Jackie Merritt - Montana Fever

Cover Page

Excerpt “You Have A Very Suspicious Nature,” Duke Drawled Lazily. “You bet I do,” Lola snapped. “My feelings for you are going deeper by the minute,” he said, flashing her a smile that she saw as smug. Lola’s anger increased tenfold. “Your only feelings for me are below your belt, so don’t try to con me, Duke.” “You’re angry.” “I’m not only angry, I don’t like you. There’s the answer to your question. Are you happy now?” He chuckled. “I don’t think you’re a liar, Lola Fanon, so what you’re trying to do is con both of us. When a woman kisses back the way you did, she doesn’t dislike the man who’s holding her.” Damn his sorry soul, he was right. Made in Montana: The Fanons—born and raised in Big Sky country…and heading for a Montana Wedding!

Dear Reader Dear Reader, Cowboys and cops…sexy men with a swagger…just the kind of guys to make your head turn. That’s what we’ve got for you this month in Silhouette Desire. The romance begins when Taggart Jones meets his match in Anne McAllister’s wonderful MAN OF THE MONTH, The Cowboy and the Kid. This is the latest in her captivating CODE OF THE WEST miniseries. And the fun continues with Mitch Harper in A Gift for Baby, the next book in Raye Morgan’s THE BABY SHOWER series. Cindy Gerard has created a dynamic hero in the very masculine form of J. D. Hazzard in The Bride Wore Blue, book #1 in the NORTHERN LIGHTS BRIDES series. And if rugged rascals are your favorite, don’t miss Jake Spencer in Dixie Browning’s The Baby Notion, which is book #1 of DADDY KNOWS LAST, Silhouette’s new cross-line continuity. (Next month, look for Helen R. Myers’s Baby in a Basket as DADDY KNOWS LAST continues in Silhouette Romance!) Gavin Cantrell is sure to weaken your knees in Gavin’s Child by Caroline Cross, part of the delightful BACHELORS AND BABIES promotion. And Jackie Merritt—along with hero Duke Sheridan—kicks off her MADE IN MONTANA series with Montana Fever. Heroes to fall in love with—and love scenes that will make your toes curl. That’s what Silhouette Desire is all about. Until next month—enjoy! All the best, 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 Montana Fever Jackie Merritt www.millsandboon.co.uk

About the Author JACKIE MERRITT and her husband live just outside of Las Vegas, Nevada. An accountant for many years, Jackie has happily traded numbers for words. Next to family, books are her greatest joy. She started writing in 1987 and her efforts paid off in 1988 with the publication of her first novel. When she’s not writing or enjoying a good book, Jackie dabbles in watercolor painting and likes playing the piano in her spare time.

Prologue Prologue A modest blue sedan drove slowly into the town of Rocky Ford, Montana. Though it was twilight, the woman behind the wheel tried to see everything she passed. Her heart was pounding and had seemingly changed positions in her chest, feeling as though it had risen to the base of her throat. Her mind and body seemed heavy with unnerving questions. Had she done the right thing by coming here? Maybe she should have written first. Or called. But no, she thought then. Her goal could not have been accomplished through the mail or by telephone. She had been compelled to come to this place since the moment she had learned the truth, and she must see it through. Turning her thoughts, she began looking for a motel, something quiet yet busy enough that her presence would pass unnoticed. How long she would be renting a room was an unknown at this point. She might have to change addresses several times to remain anonymous in a town of less than eight thousand residents if things didn’t happen fast. Fortunately, she noted with some relief while traversing the main street, Rocky Ford was not lacking in motels. Spotting a pleasant-looking redbrick establishment with exceptionally clean grounds and a sign advertising a connecting café, she turned into the parking area and stopped near the office. Drawing a deep breath to calm her speeding pulse, she got out of her car and walked into the office.

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Epilogue

Preview

Copyright

“You bet I do,” Lola snapped.

“My feelings for you are going deeper by the minute,” he said, flashing her a smile that she saw as smug.

Lola’s anger increased tenfold. “Your only feelings for me are below your belt, so don’t try to con me, Duke.”

“You’re angry.”

“I’m not only angry, I don’t like you. There’s the answer to your question. Are you happy now?”

He chuckled. “I don’t think you’re a liar, Lola Fanon, so what you’re trying to do is con both of us. When a woman kisses back the way you did, she doesn’t dislike the man who’s holding her.”

Damn his sorry soul, he was right.

Made in Montana: The Fanons—born and raised in Big Sky country…and heading for a Montana Wedding!

Dear Reader,

Cowboys and cops…sexy men with a swagger…just the kind of guys to make your head turn. That’s what we’ve got for you this month in Silhouette Desire.

The romance begins when Taggart Jones meets his match in Anne McAllister’s wonderful MAN OF THE MONTH, The Cowboy and the Kid. This is the latest in her captivating CODE OF THE WEST miniseries. And the fun continues with Mitch Harper in A Gift for Baby, the next book in Raye Morgan’s THE BABY SHOWER series.

Cindy Gerard has created a dynamic hero in the very masculine form of J. D. Hazzard in The Bride Wore Blue, book #1 in the NORTHERN LIGHTS BRIDES series. And if rugged rascals are your favorite, don’t miss Jake Spencer in Dixie Browning’s The Baby Notion, which is book #1 of DADDY KNOWS LAST, Silhouette’s new cross-line continuity. (Next month, look for Helen R. Myers’s Baby in a Basket as DADDY KNOWS LAST continues in Silhouette Romance!)

Gavin Cantrell is sure to weaken your knees in Gavin’s Child by Caroline Cross, part of the delightful BACHELORS AND BABIES promotion. And Jackie Merritt—along with hero Duke Sheridan—kicks off her MADE IN MONTANA series with Montana Fever.

Heroes to fall in love with—and love scenes that will make your toes curl. That’s what Silhouette Desire is all about. Until next month—enjoy!

All the best,

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

and her husband live just outside of Las Vegas, Nevada. An accountant for many years, Jackie has happily traded numbers for words. Next to family, books are her greatest joy. She started writing in 1987 and her efforts paid off in 1988 with the publication of her first novel. When she’s not writing or enjoying a good book, Jackie dabbles in watercolor painting and likes playing the piano in her spare time.