In Bed with the Opposition

In Bed with the Opposition
Kathie DeNosky

Unexpectedly becoming a father to his infant niece must have scrambled Brad Price’s brain.Why else is the level-headed ladies’ man suddenly besotted with his longtime rival, Abby Langley? Being fierce opponents hasn’t stopped Abby from coming to the desperate dad’s aid.She finds his struggles with parenthood endearing…and irresistibly sexy. But she’s sworn off entanglements, although Brad’s electrifying kisses weaken her resolve.

“That was the first place I kissed you. Do you remember that?”

“How could I forget?” she asked.

“That was the summer we were getting ready to go into the first grade,” he said. “Do you think that was what started our little game of one-upmanship?”

“Maybe.” She tried to remember when their rivalry began, but the feel of him stroking her hair distracted her. “I—it’s been so long, I’m not really certain when it began or why.”

“Me either. But one thing’s for sure. You’ve been driving me nuts for most of my life, Abigail Langley.”

Her heart sped up as she met his piercing hazel gaze. “I’m sorry, but you’ve done your fair share of driving me to the brink, too.”

“Don’t be sorry.” He cupped the back of her head with his hand to gently pull her forward. “There are different kinds of crazy, darlin’.” His lips lightly brushed hers. “Right now, I’m thinking that it’s the good kind.”

Dear Reader,

One of my favorite things about being an author is when I’m asked to collaborate with other authors on a miniseries like the THE MILLIONAIRE’S club. I not only get to work with some of the most talented authors in romance, I get to help refine the details that make the stories compelling and remembered long after the series ends.

By now, I’m sure you’ve met Bradford Price and Abigail Langley. Life-long competitors, they have been playing a game of one-upmanship since they were six years old. But finding themselves in a close race for the presidency of the club, the stakes have never been higher.

I really enjoyed the journey Brad and Abby take as they learn that sometimes just below the surface of a fierce rivalry, there’s a burning attraction that once surfaced can’t be denied—no matter how hard they try. It is my fervent hope that you enjoy reading In Bed with the Opposition as much as I enjoyed writing it.

All the best,

Kathie DeNosky

About the Author

KATHIE DENOSKY lives in her native southern Illinois with her big, lovable Bernese Mountain Dog, Nemo. Writing highly sensual stories with a generous amount of humor, Kathie’s books have appeared on the Waldenbooks bestseller list and received the Write Touch Readers Award and the National Readers’ Choice Award. Kathie enjoys going to rodeos, traveling to research settings for her books and listening to country music. Readers may contact Kathie at PO Box 2064, Herrin, Illinois 62948-5264, USA, or e-mail her at kathie@kathiedenosky.com. They can also visit her website at www.kathiedenosky.com.

In Bed with the Opposition

Kathie DeNosky

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

This book is dedicated to the wonderful authors I

worked with on this miniseries. You all are amazing!

And to Charles Griemsman. It’s been a real treat and I

look forward to working on many more

projects together.

One

Brad Price stared at the object in his hand, then at the tiny baby girl grinning up at him as she grabbed her foot and tried to stuff her tiny toes into her mouth. When had Sunnie lost her little pink sock?

Scratching his head, he scanned the floor. She had it on when they arrived at the Texas Cattleman’s Club not two minutes ago. How could a baby barely six months old be so quick?

He once again glanced at the disposable diaper he held. What in the name of all that was holy had he gotten himself into, taking on the responsibility of raising his late brother’s child? He knew about as much when it came to taking care of a baby as he did about piloting a spacecraft to the moon.

When he had made the decision to adopt Sunnie, he had even gone so far as to give serious consideration to dropping out of the race for the TCC presidency. But only briefly. He had made a commitment to seek the office, and he never went back on his word. Besides, he believed in the club and everything it stood for, and he intended to raise Sunnie to believe in those values, too.

The organization needed someone with a level head and a solid plan, and he was the man with both. He had several ideas on ways to bridge the ever-widening gap between the old guard and the younger members in order to unite the club and renew the solidarity that had always been an integral part of the TCC. It was something that had to be done to ensure its future and to continue the valuable services it had always provided for the residents of Royal, Texas.

But if he didn’t figure out how to change Sunnie’s diaper, and damned quick, it would all be a moot point. He would miss outlining his vision for the TCC at the annual general meeting, and for the first time in the club’s history, a woman—the only woman ever to be allowed to join the organization—would be voted into office by default. He’d be damned if he’d let that happen.

Closing his eyes, Brad counted to ten. He could do this. He had a master’s degree in financial planning, had graduated from the University of Texas summa cum laude and in the years since had built a thriving career as a certified financial planner, amassing a sizable fortune of his own. Surely he could figure out something as simple as changing a baby’s disposable diaper.

But where did he start? And once he figured out how to get the one she was wearing off and the new one in position, how the hell was he supposed to fasten it around her waist?

As he studied the sides of the diaper Sunnie was wearing, he tried to remember what his housekeeper, Juanita, had told him when she gave him a detailed lecture on diaper changing before she left him high and dry to rush off to Dallas for the birth of her third grandchild. Unfortunately, he had been preoccupied with putting the final touches on the campaign wrap-up speech he was supposed to give at today’s meeting and barely heard the woman. In hindsight, he should have taken extensive notes or at the very least given the matter his undivided attention.

Just when he decided he was going to have to find one of the club’s female employees and ask her to do the honors of changing his niece, he heard the door of the coat room open. “Thank God,” he muttered, hoping it was someone who knew more about the intricacies of a disposable diaper than he did. “Would you mind giving me a hand here?”

“Having a bit of a problem, Mr. Price?” a familiar female voice asked. Relieved that help had arrived, Brad couldn’t work up the slightest bit of irritation at the obvious humor in Abigail Langley’s tone.

Turning to find his lifelong nemesis standing just inside the door, a knowing smile curving her full coral lips, Brad released a frustrated breath. They had been rivals for as long as he could remember and for the past several months bitter opponents for the coveted office of president of the TCC. At any other time her perceptive expression would have no doubt had him grinding his teeth. At the moment, he couldn’t feel anything but gratitude.

“How are you at putting these things on a baby?” he asked, holding up the offending object.

Laughing, Abby hung up her coat. “Don’t tell me the mighty Bradford Price has run into a problem he can’t solve with his superior logic.”

Not at all surprised that she took the opportunity to make fun of him, he gave her a sarcastic smile. “Cute, Langley. Now will you get over here and help me out?”

She walked over to stand beside the plush sofa, where his niece lay nibbling on her toes as she stared happily up at them. “You don’t have the slightest clue what you’re doing, do you, Bradford?”

Her use of his given name never failed to cause a slow burn deep in his gut. He knew she was using it to taunt him, much as she had done when they were in school. But he couldn’t afford to retaliate. If he did she might not help him, and there was no point in denying the obvious anyway. They both knew he was in way over his head. Besides, arguing with her wouldn’t get him any closer to getting the damned diaper changed.

“Isn’t it apparent?” The familiar irritation he always felt when they were together had replaced his earlier relief at seeing her. “Now, are you going to help me or am I going to have to go in search of someone who will?”

“Of course I’ll change Sunnie,” she said, as she set down her purse and seated herself on the couch beside the baby. “But I’m not doing it to help you.” She tickled the baby’s rounded little tummy. “I’m doing it for this little angel.”

“Fine. Whatever.”

He didn’t care who Abby was doing it for, as long as his niece was changed and dry in time for him to make arrangements for someone to watch her while he gave his closing campaign speech to the TCC general membership. Then, when all of the candidates had finished speaking and were asked to leave the room for final comments from the members, he fully intended to take Sunnie home for a much-needed nap for both of them.

The day had barely begun and he was already exhausted. Taking care of a baby was proving to be a lot more work than he had anticipated. Aside from the feedings at the most god-awful hours of the day and night, there was so much to take along when they left the house, it was like moving.

“Why didn’t you leave the baby with your housekeeper?” Abby asked as she tucked her long, dark red hair behind her ears and reached for the diaper bag Juanita had packed before leaving on her trip.

“She got a call early this morning that her youngest daughter has been scheduled to have a Caesarian delivery tomorrow. She’s on her way up to Dallas to be there for the birth,” he answered, absently. “She won’t be back for a couple of weeks.”