Michelle Celmer - Millionaire Mavericks - The Oilman’s Baby Bargain

The Oilman’s Baby Bargain

Michelle Celmer

The Maverick’s Virgin Mistress

Jennifer Lewis

Lone Star Seduction

Day Leclaire

www.millsandboon.co.uk

Cover

Title Page Millionaire Mavericks The Oilman’s Baby Bargain Michelle Celmer The Maverick’s Virgin Mistress Jennifer Lewis Lone Star Seduction Day Leclaire www.millsandboon.co.uk

The Oilman’s Baby Bargain

About the Author Bestselling author MICHELLE CELMER lives in southeastern Michigan with her husband, their three children, two dogs and two cats. When she’s not writing or busy being a mum, you can find her in the garden or curled up with a romance. And if you twist her arm really hard you can usually persuade her into a day of power shopping. Michelle loves to hear from readers. Visit her website at www.michellecelmer.com , or write to her at PO Box 300, Clawson, MI 48017, USA.

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

The Maverick’s Virgin Mistress

About the Author

Dedication

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Lone Star Seduction

Dedication

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Epilogue

Copyright

Bestselling author MICHELLE CELMERlives in southeastern Michigan with her husband, their three children, two dogs and two cats. When she’s not writing or busy being a mum, you can find her in the garden or curled up with a romance. And if you twist her arm really hard you can usually persuade her into a day of power shopping.

Michelle loves to hear from readers. Visit her website at www.michellecelmer.com, or write to her at PO Box 300, Clawson, MI 48017, USA.

June

Alexis Cavanaugh was in love with the wrong brother.

She gazed across the candlelit table at the man she had spent the better part of the past week in D.C. with, only half listening as he spoke fervently about Brody Oil and Gas, the company he co-owned with his brother Lance. The brother she was supposed to be marrying.

Not that she had expected to fall in love with Lance. The marriage was little more than a business deal cooked up by the Brody brothers and her father, Bruce Cavanaugh, senior senator from her home state of Texas. But hadn’t she always done what her father asked of her? Didn’t he, as he’d always claimed, know what was best? A marriage to Lance would provide her the financial security and station in society that she’d earned—although other than possess the Cavanaugh name, she wasn’t sure what she’d ever done to deserve it.

Not that she didn’t find Lance appealing. He was tall and dark and devastatingly attractive—not to mention built like a tank—with a charm that drew people to him. A gentle giant. But he wasn’t as refined a man as she was accustomed to. He seemed more comfortable among the roughnecks at the refinery than the shareholders. Mitch, on the other hand, had seemed perfectly at ease with the elite of D.C. They had attended half a dozen parties and fundraisers together—Mitch on his brother’s behalf, of course—and he could schmooze with the best of them. He was clearly the brains behind Brody Oil and Gas.

And the brother she clearly was falling for.

So many men treated her like a brainless, witless showpiece. Better seen and not heard. But Mitch listened to her. He heard her, and seemed genuinely interested in what she had to say.

She realized suddenly that he was meeting her gaze across the table, a grin on his ridiculously handsome face. A face that had become quite familiar over the past few days. She had memorized every line and curve, the slope of his nose, the sensual shape of his chocolate-brown eyes, the fullness of his lips and sharp set of his jaw. She knew every expression and nuance. And the smile he wore now was an amused one.

“What?” she asked.

“You haven’t heard a word I’ve said, have you?”

He was right. He’d been talking about his business, which obviously meant more to him than anything else, and she had completely zoned out. In her own defense, it was tough to watch those full lips move and not become entranced, not be lulled by the deep tenor of his voice. But that was no excuse to be rude. She was usually an exceptional listener.

“I’m sorry,” she apologized.

“I’m the one who should be apologizing. I’m obviously boring you to death. I forget that not everyone is as passionate as I am about the oil business.”

“I enjoy hearing you talk about it. I guess I’m just a little tired. It’s been a very busy week.”

“It has,” Mitch agreed, with a smile that was just this side of seductive. “My brother has no idea what he’s missing.”

Did he feel the same connection, the same longing for her that she had for him? Or was he simply being polite? Was he just naturally flirtatious, like his brother?

“It’s late. I should get you back to the hotel.”

Just for a moment, she let herself believe that he couldn’t wait to get her back to her room so he could make passionate love to her. The idea both thrilled and terrified her. She had always hoped her first time would be special, and she knew without a doubt that with Mitch, it would be.

But that wasn’t going to happen because she was marrying his brother. And shouldn’t she save something as precious as her virginity for her spouse? Even if it wasn’t a real marriage?

He summoned the waiter and paid the exorbitantly high bill without batting an eyelash. What did she expect when he took her to the most exclusive restaurant in D.C.? Money was obviously of no concern.

He helped her up from her seat and walked her to the door. She took pleasure in the way every head in the room swiveled in his direction. Men watched with envy as their female companions swooned, eyes filled with silent longing.

Sorry, girls, he’s all mine. At least until she became officially engaged to Lance. If only she could capture this time and make it last forever. Make a life with Mitch instead of Lance.

The limo was already waiting for them as they stepped out into the hot and muggy evening air, but the soft leather felt cool as she slipped inside. “The Watergate Hotel,” Mitch told the driver.

She hoped they would talk more on the way there, but his cell phone rang. He checked the display and told her, “Sorry, but I have to take this.”

Though he said nothing specific, it was clear by his tone that the conversation had something to do with the fire at the refinery. She’d heard from her father that the investigation pointed to arson, and though there were no solid suspects, rumors were spreading that Lance’s rival, Alejandro Montoya, might be responsible. She couldn’t understand why anyone would put so many lives in danger, but having grown up around politics, she’d learned that some people were capable of terrible things.

Mitch disconnected just as the limo pulled up to the hotel. Usually they parted ways in the lobby, as their rooms were in different wings, but tonight Mitch offered to accompany her to her door.