Christmas In Whitehorn

Christmas In Whitehorn
Susan Mallery

Detective Mark Kincaid was worn to the bone after his years on New York's tough city streets. Upon his return to Whitehorn, all he wanted was peace and quiet–not some sweet, adorable do-gooder messing up the sanctity of his brooding existence. His neighbor Darcy Montague was all sugar and spice, endearing herself with loaves of pumpkin bread and intimate dinners for two.Mark kept up his guard, knowing from experience that he could be hurt beyond repair. Was Darcy Montague too good to be true, or just the woman to make his heart come alive?

This holiday season, Whitehorn has more than its share of troubles: Who’s laundering money through the Hip Hop Café? Why does new Hip Hop waitress Darcy Montague stash thousands of dollars in her music box? And what’s eating Homer Gilmore? Join some new as well as familiar faces for Yuletide excitement and, as always, true love!

CAST OF CHARACTERS

Mark Kincaid: A cop who has worked the beat on New York City’s streets and comes home for some peace and quiet. He’ll never be anyone’s fool again. But is he too tough to fall for his adorable neighbor, Darcy Montague?

Darcy Montague: A baker and waitress, Darcy can’t keep a thought in her head while ogling drop-dead-gorgeous customer Mark Kincaid. When he starts to show interest, can she protect her secret responsibility—or her vulnerable heart?

Homer Gilmore: The man wanders around town in his bathrobe and slippers, lost in his own world—but carries a burden that no one can see. Does he know the person who’s been causing trouble around Whitehorn this holiday season?

Josh Anderson: What is this sexy bachelor doing sniffing around Whitehorn’s cutest new waitress? Nothing, as far as Mark’s concerned!

Melissa North: Can the owner of the Hip Hop Café possibly be involved in the mysterious laundering scheme Mark Kincaid is reluctantly investigating?

Nurse Connie Adams: As Homer’s caregiver, what is she doing letting Homer run loose around town? And why is she making eyes at Melissa’s husband?

Christmas in Whitehorn

Susan Mallery

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

Special thanks and acknowledgment are given to Susan Mallery for her contribution to the MONTANA MAVERICKS series.

SUSAN MALLERY

is the bestselling author of over forty-five books for Harlequin Books and Silhouette Books. She makes her home in the Pacific Northwest with her handsome prince of a husband and her two adorable-but-not-bright cats.

Mark Kincaid had no business being there.

“Look, Darcy—”

Mark paused, not sure how to tell her he wouldn’t make it for dinner. He wasn’t very social these days.

Her blue eyes stared at him, while the corners of her full mouth turned up slightly. She had perfect skin. Clear, pale and nearly luminous. But the worst of it was the complete trust in her eyes. He had a bad feeling that she’d never told a white lie, let alone a really soul-threatening one. He felt like he was about to kick a puppy.

His shoulders slumped. “Do you want me to bring anything? Like wine?”

“Wine would be nice,” she said.

He nodded and left without looking at her. He didn’t want to see her smiling at him like he’d just done something amazing. However much he found Darcy attractive, he wasn’t about to go there. As he’d already learned the hard way, getting involved with a woman could be fatal.

Contents

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

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter One

“Western omelette, side of bacon, coffee,” Mark Kincaid said without looking up from his morning paper. He hadn’t slept the night before and he felt like roadkill. Of course he hadn’t been sleeping since the shooting, so he should stop being surprised by the fact. Maybe one day he would get used to staring up at the ceiling for hours on end, trying not to relive the events that had nearly killed him.

“I don’t think so.”

At first he thought he’d imagined the soft voice, that the words were an editorial on his belief he might get used to not sleeping. Then he realized they’d come from the petite blonde standing next to his table.

He looked up at the waitress smiling at him. He didn’t smile in return. “Excuse me?”

“I said no. You can’t order that for breakfast. You get the same thing every day and it’s not healthy. Four eggs, ham, cheese and bacon? It’s enough cholesterol to choke a horse.”

“Fortunately, I’m not a horse.”

Her smile widened. Humor danced in her eyes. “Good point, Detective. Okay, it’s enough cholesterol to clog the arteries of a living human. How about some oatmeal? Studies have proven that regular consumption of oatmeal can actually lower cholesterol levels, sometimes significantly.”

Mark folded his paper and gave the waitress his full attention. She wore a white apron over a pale pink dress. Two butterfly clips held her short blond hair away from her face. She was pretty enough, he supposed, assuming a man was interested in that sort of thing. He was not.

He pushed his coffee cup closer to the edge of the table. She took the hint and filled it. He sipped the black liquid, nearly sighing when he felt it burn its way down his throat. Coffee improved his world view.

“Western omelette,” he said firmly. “Side of bacon.”