Cathie Linz - Michael's Baby

Cover Page

Excerpt Brett Reminded Herself That Michael Had Only Married Her For The Baby. Same reason she’d married him. The fact that she loved him should play no part in their relationship. Not until he felt the same way. If he ever did. Brett stiffened as Michael put his arm around her as they watched Hope settle down to sleep in her crib. “You can relax,” he assured her. “I’m not going to be sweeping you off your feet again tonight. We’ve got plenty of time to get used to this marriage stuff. There’s no rush, right?” “Right,” she agreed. To him it was marriage stuff. To her it was the secret longing of a heart that had almost forgotten how to hope…

Dear Reader Dear Reader, Established stars and exciting new names.that’s what’s in store for you this month from Silhouette Desire. Let’s begin with Cait London’s MAN OF THE MONTH, Tallchiefs Bride—it’s also the latest in her wonderful series, THE TALLCHIEFS. The fun continues with Babies by the Busload, the next book in Raye Morgan’s THE BABY SHOWER series, and Michael’s Baby, the first installment of Cathie Linz’s delightful series, THREE WEDDINGS AND A GIFT. So many of you have indicated how much you love the work of Peggy Moreland, so I know you’ll all be excited about her latest sensuous romp, A Willful Marriage. And Anne Eames, who made her debut earlier in the year in Silhouette Desire’s Celebration 1000, gives us more pleasure with You’re What?! And if you enjoy a little melodrama with your romance, take a peek at Metsy Hingle’s enthralling new book, Backfire. As always, each and every Silhouette Desire is sensuous, emotional and sure to leave you feeling good at the end of the day! Happy Reading! 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 Michael’s Baby Cathie Linz www.millsandboon.co.uk

About the Author CATHIE LINZ left her career in a university law library to become a USA Today bestselling author of contemporary romance novels. She is the recipient of the highly coveted Storyteller of the Year award given by Romantic Times, arid was recently nominated for a Love and Laughter Career Achievement Award for the delightful humor in her books. While Cathie often uses comic mishaps from her own trips as inspiration for her stories, she found the idea for this trilogy in her very own home—from an heirloom that has been in her family for generations. After traveling, Cathie is always glad to get back home to her family, her two cats, her trusty word processor and her hidden cache of Oreo cookies!

Dedication For my mom, who is an artist with a caulking gun and taught me what she could. Sorry I still throw a baseball like a girl, Mom!

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Copyright

Same reason she’d married him. The fact that she loved him should play no part in their relationship. Not until he felt the same way. If he ever did.

Brett stiffened as Michael put his arm around her as they watched Hope settle down to sleep in her crib. “You can relax,” he assured her. “I’m not going to be sweeping you off your feet again tonight. We’ve got plenty of time to get used to this marriage stuff. There’s no rush, right?”

“Right,” she agreed. To him it was marriage stuff. To her it was the secret longing of a heart that had almost forgotten how to hope…

Dear Reader,

Established stars and exciting new names.that’s what’s in store for you this month from Silhouette Desire. Let’s begin with Cait London’s MAN OF THE MONTH, Tallchiefs Bride—it’s also the latest in her wonderful series, THE TALLCHIEFS.

The fun continues with Babies by the Busload, the next book in Raye Morgan’s THE BABY SHOWER series, and Michael’s Baby, the first installment of Cathie Linz’s delightful series, THREE WEDDINGS AND A GIFT.

So many of you have indicated how much you love the work of Peggy Moreland, so I know you’ll all be excited about her latest sensuous romp, A Willful Marriage. And Anne Eames, who made her debut earlier in the year in Silhouette Desire’s Celebration 1000, gives us more pleasure with You’re What?! And if you enjoy a little melodrama with your romance, take a peek at Metsy Hingle’s enthralling new book, Backfire.

As always, each and every Silhouette Desire is sensuous, emotional and sure to leave you feeling good at the end of the day!

Happy Reading!

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

left her career in a university law library to become a USA Today bestselling author of contemporary romance novels. She is the recipient of the highly coveted Storyteller of the Year award given by Romantic Times, arid was recently nominated for a Love and Laughter Career Achievement Award for the delightful humor in her books.

While Cathie often uses comic mishaps from her own trips as inspiration for her stories, she found the idea for this trilogy in her very own home—from an heirloom that has been in her family for generations. After traveling, Cathie is always glad to get back home to her family, her two cats, her trusty word processor and her hidden cache of Oreo cookies!

For my mom,

who is an artist with a caulking gun and

taught me what she could.

Sorry I still throw a baseball

like a girl, Mom!

The scream woke Michael Janos out of a sound sleep. Even though he had dropped out of the police academy and gone into corporate security work instead, some responses were instinctive.

Reacting instantly, he grabbed for the jeans he’d worn last night, jamming his feet into the denim legs as he hopped toward the door to his apartment. The scream sounded as if it had come from the apartment directly above his. In his bare feet—despite the single-digit November temperatures outside—he raced upstairs, swearing in Hungarian as he stubbed his toe on the top step before reaching the upper apartment and pounding on the door.

“Mr. Stephanopolis, are you in there? It’s Michael Janos.”

The elderly man slowly opened the door.

“What happened?” Michael demanded. “I heard someone scream.”

“It was me,” Mr. Stephanopolis replied testily. “I was in the shower and the hot water ran out. I nearly froze my private parts off! You’ve got to fix that hot-water heater before someone gets hurt.”

Michael was already hurt—his big toe was throbbing like nobody’s business. When he’d been six years old he’d broken that big toe by stubbing it on a stair—he only hoped history wasn’t repeating itself.

“Did you hear me?” Mr. Stephanopolis demanded, tightening his bathrobe more tightly around his toothpick body.

“I heard you,” Michael assured him wearily. It was barely six and he hadn’t gotten to sleep until two a.m. “I’m sure the entire building heard you screaming like that.”