Nick's Long-Awaited Honeymoon. Sandra Steffen

      “How long are you going to make me wait?” Nick whispered. Letter to Reader Title Page Dedication SANDRA STEFFEN Chapter One Chapter Two Chapter Three Chapter Four Chapter Five Chapter Six Chapter Seven Chapter Eight Chapter Nine Chapter Ten Chapter Eleven Copyright

      “How long are you going to make me wait?” Nick whispered.

      He heard her breath catch in her throat, saw her eyelashes flutter down. “As long as it takes.”

      

      Nick had no idea what she meant. As far as he was concerned, making love to Brittany had always felt right. He knew she wanted him. She’d always wanted him. It was there in her eyes.

      

      “As long as what takes?” he asked.

      

      Brittany felt a smile coming on. And then, everything inside her went perfectly still. Her thoughts, her breathing, even her heart seemed to stop for one brief moment. She wasn’t certain that staying out of Nick’s bed was luring him any closer to love, but she was falling a little farther, a little harder, every day.

      Dear Reader,

      

      This month, Romance is chock-full of excitement. First, VIRGIN BRIDES continues with The Bride’s Second Thought, an emotionally compelling story by bestselling author Elizabeth August. When a virginal bride-to-be finds her fiancé with another woman, she flees to the mountains for refuge...only to be stranded with a gorgeous stranger who gives her second thoughts about a lot of things....

      

      Next, Natalie Patrick offers up a delightful BUNDLES OF JOY with Boot Scootin’ Secret Baby. Bull rider Jacob “Cub” Goodacre returns to South Dakota for his rodeo hurrah, only to learn he’s still a married man...and father to a two-year-old heart tugger. BACHELOR GULCH, Sandra Steffen’s wonderful Western series, resumes with the story of an estranged couple who had wed for the sake of their child...but wonder if they can rekindle their love in Nick’s Long-Awaited Honeymoon.

      

      Rising star Kristin Morgan delivers a tender, sexy tale about a woman whose biological clock is booming and the best friend who consents to being her Shotgun Groom. If you want a humorous—red-hot!—read. try Vivian Leiber’s The 6’2”, 200 lb. Challenge. The battle of the sexes doesn’t get any better! Finally, Lisa Kaye Laurel’s fairy-tale series, ROYAL WEDDINGS, draws to a close with The Irresistible Prince, where the woman hired to find the royal a wife realizes she is the perfect candidate!

      

      In May, VIRGIN BRIDES resumes with Annette Broadrick, and future months feature titles by Suzanne Carey and Judy Christenberry, among others. So keep coming back to Romance, where you’re sure to find the classic tales you love, told in fresh, exciting ways.

      

      Enjoy!

      Joan Marlow Golan

      Senior Editor, Silhouette Romance

      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

      Nick’s Long-Awaited Honeymoon

      Sandra Steffen

       www.millsandboon.co.uk

      For my five “grown” nieces and nephew—

      Karen, Kathie, Laurie, Jerry and Pattie. I married into this family, and you were born into it. Was it fate or luck? It’s hard to say. I only know that you’re all so easy to love, and I’m proud to be your aunt.

      SANDRA STEFFEN

      Creating memorable characters is one of Sandra’s favorite aspects of writing. She’s always been a romantic and is thrilled to be able to spend her days doing what she loves—bringing her characters to life on her computer screen.

      

      Sandra grew up in Michigan, the fourth of ten children, all of whom have taken the old adage “Go forth and multiply” quite literally. Add to this her husband, who is her real-life hero, their four school-age sons who keep their lives in constant motion, their gigantic cat, Percy, and her wonderful friends, in-laws and neighbors, and what do you get? Chaos, of course, but also a wonderful sense of belonging she wouldn’t trade for the world.

      Chapter One

      He wasn’t lost. Nick Colter had a sixth sense about direction. It came in handy in back alleys and bad situations. No, he wasn’t lost. Custer Street, on the other hand, was lost as hell. Street signs would have been nice. For some strange reason only half the streets in this town had them.

      He inched his car to a corner and peered in every direction. Jasper Gulch, South Dakota, wasn’t much different from fifty other towns he’d passed on his way from Chicago. The houses were at least a hundred years old and looked as if they’d seen better days. Porch lights were on, but the dwellings themselves were dark. Nick shook his head. Might as well hang a sign out front for burglars: “House empty. Take your time. The good silver is in the pantry.”

      “Careful, Colter,” he muttered under his breath. “One of these days somebody’s gonna accuse you of being cynical.”

      His next turn landed him back on Main Street where he’d started. He strummed his fingers on the steering wheel and studied his surroundings. The street was lined with cars and pickup trucks, but not a single person was in sight. Spotting a lit building a block over, he parked his car in the first available space and headed inside.

      He gave the room a sweeping glance the instant he set foot inside the door. A wedding reception was taking place, and if the volume of the boot-stomping music coming from the country-western band and the laughter and raised voices of the crowd were an accurate indication, the folks of Jasper Gulch were having a good time. Only a few of the wedding guests noticed his presence—a handful of kids who stopped their game of tag to stare at him, two teenaged girls who whispered behind their hands, and an old man whose thumbs were hooked through his suspenders.

      “Can I help you, son?” the old cowboy