushing water jolted Mary Karen Vaughn from a sound sleep. Still, she resisted the urge to open her eyes. She’d been having the most delicious dream, and she wasn’t ready for it to end. Instead of a quickie—like they’d shared at last year’s Christmas party—she and Travis had made love for hours.

She smiled, knowing that was just wishful thinking, er, dreaming. Every time she and the handsome doctor had sex it had been fast and furious—a physical release for both of them. He was a bachelor with a busy schedule, and she was a single mom with responsibilities. Both of them had an image in the community to uphold.

Though she knew it wasn’t possible, the past couple of times she’d found herself wishing he could hold her for a few more minutes, whisper how beautiful she was just a few more times.

A popular ob-gyn, Dr. Travis Fisher might be one of Jackson Hole’s most eligible bachelors but Mary Karen didn’t think of him in those terms. He was simply Travis, a dear friend since childhood and a fabulous lover. Back when she was in college, they’d dated a couple of times. She’d really wanted it to work out. But she had wanted a family some day and Travis, well, after helping raise seven younger siblings, he couldn’t see kids in his future.

Mary Karen let her eyes drift open. After her divorce they’d renewed their friendship and he’d become her occasional lover. It only made sense he’d play a starring role in last night’s mai-tai-fueled dream. Rolling to her side, she realized with a start that she was naked beneath the silk sheets. She smiled. A little rum was obviously a dangerous thing.

It was too bad Trav wasn’t here. He’d have enjoyed the view … and gotten all sorts of interesting ideas.

Mary Karen stretched, liking the feel of the sleek sheets against her skin. This vacation had been three days of pure bliss. Most people came to Las Vegas to gamble, but Mary Karen had been content to sit by the pool and read. A couple times guys had tried to pick her up but she wasn’t interested. This was her time away from kids and all she wanted was peace and quiet and no distractions.

As she lay, looking at the ceiling, it struck her that the running water had stopped. Earlier she’d sworn that the sound had been coming from her bathroom but had dismissed the ridiculous thought almost immediately. The truth was the walls in the luxurious room on the Las Vegas strip were just way too thin.

Mary Karen’s lips quirked upward. Being too thin was a problem she’d like to experience at least once in her life. Although she was still a size six, her belly had a slight pouch and she was more curvy than willowy. Still, for a twenty-six-year-old mother of three, Mary Karen thought she looked pretty darn good … especially now that she’d had some R & R.

After spending the past two days in her new red bikini by the pool, her normally pale skin now had a golden glow.

Winning this trip in a raffle had been just what her body and soul had needed. But today the fun ended. She had to head home in a couple of hours.

While she’d had a wonderful time, she’d missed her sons. And from the hitch in their little voices when she’d spoken with them yesterday afternoon, they missed her, too. But they’d cheered up when she promised she’d be home tonight. With an eleven-o’clock checkout, she needed to get packing.

Pushing back the sheet, she sat up and swung her legs to the side of the bed.

“You’re awake.”

Mary Karen whirled. She gasped and grabbed for the sheet, pulling it over her breasts.

“It’s a little late for modesty, M.K.” Travis strolled across the bedroom, clad only in the towel wrapped around his waist, his sandy hair still damp from the shower. “That horse left the barn a long time ago.”

Mary Karen could only stare.

At slightly over six feet, Travis was more wiry than muscular. He had a fair complexion with freckles scattered across the bridge of his nose. This morning his hazel eyes, which normally always had an impish gleam, were somber.

He crossed the room and the mattress dipped as he took a seat beside her. Tiny droplets of water still clung to his chest. He smelled like soap and shampoo and that indefinable male scent that sent sparks dancing through her blood.