Laurey Bright - The Heiress Bride

He could have sworn that when he first kissed her, she’d almost opened up to him, at least physically.

Then she’d stalked off without a word. Banged down the shutters in his face. And but for an occasional brief, unwitting chink, she’d kept them down ever since.

If she thought he’d back off, she could think again. She’d thrown out a challenge, and he’d never refused one in his life. One day he’d make her acknowledge that this unsettling desire to touch, to explore, to know, wasn’t all on his side.

She might be the boss’s daughter, heiress to Kingsley’s little kingdom, but she’d learn that sex was the great leveler. When it came down to it, a naked princess was like any other woman without her clothes….

Dear Reader,

Calling all royal watchers! This month, Silhouette Romance’s Carolyn Zane kicks off our exciting new series, ROYALLY WED: THE MISSING HEIR, with the gem Of Royal Blood. Fans of last year’s ROYALLY WED series will love this thrilling four-book adventure, filled with twists and turns—and of course, plenty of love and romance. Blue bloods and commoners alike will also enjoy Laurey Bright’s newest addition to her VIRGIN BRIDES thematic series, The Heiress Bride, about a woman who agrees to marry to protect the empire that is rightfully hers.

This month is also filled with earth-shattering secrets! First, award-winning author Sharon De Vita serves up a whopper in her latest SADDLE FALLS title, Anything for Her Family. Natalie McMahon is much more than the twin boys’ nanny—she’s their mother! And in Karen Rose Smith’s A Husband in Her Eyes, the heroine has her eyesight restored, only to have haunting visions of a man and child. Can she bring love and happiness back into their lives?

Everyone likes surprises, right? Well, in Susan Meier’s Married Right Away, the heroine certainly gives her boss the shock of his life—she’s having his baby! And Love Inspired author Cynthia Rutledge makes her Silhouette Romance debut with her modern-day Cinderella story, Trish’s Not-So-Little Secret, about “Fatty Patty” who comes back to her hometown a beautiful swan—and a single mom with a jaw-dropping secret!

We hope this month that you feel like a princess and enjoy the royal treats we have for you from Silhouette Romance.

Happy reading!

Mary-Theresa Hussey

Senior Editor

www.millsandboon.co.uk

Books by Laurey Bright

Silhouette Romance

Tears of Morning #107

Sweet Vengeance #125

Long Way from Home #356

The Rainbow Way #525

Jacinth #568

The Mother of His Child #918

Marrying Marcus #1558

The Heiress Bride #1578

Silhouette Special Edition

Deep Waters #62

When Morning Comes #143

Fetters of the Past #213

A Sudden Sunlight #516

Games of Chance #564

A Guilty Passion #586

The Older Man #761

The Kindness of Strangers #820

An Interrupted Marriage #916

Silhouette Intimate Moments

Summers Past #470

A Perfect Marriage #621

LAUREY BRIGHT

has held a number of different jobs, but has never wanted to be anything but a writer. She lives in New Zealand, where she creates the stories of contemporary people in love that have won her a following all over the world. Visit her at her Web site, http://www.laureybright.com.

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

It was a humid summer evening, and the annual Waikura Clarion Christmas party was in full swing.

Checking that the guests were enjoying themselves, Alysia paused in the doorway of the big front lounge.

Her father, wine glass in hand, held forth to a respectful circle of his employees. Spencer Kingsley was a big man, and his confident stance, rich baritone voice and command of language ensured that people listened to him.

Only one person had let his attention stray; Chase Osborne, the chief reporter, stared absently into his glass.

As Alysia stood watching, Chase raised his dark head and looked directly at her with unblinking green-brown eyes under emphatic black brows. He gave her a courteous nod, then his gaze left her as her father threw back his head in laughter, echoed by the rest of the group.

Chase’s firmly delineated mouth moved only a fraction of an inch at one corner before he downed the remainder of his drink.

He had scarcely noticed Alysia, despite the green chiffon designer dress that exposed the smooth skin of her arms and shoulders, complemented her fine, fair hair, and emphasized eyes the same clear light green as the pendants in her ears, carved from translucent New Zealand inanga jade.

Her eyes were her best feature, though when she was younger she’d thought green a wishy-washy color, longing for a more positive blue or brown.

Once she had horrified her father by using a strawberry rinse in her hair. Now she occasionally had her hairdresser use highlights in the winter to give it a bit of life.

She was no great beauty, but tonight several people had commented favorably on her appearance, and even her father had said that she’d never looked prettier, lighting a tiny glow inside her.

For Chase Osborne she might have been just another piece of furniture in the crowded room.

“Allie!” A rotund middle-aged man appeared at her elbow. The Clarion’s advertising manager, Howard Franklin was one of the few people who habitually shortened her name. “You’ve done a great job.”

“Thank you, Howard.” She actually had done very little. Her father had told her which catering firm to hire and given her a list of staff members to invite. “I hope you and Mollie are enjoying yourselves.”

Everyone seemed to be having a wonderful time. The younger contingent had gravitated from the swimming pool to the games room. Several couples were dancing on the terrace to music from a tape player, while older staff and their partners gathered in the lounge.

“Great, great,” Howard assured her. “But you don’t have a drink. Busy looking after everyone else, eh? Let me get one for you.” He took her arm to guide her toward the bottles and glasses on a table in a corner.

A burly man with a flushed face turned from it as they approached, two frothing beer mugs in his hands. Verne Hastie was the print room manager. “Allie!” he said in overhearty tones. “Long time no see. All grown up, too!” Bold blue eyes approved the shoestring-strapped dress and fitted bodice.

Alysia stiffened as her cool gaze briefly met his.

Verne grinned widely at Howard. “How come you’re with the prettiest girl in the room, an old fogy like you?” he demanded. He laughed uproariously.

“I’m just getting Alysia a drink,” Howard said. “What would you like, Allie?”

She turned to him with relief as Verne went off across the room. “Gin with lemon bitters. Make it strong.”

Howard chuckled. “Well, you’ve had your twenty-first birthday.” He poured the drink and handed it to her. “Here you are.”

She gripped the glass tightly in a damp hand and took a generous gulp from it. Sweeping a glance around the room, she encountered Chase Osborne’s dark eyes again. This time they were alert, his gaze dropping, apparently to gauge the level of the liquid in her glass before rising again to hers, curiosity and something that might have been a hint of concern stirring in his eyes.

A spoon tinkling against a glass brought Alysia’s attention to her father, who was standing near Chase. Someone killed the tape player and the dancers gathered at the French doors leading to the terrace, while other people were summoned from the games room.