The Borrowed Groom. Judy Christenberry

      Melissa Kennedy knew how to make a man ache.

      To make a man want. And Rob didn’t want to do either of those things.

      He stubbornly continued to wash the dishes, reluctant to acknowledge that he was alone with Melissa.

      But she didn’t sit down at the kitchen table. Instead, he suddenly found her beside him, a towel in her hands.

      His head whipped around to stare at the beautiful woman beside him. Tonight her dress was mint-green, almost the color of her eyes. It fit snugly from the waist up, and he suddenly dropped the dish he had been washing. Fortunately, the water cushioned its landing and it didn’t break. It only splashed him with water.

      Melissa took the towel and began blotting his shirt and chest.

      He thought he’d die.

      The Circle K Sisters

      NEVER LET YOU GO (SR #1453)

      THE BORROWED GROOM (SR #1457)

      CHERISH THE BOSS (SR #1463)

      Dear Reader,

      Looking for sensational summer reads? All year we’ve been celebrating Silhouette’s 20th Anniversary with special titles, and this month’s selections are just the warm, romantic tales you’ve been seeking!

      Bestselling author Stella Bagwell continues the newest Romance promotion, AN OLDER MAN. Falling for Grace hadn’t been his intention, particularly when his younger, pregnant neighbor was carrying his nephew’s baby! Judy Christenberry’s THE CIRCLE K SISTERS miniseries comes back to Romance this month, when sister Melissa enlists the temporary services of The Borrowed Groom. Moyra Tarling’s Denim & Diamond pairs a rough-hewn single dad with the expectant woman he’d once desired beyond reason…but let get away.

      Valerie Parv unveils her romantic royalty series THE CARRAMER CROWN. When a woman literally washes ashore at the feet of the prince, she becomes companion to The Monarch’s Son… but will she ever become the monarch’s wife? Julianna Morris’s BRIDAL FEVER! persists when Jodie’s Mail-Order Man discovers her heart’s desire: the brother of her mail-order groom! And Martha Shields’s Lassoed! is the perfect Opposites Attract story this summer. The sparks between a rough-and-tumble rodeo champ and the refined beauty sent to photograph him jump off every page!

      In future months, look for STORKVILLE, USA, our newest continuity series. And don’t miss the charming miniseries THE CHANDLERS REQUEST…from New York Times bestselling author Kasey Michaels.

      Happy reading!

      Mary-Theresa Hussey

      Senior Editor

      The Borrowed Groom

      Judy Christenberry

       www.millsandboon.co.uk

      Books by Judy Christenberry

      Silhouette Romance

      The Nine-Month Bride #1324

      *Marry Me, Kate #1343

      *Baby in Her Arms #1350

      *A Ring for Cinderella #1356

      †Never Let You Go #1453

      †The Borrowed Groom #1457

      JUDY CHRISTENBERRY

      has been writing romances for fifteen years because she loves happy endings as much as her readers do. She’s a bestselling writer for Harlequin American Romance, but she has a long love of traditional romances and is delighted to tell a story that brings those elements to the reader. A former French teacher, Judy now devotes her time to writing. She hopes readers have as much fun reading her stories as she does writing them. She spends her spare time reading, watching her favorite sports teams and keeping track of her two daughters. Judy’s a native Texan, who recently moved to Tempe, Arizona.

      Contents

       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 One

      “Terri!”

      The roar of a frustrated man’s voice penetrated the warm happiness of Melissa Kennedy’s kitchen, bringing alarm to her guest’s face.

      The young girl gasped and leaped to her feet. “That’s my dad!” She seemed prepared to race out of the house.

      “I’ll invite him in,” Melissa said, motioning with her hand for Terri Hanson to sit back down. She didn’t like the look of apprehension on the child’s face. If this man abused his daughter, he’d have her to deal with.

      After all, her dream, one she’d been able to realize when her aunt Beulah had died and left her and her sisters a fortune, was to protect children. She’d built her new home here on the family ranch, a few yards from the original homestead, so she’d have room for the foster children she hoped to care for.

      “Mr. Hanson?” she called, after stepping out onto the porch, staring at the man standing in front of the nearby manager’s house, his hands cocked on his hips, his hat pulled low. “Terri’s here with me.”

      At first she thought he wasn’t going to move. Then he covered the ground between them quickly. Though he was a handsome man, broad-shouldered, narrow-hipped, he wasn’t happy. The urge to back up a step or two struck her, but she held her ground.

      He stopped at the bottom of the steps and touched his hat with his fingers. “Ma’am. Would you please ask Terri to come here?” His face was stern, unyielding, his gaze cold.

      “I have a better idea. Why don’t you join us? I’m Melissa, Abby’s sister. Terri is having a snack with us. I think there are a few cookies left over.” She gave him her best smile. Abby, her older sister, had told her that she had hired