Zena Valentine - Star-Crossed Lovers

Cover Page

Dear Reader Dear Reader, Merry Christmas from Silhouette Desire-where you’re guaranteed powerful, passionate and provocative love stories that feature rugged heroes and spirited heroines who experience the full emotional intensity of falling in love! The always-wonderful Cait London is back with this December’s MAN OF THE MONTH, who happens to be one of THE BLAYLOCKS. In Typical Male, a modern warrior hero is attracted to the woman who wants to destroy him. The thrilling Desire miniseries TEXAS CATTLEMAN’S CLUB concludes with Lone Star Prince by Cindy Gerard. Her Royal Princess Anna von Oberland finally reunites with the dashing attorney Gregory Hunt who fathered her child years ago. Talented Ashley Summers returns to Desire with That Loving Touch, where a pregnant woman becomes snowbound with a sexy executive in his cabin. The everpopular BACHELOR BATTALION gets into the holiday spirit with Marine under the Mistletoe by Maureen Child. Star-Crossed Lovers is a Romeo-and-Juliet-with-a-happyending story by Zena Valentine. And an honorable cowboy demands the woman pregnant with his child marry him in Christy Lockhart’s The Cowboy’s Christmas Baby. Each and every month, Silhouette Desire offers you six exhilarating journeys into the seductive world of romance. So make a commitment to sensual love and treat yourself to all six for some great holiday reading this month! Enjoy! Joan Marlow Golan Senior Editor, Silhouette Desire 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

Excerpt “You Shouldn’t Have Followed Me,” she said. “It should have been obvious, even to you, that I wanted to be alone.” “It’s all the old hate and resentment, building up for years and years,” he said, his voice low. “And frustration. I wanted you then, you know. It drove me to distraction how much I wanted you, and I held back. And then I discovered I had been a fool. And then I wondered what it would have been like, satisfying that lust.” “Lust?” She raised her head at the fresh cut of his words. “I loved you then, Kale. I know it was just puppy love. But that’s what you felt for me? Lust?” He didn’t answer her aloud, but she saw a passing frown, and his eyes strayed from her face. She saw that it might just be his pride talking, for he wasn’t going to admit he loved her once.if he ever had.

Title Page Star-Crossed Lovers Zena Valentine www.millsandboon.co.uk

Dedication This one is for Don.

About the Author ZENA VALENTINE has had a career goal since childhood to “have adventures.” Throughout her adventures in journalism, cosmetics, construction, parenting, corporate financial relations, photography, sports car racing, gardening, flying, cooking and real estate, she has carried a lifelong love of writing. She likens writing a romance novel to restarting an airplane at five thousand feet (“exciting”). Nowadays she divides her time between the north woods of Minnesota and the desert country of Nevada. Her journalist daughter and musician son are off having their own adventures.

Epigraph CRITICAL ACCLAIM FORZENA VALENTINE’SDEBUT SILHOUETTE NOVEL: From Humbug to Holiday Bride (Silhouette Romance #1269) Nominated for Best First Series Book and Best Silhouette Romance by Romantic Times Magazine “…a heartwarming tale. Ms. Valentine’s multi-dimensional characters, strong plotting and tender passion blend perfectly to create a marvelous tale of hope that will touch the hearts and souls of readers everywhere.” —Romantic Times Magazine “…a love story based on miracles—the miracle of faith and the miracle of love.” —Rendezvous

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

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Epilogue

Copyright

Dear Reader,

Merry Christmas from Silhouette Desire-where you’re guaranteed powerful, passionate and provocative love stories that feature rugged heroes and spirited heroines who experience the full emotional intensity of falling in love!

The always-wonderful Cait London is back with this December’s MAN OF THE MONTH, who happens to be one of THE BLAYLOCKS. In Typical Male, a modern warrior hero is attracted to the woman who wants to destroy him.

The thrilling Desire miniseries TEXAS CATTLEMAN’S CLUB concludes with Lone Star Prince by Cindy Gerard. Her Royal Princess Anna von Oberland finally reunites with the dashing attorney Gregory Hunt who fathered her child years ago.

Talented Ashley Summers returns to Desire with That Loving Touch, where a pregnant woman becomes snowbound with a sexy executive in his cabin. The everpopular BACHELOR BATTALION gets into the holiday spirit with Marine under the Mistletoe by Maureen Child. Star-Crossed Lovers is a Romeo-and-Juliet-with-a-happyending story by Zena Valentine. And an honorable cowboy demands the woman pregnant with his child marry him in Christy Lockhart’s The Cowboy’s Christmas Baby.

Each and every month, Silhouette Desire offers you six exhilarating journeys into the seductive world of romance. So make a commitment to sensual love and treat yourself to all six for some great holiday reading this month!

Enjoy!

Joan Marlow Golan

Senior Editor, Silhouette Desire

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

she said. “It should have been obvious, even to you, that I wanted to be alone.”

“It’s all the old hate and resentment, building up for years and years,” he said, his voice low. “And frustration. I wanted you then, you know. It drove me to distraction how much I wanted you, and I held back. And then I discovered I had been a fool. And then I wondered what it would have been like, satisfying that lust.”

“Lust?” She raised her head at the fresh cut of his words. “I loved you then, Kale. I know it was just puppy love. But that’s what you felt for me? Lust?”

He didn’t answer her aloud, but she saw a passing frown, and his eyes strayed from her face. She saw that it might just be his pride talking, for he wasn’t going to admit he loved her once.if he ever had.

www.millsandboon.co.uk

This one is for Don.

ZENA VALENTINE

has had a career goal since childhood to “have adventures.” Throughout her adventures in journalism, cosmetics, construction, parenting, corporate financial relations, photography, sports car racing, gardening, flying, cooking and real estate, she has carried a lifelong love of writing. She likens writing a romance novel to restarting an airplane at five thousand feet (“exciting”). Nowadays she divides her time between the north woods of Minnesota and the desert country of Nevada. Her journalist daughter and musician son are off having their own adventures.

CRITICAL ACCLAIM FORZENA VALENTINE’SDEBUT SILHOUETTE NOVEL:

From Humbug to Holiday Bride