A Man Worth Marrying

A Man Worth Marrying
Phyllis Halldorson

ONLY HIS…The sexy, experienced older man was definitely off-limits for third-grade schoolteacher Eve Costopolous–Gray Flint was her student's father. Nevertheless, he inspired dreams of white satin. But could this sweet virgin bring the love-wary bachelor up the aisle?Gray vowed not to succumb to any female–least of all Eve. But her compassionate understanding of his little girl's needs and her provocative innocence drew Gray closer every day. Still, honor demanded he not take what Eve was offering…unless he was willing to claim her as his bride. But was he?

“I’m attracted to you, Eve.” (#u1ecb9836-3ce3-5eaf-b0bf-3ed523d17ad0)Letter to Reader (#u992d9b60-7842-5700-82f6-3b2a2488af6d)Title Page (#u8899d654-3464-5853-9e52-92e3290eb4c3)About the Author (#ue5f4f348-5cea-5952-9ea6-98c0d6cd64b3)Chapter One (#uf2689a78-fe6d-57fa-bd0d-7ce573c1ec4a)Chapter Two (#u8cc1e2b8-0c63-5c7b-bedf-5b2cb7b633da)Chapter Three (#u87e4a501-89e1-5335-83e8-05b44485f7e6)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)Chapter Eleven (#litres_trial_promo)Chapter Twelve (#litres_trial_promo)Copyright (#litres_trial_promo)

“I’m attracted to you, Eve.”

Then Gray felt it, too! The enticement between them wasn’t just on her side, Eve thought.

“As you know, I’ve been married and have a daughter. It was never a happy marriage and I’ve learned my lesson. I’ll never get seriously involved with a woman again.”

Eve was totally confused. “I’m flattered,” she said, “but what does all this have to do with whether or not I tutor your daughter?”

“For a while I thought it might not be a good idea to work closely with you, knowing there was this attraction for you on my part, but that’s absurd,” Gray said. “After all, you’re a beautiful and charming woman. You no doubt have a lot of admirers.”

Eve didn’t know how to reply to that. Did Gray want her to be his daughter’s tutor or his lover? Both? Or neither? Heaven knew she was attracted to him, too. And she wasn’t any more eager to get involved with him than he was with her. No matter what he had in mind, he was making it clear it wasn’t wedding bells, and she wouldn’t accept anything less from any man....

Dear Reader

September’s stellar selections beautifully exemplify Silhouette Romance’s commitment to publish strong, emotional love stories that touch every woman’s heart In The Baby Bond, Lilian Darcy pens the poignant tale of a surrogate mom who discovers the father knew nothing of his impending daddyhood! His demand: a marriage of convenience to protect their BUNDLES OF JOY ...

Carol Grace pairs a sheik with his plain-Jane secretary in a marriage meant to satisfy family requirements. But the oil tycoon’s shocked to learn that being Married to the Sheik is his VIRGIN BRIDE’s secret desire.... FOR THE CHILDREN. Diana Whitncy’s miniseries that launched in Special Edition in August 1999—and returns to that series in October 1999—crosses into Silhouette Romance with A Dad of His Own, the touching story of a man, mistaken for a boy’s father, who ultimately realizes that mother and child are exactly what be needs.

Laura Anthony explores the lighter side of love in The Twenty-Four-Hour Groom, in which a pretend marriage between a lawman and his neighbor kindles some very real feelings. WITH THESE RINGS, Patricia Thayer’s Special Edition/Romance cross-line miniseries, moves into Romance with Her Surprise Family, with a woman who longs for a husband and home and unexpectedly finds both. And in A Man Worth Marrying, beloved author Phyllis Halldorson shows the touching romance between a virginal schoolteacher and a much older single dad.

Treasure this month’s offerings—and keep coming back to Romance for more compelling love stories!

Enjoy,

Mary-Theresa Hussey

Senior Editor

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, Out. L2A 5X3

A Man Worth Marrying

Phyllis Halldorson

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

PHYLLIS HALLDORSON met her real-life Prince Charming at the age of sixteen. She married him a year later, and they settled down to raise a family. A compulsive reader, Phyllis dreamed of someday finding the time to write stories of her own. That time came when her two youngest children reached adolescence. When she was introduced to romance novels, she knew she had found her longdelayed vocation. After all, how could she write anything else after living all those years with her very own Silhouette hero?

Chapter One

Eve Costopoulos walked thoughtfully back to her classroom at Homestead Elementary School, after seeing to it that each of the third-grade children she tutored after school had been claimed by a parent or guardian and were on their way home.

As she approached the room, she saw a man coming out of it. A man who had no business being there, as far as she knew. There was so much vandalism at this school that the staff had been alerted to challenge any stranger they saw on campus.

He was looking down the hall in the other direction as she neared him. “Excuse me,” she said, and hoped she sounded forceful. “May I help you?”

He turned quickly toward her. Even with the startled expression on his face, he was uncommonly handsome. Tall. More than six feet, but slender, with dark brown hair and blue eyes. He looked awfully familiar, but she couldn’t think where she had seen him.

It only took a second for him to regain his composure. When he did, he looked closely at her, and he must have liked what he saw. There was admiration in those wide expressive eyes. “Maybe you can,” he said. “I’m looking for Ms. Evangeline Costopoulos. I understand she’s a teacher here.”

Now it was Eve who was startled. He was looking for her! But why? Eve taught underprivileged children in this school, which was situated in Rapid City, South Dakota, and it wasn’t likely that he was the father of one of her students. He was too well dressed. For one thing, he was wearing a suit, and all the fathers she’d met so far wore jeans or cotton pants with denim jackets. Also, the suit was custom-made of fine wool. It had to be, to fit so well across his broad shoulders and still taper so exactly to his narrow waist and hips. None of the men in this area wore thousand-dollar suits.

“I’m Evangeline Costopoulos,” she said. “And you are...?”

“Grayson Flint,” he replied with a big smile. “I called earlier. You did get my message, didn’t you?”

She blinked. “Message? What message?”

The name Grayson Flint was familiar to her, too, but she still couldn’t place it.

“I called this morning and asked the school secretary if I could arrange to see you after school hours. She gave me an appointment for three o’clock. Didn’t she tell you?”

Eve sighed. “I’m sorry, but we’re so understaffed here that sometimes things like messages just fall through the cracks. I didn’t get yours—but I’m free now. If you’d like to come into my classroom, we won’t be disturbed.”

She led the way back to the room and placed a worn old wooden chair in front of her desk for him, then sat down in her equally worn chair behind it. “Sorry about the uncomfortable seats, but as you probably know the school system is financially strapped. There’s no room in the budget for new furniture.”

She settled back in her chair. “Now, Mr. Flint, what can I do—”

Her brain finally connected the name to the man, and she stopped short, flustered. “You’re Grayson Flint, the weatherman on television!”

It came out more like an accusation than a statement, and she felt the flush of embarrassment. “I—I’m sorry. That sounded rude, and I certainly didn’t mean it to. It’s just that your name and your face were familiar, but I couldn’t place you until just now.”

He chuckled, and she noticed he was even better looking in person than he was on TV. “Don’t apologize—that happens quite often,” he assured her. “The weather forecaster isn’t the star that the news anchor is. I only have a few minutes on the air in each newscast, and the listeners are more interested in the weather patterns on the Doppler radar than they are in the meteorologist who’s delivering it”

He was not only handsome, but modest as well. That wasn’t an easy combination to find.

“You’re very kind,” she said, “but I’m sure most people remember you well. Do you have a special interest in one of my students?”

“Oh no, nothing like that,” he said. “I understand you sometimes tutor students with learning disabilities.”

That puzzled her. “Well, yes, although the children I tutor don’t have disabilities so much as bad learning environments. Most of them come from impoverished homes, and don’t have proper nourishment, medical care, or supervision.”

Flint looked thoughtful. “I didn’t realize...” His words trailed off.

“Not only that,” she continued, “but those whose parents do work go home to an empty house after school. The kids aren’t motivated to get to school on time, or to study.”

Eve knew she was getting carried away. She usually did when she talked about the deplorable conditions under which so many of the children in this district lived.