Irresistible?

Irresistible?
Stephanie Bond

Wanted: Single women of any age to take part in a four-week clinical study.Ellie Sutherland wasn't exactly desperate… yet. But after fourteen months, five days and two hours of being without a man, she was getting pretty close. So when she had a chance to try out a pill that attracted the opposite sex, Ellie didn't waste any time signing up. After all, she had nowhere to go but up!Almost immediately, men started falling at her feet. She even had sexy Mark Blackwell eating out of her hand. And before long, she'd fallen head over heels in love with him, too. Ellie's life was a perfect, at least for a while. But when the pills ran out, would Mark still find her irresistible?

Contents

Cover (#u92a4f78f-7529-511d-8e76-dbb1774b7a07)“What is it about you?” (#ue24754ce-5e51-501d-9a7f-b3633ad53535)Dear Reader (#u4be057fb-cec0-5969-8460-bc4090f72312)Title Page (#u4d044d08-8654-5f05-9e0d-d99c730bc057)About the Author (#ue9311840-518a-56ff-a0c8-047191185ff9)Acknowledgments (#ubff4fd77-ccbd-5f25-8e8e-97afbabbd9ff)Chapter 1 (#u45d7a135-2760-5553-8f7d-a480f87d8c7d)Chapter 2 (#u37ded9ff-189d-5f21-beab-6b49abda0f7f)Chapter 3 (#u90cb837d-10cb-5aba-8fc4-283af6d303b9)Chapter 4 (#litres_trial_promo)Chapter 5 (#litres_trial_promo)Chapter 6 (#litres_trial_promo)Chapter 7 (#litres_trial_promo)Chapter 8 (#litres_trial_promo)Chapter 9 (#litres_trial_promo)Chapter 10 (#litres_trial_promo)Chapter 11 (#litres_trial_promo)Chapter 12 (#litres_trial_promo)Chapter 13 (#litres_trial_promo)Copyright (#litres_trial_promo)

“What is it about you?” (#u9d926bbd-613f-5285-aa26-ab4ee9d1e835)

Uneasiness crept over Ellie as she fished for her shoes under the car seat “What do you mean?”

Mark looked over at her with an exasperated expression. “I mean you drive me to do crazy things like making out in the front seat of my car at a business dinner!” He turned back to stare ahead. “After all these years of keeping my nose dean, my boss suddenly thinks I’m Mr. Happy Pants.”

Ellie sat up angrily and snapped open her purse to retrieve her comb. The pheromone pills fell into her lap, and she froze. Beside her, Mark still muttered to himself. She coughed nervously. “Are we still going in?” She looked at him hesitantly. “I’m game if you are.”

“Yeah,” he said, straightening his tie. “It’ll look worse if we don’t.” He gave her a sheepish grin. “Thanks for being a sport.”

At the door, Mark rang the bell, then smiled at her as they waited. “I’ll have to admit, the garter belt was a nice surprise.” He rocked back on his heels, the picture of confidence again.

Ellie couldn’t resist knocking him off balance. “Then I can’t imagine what you would have thought of my tattoo.”

Dear Reader, (#u9d926bbd-613f-5285-aa26-ab4ee9d1e835)

Happy Valentine’s Day! I hope you are enjoying a happy and romantic month.

Harlequin is romance, so February 14 is an extraspecial day for us. Some people say it with flowers, others with chocolates, others with expensive jewelry, but those three little words, I love you, are perhaps the best words in our vocabulary. And at Harlequin, we get to be part of this experience all year long!

As a treat for this special day, what better way to recall the joy of falling in love, than with our Love & laughter selection this month. RITA Award-winning author Marie Ferrarella spins a delightfully comic tale of identical cousins (they walk alike, they talk alike...) and the man who doesn’t know which woman he’s In love with! Talented newcomer Stephanie Bond hits a hilarious note in Irresistible? Single and dateless Ellie Sutherland, who considers Valentine’s Day Black Friday (I know those of you who are single on Valentine’s Day can relate!), takes scientific action to land a man.

Wishing you much love—and laughter,

Malle Vallik

Associate Senior Editor

Irresistible?

Stephanie Bond

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

STEPHANIE BOND’S friends, family and fellow computer programmers are usually surprised when they discover she writes comedy. After all, computer nerd and comedienne aren’t typical hand in glove occupations. “Actually, I’m sometimes amused by the whole idea myself,” she says, laughing. “I’m not an especially funny person—I’m just one of those people that funny things happen to.”

When Stephanie isn’t in front of her computer working or writing, (she admits there’s so much food in her keyboard that it crunches when she types), she’s usually boating with her husband, Chris, or at home near Atlanta, contemplating the grime on her windows.

Stephanie would love to hear from her readers. Write to her at 6225 Song Breeze Trace, Duluth, GA 30155

Many thanks to Natalie Patrick and Beth Harbison for giving me a leg up;

To Rita Herron, Hillary Bergeron and Mary Barfield for the weekly cheerleading;

And to Chris Hauck, for providing a constant source of comedic inspiration—our marriage.

1 (#u9d926bbd-613f-5285-aa26-ab4ee9d1e835)

ELLIE SUTHERLAND opened her mouth to speak, but the sound that emerged was more like a croak. “I’m fired?”

Her supervisor, Joan Wright, coughed lightly, then leaned forward to rest her elbows on the desk. “Not fired. With the new budget cuts, I’m afraid we have no choice but to let you go. In one week,” she added sorrowfully. “Please don’t take it personally.”

“I don’t believe this,” Ellie mumbled, shaking her head. How am I going to make the rent?

“Ellie, yours is not exactly a dream job.”

“Oh, great,” Ellie said. “I’m fired from a job that sucks, and that’s supposed to make me feel better.” Credit cards. Food.

“You know what I mean, Ellie. You’re overqualified to be a gofer in a dumpy little federally funded arts center. You’re too talented.”

“Yeah, that’s why gallery owners are beating down my apartment door.” Utilities. Painting supplies.

“You’ll get your break. Just hang in there. You know as well as I do it takes talent, luck and perseverance to make it in the art industry. And since you have incredible talent, you only need one of the other two qualities.”

Tears pricked the back of Ellie’s eyelids. “I had a feeling when I woke up this morning I should just stay in bed.” She sighed. “I’d hoped to make some contacts at this job.”

Joan brightened. “You did—me. I’ll see what I can do about throwing some commissions your way.”

Ellie raised her head to look over at the woman who’d become a friend in the short time they’d worked together. She could tell Joan felt bad about the turn of events. Ellie summoned her best what-the-hell smile, rose to her feet and said, “I’d appreciate it.”

“Let me buy you lunch,” Joan offered, glancing at her watch.

Ellie shook her head. “Thanks, but I’ll be poring over the want ads.” She trudged toward her tiny cubicle and grabbed her purse. She couldn’t afford it, but she’d go out for lunch today and save the bagged egg-salad sandwich for dinner. Right now she needed the time to think.

She walked half a block to her favorite gourmet deli, then admired the handsome order taker as she waited her turn. The hunky guy in the apron was no small part of the reason this was her preferred lunch stop. When she stepped up to the counter, she took her time ordering a salad. The guy scribbled her order on a pad, then studied her intently. Ellie smiled demurely, enjoying the unexpected attention.

“You’ve been in here before,” he stated simply.

“Several times,” Ellie confirmed, sucking in her stomach and turning at a more flattering angle. She saw his nostrils flare as he leaned toward her slightly and inhaled.

“May I ask what kind of perfume you’re wearing?”

Ellie fought to suppress the smirk that teased the corners of her mouth. Maybe this day wouldn’t be a total loss, after all. “It’s my own special blend. I worked on it for months to get it just right.”

The attractive man smiled wryly and scratched his temple. “I just realized I get a migraine every time you come in here. I figure it must be the perfume.”

She stood stock-still, her eyes darting sideways to see how many people were privy to the remark. Several customers snorted to cover their laughter and the buxom, vacant-eyed blonde behind her looked downright triumphant.

Ellie paid for the salad as quickly as possible and slunk to a table by the door. Will this day ever end?

She sighed as she sipped her diet cola and skimmed the wedding announcements. Starting with the life-style section had seemed like a good way to cushion her journey to the classifieds. But rather than enjoy the snippets about impending weddings, Ellie miserably counted off the handsome men with straight teeth who were now officially out of circulation in the city of Atlanta. She conceded the pictures also proved a little less female competition existed, but a new crop of coeds graduated every spring to catch the eyes of marriageable men. And spring commencements were upon the city.