Christine Scott - Groom On The Loose

Cover Page

Excerpt “I know what you’re going to say. I’m late.” Cassie stepped inside, brushing past Greg. “I’m sorry. I have a doozy of an excuse.” The skirt of her yellow sundress swirled around her long legs; her silky blond hair swung from side to side. She looked perfect, ready to play the role of his hostess. Ready, that is, except for the baby in her arms. “Did the caterers arrive on time?” she called over her shoulder. “Cassie—” “What about the decorations?” “Cassie,” he said, more loudly this time. “You have a baby.” “That’s right,” she said. “But don’t worry. Nothing is going to interfere with my hostessing duties—” “Cassie,” he said, interrupting her again. “Whose baby is it?” She bit her lip, looking uncertain. “Well, I suppose…she’s mine.” Cassie? A mother? The thought sent a shiver down Greg’s spine. “Cassie…what have you gotten yourself into this time?”

Dear Reader Dear Reader , This month Silhouette Romance has six irresistible novels for you, starting with our FABULOUS FATHERS selection, Mad for the Dad by Terry Essig. When a sexy single man becomes an instant dad to a toddler, the independent divorcée next door offers parenthood lessons—only to. dream of marriage and motherhood all over again! In Having Gabriel’s Baby by Kristin Morgan, our BUNDLES OF JOY book, a fleeting night of passion with a handsome, brooding rancher leaves Joelle in the family way—and the dad-to-be insisting on a marriage of convenience for the sake of the baby…. Years ago Julie had been too young for the dashing man of her dreams. Now he’s back in town, and Julie’s still hoping he’ll make her his bride in New Year’s Wife by Linda Varner, part of her miniseries HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS. What’s a man to do when he has no interest in marriage but is having trouble resisting the lovely, warm and wonderful woman in his life? Get those cold feet to the nearest wedding chapel in Family Addition by Rebecca Daniels. In About That Kiss by Jayne Addison, Joy Mackey, sister of the bride, is sure her sis’s ex-fiancé has returned to sabotage the wedding. But his intention is to walk down the aisle with Joy! And finally, when a woman shows up on a bachelor doctor’s doorstep with a baby that looks just like him, everyone in town mistakenly thinks the tiny tot is his in Christine Scott’s Groom on the Loose. Enjoy! Melissa Senate, Senior Editor 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 Groom on the Loose Christine Scott www.millsandboon.co.uk

Dedication To Ginger Goodell, a good friend and fellow writer.

About the Author CHRISTINE SCOTT grew up in Illinois but currently lives in St. Louis, Missouri. A former teacher, she now writes full-time. When she isn’t writing romances, she spends her time caring for her husband and three children. In between car pools, baseball games and dance lessons, Christine always finds time to pick up a good book and read about…love. She loves to hear from readers. Write to her at Box 283, Grover, MO 63040-0283.

Prologue

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Epilogue

Copyright

Cassie stepped inside, brushing past Greg. “I’m sorry. I have a doozy of an excuse.”

The skirt of her yellow sundress swirled around her long legs; her silky blond hair swung from side to side. She looked perfect, ready to play the role of his hostess. Ready, that is, except for the baby in her arms.

“Did the caterers arrive on time?” she called over her shoulder.

“Cassie—”

“What about the decorations?”

“Cassie,” he said, more loudly this time. “You have a baby.”

“That’s right,” she said. “But don’t worry. Nothing is going to interfere with my hostessing duties—”

“Cassie,” he said, interrupting her again. “Whose baby is it?”

She bit her lip, looking uncertain. “Well, I suppose…she’s mine.”

Cassie? A mother? The thought sent a shiver down Greg’s spine. “Cassie…what have you gotten yourself into this time?”

Dear Reader,

This month Silhouette Romance has six irresistible novels for you, starting with our FABULOUS FATHERS selection, Mad for the Dad by Terry Essig. When a sexy single man becomes an instant dad to a toddler, the independent divorcée next door offers parenthood lessons—only to. dream of marriage and motherhood all over again!

In Having Gabriel’s Baby by Kristin Morgan, our BUNDLES OF JOY book, a fleeting night of passion with a handsome, brooding rancher leaves Joelle in the family way—and the dad-to-be insisting on a marriage of convenience for the sake of the baby….

Years ago Julie had been too young for the dashing man of her dreams. Now he’s back in town, and Julie’s still hoping he’ll make her his bride in New Year’s Wife by Linda Varner, part of her miniseries HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS.

What’s a man to do when he has no interest in marriage but is having trouble resisting the lovely, warm and wonderful woman in his life? Get those cold feet to the nearest wedding chapel in Family Addition by Rebecca Daniels.

In About That Kiss by Jayne Addison, Joy Mackey, sister of the bride, is sure her sis’s ex-fiancé has returned to sabotage the wedding. But his intention is to walk down the aisle with Joy!

And finally, when a woman shows up on a bachelor doctor’s doorstep with a baby that looks just like him, everyone in town mistakenly thinks the tiny tot is his in Christine Scott’s Groom on the Loose.

Enjoy!

Melissa Senate, Senior Editor

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 Ginger Goodell, a good friend and fellow writer.

grew up in Illinois but currently lives in St. Louis, Missouri. A former teacher, she now writes full-time. When she isn’t writing romances, she spends her time caring for her husband and three children. In between car pools, baseball games and dance lessons, Christine always finds time to pick up a good book and read about…love. She loves to hear from readers. Write to her at Box 283, Grover, MO 63040-0283.

“Dr. Lawton. How may I help you?”

The deep baritone sent a chill traveling down Cassie Andrews’s spine—a chill as sharp as the frosty November wind whipping against her apartment window. Her grip tightened reflexively around the telephone receiver.

“Uh, Greg. This is Cassie.” Her chest tightened, the words catching in her throat. She swallowed hard, giving herself a moment to calm her frazzled nerves. A hopeless feat, she realized. In all her life, she’d never been faced with a more daunting task.

“Cassie?” He sounded surprised and, she had to admit, none too pleased.

She didn’t blame him. She and Greg Lawton weren’t exactly friends. Sparring partners would be a more apt description of their relationship. They weren’t in the habit of making social calls.