A Texas-Sized Secret. Maureen Child

      

      A pregnancy shock...and only her best friend can help... From USA TODAY bestselling author Maureen Child!

      Style maven and TV personality Naomi Price has made her share of mistakes with men—and she has her secret pregnancy to prove it! But when it comes to her best friend—rich rancher and inventor Toby McKittrick—her taste is impeccable. With the town blackmailer threatening to divulge Naomi’s pregnancy secret, Toby steps in and pretends to be the dad. Now, that’s what best friends are for! But will their relationship ruse turn into the real deal before the scandal blows up as big as the Lone Star State?

      “Engaged.”

      Her mother said the word again, as if savoring it, and smiled. “Oh, Naomi, you’re marrying Toby McKittrick. It’s just wonderful.”

      Naomi had never been on the receiving end of that smile before, so it threw her a little. Then she realized exactly what her mother had said. She wasn’t thrilled about the baby, but about her daughter marrying Toby. Handsome. Stable. Wealthy Toby McKittrick. That was the kind of announcement her mother could get behind.

      And that realization only made Naomi furious. At Toby. She hadn’t expected her parents to be supportive, but having Toby ride to the rescue felt, after that first burst of relief, more than a little annoying. She’d only wanted him here for moral support. Not to sweep in and lie to save her. The whole purpose of coming here to tell her parents the truth was to get it over with. “Toby—”

      He looked down at her, gave her a smile, then surprised her into being quiet with a quick, hard kiss that left her lips buzzing. Shock rattled her. He’d never kissed her before, and though it wasn’t a lover’s kiss, it wasn’t exactly a brotherly kiss, either.

      * * *

      A Texas-Sized Secret is part of the series Texas Cattleman’s Club: Blackmail—No secret—or heart— is safe in Royal, Texas…

      A Texas-Sized Secret

      Maureen Child

       www.millsandboon.co.uk

      MAUREEN CHILD writes for the Mills & Boon Desire line and can’t imagine a better job. A seven-time finalist for a prestigious Romance Writers of America RITA^® Award, Maureen is an author of more than one hundred romance novels. Her books regularly appear on bestseller lists and have won several awards, including a Prism Award, a National Readers’ Choice Award, a Colorado Romance Writers Award of Excellence and a Golden Quill Award. She is a native Californian but has recently moved to the mountains of Utah.

      To the readers, because you are the reason we have stories to tell.

      Contents

       Cover

       Back Cover Text

       Introduction

       Title Page

       About the Author

       Dedication

       One

       Two

       Three

       Four

       Five

       Six

       Seven

       Eight

       Nine

       Ten

       Eleven

       Extract

       Copyright

       One

      “What did I ever do to this Maverick?” Naomi Price kicked at the dirt, then gave a heavy sigh. “Why’s he after me?”

      Toby McKittrick glanced from the horse he was saddling to the woman standing on the other side of the corral fence. Even furious and a little scared, Naomi made quite the picture.

      She was nine inches shorter than his own six feet two inches, but she had a lot of interest packed into her five-foot-five frame. Her long, copper-brown hair draped over her shoulders like fire, and her chocolate-colored eyes snapped with intelligence and, at the moment, worry. She wore white summer slacks and a loose, pale green shirt with some white lacy thing over it. The boots she wore were ankle-high, pale cream and fit only for walking down clean city sidewalks. Here on the ranch, they’d be ruined in a day or two. But Naomi was a city girl, so no worries.

      “This Maverick,” he said, “he—or she, for all we know,” Toby pointed out, “is after everybody, it seems. Guess it was just your turn.”

      “Maverick” had been creating turmoil in Royal, Texas, for the last few months. Exposing private bombshells, taunting people with their innermost worries and fears, whoever it was not only knew the people of Royal, but didn’t give a good damn about them.

      Somehow this person—whoever—uncovered people’s darkest secrets and then published them. Toby had no idea what the mysterious Maverick was getting out of all this—okay, some people had paid Maverick to keep his mouth shut—but Toby had the feeling the whole point was simply to try to destroy people’s reputations. If that was it, he was batting a thousand.

      “Great,” Naomi muttered. “Just great.”

      “What exactly did he say to get you running out here first thing in the morning?” Toby gave her a long look. Usually, Naomi wasn’t up and moving until the crack of noon. She didn’t go anywhere unless she was completely turned out from the top of her head to the toes of her stylish shoes.

      She sighed, then reached into her shoulder bag for her cell phone. “Look at it for yourself,” she said, handing it over.

      Toby gave the horse a pat, took the phone and keyed it up.

      “It’s ready to go,” she said, “just push Play.”

      Frowning, Toby tipped the brim of his hat back and tapped the phone screen. Instantly, he saw what