Plain Jane and the Playboy / Valentine's Fortune: Plain Jane and the Playboy

Plain Jane and the Playboy / Valentine's Fortune: Plain Jane and the Playboy
Allison Leigh

Marie Ferrarella

Mistaken seduction? PR man Paul is rich, successful and drop-dead gorgeous. He can have any woman he wants. Except elusive AutumPlain Jane and the Playboy Marie FerrarellaBeing swept into the arms of a tall, dark, handsome stranger only happened in fairy tales. Yet the rugged Texan who suddenly appeared at Jane’s side was real enough and so was the soul-scorching kiss they shared as the bells chimed on New Year’s Eve. Only Jorge wasn’t the happily-ever-after type. Or was he?Valentine’s Fortune Allison LeighOn the run and pregnant, Bethany knew she had to forget the brave firefighter who had saved her life. Then Darr Fortune tracked her down. Ever since he’d rescued the unconscious stranger, he knew he had to see her again. And when a blizzard stranded them together, Darr knew he’d risk it all for the enigmatic mother-to-be…Taking Autumn’s plain sister Gwen out as a favour was supposed to be his ticket in. And Gwen is fun and smart and interesting; but Paul never planned on waking up with her! Autumn is exactly the kind of girl to fit in with Paul’s parties-and-paparazzi lifestyle and Gwen is her total opposite So why is the sexy playboy so ready to dive back into bed with Gwen at the first chance he can get? Could he have set his sights on the wrong sister?

PLAIN JANE AND THE PLAYBOY

“I’d like to kiss you at midnight. if that’s all right with you.”

He was actually asking if it was all right to kiss her on New Year’s Eve?

Someone in the crowd began the traditional countdown…

“Ten, nine, eight –”

“And you are?” Jorge asked.

“Seven, six, five – ”

“Jane Gilliam.”

“Four, three – ”

Was it his imagination, or was there a new spark in her eyes? She was definitely arousing him.

“Two – ”

He drew her into his arms.

“You’re not really going to kiss me, are you?” Dream or not, it was still hard to believe. And yet she so wanted to believe.

“One!”

His lips covered hers as cries of “Happy New Year!” echoed through the crowded room.

Jane didn’t hear a single sound other than the pounding of her heart.

VALENTINE’S FORTUNE

“You always seem to be rescuing me.”

His arm around her seemed to tighten fractionally. “I can think of worse things.”

Her heart was climbing towards her throat. Her gloved hands slid over his, but she didn’t know if that was to push his away or to keep him from pulling away. “Darr – ”

His head lowered. His jaw grazed her temple. “Just answer a question for me.”

She turned her head, looking up at him, and felt everything inside her grind to a breathless halt. “What?”

“The night of the fire, you said there was no one for us to call for you. No husband. No boyfriend. Was that the truth?”

“Yes.” That, at least, was the bald, naked truth.

“Good,” he muttered and pressed his mouth to hers.

Plain Jane and the Playboy

by

Marie Ferrarella

Valentine’s Fortune

by

Allison Leigh

MILLS & BOON®

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

Acknowledgements

Special thanks and acknowledgement are given to Allison Leigh for her contributions to the FORTUNES OF TEXAS: RETURN TO RED ROCK mini-series.

Plain Jane and the Playboy

By

Marie Ferrarella

Marie Ferrarella has written over one hundred and fifty novels, some under the name Marie Nicole. Her romances are beloved by fans worldwide. Visit her website at www. marieferrarella.com.

To Margaret Watson, for reams of e-mail and priceless support. Thank you.

Chapter One

Red, the extremely popular restaurant located in Red Rock, Texas, and the realization of a dream by José and Maria Mendoza, had closed its doors to the public this holiday evening.

But it was far from empty. The premises had been rented out to Emmett Jamison who, along with his wife, Linda, both former FBI agents, oversaw the Fortune Foundation, a philanthropic organization now in its fourth year. The guests at the New Year’s Eve party included key personnel at the foundation, as well as every single member of the Fortune family who could walk or crawl within a fifty-mile radius.

Included, too, were a large number of friends, not the least of whom were more than several members of the Mendoza family. There were so many people packed inside the converted former hacienda—said to have once belonged to distant relatives of Santa Ana—that guests were spilling out onto the inner courtyard, despite the cold temperature. The press of bodies generated its own heat.

Good cheer abounded, mixing with the occasional strains of festive music, some of it coming from the old-fashioned jukebox, some of it from the five-piece band that Maria had hired at her son, Jorge’s behest. Christmas carols meshed with both Mexican and country music. It was a veritable potpourri of everything that Texas stood for.

Almost everyone seemed to be having a good time, if noise could be considered a barometer of fun. The only true difficulty was in maneuvering through the throng, and in locating people the crowd had swallowed up.

So when Jack Fortune all but walked into his brother-in-law as Jorge finished placing a fruity, mixed drink on a comely young woman’s table, he took advantage of the situation.