Harlequin Special Edition September 2014 - Bundle 1 of 2: Maverick for HireA Match Made by BabyOnce Upon a Bride

by Leanne Banks

  “This isn’t the right time or place to have this discussion,” she said, and tried to politely ignore the bridal party hovering behind her.

  “Since you won’t talk to me, I reckon it’s the only time,” he said, and flashed her customers a breathtaking smile. “I’m sure everyone will understand.”

  The bride nodded, and before Lauren had a chance to protest, her mother had subtly ushered the bridal party from the store.

  “What do you want?” she asked as stiffly as she could once the customers were gone.

  He took a breath. “First, to apologize.”

  Lauren shuttled her gaze to her mother, Claire Vitali, Cassie and the other women and saw they were all smiling. Like they knew exactly what was going on. “Okay—apology accepted. You can all go now.”

  But they didn’t move.

  “I mean it,” she said crossly. “Don’t think just because you’d managed to swindle everyone into coming here today that I’m going to simply forget everything you’ve said and done and—”

  “They volunteered,” he said.

  She looked at the sea of faces. “I don’t believe it.”

  “You should. They care about you and only want to see you happy.”

  “Exactly,” she said, and frowned. “Which has nothing to do with you.”

  “It has everything to do with me,” he shot back. “I make you happy.”

  “You make me mad,” she snapped.

  “Well, I’d make you happy if you’d let me.”

  She forced her hands to her hips. “And how do you propose to do that?”

  “I’ll get to the proposing in a moment. Now, where were we? Oh, yes, I was—”

  “What?” Her eyes bulged. “You’re going to propose?”

  “Well, of course I’m going to propose. But back to what I was saying. Oh, yes...and second,” he said, and came a little closer, “I’d like to tell you a story.”

  “A story?” she echoed vaguely, certain she’d just imagined that he said he was about to propose. “I don’t know what—”

  “It’s a story about a man who thought he was invincible.” He spoke so softly she almost strained to hear, but she was quickly mesmerized by the seductive tone of his voice. “He thought nothing and no one could touch him. He went to medical school and became a doctor and spent his days trying to fix people who were broken. But underneath that facade of caring and compassion, he was arrogant and stubborn and always did what he wanted because he thought he knew best. And then one day he was told he was sick and everything changed. He wasn’t strong. He wasn’t healthy. Now he was broken but he couldn’t fix himself. He had the surgery and the treatment, but because he was stubborn and arrogant, he went back to work before he should have.”

  Lauren’s throat closed over. Her heart was breaking for him. His pain was palpable, and she longed to fall into his arms. She had been so attuned to him, she hadn’t noticed that their mothers and friends had somehow left the store. Everyone was outside and they were alone. She could see them through the big front window. They were smiling. And suddenly, she almost felt like smiling, too. Right now, in front of her, lay her future. But she didn’t smile. Because he was opening up, and she wanted to hear everything.

  “Gabe, I—”

  “I went back to work too early,” he said, his voice thick. “I didn’t listen. I didn’t want to hear it. I just wanted to prove that I was the same. That I wasn’t damaged and somehow less than the man I once was. Less than the doctor I once was. But while I was in the bathroom throwing up from the side effects of the medication I was on, the woman and her baby came into the E.R. I wasn’t there. And she died, along with her baby. All because I wouldn’t admit that I was changed. That I was suddenly not just a man. Not just a doctor. I was a cancer patient. And it felt as though those words defined me, made me, owned me.”

  Her entire body shuddered. The raw honesty in his words melted her. “That’s why you quit being a doctor? Because you believed that patient died because you were sick? Because you were somehow less than who you used to be?”

  “Yes.”

  Her expression softened. “But you’re not.”

  “I know that now,” he said, and smiled. “I know that because when you look at me, I know you don’t see a patient. You don’t see a man who was sick. You just see...me.”

  He stepped closer, and Lauren swayed toward him. “Of course I do.”

  “Doesn’t anything scare you, Lauren?” he asked, and took her hand. “After what you went through with Tim, doesn’t the very idea of being with me make you want to run?”

  “I’ve only ever seen you, Gabe. Not the doctor, not the patient. The man...the man who has listened to me and comforted me and makes me feel more alive than anyone else ever has. A man who’s kind and considerate and has never judged me. And I’m not scared.”

  He pulled her gently toward him.

  “The only thing I’m scared of is waking up and finding that this is a dream.”

  “It’s no dream,” he said softly. “You must know that I’m in love with you.”

  Did Gabe just say he loved me?

  She shook her head, not quite prepared to believe him. “No, you’re not.”

  “I am,” he said, and touched her cheek. “I love you. I love that you make me laugh. I love that you tell me when I’m being an egotistical jerk. And I love that you had the courage to let me into your heart when you had every reason not to.”

  Lauren blinked back tears. “But...you said you had a plan and wouldn’t—”

  “A stupid plan,” he said, and grasped her hand. “I was wrapped up in self-pity and afraid to get involved, and you knew it. You saw through me, Lauren, and still...still wanted me. Even when you knew there was a chance it might not be forever, or I could get sick again. Or I might not be able to give you the children you want.” He linked their fingers. “You talk straight and make the complicated simple. You told me how you felt and it spooked me. I’m not proud of my behavior these past weeks, and I promise I’ll always be honest about my feelings with you from this day. You have such incredible strength...a strength you don’t even know you possess.”

  Lauren swayed, felt his arms beckoning her. He looked solemn, sincere and wholly lovable. “I don’t know...I’m not sure I can.”

  He squeezed her fingers. “You can, Lauren. Trust me...I won’t hurt you again.”

  “Trust you?” She looked at the sea of faces peering through the windows. “Even though you dragged my friends and family here today to give you an advantage?”

  He smiled. “It was Cameron’s idea. He thought if I made a big enough fool out of myself in front of our families, you just might just show mercy and forgive me for being an idiot.” He came closer until they were almost touching. “I love you, Lauren. I think I’ve loved you from the moment I pulled you from that swimming pool. And I’m sorry I haven’t said it sooner.”

  He really loves me? Her legs wobbled, and he took her in his arms. “You’re not going to completely ruin my reputation and kiss me in front of all these people who are staring at us through the window, are you?”

  “I certainly am.”

  She heard whoops and sighs from the people outside, and Lauren laughed. It felt good. She thawed a little more. Gabe’s love was what she wanted. All she wanted. And suddenly having the whole world know it didn’t bother Lauren in the slightest. He was right—she was strong. Strong enough to open her heart again. And strong enough to cope with whatever the future brought them. He’d pushed past his fears to claim her, and she loved him all the more for it.

  “But first,” he said, and stepped back a little, “I have to ask you a question.”

  “What question is that?” she teased, and grinned foolishly.

  Gabe dropped to one knee in front of her. “Marry me?”
he asked, and pulled a small box from his pocket. The lid flipped open and she saw the perfectly cut diamond, which glittered like his eyes. “When you’re ready, when you trust me enough, marry me, Lauren?”

  Lauren touched his face and held out her left hand and sighed. “I think you’ve made a big enough fool out of yourself today for me to know I can trust you, Gabe. And my answer is yes. I’ll marry you. I love you.” She grinned. “And I kind of like the idea of being a doctor’s wife.”

  Gabe got to his feet, slipped the ring onto her finger and kissed her. “I have you to thank for making me see sense, for making me realize how much I’ve missed my work. I was afraid to go back. I was afraid to try to recapture what I’d lost. But knowing you and loving you has made me stronger. You make me whole.”

  Lauren returned his kiss with every ounce of love in her heart. “You’re the love of my life, Gabe.”

  His gaze narrowed. “I thought—”

  “You,” she said, and touched his face. “Only you. I did love Tim, but honestly, anything I’ve felt in the past feels a bit like kid stuff compared to the way I love you. And want you. And need you.”

  His eyes glistened. “Thank you. And while I may not be the first man you’ve loved, I’m honored to be the one you love now.”

  “Now and forever.” She pressed against him and smiled. “But, Gabe, where are we going to live? Your place or mine?”

  “How about neither?” he suggested. “How about we find somewhere new? A new home for a new beginning.”

  “I like the sound of that,” Lauren said, and accepted his kiss. “And I’d like to get a dog,” she said breathlessly when the kissing stopped.

  He grinned. “Anything you want.”

  Lauren curved against him. “And babies?”

  His arms tightened around her, and he smiled. “I’ll see what I can do.”

  She sighed. “I’m not worried, Gabe. I want to marry you and have your baby. But if there’s only ever us, that will be enough.”

  “You’re sure?”

  “Never surer.”

  She kissed him again, knowing she finally had her happy ending.

  * * * * *

  Don’t miss Cassie’s story,

  Coming in early 2015!

  Available wherever Harlequin books are sold.

  Enjoy this sneak peek from New York Times bestselling author Diana Palmer’s TEXAS BORN, the latest in THE LONG, TALL TEXANS miniseries.

  Forced from her home by her cruel stepmother, Michelle Godfrey is out of luck…until Gabriel Brandon comes to her rescue. The tall, brooding cowboy is devilishly handsome, but he’s her guardian—and nothing more. As Michelle grows into the woman she’s always wanted to be, can the shy beauty show Gabriel that she’s the only one he needs?

  ***

  Just for an instant, Gabriel worried about putting Michelle in the line of fire, considering his line of work. He had enemies. Dangerous enemies who wouldn’t hesitate to threaten anyone close to him. Of course, there was his sister, Sara, but she’d lived in Wyoming for the past few years, away from him, on a ranch they co-owned. Now he was putting her in jeopardy along with Michelle.

  But what could he do? The child had nobody. Now that her idiot stepmother, Roberta, was dead, Michelle was truly on her own. It was dangerous for a young woman to live alone, even in a small community. And there was also the question of Roberta’s boyfriend, Bert.

  Gabriel knew things about the man that he wasn’t eager to share with Michelle. Bert was part of a criminal organization, and he knew Michelle’s habits. He also had a yen for her, if what Michelle had blurted out to Gabriel once was true—and he had no indication that she would lie about it. Bert might decide to come try his luck with her now that her stepmother was out of the picture. That couldn’t be allowed.

  Gabriel was surprised by his own affection for Michelle. It wasn’t paternal. She was, of course, far too young for anything heavy. She was a beauty, kind and generous and sweet. She was the sort of woman he usually ran from. No, strike that, she was no woman. She was still unfledged, a dove without flight feathers. He had to keep his interest hidden. At least, until she was grown up enough that it wouldn’t hurt his conscience to pursue her. Afterward…well, who knew the future?

  ***

  Don’t miss TEXAS BORN

  by New York Times bestselling author Diana Palmer,

  the latest installment in

  THE LONG, TALL TEXANS miniseries.

  Available October 2014 wherever

  Harlequin® Special Edition books and ebooks are sold.

  Copyright © 2014 by Diana Palmer

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  ISBN-13: 9781460338766

  Once Upon a Bride

  Copyright © 2014 by Helen Lacey

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  Copyright © 2014 by Karen Rose Smith

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  Copyright © 2014 by Helen Lacey

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