Rebecca Winters - Undercover Bachelor

Praise Rebecca Winters, a mother of four, is a graduate of the University of Utah. She has won the National Readers’ Choice Award, the Romantic Times Reviewer’s Choice Award and been named Utah Writer of the Year. What others have said about Rebecca Winters: Of Undercover Husband* “Once again Rebecca Winters delivers a topnotch reading experience as she expertly adds a little suspense to a wonderful romance...” —Romantic Times [*Linked to LOVE UNDERCOVER trilogy] Of Second-Best Wife “A rare gem with a stand-out premise, memorable characters, and an emotionally gripping story of forbidden love.” —Romantic Times Of Three Little Miracles “Featuring splendid characters and heart-tugging scenes, Ms. Winters spins a delightful tale in which love conquers all.” —Romantic Times “The first lady of Utah romance novels.” —Affaire de Coeur “Winters weaves a magic spell that is unforgettable.” —Affair de Coeur Title Page Undercover Bachelor Rebecca Winters www.millsandboon.co.uk CHAPTER ONE CHAPTER TWO CHAPTER THREE CHAPTER FOUR CHAPTER FIVE CHAPTER SIX CHAPTER SEVEN CHAPTER EIGHT CHAPTER NINE CHAPTER TEN Copyright

Welcome to the second book of Rebecca Winters’ brand-new trilogy, LOVE UNDERCOVER.

An award-winning author, Rebecca Winters writes romances that pack an emotional punch you won’t forget! And her new miniseries is no exception.

Meet Annabelle, Gerard and Diana. Annabelle and Gerard are private investigators. Diana is their hardworking assistant Each of them is about to face a rather different assignment—falling in lovel

Their mission was marriage!

Diana Rawlins had turned up at the hospital with amnesia and a baby in her arms! She didn’t remember how either of them had happened. Her husband, Cal, was determined to get to the bottom of the mystery—especially as that seemed to be the only way he could save his marriage!

Rebecca Winters, a mother of four, is a graduate of the University of Utah. She has won the National Readers’ Choice Award, the Romantic Times Reviewer’s Choice Award and been named Utah Writer of the Year.

What others have said about Rebecca Winters:

Of Undercover Husband*

“Once again Rebecca Winters delivers a topnotch reading experience as she expertly adds a little suspense to a wonderful romance...”

—Romantic Times

[*Linked to LOVE UNDERCOVER trilogy]

Of Second-Best Wife

“A rare gem with a stand-out premise, memorable characters, and an emotionally gripping story of forbidden love.”

—Romantic Times

Of Three Little Miracles

“Featuring splendid characters and heart-tugging scenes, Ms. Winters spins a delightful tale in which love conquers all.”

—Romantic Times

“The first lady of Utah romance novels.”

—Affaire de Coeur

“Winters weaves a magic spell that is unforgettable.”

—Affair de Coeur

www.millsandboon.co.uk

CHAPTER ONE

“ARE you saying it was a man on your tour of France last year who made you pregnant?”

Whitney Lawrence tried to hide her shock in front of her half sister Christine who was trying to keep Greg, her little five-month-old son, quiet by giving him another bottle.

They’d met for a quick lunch at a crowded downtown Salt Lake restaurant near the law firm where Whitney worked.

Up until this second, Christine had patently refused to tell the family who Greg’s father was. But all along Whitney had suspected it was one of the boys on Christine’s same tour bus, or a French boy she’d met in Paris or Nice. One moreover who didn’t have a clue he was now the father of the adorable little baby Christine was feeding right now.

After a long interval Christine nodded. “He was wonderful to me, Whitney, and so good-looking. When he told me he loved me, I was so happy, I—I couldn’t help myself.”

Bile rose in Whitney’s throat. “Did he force you?”

“No. It wasn’t like that. Just the opposite in fact.” She tossed her head back to reveal tear-stained cheeks. “When he confided to me that he was separated from his wife who’d been seeing another man for a long time, I—I didn’t feel as guilty about getting close to him.

“He said their marriage had been over for ages, and the only reason he hadn’t divorced her yet was because he was waiting until their four-year-old daughter was a little older and could handle it.”

At that revelation Whitney’s hand froze around the extra baby blanket before she pulled it from the diaper bag to give Christine. There seemed to be a slight draft where they were sitting. Greg needed a little more protection.

“Toward the end of the tour he thanked me for listening to him and admitted that he was falling in love with me. But he apologized for saying anything because he knew I was too young for him.

“I told him I loved him, too, and I kissed him to prove it. One thing led to another, and you know what happened. The day before I had to fly home we planned to shop and spend some time alone together. But he wasn’t feeling well so I volunteered to pick up a toy he’d ordered ahead of time for his daughter.”

“Did you end up paying for that, too?” Whitney was heartsick for her.

“No. He gave me an envelope of money. When I returned with the package, he was feeling better. We made love again, but that was the last time. He never called or wrote me after I got back to Salt Lake.

“That’s when I realized I’d been used. I vowed never to tell anyone. But then I found out I was expecting Greg.” Her voice broke. She lifted the baby to her shoulder to burp him.

Whitney was proud of Christine, who had turned into a wonderful mother. But it had to be an overwhelming job without a husband’s support.

“Oh, honey—” she murmured compassionately. To a naive, foolish eighteen-year-old teenager seeing the world for the first time, an attractive man’s exclusive interest meant love at first sight, no matter what fairy tales he told. It all went with the territory. And some unscrupulous male had preyed on that knowledge.

“He didn’t even mention the word protection, did he?”

The moment the question was out, her sister’s pretty features hardened. Whitney knew she’d hit a nerve. “I don’t want to talk about it anymore. I wish I hadn’t brought it up. Promise me you won’t say one word of this to Mom or Dad.”

“I promise.”

Whitney knew better than to press the issue. She wouldn’t get anything more out of her sister. In fact it was a miracle she’d revealed this much.

Sitting back in the chair, Whitney toyed with her burrito, unable to eat it. Either a male teacher, the driver, or the tour guide was Greg’s father.

The more she thought about it, the more she figured it was probably Christine’s French teacher, Mr. Bowen. After taking French from him for three years, she’d talked their mom and Whitney’s stepfather into letting her go on one of the student trips to France he organized twice a year. She’d been so crazy about him, she’d even nominated him for teacher of the year.

What was the saying? These kinds of situations generally happened to people you knew well?

The fiend was still running around loose with his students. No telling how many other willing teenage girls he’d talked into bed.

As Whitney sat there eyeing Christine and her precious baby, her attorney’s mind conceived the idea to nail that lothario for seducing her young, vulnerable sister. He’d left her pregnant, alone, and would never have to pay a penny of child support.