The Secretary Gets Her Man. Mindy Neff

      He’d never realized how closely fear and desire were linked….

      Joe knew the exact moment that Penny came through the doors of the police station. He couldn’t see her yet, but he heard the buzz, felt a slight shift in atmosphere, as though everyone had come to attention.

      Because she intrigued him—and because she was so closemouthed about her life these past years—he’d done a simple background check on her. He hadn’t intended to. A few taps on the computer keys and he’d found himself typing in Penny’s name.

      He’d been stunned to find no trace of her. It was as though she didn’t exist—had never existed.

      Whatever work she actually did had to be highly classified, and most likely dangerous, if someone had gone to the trouble to remove her identity from every computer data bank he’d known to access.

      At that moment, she turned and met his gaze.

      His heart actually thumped behind his breastbone. A pure shot of adrenaline turned his knees to jelly—much the same feeling as facing the business end of a gun in a dark alley….

      Dear Reader,

      Happy New Year! May this year bring you happiness, good health and all that you wish for. And at Harlequin American Romance, we’re hoping to provide you with a year full of heartwarming books that you won’t be able to resist.

      Leading the month is The Secretary Gets Her Man by Mindy Neff, Harlequin American Romance’s spin-off to Harlequin Intrigue’s TEXAS CONFIDENTIAL continuity series. This exciting story focuses on the covert operation’s much-mentioned wallflower secretary, Penny Archer.

      Muriel Jensen’s Father Formula continues her successful WHO’S THE DADDY? series about three identical sisters who cause three handsome bachelors no end of trouble when they discover one woman is about to become a mother. Next, after opening an heirloom hope chest, a bride-to-be suddenly cancels her wedding and starts having intimate dreams about a handsome stranger, in Have Gown, Need Groom. This is the first book of Rita Herron’s new miniseries THE HARTWELL HOPE CHESTS. And Debbi Rawlins tells the emotional story of a reclusive rancher who opens his home—and his heart—to a lovely single mother, in Loving a Lonesome Cowboy.

      In February, look for another installment in the RETURN TO TYLER series with Prescription for Seduction by Darlene Scalera.

      Wishing you happy reading,

      Melissa Jeglinski

      Associate Senior Editor

      Harlequin American Romance

      The Secretary Gets Her Man

      Mindy Neff

       www.millsandboon.co.uk

      This book is for Nancy Dayton and Jim Jones—river neighbors, and friends. You guys are the greatest.

      ABOUT THE AUTHOR

      Originally from Louisiana, Mindy Neff settled in Southern California, where she married a really romantic guy and raised five great kids. Family, friends, writing and reading are her passions. When not writing, Mindy’s ideal getaway is a good book, hot sunshine and a chair at the river’s edge with water lapping at her toes.

      Mindy loves to hear from readers and can be reached at P.O. Box 2704-262, Huntington Beach, CA 92647.

      Books by Mindy Neff

      HARLEQUIN AMERICAN ROMANCE

      644—A FAMILY MAN

      663—ADAM’S KISS

      679—THE BAD BOY NEXT DOOR

      711—THEY’RE THE ONE!*

      739—A BACHELOR FOR THE BRIDE

      759—THE COWBOY IS A DADDY

      769—SUDDENLY A DADDY

      795—THE VIRGIN & HER BODYGUARD*

      800—THE PLAYBOY & THE MOMMY*

      809—A PREGNANCY AND A PROPOSAL

      830—THE RANCHER’S MAIL-ORDER BRIDE†

      834—THE PLAYBOY’S OWN MISS PRIM†

      838—THE HORSEMAN’S CONVENIENT WIFE†

      857—THE SECRETARY GETS HER MAN

      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 Thirteen

       Chapter Fourteen

       Epilogue

      Chapter One

      Penny Archer stepped a little harder on the throttle of her sleek black Cadillac as the headlights caught the reflective road sign announcing Darby, Texas five miles ahead.

      Along the gravel shoulder of the road, a deer paused, eyes shining bright in the flash of headlights. Penny eased up on the gas. She’d been traveling for close to six hours and it wouldn’t do to play a game of chicken with the wildlife. From past experience, she knew the Caddie would end up on the losing end of the deal if it came down to a collision.

      And it would only set her back time-wise. In and out, she promised herself. She’d get her grandmother’s affairs in order, sell the house, touch base with a couple of her high school friends, then get the heck out of Dodge—or Darby, rather.

      She wondered if she’d subconsciously chosen the cover of darkness to return to her hometown that she’d only visited twice in the past twelve years.

      Memories rolled over her—some painful, some embarrassing and some that were gentle, warm and irreplaceable.

      She