Jules Bennett - Best Man Under The Mistletoe

Christmas wedding bells are ringing!

Everyone in Royal, Texas, now knows former special agent Gabe Walsh’s connection to the blackmailer terrorizing the town. And Gabe’s suddenly guilty by association. Worst thing is, Chelsea Hunt blames him for the compromising photos of her that everyone’s talking about. But since he and Chelsea are planning the Christmas wedding of their best friends, Gabe has many opportunities to show the sexy cowgirl just what a good guy he really is. And apparently he’s pretty convincing, because she soon winds up in his bed! But is this just a holiday fling or the real thing?

“You came here to tell me that we’re going to bed?” Chelsea asked.

“I came here to tell you that I’m backing off,” Gabe said. “I’m respecting the fact that you’re torn up about everything that’s happened and that’s why you’re avoiding me. I don’t want to make things more difficult, especially with our best friends getting married.”

Chelsea opened her mouth, then closed it.

“Speechless?” he asked with a slight grin. “That wasn’t the reaction I expected.”

“What did you expect?”

“Well, you didn’t slam the door in my face, so I’m already a step above where I thought I’d be.”

She bit the inside of her cheek to keep from smiling, but failed.

“And a sexy grin? Hell, I better leave while I’m ahead.”

Chelsea took a step back. As much as her body wanted to invite him in, she also had to be smart.

No one had ever tempted her the way Gabe Walsh had.

* * *

Best Man Under the Mistletoe

is part of the series Texas Cattleman’s Club:

Blackmail— No secret—

or heart—is safe in Royal, Texas…

Best Man Under the Mistletoe

Jules Bennett

www.millsandboon.co.uk

National bestselling author JULES BENNETT has penned over forty contemporary romance novels. She lives in the Midwest with her high-school-sweetheart husband and their two kids. Jules can often be found on Twitter chatting with readers, and you can also connect with her via her website, www.julesbennett.com.

To the Harlequin Desire team:

Stacy, Charles & Tahra.

They say it takes a village to raise a child…

The same is true for books.

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text Christmas wedding bells are ringing! Everyone in Royal, Texas, now knows former special agent Gabe Walsh’s connection to the blackmailer terrorizing the town. And Gabe’s suddenly guilty by association. Worst thing is, Chelsea Hunt blames him for the compromising photos of her that everyone’s talking about. But since he and Chelsea are planning the Christmas wedding of their best friends, Gabe has many opportunities to show the sexy cowgirl just what a good guy he really is. And apparently he’s pretty convincing, because she soon winds up in his bed! But is this just a holiday fling or the real thing?

Introduction “You came here to tell me that we’re going to bed?” Chelsea asked. “I came here to tell you that I’m backing off,” Gabe said. “I’m respecting the fact that you’re torn up about everything that’s happened and that’s why you’re avoiding me. I don’t want to make things more difficult, especially with our best friends getting married.” Chelsea opened her mouth, then closed it. “Speechless?” he asked with a slight grin. “That wasn’t the reaction I expected.” “What did you expect?” “Well, you didn’t slam the door in my face, so I’m already a step above where I thought I’d be.” She bit the inside of her cheek to keep from smiling, but failed. “And a sexy grin? Hell, I better leave while I’m ahead.” Chelsea took a step back. As much as her body wanted to invite him in, she also had to be smart. No one had ever tempted her the way Gabe Walsh had. * * * Best Man Under the Mistletoe is part of the series Texas Cattleman’s Club: Blackmail— No secret— or heart—is safe in Royal, Texas…

Title Page Best Man Under the Mistletoe Jules Bennett www.millsandboon.co.uk

About the Author National bestselling author JULES BENNETT has penned over forty contemporary romance novels. She lives in the Midwest with her high-school-sweetheart husband and their two kids. Jules can often be found on Twitter chatting with readers, and you can also connect with her via her website, www.julesbennett.com .

Dedication To the Harlequin Desire team: Stacy, Charles & Tahra. They say it takes a village to raise a child… The same is true for books.

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Eight

Nine

Ten

Eleven

Twelve

Thirteen

Fourteen

Fifteen

Sixteen

Seventeen

Eighteen

Epilogue

Extract

Copyright

One

“This investigation has really been a community effort. Thanks to the diligence of so many in Royal, the final piece of the puzzle has been put into place. Maverick has been identified as Royal’s own Dale, a.k.a. Dusty, Walsh.”

Gabe Walsh muted the TV and tossed the remote onto the leather sofa. He didn’t want to hear any more about his late uncle’s betrayal. The old bastard had passed away last week from a brain tumor and now the mess he’d caused to so many in the town of Royal, Texas, would have a ripple effect on Gabe’s security firm. He would undoubtedly have a hell of a mess to clean up.

He still couldn’t believe it. His uncle Dusty was Maverick, the cyber criminal who had terrorized members of the Texas Cattleman’s Club for months now, revealing their secrets online and often resorting to blackmail.

Perhaps worst of all, he’d leaked nude photos of Chelsea Hunt, taken without her knowledge in the locker room at her gym.

According to Gabe’s law-enforcement sources, all evidence pointed to Dusty working alone, except when it came to the locker room photos. There was now another person of interest in that particular crime. A woman, the police claimed. They were still studying months of surveillance-camera footage from the public areas of the gym to figure out who could have planted the camera.

Who the hell had aided his uncle? And was that the only instance when Dusty had taken on an accomplice? The man had been dying. There was no way Dusty could’ve done so much on his own. The man had been too feeble, too weak.

Though not so weak that he couldn’t plot to destroy lives. Luckily, the citizens of Royal—Chelsea Hunt included—had risen above his attempts to take them down. Investigators had also seen through his elaborate attempt to pin the crimes on someone else.

Gabe raked a hand through his hair and glared at the screen as Sheriff Nate Battle continued his press conference. A picture of Gabe’s once robust, smiling uncle filled the top right corner of the TV screen while the sheriff spoke.

How and why Uncle Dusty had pulled off such a grand scheme of blackmail and betrayal were open questions, but one thing was undeniable. He’d managed to put a big dark cloud over the family security firm, the Walsh Group—Gabe’s new baby. As if taking over a company wasn’t difficult and risky enough, now he was forced to deal with the backlash of questions from clients, both old and new, because of his relationship with Dusty.

How the hell was he supposed to dodge all of this bad press? The business’s reputation was on the line. Sure, finances were the least of his concern. He’d busted his ass from the start of his career, saved every dollar, invested wisely and had worked his way up to be the best in the industry. He could close up shop and never work another day in his life, but he valued his reputation and family loyalty. Ironic now, wasn’t it?