The World's Best Dad. Valerie Taylor

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      She’d wanted him to kiss her

      Her heart picked up a beat as she remembered the feeling of Ben’s arms around her, his mouth poised a hairbreadth away from hers. It had been irresistible, the pull of his lips.

      Thank goodness her daughter hadn’t seen them kissing. She already saw Ben as a possible father—what would she have thought if she’d seen Julie in his arms?

      She had to resist Ben. She had to think of her child. The girl needed a father and stability. If a relationship between Julie and Ben didn’t work out, Marisa would be devastated.

      And yet…Julie looked back at Ben’s house. She could see him through the window. No matter what sense her mind tried to speak, there was no fooling her body. It was no longer deniable: She wanted Ben.

      Dear Reader,

      February is a month made for romance, and here at Harlequin American Romance we invite you to be our Valentine!

      Every month, we bring you four reasons to celebrate romance, and beloved author Muriel Jensen has reasons of her own—Four Reasons for Fatherhood, to be precise. Join former workaholic Aaron Bradley as he learns about parenthood—and love—from four feisty youngsters and one determined lady in the finale to our exciting miniseries THE DADDY CLUB.

      Some men just have a way with women, and our next two heroes are no exception. In Pamela Bauer’s Corporate Cowboy, when Austin Bennett hits his head and loses his memory, Kacy Judd better watch out—because her formerly arrogant boss is suddenly the most irresistible man in town! And in Married by Midnight by Mollie Molay, Maxwell Taylor has more charm than even he suspects—he goes to a wedding one day, and wakes up married the next!

      And if you’re wondering HOW TO MARRY…The World’s Best Dad, look no farther than Valerie Taylor’s heartwarming tale. Julie Miles may not follow her own advice, but she’s got gorgeous Ben Harbison’s attention anyway!

      We hope you enjoy every romantic minute of our four wonderful stories.

      Warm wishes,

      Melissa Jeglinski

      Associate Senior Editor

      How to Marry…

      The World’s Best Dad

      Valerie Taylor

       www.millsandboon.co.uk

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      To my father,

      Gordon,

      who truly was the world’s best.

      Thanks, Dad.

      ABOUT THE AUTHOR

      Valerie Taylor lives in Cincinnati with her husband (the world’s second-best daddy) and two young children. In her spare time she reads parenting how-to books and feels inadequate.

      Write to her at P.O. Box 42-8825, Cincinnati, OH 45242.

      Books by Valerie Taylor

      HARLEQUIN AMERICAN ROMANCE

      676—THE MOMMY SCHOOL

      816—THE WORLD’S BEST DAD

      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

       Epilogue

      Chapter One

      “Decision’s up to you. Motherhood or your job.”

      Julie Miles pulled the phone from her ear and looked at it in disgust. Was her boss listening to himself? If the choice was her child or her job, of course, she’d choose Marisa. Ed had kids of his own—why couldn’t he understand that?

      Then again, he had a spouse to deal with the kids so he could work.

      Maybe that’s what she needed, a spouse.

      She took a deep, calming breath and put the phone back to her ear. “Ed, of course, my job is important to me.” For one thing, if she didn’t have a job, how would she and Marisa live? “But you know things are a little crazy for me right now. I’ve been a mom for exactly—” she checked her watch “—forty-three hours and ten minutes. And I’ve been a home owner for less than twenty-four hours. Cut me a break, will you?”

      “I’ve already given you break after break these past couple weeks,” Ed grumbled. “Phillipa Grange keeps calling, and I know nothing about that stupid program of hers. And you know I’ve got the brass coming in next week. And here you are, getting on the mommy track. Ridiculous, a twenty-five-year-old with no husband adopting a preschooler.”

      Ed wasn’t really a complete jerk, Julie told herself. He was just playing one on the phone.

      “Not to mention you leaving me in the lurch with Cincinnati Eagle.”

      Aha. The real agenda, finally. One of his biggest clients coming in for a presentation later in the week and Ed had no idea how to put the presentation together. He was going to look exceedingly stupid on Friday if something didn’t fall his way.

      Well, this week, it was his problem. This week, she was a mom. For a moment, she allowed the pure delight of that to distract her from dealing with her boss. She was a