Marie Ferrarella - Your Baby or Mine?

Cover Page

Excerpt Alec swept Marissa into his arms, his mouth coming down on hers. Yes. Yes! Marissa wound her arms around him and kissed him as if her very life had been given back to her. Because it had. Everything within her cried out for this moment. For at this moment, he was hers completely. And then came the urgent cry. “The baby,” she whispered, her breath heavy against his cheek. “Yours or mine?” “Yours.” Marissa was already backing away. “I’d better go see what she needs.” He could only nod, trying to pull himself together. What had he almost gone and done? If his daughter hadn’t cried out just then, heaven knows what would have happened.

Dear Reader Dear Reader , This April, let Silhouette Romance shower you with treats. We’ve got must-read miniseries, bestselling authors and tons of happy endings! The nonstop excitement begins with Marie Ferrarella’s contribution to BUNDLES OF JOY. A single dad finds himself falling for his live-in nanny—who’s got a baby of her own. So when a cry interrupts a midnight kiss, the question sure to be asked is Your Baby or Mine? TWINS ON THE DOORSTEP, a miniseries about babies who bring love to the most unsuspecting couples, begins with The Sheriff’s Son. Beloved author Stella Bagwell weaves a magical tale of secrets and second chances. Also set to march down the aisle this month is the second member of THE SINGLE DADDY CLUB. Donna Clayton, winner of the prestigious Holt Medallion, brings you the story of a desperate daddy and the pampered debutante who becomes a Nanny in the Nick of Time. SURPRISE BRIDES, a series about unexpected weddings, continues with Laura Anthony’s Look-Alike Bride. This classic amnesia plot line has a new twist: Everyone believes a plain Jane is really a Hollywood starlet—including the actress’s ex-fiancé! Rounding out the month is the heartwarming A Wife for Doctor Sam by Phyllis Halldorson, the story of a small town doctor who’s vowed never to fall in love again. And Sally Carleen’s Porcupine Ranch, about a housekeeper who knows nothing about keeping house, but knows exactly how to keep her sexy boss happy! Enjoy! Melissa Senate Senior Editor Silhouette Romance Please address questions and book requests to: Silhouette Reader Service U.S.: 3010 Walden Ave., P.O. Box 1325, Buffalo, NY 14269 Canadian: P.O. Box 609, Fort Erie, Ont. L2A 5X3

Title Page Your Baby or Mine? Marie Ferrarella www.millsandboon.co.uk

Dedication To Barbara Benedict, for showing me a picture of Christopher

About the Author MARIE FERRARELLA lives in Southern California. She describes herself as the tired mother of two overenergetic children and the contented wife of one wonderful man. This RITA Award-winning author is thrilled to be following her dream of writing full-time.

Dearest Readers Dearest Readers , I can’t remember a time when I didn’t love babies. All except for my brother Michael, but hey, he replaced me as the center of my parents’ universe, and besides, he cried for the first two years. By the time my brother Mark came along, I was back on the baby bandwagon. There is just something about babies—all babies—that makes me melt Even energetic ones, and heaven knows I’ve had my share of those. The only reason I was brave enough to try for a second child after Jessica, who leapt off coffee tables, tried to fly and insisted on galloping on all fours in public, was because I didn’t think God would do that to me twice. I figured my second child would be calm. little did I realize that God has a sense of humor. Child number two made child number one look as if she were standing still most of the time. Nik bit through soda cans before he could walk, toppled mannequins in department stores—he thought they were big Barbie dolls—and once, at the age of two, unhooked my bra in the middle of a major toy store when he grabbed me by my blouse! Served me right for having a bra with a front claspl There are bits and pieces of Jess and Nik in all the children I write about—children like Christopher in Your Baby or Mine? Despite what they put me through, I am still hopelessly hooked on babies and kids of all ages. I think, if you read my books, you might come away with that impression. You wouldn’t be wrong. As always, I thank you for reading and I hope I succeed in entertaining you. Love,

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Copyright

Yes. Yes! Marissa wound her arms around him and kissed him as if her very life had been given back to her.

Because it had.

Everything within her cried out for this moment. For at this moment, he was hers completely.

And then came the urgent cry.

“The baby,” she whispered, her breath heavy against his cheek.

“Yours or mine?”

“Yours.” Marissa was already backing away. “I’d better go see what she needs.”

He could only nod, trying to pull himself together.

What had he almost gone and done? If his daughter hadn’t cried out just then, heaven knows what would have happened.

Dear Reader,

This April, let Silhouette Romance shower you with treats.

We’ve got must-read miniseries, bestselling authors and tons of happy endings!

The nonstop excitement begins with Marie Ferrarella’s contribution to BUNDLES OF JOY. A single dad finds himself falling for his live-in nanny—who’s got a baby of her own. So when a cry interrupts a midnight kiss, the question sure to be asked is Your Baby or Mine?

TWINS ON THE DOORSTEP, a miniseries about babies who bring love to the most unsuspecting couples, begins with The Sheriff’s Son. Beloved author Stella Bagwell weaves a magical tale of secrets and second chances.

Also set to march down the aisle this month is the second member of THE SINGLE DADDY CLUB. Donna Clayton, winner of the prestigious Holt Medallion, brings you the story of a desperate daddy and the pampered debutante who becomes a Nanny in the Nick of Time.

SURPRISE BRIDES, a series about unexpected weddings, continues with Laura Anthony’s Look-Alike Bride. This classic amnesia plot line has a new twist: Everyone believes a plain Jane is really a Hollywood starlet—including the actress’s ex-fiancé!

Rounding out the month is the heartwarming A Wife for Doctor Sam by Phyllis Halldorson, the story of a small town doctor who’s vowed never to fall in love again. And Sally Carleen’s Porcupine Ranch, about a housekeeper who knows nothing about keeping house, but knows exactly how to keep her sexy boss happy! Enjoy!

Melissa Senate

Senior Editor

Silhouette Romance

Please address questions and book requests to:

Silhouette Reader Service

U.S.: 3010 Walden Ave., P.O. Box 1325, Buffalo, NY 14269

Canadian: P.O. Box 609, Fort Erie, Ont. L2A 5X3

www.millsandboon.co.uk

To Barbara Benedict,

for showing me a picture of Christopher

lives in Southern California. She describes herself as the tired mother of two overenergetic children and the contented wife of one wonderful man. This RITA Award-winning author is thrilled to be following her dream of writing full-time.