Table of Contents
Cover Page
Excerpt
Dear Reader
Title Page
Dedication
Dear Reader
1
2
3
4
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7
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11
Copyright
Renting mr. Right: What every
single woman should know
You don’t always want to make a permanent commitment, whether it’s to a new car, or a TV—or, heaven knows, a man. That’s why renting is so popular these days. Still, there are problems….
Take Cassandra Daniels, for instance. She was perfectly content being single—but she simply couldn’t convince her family that she wasn’t absolutely miserable just because she didn’t have a man in her life.
So she went out and got herself a temporary fiancé. And, predictably enough, her folks practically swooned over Troy McKnight. He was handsome, he was well dressed, he was…just about perfect.
Maybe a little too perfect. Because it looks as if Cassandra is having a very hard time giving this “rental” back.…
Dear Reader,
There’s just something irresistible about a big strong guy holding a little tiny baby, or maybe bouncing a chubby-cheeked toddler on his knee. In fact, I’m surprised more guys haven’t figured out that the perfect way to attract a woman is by accessorizing themselves in just that way. Nick Hansen’s got it figured out, though. The hero of Leslie Davis Guccione’s Borrowed Baby has decided that fake fatherhood—and his resulting romantic successes—will make a perfect subject for his newspaper column. He just hasn’t figured out quite what to do about irresistible Shannon McEvoy—or the fact that he’s falling in love with a woman with one very big misconception about him!
Then check out Fiancé for the Night, by newcomer Melissa McClone. There’s nothing like a sham engagement to start the sparks flying. The problem Cassandra Daniels is having with that, though, is that she’s finding herself much more attracted to Troy McKnight, her bogus bridegroom-to-be, than she planned. Now she’s wondering whether there’s any chance of those sparks lighting the kind of fire that’s meant to last a lifetime.
Yours,
Leslie Wainger
Executive 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
Fiancé for the Night
* * *
MELISSA
McCLONE
To my husband, Tom,
for believing in dreams
and believing in me.
Dear Reader,
When my husband—then boyfriend—and I started dating, we lived a few blocks apart in San Francisco’s Marina District. From walking across the Golden Gate Bridge to eating at the many restaurants on Chestnut Street, our dating revolved around life in the city. San Francisco and romance became synonymous, especially after my husband proposed one chilly December night at Crissy Field, with the Golden Gate Bridge as the backdrop.
Four months after we married, we moved and adjusted to life in the suburbs. When it came time to pick the setting for Cassandra and Troy’s story, the choice was easy: San Francisco—one of the most romantic cities on Earth. I missed living there so much. I had such wonderful memories of dating, planning our wedding, registering for gifts, being newlyweds. I knew it was the perfect place for my characters to fall in love. I hope you’ll agree!
People might sing of leaving their hearts in San Francisco, but it’s where I found mine. So did Cassandra and Troy. Enjoy.
P.S. I love to hear from readers. Please write to me at P.O. Box 63, Lake Oswego, OR 97034.
1
“Would you be my fiancé?”
Troy McKnight stared at the woman who had asked the question. With crystals hanging around her neck, dangling silver earrings and a flowery print dress on, she looked out of place in the trendy San Francisco microbrewery. Her wide, blue eyes and heart-shaped face were attractive in a Haight-Ashbury, flower child sort of way. Freckles dotted her nose, and she wore no makeup. Not exactly the type of fiancée he was hoping to find someday.
He knew nothing about her, not even her name. She’d come up to him, said hello and asked her question. A question he barely heard over the din of the bar crowd. He didn’t know if the woman had been serious or if he’d drunk one beer too many. He only remembered ordering one—the half-filled cold glass he held in his hand. “Excuse me, but what did you say?”
Releasing a sigh, she brushed her long, wavy blond hair behind her shoulder. “Would you be my fiancé? Just for tonight, of course.”
She said it so matter-of-factly her proposition sounded almost logical. At least he knew it wasn’t the beer; he’d heard her right the first time.
Troy took a swig, savoring the cool liquid as it ran down his throat. After a rough day at the office, all he wanted was a drink and another quiet evening at home, nothing else.
Hell, she hadn’t introduced herself. She could be a scam artist, a she-devil in disguise, and he the target. Even without lipstick, her full lips were luscious enough to seduce unknowing prey. Troy set his glass on the bar. “Why do you need a fiancé for tonight?”
“It’s a long story.” She reached for his hand, pushed back the arm of his suit and read the time on his Rolex. Her sunshine and sunflower scent cut through the beer and smoke stench of the brewery. “I don’t have time to explain.”
“You’re asking for a lot without providing any explanation.”
She rolled her eyes. “I got myself into a jam with my family. It’s only one dinner. My father will pay, so it won’t cost you a penny.”
Troy hesitated, unsure if he bought her explanation. The woman was attractive enough; she would have no problem finding a real fiancé.
“Look, will you be my fiancé or not?” The edges of her mouth turned up slightly. “I hate to be impatient, but if you say no, I have to find someone else.”
She glanced around the bar as if she were looking for her next target. In the jam-packed brewery, she could easily find someone else. Men with rolled-up sleeves and loosened ties stood at nearby tables, relaxing after long hours at the office. Flattered she’d picked him over all the others, his ego swelled. Was he her first choice? He didn’t know, and he wondered why the thought bothered him.
Troy didn’t know why he was considering posing as her fiancé. The woman had appeared out of nowhere, yet he couldn’t deny his curiosity about her and her strange proposition. The concern and sense of urgency in her eyes rang true, but he never took risks. Spontaneity wasn’t part of his plan.
Staring at him, she waited for his answer by tapping her unpainted fingernails against the oak bar.
If he said no, she seemed to have no qualms about asking another man to be her fiancé for the night. He doubted she was a con artist. She looked too much like an innocent love child with a hint of vulnerability in her eyes. In a meat market like this, a veritable smorgasbord of male testosterone, she could end up with anyone.
At least she would be safe with him.
“This is important to you, isn’t it?”
As she tilted her chin, her earrings chimed. “Yes.”
A free dinner, an attractive woman. It almost sounded too easy. Troy thought of Judy White, who worked in the office next to his. Now she was his type. He’d seen Judy’s fiancé pick her up this afternoon. For three years, Troy had wanted to ask her out, but he’d been too busy working to take the time. Now she was engaged
to someone else, and he was sitting in a bar with a total stranger. What the hell, maybe he needed a little adventure in his life. “Okay.”
She threw her arms around him and kissed his cheek. “Oh, thank you.”
Her impulsiveness surprised him. Troy noticed the envious glances of other men in the bar. Maybe this wasn’t such a bad idea after all.
Grabbing his arm, she pulled him off his bar stool. “Come on, we’re going to be late.”
So fast? What had he gotten himself into? Troy hesitated, unsure if he wanted to experience an adventure tonight. “I need to pay for my beer, first.”
Before Troy could reach his wallet, she opened her purse, a multicolored cloth pouch with drawstrings, and pulled out a five-dollar bill. “Will this cover it?”
“Yes.” A woman paying? A first for him.
She tossed the money on the bar. “Is there anything else?”
He wanted to say yes. Stop. “No.”
“Let’s go.” She led him out the double glass doors.
A cool breeze blew off the San Francisco Bay. Cars sped by on the Embarcadero. To his right, the lights on the double-decker Bay Bridge twinkled in the evening sky. The pleasant autumn weather was a refreshing change from a day spent in a skyscraper.
“Do you have a car?” she asked.
“Not with me.”
She rubbed her temples. “We’ll have to take a taxi.”
“Where are we—”
“I’ll explain everything in a minute.” She flagged down a yellow cab. “Stars, please.”
Troy followed her into the cab. Stars…he would be getting a good dinner tonight. The restaurant was one of the best in the city, known for creating mouthwatering dishes and attracting a crowd of see-and-be-seen patrons.
As the cab pulled away from the curb, she laughed. “I’m going to pull this off.”
He watched her for a moment. Her unrestrained joy, her boundless energy captivated him. He’d never met anyone like her.
She wet her lower lip. “I don’t know your name.”
“Troy McKnight.”
“Troy McKnight.” She repeated his name twice. “I like it. Well, Troy. I hope you don’t mind me calling you that? After all, we are engaged.”
The cabdriver coughed, and Troy ignored him. “Would you mind telling me your name?”
“I’m Cassandra.”
Such a serious and formal name for such a lighthearted person. The name Cassie fit her personality much better. “Cassandra what?”
“Oh sorry, I usually go by my first name. Daniels, Cassandra Daniels.” She took a deep breath. “I can’t believe I found you, and you said yes.”
“Why do you need a fiancé?”
She hesitated, drawing her honey gold eyebrows together.
“I need to know what’s going on, otherwise…”
“You’re right.” She paused. “Okay, here’s what happened. We met three weeks ago, fell madly in love and got engaged. My parents decided they had to meet the man who swept me off my feet, so they called this morning and told me they were driving up from Carmel to have dinner with us.”
“Are your parents retired?”
“My mother thinks so, but my father has his own business and isn’t ready for full-time retirement.”
“What happened to the real fiancé?”
“What real fiancé?”
“I assume you told your family about a real engagement.”
“No,” Cassandra said. “I made it up.”
She wasn’t a compulsive liar, was she? “You told your family you were engaged when you weren’t?”
She nodded.
“Why?”
She shrugged. “It seemed like the thing to do at the time. Sometimes, I’m, uh, impulsive.” She smiled mischievously as if sharing a childhood secret.
He laughed. “I never would’ve guessed.”
“I want to thank you, Troy.” Her eyes shone with gratitude. “I could tell you were a nice guy. You have this wonderful aura.”
Aura? He didn’t know people who used words like that. Was she one of those New Agers? She did wear crystals, and she must be a little flaky to need a lastminute fiancé. Given he’d agreed to her crazy scheme, who was he to judge? Besides, too late to go back now. Tomorrow morning, he would be at the office working long hours. He could look back on tonight and laugh.
A smile lit up her beautiful face. “I don’t know what I would have done if you hadn’t said yes.”
“Don’t worry about it.” Troy tried not to stare at her, but found it difficult. Especially with the way her dress was pulled tight across her chest, accentuating her full breasts.
Tonight looked better and better. He’d been working hard, trying to close the Micro-Psi deal and get offered a partnership with his firm. Life consisted of more than reading balance sheets and making deals. He was no different from any other red-blooded male. He needed a little rest and relaxation, too.
“No, it is a big deal.” She squeezed his hand. “You’re my McKnight in shining armor.”
“At your service, milady. We McKnights aim to please.” He wasn’t sure if it was the full moon or her perfume, but he found her playful spirit contagious. When was the last time he’d had fun? Troy couldn’t remember. “By the way, is there anything else I should know about tonight?”
“You should know a little about me.” As she paused, she bit her lower lip. “Let’s see. My favorite color is purple. I love flowers and hot fudge sundaes. I’m not a vegetarian because I love a good hamburger every now and then. Cooked medium, of course. I think people who won’t eat veal, but eat chicken are hypocrites. I love reading books. I like one hundred percent cotton sheets and I sleep in the nude.”
Stunned, Troy stared at her. She’d spoken so fast. Hot fudge sundaes and sleeping in the nude. His temperature rose a few degrees at the images filling his mind. He crossed his legs.
“What about you?”
He couldn’t think straight. He needed to cool down. “Uh, I like ice cream.”
“Chocolate’s my favorite. What else?”
Troy stared into her eyes and found himself transfixed as if he were being hypnotized.
“Any sports?”
“I like football.”
“What’s your favorite color?”
Her eyes were the color of a cloudless, summer sky. “Blue.”
She patted his hand. “Don’t worry, we can make it up as we go along.”
What was wrong with him? He felt out of sync. Almost dizzy. Maybe he needed something to eat.
The cab slowed as it approached the restaurant. Cassandra handed the driver a ten-dollar bill and slid out of the cab. “Are you ready?”
Why not? Troy cleared his throat. “Sure.”
Cassandra brushed a lock of hair from his forehead and straightened his tie. She took his hand in hers. “Don’t forget, we’re madly in love.”
Her small hand fit snugly in his. Madly in love? Maybe they were just mad.
Without giving Troy time to change his mind, Cassandra bolted into the restaurant, pulling him with her. Hiding her nervousness was difficult. She wasn’t a good actress, but if she pulled off tonight she should get an Oscar for her performance.
Cassandra searched for her family, but didn’t see them standing at the carved Honduras mahogany bar. She did catch a glimpse of Troy’s reflection in a mirror.
Luck was on her side tonight; he was perfect, exactly the fiancé she’d hoped to find. His navy Italian suit was top-of-the-line, silk cashmere if she guessed right, and custom-made. He even wore a Rolex.
With his high cheekbones and sculpted features, Troy looked like a Kennedy. All he needed was a different haircut. Still, she liked the way his almostout-of-control curly brown hair added character to his all-American good looks.
Her picky parents would find little fault with Troy McKnight. They would give their seal of approval and stop interfering in her personal life. After tonight, their endless advice and matchmaking would stop. Sh
e’d be back on her own.
She smiled, pleased with herself. She’d found the perfect fiancé. Her sister, Emily, would be jealous, too. An added bonus. Cassandra didn’t care what her brother-in-law, Eric, thought, as long as he didn’t voice his opinion. She’d heard all she wanted to hear from Eric Wainwright. She’d be happier if she never had to see him again.
The hostess, an attractive woman with flaming red hair, led them to their table. Waiters hurried around with steaming plates of food and bottles of wine. The scent of basil and garlic drifted in the air. Cassandra hadn’t eaten all day and was starving.
She didn’t see an empty table in the crowded restaurant. The noise of spirited conversations rose from the tables, but it wasn’t unpleasant. Not like at the Brewery where people went to be picked up. She hated that place, but she had found Troy there.
“Here’s your party,” the hostess said. “Enjoy your dinner, Ms. Daniels.”
“Thank you.” Cassandra took in the image of her family sitting at the table. They looked like a family from a magazine ad or a soap opera. She had tried fitting in, but realized that wasn’t who she was. Maybe someday they would understand and accept the choices she’d made. Then again…
Her mother, Vanessa Daniels, wore a black St. John knit—her trademark. Every strand of her platinum hair was in place and her brilliant diamond earrings sparkled for all to admire. She was a stunning woman who looked like she was forty years old, not pushing sixty. Vanessa worked out every day to keep in shape. What would she do if she ever became a grandmother? Cassandra couldn’t imagine her mother letting anyone call her grandma.
“I told you she would come, Emily,” her mother crooned. “And look, her beau does exist.”
Fiance for the Night Page 1
