Once Upon a Bride

Once Upon a Bride
Helen Lacey

She hoped he wouldn’t come closer …

Prayed he wouldn’t kiss her. “We need to forget what happened tonight,” she said in a rattled voice. “We agreed it’d be crazy to—”

“Nothing really happened,” he said, cutting her off.

“Well, what almost happened. I’ve made a vow to myself … and it’s a promise I intend to keep. I’m never going to find what I want if I get drawn deeper into this attraction. It won’t go anywhere other than your bed, and I’m not prepared to settle for just sex.”

Gabe stared at her. So deeply, so intensely, she couldn’t breathe. The small porch created extreme intimacy. If she took one step she’d be pressed against him.

“You’re right.” He moved back. “You shouldn’t settle for sex. You should find that middle road you want, Lauren, with someone who can give you the quiet relationship you deserve.”

Then he was gone.

Her chest was pounding. Her stomach was churning. Her head was spinning.

And her heart was in serious danger.

Once Upon a Bride

Helen Lacey

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

HELEN LACEY grew up reading Black Beauty, Anne of Green Gables and Little House on the Prairie. These childhood classics inspired her to write her first book when she was seven years old, a story about a girl and her horse. She continued to write, with the dream of one day being a published author, and writing for Mills & Boon

Cherish™ is the realization of that dream. She loves creating stories about strong heroes with a soft heart and heroines who get their happily-ever-after. For more about Helen, visit her website, www.helenlacey.com (http://www.helenlacey.com).

For Robert

Because you get me …

Contents

Cover (#u650215f2-ed57-5cfe-b6c9-dd30df8ac943)

Introduction (#u8575db6d-cc5a-5b0b-930c-d70d7e996e86)

Title Page (#u35196a60-c7dc-5c7e-a1d7-7158c8b62ec3)

About the Author (#ub2a67a22-9bcb-5dd9-95cf-670027f915d4)

Dedication (#u5e0b4ce4-7155-574b-8825-dbd294a6316d)

Chapter One (#ulink_e0ee94c9-34a0-5b10-8b0a-7c752fc5da0e)

Chapter Two (#ulink_b2d06768-6451-57bf-b67e-902752d2a000)

Chapter Three (#ulink_5b4355af-c24a-592c-8b4b-70d91f8798a9)

Chapter Four (#ulink_88894674-a12c-5c7b-81cf-e050f4f948fc)

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)

Chapter Thirteen (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Fourteen (#litres_trial_promo)

Extract (#litres_trial_promo)

Copyright (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter One (#ulink_f538797c-61e8-51ad-9fbe-e35bf0ee33c8)

“You made a what?”

Lauren Jakowski shrugged her shoulders and bit down on her lower lip, musing whether she should repeat her words. But her two best friends’ imploring looks won over.

“I made a vow,” she said, and glanced at both Cassie and Mary-Jayne. “Of celibacy.”

The other women snorted through the drinks they were sipping, sending liquid flying across the small poolside table. It was her brother’s wedding, and once the bride and groom had cut the cake and shared their first dance, her bridesmaid’s duties were officially over for the night. So she’d left the hotel ballroom and met her friends by the pool.

“Yeah, sure you did,” Cassie said with a laugh, wiping her face.

“I did,” Lauren insisted. “When my marriage ended.”

“So you, like—” Mary-Jayne mused slowly as her dark hair swayed in the breeze “—made a commitment to never have sex again?”

“Exactly,” she replied. “Not until I’m certain he’s the right one.”

“He being this dull and passionless individual you think you’ll find so you can have your mediocre happily ever after?” Cassie asked, watching Lauren over the rim of her glass of soda.

She ignored how absurd it sounded. “Yes.”