The groom is always the last to know…Imagine confirmed bachelor Ben Howard's surprise when he opened the morning paper and discovered he was about to marry a total stranger! The explanation: bridal shop owner Melinda Carey had accidentally released an imaginary engagement announcement. The thing Ben didn't get: why she'd chosen him as her fake fiancée!Could life be any more embarrassing? Mortified, Melinda had secretly dreamed about marrying her high school crush. Now their «wedding» was the talk of the town, her loopy aunt Bertie was convinced canceling it would be bad luck–and most shocking of all!–Ben declared his intention to go through with the marriage.Happily Wedded After: Jump headlong into these unforgettable stories about saying «I Do!»
By Royal RequestCharged with the safety of the Dowager Duchess of Lorrania, Commander Wade Stevens pledged on the honor of his country to keep her safe. The beautiful Duchess May was in greater peril than she knew. And it was Wade's solemn duty to keep the unpredictable royal out of trouble.But the fun-loving May wouldn't let him stay solemn. And when an assassin threatened May's life, it wasn't duty that drove Wade to sweep her from danger into his arms. Forbidden attraction soon blazed from spark to flame. And although their different birthrights made love impossible, Wade had overcome the impossible before….
There was a baby in his back seat!And when Sam Harrison noticed that the infant stowed away in his car was his own daughter, he ran his SUV right into a water tower! Luckily, no one was hurt, but the escapade left Sam and his baby stranded on Laura Evans's land…and she wasn't too happy about her unexpected visitors.Well, baby Annie soon had Laura cooing a different tune, especially when she learned the single dad knew nothing about child rearing. She agreed to take them in–for a limited time only. But between lessons in baby care, her closely guarded heart began to melt, though she would never reveal those feelings to Sam. For Laura had her share of secrets to keep…American Baby: Unexpected arrivals lead to the sweetest of surprises as Harlequin American Romance celebrates the love only a baby can bring!
Clear and Present…Trouble?Mike Wheeler needed to look no further than Charlene «Charlie» Norris to find the cause of the pain in his–leg. Mixing it up with a diplomat one minute, then chasing after an exotic pet the next, Charlie was an international incident just waiting to happen. The woman was pure trouble. With her long, shapely legs and cheery attitude, she had a way of turning his wellordered world upside down every time their paths crossed. Mike already had his hands full, juggling single fatherhood and a danger-filled job. Now he'd pulled bodyguard duty for the free-spirited blonde who made his blood race and lonely heart stir. But was Charlie really mother and wife material? And was Mike prepared to become a secret service husband?Grooms in Uniform: Serving their country, as they follow their hearts…
"I Do…For Now."She might be the last twenty-nine-year-old virgin in Greece, but Melina Kostos did not need her overprotective father and brothers handpicking her husband! So when American businessman and single dad Adam Blake proposed a convenient marriage on her terms, she accepted. By Zeus, their bargain gave her everything she wanted: a gold band, a little girl to love and a green card.So why wasn't it enough?Because Melina wanted to break her no-touching-in-private rule and make her husband her first. Because she didn't want to be just a child's friend, she wanted to have Adam's babies. Because she wanted the whole thing–big fat Greek wedding and all!
Oh, what a night!How had Maxwell Taylor ended up naked…in a honeymoon suite…with Kelly O'Rourke at his side? The last thing the Boston blue blood remembered was catching the garter at a wedding and putting it on sweet Kelly's shapely leg. Then the memories hit him: He and this redheaded spitfire of a stranger had gotten hitched last night. And, if his dated body could be trusted, they'd just consummated their wedding!But before the midnight groom could absorb this monumental fact, his blushing bride had one more surprise. Kelly's military father and three brawny brothers were about to break down the door. And there would be no getting out of this situation unscathed, for in the O'Rourke family, marriage was forever…!
Sullivan's RulesHe Has Six Rules About MarriageLucas Sullivan is a sociologist who's come up with a set of rules that, in his opinion, will guarantee a happy marriage. Unfortunately, April Morgan, his editor, sees things quite differently.She Has Six Lessons To Teach Him– About Life, Love AndMarriageApril considers Sullivan's rules biased, out of touch and out of date. In her opinion, Sullivan has no idea how real men and women think, act or feel. So April sets out to show him…and in the process discovers that there's another side to Lucas Sullivan.This other Lucas is a man who doesn't always follow his own rules. A man who's a quick learner, too–when April Morgan's doing the teaching!
Employer, Enemy–Or Fiance?As a single mother of two, Lili Soule will do everything she can to save the day-care center in the building where she works, even if it means challenging Tom Eldridge, her handsome boss. She can't really afford to put her job on the line, but she also can't afford to find other arrangements for the twins.Tom Eldridge is in a bind–stuck between building management, a demanding father who wants Tom to settle down right now, and the irksome Ms. Soule. Then a chance encounter with Lili and her two children gives him an idea that will solve all his problems in one fell swoop….So just when Lili thinks she's going to have to put up the fight of her life, Tom offers her a proposal she's having trouble refusing!
A thunderous crack of the auctioneer's gavel and $350 later Emily Holmes «owned» Bachelor #46, all six gorgeous feet of him! T. J.Kirkpatrick was going to have to pony up more than dinner and a movie, though. Emily needed a husband–her inheritance depended on it. T.J. insisted that he was no spousal specimen, but if being «married» meant playing newlyweds, then he'd happily masquerade as Emily's man. The charade proved all too real, for T.J.'s kisses made her heart race–and time stand still. And now that she'd unexpectedly fallen madly in love with her «husband,» she intended to get them going…going…gone–right to the preacher!
A precious reminder of her one fall from grace…Baranovian royal Victoria Bernard's cherished daughter had the same dimple and sparkling eyes as her father, a man forever forbidden to Victoria. She should never have seen him again–except she was assigned to diplomatic duty at Lieutenant Commander Dan O'Hara's JAG post! She only hoped Dan would not recognize her…Dan was a commander with a five-year plan, with marriage and kids far off in the future. But something about Victoria reminded him of the mystery woman with whom he'd spent one tantalizing night. It was crazy to think this off-limits royal might be her. Honor demanded he walk away–until he saw Victoria's baby girl, and his five-year plan became five seconds to fatherhood!