Expecting the Sheikh's Baby

Expecting the Sheikh's Baby
KRISTI GOLD

Sheikh Ashraf ibn-Saalem's gorgeous face was unforgettable. But long-lost Barone cousin Karen Rawlins told herself she'd best not forget the terms of their marriage deal.They both wanted a child to love?she without gaining a controlling man, he without losing his heart. It was simple: Make a baby and stay together?platonically?just long enough to give their child a name.But nothing was simple after an Arabian night with this sexy sheikh. Even though Karen was now pregnant, she craved his kiss, yearned to share his bed. Was it only raging hormones or had Karen broken the golden rule of her in-name-only marriage?had she fallen in love with her husband?

Imported full-bodied espresso

With his dark eyes, swarthy skin and sensuous mouth, Ashraf ibn-Saalem, Prince of Zhamyr, was one gorgeous sheikh. Rich, smart, worldly, sexy…and virile. Just the man to father Karen Rawlins’s baby and give her child a heritage.

Chocolate Kisses

To seal their bargain, Ash insisted on a kiss. A rock-my-world kiss that left Karen’s lips swollen, hot and wet. She knew his insistence on making a baby the conventional way would certainly be fun…but would it be wise?

Hot quick bread with vanilla ice cream

Despite a rushed wedding, their baby-making was anything but. The sheikh’s slow exploration of her body was sweet torture. His hands and tongue ignited a trail of heat over her sensitive skin that left her parched as a desert and thirsty for more. But that wasn’t part of the plan….

Buon appetito!

Dear Reader,

Welcome to another stellar month of stories from Silhouette Desire. We kick things off with our DYNASTIES: THE BARONES series as Kristi Gold brings us Expecting the Sheikh’s Baby in which—yes, you guessed it!—a certain long-lost Barone cousin finds herself expecting a very special delivery.

Also this month: The fabulous Peggy Moreland launches a brand-new series with THE TANNERS OF TEXAS, about Five Brothers and a Baby, which will give you the giddy-up you’ve been craving. The wonderful Brenda Jackson is back with another story about her Westmoreland family. A Little Dare is full of many big surprises…including a wonderful secret-child story line. And Sleeping with the Boss by Maureen Child will have you on the edge of your seat—or boardroom table, whatever the case may be.

KING OF HEARTS, a new miniseries by Katherine Garbera, launches with In Bed with Beauty. The series focuses on an angel with some crooked wings who must do a lot of matchmaking in order to secure his entrance through the pearly gates. And Laura Wright is back with Ruling Passions, a very sensual royal-themed tale.

So, get ready for some scintillating storytelling as you settle in for six wonderful novels. And next month, watch for Diana Palmer’s Man in Control.

More passion to you!

Melissa Jeglinski

Senior Editor, Silhouette Desire

Expecting the Sheikh’s Baby

Kristi Gold

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

Acknowledgments

Special thanks to former Bostonite and honorary Texan

Sandy Blair for her incredible information and wonderful insight.

KRISTI GOLD

has always believed that love has remarkable healing powers and feels very fortunate to be able to weave stories of romance and commitment. As a bestselling author and a Romance Writers of America RITA

Award finalist, she’s learned that although accolades are wonderful, the most cherished rewards come from the most unexpected places, namely from personal stories shared by readers. Kristi resides on a ranch in Central Texas with her husband and three children, along with various and sundry livestock. She loves to hear from readers and can be contacted at KGOLDAUTHOR@aol.com or P.O. Box 11292, Robinson, TX 76716.

Meet the Barones of Boston—

an elite clan caught in a web of danger,

deceit…and desire!

Who’s Who in

EXPECTING THE SHEIKH’S BABY

Ashraf ibn-Saalem—After a painful betrayal, this Arabian sheikh has put his heart on ice, but not his libido. His shrewd, dark eyes appreciate women, but his hardened heart vows never to love again. But there is one thing he wants—a child.

Karen Rawlins—Some say this long-lost Barone cousin is unbendable, stubborn, unyielding. Karen says she’s her own woman. At thirty-one, she hears her biological clock ticking and sees a child of her own in her nightly dreams. But she’d just as soon subtract the husband from the baby-making equation.

Maria Barone—More than anyone, she knows that no matter what you want, you can’t run away from what fate has in store….

Contents

Prologue

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Prologue

The man could be her father, but that was impossible.

Her father was dead.

Karen Rawlins touched her trembling fingertips to the photograph of Paul Barone included in the Boston newspaper along with a story covering the Barone family’s latest reunion. The article also reported the tale of the unsolved mystery from years ago surrounding the abduction of Paul’s twin brother, Luke, serving as confirmation of what Karen had recently learned from the yellowed pages of her grandmother’s diary—her loving grandparents had lived a lie for over half a century.