Having His Baby

Having His Baby
BEVERLY BARTON

JAKE BISHOP WAS A DADDY The thought shook the hard-hearted cowboy down to his boots. But once he took his tiny daughter in his strong arms, he knew he would to anything for her… .AND THAT MEANT MARRIAGEBut blue-blooded beauty Donna Fields had some crazy notion that a rough-edged rancer wasn't the kind of daddy a little girl needed. Well, he'd show the stubborn new mom just what kind of man she needed - one slow kiss at a time. And soon he'd be sharing his ranch with the two sweet little ladies who'd captured his soul… .There's nothing like a secret baby to bring a brooding bachelor home again! 3 BABIES FOR 3 BROTHERS

“Go Away!” Donna Cried. “I Don’t Need You, And I Don’t Want You. And Neither Does Louisa.” (#ue12698c5-f00f-5139-8c7c-f2ca1d68f940)Letter to Reader (#u5702c4f6-1ebd-5012-b151-906b89edf7ff)Title Page (#ud191e95d-da2d-5dc6-97ff-5a81e4185a82)BEVERLY BARTON (#u22655cb6-c98f-5593-b9bc-502bbd7fedcc)Dedication (#ub422887f-ae3e-526e-9a2b-1fbabdae9267)Prologue (#uc154c12c-d8f0-5665-9db0-86bc0968d3b0)Chapter One (#u7f265b98-6282-5826-a4fd-194009685c68)Chapter Two (#u7f55d024-6a8f-54f5-8ed2-a6e58e9c64e6)Chapter Three (#litres_trial_promo)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)Copyright (#litres_trial_promo)

“Go Away!” Donna Cried. “I Don’t Need You, And I Don’t Want You. And Neither Does Louisa.”

Heat rose up Jake’s neck. “Dammit, woman! Did you ever stop to think that I might want to play a part in my daughter’s life?”

Jake cupped the back of his daughter’s tiny head. “You’re dead wrong if you think she doesn’t need me or want me.” Trembling inside, as if his body had been hit by an earthquake, Jake lifted the whimpering baby up against his chest, patted her back and said, “It’s all right, sugar baby. Daddy’s got you now.”

Donna looked up at the big man cradling Louisa against his chest, and for just a moment she couldn’t breathe. The sight of father and child overwhelmed her senses. There was something essentially right about the two of them together. Strength protecting helplessness.

A powerful man guarding what was his....

Dear Reader,

This May we invite you to delve into six delicious new titles from Silhouette Desire’

We begin with the brand-new title you’ve been eagerly awaiting from the incomparable Ann Major. Love Me True, our May MAN OF THE MONTH, is a riveting reunion romance offering the high drama and glamour that are Ann’s hallmarks.

The enjoyment continues in FORTUNE’S CHILDREN: THE BRIDES with The Groom’s Revenge by Susan Crosby. A young working woman is swept off her feet by a wealthy CEO who’s married her with more than love on his mind—he wants revenge on the father who never claimed her, Stuart Fortune. A “must read” for all you fans of Daphne Du Maurier’s Rebecca!

Barbara McMahon’s moving story The Cowboy and the Virgin portrays the awakening—both sensual and emotional—of an innocent young woman who falls for a ranching Romeo. But can she turn the tables and corral him? Beverly Barton’s emotional miniseries 3 BABIES FOR 3 BROTHERS concludes with Having His Baby. Experience the birth of a father as well as a child when a rugged rancher is transformed by the discovery of his secret baby—and the influence of her pretty mom. Then, in her exotic SONS OF THE DESERT title, The Solitary Sheikh, Alexandra Sellers depicts a hard-hearted sheikh who finds happiness with his daughters’ aristocratic tutor. And The Billionaire’s Secret Baby by Carol Devine is a compelling marriage-of-convenience story

Now more than ever, Silhouette Desire offers you the most passionate, powerful and provocative of sensual romances. Make yourself merry this May with all six Desire novels—and buy another set for your mom or a close friend for Mother’s Day!

Enjoy

Joan Marlow Golan

Senior Editor, Silhouette Desire

Please address questions and book requests to:

Silhouette Reader Service

U S., 3010 Walden Ave, P.O Box 1325, Buffalo, NY 14269

Canadian P.O. Box 609, Fort Erie, Ont. L2A 5X3

Having His Baby

Beverly Barton

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

BEVERLY BARTON

has been in love with romance since her grandfather gave her an illustrated copy of Beauty and the Beast. An avid reader since childhood, she began writing at the age of nine and wrote short stories, poetry, plays and novels through high school and college. After marriage to her own “hero” and the births of her daughter and son, she chose to be a full-time homemaker, a.k.a. wife, mother, friend and volunteer.

When she returned to writing, she joined Romance Writers of America and helped found the Heart of Dixie chapter in Alabama. Since the release of her first Silhouette book in 1990, she has won the GRW Maggie Award and the National Readers’ Choice Award and has been a RITA Award finalist. Beverly considers writing romance books a real labor of love. Her stories come straight from the heart, and she hopes that all the strong and varied emotions she invests in her books will be felt by everyone who reads them.

With love and gratitude to my husband, Billy, whose strength, kindness and understanding sustained me during some personally stressful months for our family, while I was writing this book.

Prologue

“I can’t believe I let you talk me into coming here.” Donna Fields hissed the words under her breath as she glared at her friend, whose attention was focused on a group of rowdy cowboys at a nearby table.

“Admit the truth,” Joanie Richardson said, her gaze riveted to one big, blond stud in particular. “You wanted to check this place out as much as I did. You’ve got to be tired of that lonely, boring existence you lead. I know I’m tired of being a Goody Two-shoes. Heck, gal, our vacation is almost over and I haven’t had any fun yet. Let’s live a little. Take a walk on the wild side, for a change.”

Donna fumed as she glanced around the smoky interior of the Blue Bonnet Grill—a name highly inappropriate for the seedy establishment. Good sense had warned her not to give in to Joanie’s fervent suggestion about spending their last night in New Mexico out on the town. For starters, there wasn’t much of a town here in Plain City. In truth, it wasn’t as large as their hometown of Marshallton, Tennessee.

“My life is neither lonely nor boring.” Donna gasped when she noticed a couple in the far corner, their bodies pressed intimately together as the man devoured the woman’s mouth. A warning shudder rippled over Donna’s nerves. “Let’s get out of this place. I feel uncomfortable in here.”

Joanie glanced away from the blond roughneck, who was smiling at her, and followed Donna’s line of vision to the couple in the dark corner. “Would you look at those two I can’t even remember what it feels like to be that passionate with a man.”

“People shouldn’t make public spectacles of themselves It’s disgusting!”

“You’re just jealous.”

“You’re crazy.”

“Those two are so caught up in the moment that everyone and everything has ceased to exist except the two of them.” Joanie sighed dramatically. “I’d like some handsome guy to back me into a dark corner and—”

“Howdy, ma’am. My name’s Big John.” The blond giant stood beside their table, a wide smile on his face and a twinkle in his eyes. “Would you and your friend like to join me and a buddy of mine?”

“Yes, we’d love to,” Joanie said.

“No!” Donna jerked on Joanie’s arm. Leaning over, she whispered, “Have you lost your mind?”

“I’m just waiting around with some guys from the ranch until my buddy shows up He should be here any minute We could order us a round of beers and some big ole steaks and have us a really good time.”

“Sounds like a plan to me.” Joanie scooted back her chair and stood. She laced her arm through the cowboy’s. “I’m ready for a good time.”

“What about you, ma’am? My friend’s an all right guy. I think you’d like him.” Big John bestowed his devastating smile on Donna as he surveyed her from head to toe. “I know J.B. sure would like you. You’re a bit classier than his usual type, but you’ve got the kind of looks that would interest him.” Big John’s gaze lingered on Donna’s breasts.

Donna crossed her arms over her chest. The man’s blatant perusal of her size 36-D chest bothered her greatly. Men could be such pigs. The only thing most of them had on their minds was sex.

Joanie mouthed the word please as she stared straight at Donna. “My girlfriend is a little shy You can tell she’s not the barroom type.” Joanie repeated her silent plea to Donna, then turned her attention to Big John. “We’re schoolteachers—actually we teach at a junior college in western Tennessee and we’ve been out here in New Mexico on an archaeological tour. Tonight’s our last night.”

“Then we should show you girls a good time before you leave.”

When Donna just sat there, unmoving and silent, Joanie sighed in disgust, then cuddled up to Big John’s side. “You and I can dance while we wait for your friend.” She glanced at Donna. “Why don’t you think things over while Big John and I are dancing? Please, honey, let’s stay and have a good time. Do it for me.”

Donna wanted to strangle Joanie. The two of them were more friendly acquaintances than true friends. They had met two years ago when Joanie was hired as a physical education instructor at the college where Donna was a history teacher. She liked Joanie, but she had very little in common with the woman, a twenty-eight-year-old recent divorcee. On the archaeology tour, they had been roommates and teammates. Joanie was good-natured and easy to be around—most of the time.

When Joanie had suggested having a little fun tonight, Donna had felt she couldn’t refuse one simple request, even though she herself wasn’t the type who was always looking for a good time. But the minute they entered the Blue Bonnet Grill, Donna had known she should have stayed at the inn.