The Delacourt Scandal

The Delacourt Scandal
Sherryl Woods

REVENGE IS SWEET…The wealthy, powerful Delacourts had destroyed her family, and Maddie Kent wanted revenge. So she cozied up to Tyler Delacourt, the dynasty's youngest son.SEDUCTION IS SWEETER…But who knew the last Delacourt bachelor would be so irresistibly seductive? That the devilishly handsome oil scion would shatter Maddie's careful plan?LOVE IS SWEETEST!Maddie's new mission was to prevent Tyler from becoming devastated by the shocking family secrets. But would he forgive her deception–and could the sins of the fathers be redeemed by a pledge of eternal love?

“Asking questions is second nature to me.”

Tyler had nothing more to hide. “You can ask me anything you want to, as long as I can reserve the right not to answer.”

“Deal.” Maddie held out her hand to shake on it.

Tyler ignored it and leaned closer to press a kiss to her lips. He fought the temptation to linger and savor the sensations the simplest touch stirred in him.

“What was that for?” she asked.

“Our deal was too important for anything less than a kiss to seal it.”

“Kisses have a way of getting us in trouble,” she reminded him.

He grinned. “Then we’ll just have to practice until they’re no longer any danger.”

Maddie responded with a low chuckle. “I don’t see that happening, Tyler.”

“What? The practicing?”

“No, making them less dangerous.”

He regarded her evenly. “You may be right about that, darlin’. You definitely may be right about that.”

Dear Reader,

The most wonderful time of the year just got better! These six captivating romances from Special Edition are sure to brighten your holidays.

Reader favorite Sherryl Woods is back by popular demand with the latest addition to her series AND BABY MAKES THREE: THE DELACOURTS OF TEXAS. In The Delacourt Scandal, a curious reporter seeking revenge unexpectedly finds love.

And just in time for the holidays, Lisa Jackson kicks off her exciting new miniseries THE MCCAFFERTYS with The McCaffertys: Thorne, where a hero’s investigation takes an interesting turn when he finds himself face-to-face with his ex-lover. Unwrap the next book in A RANCHING FAMILY, a special gift this month from Victoria Pade. In The Cowboy’s Gift-Wrapped Bride, a Wyoming rancher is startled not only by his undeniable attraction to an amnesiac beauty he found in a blizzard, but also by the tantalizing secrets she reveals as she regains her memory.

And in RUMOR HAS IT…, a couple separated by tragedy in the past finally has a chance for love in Penny Richards’s compelling romance, Lara’s Lover. The holiday cheer continues with Allison Leigh’s emotional tale of a runaway American heiress who becomes a Mother in a Moment after she agrees to be nanny to a passel of tots.

And silver wedding bells are ringing as Nikki Benjamin wraps up the HERE COME THE BRIDES series with the heartwarming story of a hometown hero who convinces his childhood sweetheart to become his Expectant Bride-To-Be.

I hope all of these breathtaking romances warm your hearts and add joy to your holiday season.

Best,

Karen Taylor Richman

Senior Editor

The Delacourt Scandal

Sherryl Woods

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

SHERRYL WOODS

Whether she’s living in California, Florida or Virginia, Sherryl Woods always makes her home by the sea. A walk on the beach, the sound of waves, the smell of the salt air, all provide inspiration for this writer of more than sixty romance and mystery novels, fifty of which have been published by Silhouette Books. Sherryl hopes you’re enjoying these latest entries in the AND BABY MAKES THREE series for Silhouette Special Edition. You can write to Sherryl or—from April through December—stop by and meet her at her bookstore, Potomac Sunrise, 308 Washington Avenue, Colonial Beach, VA 22443.

Dear Reader,

For someone who once measured her writing in column inches for newspapers, the mere idea of writing an entire book was daunting. To have written fifty books for Silhouette staggers me.

I am so fortunate to be able to tell the kind of strong, family-oriented stories I love for a publisher who understands and appreciates the empowering value of romance in a woman’s life.

And best of all, I have had the chance to touch the lives of so many readers. Thank you for spending your time with my books and for sharing your thoughts with me. I hope we’ll be together another fifty books from now.

With all good wishes,

Contents

Prologue

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen