Only Bachelors Need Apply
Only Bachelors Need Apply
Charlotte Maclay
HUSBAND IN A MILLIONSingle mom Joanna Greer knew all the "mommy" tricks: kiss boo-boos, fix three squares a dayfuss, fuss, fuss. But when it came to acting as a father figure to her young son, she was desperately at a loss.Then little Tyler staked his claim on the handsome bachelor next door.Kris Slavik didn't know the first thing about fatherhood. His upbringing had been short on hugs, but long on expectations. Well, he'd earned his millionsseveral times over. Problem was, he had no one to share it with. Until a rambunctious kid and his beautiful mom had him tossing around footballsand sizing very big diamond rings.
Table of Contents
Cover Page (#u9c1603fd-9892-51ac-a448-6c9ce1b4094c)
Excerpt (#ue30b8aa6-5d60-5fac-8ea7-b26037023a65)
Dear Reader (#uea6fb6bd-7b8a-5f34-b3a7-cbfc53d5b565)
Title Page (#u0a5b650a-0b65-5dde-bc50-1b3fcea5a25a)
Dedication (#uff4308c5-7c9a-5a01-8196-4ce4b1692bd7)
About the Author (#uc0652b28-f1ae-5bc3-a6d1-74d4fd66de2b)
Chapter One (#u22ce8977-1930-585c-ac18-5ca22bbe0085)
Chapter Two (#u0a5b8d42-267a-5364-9c93-fb32ec396df9)
Chapter Three (#u9690e840-ebb7-5818-90d8-53c277d2340a)
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)
Epilogue (#litres_trial_promo)
Copyright (#litres_trial_promo)
Im a man, Joanna. A guy whod someday like to have a wife and family of his own.
His lips brushed hers in a heated caress, as if to emphasize his point.
She leaned into his kiss. Dimly she realized she shouldnt be doing this. They had no future together. To encourage him was wrong.
For the past ten years shed tried to remain resolute in accepting the cards fate had dealt her. Now was not the time to weaken.
Ive got to go, she whispered against his lips.
Sure. I understand.
He released her slowly, and she ached with the futile desire that he never would do so
Dear Reader (#ulink_42992d57-e217-5f14-b092-0369a43dc8d7),
This month, Silhouette Romance has six irresistible, emotional and heartwarming love stories for you, starting with our FABULOUS FATHERS title, Wanted: One Son by Laurie Paige. Deputy sheriff Nick Dorelli had watched the woman he loved marry another and have that mans child. But now, mother and child need Nick. Next is The Bride Price by bestselling author Suzanne Carey. Kyra Martin has fuzzy memories of having just married her Navajo ex-fiancd in a traditional wedding ceremony. And when she discovers shes expecting his child, she knows her dream was not only realbut had mysteriously come true! We also have two not-to-be missed new miniseries starting this month, beginning with Miss Prims Untamable Cowboy, book I of THE BRUBAKER BRIDES by Carolyn Zane. A prim image consultant tries to tame a very masculine working-class wrangler into the true Texas millionaire tycoon he really is. Good luck, Miss Prim!
In Only Bachelors Need Apply by Charlotte Maclay, a manshy womans handsome new neighbor has some secrets that will make her the happiest woman in the world, and in The Tycoon and the Townie by Elizabeth Lane, a struggling waitress from the wrong side of the tracks is romanced by a handsome, wealthy bachelor. Finally, our other new miniseries, ROYAL WEDDINGS by Lisa Kaye Laurel. The lovely caretaker of a royal castle finds herself a princes bride-to-be during a ballwith high hopes for happily ever after in The Princes Bride.
I hope you enjoy all six of Silhouette Romances terrific novels this monthand every month.
Regards,
Melissa Senate,
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, Ont. L2A 5X3
Only Bachelors Need Apply
Charlotte Maclay
www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)
Special thanks to Tom, for his mountain biking
expertise, and to Chuck, as always, for his
technical advice.
CHARLOTTE MACLAY
has always enjoyed putting words on paper. Until recently, most of these words have been nonfiction, including a weekly newspaper column, which has recruited nearly twenty thousand volunteers in the past twenty years for some four hundred different local nonprofit organizations.
When she is not urging people to get involved in their community, Charlotte divides her time among writing, volunteering for her favorite organizations (including Orange County Chapter of Romance Writers of America), trying not to mother two married daughters and sharing her life in Southern California with her own special hero, Chuck.
Chapter One (#ulink_b746ebb7-094d-5360-b98e-91375051007b)
He had the nerve, the absolute gall, to tell me I need a husband! With a sense of utter frustration, Joanna Greer tossed her purse onto the kitchen table.
Turning from her task of watering the jungle of plants on the windowsill, Agnes Greer asked her daughter, Who told you that, dear? She smiled benignly as the water continued to pour out of the copper watering canonto the floor.
Joanna lifted the spout. The bank manager when he turned down my loan request, thats who.
Oh, my, that is too bad.
Tearing off a string of paper towels, Joanna knelt to mop up the spilled water. Given her mothers tendency to be easily distracted, this was a minor accident. Too bad? Its disastrous. Its already the middle of September. The rains will start in November, and the rental property I thought would turn Dads insurance money into a decent income for us has got roof rot. The first good storm and its likely to fall in. Leaving her with a huge mortgage on a small office building that she wouldnt be able to rent.
Maybe if you talk with the bank again, theyll change their mind. Wally Petersen has always seemed like such a nice man.
The bank manager youre so fond of is a leftover from the eighteenth century. They cant make marriage a criteria for getting a bank loan. Its got to be against the law.
Agnes brightened considerably. But marriage would be a lovely idea, dont you think?
Mother, I dont need a husband. And certainly not a husband for the sole reason of qualifying for a loan.
Husbands are nice for other reasons, dear. You really should find yourself a good man who could be a father to Tyler
It seems to me weve had this conversation before, Mother. Tyler is getting along just fine, thank you. And so am I. Joanna certainly didnt want to saddle any man with the responsibility for her admittedly eccentric mother, or with the burden of raising a ten-year-old son he hadnt fathered.
Not that there were many eligible men in the small Sierra-foothills town of Twain Harte. And most of those who were unmarried wore big belt buckles, hadnt read a book or newspaper since they dropped out of high school and drove pickups with gun racks across the back window. Hardly Joannas idea of the perfect companion. Shed worked too hard getting her teaching credentials to ignore the importance of an education.
She dropped the soggy paper towels into a plastic wastebasket under the sink. I was going to run an ad for the rental space this weekend but Ive got to go to a teachers-training session in Sacramento on Monday and Tuesday. Id hate not being here if we get any calls.
I could take care of them, dear.
Joanna gauged her mothers lucidity. Today was one of her purple daysshe wore a purple blouse, purple flowered skirt and a matching purple turban. The gray hair peeking out from beneath the turban had a distinctly purple tinge. Joanna sighed. Her mother seemed quite within her normal range.
If youre sure, Joanna agreed hesitantly. In order to have any bargaining power at all with the bank, she needed to get the three empty offices and oversize garage rented and producing income. Then she would have another talk with Wally Petersen in the hope of getting the loan she so desperately needed.
Placing the watering can on the counter, Agnes said reassuringly, Leave it to me, dear. Of course Ill let you handle the final negotiations when the time comes. Meanwhile, I can answer their questions over the phone and tell them what a fine building it is. Right on the highway. A prime business location.
Handy to the landlord, too, since it was only a half block from Joannas house.
She glanced at her watch. As usual, she was running late to pick up Tyler from Pop Warner football practice. Okay, if youre sure. From her purse she retrieved a piece of paper. Heres the ad I want to run. Could you call the paper for me?
Id be happy to, dear. I may even add a few words of my owna little something to encourage more interest in the property.
No, Mother. Please dont. Just the way Ive written it will be fine.
Joanna didnt at all care for the Cheshire-cat grin that stole over her mothers face. But Tyler was waiting. The husband and wife co-coaching her sons team got very upset with parents who werent prompt, and they took their irritation out on the boys. Or maybe it was just another excuse for the couple to argue. Too bad no other parents had volunteered to help out the team.
Wrapping the ornate pen-and-pencil set hed never used in a sheet of the Sunday-morning paper, Kris. topher Slavik placed it in a cardboard box. If the set hadnt been personally engraved, he wouldnt have bothered taking it with him. There was little in the office he was vacating that he would need.
Picking up his empty coffee mug from the desk, he smiled. The product of the complicated mathematical formula decorating the cup, when laboriously computed, equaled zero. It was an in-house joke among the hackers at NCCNanosoft Computerware Corporation.
Chad Harris, his business partner and friend, stormed into the office and marched across the plush carpeting. Though he was normally impeccably dressed, his silk paisley tie was now askew and the collar of his button-down shirt was open.
I cant believe youre actually going through with this farcem, he complained.
Ive been putting all the plans together for a year so the transition would go smoothly. I dont know why its such a surprise to everyone now.
I swear, Kris, I think youve developed a brain virus. Youre too young to retire.
Thirty-one strikes me as the perfect age. Though it was a year later than he had wanted. On his thirtieth birthday, Kris had realized hed missed a lot of things in his life. It had been a startling revelation, so shocking it was only because of loyalty to his partner and their employees that he hadnt simply walked away from the business.
But look at the future of NCC, Chad argued, as he had for the last several months. Our stock has nearly doubled in the last five years, and with this new operating system we just introduced, its going to skyrocket.
Kris smiled smugly. All the more reason why I feel free to leave. I have complete confidence my shares of stock are doubly secure with you managing the company. Besides, weve both got more money than well ever be able to spend.
Thats not the point. Weve got software concepts on the drawing board that will turn the whole industry on its ear in the next fifteen years. Dont you want to be a part of that?
Kris considered his partners question for a moment. The possibility was tempting. But no, that effort wouldnt fill the void hed sensed was troubling him. I think there are some other things Id like to try.
Like what?
Im not sure.
Chad threw up his arms in frustration. Youre crazy, man, but I guess its your life. Just try nt to forget your going-away lunch this afternoon.
I wont.
Eyeing him critically, Chad said, It might have been nice if youd managed to wear something respectable today.
Kris checked his old jeans and T-shirt. They were both clean, which struck him as respectable enough. Look at it this way, Muddy. If Id dressed up, the staff wouldnt be able to tell us apart.
Chad grimaced, fully aware his dark hair and naturally bronzed skin were in stark contrast to Kriss fairer complexion. Muttering something about ignorant white eyes, he retreated from the office.
Chuckling to himself, Kris resumed his packing.
As he wrapped the mug hed been holding in a sheet of newspaper, a want ad in the Office Space for Rent section caught his eye. Studying the advertisement, he sat down in his leather chair and tipped back until the springs creaked. He placed his feet on top of the desk, his old running shoes looking markedly decrepit against the dark, rich mahogany. The ad certainly posed an interesting marketing concept, with an unusual opportunity.
He had been wondering what an unemployed thirty-one-year-old should do with all of his spare time. The ad had provided him with an intriguing answer, one he was surprisingly eager to pursue.
In spite of heavy traffic, Joanna made it back to Twain Harte late Tuesday afternoon before dinnertime.
She found Tyler sprawled on the couch in the living room and gave him a big hug. His face was streaked with dirt, his blond haira shade lighter than her ownwas matted to his head and he smelled of little-boy sweat.
I missed you, tiger, she said, her heart swelling with so much love for her son she could barely contain it as she kissed him.
Gee, Mom, you dont have to get so mushy about it, he complained, even as a smile dimpled his boyish cheeks.
Its okay, none of your friends saw me kiss you, she said in a stage whisper. She snatched the omnipresent football from his hands, twirled it around and handed it back to him with a loving smile. Wheres your grandma?
Here I am, dear. Agnes appeared from the kitchen and kissed her daughter. It was an apricot daylightweight summer slacks, blouse and turban. Her hair remained an unsettling shade of purple. I have good news for you.
Whats that?
Ive already rented one of the offices to a charming gentleman, and hes taken the garage, too.
Mother, I thought you were going to wait
Tyler straddled the arm of the couch. Grandmas been going crazy. The phones been totally ringing off the hook about the ad in the paper.
It has? Joanna had assumed it would take some weeks to rent the offices, and she hadnt been entirely confident the oversize garage and storage shed would rent at all. If only the Forest Service hadnt decided to vacate the property in an effort to consolidate their facilities and save money, she wouldnt be in such a difficult financial bind.
I have several more gentlemen coming to see the property later this week, and one is coming up from the valley this evening after work. They all wanted to wait until you were home. But this gentleman Kristopher Slavik is his namewas anxious to move right in.
I hope you got his references?
I didnt think that was necessary, dear. He and I hit it off right away. Im sure hell be a fine tenant.
Joanna mentally groaned. Relying on her mothers judgment, particularly since Joannas father had died nearly two years ago, was like walking through a heavy fog. It was easy to lose your sense of direction.
Maybe Id better meet him, Joanna said. Did he sign a lease?
Yes, and he paid cash, too. First and last month, just like you said they should.
Tyler added, Man, he pulled out a wad of money so fat I nearly choked. Hes got to be loaded, Mom! Totally fat city!
A roll of one-dollar bills can look like a lot of money and not amount to a great deal, Joanna re minded her son. Some smart operators also tried to con elderly women with scams that made them appear wealthy when they were nothing more than bums set on separating innocent victims from their money. Do you think this Mr. Slavik would still be there now? And if so, would he be easily evicted if he turned out to be a con artist?
Oh, yes, dear. In fact, he said hed be camping out in the office until he can find a house to buy nearby. Im sure hes anxious to meet you.
He might not be so thrilled when Joanna called his bluff. She wasnt about to have an aging Lothario trying to take advantage of her mother. From now on Mr. Slavik would have to deal with her.
After leaving her suitcase in the middle of the living room, Joanna headed out the front door. The heat of summer still hung in the air and dust coated the pines and oaks that formed a canopy above the street It would be another month before cool weather arrived and the leaves on the black oaks began to turn a bright yellow. The change of season would also bring the possibility of rain, she recalled grimly.
She reached the end of the block and checked traffic on the two-lane blacktop road that led into Twain Harte, then hurried across the street. Her sensible low-heel shoes clicked on the asphalt.
A single vehicle was parked beside the one-story building, an aging Oldsmobile Cutlass with one crumpled fender and a trunk so full the lid wouldnt close. A mountain bike was tied precariously to a bike rack on the roof.
Protruding from beneath the car was a very masculine pair of denim-clad legs, the mans running shoes as old and worn as the vehicle. Apparently the charming gentleman had only found one sock to wear that morning, a white athletic sock that lacked any remaining elasticity and drooped accordingly.
Joanna cleared her throat. Mr. Slavik?
Be right with you. Im checking a bearing seal thats leaking.
Her mother had been right about one thing. The clear baritone voice of the stranger had a warm, mellow charm to it. Or maybe all men naturally projected a certain added sense of masculinity when they worked under a car.
Slowly, Mr. Slavik edged toward her, revealing his long legs an inch or two at a time. There was a tear in one knee of his faded jeans, the denim fabric pulled tautly across his pelvis and the material covering his zipper looked worn from many uses. When a flat belly appeared, washboard muscles visible where his white T-shirt hiked up, Joanna concluded that Kristopher Slavik, Lothario or not, was in great shape. And maybe considerably younger than she had thought.
She stepped back a foot or two to give him room.
Completing his exit from under the car in an agile movement, he stood and smiled at her. A streak of grease marked the exact spot where his cheek creased into a dimple.
Definitely too young for her mother, Joanna thought, her heart suddenly doing a staccato beat. The guy was about thirty, closer to her age than her mothers.
Hi. You must be Joanna. Intelligent gray eyes swept over her in an interested perusal that left her slightly breathless.
Yes, ah
Your mother told me all about you.
Rarely speechless, Joanna tried to gather her wits. She omitted a few details about you. Important ones, such as that his height topped out at about six foot two and his rumpled sandy-blond hair made a woman instinctively want to smooth it.
Really? Like what? He pulled a rag from his back pocket and wiped his hands. His fingers were long and tapered, lean like the rest of his body.
Setting her wayward thoughts aside, she said, Mother didnt happen to mention what business youre in. His examination of her grew more intense, and Joanna suddenly wished she was wearing a gunnysack instead of a low-cut, summery blouse and a formfitting skirtprofessional attire appropriate for a teachers meeting but somehow more revealing given the way he looked at her.
Guess you could call me an inventor, he drawled.
Oh? What is it you invent?
Whatever comes to mind.
That doesnt sound very lucrative.
It can be if you invent the right thing.
Yes, wellMr. Slavik
Please call me Kris.
She ignored his request. Youve signed a lease that says youll pay the rent the fifteenth of every month. My mother neglected to get your bank ref erence, names of former landlords, that sort of thing. If you dont mind
I think Ill invent a dual mountain bike.
She blinked. I beg your pardon?
You know, a bike two people can ride at the same time.
Hasnt someone already invented that? Its called a tandem bike.
This will be different. A two seater to ride on mountain trailsside by side. His lips slid into another grin. Maybe youll come for a test ride with me. After I get it invented, of course.
She struggled with the unsettling feeling he was flirting with her, a rare occurrence in her rather humdrum life. Is there a big market for that sort of bike?
He gave an unconcerned shrug. Guess I wont know until I invent it.
That struck Joanna as a dicey way to run a business. But as long as the man could pay his rent, she supposed it was none of her concern.
Perhaps if youd give me the name of your bank, she suggested. Wherever you have your checking account?
Two nicely arched brows lowered into a frown. Im sort of in between accounts right now.
Suspiciously, she wondered if that was because he was overdrawn. Given his appearance, that was a likely possibility. Waves of sun-striped hair curled at his nape, looking less like a cultural statement than a result of simply forgetting to show up at the barber shop. Or not having the money to spend on personal grooming.
Then the name of your most recent landlord would be helpful, she persisted.
He gave that request more thought than it should warrant under normal circumstances. Actually, I dont recall Ive ever had a landlord. Until now. I think Im going to like it.
Look, Mr. Slavik
Kris, with a K.
I have a substantial mortgage on this property and I depend on the rents to make my payments. I really must insist
How about I give you a years worth of rent? Then you wont have to worry about all that paperwork. He dug into his pocket, retrieving the roll of bills Tyler had seen.
Youre going to pay me in cash?
Sure. Its not counterfeit.
Maybe not, but the only people she had heard about who dealt in that much cash were drug dealers. Or bank robbers.
Joannas eyes widened as he flipped open the roll and began counting out hundred-dollar bills. Good grief, Tyler had been right. The man was totally loaded!
He handed the money to her. Hows that? he asked pleasantly.
Ah, fine, I guess. It didnt make any sense to turn down a bird-in-hand worth several thousand dollars in the hope of finding some other tenant with more traditional banking arrangements.
Good. Im glad thats all settled. So how would you like to go out to dinner tonight?
Joanna did a double take. That was the fastest move any man had ever made on her. I think not, Mr. Slavik. Well just keep our relationship a business one, if you dont mind.
Funny, thats not the idea I got from your ad.
What ad?
The one you ran to rent this place.
An odd feeling of uneasiness prickled along her spine. Im not sure what you mean.
It was a real interesting ad. One hundred percent accurate, too. Sliding two fingers into his pocket, he pulled out a bit of paper torn from a newspaper. I really appreciate truth in advertising.
Curiosity warred with apprehension as he handed her the scrap of paper, still warm from the heat of his body. With dawning understanding, she read the advertisement, which listed her telephone number as the contact:
Attractive, intelligent, marriageable woman with adorable 10-year-old son has office and garage space available to rent. Reasonable rates. Only bachelors need apply.
Her head snapped up; color heated her cheeks. I didnt do this. I mean, thats not the ad Joanna lost all sense of composure. Her professional persona crumbled and she babbled, My mothershe must haveSometimes shesI told her
Kristopher Slavik simply grinned at her, that soft, seductive smile that creased his cheek and brought a devilish sparkle to his eyes, doing something wild and impossible to her insides. So what do you say? How about dinner?
No! In lieu of eating anything, Joanna Greer was going to string up her mother by her conniving, matchmaking thumbs.
Chapter Two (#ulink_3f01338b-b1c8-55de-a303-ef0648e9b110)
He judged that the natural sway of Joannas long hair would be the equivalent of a fifteen-degree pendulum swinging across her slender shoulders. But she was embarrassed now, and in her hurried retreat across the street, her silken curls bounced as if they were spring-loaded.
Leaning back against the car, Kris smiled to himself. His new landlady was a very attractive package. Each individual moduleeyes that looked to be a light blue, a pert nose, full lips and determined chincombined as though a skilled artist had had a hand in the design phase. He could see Joannas resemblance to her mother and her son, but she was put together with gentler, youthfully feminine curves that were quite appealing.
Odd hed never before taken such special note of a woman. But then he was the sort of man who usually concentrated on one task at a time, often to the exclusion of all others. Until now hed never had the inclination to find a wife and start a family of his own. It seemed like an appropriate challenge for a man who had achieved just about everything else hed set his mind to.
The problem was, though he had learned the intricacies of computer programming by the age of twelve, he had rarely delved into the techniques required for courtship. Except for a torrid affair with a college professor, who had been more brilliant than beautifuland considerably more experienced than he had beenhis contacts with women had typically been either professional or very brief.
From the spark of independence in Joannas eyes and the determined lift of her chin, Kris sensed he would need a good deal of skill in a game where he barely knew the rules and had never learned to speak the language. He might not even have an aptitude, he thought with a frown. Although by age twenty he had mastered certain pleasant sexual techniques, courtesy of the professor, neither she or his parents had taught him much about love or affection.
That might leave him at a decided disadvantage with Joanna Greer.
His impulsive announcement that he was an inventor wasnt likely to have earned him a whole lot of points, either. Although he was looking forward to their first ride together.
At the sound of tires crunching on the gravel parking lot, Kris shifted his attention to the arriving car. A sleek Porsche convertible slid to a stop beside him.
Im looking for Joanna Greer, the man said as he got out of the car. Tall and well built, he looked as if he had just stepped off the pages of an upscale mens wear catalog. Not a single wrinkle marred his silk shirt, and though he drove a convertible with the top down not a hair on his head was out of place. His toothy smile was equally unbelievable.
Kris felt a sharp and unfamiliar surge of aggressiveness and instantly wanted to eliminate the competition. Shes not around right now, he said, feigning ignorance.
You come here about that ad, too?
Could be, he acknowledged, already plotting ways to discourage the intruder.
Is she a real dog, or what?
Dog?
Yeah, you know. Women who run ads in newspapers to get a date are usually desperate. At least this one owns a little property. If she isnt too bad, I figure Ill let her support me for a while. He shrugged as if hed run this scam before and cared nothing about the women he had undoubtedly hurt. Till I get bored, anyway.
Kriss hands clenched into fists. Normally he wasnt a violent man, but he had to consciously suppress the urge to punch this guys lights out. Given the surprising amount of adrenaline surging through his veins, he didnt think it would be all that hard to do. Then it looks like youre barking up the wrong tree. You wouldnt want to hang around for more than five minutes with Ms. Greer. Kris would see to it he didnt last even that long.
The stranger eyed him suspiciously. You sure youre not trying to run me off so you can have her all to yourself?
Not me, Kris lied, knowing full well the way to douse a mans overactive testosterone was to avoid being perceived as a rival. No doubt the masculine urge to compete for a woman was an instinctive throwback to caveman days, one he had sublimated until now. Ive already seen her. Soon as I get an oil leak fixed under this old clunker, Im outta here. Youre welcome to the lady, if you think shes worth the effort.
Naw, Ill take your word for it. The stranger slid back into the car. Maybe Ill head on down to Bakersfield. Theres always a lot of action in the singles bars. Ill find somebody to hit on.
Good luck. The sleek engine purred to life and Kris waved the driver off, knowing it was the women this jerk planned to hit on who hed rather be wishing good luck.
Dont you realize you have put me in an absolutely untenable position? Face still flaming with mortification, Joanna railed at her mother, who appeared frustratingly unconcerned as she fried chicken for dinner. Sometimes Agnes carried her bizarre behavior too far. Much too far, and at Joannas expense.
It seems to me the important thing is to get the property rented. Im sure thats what Alexander would have wanted.
My father would not have wanted me portrayed as a lonely old maid who has to advertise in order to meet a man. Joanna didnt know how she would ever be able to face Kris Slavik again, much less the next prospective renter who showed up at the property.
Well, you certainly havent met very many interesting men in the usual way. Agnes made a disparaging snort, ignoring the potatoes boiling away on the stove and in jeopardy of burning. The last young man who asked you out seemed quite strange. Didnt he believe in shaving?
Joanna switched off the burner and moved the pot to a cooler spot on the stove. That episode had occurred five years ago and wasnt worth comment. Shed dated a fellow teachers brother as a favor, nothing more. And Joanna had been more than happy to see the end of an incredibly boring evening spent in his company.
Hey, Mom, you gonna go out with that new guy? Tyler slipped a couple of cookies from the cookie jar and stuffed one in his mouth. Bet he could afford to take you to the City Hotel over at Columbia for dinner. Thats where Petes mom always makes his dad take her for anniversaries n stuff like that.
Im not planning to go anywhere with Mr. Slavik. Or with any other man who rents the property because of that ridiculous ad your grandmother wrote.
Tyler, dear, dont spoil your supper, Agnes said, ignoring Joannas distress along with the potatoes. Its almost ready.
But, Grandma, Im starved. All I had after football practice was a sandwich.
Agnes smiled benignly and turned the chicken one more time. It wont be long now, dear.
They werent paying any attention to her. Both Joannas mother and son were far more interested in dinner than in how on earth she was going to handle a man who expected her to be available for who knew what kind of a relationship.
Her mother had pulled some dumb stunts in her lifelike the time shed tied Tylers sack lunch to his belt so tightly for a third-grade field trip that he couldnt get it off and had to beg his friends for handouts so he wouldnt go hungry. But this stunt took the cake!
First thing in the morning Joanna was going to cancel that damn ad!
But before that, right after dinner, she was going to make her position quite clear to Mr. Slavik. If he decided to stick around, hed do so as a tenant. If that didnt suit him, shed be more that happy to refund his money.
As night stole the blue from the sky, the sharp taste of embarrassment still filled Joannas throat. She swallowed the unpleasant flavor and headed across the road to face Kris Slavik again. It wasnt her fault her mother had rewritten the ad. Joanna simply had to make clear to her would-be tenant that she was not available for the marriage mart. Shed refund his money, and that would be that.
She sighed. Except she would still have an empty office building to rent and no prospects in sight including the guy who had promised to show up that evening.
From inside one of the offices a rectangle of light spilled through the open door onto the parking lot. On the porch, a silhouetted figure sat on a redwood bench in the shadows beside the door.
Mr. Slavik?
Im here. He unfolded himself, and she was struck again by his tall, lean figure as he stood.
Ive come to apologize.
Theres no need. Assuming youll start calling me Kris. I always get the feeling someone is looking for my father when they call me Mr. Slavik.
She smiled. He did have a nice voice, one that made her think of quiet winter evenings in front of a fire. Or soft pillow talk.
Mentally, she pushed the thought aside. My mother did something nearly unforgivable by changing the ad Id written for the newspaper. Im truly sorry if she misled you, and Id be happy to refund all of your money and tear up the lease youve signed.
As Joanna spoke, he strolled lazily off the porch and stood close to her. There was a clean, masculine scent about him. Not artificial, like a shaving lotion, but natural, with a slight touch of musk. In the warm September air it seemed to hover about her in a tempting caress.
Your eyes are blue, arent they? he asked, his voice a low murmur that didnt disturb the soft sounds of the night.
Yes. It was too dark for him to see that now. With a good deal of pleasure, she realized he must have remembered her eye color from their earlier meeting.
Did you know your eyes each have about a hundred and thirty million light-sensitive cells in them?
She blinked at the unexpected comment. No, I guess that piece of information hasnt ever come my way before.
Im afraid Im addicted to bits of trivia that are not necessarily useful.
Not everything we learn has to have a practical application, she assured him.
Hmm, Im not sure my parents would agree with you.
There are the great poetsWordsworth, Shakespeare, Longfellow, to mention just a few. Knowing their words isnt exactly useful, but our lives are richer for them. The same thing is true for great works of art.
The way he looked at her was very intense, as though he wanted to identify every single cell hed talked about, as well as hear her words with exceptional clarity. I can see the reflection of the stars in your eyes, like diamonds sparkling in deep pools. Did you know that the light I see has to travel hundreds of thousands of miles before it can reflect back to me?
She swallowed thickly. Ive never thought about it before. Nor had the knowledge seemed quite so important.
Neither had I.
She felt herself leaning toward him, impossibly closer, when she knew she should be running as fast as her feet could take her in the opposite direction. She was mesmerized by the compelling note in his voice, the insistent timbre that vibrated not only in her ears but also in a heart that had been lonely for a good many years.
Calling upon a wealth of willpower, she said, About the rental
Id like to stay. If you dont mind.
She minded, all right. Instinctively she knew this man, who couldnt seem to find a matching pair of socks and who paid his bills in cash, was a threat to her comfortable status quo. She didnt want him disrupting her life. But that was exactly what he was going to do.
And because she desperately needed his rent money, she could do nothing to change the fates that were bearing down on her like a high mountain avalanche. In her heart, she knew shed need more than luck to escape without serious injury. Or heartbreak.
This is the smaller of the two remaining offices, five hundred square feet, Joanna explained to the prospective tenant. Shed managed to avoid being anywhere near her rental propertyand Kris Slavikfor two days. But she couldnt allow the space to remain vacant forever, not with bills to pay and a roof to replace. Youll notice the office is arranged very nicely, with plenty of storage space in the back and a private rest room.
Percival Carter glanced nervously around the office, as if making a decision caused him a great deal of anxiety. A narrow-faced man in his forties, he combed lank strands of hair over his balding head in a failed effort to disguise his receding hairline. His double-breasted brown suit, which matched his prominent eyes, looked as though it had been purchased in another era. Im sure my mother would think this is very nice.
Your mother? Does she work with you? Joanna asked.
Oh, no. At least, not regularly, though she does help me with the filing occasionally. I dont have a large-enough accounting practice to warrant a staff. There isnt that much call for a CPA up here in the mountains. But Mother did, ah, encourage me to rent one of your offices.
Well, thats very nice of her. I hope youll be happy here.
Oh, I think so, Ms. Greer. You see, Im a bachelor.
Joannas spirits plummeted. Mr. Carter, Im afraid the ad you saw
Oh, it was my mother who
Its very misleading.
The familiar tall figure of a man filled the doorway, and Joanna drew a quick breath.
Permit me to disagree. As the advertisement promised, the landlady is indeed attractive, marriageable and has a son who is bright, intelligent and inquisitive. A slow, seductive, smug smile tugged at the corners of Kris Slaviks mouth.
Joanna wanted to throw something at him. Or crawl into a hole. Excuse me. Im trying to conduct some business here.
Thats okay. Kris looped his arm over the older mans shoulders, demonstrating the fact that he was at least six inches taller than the would-be tenant. Since Percy and I are going to be neighbors, so to speak, I can bring him up to speed on the property. You know, stuff like which trees not to park under. The birds can wipe out your cars finish in fifteen minutes if theyve been munching on some of those late-ripening berries.
Kris! Will you stop
Its all right, Ms. Greer. Percy smiled at her with endearing shyness. Since Ive met you, theres no way he can discourage me from renting the office. Besides, my mother would be apoplectic if she thought Id missed this chance. Shes quite anxious that I marry and produce a grandchild for her before she passes on. Though I doubt Ill provide much competition for this gentleman. The two of you make a very attractive couple.
Thank you, Kris said. I quite agree.
Joanna rolled her eyes, then glared daggers at Kris. We are not a couple! He has paid a years worth of rent in advance, so Im stuck with him. But we are definitely not a couple.
Glancing up at Kris, Percy said, I would appreciate it if youd point out those trees to me. I wouldnt want my vehicle to suffer any irreparable damage.
You got it, buddy.
But wait! Joanna protested as the two men started to go outside. Are you going to rent the office, Mr. Carter?
Of course. If youll prepare the lease forms, Ill have a check cut and brought around for you first thing in the morning.
Shoulders sagging, Joanna exhaled a long breath. Kris Slavik was definitely trouble. Not only had he acted possessive of her in front of a possible tenant, her heart had leaped into her throat when hed appeared in the doorway. Normally she was immune to men, even those she found quite attractive, albeit in Kriss case a little rough around the edges. Aware she wasnt a candidate for marriage, much less an affair, she made it a point never to lead men on. They generally got the message without too much effort.
Kris was different. He appeared to have a serious case of selective deafness.
He was doing it again.
Joanna clenched her teeth as she showed another prospective tenant around the premises. A newly licensed real-estate broker, Larry Smythe was tall, dark, handsome and far too smooth a talker.
Kris Slavik shadowed their every move. He had on a different pair of jeans today. Not new, exactly still faded and with a worn zipperbut ones without any holes in the knees. Joanna couldnt be sure, but she thought he had on one blue sock and one brown. Apparently he put on whichever socks he happened to pick up.
With a critical eye, Larry examined the outside of the building and the window frames. Of course, Ill have to install an air filter. This close to the highway the fumes could be dangerous.
Dangerous? Joanna questioned.
It hasnt bothered me any, Kris muttered.
Larrys perfect teeth flashed in a smile. Not everyone understands that even what appears to be clean air needs to be filtered in order to avoid contaminates like pollen and lead. It always pays to be health conscious. He sucked in his stomach and stood a little straighter. Ill put in my own water purifier, too.
If thats what you think you need, Joanna agreed.
Looks to me like a real-estate broker would want to locate right in town, Kris said, kicking at the old concrete on the back step of the remaining unrented unit. A piece crumbled away.
I plan to catch the eye of folks who are just arriving in town, Larry countered. Besides, word-of-mouth advertising is the best you can get. And I intend to be the very best.
Naturally, Kris grumbled. He jammed his fingers in his back pockets. This guy reminded him of all those superjocks in school who had given him such a hard time. Their shoulders were a little too broad, their guts too flat and their brains too small. But the girls went for them. Particularly goodlooking girls like Joanna, who Tyler had told him had been a cheerleader in high school.
Larry was the kind who was hard to discourage, too. He was confident of his sexual appeal as well as his business acumen and wasnt about to give up easily. But everyone had a weakness.
In his own defense, Kris had learned as a kid how to outsmart someone instead of trying to outmuscle him. If he was going to have any chance with Joanna, hed have to keep several steps ahead of good-ol-boy Larry Smythe. It might not be an easy task, but Kris was both determined and confident.
Chapter Three (#ulink_67bd372a-903c-5aa5-a240-92566255a4c9)
Kris flipped his visor down to protect his eyes and brought the welding rod close to the bicycle frame. With a sharp snap, the electric current arced into a brilliant spot of blue-white light. Carefully he laid down a bead that would join metal to metal. The transformer hummed behind him, pumping electricity through the line, and the air in the garage filled with the biting smell of burning aluminum.
From the corner of his eye Kris caught sight of a pair of slender legs and shapely, feminine ankles. Momentarily distracted, he struggled to keep his hand steady as he finished circling the bar with the bead, then lifted the rod away.
Hi. School out already? He raised his visor and smiled at Joanna. Hed been so engrossed in his project he hadnt been aware of the time. Always nice to have my landlady drop by for a visit.
I heard that humming noise. She indicated the transformer. I was afraid something was wrong. The electrical wiring in this building is a little old.
I havent had any problem so far.
Good. With only a volunteer fire department in town, everybody worries about fires. She eyed his project curiously. Thats the dual bike youre inventing?
The prototype. I figured Id start with aluminum, then when I get the kinks worked out Ill switch to carbon-fiber bikes. Theyre a lot lighter.
Theyre also the most expensive.
True, he conceded.
She gave him an incredulous shake of her head. Your money, I guess.
But remember, if this invention flies, he teased, pulling off his heavy welding gloves, Im likely to be a millionaire. You know, the Alexander Graham Bell of pedal power.
That brought the tiniest suggestion of a smile to her lips, and he noted how full they were and how perfectly shaped. He wondered idly if they would taste as good as they looked and decided that would be a subject worth pursuing in infinite detail.
Have you done much mountain-bike riding, Kris?
A little. I entered the races at Mammoth this summer.
Her eyebrows lifted in surprise. You did?
I placed in the top twenty in my age group. If Id had more time to train, I probably would have done better.
Im impressed. Her smile told Kris hed won her approval. But I have to tell you, if you had a day job Id recommend you not give it up just yet. Im having a real problem seeing how this new bike of yours will be any better than a regular tandem bike.
If nothing else, its a hundred times more romantic. If youre out with your favorite girl, youll be riding side by side and can talk better.
An inventor whos a romantic? Her smile broadened. You definitely dont fit the mold.
I never have, he confessed. In fact, hed always been the odd man outfar younger than his academic peers, never allowed by his parents to participate in sports with boys his own age and often at a social disadvantage with the women he met. Being different was a burden that had rested uneasily on his shoulders as long as he could remember. At the moment, hed give every dime hed ever earnedsomething over twenty million dollars worthto have this one particular woman see him as just an ordinary guy. He supposed that was too much to hope for and hated that in the romantic arena he lacked the selfconfidence that had been his mainstay in every other aspect of his life.
Joanna fidgeted self-consciously under his intense scrutiny. Kris had the most unsettling way about him, as though he was determined to slip past her defenses by the sheer power of his intellect. And he was intelligent, she was sure. Beyond that, she was having a great deal of trouble calibrating the man. That meant he always had her a little off balance. She wasnt at all sure she liked the unfamiliar feeling. Normally, she placed a high value on being in control.
Well, if the building isnt burning down, she said, I guess Id better be on my way and let you get on with your inventing. She turned to leave, only to discover Tyler coming in the wide-open door. She frowned. What are you doing home so early?
Aw, the coaches canceled practice. I think they had another one of their fights. Man, theyre always arguing n stuff. He spun the football he perpetually carried up into the air and caught it again. Mrs. Scala brought me home.
Thank goodness someone gave you a lift. Imagine the coaches leaving the kids unsupervised, Joanna thought, fuming. Paul and Isabel Currant had become increasingly irresponsible about their volunteer duties. It seemed unlikely the team would make it through the season intact, and football was a sport Tyler dearly loved. Shed hate to see him lose out because of a marital riff between his coaches.
Tyler circled the bike Kris had been working on, touching the newly welded section.
Kris didnt offer any objection, but allowed him free access. The two of them seemed to have developed a comfortable relationship, man-to-man.
I wish youd coach us, Mom.
Her gaze whipped toward her son. Me? What do I know about football?
A heck of a lot more than Mrs. Currant does. She doesnt even know what an end around is.
Joanna remembered. Vaguely. Tylers father had been the star high-school quarterback. Shed helped him memorize the playbook his senior year, no minor accomplishment. Im a little rusty these days, tiger. I think it would be best if I left the coaching to someone else.
What about you, Kris? Tyler tossed him the football. You wanna take a shot at coaching?
He caught the ball awkwardly, then studied it as if it was a foreign object that had fallen into his hands from outer space. I dont think so, kid. Maybe your coaches will get their act together again and everything will be okay. He returned the pigskin with a wobbly throw.
Yeah, I suppose. Guess they usually kiss and make up.
A painful knot formed in Joannas throat. If things had gone as she had dreamed ten years ago, Tyler would have had a father to coach his football team and teach him the finer points of quarterbacking. But as an eighteen-year-old, shed had no idea how quickly a dream could be shattered. Pregnant, shed been abandoned by the boy shed thought she loved. Hed told her in no uncertain terms that a man would be a total lunatic to want to marry into her eccentric family.
Tyler peered down at the weld Kris had just completed. So what are you doing with these bikes?
Im trying to create an independent suspension system for a smoother ride, Kris replied. You want to see how itll work?
Sure.
Their blond heads close together, the two males bent over the bikes, talking enthusiastically about things Joanna didnt understand. From a cluttered workbench, Kris picked up one of several books, flipping through the pages as he explained heliarc welding and suspension systems.
She felt like a fifth wheel and slipped out the door without either of them noticing she was gone.
It was better that way. She knew Tyler needed male role models in his life. But she didnt want to get attached to Kris herself. There was no future in it for her, only heartache and ultimate rejection.
As the week progressed, Joanna concentrated on inspiring twenty-eight fourth graders with the rudiments of American history, comparing Indian culture to recent efforts at ecology, thus combining the prescribed science unit with social-studies requirements. A couple of meetings with the principal were thrown into the time-and-stress equation, along with an irate parent who didnt believe in homework, much less the value of regular school attendance.
Joanna barely gave any thought at all to her new tenants until Saturday arrived and Agnes announced the evenings plans.
I think Kris is totally cool, Mom. Tyler perched on the edge of a kitchen counter and tossed his football from hand to hand. With so much high-voltage energy, he couldnt always sit in a chair.
That may be so, dear, but your grandmother had no right to invite him to dinner tonight without asking me first. To emphasize the point, Joanna brought her knife down hard on the potatoes she was slicing to cook with the roast that was already in the oven. She had not intended to spend what little free time she had on a Saturday cleaning house and cooking a formal meal.
Of course, she could have refused to participate in this charade. But her mother had become so upset when she threatened not to be at home that Joanna had relented. Agness emotional state often seemed on the brink of hysteria, particularly since Joannas father had died. Grief apparently intensified peculiar behavior.
Grandma told me shes just trying to be neighborly.
Matchmaking was closer to the truth.
She invited the other two guys, too. Ol pinchnose Percy
Dont call him that, Tyler. Percival is a very nice man. Hes just a little shy.
That other guy, Larry, sure isnt bashful. Man, he acts like a big know-it-all. Always talkin and telling me what a great mom Ive got.
Joanna slid her son a questioning look. Kris doesnt say things like that about me?
Naw, we talk about important stuff.
Oh, thanks, Im glad to hear that. Joanna was upset at the stab of irritation that shot through her. Kris had no reason to talk to Tyler about her. None at all. She should be grateful they had other topics to discuss. After all, she had managed to avoid seeing her tenant for the last several days. It wasnt important that her gaze always drifted toward his workshop when she drove by the rental property. She really wasnt trying to catch a quick glimpse of him.
Obviously, he wasnt all that interested in her, either. Since that first night, when shed turned down his dinner invitation, he hadnt asked her out.
Tyler dropped to his feet and snitched a couple of olives from the relish tray. Im helping him learn how to throw a spiral pass.
Football?
Yeah. Hes not very good. He said he never learned to play when he was a kid.
Considering Kriss athletic physique, and how successful hed been in a very competitive bike race earlier in the summer, Joanna was surprised. He seemed like he would excel at almost anything, sports included.
Overall, he was the most puzzling man she had ever met. One minute he was flirting with her, ignoring her obvious desire to be left alone, and then he did just the opposite. Ignored her for days at a time.
Meanwhile, in spite of her best efforts, she couldnt get him out of her mind.
Kris made it a point to arrive at Joannas house first, before the competition showed up for dinner.
A concrete path led past flower beds still bright with fall colors, including late-blooming roses on well-tended bushes. The house itself, nestled among the pines, was modest in size and of modern log construction. A long porch and a picture window looked out over the front garden. Behind the house, a treecovered slope rose steeply to the top of a ridge.
Kris had the feeling he was visiting Goldilocks cottage. The house wasnt anything like the sterile, high-rise condos where he had grown up. There was a homey coziness he had never experienced, and he envied Joanna what surely must have been a more idyllic childhood than his own. Even the fresh smell of baked goods wafting out through the open window reminded him of all he had missed. His mothers cooking talents had been pretty well limited to what she could boil on a Bunsen burner.
Oddly, the roof of the house was festooned with whirligigsducks and roosters and other strange wooden characters whose arms spun with the lightest breeze. Interesting aerodynamics, Kris mused, wondering if their combined power could be harnessed into a source of electricity, like miniature wind generators, and pumped into the household wiring.
He was still considering that possibility when Tyler answered his knock on the front door.
Hey, man, hows it going? the youngster said in greeting.
They exchanged a high five. About the same as it was two hours ago when you were over at my place.
Yeah, right. Tylers quick smile matched the more reluctant one his mother so-infrequently displayed. Come on in. Moms in a tizzy that Grandma invited all you guys to dinner.
In a way, so was Kris. He would have preferred a private invitation. He didnt like the idea of sharing the evening with a couple of other bachelors on the make. But then, hed learned a long time ago anything worth having was worth working hard for.
Kris, dear boy, Agnes crooned, sweeping into the living room. Her long skirt nearly reached the floor and the bracelets on her wrists jangled like a gypsy dancers. With every step she seemed to create a happy song. So sweet of you to come early.
Always hungry for a home-cooked meal.
Of course. And Joanna is a wonderful cook, too. Have I told you that? Agnes shook her head as though she couldnt remember how much touting of her daughter shed done. Shell make someone a fine wife, you know. So talented.
He suppressed a smile. Im sure you were a very good teacher, Agnes.
Grandma makes great cookies, dont you? Tyler interjected. Especially when you forget and put two bags of chocolate chips in em.
Go on with your flattery, young man. As she took Kriss arm, she giggled, a high-pitched, girlish sound. Of course, my dear departed Alexander never once complained about my cooking. Did you know, he and I once served more than a hundred needy families Thanksgiving dinner, almost all on our own? I must have cooked twenty turkeys myself. We kept those big ovens over at the school cafeteria going for days. Mercy, what a time we had.
Agnes rambled on about the event as though it had been yesterday, while Kris suspected it had been many years ago. But he liked knowing Joannas parents had tried to help others. In contrast, his family had mailed in substantial checks to ease their social conscience, keeping themselves safely ensconced behind the ivory towers of academia.
Maybe this year for Thanksgiving, instead of going home, hed find someplace where they were feeding the homeless and see if he could help. He wondered if Joanna would be willing to join him.
Joannas appearance at the kitchen doorway didnt slow the tale Agnes was telling. The older woman simply kept on talking. It didnt seem to matter that no one was listening.
Mentally clicking off Agness chatter, Kris took in the sight of her daughter. Joannas hair was pulled back, and there was a light sheen of perspiration on her perfectly oval face, as though the kitchen was overheated. Her cheeks glistened. She radiated good health and something else Kris couldnt quite identify. He simply knew she was a lovely, intriguing creature worth a great deal of study.
Youre early, she said, searching his face as though questioning his apparent social faux pas.
He met her gaze steadily. I was hoping you might need some help with taste tests.
.
.
, (https://www.litres.ru/charlotte-maclay/only-bachelors-need-apply/) .
Visa, MasterCard, Maestro, , , , PayPal, WebMoney, ., QIWI , .
Charlotte Maclay
HUSBAND IN A MILLIONSingle mom Joanna Greer knew all the "mommy" tricks: kiss boo-boos, fix three squares a dayfuss, fuss, fuss. But when it came to acting as a father figure to her young son, she was desperately at a loss.Then little Tyler staked his claim on the handsome bachelor next door.Kris Slavik didn't know the first thing about fatherhood. His upbringing had been short on hugs, but long on expectations. Well, he'd earned his millionsseveral times over. Problem was, he had no one to share it with. Until a rambunctious kid and his beautiful mom had him tossing around footballsand sizing very big diamond rings.
Table of Contents
Cover Page (#u9c1603fd-9892-51ac-a448-6c9ce1b4094c)
Excerpt (#ue30b8aa6-5d60-5fac-8ea7-b26037023a65)
Dear Reader (#uea6fb6bd-7b8a-5f34-b3a7-cbfc53d5b565)
Title Page (#u0a5b650a-0b65-5dde-bc50-1b3fcea5a25a)
Dedication (#uff4308c5-7c9a-5a01-8196-4ce4b1692bd7)
About the Author (#uc0652b28-f1ae-5bc3-a6d1-74d4fd66de2b)
Chapter One (#u22ce8977-1930-585c-ac18-5ca22bbe0085)
Chapter Two (#u0a5b8d42-267a-5364-9c93-fb32ec396df9)
Chapter Three (#u9690e840-ebb7-5818-90d8-53c277d2340a)
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)
Epilogue (#litres_trial_promo)
Copyright (#litres_trial_promo)
Im a man, Joanna. A guy whod someday like to have a wife and family of his own.
His lips brushed hers in a heated caress, as if to emphasize his point.
She leaned into his kiss. Dimly she realized she shouldnt be doing this. They had no future together. To encourage him was wrong.
For the past ten years shed tried to remain resolute in accepting the cards fate had dealt her. Now was not the time to weaken.
Ive got to go, she whispered against his lips.
Sure. I understand.
He released her slowly, and she ached with the futile desire that he never would do so
Dear Reader (#ulink_42992d57-e217-5f14-b092-0369a43dc8d7),
This month, Silhouette Romance has six irresistible, emotional and heartwarming love stories for you, starting with our FABULOUS FATHERS title, Wanted: One Son by Laurie Paige. Deputy sheriff Nick Dorelli had watched the woman he loved marry another and have that mans child. But now, mother and child need Nick. Next is The Bride Price by bestselling author Suzanne Carey. Kyra Martin has fuzzy memories of having just married her Navajo ex-fiancd in a traditional wedding ceremony. And when she discovers shes expecting his child, she knows her dream was not only realbut had mysteriously come true! We also have two not-to-be missed new miniseries starting this month, beginning with Miss Prims Untamable Cowboy, book I of THE BRUBAKER BRIDES by Carolyn Zane. A prim image consultant tries to tame a very masculine working-class wrangler into the true Texas millionaire tycoon he really is. Good luck, Miss Prim!
In Only Bachelors Need Apply by Charlotte Maclay, a manshy womans handsome new neighbor has some secrets that will make her the happiest woman in the world, and in The Tycoon and the Townie by Elizabeth Lane, a struggling waitress from the wrong side of the tracks is romanced by a handsome, wealthy bachelor. Finally, our other new miniseries, ROYAL WEDDINGS by Lisa Kaye Laurel. The lovely caretaker of a royal castle finds herself a princes bride-to-be during a ballwith high hopes for happily ever after in The Princes Bride.
I hope you enjoy all six of Silhouette Romances terrific novels this monthand every month.
Regards,
Melissa Senate,
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, Ont. L2A 5X3
Only Bachelors Need Apply
Charlotte Maclay
www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)
Special thanks to Tom, for his mountain biking
expertise, and to Chuck, as always, for his
technical advice.
CHARLOTTE MACLAY
has always enjoyed putting words on paper. Until recently, most of these words have been nonfiction, including a weekly newspaper column, which has recruited nearly twenty thousand volunteers in the past twenty years for some four hundred different local nonprofit organizations.
When she is not urging people to get involved in their community, Charlotte divides her time among writing, volunteering for her favorite organizations (including Orange County Chapter of Romance Writers of America), trying not to mother two married daughters and sharing her life in Southern California with her own special hero, Chuck.
Chapter One (#ulink_b746ebb7-094d-5360-b98e-91375051007b)
He had the nerve, the absolute gall, to tell me I need a husband! With a sense of utter frustration, Joanna Greer tossed her purse onto the kitchen table.
Turning from her task of watering the jungle of plants on the windowsill, Agnes Greer asked her daughter, Who told you that, dear? She smiled benignly as the water continued to pour out of the copper watering canonto the floor.
Joanna lifted the spout. The bank manager when he turned down my loan request, thats who.
Oh, my, that is too bad.
Tearing off a string of paper towels, Joanna knelt to mop up the spilled water. Given her mothers tendency to be easily distracted, this was a minor accident. Too bad? Its disastrous. Its already the middle of September. The rains will start in November, and the rental property I thought would turn Dads insurance money into a decent income for us has got roof rot. The first good storm and its likely to fall in. Leaving her with a huge mortgage on a small office building that she wouldnt be able to rent.
Maybe if you talk with the bank again, theyll change their mind. Wally Petersen has always seemed like such a nice man.
The bank manager youre so fond of is a leftover from the eighteenth century. They cant make marriage a criteria for getting a bank loan. Its got to be against the law.
Agnes brightened considerably. But marriage would be a lovely idea, dont you think?
Mother, I dont need a husband. And certainly not a husband for the sole reason of qualifying for a loan.
Husbands are nice for other reasons, dear. You really should find yourself a good man who could be a father to Tyler
It seems to me weve had this conversation before, Mother. Tyler is getting along just fine, thank you. And so am I. Joanna certainly didnt want to saddle any man with the responsibility for her admittedly eccentric mother, or with the burden of raising a ten-year-old son he hadnt fathered.
Not that there were many eligible men in the small Sierra-foothills town of Twain Harte. And most of those who were unmarried wore big belt buckles, hadnt read a book or newspaper since they dropped out of high school and drove pickups with gun racks across the back window. Hardly Joannas idea of the perfect companion. Shed worked too hard getting her teaching credentials to ignore the importance of an education.
She dropped the soggy paper towels into a plastic wastebasket under the sink. I was going to run an ad for the rental space this weekend but Ive got to go to a teachers-training session in Sacramento on Monday and Tuesday. Id hate not being here if we get any calls.
I could take care of them, dear.
Joanna gauged her mothers lucidity. Today was one of her purple daysshe wore a purple blouse, purple flowered skirt and a matching purple turban. The gray hair peeking out from beneath the turban had a distinctly purple tinge. Joanna sighed. Her mother seemed quite within her normal range.
If youre sure, Joanna agreed hesitantly. In order to have any bargaining power at all with the bank, she needed to get the three empty offices and oversize garage rented and producing income. Then she would have another talk with Wally Petersen in the hope of getting the loan she so desperately needed.
Placing the watering can on the counter, Agnes said reassuringly, Leave it to me, dear. Of course Ill let you handle the final negotiations when the time comes. Meanwhile, I can answer their questions over the phone and tell them what a fine building it is. Right on the highway. A prime business location.
Handy to the landlord, too, since it was only a half block from Joannas house.
She glanced at her watch. As usual, she was running late to pick up Tyler from Pop Warner football practice. Okay, if youre sure. From her purse she retrieved a piece of paper. Heres the ad I want to run. Could you call the paper for me?
Id be happy to, dear. I may even add a few words of my owna little something to encourage more interest in the property.
No, Mother. Please dont. Just the way Ive written it will be fine.
Joanna didnt at all care for the Cheshire-cat grin that stole over her mothers face. But Tyler was waiting. The husband and wife co-coaching her sons team got very upset with parents who werent prompt, and they took their irritation out on the boys. Or maybe it was just another excuse for the couple to argue. Too bad no other parents had volunteered to help out the team.
Wrapping the ornate pen-and-pencil set hed never used in a sheet of the Sunday-morning paper, Kris. topher Slavik placed it in a cardboard box. If the set hadnt been personally engraved, he wouldnt have bothered taking it with him. There was little in the office he was vacating that he would need.
Picking up his empty coffee mug from the desk, he smiled. The product of the complicated mathematical formula decorating the cup, when laboriously computed, equaled zero. It was an in-house joke among the hackers at NCCNanosoft Computerware Corporation.
Chad Harris, his business partner and friend, stormed into the office and marched across the plush carpeting. Though he was normally impeccably dressed, his silk paisley tie was now askew and the collar of his button-down shirt was open.
I cant believe youre actually going through with this farcem, he complained.
Ive been putting all the plans together for a year so the transition would go smoothly. I dont know why its such a surprise to everyone now.
I swear, Kris, I think youve developed a brain virus. Youre too young to retire.
Thirty-one strikes me as the perfect age. Though it was a year later than he had wanted. On his thirtieth birthday, Kris had realized hed missed a lot of things in his life. It had been a startling revelation, so shocking it was only because of loyalty to his partner and their employees that he hadnt simply walked away from the business.
But look at the future of NCC, Chad argued, as he had for the last several months. Our stock has nearly doubled in the last five years, and with this new operating system we just introduced, its going to skyrocket.
Kris smiled smugly. All the more reason why I feel free to leave. I have complete confidence my shares of stock are doubly secure with you managing the company. Besides, weve both got more money than well ever be able to spend.
Thats not the point. Weve got software concepts on the drawing board that will turn the whole industry on its ear in the next fifteen years. Dont you want to be a part of that?
Kris considered his partners question for a moment. The possibility was tempting. But no, that effort wouldnt fill the void hed sensed was troubling him. I think there are some other things Id like to try.
Like what?
Im not sure.
Chad threw up his arms in frustration. Youre crazy, man, but I guess its your life. Just try nt to forget your going-away lunch this afternoon.
I wont.
Eyeing him critically, Chad said, It might have been nice if youd managed to wear something respectable today.
Kris checked his old jeans and T-shirt. They were both clean, which struck him as respectable enough. Look at it this way, Muddy. If Id dressed up, the staff wouldnt be able to tell us apart.
Chad grimaced, fully aware his dark hair and naturally bronzed skin were in stark contrast to Kriss fairer complexion. Muttering something about ignorant white eyes, he retreated from the office.
Chuckling to himself, Kris resumed his packing.
As he wrapped the mug hed been holding in a sheet of newspaper, a want ad in the Office Space for Rent section caught his eye. Studying the advertisement, he sat down in his leather chair and tipped back until the springs creaked. He placed his feet on top of the desk, his old running shoes looking markedly decrepit against the dark, rich mahogany. The ad certainly posed an interesting marketing concept, with an unusual opportunity.
He had been wondering what an unemployed thirty-one-year-old should do with all of his spare time. The ad had provided him with an intriguing answer, one he was surprisingly eager to pursue.
In spite of heavy traffic, Joanna made it back to Twain Harte late Tuesday afternoon before dinnertime.
She found Tyler sprawled on the couch in the living room and gave him a big hug. His face was streaked with dirt, his blond haira shade lighter than her ownwas matted to his head and he smelled of little-boy sweat.
I missed you, tiger, she said, her heart swelling with so much love for her son she could barely contain it as she kissed him.
Gee, Mom, you dont have to get so mushy about it, he complained, even as a smile dimpled his boyish cheeks.
Its okay, none of your friends saw me kiss you, she said in a stage whisper. She snatched the omnipresent football from his hands, twirled it around and handed it back to him with a loving smile. Wheres your grandma?
Here I am, dear. Agnes appeared from the kitchen and kissed her daughter. It was an apricot daylightweight summer slacks, blouse and turban. Her hair remained an unsettling shade of purple. I have good news for you.
Whats that?
Ive already rented one of the offices to a charming gentleman, and hes taken the garage, too.
Mother, I thought you were going to wait
Tyler straddled the arm of the couch. Grandmas been going crazy. The phones been totally ringing off the hook about the ad in the paper.
It has? Joanna had assumed it would take some weeks to rent the offices, and she hadnt been entirely confident the oversize garage and storage shed would rent at all. If only the Forest Service hadnt decided to vacate the property in an effort to consolidate their facilities and save money, she wouldnt be in such a difficult financial bind.
I have several more gentlemen coming to see the property later this week, and one is coming up from the valley this evening after work. They all wanted to wait until you were home. But this gentleman Kristopher Slavik is his namewas anxious to move right in.
I hope you got his references?
I didnt think that was necessary, dear. He and I hit it off right away. Im sure hell be a fine tenant.
Joanna mentally groaned. Relying on her mothers judgment, particularly since Joannas father had died nearly two years ago, was like walking through a heavy fog. It was easy to lose your sense of direction.
Maybe Id better meet him, Joanna said. Did he sign a lease?
Yes, and he paid cash, too. First and last month, just like you said they should.
Tyler added, Man, he pulled out a wad of money so fat I nearly choked. Hes got to be loaded, Mom! Totally fat city!
A roll of one-dollar bills can look like a lot of money and not amount to a great deal, Joanna re minded her son. Some smart operators also tried to con elderly women with scams that made them appear wealthy when they were nothing more than bums set on separating innocent victims from their money. Do you think this Mr. Slavik would still be there now? And if so, would he be easily evicted if he turned out to be a con artist?
Oh, yes, dear. In fact, he said hed be camping out in the office until he can find a house to buy nearby. Im sure hes anxious to meet you.
He might not be so thrilled when Joanna called his bluff. She wasnt about to have an aging Lothario trying to take advantage of her mother. From now on Mr. Slavik would have to deal with her.
After leaving her suitcase in the middle of the living room, Joanna headed out the front door. The heat of summer still hung in the air and dust coated the pines and oaks that formed a canopy above the street It would be another month before cool weather arrived and the leaves on the black oaks began to turn a bright yellow. The change of season would also bring the possibility of rain, she recalled grimly.
She reached the end of the block and checked traffic on the two-lane blacktop road that led into Twain Harte, then hurried across the street. Her sensible low-heel shoes clicked on the asphalt.
A single vehicle was parked beside the one-story building, an aging Oldsmobile Cutlass with one crumpled fender and a trunk so full the lid wouldnt close. A mountain bike was tied precariously to a bike rack on the roof.
Protruding from beneath the car was a very masculine pair of denim-clad legs, the mans running shoes as old and worn as the vehicle. Apparently the charming gentleman had only found one sock to wear that morning, a white athletic sock that lacked any remaining elasticity and drooped accordingly.
Joanna cleared her throat. Mr. Slavik?
Be right with you. Im checking a bearing seal thats leaking.
Her mother had been right about one thing. The clear baritone voice of the stranger had a warm, mellow charm to it. Or maybe all men naturally projected a certain added sense of masculinity when they worked under a car.
Slowly, Mr. Slavik edged toward her, revealing his long legs an inch or two at a time. There was a tear in one knee of his faded jeans, the denim fabric pulled tautly across his pelvis and the material covering his zipper looked worn from many uses. When a flat belly appeared, washboard muscles visible where his white T-shirt hiked up, Joanna concluded that Kristopher Slavik, Lothario or not, was in great shape. And maybe considerably younger than she had thought.
She stepped back a foot or two to give him room.
Completing his exit from under the car in an agile movement, he stood and smiled at her. A streak of grease marked the exact spot where his cheek creased into a dimple.
Definitely too young for her mother, Joanna thought, her heart suddenly doing a staccato beat. The guy was about thirty, closer to her age than her mothers.
Hi. You must be Joanna. Intelligent gray eyes swept over her in an interested perusal that left her slightly breathless.
Yes, ah
Your mother told me all about you.
Rarely speechless, Joanna tried to gather her wits. She omitted a few details about you. Important ones, such as that his height topped out at about six foot two and his rumpled sandy-blond hair made a woman instinctively want to smooth it.
Really? Like what? He pulled a rag from his back pocket and wiped his hands. His fingers were long and tapered, lean like the rest of his body.
Setting her wayward thoughts aside, she said, Mother didnt happen to mention what business youre in. His examination of her grew more intense, and Joanna suddenly wished she was wearing a gunnysack instead of a low-cut, summery blouse and a formfitting skirtprofessional attire appropriate for a teachers meeting but somehow more revealing given the way he looked at her.
Guess you could call me an inventor, he drawled.
Oh? What is it you invent?
Whatever comes to mind.
That doesnt sound very lucrative.
It can be if you invent the right thing.
Yes, wellMr. Slavik
Please call me Kris.
She ignored his request. Youve signed a lease that says youll pay the rent the fifteenth of every month. My mother neglected to get your bank ref erence, names of former landlords, that sort of thing. If you dont mind
I think Ill invent a dual mountain bike.
She blinked. I beg your pardon?
You know, a bike two people can ride at the same time.
Hasnt someone already invented that? Its called a tandem bike.
This will be different. A two seater to ride on mountain trailsside by side. His lips slid into another grin. Maybe youll come for a test ride with me. After I get it invented, of course.
She struggled with the unsettling feeling he was flirting with her, a rare occurrence in her rather humdrum life. Is there a big market for that sort of bike?
He gave an unconcerned shrug. Guess I wont know until I invent it.
That struck Joanna as a dicey way to run a business. But as long as the man could pay his rent, she supposed it was none of her concern.
Perhaps if youd give me the name of your bank, she suggested. Wherever you have your checking account?
Two nicely arched brows lowered into a frown. Im sort of in between accounts right now.
Suspiciously, she wondered if that was because he was overdrawn. Given his appearance, that was a likely possibility. Waves of sun-striped hair curled at his nape, looking less like a cultural statement than a result of simply forgetting to show up at the barber shop. Or not having the money to spend on personal grooming.
Then the name of your most recent landlord would be helpful, she persisted.
He gave that request more thought than it should warrant under normal circumstances. Actually, I dont recall Ive ever had a landlord. Until now. I think Im going to like it.
Look, Mr. Slavik
Kris, with a K.
I have a substantial mortgage on this property and I depend on the rents to make my payments. I really must insist
How about I give you a years worth of rent? Then you wont have to worry about all that paperwork. He dug into his pocket, retrieving the roll of bills Tyler had seen.
Youre going to pay me in cash?
Sure. Its not counterfeit.
Maybe not, but the only people she had heard about who dealt in that much cash were drug dealers. Or bank robbers.
Joannas eyes widened as he flipped open the roll and began counting out hundred-dollar bills. Good grief, Tyler had been right. The man was totally loaded!
He handed the money to her. Hows that? he asked pleasantly.
Ah, fine, I guess. It didnt make any sense to turn down a bird-in-hand worth several thousand dollars in the hope of finding some other tenant with more traditional banking arrangements.
Good. Im glad thats all settled. So how would you like to go out to dinner tonight?
Joanna did a double take. That was the fastest move any man had ever made on her. I think not, Mr. Slavik. Well just keep our relationship a business one, if you dont mind.
Funny, thats not the idea I got from your ad.
What ad?
The one you ran to rent this place.
An odd feeling of uneasiness prickled along her spine. Im not sure what you mean.
It was a real interesting ad. One hundred percent accurate, too. Sliding two fingers into his pocket, he pulled out a bit of paper torn from a newspaper. I really appreciate truth in advertising.
Curiosity warred with apprehension as he handed her the scrap of paper, still warm from the heat of his body. With dawning understanding, she read the advertisement, which listed her telephone number as the contact:
Attractive, intelligent, marriageable woman with adorable 10-year-old son has office and garage space available to rent. Reasonable rates. Only bachelors need apply.
Her head snapped up; color heated her cheeks. I didnt do this. I mean, thats not the ad Joanna lost all sense of composure. Her professional persona crumbled and she babbled, My mothershe must haveSometimes shesI told her
Kristopher Slavik simply grinned at her, that soft, seductive smile that creased his cheek and brought a devilish sparkle to his eyes, doing something wild and impossible to her insides. So what do you say? How about dinner?
No! In lieu of eating anything, Joanna Greer was going to string up her mother by her conniving, matchmaking thumbs.
Chapter Two (#ulink_3f01338b-b1c8-55de-a303-ef0648e9b110)
He judged that the natural sway of Joannas long hair would be the equivalent of a fifteen-degree pendulum swinging across her slender shoulders. But she was embarrassed now, and in her hurried retreat across the street, her silken curls bounced as if they were spring-loaded.
Leaning back against the car, Kris smiled to himself. His new landlady was a very attractive package. Each individual moduleeyes that looked to be a light blue, a pert nose, full lips and determined chincombined as though a skilled artist had had a hand in the design phase. He could see Joannas resemblance to her mother and her son, but she was put together with gentler, youthfully feminine curves that were quite appealing.
Odd hed never before taken such special note of a woman. But then he was the sort of man who usually concentrated on one task at a time, often to the exclusion of all others. Until now hed never had the inclination to find a wife and start a family of his own. It seemed like an appropriate challenge for a man who had achieved just about everything else hed set his mind to.
The problem was, though he had learned the intricacies of computer programming by the age of twelve, he had rarely delved into the techniques required for courtship. Except for a torrid affair with a college professor, who had been more brilliant than beautifuland considerably more experienced than he had beenhis contacts with women had typically been either professional or very brief.
From the spark of independence in Joannas eyes and the determined lift of her chin, Kris sensed he would need a good deal of skill in a game where he barely knew the rules and had never learned to speak the language. He might not even have an aptitude, he thought with a frown. Although by age twenty he had mastered certain pleasant sexual techniques, courtesy of the professor, neither she or his parents had taught him much about love or affection.
That might leave him at a decided disadvantage with Joanna Greer.
His impulsive announcement that he was an inventor wasnt likely to have earned him a whole lot of points, either. Although he was looking forward to their first ride together.
At the sound of tires crunching on the gravel parking lot, Kris shifted his attention to the arriving car. A sleek Porsche convertible slid to a stop beside him.
Im looking for Joanna Greer, the man said as he got out of the car. Tall and well built, he looked as if he had just stepped off the pages of an upscale mens wear catalog. Not a single wrinkle marred his silk shirt, and though he drove a convertible with the top down not a hair on his head was out of place. His toothy smile was equally unbelievable.
Kris felt a sharp and unfamiliar surge of aggressiveness and instantly wanted to eliminate the competition. Shes not around right now, he said, feigning ignorance.
You come here about that ad, too?
Could be, he acknowledged, already plotting ways to discourage the intruder.
Is she a real dog, or what?
Dog?
Yeah, you know. Women who run ads in newspapers to get a date are usually desperate. At least this one owns a little property. If she isnt too bad, I figure Ill let her support me for a while. He shrugged as if hed run this scam before and cared nothing about the women he had undoubtedly hurt. Till I get bored, anyway.
Kriss hands clenched into fists. Normally he wasnt a violent man, but he had to consciously suppress the urge to punch this guys lights out. Given the surprising amount of adrenaline surging through his veins, he didnt think it would be all that hard to do. Then it looks like youre barking up the wrong tree. You wouldnt want to hang around for more than five minutes with Ms. Greer. Kris would see to it he didnt last even that long.
The stranger eyed him suspiciously. You sure youre not trying to run me off so you can have her all to yourself?
Not me, Kris lied, knowing full well the way to douse a mans overactive testosterone was to avoid being perceived as a rival. No doubt the masculine urge to compete for a woman was an instinctive throwback to caveman days, one he had sublimated until now. Ive already seen her. Soon as I get an oil leak fixed under this old clunker, Im outta here. Youre welcome to the lady, if you think shes worth the effort.
Naw, Ill take your word for it. The stranger slid back into the car. Maybe Ill head on down to Bakersfield. Theres always a lot of action in the singles bars. Ill find somebody to hit on.
Good luck. The sleek engine purred to life and Kris waved the driver off, knowing it was the women this jerk planned to hit on who hed rather be wishing good luck.
Dont you realize you have put me in an absolutely untenable position? Face still flaming with mortification, Joanna railed at her mother, who appeared frustratingly unconcerned as she fried chicken for dinner. Sometimes Agnes carried her bizarre behavior too far. Much too far, and at Joannas expense.
It seems to me the important thing is to get the property rented. Im sure thats what Alexander would have wanted.
My father would not have wanted me portrayed as a lonely old maid who has to advertise in order to meet a man. Joanna didnt know how she would ever be able to face Kris Slavik again, much less the next prospective renter who showed up at the property.
Well, you certainly havent met very many interesting men in the usual way. Agnes made a disparaging snort, ignoring the potatoes boiling away on the stove and in jeopardy of burning. The last young man who asked you out seemed quite strange. Didnt he believe in shaving?
Joanna switched off the burner and moved the pot to a cooler spot on the stove. That episode had occurred five years ago and wasnt worth comment. Shed dated a fellow teachers brother as a favor, nothing more. And Joanna had been more than happy to see the end of an incredibly boring evening spent in his company.
Hey, Mom, you gonna go out with that new guy? Tyler slipped a couple of cookies from the cookie jar and stuffed one in his mouth. Bet he could afford to take you to the City Hotel over at Columbia for dinner. Thats where Petes mom always makes his dad take her for anniversaries n stuff like that.
Im not planning to go anywhere with Mr. Slavik. Or with any other man who rents the property because of that ridiculous ad your grandmother wrote.
Tyler, dear, dont spoil your supper, Agnes said, ignoring Joannas distress along with the potatoes. Its almost ready.
But, Grandma, Im starved. All I had after football practice was a sandwich.
Agnes smiled benignly and turned the chicken one more time. It wont be long now, dear.
They werent paying any attention to her. Both Joannas mother and son were far more interested in dinner than in how on earth she was going to handle a man who expected her to be available for who knew what kind of a relationship.
Her mother had pulled some dumb stunts in her lifelike the time shed tied Tylers sack lunch to his belt so tightly for a third-grade field trip that he couldnt get it off and had to beg his friends for handouts so he wouldnt go hungry. But this stunt took the cake!
First thing in the morning Joanna was going to cancel that damn ad!
But before that, right after dinner, she was going to make her position quite clear to Mr. Slavik. If he decided to stick around, hed do so as a tenant. If that didnt suit him, shed be more that happy to refund his money.
As night stole the blue from the sky, the sharp taste of embarrassment still filled Joannas throat. She swallowed the unpleasant flavor and headed across the road to face Kris Slavik again. It wasnt her fault her mother had rewritten the ad. Joanna simply had to make clear to her would-be tenant that she was not available for the marriage mart. Shed refund his money, and that would be that.
She sighed. Except she would still have an empty office building to rent and no prospects in sight including the guy who had promised to show up that evening.
From inside one of the offices a rectangle of light spilled through the open door onto the parking lot. On the porch, a silhouetted figure sat on a redwood bench in the shadows beside the door.
Mr. Slavik?
Im here. He unfolded himself, and she was struck again by his tall, lean figure as he stood.
Ive come to apologize.
Theres no need. Assuming youll start calling me Kris. I always get the feeling someone is looking for my father when they call me Mr. Slavik.
She smiled. He did have a nice voice, one that made her think of quiet winter evenings in front of a fire. Or soft pillow talk.
Mentally, she pushed the thought aside. My mother did something nearly unforgivable by changing the ad Id written for the newspaper. Im truly sorry if she misled you, and Id be happy to refund all of your money and tear up the lease youve signed.
As Joanna spoke, he strolled lazily off the porch and stood close to her. There was a clean, masculine scent about him. Not artificial, like a shaving lotion, but natural, with a slight touch of musk. In the warm September air it seemed to hover about her in a tempting caress.
Your eyes are blue, arent they? he asked, his voice a low murmur that didnt disturb the soft sounds of the night.
Yes. It was too dark for him to see that now. With a good deal of pleasure, she realized he must have remembered her eye color from their earlier meeting.
Did you know your eyes each have about a hundred and thirty million light-sensitive cells in them?
She blinked at the unexpected comment. No, I guess that piece of information hasnt ever come my way before.
Im afraid Im addicted to bits of trivia that are not necessarily useful.
Not everything we learn has to have a practical application, she assured him.
Hmm, Im not sure my parents would agree with you.
There are the great poetsWordsworth, Shakespeare, Longfellow, to mention just a few. Knowing their words isnt exactly useful, but our lives are richer for them. The same thing is true for great works of art.
The way he looked at her was very intense, as though he wanted to identify every single cell hed talked about, as well as hear her words with exceptional clarity. I can see the reflection of the stars in your eyes, like diamonds sparkling in deep pools. Did you know that the light I see has to travel hundreds of thousands of miles before it can reflect back to me?
She swallowed thickly. Ive never thought about it before. Nor had the knowledge seemed quite so important.
Neither had I.
She felt herself leaning toward him, impossibly closer, when she knew she should be running as fast as her feet could take her in the opposite direction. She was mesmerized by the compelling note in his voice, the insistent timbre that vibrated not only in her ears but also in a heart that had been lonely for a good many years.
Calling upon a wealth of willpower, she said, About the rental
Id like to stay. If you dont mind.
She minded, all right. Instinctively she knew this man, who couldnt seem to find a matching pair of socks and who paid his bills in cash, was a threat to her comfortable status quo. She didnt want him disrupting her life. But that was exactly what he was going to do.
And because she desperately needed his rent money, she could do nothing to change the fates that were bearing down on her like a high mountain avalanche. In her heart, she knew shed need more than luck to escape without serious injury. Or heartbreak.
This is the smaller of the two remaining offices, five hundred square feet, Joanna explained to the prospective tenant. Shed managed to avoid being anywhere near her rental propertyand Kris Slavikfor two days. But she couldnt allow the space to remain vacant forever, not with bills to pay and a roof to replace. Youll notice the office is arranged very nicely, with plenty of storage space in the back and a private rest room.
Percival Carter glanced nervously around the office, as if making a decision caused him a great deal of anxiety. A narrow-faced man in his forties, he combed lank strands of hair over his balding head in a failed effort to disguise his receding hairline. His double-breasted brown suit, which matched his prominent eyes, looked as though it had been purchased in another era. Im sure my mother would think this is very nice.
Your mother? Does she work with you? Joanna asked.
Oh, no. At least, not regularly, though she does help me with the filing occasionally. I dont have a large-enough accounting practice to warrant a staff. There isnt that much call for a CPA up here in the mountains. But Mother did, ah, encourage me to rent one of your offices.
Well, thats very nice of her. I hope youll be happy here.
Oh, I think so, Ms. Greer. You see, Im a bachelor.
Joannas spirits plummeted. Mr. Carter, Im afraid the ad you saw
Oh, it was my mother who
Its very misleading.
The familiar tall figure of a man filled the doorway, and Joanna drew a quick breath.
Permit me to disagree. As the advertisement promised, the landlady is indeed attractive, marriageable and has a son who is bright, intelligent and inquisitive. A slow, seductive, smug smile tugged at the corners of Kris Slaviks mouth.
Joanna wanted to throw something at him. Or crawl into a hole. Excuse me. Im trying to conduct some business here.
Thats okay. Kris looped his arm over the older mans shoulders, demonstrating the fact that he was at least six inches taller than the would-be tenant. Since Percy and I are going to be neighbors, so to speak, I can bring him up to speed on the property. You know, stuff like which trees not to park under. The birds can wipe out your cars finish in fifteen minutes if theyve been munching on some of those late-ripening berries.
Kris! Will you stop
Its all right, Ms. Greer. Percy smiled at her with endearing shyness. Since Ive met you, theres no way he can discourage me from renting the office. Besides, my mother would be apoplectic if she thought Id missed this chance. Shes quite anxious that I marry and produce a grandchild for her before she passes on. Though I doubt Ill provide much competition for this gentleman. The two of you make a very attractive couple.
Thank you, Kris said. I quite agree.
Joanna rolled her eyes, then glared daggers at Kris. We are not a couple! He has paid a years worth of rent in advance, so Im stuck with him. But we are definitely not a couple.
Glancing up at Kris, Percy said, I would appreciate it if youd point out those trees to me. I wouldnt want my vehicle to suffer any irreparable damage.
You got it, buddy.
But wait! Joanna protested as the two men started to go outside. Are you going to rent the office, Mr. Carter?
Of course. If youll prepare the lease forms, Ill have a check cut and brought around for you first thing in the morning.
Shoulders sagging, Joanna exhaled a long breath. Kris Slavik was definitely trouble. Not only had he acted possessive of her in front of a possible tenant, her heart had leaped into her throat when hed appeared in the doorway. Normally she was immune to men, even those she found quite attractive, albeit in Kriss case a little rough around the edges. Aware she wasnt a candidate for marriage, much less an affair, she made it a point never to lead men on. They generally got the message without too much effort.
Kris was different. He appeared to have a serious case of selective deafness.
He was doing it again.
Joanna clenched her teeth as she showed another prospective tenant around the premises. A newly licensed real-estate broker, Larry Smythe was tall, dark, handsome and far too smooth a talker.
Kris Slavik shadowed their every move. He had on a different pair of jeans today. Not new, exactly still faded and with a worn zipperbut ones without any holes in the knees. Joanna couldnt be sure, but she thought he had on one blue sock and one brown. Apparently he put on whichever socks he happened to pick up.
With a critical eye, Larry examined the outside of the building and the window frames. Of course, Ill have to install an air filter. This close to the highway the fumes could be dangerous.
Dangerous? Joanna questioned.
It hasnt bothered me any, Kris muttered.
Larrys perfect teeth flashed in a smile. Not everyone understands that even what appears to be clean air needs to be filtered in order to avoid contaminates like pollen and lead. It always pays to be health conscious. He sucked in his stomach and stood a little straighter. Ill put in my own water purifier, too.
If thats what you think you need, Joanna agreed.
Looks to me like a real-estate broker would want to locate right in town, Kris said, kicking at the old concrete on the back step of the remaining unrented unit. A piece crumbled away.
I plan to catch the eye of folks who are just arriving in town, Larry countered. Besides, word-of-mouth advertising is the best you can get. And I intend to be the very best.
Naturally, Kris grumbled. He jammed his fingers in his back pockets. This guy reminded him of all those superjocks in school who had given him such a hard time. Their shoulders were a little too broad, their guts too flat and their brains too small. But the girls went for them. Particularly goodlooking girls like Joanna, who Tyler had told him had been a cheerleader in high school.
Larry was the kind who was hard to discourage, too. He was confident of his sexual appeal as well as his business acumen and wasnt about to give up easily. But everyone had a weakness.
In his own defense, Kris had learned as a kid how to outsmart someone instead of trying to outmuscle him. If he was going to have any chance with Joanna, hed have to keep several steps ahead of good-ol-boy Larry Smythe. It might not be an easy task, but Kris was both determined and confident.
Chapter Three (#ulink_67bd372a-903c-5aa5-a240-92566255a4c9)
Kris flipped his visor down to protect his eyes and brought the welding rod close to the bicycle frame. With a sharp snap, the electric current arced into a brilliant spot of blue-white light. Carefully he laid down a bead that would join metal to metal. The transformer hummed behind him, pumping electricity through the line, and the air in the garage filled with the biting smell of burning aluminum.
From the corner of his eye Kris caught sight of a pair of slender legs and shapely, feminine ankles. Momentarily distracted, he struggled to keep his hand steady as he finished circling the bar with the bead, then lifted the rod away.
Hi. School out already? He raised his visor and smiled at Joanna. Hed been so engrossed in his project he hadnt been aware of the time. Always nice to have my landlady drop by for a visit.
I heard that humming noise. She indicated the transformer. I was afraid something was wrong. The electrical wiring in this building is a little old.
I havent had any problem so far.
Good. With only a volunteer fire department in town, everybody worries about fires. She eyed his project curiously. Thats the dual bike youre inventing?
The prototype. I figured Id start with aluminum, then when I get the kinks worked out Ill switch to carbon-fiber bikes. Theyre a lot lighter.
Theyre also the most expensive.
True, he conceded.
She gave him an incredulous shake of her head. Your money, I guess.
But remember, if this invention flies, he teased, pulling off his heavy welding gloves, Im likely to be a millionaire. You know, the Alexander Graham Bell of pedal power.
That brought the tiniest suggestion of a smile to her lips, and he noted how full they were and how perfectly shaped. He wondered idly if they would taste as good as they looked and decided that would be a subject worth pursuing in infinite detail.
Have you done much mountain-bike riding, Kris?
A little. I entered the races at Mammoth this summer.
Her eyebrows lifted in surprise. You did?
I placed in the top twenty in my age group. If Id had more time to train, I probably would have done better.
Im impressed. Her smile told Kris hed won her approval. But I have to tell you, if you had a day job Id recommend you not give it up just yet. Im having a real problem seeing how this new bike of yours will be any better than a regular tandem bike.
If nothing else, its a hundred times more romantic. If youre out with your favorite girl, youll be riding side by side and can talk better.
An inventor whos a romantic? Her smile broadened. You definitely dont fit the mold.
I never have, he confessed. In fact, hed always been the odd man outfar younger than his academic peers, never allowed by his parents to participate in sports with boys his own age and often at a social disadvantage with the women he met. Being different was a burden that had rested uneasily on his shoulders as long as he could remember. At the moment, hed give every dime hed ever earnedsomething over twenty million dollars worthto have this one particular woman see him as just an ordinary guy. He supposed that was too much to hope for and hated that in the romantic arena he lacked the selfconfidence that had been his mainstay in every other aspect of his life.
Joanna fidgeted self-consciously under his intense scrutiny. Kris had the most unsettling way about him, as though he was determined to slip past her defenses by the sheer power of his intellect. And he was intelligent, she was sure. Beyond that, she was having a great deal of trouble calibrating the man. That meant he always had her a little off balance. She wasnt at all sure she liked the unfamiliar feeling. Normally, she placed a high value on being in control.
Well, if the building isnt burning down, she said, I guess Id better be on my way and let you get on with your inventing. She turned to leave, only to discover Tyler coming in the wide-open door. She frowned. What are you doing home so early?
Aw, the coaches canceled practice. I think they had another one of their fights. Man, theyre always arguing n stuff. He spun the football he perpetually carried up into the air and caught it again. Mrs. Scala brought me home.
Thank goodness someone gave you a lift. Imagine the coaches leaving the kids unsupervised, Joanna thought, fuming. Paul and Isabel Currant had become increasingly irresponsible about their volunteer duties. It seemed unlikely the team would make it through the season intact, and football was a sport Tyler dearly loved. Shed hate to see him lose out because of a marital riff between his coaches.
Tyler circled the bike Kris had been working on, touching the newly welded section.
Kris didnt offer any objection, but allowed him free access. The two of them seemed to have developed a comfortable relationship, man-to-man.
I wish youd coach us, Mom.
Her gaze whipped toward her son. Me? What do I know about football?
A heck of a lot more than Mrs. Currant does. She doesnt even know what an end around is.
Joanna remembered. Vaguely. Tylers father had been the star high-school quarterback. Shed helped him memorize the playbook his senior year, no minor accomplishment. Im a little rusty these days, tiger. I think it would be best if I left the coaching to someone else.
What about you, Kris? Tyler tossed him the football. You wanna take a shot at coaching?
He caught the ball awkwardly, then studied it as if it was a foreign object that had fallen into his hands from outer space. I dont think so, kid. Maybe your coaches will get their act together again and everything will be okay. He returned the pigskin with a wobbly throw.
Yeah, I suppose. Guess they usually kiss and make up.
A painful knot formed in Joannas throat. If things had gone as she had dreamed ten years ago, Tyler would have had a father to coach his football team and teach him the finer points of quarterbacking. But as an eighteen-year-old, shed had no idea how quickly a dream could be shattered. Pregnant, shed been abandoned by the boy shed thought she loved. Hed told her in no uncertain terms that a man would be a total lunatic to want to marry into her eccentric family.
Tyler peered down at the weld Kris had just completed. So what are you doing with these bikes?
Im trying to create an independent suspension system for a smoother ride, Kris replied. You want to see how itll work?
Sure.
Their blond heads close together, the two males bent over the bikes, talking enthusiastically about things Joanna didnt understand. From a cluttered workbench, Kris picked up one of several books, flipping through the pages as he explained heliarc welding and suspension systems.
She felt like a fifth wheel and slipped out the door without either of them noticing she was gone.
It was better that way. She knew Tyler needed male role models in his life. But she didnt want to get attached to Kris herself. There was no future in it for her, only heartache and ultimate rejection.
As the week progressed, Joanna concentrated on inspiring twenty-eight fourth graders with the rudiments of American history, comparing Indian culture to recent efforts at ecology, thus combining the prescribed science unit with social-studies requirements. A couple of meetings with the principal were thrown into the time-and-stress equation, along with an irate parent who didnt believe in homework, much less the value of regular school attendance.
Joanna barely gave any thought at all to her new tenants until Saturday arrived and Agnes announced the evenings plans.
I think Kris is totally cool, Mom. Tyler perched on the edge of a kitchen counter and tossed his football from hand to hand. With so much high-voltage energy, he couldnt always sit in a chair.
That may be so, dear, but your grandmother had no right to invite him to dinner tonight without asking me first. To emphasize the point, Joanna brought her knife down hard on the potatoes she was slicing to cook with the roast that was already in the oven. She had not intended to spend what little free time she had on a Saturday cleaning house and cooking a formal meal.
Of course, she could have refused to participate in this charade. But her mother had become so upset when she threatened not to be at home that Joanna had relented. Agness emotional state often seemed on the brink of hysteria, particularly since Joannas father had died. Grief apparently intensified peculiar behavior.
Grandma told me shes just trying to be neighborly.
Matchmaking was closer to the truth.
She invited the other two guys, too. Ol pinchnose Percy
Dont call him that, Tyler. Percival is a very nice man. Hes just a little shy.
That other guy, Larry, sure isnt bashful. Man, he acts like a big know-it-all. Always talkin and telling me what a great mom Ive got.
Joanna slid her son a questioning look. Kris doesnt say things like that about me?
Naw, we talk about important stuff.
Oh, thanks, Im glad to hear that. Joanna was upset at the stab of irritation that shot through her. Kris had no reason to talk to Tyler about her. None at all. She should be grateful they had other topics to discuss. After all, she had managed to avoid seeing her tenant for the last several days. It wasnt important that her gaze always drifted toward his workshop when she drove by the rental property. She really wasnt trying to catch a quick glimpse of him.
Obviously, he wasnt all that interested in her, either. Since that first night, when shed turned down his dinner invitation, he hadnt asked her out.
Tyler dropped to his feet and snitched a couple of olives from the relish tray. Im helping him learn how to throw a spiral pass.
Football?
Yeah. Hes not very good. He said he never learned to play when he was a kid.
Considering Kriss athletic physique, and how successful hed been in a very competitive bike race earlier in the summer, Joanna was surprised. He seemed like he would excel at almost anything, sports included.
Overall, he was the most puzzling man she had ever met. One minute he was flirting with her, ignoring her obvious desire to be left alone, and then he did just the opposite. Ignored her for days at a time.
Meanwhile, in spite of her best efforts, she couldnt get him out of her mind.
Kris made it a point to arrive at Joannas house first, before the competition showed up for dinner.
A concrete path led past flower beds still bright with fall colors, including late-blooming roses on well-tended bushes. The house itself, nestled among the pines, was modest in size and of modern log construction. A long porch and a picture window looked out over the front garden. Behind the house, a treecovered slope rose steeply to the top of a ridge.
Kris had the feeling he was visiting Goldilocks cottage. The house wasnt anything like the sterile, high-rise condos where he had grown up. There was a homey coziness he had never experienced, and he envied Joanna what surely must have been a more idyllic childhood than his own. Even the fresh smell of baked goods wafting out through the open window reminded him of all he had missed. His mothers cooking talents had been pretty well limited to what she could boil on a Bunsen burner.
Oddly, the roof of the house was festooned with whirligigsducks and roosters and other strange wooden characters whose arms spun with the lightest breeze. Interesting aerodynamics, Kris mused, wondering if their combined power could be harnessed into a source of electricity, like miniature wind generators, and pumped into the household wiring.
He was still considering that possibility when Tyler answered his knock on the front door.
Hey, man, hows it going? the youngster said in greeting.
They exchanged a high five. About the same as it was two hours ago when you were over at my place.
Yeah, right. Tylers quick smile matched the more reluctant one his mother so-infrequently displayed. Come on in. Moms in a tizzy that Grandma invited all you guys to dinner.
In a way, so was Kris. He would have preferred a private invitation. He didnt like the idea of sharing the evening with a couple of other bachelors on the make. But then, hed learned a long time ago anything worth having was worth working hard for.
Kris, dear boy, Agnes crooned, sweeping into the living room. Her long skirt nearly reached the floor and the bracelets on her wrists jangled like a gypsy dancers. With every step she seemed to create a happy song. So sweet of you to come early.
Always hungry for a home-cooked meal.
Of course. And Joanna is a wonderful cook, too. Have I told you that? Agnes shook her head as though she couldnt remember how much touting of her daughter shed done. Shell make someone a fine wife, you know. So talented.
He suppressed a smile. Im sure you were a very good teacher, Agnes.
Grandma makes great cookies, dont you? Tyler interjected. Especially when you forget and put two bags of chocolate chips in em.
Go on with your flattery, young man. As she took Kriss arm, she giggled, a high-pitched, girlish sound. Of course, my dear departed Alexander never once complained about my cooking. Did you know, he and I once served more than a hundred needy families Thanksgiving dinner, almost all on our own? I must have cooked twenty turkeys myself. We kept those big ovens over at the school cafeteria going for days. Mercy, what a time we had.
Agnes rambled on about the event as though it had been yesterday, while Kris suspected it had been many years ago. But he liked knowing Joannas parents had tried to help others. In contrast, his family had mailed in substantial checks to ease their social conscience, keeping themselves safely ensconced behind the ivory towers of academia.
Maybe this year for Thanksgiving, instead of going home, hed find someplace where they were feeding the homeless and see if he could help. He wondered if Joanna would be willing to join him.
Joannas appearance at the kitchen doorway didnt slow the tale Agnes was telling. The older woman simply kept on talking. It didnt seem to matter that no one was listening.
Mentally clicking off Agness chatter, Kris took in the sight of her daughter. Joannas hair was pulled back, and there was a light sheen of perspiration on her perfectly oval face, as though the kitchen was overheated. Her cheeks glistened. She radiated good health and something else Kris couldnt quite identify. He simply knew she was a lovely, intriguing creature worth a great deal of study.
Youre early, she said, searching his face as though questioning his apparent social faux pas.
He met her gaze steadily. I was hoping you might need some help with taste tests.
.
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Charlotte Maclay
Тип: электронная книга
Жанр: Современные любовные романы
Язык: на английском языке
Издательство: HarperCollins
Дата публикации: 16.04.2024
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О книге: HUSBAND IN A MILLIONSingle mom Joanna Greer knew all the «mommy» tricks: kiss boo-boos, fix three squares a day…fuss, fuss, fuss. But when it came to acting as a father figure to her young son, she was desperately at a loss….Then little Tyler staked his claim on the handsome bachelor next door.Kris Slavik didn′t know the first thing about fatherhood. His upbringing had been short on hugs, but long on expectations. Well, he′d earned his millions…several times over. Problem was, he had no one to share it with. Until a rambunctious kid and his beautiful mom had him tossing around footballs–and sizing very big diamond rings….