The Baby Bargain

The Baby Bargain
Peggy Nicholson

It seemed like a good idea…After seventeen years as a diligent single dad, Rafe Montana wants his freedom.Newly widowed and the mother of two, Dana Kershaw needs no additional burdens.But their teenagers have made a baby…Rafe thinks Dana should take the child. But Dana back the young lovers, feeling that the teenage parents should follow their hearts, even if it wrecks Rafe's plans for his brilliant daughter.Rafe and Dana strike up a bargain…a baby bargain.Except they forgot to consider one important element–how can they possibly stick to the terms of their contract when their passionate attraction to each other just won't go away?

“You wanted a business arrangement, Rafe.

“And that’s what I’m offering. You help me save Sean. I help you save Zoe.”

What about the fact that every time we come within kissing range, sparks fly? Rafe wanted to say. He was half tempted to reach for her and prove his point. But let him stroke her once and she might fly to pieces. Still, he couldn’t let it go. “Zoe’s requirement for her baby is a two-parent loving family. I don’t see how I can sell her on a make-believe marriage.”

“You seemed to think you could before,” Dana observed.

Putting a finger to her chin, he brought her head around. “I meant to wed you and bed you and make the best of the deal while we were together,” he said fiercely. “I don’t call that a sham.”

She jerked her chin away. “Whatever you care to call it, I don’t want it! I’m offering a merger of interests—not a marriage of hearts.”

Marriage. To Dana. Rings and lace and driving off with tin cans clattering, hands clasped. With my body I thee worship. He wasn’t alone in this feeling, whatever she said. Patience, he reminded himself.

“Well?” she demanded. “Take it or leave it.”

He shifted uncomfortably in his seat. “You’ve got yourself a deal,” he said huskily. “When?”

Dear Reader,

The nicest thing about being an author is that I get to “fix” things. Doesn’t work that way in the real world. But, on paper, Readers, I can make the world so…sweet.

Better yet, I can take the best of the dozen best men I’ve ever met and meld them into one great man. I can give him the postman’s gorgeous eyes, the buns of that senior quarterback who never even knew I existed back when I was fourteen, my father’s fierce “family man” instincts, my own man’s deliciously arrogant, maddening, entrancing sense of macho—but maybe I’ll insert a tidiness gene stolen from my accountant.

Well, I knew from the moment I created Dana Kershaw, in Don’t Mess with Texans, that I’d have to get back to her. Her life needed fixing. No way could I leave her pregnant and grieving, fighting a gallantly losing battle to honor her promises, while she struggled to hang on to a tottering little dude ranch in southwestern Colorado. She needed help, and so did her confused and lonely stepson, Sean.

They needed a good man, a family man, a tall-in-the-saddle, blue-eyed, steadfast Solution to their problems. They needed…Rafe Montana.

So I sat down to my ancient computer, put the cat in my lap and started to write. (“This I can fix!”)

Hope you enjoy their story, and thanks, as always, for reading it!

Peggy Nicholson

The Baby Bargain

Peggy Nicholson

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

This book is for my dad, Erwin Grimes of Kerrville, Texas, who gave me my wings.

And as always, Ron. Thank you.

CONTENTS

CHAPTER ONE (#u7542f4ab-effe-56d1-87a3-bd6d85ac3968)

CHAPTER TWO (#u6f591abc-18be-5883-b38e-c23140d39548)

CHAPTER THREE (#ub640f082-132b-53b5-94c8-d76435dfc44b)

CHAPTER FOUR (#u3490a895-7138-5d0a-b233-03a8076c9231)

CHAPTER FIVE (#u4ac58cf1-1d4d-58c7-94f1-8a3ae578e7ec)

CHAPTER SIX (#u48e0abb3-24df-5de6-98a8-5e383e54862d)

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)

CHAPTER FIFTEEN (#litres_trial_promo)

CHAPTER SIXTEEN (#litres_trial_promo)

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN (#litres_trial_promo)

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN (#litres_trial_promo)

CHAPTER NINETEEN (#litres_trial_promo)

CHAPTER TWENTY (#litres_trial_promo)

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE (#litres_trial_promo)

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO (#litres_trial_promo)

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE (#litres_trial_promo)

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR (#litres_trial_promo)

CHAPTER ONE