The Christmas Proposition

The Christmas Proposition
Cindy Kirk

To the tune of “Jingle Bells”Dashing through the snow A handsome stranger’s come to town. He’s a baseball star by trade But a broken engagement’s got him down. Derek Rossi’s sworn off love Till a nurse enters his life.Rachel Milligan’s heart is warm But relationships bring her strife. A widow for many years She can’t forget what came before. She knows Rossi is a risk But she can’t help wanting more…

Oh! Could Christmas love Be ‘round the bend For this lovelorn motley crew? A blossoming happy family Would make holiday dreams come true!

In less than two weeks he’d be gone … forever. There could be no happily-ever-after with this man.

And that was just fine with her.

Rachel waited until he shut the trunk, then she kissed him. Right out in the parking lot for anyone to see.

Surprise lit his eyes, even as a pleased smile lifted his lips. “What was that for?”

“Does there have to be a reason?”

“Absolutely not. But let’s go home. With Mickie not there,” Derek said, “it’ll be a good time to get her gifts wrapped.”

“If we have time. We might be too busy.”

“What else would we be doing?”

“No child in the house. The two of us alone.” She gazed at him through lowered lashes. “You do the math.”

Dear Reader,

Sometimes the idea for a book’s story line is so strong, the book practically writes itself. That was the case with In Love with John Doe, book two in the RX FOR LOVE miniseries. The Christmas Proposition took a little longer. When I first started writing it, I went in one direction then quickly realized I didn’t like that path. So, I reined myself in, made some changes and let the characters take control. I have to say, I never envisioned matchmaking kids or that Mary Karen and Travis would be such strong secondary characters. So strong, that I’m hoping my next book out will be their story.

Anyway, back to this book. I’m really pleased with how it turned out. It was a lot of fun to write and I hope you enjoy reading it!

Warmest regards,

Cindy Kirk

About the Author

CINDY KIRK has loved to read for as long as she can remember. In first grade she received an award for reading one hundred books. Growing up, summers were her favorite time of year. Nothing beat going to the library, then coming home and curling up in front of the window air conditioner with a good book. Often the novels she read would spur ideas, and she’d make up her own story (always with a happy ending). When she’d go to bed at night, instead of counting sheep, she’d make up more stories in her head. Since selling her first story to Mills & Boon in 1999, Cindy has been forced to juggle her love of reading with her passion for creating stories of her own … but she doesn’t mind. Writing for the Mills & Boon

Cherish™ series is a dream come true. She only hopes you have as much fun reading her books as she has writing them!

Cindy invites you to visit her website at www.cindykirk.com.

The Christmas Proposition

Cindy Kirk

www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)

To my editor, Patience Smith.

After all these years together,

wI still think you’re the best!

Chapter One

One of Derek Rossi’s earliest memories was throwing a Wiffle ball to his dad. Since that day he’d pitched in more baseball games in his thirty-two years than he could count. Surprisingly, he’d never been hit. Until today.

He didn’t even see the ball which dropped him to his knees. One minute he was talking with the coordinator of the Pitching and Catching Workshop, watching the boys and girls leave the Jackson Hole Indoor Sports Facility. The next, his head was pounding like a son of a gun. Derek blinked, trying to clear his suddenly blurred vision.

As if by magic a blond-haired blue-eyed angel appeared and knelt before him, her brows furrowed in concern. She smelled like vanilla and the bright lights in the gym gave her an ethereal glow. It didn’t seem right to be on his knees before such a creature. He tried to stand, but she grabbed his arm and held on tight.

“Sit down.” The warmth of her touch jolted him back to reality and told him this was no apparition. “I need to make sure you’re okay before you start moving around.”

The beating of the bass drum in his head nearly drowned out her words. Derek struggled to focus. “Are you a doctor?”

“Emergency room nurse.” She held up her left hand. “How many fingers am I holding up?”

He squinted and the hand came into focus. “Two.”

Her gaze met his and for a second he found himself floating, drowning in the azure depths … Until he became conscious of the noise—and the people—moving closer, encircling him, suffocating him.

The woman must have sensed his sudden distress because her voice rang out above the conversational din. “Everyone, back up.”

“Come on, folks, move along,” a man’s voice echoed. “He’ll be fine.”

The crowd dispersed and Derek’s panic subsided. Chatter turned to a distant hum. Ron Evans, one of the event’s coordinators, stepped in Derek’s field of vision. But the older man’s focus was on the nurse. “Do you think we should call an ambulance?”

“No ambulance,” Derek answered for her. The last thing he needed was more publicity. Besides, he felt okay. Or he would if his head would quit pounding.

“I don’t think an ambulance is necessary, Ron. But an ice pack and some Tylenol would be helpful.” The nurse’s lips lifted in a rueful smile. “I’m afraid I locked up the first-aid kit a little too quickly.”

“Coming right up,” Ron said, hurrying off.

Even as she reached into her purse and pulled out a penlight, the nurse’s attention didn’t waver from Derek’s face.

A light flashed in his left eye. He jerked back.

“Hold steady,” she said in a voice that was soothing yet brooked no argument.

He did as she asked and the light flashed again.

“Your pupils react well to the light,” she said in a professional tone he found reassuring. “How’s your vision?”

“Fuzzy but getting better.” He rubbed the spot just above his left temple. “My head sure hurts.”

“Ron should be back any second.” Even though the nurse’s expression remained composed, her gaze lingered on his head, on the knot that he could feel growing larger by the second. “Can you tell me who you are?”

He may have only been in Jackson Hole a short time, but there’d been lots of buzz about the baseball workshop he was holding this first weekend in December.