Paternal Instincts. Elizabeth August

      Table of Contents

       Cover Page

       Excerpt

       Dear Reader

       Title Page

       About the Author

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

       Chapter Five

       Chapter Six

       Chapter Seven

       Chapter Eight

       Chapter Nine

       Chapter Ten

       Chapter Eleven

       Chapter Twelve

       Copyright

       “I was wondering if you’d consider marrying me.”

      Her words echoed in her ears. Spoken aloud, they sounded like lunacy, but there was no taking them back. “It wouldn’t be forever. Just until I get Jamie,” she added hurriedly.

      

      The stunned expression on his face caused nausea to bubble in her throat. “You probably aren’t interested. Forget I asked,” she blurted out.

      

      But Eric was surprised by his own attitude. She was wrong. He was interested. “Well, I did promise Jamie I’d do what I could,” he muttered. But it wasn’t Jamie he was thinking of as he rose. What he was thinking of was her in his bed. Don’t you think marrying a woman simply to bed her is a little extreme? his inner voice argued.

      “If you need a husband for a while, I can handle that.”

      Dear Reader,

      

      The holiday season is a time for family, love…and miracles! We have all this—and more!—for you this month in Silhouette Romance. So in the gift-giving spirit, we offer you these wonderful books by some of the genre’s finest:

      A workaholic executive finds a baby in his in-box and enlists the help of the sexy single mom next door in this month’s BUNDLES OF JOY, The Baby Came C.O.D., by RITA Award-winner Marie Ferrarella. Both hero and heroine are twins, and Marie tells their identical siblings’ stories in Desperately Seeking Twin, out this month in our Yours Truly line.

      Favorite author Elizabeth August continues our MEN! promotion with Paternal Instincts. This latest installment in her SMYTHESHIRE, MASSACHUSETTS series features an irresistible lone wolf turned doting dad! As a special treat, Carolyn Zane’s sizzling family drama, THE BRUBAKER BRIDES, continues with His Brother’s Intended Bride—the title says it all!

      Completing the month are three classic holiday romances. A world-weary hunk becomes The Dad Who Saved Christmas in this magical tale by Karen Rose Smith. Discover The Drifter’s Gift in RITA Award-winning author Lauryn Chandler’s emotional story. Finally, debut author Zena Valentine weaves a tale of transformation—and miracles—in From Humbug to Holiday Bride.

      So treat yourself this month—and every month!—to Silhouette Romance!

      

      Happy holidays,

      

      Joan Marlow Golan

      Senior Editor

      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

      Paternal Instincts

      Elizabeth August

       www.millsandboon.co.uk

       ELIZABETH AUGUST

      lives in western North Carolina, with her husband, Doug, and her three boys, Douglas, Benjamin and Matthew. She began writing romances soon after Matthew was born. She’s always wanted to write.

      

      Elizabeth does counted cross-stitching to keep from eating at night. It doesn’t always work. “I love to bowl, but I’m not very good. I keep my team’s handicap high. I like hiking in the Shenandoahs, as long as we start up the mountain so the return trip is down rather than vice versa.” She loves to go to Cape Hatteras to watch the sun rise over the ocean. Elizabeth August has also published under the pseudonym Betsy Page.

       Chapter One

      Eric Bishop, code name Knight, lay in the hospital bed staring at the ceiling. Moving any part of his body required tremendous effort. He’d stopped drifting in and out of consciousness and was now fully awake. The images of Thistle and Coyote emerged from the foggy recesses of his mind. They were fellow covert agents working for The Unit, an elite squad of the military police, and they thought he was a traitor. He remembered telling them he was taking his orders from The Manager, their code for the head of The Unit, when the shooter had nailed him.

      “They told me you’d woken.”

      Eric had been concentrating so hard on trying to recall the circumstances that had landed him in this hospital bed, he hadn’t heard the approaching footsteps of the heavyset, elderly, very distinguished gentleman who now stood by his bedside in a well-tailored three-piece suit, leaning on a gold-topped cane. “Tobias.” His gaze shifted to the rest of the room, scanning it quickly to make certain they were alone. Then in lowered tones he asked, “How are Thistle and Coyote?”

      “They’re fine,” Tobias Smith replied, his manner fatherly.

      In spite of his weakened condition, Eric managed a defiant scowl. “They think I’m a traitor. I’m not.”

      Tobias smiled reassuringly.