by Leslie Kelly
Catching his hand, I brought it to my lips for a kiss. “I’m fine now, too. I was just getting a little tired of waiting.”
“Thank you. Thank you for waiting.”
“You’re worth it. How did you find me here?”
He shrugged. “You said whenever you weren’t home, you were here. This place wasn’t hard to find. I scout out great restaurants for a living, remember?”
“It’s the best in town.”
All around us, conversations began to buzz again, and out of the corner of my eye, I saw one of the little ones come racing out of the kitchen, my father and oldest brother hot on his heels. I could just imagine the story they’d heard about Aunt Lottie kissing some stranger in the middle of the room.
“You really sure you’re ready for this?” Gesturing my head toward my family, I added, “They’re a bit…overwhelming.”
He finally let go of my waist and stepped back. “Well, I think they should meet me on the right terms.” He pulled a small black velvet box out of his pocket. “Which one’s your father?”
“Oh, my Gawd, he’s got a ring. Lottie’s getting married!”
Gloria. The queen of tact strikes again. “Welcome to the family,” I whispered with a sigh.
“Does that mean your answer’s yes?”
“If you ever get around to asking the question,” I said, “it’ll be yes.” Throwing my arms back around his neck and pressing a kiss on his lips, I whispered, “Oh, yes.”
Then we were surrounded. My brothers formed a half circle around Simon. I stalked over to them and glared. “Any one of you steps out of line with my future husband and I swear I’ll make you sorry I was ever born into this family.”
“Oh, you mean like we were every day of our childhoods?” Lucas asked, completely deadpan.
Knowing my parents were behind me and couldn’t see, I flipped him the bird.
“Husband?” Tony said, obviously not having heard his loudmouthed wife. “He’s marrying her? Well, what’s the problem then?” He walked over to their father. “False alarm, Pop. Lottie’s gettin’a ring on her finger.” He glanced back at his brothers, adding, “We don’t have to get the shotguns.”
I groaned, closing my eyes and shaking my head as I imagined Simon’s expression. But suddenly Tony burst into laughter, with my other brothers joining in.
Then Tony walked over and picked me up in his arms, crushing me against his beefy chest. “You should’ve seen your face, Lottie. You really thought we were going to do somethin’ to the guy you’ve been moping over for a month?” He looked at Simon. “Please, please, take her…my sister’s whining is worse than her yelling. I don’t think any of us can stand another minute of it.”
“Hear! Hear!” one of the others said.
My brothers. Have I told you how much I love the big jerks?
“You’re Simon?” Mark said, stepping out to extend his hand.
Simon took it, but his eyes were on all the guys, not just Mark. “Yes. And no shotgun necessary. Your sister’s stuck with me. I’m not going anywhere.”
Mark nodded once. “Good.”
“Now,” Mama said, her arms thrown up in the air as she walked over to meet the newest member of the family, giving him a kiss on each cheek, “come, mangia, mangia. You are skin and bones.” Then she stepped back and gave him a thorough once-over. “But on you, this looks not so bad. Not so bad at all.”
I groaned. He didn’t even bat an eye.
“Thank you, ma’am, but I would like to speak to your husband first.”
My sisters-in-law surrounded me as the family drew Pop over to Simon. I heard lots of “Oh, my God, what a hunk,” and “Those eyes, that body,” kind of comments, but I paid no attention. I didn’t realize I was holding my breath until my father and Simon shook hands, and Pop clapped him on the shoulder in that odd gesture of male acceptance. Whew.
Then they both walked over to me, Simon hanging back a little. Pop put both hands on my face. “My leetle girl. You’ll be a beautiful bride.” His eyes brightened. “You know I’m not going to be a-giving you away. Just letting him borrow you some of the time? Okay?”
Crying myself, I nodded, then kissed my father and hugged him tight. After a long moment, he let me go, calling to Tony, “Come on, for this kind of celebration, we need more food!” and the pair of them headed for the kitchen, my mother almost tripping in her hurry to supervise.
Simon still watched me from a few feet away. The women scattered, disappearing but, I would bet, staying within ear-shot. “Thank you for doing that. My family can be a little old-fashioned.”
“I’d expect nothing less. And I’ll demand the same thing someday.”
We hadn’t talked about children. Even the brief mention made me get all teary-eyed again.
“Can I at least give you the ring in private?” he asked, coming close and kissing my temple.
I sighed, lowering my lashes to hide my disappointment. I’m not the most patient sort. But when I heard Simon burst into laughter, I knew he’d been teasing me.
Which was why, without a moment’s remorse, I said, “Isn’t it customary to be in a certain position?”
His eyebrows waggling suggestively, he murmured, “I can think of lots of them.”
Oh, boy, good thing my parents weren’t around for that remark. Bad enough that Noelle and Meg had heard and both started snickering.
Then Simon dropped to one knee in front of me. Again all conversation ceased, as if he’d turned off a giant volume switch in the room. Taking my hand, he looked up at me, every bit of emotion a human was capable of feeling shining in his eyes.
“Lottie, you brought me back to life. Please tell me you’ll let me live what’s left of it by your side.”
Sniffling a little and biting my lip, I nodded as he slid a beautiful ring on my finger. “We’re going to be very happy, Simon.”
He rose. “I know.”
He had just enough time to give me a sweet kiss on the lips, then we were once again swept up in the madness that lasted throughout the entire celebratory evening.
I watched him meet my whole family. I heard him repeat their names throughout the night, never forgetting one. I saw them fall under his spell. I fell in love with him even more.
When it was all over, I took him home and slept in his arms, knowing one thing more. I hadn’t brought him back to life, we’d created a new one together.
And I could hardly wait to start living it.
Wait, there’s still plenty of fun—and the occasional
dead body—to be found in Trouble!
So be sure to come back for the next story of
Mortimer Potts and his super-hot grandsons.
When Michael Taylor comes to town, he meets
the murderous Feeney sisters’ grandniece,
it’s…
TROUBLE OR NOTHING
Coming from Harlequin Books in July 2007
Did you miss the first Trouble story?
Mortimer’s playboy grandson Max Taylor
met his match in sultry Sabrina Cavanaugh.
Their story, HERE COMES TROUBLE,
was released in August 2006 from Harlequin Books.
And are you dying for the last Santori brothers’ story?
Ex-Marine Nick Santori is going to tangle
with the wrong kind of woman…an absolute
bad girl…in the summer of 2007.
Watch for his story in the Harlequin Blaze
BAD GIRLS CLUB miniseries.
ISBN: 978-1-408-93284-1
Asking for Trouble
© Leslie Kelly 2006
First Published in Great Britain in 2008
Harlequin Mills & Boon Limited
Eton House, 18-24 Paradise Road, Richmond, Surrey TW9 1SR
All rights reserved, including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form. The text of this publication or any part thereof may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanica
l, now known or hereinafter invented, including without limitation xerography, photocopying, recording, storage in an information retrieval system, or otherwise, without the written permission of the publisher.
This ebook is sold subject to the condition that it shall not, by way of trade or otherwise, be lent, resold, hired out or otherwise circulated, without the prior consent of the publisher, in any form or cover other than that in which it is published and without a similar condition including this condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser.
All characters in this work have no existence outside the imagination of the author and have no relation whatsoever to anyone bearing the same name or names. They are not even distantly inspired by any individual known or unknown to the author, and all incidents are pure invention.
This edition is published by arrangement with Harlequin Enterprises II B.V./S.à.r.l.
® and TM are trademarks owned and used by the trademark owner and/or its licensee. Trademarks marked with ® are registered with the United Kingdom Patent Office and/or the Office for Harmonisation in the Internal Market and in other countries.
www.millsandboon.co.uk
Coming Next Month
If you enjoyed the eBook you just read, then you’ll love what we have for you next month!
ON SALE IN NOVEMBER 2006
THE MIGHTY QUINNS: IAN by Kate Hoffman, Blaze
TELL ME YOUR SECRETS by Cara Summers, Blaze
INFATUATION by Alison Kent, Blaze
DECADENT by Suzanne Forster, Blaze
RELENTLESS by Jo Leigh, Blaze
A SCENT OF SEDUCTION by Colleen Collins, Blaze
THE SICILIAN’S CHRISTMAS BRIDE by Sandra Marton, Presents
RELUCTANT MISTRESS, BLACKMAILED WIFE by Lynne Graham, Presents
STAY THROUGH THE NIGHT by Anne Mather, Presents
MILLION-DOLLAR LOVE-CHILD by Sarah Morgan, Presents
BEDDED BY THE DESERT KING by Susan Stephens, Presents
THE MEDITERRANEAN MILLIONAIRE’S MISTRESS by Maggie Cox, Presents
A VIRGIN FOR THE TAKING by Trish Morey, Presents
THE BEJEWELLED BRIDE by Lee Wilkinson
THE SUBSTITUTE MILLIONAIRE by Susan Mallery, Desire
BEDDED THEN WED by Heidi Betts, Desire
SCANDALS FROM THE THIRD BRIDE by Sara Orwig, Desire
THE PREGNANCY NEGOTIATION by Kristi Gold, Desire
HOLIDAY CONFESSIONS by Anne Marie Winston, Desire
DYNASTIES: THE ELLIOTS MINISERIES PART 1 by Leanne Banks, Brenda Jackson, Anna DePalo, Susan Crosby, Heidi Betts and Charlene Sands, Desire
A PIECE OF TEXAS TRILOGY by Peggy Moreland, Desire
SECRET BABIES BUNDLE by Kim Lawrence, Julia James, and Robyn Donald, Presents
