Texas Bride

Texas Bride
Kate Thomas

A PREGNANT ANGEL?The last thing heart-weary Josh Walker expected to see after his accident was a pregnant woman–who'd just gone into labor! The dashing lawyer had no choice but to help deliver the baby and take care of his exquisite rescuing angel…and her newborn son.Dani Caldwell had never wanted to be hurt again, but she had no option but to trust Josh with her child–and herself. His strong hands were ready to defend and protect her, yet they could hold her son as gently as a snowflake. And that made this single mom–who didn't want to depend on anyone–dream of becoming Josh Walker's Texas bride forever!

“Wake up! Come on, open your eyes!” (#u0b6492f9-4678-5b99-b67a-60fc2a141316)Letter to Reader (#u74adb838-eacc-5018-9a3c-ba13a82b4823)Title Page (#u5f648e39-e49a-5634-868e-af9007c522f5)Dedication (#u955aabd6-042e-5a84-acff-e6639c5aceae)About the Author (#u9a0cc00f-6c52-5bf3-8f31-5b52faa0c29d)Chapter One (#uead7ecef-ea74-5a85-bcfd-8a949905b61b)Chapter Two (#ub6d9e26c-abcb-547a-ab65-4e1250ed1fc9)Chapter Three (#ub29b5a26-6e5c-56e8-8b7d-47dc02ce94f4)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)Epilogue (#litres_trial_promo)Copyright (#litres_trial_promo)

“Wake up! Come on, open your eyes!”

With a groan, Josh obeyed. Through the opening in the windshield, he saw a light. A face appeared, floating in the light. A beautiful face. Soft glowing skin, a wide luscious mouth, huge greenish eyes. Surrounded by a fuzzy, burnished halo. An angel.

“Can you move? Then do it!”

Bossy angel, Josh thought. He heaved himself through the windshield. A small angelic hand grabbed to help him. Eventually he lay on rough, wet rock. His rescuer sat beside him, breathing raggedly.

Breathing. Not an angel, then. Real...

And pregnant!

Dear Reader,

March roars in like a lion at Silhouette Romance, starting with popular author Susan Meier and Husband from 9 to 5, her exciting contribution to LOVING THE BOSS, a six-book series in which office romance leads to happily-ever-after. In this sparkling story, a bump on the head has a boss-loving woman believing she’s married to the man of her dreams....

In March 1998, beloved author Diana Palmer launched VIRGIN BRIDES. This month, Callaghan’s Bride not only marks the anniversary of this special Romance promotion, but it continues her wildly successful LONG, TALL TEXANS series! As a rule, hard-edged, hard-bodied Callaghan Hart distrusted sweet, virginal, starry-eyed young ladies. But ranch cook Tess Brady had this cowboy hankerin’ to break all his rules.

Judy Christenberry’s LUCKY CHARM SISTERS miniseries resumes with a warm, emotional pretend engagement story that might just lead to A Ring for Cinderella. When a jaded attorney delivers a very pregnant stranger’s baby, he starts a journey toward healing...and making this woman his Texas Bride, the heartwarming new novel by Kate Thomas. In Soldier and the Society Girl by Vivian Leiber, the month’s HE’S MY HERO selection, sparks fly when a true-blue, true-grit American hero requires the protocol services of a refined blue blood. A lonewolf lawman meets his match in an indomitable schoolteacher—and her moonshining granny—in Gayle Kaye’s Sheriff Takes a Bride, part of FAMILY MATTERS.

Enjoy this month’s fantastic offerings, and make sure to return each and every month to Silhouette Romance!

Mary-Theresa Hussey

Senior Editor, Silhouette Romance

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

Texas Bride

Kate Thomas

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

For my parents—whose love of reading was the source.

KATE THOMAS As a navy brat, Kate moved frequently until she was lucky enough to attend college in Texas. She married a native Texan, produced another and remained fascinated by language and cultural diversity. With her writing, she likes to celebrate one trait that all humans share: a desire to love and be loved.

Chapter One

As he slid another CD into the car’s player, Josh Walker frowned. Damned if he’d admit it, but—he was lost. Smack in the middle of the biggest nothing he’d ever seen. No trees, no houses, no other traffic. Aside from some stubby wildflowers edging the road, this western half of Texas held nothing but cactus and rocks.

And weather, Josh amended. The blue-black clouds that had begun piling up along the horizon just an hour ago now filled the sky.

Josh swore. He’d encountered one—count ’em, one—intersection since leaving the interstate and he must have made the wrong turn. Dammit, he should be in San Angelo by now.

Not that it really mattered. The case in Midland had wrapped up unexpectedly this morning when his client accepted a new settlement offer. Josh had called his office back in Virginia, but there was nothing pressing at the moment.

So he’d packed away his suit and tie, donned jeans and a well-washed chambray shirt—and the boots he still favoted over athletic shoes, even after years of living back East—and climbed into his outrageously expensive imported car to indulge in the one pleasure he could always count on: a long, solitary road trip. Ordinarily, the silent slipping of miles beneath the wheels relaxed him and chased the stress from his mind.

Only it wasn’t working this time. Hell, nothing was working these days. His work no longer absorbed him; his house was just an investment; even sex—The last careful, casual physical relationship had left him completely cold. Dissatisfied. Empty.

Damned if he’d admit that, either. He was only twenty-nine. His life was not empty. Everything was fine.

Josh growled at the bright, cheerful April wildflowers dancing in the wind. Well, okay. Maybe his life was a little sterile, predictable and lonely, but—No, not lonely.

Solitary. By choice.

Because that was the only safe choice. He’d learned that lesson six years ago in earth-shattering fashion, when his girlfriend had disappeared for a weekend. To get rid of his baby. Without asking him. Without even bothering to tell him. If it hadn’t been for that blabbermouth friend of hers, he might never have discovered the truth.

But he had. For a day or two, anguish and anger had threatened to devastate him.

Then he’d fought back. Slammed a permanent lid on useless emotion. Stayed busy.

It had worked, too. He’d finished first in his class in law school. Built a successful practice, specializing in environmental issues. And he’d never been hurt by a woman again. Therefore, even though he’d been a little...restless lately, he still thought he was perfectly happy.

Certain other people disagreed. His secretary, Marletta, was making retirement noises, even though she was only forty-eight. And his sister-in-law—

Josh snorted softly at the way Matt’s wife had taken his inventory last month when he’d gone back to Montana to attend his newest nephew’s christening. When his younger brother, Dan, showed up with Mei Li, his new Amerasian bride, Annie had teased Josh about being the last unmarried Walker. Told him he’d better get moving.

He’d snarled back that hell would freeze over before he’d get involved with a woman again—and stalked out of the house.

Annie had strolled outside after him, folded her arms on the top rail of the corral and calmly asked him when he was going to stop feeling sorry for himself.

It wasn’t self-pity, he’d protested. It was wisdom won the hard way.

As he put the car through a curve, Josh shook his head, recalling how Annie had just steamrolled on. You don’t hold the patent on being hurt, Josh. Everybody gets wounded. It’s part of living. If you want to suffer, that’s your choice. But if you want to heal—stop picking at the scab!

The best way to do that is to find someone who’s hurt worse than you are and help them.

Nonsense, of course. But somehow Annie’s words had stuck in his head. Even now, weeks later, he couldn’t seem to forget them.

He didn’t understand what her suggestion was supposed to accomplish, though. Was he supposed to feel smug and self-satisfied for doing a good turn? Or grateful because he was so much better off by comparison?

Besides, Josh thought as the rumble of thunder drowned the CD’s music, he didn’t know anyone who’d been hurt worse than he had....

As the old pickup coasted to a stop, Dani Caldwell guided it toward the edge of the pavement. Unless she missed her guess, the truck had thrown a rod, which meant...