Secret Baby Scandal. Joanne Rock

      

       “Don’t forget why we planned this outing.”

      Jean-Pierre’s words were softly spoken, a gentle rumble between them while they stood so close.

      “To show any nearby press that we’re spending time together. That there is no bad blood between us.”

      “We are going to have to do better than demonstrate a lack of enmity. We need to show we’re more than just friends, Tatiana. We’re building a story so we can introduce our son to the world.” He lowered his head closer to hers, his lips brushing her hair as he spoke into her ear. “But if you leap away every time I touch you, no one is going to buy it.”

      The warmth of his body next to hers awakened every nerve ending. He smelled good, like spices and fresh air. She closed her eyes for just a moment, breathing him in. She lifted her palms to his chest, touching him on instinct. And while she might tell herself that touch maintained a few inches of space between them, she knew better.

      Having her hands on him was a simple pleasure too good to deny herself after the tumultuous last weeks.

      “Agreed.”

      * * *

      Secret Baby Scandal is part of the Bayou Billionaires series—secrets and scandal are a Cajun family legacy for the Reynaud brothers!

      Secret Baby

      Scandal

      Joanne Rock

       www.millsandboon.co.uk

      Three-time RITA® Award nominee JOANNE ROCK has penned over sixty stories for Mills & Boon. An optimist by nature and perpetual seeker of silver linings, Joanne finds romance fits her life outlook perfectly—love is worth fighting for. A former Golden Heart® Award recipient, she has won numerous awards for her stories. Learn more about Joanne’s imaginative Muse by visiting her website www.joannerock.com or follow @joannerock6 on Twitter.

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      To the Desire authors and editors who made me feel so welcome in this series long before my first book hit the shelves. Thank you!

      Contents

       Cover

       Introduction

       Title Page

       About the Author

       Dedication

One

Two

       Three

       Four

       Five

       Six

       Seven

       Eight

       Nine

       Ten

       Eleven

       Twelve

       Thirteen

       Extract

       Copyright

       One

      “Good game, Reynaud.” The beat writer who covered the New York Gladiators waited with a microphone in hand as starting quarterback, Jean-Pierre Reynaud, stepped into the interview room at the Coliseum Sports Complex.

      Jean-Pierre was prepared for the reporter’s questions as he settled into a canvas director’s chair in the small, glassed-in booth after his third straight win at home. Just outside the interview room, thousands of fans lingered in the Coliseum’s Coaches Club, staying after the game to see the players take turns answering questions for the media. Here, fans could relax and have a drink at the bar while the traffic thinned out after the Sunday night matchup versus Philadelphia.

      After clipping the small microphone onto his jacket lapel with his right hand, which not too long ago had thrown the game-winning pass, Jean-Pierre gave the crowd a quick wave. The high ticket prices for the exclusive Coaches Club didn’t prevent the fans here from bringing glittery signs or asking for autographs, but team security made sure these kinds of events went smoothly. Jean-Pierre would give an interview and roll out of here in less than thirty minutes, which would leave enough time to catch a private plane to New Orleans tonight. He needed to take care of some Reynaud family business, for one thing.

      And for another? He planned to discreetly scout his brother’s team, the New Orleans Hurricanes, before the much touted brother-against-brother football showdown in week twelve of the regular season. Of the four Reynaud siblings, Jean-Pierre’s eldest brother, Gervais, owned the Hurricanes. The next oldest, Dempsey, coached the Hurricanes. And Henri Reynaud, known league-wide as the Bayou Bomber, ran the Hurricanes’ offense from the quarterback position, slinging record-setting pass yardage with an arm destined for hall-of-fame greatness.

      Living up to that legacy? No big deal. Right?

      Damn.

      As