Robin Nicholas - Man, Wife And Little Wonder

“She wakes up at night crying.” “She wakes up at night crying.” Johnny spoke as if the image his words conjured pained him. He turned to her then, more serious than she’d ever seen him. “I realize we won’t have one of those one-in-a-million kind of marriages, Grace, but we’ve got friendship going for us, haven’t we?” His blue eyes were intent, warming her clear to that place in her heart that had always been just for him. She recognized the yearning inside her, just as she saw quite clearly that Johnny knew no such feeling, that because of his parents, he had no true concept of what love was. He reached out and tentatively covered her hand with his. “I know it’s asking a lot. But I’m asking for Gracie’s sake. Will you marry me?” Hadn’t she seen right away that Johnny would do anything for Gracie? Even marry her. And Grace said softly, “Yes.” Letter to Reader Dear Reader, Traditionally June is the month for weddings, so Silhouette Romance cordially invites you to enjoy our promotion JUNE BRIDES, starting with Suzanne Carey’s Sweet Bride of Revenge. In this sensuously powerful VIRGIN BRIDES tale, a man forces the daughter of his nemesis to marry him, never counting on falling in love with the enemy.... Up-and-comer Robin Nicholas delivers a touching BUNDLES OF JOY titled Man, Wife and Little Wonder. Can a denim-clad, Harleyriding bad boy turn doting dad and dedicated husband? Find out in this classic marriage-of-convenience romance! Next, Donna Clayton’s delightful duo MOTHER & CHILD continues with the evocative title Who’s the Father of Jenny’s Baby? A woman awakens in the hospital to discover she has amnesia—and she’s pregnant! Problem is, two men claim to be the baby’s father—her estranged husband...and her husband’s brother! Granted: Wild West Bride is the next installment in Carol Grace’s BEST-KEPT WISHES series. This richly Western romance pairs a toughened, taut-muscled cowboy and a sophisticated city gal who welcomes his kisses, but will she accept his ring? For a fresh spin on the bridal theme, try Alice Sharpe’s Wife on His Doorstep. An about-to-be bride stops her wedding to the wrong man. only to land on the doorstep of the strong, silent ship captain who was to perform the ill-fated nuptials.... And in Leanna Wilson’s latest Romance, His Tomboy Bride, Nick Latham was supposed to “give away” childhood friend and bride-to-be Billie Rae—not claim the transformed beauty as his own! We hope you enjoy the month’s wedding fun, and return each and every month for more classic, emotional, heartwarming novels from Silhouette Romance. Enjoy! Joan Marlow Golan 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 Man, Wife And Little Wonder Robin Nicholas www.millsandboon.co.uk Dedication To Marilyn Sue Lemmon for her generous support of my career, and for giving me the kind of encouragement only another writer can give. Acknowledgments SPECIAL THANKS To attorney-at-law and fellow author Lauren Phelps for her help with the legal technicalities. About the Author ROBIN NICHOLAS lives in Illinois with her husband, Dan, and their son, Nick. Her debut book, The Cowboy and His Lady, was part of the successful Silhouette Romance CELEBRATION 1000 promotion. Her current BUNDLES OF JOY feature is her third book for the line, and her fourth Romance novel will be available in the fall of 1998. Letter to Reader Dear Reader, Having a book chosen for the BUNDLES OF JOY promotion is a very special occasion for me. My son, Nick, is certainly the greatest joy of my life. Through Nick and his cousins, Beth, Kris, Katie, Kyle, Nicholee and Garrett, Shandee and Micah, Justin and Lauren, I have found a constant source of pride, inspiration, laughter and love. BUNDLES OF JOY celebrates the belief that the wonder of a child can bring to light the love between a man and a woman. I invite you to celebrate that belief with me, as well, in the story of Johnny, Grace and little Gracie in Man, Wife and Little Wonder. I hope you enjoy the book. Sincerely, Chapter One Chapter Two Chapter Three Chapter Four Chapter Five Chapter Six Chapter Seven Chapter Eight Chapter Nine Chapter Ten Copyright

“She wakes up at night crying.”

Johnny spoke as if the image his words conjured pained him. He turned to her then, more serious than she’d ever seen him. “I realize we won’t have one of those one-in-a-million kind of marriages, Grace, but we’ve got friendship going for us, haven’t we?”

His blue eyes were intent, warming her clear to that place in her heart that had always been just for him. She recognized the yearning inside her, just as she saw quite clearly that Johnny knew no such feeling, that because of his parents, he had no true concept of what love was.

He reached out and tentatively covered her hand with his. “I know it’s asking a lot. But I’m asking for Gracie’s sake. Will you marry me?”

Hadn’t she seen right away that Johnny would do anything for Gracie?

Even marry her.

And Grace said softly, “Yes.”

Dear Reader,

Traditionally June is the month for weddings, so Silhouette Romance cordially invites you to enjoy our promotion JUNE BRIDES, starting with Suzanne Carey’s Sweet Bride of Revenge. In this sensuously powerful VIRGIN BRIDES tale, a man forces the daughter of his nemesis to marry him, never counting on falling in love with the enemy....

Up-and-comer Robin Nicholas delivers a touching BUNDLES OF JOY titled Man, Wife and Little Wonder. Can a denim-clad, Harleyriding bad boy turn doting dad and dedicated husband? Find out in this classic marriage-of-convenience romance! Next, Donna Clayton’s delightful duo MOTHER & CHILD continues with the evocative title Who’s the Father of Jenny’s Baby? A woman awakens in the hospital to discover she has amnesia—and she’s pregnant! Problem is, two men claim to be the baby’s father—her estranged husband...and her husband’s brother!

Granted: Wild West Bride is the next installment in Carol Grace’s BEST-KEPT WISHES series. This richly Western romance pairs a toughened, taut-muscled cowboy and a sophisticated city gal who welcomes his kisses, but will she accept his ring? For a fresh spin on the bridal theme, try Alice Sharpe’s Wife on His Doorstep. An about-to-be bride stops her wedding to the wrong man. only to land on the doorstep of the strong, silent ship captain who was to perform the ill-fated nuptials.... And in Leanna Wilson’s latest Romance, His Tomboy Bride, Nick Latham was supposed to “give away” childhood friend and bride-to-be Billie Rae—not claim the transformed beauty as his own!

We hope you enjoy the month’s wedding fun, and return each and every month for more classic, emotional, heartwarming novels from Silhouette Romance.

Enjoy!

Joan Marlow Golan

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 Marilyn Sue Lemmon for her generous support of my

career, and for giving me the kind of encouragement only

another writer can give.

SPECIAL THANKS

To attorney-at-law and fellow author Lauren Phelps for her help with the legal technicalities.

ROBIN NICHOLAS

lives in Illinois with her husband, Dan, and their son, Nick. Her debut book, The Cowboy and His Lady, was part of the successful Silhouette Romance CELEBRATION 1000 promotion. Her current BUNDLES OF JOY feature is her third book for the line, and her fourth Romance novel will be available in the fall of 1998.