Commander's Little Surprise

Commander's Little Surprise
Mollie Molay

A precious reminder of her one fall from grace…Baranovian royal Victoria Bernard's cherished daughter had the same dimple and sparkling eyes as her father, a man forever forbidden to Victoria. She should never have seen him again–except she was assigned to diplomatic duty at Lieutenant Commander Dan O'Hara's JAG post! She only hoped Dan would not recognize her…Dan was a commander with a five-year plan, with marriage and kids far off in the future. But something about Victoria reminded him of the mystery woman with whom he'd spent one tantalizing night. It was crazy to think this off-limits royal might be her. Honor demanded he walk away–until he saw Victoria's baby girl, and his five-year plan became five seconds to fatherhood!

“What will it take to make you forget me?”

“You’re not a woman a man can easily forget,” Dan said.

From the first time she’d met Dan again, she’d known she had to make a choice. A choice between the man whom, against all reason, she seemed to have fallen in love with, and the respectful life she’d made for herself.

She had to force herself to speak. “You must forget you ever met me.”

She glanced at the desk—and realized the photo of her and her daughter was missing! She glanced wildly around the room.

“I assume you’re looking for this.” Dan drew the missing photograph from his tuxedo jacket.

Victoria stared at the photo and felt her world turn over.

“It isn’t really me you’ve been afraid of all along,” Dan went on. “You’re afraid I’ll find out I’m your baby’s father.”

Dear Reader,

Happy New Year! January is an exciting month here at Harlequin American Romance. It marks the beginning of a yearlong celebration of our 20th anniversary. Come indulge with us for twelve months of supersatisfying reads by your favorite authors and exciting newcomers, too!

Throughout 2003, we’ll be bringing you some not-to-miss miniseries. This month, bestselling author Muriel Jensen inaugurates MILLIONAIRE, MONTANA, our newest in-line continuity, with Jackpot Baby. This exciting six-book series is set in a small Montana town whose residents win a forty-million-dollar lottery jackpot. But winning a fortune comes with a price and no one’s life will ever be the same again.

Next, Commander’s Little Surprise, the latest book in Mollie Molay’s GROOMS IN UNIFORM series, is a must-read secret-baby and reunion romance with a strong hero you won’t be able to resist. Victoria Chancellor premieres her new A ROYAL TWIST miniseries in which a runaway prince and his horse-wrangling look-alike switch places. Don’t miss The Prince’s Cowboy Double, the first book in this delightful duo. Finally, when a small Alaskan town desperately needs a doctor, there’s only one man who can do the job, in Under Alaskan Skies by Carol Grace.

So come join in the celebrating and start your year off right—by reading all four Harlequin American Romance books!

Melissa Jeglinski

Associate Senior Editor

Harlequin American Romance

Commander’s Little Surprise

Mollie Molay

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

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

After working for a number of years as a logistics contract administrator in the aircraft industry, Mollie Molay turned to a career she found far more satisfying—writing romance novels. Mollie lives in Northridge, California, surrounded by her two daughters and eight grandchildren, many of whom find their way into her books. She enjoys hearing from her readers and welcomes comments. You can write to her at Harlequin Books, 300 East 42nd St., 6th Floor, New York, NY 10017.

Books by Mollie Molay

HARLEQUIN AMERICAN ROMANCE

560—FROM DRIFTER TO DADDY

597—HER TWO HUSBANDS

616—MARRIAGE BY MISTAKE

638—LIKE FATHER, LIKE SON

682—NANNY & THE BODYGUARD

703—OVERNIGHT WIFE

729—WANTED: DADDY

776—FATHER IN TRAINING

799—DADDY BY CHRISTMAS

815—MARRIED BY MIDNIGHT

839—THE GROOM CAME C.O.D.

879—BACHELOR-AUCTION BRIDEGROOM

897—THE BABY IN THE BACK SEAT

938—THE DUCHESS & HER BODYGUARD* (#litres_trial_promo)

947—SECRET SERVICE DAD* (#litres_trial_promo)

954—COMMANDER’S LITTLE SURPRISE* (#litres_trial_promo)

Personal Connections

SWM 30, 6’2” blonde with blue eyes desperately seeking petite, twenty-something SWF for love and laughter Are you the green-eyed, Baronovian beauty with whom I shared an unforgettable moonlit night of passion in the palace gardens last summer? Please let me know I wasn’t dreaming! DOH

Contents

Prologue (#u2aba0e98-2285-59e4-a7b3-671703650844)

Chapter One (#u2798447a-c44a-5976-83d3-ae69ff889ff5)

Chapter Two (#u37915e8a-942c-5fe1-9fe3-419102fe3233)

Chapter Three (#u06913a73-23b9-55fa-9e2e-724cac3f6263)

Chapter Four (#ucefa04cc-c876-5f51-bd47-a98483c2db2a)

Chapter Five (#litres_trial_promo)