Married By Mistake!

Married By Mistake!
Renee Roszel

The wedding pretense…When Lucy Crosby's ex-fiancé came to town, parading his new bride-to-be for all the world to see, she longed to wipe the smug smile off his face once and for all. But presenting the disturbingly attractive Jack Gallagher as her own new fiancé was definitely not what Lucy had in mind. Nor was undergoing a fake wedding ceremony–another of stepbrother Jack's bright ideas.His performance as her doting husband was certainly inspired–he even had Lucy half convinced he was in love with her. But had the whole pretense been a mistake? Because now that they were on their fake honeymoon, Lucy found herself suddenly wishing it was all for real!ENCHANTED BRIDES–Wanted: three dream husbands for three loving sisters."The D'Amour myth and an absolutely wonderful heroine make this story superb."–Rendezvous on To Marry a Stranger

“What if we got married?” (#ue58a0890-ee54-58f7-8df5-51bf1923a62d)ENCHANTED BRIDES (#ucc48dde5-296a-5257-9f46-8803f9ca6c15)About the Author (#ua9207103-e422-5e66-84e3-adbe25964565)Title Page (#u42dbe564-3ef6-5b07-a075-6dec551054cd)Dedication (#u43d357f7-b678-5d03-b0d2-a2aa8a45f682)CHAPTER ONE (#u52d2fabd-a2ac-541a-a85c-0701764d32e2)CHAPTER TWO (#u6d09ae83-90ac-5487-8bf0-36cf4c88ee19)CHAPTER THREE (#u18eace68-0d27-572f-bc58-faa709ad16e7)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)Copyright (#litres_trial_promo)

“What if we got married?”

Pulling from Jack’s touch, Lucy could only stare at him. He shrugged at her lack of response. “Okay, maybe I don’t mean a real marriage. We can fake it. Get somebody to pretend to be a minister”

Feeling weak, Lucy attempted to dry swallow, and gawked at him as he lounged there on her bed, a very large, arresting presence in her small, drab room.

“Next Saturday night, then? You and me—holy wedlock?” Jack’s grin was crooked, teasing.

A strange fog seemed to engulf Lucy’s brain. She had known and loved lack for over fifteen years—like family. But suddenly he was her fake fiancé, whose erotic kiss she was trying hard to forget, and who had just announced their wedding date. Next week!

ENCHANTED BRIDES

The Myth

The stately D’Amour mansion stands majestically in the countryside, its absentee owner rumored to be living in Europe. Closed for years, this mansion has a charming myth surrounding it. Legend says that the mansion is enchanted and that “an unmarried woman who sleeps within its walls on her birthday, when the moon is full, will marry the first man she sees in the morning.”

Married By Mistake! is the second in Renee Roszel’s spellbinding Enchanted Brides trilogy. Look out for Elissa’s story in November 1998.

Also in the Enchanted Brides trilogy

To Marry a Stranger #3470

Renee Roszel can’t believe her good luck: she spends her days writing about the world’s most eligible, most exciting, most sensual men—and she has the power to orchestrate their every move!

She is also amazed by her good luck at having three heroes of her very own—her husband and two sons—who help directly with her research into heroic behavior.

Renee loves to hear from her fans. You may write to her at: Renee Roszel, P.O. Box 700154, Tulsa, Oklahoma, 74170, U.S.A.

Married By Mistake!

Renee Roszel

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

To Doug, my husband,

with whom I’ve shared more than half my life.

I love you.

CHAPTER ONE

“LUCY, darling, what—Oh, Lord! Twins!”

Lucy frowned and stretched, then winced as pain stabbed through her hip. What an odd dream. Jack was in it, and he sounded so—so troubled. It wasn’t like him to be troubled. He was an easygoing guy.

She felt another twinge in her hip, and her eyelids fluttered as she fought coming awake. She was so tired. Every fiber in her being cried out to be left alone. But something nagged at her brain, making her battle the urge to fall back to sleep.

As her eyes fully opened, she grimaced in confusion. Why was her head lolling on the seat cushion of an unfamiliar velvet sofa? And why were her legs cramped and twisted awkwardly on the cold, wood floor of—

She jerked up, shocked to discover that she’d dozed off. She couldn’t believe she had actually fallen asleep in such a scary situation. Swiping at her eyes, she cleared away the blur of exhaustion. The flicker of two dwindling candles on a dust-coated end table was her only light, but enough to make it clear that her little sister was no longer sleeping on the sofa. Lucy had been comforting her, holding her hand. But now, she was gone! Lucy jumped to her feet, her heart going to her throat. “Helen?”

In the dimness she could see the newborn baby girls, still on the velvet cushion—such a small, precious bundle—swaddled in her raincoat. Thank heaven for that. Pulling her sweater tighter around her, she began to panic. It was freezing in the old D’Amour mansion, and her sister had just given birth, prematurely, to twins. She was weak and cold, so where could she have gone? “Helen!” When her only answer was silence, fright clutched her by the throat. “Helen!” she cried in desperation. “Please—where are you?”

The sound of someone running filled her ears, and she spun toward the den’s entry in time to see a tall, dark figure appear at the door, just beyond the reaches of the candles’ illumination. With the intruder’s appearance, her heart stopped with dread. What was happening? She was so exhausted, so emotionally depleted, her eyes had to be playing tricks on her. Or was she hallucinating? Maybe, if she were very, very lucky, she was still asleep. Yes! Yes, that had to be it! She was asleep, and this massive, threatening figure was not there and Helen was dozing peacefully on the couch beside her babies.

Balling her fists, Lucy squeezed her eyes tight, pleading, “Please—please let me wake up from this nightmare !”

Footfalls that sounded all too real advanced across the gritty floorboards. Terror and helplessness surged through her. All she could think of to do was to fling herself across the babies in an effort to protect them.

As she was about to lunge toward the couch, she detected the most incongruous sound. A wry chuckle. At that same instant, gentle hands gripped her upper arms. “Lucy, Lucy...” Her name was spoken with soft urgency, and she felt herself being shaken slightly. “I know I’m not the man of your dreams, but a nightmare? Give me a break.”

That voice! She knew that voice! But it couldn’t be him. Couldn’t be Jack. He was spending the month in Bermuda. His last letter had been mailed from there.

She dropped her fists to her sides and opened her eyes. The first sight she saw was a cinnamon brown gaze, shimmering with melancholy humor. “Jack?” Though the candles were flickering low, their light feeble, she could never mistake those eyes. “Jack!” She grabbed at his shirtfront. “Oh, thank heavens you’re here. Helen’s missing. You have to help me find—”

“Calm down.” He pulled her into his arms. “I’ve already carried Helen to the car and notified Skaggs Hospital that we’re coming.”

So relieved she couldn’t find words, she hugged him with all her strength. “What—what are you doing in Branson?”

“Oh, the usual.” He held her close, his breath warm against her hair. “You know. Slaying dragons. Rescuing damsels in distress.”

She relished the harbor of his embrace and the comforting sound of his voice more than she could have imagined. Unfortunately, before she was ready to relinquish him, he stepped away. With a nod, he indicated the couch where Lucy’s infant nieces were lying, wide-eyed, in their makeshift bedding. “What do you say we rescue these little damsels?”

She didn’t know how Jack managed it, but she actually felt good enough to smile.

She shivered. The mild March day had turned mean and cold around midnight. The worst possible timing, considering everything.

He must have seen her tremor, for he shrugged off his suit coat and draped it about her shoulders. His body warmth hovered in the fabric along with his pleasant, familiar scent. Gratefully, she slid her arms into the sleeves, hugging herself. The expensive garment swallowed her all the way past her fingertips, but she didn’t care. She couldn’t remember when she’d needed warmth so badly.

When she looked at him again, he had lifted the babies in his arms and turned to go. She scurried after him toward the front entrance. For some reason, she recalled her odd, coincidental dream about Jack and couldn’t help but ask, “Did you call me darling in there?”

She thought she saw a slight hesitation in his step, then a sharp glance her way, but couldn’t be sure, even under the full moon. He began to lope down the steps, his chuckle rumbling through the night. “Sure,” he said. “I call all you Crosby girls darling. It keeps me from having to remember your names.”

She flushed, feeling ridiculous, and followed him down. “Sorry. I guess I was a little hysterical.”

“Forget it.” He settled the twins into Helen’s open arms, then helped Lucy into the back seat of his luxury rental car. She was startled when he leaned inside. His expression serious, he reached out, smoothing a strand of her blond hair behind her ear. “By the way, happy birthday, Luce.”

He’d ducked out and was in the driver’s seat before she could react. As he started the engine, she smiled shyly, focusing on her knees. She should have realized Jack wouldn’t forget.

One of the babies whimpered, and Lucy’s gaze shot to her little sister. “Helen? Is everything okay?”

The new mother glanced over her shoulder and smiled. Though she looked tired, her expression was happy. “In such good hands as yours and Jack’s, how could anything be wrong?”