Callan's Proposition

Callan's Proposition
Barbara McCauley

Outside the office, Callan Sinclair didn't know that Abigail Thomas existed. But Abigail had definitely noticed the broad shoulders and intense brown eyes of her employer. His powerful presence had taken her breath away more than once–and the fantasy of his kisses kept her up at night.But Abigail's current situation called for more than fantasy–she needed a real fiancé, or she'd be forced to leave. That was when Callan noticed the curves his conservative secretary had been hiding. Their counterfeit engagement was perfect–but was the arrangement business or pleasure?

Praise for Barbara McCauley’s SECRETS!

“Ms. McCauley does a splendid job of producing heroes to die for. This scrumptious series is a keeper to read again and again.”

—Rendezvous

“Barbara McCauley makes our hearts sing with delight, with zesty interplay and searing passion all wrapped up in a marvelous love story.”

—Melinda Helfer, Romantic Times Magazine

“Ms. McCauley’s latest series is a hit. Fans, old and new, will be delighted with this one.”

—Rendezvous

You loved Blackhawk’s Sweet Revenge, Secret Baby Santos and Killian’s Passion.

Now Barbara McCauley brings her fans another scintillating book

Callan’s Proposition

And look for the next installment as the SECRETS! series continues this August in Silhouette Intimate Moments.

Dear Reader,

This April of our 20th anniversary year, Silhouette will continue to shower you with powerful, passionate, provocative love stories!

Cait London offers an irresistible MAN OF THE MONTH, Last Dance, which also launches her brand-new miniseries FREEDOM VALLEY. Sparks fly when a strong woman tries to fight her feelings for the rugged man who’s returned from her past. Night Music is another winner from BJ James’s popular BLACK WATCH series. Read this touching story about two wounded souls who find redeeming love in each other’s arms.

Anne Marie Winston returns to Desire with her emotionally provocative Seduction, Cowboy Style, about an alpha male cowboy who seeks revenge by seducing his enemy’s sister. In The Barons of Texas: Jill by Fayrene Preston, THE BARONS OF TEXAS miniseries offers another feisty sister, and the sexy Texan who claims her.

Desire’s theme promotion THE BABY BANK, in which interesting events occur on the way to the sperm bank, continues with Katherine Garbera’s Her Baby’s Father. And Barbara McCauley’s scandalously sexy miniseries SECRETS! offers another tantalizing tale with Callan’s Proposition, featuring a boss who masquerades as his secretary’s fiancé.

Please join in the celebration of Silhouette’s 20th anniversary by indulging in all six Desire titles—which will fulfill your every desire!

Enjoy!

Joan Marlow Golan

Senior Editor, Silhouette Desire

Callan’s Proposition

Barbara McCauley

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

BARBARA McCAULEY

was born and raised in California and has spent a good portion of her life exploring the mountains, beaches and deserts so abundant there. The youngest of five children, she grew up in a small house, and her only chance for a moment alone was to sneak into the backyard with a book and quietly hide away.

With two children of her own now and a busy household, she still finds herself slipping away to enjoy a good novel. A daydreamer and incurable romantic, she says writing has fulfilled her most incredible dream of all—breathing life into the people in her mind and making them real. She has one loud and demanding Amazon parrot named Fred and a German shepherd named Max. When she can manage the time, she loves to sink her hands into freshly-turned soil and make things grow.

Contents

Chapter One (#u454f3fea-88f6-5632-ba46-3a2afd74b4b1)

Chapter Two (#u54574530-833d-5dc8-a92e-476c81449496)

Chapter Three (#ua88a7cee-4e24-53e0-a04b-30a4ca5fc0fc)

Chapter Four (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Five (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Six (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Seven (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Eight (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Nine (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Ten (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Eleven (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Twelve (#litres_trial_promo)

One

Hot shower. Cold Beer. Woman.

Callan Sinclair sighed just thinking about the top three items on his “to do” list. After four hours of wading through rain and mud at the construction site in Woodbury, thirty minutes changing a flat on his truck, then nearly four hours on the road, Callan knew that the shower should come first. His jeans and boots were covered with dried mud, and a fine layer of concrete dust made his hair look gray instead of black. And with a throat that felt like a feather duster, the beer would be right behind.

He could see himself now, sitting on a stool at his brother Reese’s tavern, a tall, frothy ale in an ice-covered mug in his hand, a ball game on the overhead television and Bonnie Raitt blasting from the jukebox. He could almost hear her deep, throaty moan about love gone wrong.

He could probably leave the woman part of his “list” until the morning, Callan thought as he trudged up the stairs to his second-story office, but Abigail, his secretary, had seemed determined to reach him. She’d paged him three times this morning while he was still at the job site, but he’d forgotten to charge his cell phone the night before and the battery had gone dead.

Whatever the crisis was, Callan was certain that his secretary could take care of it. Behind her tight blond bun, oversize glasses and tailored suits was the most organized, efficient, competent secretary in the world. During the year she’d worked for him, she’d always been on time, was never moody or subject to emotional outbursts, was terrific with the clients and best of all, she never bothered him with annoying chatter about her personal life.

Cal didn’t even think she had a personal life. He supposed that most people would consider her dull, but what did he care? To him, Abigail Thomas was perfect in every way that mattered.

Cal glanced at his watch as he reached for the office door. It was four o’clock, so he had time to handle whatever problem Abigail might be having, stop by his apartment for a shower, then get over to the tavern for a beer. Maybe he’d give Shelly Michaels a call, see if she wanted to join him. He hadn’t had much time for female companionship lately, but he and Shelly saw each other from time to time. She was sexy and fun and didn’t think about wedding rings if a guy asked her out more than once. At thirty-three, Cal knew he should be thinking about settling down, but he wasn’t quite ready for the Big Squeeze yet. Maybe another year or two. Or three. Besides, he’d always thought that Gabe, being the oldest, should be the first to jump into those cold, deep waters. To go boldly where no man had gone before—or in this case, no Sinclair man.

So for now, the only steady woman in Callan’s life was his secretary. Dependable, reliable, steadfast Abigail.