by Douglas, Michelle; Gordon, Lucy; Pembroke, Sophie; Hardy, Kate
Harlequin Romance August 2014 Bundle
The Rebel and the Heiress
Not Just a Convenient Marriage
A Groom Worth Waiting For
Crown Prince, Pregnant Bride
Michelle Douglas
Lucy Gordon
Sophie Pembroke
Kate Hardy
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Harlequin Romance brings you four new titles for one great price, available now! Experience the rush of falling in love! This Harlequin Romance bundle includes The Rebel and the Heiress by Michelle Douglas, Not Just a Convenient Marriage by Lucy Gordon, A Groom Worth Waiting For by Sophie Pembroke and Crown Prince, Pregnant Bride by Kate Hardy.
Look for 4 compelling new stories every month from Harlequin Romance!
Table of Contents
The Rebel and the Heiress
By Michelle Douglas
Not Just a Convenient Marriage
By Lucy Gordon
A Groom Worth Waiting For
By Sophie Pembroke
Crown Prince, Pregnant Bride
By Kate Hardy
From rebel—to knight in shining armor…?
Losing her family fortune, it’s time for once-privileged Nell Smythe-Whittaker to make it on her own…with a little help from delicious bad boy Rick Bradford!
Rick hasn’t seen Nell since childhood, but with a family mystery to solve Rick needs Nell as much as she needs him. Yet with a past as checkered as his, can Rick ever be good enough for this beautiful heiress? It’s something he’s willing to prove….
The Wild Ones
What will it take to tame these rebels?
She smelled like sugar and frosting and all the things he’d ever longed for. An ache gripped him so hard he had to drag in a breath.
She swayed toward him, those green eyes lowering to his lips. The pulse at the base of her throat fluttered faster and faster. Her hand tightened in his.
He gripped her chin, lifted it, needing to taste her so badly he thought he might fall to his knees from the force of it. Desire licked fire through his veins. His lips started to descend. He moved in close, so close he could taste her breath, but the expression in her eyes froze him.
They glittered. With tears.
“Don’t you dare kiss me out of pity.”
She didn’t move out of his hold, and he knew then that she was as caught up in the same grip of desire as him.
“Please, Rick. Don’t kiss me because you feel sorry for me.”
The tears trembled, but they didn’t fall. Every muscle he had screamed a protest, but he released her and stepped back.
He swallowed twice before he was sure his voice would work. “Pity was the last thing on my mind.”
The Wild Ones
What will it take to tame these rebels?
A brand-new duet
by Michelle Douglas
Best friends Tash and Rick are in for the wildest of rides when they’re forced to spend time on the other side of the tracks.
Reforming a rebel image is tough—especially when the past is against them. But when their future depends on learning to trust someone else, they soon find out that with the right person on their side, they can do anything…even risk it all for love!
Read both books in this amazing duet:
THE REBEL AND THE HEIRESS
August 2014
and
HER IRRESISTIBLE PROTECTOR
July 2014
THE REBEL AND THE HEIRESS
Michelle Douglas
At the age of eight, Michelle Douglas was asked what she wanted to be when she grew up. She answered, “A writer.” Years later she read an article about romance writing and thought, Ooh, that’ll be fun. She was right. When she’s not writing she can usually be found with her nose buried in a book. She is currently enrolled in an English master’s program for the sole purpose of indulging her reading and writing habits further. She lives in a leafy suburb of Newcastle, on Australia’s east coast, with her own romantic hero—husband Greg, who is the inspiration behind all her happy endings.
Michelle would love you to visit her at her website, www.michelle-douglas.com.
Recent books by Michelle Douglas:
HER IRRESISTIBLE PROTECTOR**
ROAD TRIP WITH THE ELIGIBLE BACHELOR
THE REDEMPTION OF RICO D’ANGELO
THE CATTLEMAN’S READY-MADE FAMILY*
FIRST COMES BABY…
THE NANNY WHO SAVED CHRISTMAS
BELLA’S IMPOSSIBLE BOSS
THE MAN WHO SAW HER BEAUTY
*Part of the Bellaroo Creek! trilogy
**The Wild Ones
This and other titles by Michelle Douglas are available in ebook format from www.Harlequin.com.
For my little brother, Kyle, who’s always been a rebel in his own way.
Contents
CHAPTER ONE
CHAPTER TWO
CHAPTER THREE
CHAPTER FOUR
CHAPTER FIVE
CHAPTER SIX
CHAPTER SEVEN
CHAPTER EIGHT
CHAPTER NINE
CHAPTER TEN
CHAPTER ELEVEN
CHAPTER TWELVE
EPILOGUE
EXCERPT
CHAPTER ONE
RICK BRADFORD STARED at the Victorian mansion elegantly arranged in front of him and then down at the note in his hand before crumpling the piece of paper and shoving it in his jeans pocket.
He’d checked with his friend Tash earlier. ‘You’re sure you got that right? Nell Smythe-Whittaker rang and asked if I’d drop round?’
‘For the tenth time, Rick, yes! It was the Princess all right. And no, she didn’t mention what it was about. And no, I didn’t ask her.’
For the last fortnight Tash’s brain had been addled by love. His lip curled. Not that he had anything against Mitch King and it was great to see Tash happy but, as far as he could tell, her street smarts had all but floated out of the window. Why hadn’t she asked the Princess what this was about?
Because she was viewing the world through rose-coloured glasses, that was why. His lip curled a little more. He wasn’t sure he could stand being a third wheel in her and Mitch’s hazy, happy little world for much longer. It was time to move on. Tomorrow he’d head up the coast, find work somewhere and...
And what?
He lifted a shoulder.
First he’d find out what Nell Smythe-Whittaker wanted. You won’t find that out by standing here on the footpath like some dumb schmuck.
Blowing out a breath, he settled a mantle of casual, almost insolent assurance about himself. The people from Nell’s world—probably including Nell herself—looked down on the likes of him and he had no intention of giving them, or her, the satisfaction of thinking he cared two hoots either way.
Would Nell look down that pretty autocratic nose at him? He hadn’t spoken to her since they were ten years old. He could count the number of times he’d seen her since then—and only ever in the distance—on one hand. They’d never spoken, but she’d always lifted a hand in acknowledgement. And he’d always waved back.
It had never felt real. It had always felt somehow apart from the daily humdrum. He scratched a hand across his face. Stupid! Fairy tales! He was too old for such nonsense.
You’re only twenty-five.
Yeah? Well
, most days he felt as if he was fifty.
Clenching his jaw, he pushed open the gate and strode up the walk to the wide veranda with its ochre and cream tessellated tiles. With an effort of will, he slowed his strides to a saunter and planted a devil-may-care smirk on his face.
Up closer, he could see that Nell’s fancy castle needed some attention. Paint peeled at the window trims and flaked here and there from the walls. One section of guttering leaned at a drunken angle and the wider garden was overgrown and unkempt. Here and there he caught sight of the silver wrappers of crisp packets and chocolate bar wrappers winking in the sunlight.
So...the rumours were true then. The Princess had fallen on hard times.
Ignoring a doorbell he had little faith would work, he lifted his hand to knock on the ornately moulded front door when voices from the partially open French windows further along the veranda halted him. Words didn’t just drift out on the summer air. They sped.
‘You won’t get another opportunity like this, Nell!’
A male voice. An angry male voice. Rick’s every muscle bunched in readiness. He hated bullies. And he really hated men who bullied women. He stalked down to the windows.
‘You are a sleazy, slimy excuse for a man, Mr Withers.’
He paused. Her voice held no fear, only scorn. She could obviously deal with the situation on her own.
‘You know it’s the only answer to the current straits you find yourself in.’
‘Is that so? And I suppose it’s a coincidence that this particular solution is one that will also line your pockets?’
‘There isn’t a bank manager in Sydney who’ll loan you the money you need. They’re not going to touch that business plan of yours with a bargepole.’
‘As you don’t happen to be a bank manager and I no longer have any faith in your professionalism you’ll have to excuse my scepticism.’
Rick grinned. Go, Princess!
‘Your father won’t be pleased.’
‘That is true. It’s also none of your concern.’
‘You’re wasting your not inconsiderable talents.’ There was a silence. ‘You’re a very beautiful woman. We’d make a good team, you and I, Nellie.’
Nellie?
‘Stay where you are, Mr Withers. I do not want you to kiss me.’
Rick straightened, instantly alert.
In the next moment a loud slap rang in the air, followed by scuffling. Rick leapt for the window, but it burst open before he could reach it and he found himself pressed back against the wall of the house as Nell frogmarched a man in a shiny suit along the length of the veranda, his earlobe twisted between her thumb and forefinger, and all but threw him towards the gate. ‘Good day, Mr Withers.’
The suit straightened and threw his shoulders back. Rick went to stand behind Nell, legs planted and mouth grim. He folded his arms and flexed his biceps.
The suit gave the kind of smirk Rick would give a lot to wipe off his face...except he wasn’t that kind of guy any more.
‘I see you’ve your bit of rough. So that’s the way you like it?’
‘I’m afraid, Mr Withers, you’re never going to find out how I like it.’ She glanced behind her and met Rick’s gaze, her green eyes...beautiful. ‘Hello, Mr Bradford.’
Her voice reached out and wrapped around him like a caress. ‘Hello, Princess.’ He hadn’t meant to call her that; it just slipped out. Those eyes widened and continued to stare into his until the breath jammed in his throat.
‘Well, you needn’t think your bit of rough is going to get you out of your current jam and—’
‘Oh, do be quiet, you horrible little man.’
Those green eyes snapped away and Rick found he could breathe again.
And then he looked at her fully and what he saw made him blink. Nell looked as if she’d just stepped out of some nineteen-fifties movie. She wore a dress that made every male impulse he had sit up and stare. It had a fitted bodice that was snug to the waist and a skirt that flared out to mid-calf. It sported a Hawaiian beach print complete with surf, sand and palm trees.
‘Mr Bradford is ten times the man you are and what’s more he has manners, like a true gentleman.’
He did? In the next instant he shook his head. They were reading from different scripts here.
Without another word, Nell turned and took his arm. ‘I’m so glad you could drop around.’ And she led him back along the veranda, effectively dismissing the other man. ‘I’m terribly sorry. I’d take you through the front door—I don’t want you thinking I’m taking you in via the tradesman’s entrance or some such nonsense—but I can’t get the rotten thing open. I’m also afraid that you’ll have to excuse the mess.’
She led him through the French windows into a large room—a drawing room or parlour or music room or something of that nature. Whatever it was, it wasn’t the kind of room he’d had much experience with and, despite her words, it wasn’t ridiculously messy, but there were haphazard piles of boxes everywhere and piles of papers on the only piece of furniture in the room—a small side table.
‘Why can’t you get the door open?’ He detached his arm from hers. Her warmth was...too warm.
‘Oh, I don’t know.’ She waved a hand in the air. ‘It’s jammed or swollen up or something.’
Why hadn’t she had it looked at?
None of your business. He hovered by the French windows until he heard the clang of the front gate closing behind the suit. He glanced behind to make sure anyway. He turned back to Nell. ‘What was that all about?’
Those green eyes caught fire again. ‘He’s an estate agent who wants to sell my house, only I’m not interested. In more ways than one! He turned out to be a seriously sexist piece of work too. I can tell you now, Mr Bradford, that if you try any of the same tricks you’ll meet with the same fate!’
She was a slim blonde firecracker. In a retro dress. He wanted to grin. And then he didn’t.
The fire in her eyes faded. She made as if to wipe a hand down her face only she pulled it away at the last moment to clasp both her hands lightly in front of her.
She was so different from the last time he’d seen her.
‘I’m sorry, that was an unforgivable thing to say. My blood’s up and I’m not thinking clearly.’
‘It’s all right,’ he said, because it was what he always said to a woman.
Nell shook her head. ‘No, it’s not. I have no right to tar you with the same brush as Mr Withers.’
That was when he noticed that behind the blonde princess perfection she had lines fanning out around her eyes and she wasn’t wearing lipstick. ‘I’d prefer it if you’d call me Rick.’
The hint of a smile played across her lips. ‘Are you up for a coffee, Rick?’
And, just like that, she hurtled him back fifteen years. Come and play. It hadn’t been a demand or a request, but a plea.
He had to swallow the lump that came out of nowhere. He wanted to walk out of those French windows and never come back. He wanted...
He adjusted his stance. ‘I thought you’d never ask.’
She smiled for real then and he realised that anything else that had passed for a smile so far hadn’t reached her eyes. ‘C’mon then.’ She hitched her head and led him through the doorway into a hallway. ‘You don’t mind if we sit in the kitchen rather than the parlour, do you?’
‘Not at all.’ He tried to keep the wry note out of his voice. His type was never invited into the parlour.
Her shoulders tensed and he knew she’d read his tone. She wheeled around and led him in the other direction—back towards the front door—instead. She gestured into the large room to the left. ‘As you’ll see, the parlour is in a right state.’
He only meant to glance into the room but the sight dragged him all the way inside. In the midd
le of the room something huddled beneath dust sheets—probably furniture. It wasn’t that which drew his attention. Plaster had fallen from one of the walls, adjacent to an ornate fireplace, and, while the mess had been swept up, nothing had been done about the gaping hole left behind. A rolled-up carpet leant against another wall along with more cardboard boxes. The light pouring in at the huge bay window did the room no favours either. Scratching sounded in the chimney. Birds or a possum?
He grimaced. ‘A right state is the, uh, correct diagnosis’
‘Yes, which is why I currently prefer the kitchen.’
Her voice might be crisp, but her shoulders weren’t as straight as they could be. He followed her into the kitchen and then wasn’t sure if it was much better. The housekeeper had obviously upped and left, but how long ago was anyone’s guess. A jumble of dishes—mixing bowls and baking trays mostly—teetered in the sink, boxes of foodstuffs dominated one end of the enormous wooden table and flour seemed to be scattered over the rest of its surface. It smelt good in here, though.
She cleared a spot for him, wiped as much of the table down as she could and he sat. Mostly because it seemed the most sensible and least dangerous thing he could do. He didn’t want to send anything flying with a stray elbow or a clumsy hip. Nell moved amid the mess with an ease and casual disregard as if she were used to it. He didn’t believe that for a moment, though. The Princess had grown up in a world where others cleaned up the mess and kept things organised. This was merely a sign of her natural polish.
Or unnatural polish, depending on how one looked at it. She’d lacked it as a ten-year-old, but her parents had obviously managed to eventually drill it into her.
The scent of coffee hit him and he drew it slowly into his lungs. ‘So...you’re moving out?’
Nell started as if she’d forgotten he was there. She sent him one of those not quite smiles. ‘Moving in, actually.’
Moving in? On her own? In this great old empty mansion?
