Charlotte Maclay - Expecting at Christmas

Loretta’s hand clasped her midsection, her eyes wide. Loretta’s hand clasped her midsection, her eyes wide. Panic whipped through Griffin. “Are you having the baby?” Shaking her head, Loretta took Griffin’s hand and planted it on her swollen belly. “She—or he—just kicked me. Here, feel.” The heat of her body scorched his hand. He wanted to pull back, but she held him there. And then the baby kicked. To actually feel the movement, to imagine a tiny foot pressing against his hand, touched him in a way he certainly hadn’t expected. An odd lump formed in his throat. He gazed into Loretta’s liquid-brown eyes, and they wouldn’t let him go. At some gut level, Griffin wanted to pledge he’d be there to take care of this baby, but he couldn’t do that. He wasn’t a family man. With a force of will, he broke the connection between them and stepped back. He was not going to get involved with this woman or her baby. Except that he already was.... Letter to Reader Dear Reader, The end of the century is near, and we’re all eagerly anticipating the wonders to come. But no matter what happens, I believe that everyone will continue to need and to seek the unquenchable spirit of love...of romance. And here at Silhouette Romance, we’re delighted to present another month’s worth of terrific, emotional stories. This month, RITA Award-winning author Marie Ferrarella offers a tender BUNDLES OF JOY tale, in which The Baby Beneath the Mistletoe brings together a man who’s lost his faith and a woman who challenges him to take a chance at love...and family. In Charlotte Maclay’s charming new novel, a millionaire playboy isn’t sure what he was Expecting at Christmas, but what he gets is a very pregnant butler! Elizabeth Harbison launches her wonderful new theme-based miniseries, CINDERELLA BRIDES, with the fairy-tale romance—complete with mistaken identity!—between Emma and the Earl. In A Diamond for Kate by Moyra Tarling, discover whether a doctor makes his devoted nurse his devoted wife after learning about her past... Patricia Thayer’s cross-line miniseries WITH THESE RINGS returns to Romance and poses the question: Can The Man, the Ring the Wedding end a fifty-year-old curse? You’ll have to read this dramatic story to find out! And though The Millionaire’s Proposition involves making a baby in Natalie Patrick’s upbeat Romance, can a down-on-her-luck waitress also convince him to make beautiful memories...as man and wife? Enjoy this month’s offering, and look forward to a new century of timeless, traditional tales guaranteed to touch your heart! Mary-Theresa Hussey 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 Expecting at Christmas Charlotte Maclay www.millsandboon.co.uk Dedication For my great-nephew—wear your name proudly! About the Author CHARLOTTE MACLAY has always enjoyed putting words on paper. Until recently, most of these words have been nonfiction, including a weekly newspaper column, which has recruited nearly twenty thousand volunteers in the past twenty years for some four hundred different local nonprofit organizations. When she is not urging people to get involved in their community, Charlotte divides her time among writing, volunteering for her favorite organizations (including Orange County Chapter of Romance Writers of America), trying not to mother two married daughters and sharing her life in Southern California with her own special hero, Chuck. Chapter One Chapter Two Chapter Three Chapter Four Chapter Five Chapter Six Chapter Seven Chapter Eight Chapter Nine Chapter Ten Chapter Eleven Epilogue Copyright

Loretta’s hand clasped her midsection, her eyes wide.

Panic whipped through Griffin. “Are you having the baby?”

Shaking her head, Loretta took Griffin’s hand and planted it on her swollen belly. “She—or he—just kicked me. Here, feel.”

The heat of her body scorched his hand. He wanted to pull back, but she held him there. And then the baby kicked.

To actually feel the movement, to imagine a tiny foot pressing against his hand, touched him in a way he certainly hadn’t expected. An odd lump formed in his throat. He gazed into Loretta’s liquid-brown eyes, and they wouldn’t let him go. At some gut level, Griffin wanted to pledge he’d be there to take care of this baby, but he couldn’t do that. He wasn’t a family man.

With a force of will, he broke the connection between them and stepped back. He was not going to get involved with this woman or her baby.

Except that he already was....

Dear Reader,

The end of the century is near, and we’re all eagerly anticipating the wonders to come. But no matter what happens, I believe that everyone will continue to need and to seek the unquenchable spirit of love...of romance. And here at Silhouette Romance, we’re delighted to present another month’s worth of terrific, emotional stories.

This month, RITA Award-winning author Marie Ferrarella offers a tender BUNDLES OF JOY tale, in which The Baby Beneath the Mistletoe brings together a man who’s lost his faith and a woman who challenges him to take a chance at love...and family. In Charlotte Maclay’s charming new novel, a millionaire playboy isn’t sure what he was Expecting at Christmas, but what he gets is a very pregnant butler! Elizabeth Harbison launches her wonderful new theme-based miniseries, CINDERELLA BRIDES, with the fairy-tale romance—complete with mistaken identity!—between Emma and the Earl.

In A Diamond for Kate by Moyra Tarling, discover whether a doctor makes his devoted nurse his devoted wife after learning about her past... Patricia Thayer’s cross-line miniseries WITH THESE RINGS returns to Romance and poses the question: Can The Man, the Ring the Wedding end a fifty-year-old curse? You’ll have to read this dramatic story to find out! And though The Millionaire’s Proposition involves making a baby in Natalie Patrick’s upbeat Romance, can a down-on-her-luck waitress also convince him to make beautiful memories...as man and wife?

Enjoy this month’s offering, and look forward to a new century of timeless, traditional tales guaranteed to touch your heart!

Mary-Theresa Hussey

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

For my great-nephew—wear your name proudly!

CHARLOTTE MACLAY

has always enjoyed putting words on paper. Until recently, most of these words have been nonfiction, including a weekly newspaper column, which has recruited nearly twenty thousand volunteers in the past twenty years for some four hundred different local nonprofit organizations.

When she is not urging people to get involved in their community, Charlotte divides her time among writing, volunteering for her favorite organizations (including Orange County Chapter of Romance Writers of America), trying not to mother two married daughters and sharing her life in Southern California with her own special hero, Chuck.

Dear Santa,

It’s been a long time since I’ve written a list to you, but this year, maybe because the baby will be here soon and it will be his or her first Christmas, there are a few things I would wish for to make this holiday just perfect.