Joan Pickart - Taming Tall, Dark Brandon

Andrea Cunningham Was A Menace. Andrea Cunningham Was A Menace. She did tricky little things to his mind and wreaked havoc with his body. The two weeks that she was scheduled to stay at the hotel couldn’t pass quickly enough as far as he was concerned. Two weeks. Then Andrea would repack her suitcase, settle her bill and leave. She’d be gone, never to be seen again. Never? his mind echoed. Well, sure. That was how it was with guests of the hotel. They came, they went, end of story. Unless Andrea decided to visit Prescott again at some point in the future and stayed at Hamilton House while doing so, in two weeks she’d be out of sight, out of mind forever. Wrong, Brandon thought in the next instant. He had a sneaking suspicion that it would take a while to dismiss Andrea Cunningham from his mind... . Letter to Reader Dear Reader, Why not sit back and relax this summer with Silhouette Desire? As always, our six June Desire books feature strong heroes and spirited heroines who come together in a highly passionate, emotionally powerful and provocative read. Anne McAllister kicks off June with a wonderful new MAN OF THE MONTH title, The Stardust Cowboy. Strong, silent Riley Stratton brings hope and love into the life of a single mother. The fabulous miniseries FORTUNE’S CHILDREN: THE BRIDES concludes with Undercover Groom by Merline Lovelace, in which a sexy secret agent rescues an amnesiac runaway bride. And Silhouette Books has more Fortunes to come, starting this August with a new twelve-book continuity series, THE FORTUNES OF TEXAS. Meanwhile, Alexandra Sellers continues her exotic SONS OF THE DESERT series with Beloved Sheikh, in which a to-die-for sheikh rescues an American beauty-in-jeopardy. One Small Secret by Meagan McKinney is a reunion romance with a surprise for a former summer flame. Popular Joan Elliott Pickart begins her new miniseries, THE BACHELOR BET, with Taming Tall, Dark Brandon. And there’s a pretend marriage between an Alpha male hero and blue-blooded heroine in Suzanne Simms’s The Willful Wife. So hit the beach this summer with any of these sensuous Silhouette Desire titles...or take all six along! Enjoy! Joan Marlow Golan Senior Editor, Silhouette Desire Please address questions and book requests to Silhouette Reader Service U S 3010 Walden Ave., PO. Box 1325, Buffalo, NY 14269 Canadian: PO. Box 609, Fort Erie, Ont. L2A 5X3 Title Page Taming Tall, Dark Brandon Joan Elliott Pickart www.millsandboon.co.uk Dedication With special thanks to Tara Gavin, Editor Extraordinaire! About the Author JOAN ELLIOTT PICKART is the author of over seventy novels. When she isn’t writing, she enjoys watching football, knitting, reading, gardening and attending craft shows on the town square. Joan has three all-grown-up daughters and a fantastic little grandson. In September of 1995, Joan traveled to China to adopt her fourth daughter, Autumn. Joan and Autumn have settled into their cozy cottage in a charming small town in the high pine country of Arizona. THE BACHELORS: THE BACHELORS: Brandon Hamilton: Age 35. Hotel owner. 6 ft., nicely built. Black hair, dark eyes. Principled, protective ... powerfully attractive. TAMING TALL, DARK BRANDON, June 1999, Silhouette Desire Taylor Sinclair: Age 36. Accountant. 6 ft., trim. Light brown hair, brown eyes. Self-confident, smart, stylish...sexy. THE IRRESISTIBLE MR. SINCLAIR, July 1999, Silhouette Special Edition Ben Rizzoli: Age 35. Doctor. 6 ft., rugged. Black hair, dark eyes. Private, precise, proud...purely potent. THE MOST ELIGIBLE M.D., August 1999, Silhouette Special Edition These bachelor best friends have bet that marriage and family will never be part of their lives. But they’ll learn never to bet against love.... Meet Brandon, Taylor and Ben in bestselling author Joan Elliott Pickart’s engaging new miniseries Chapter One Chapter Two Chapter Three Chapter Four Chapter Five Chapter Six Chapter Seven Chapter Eight Chapter Nine Chapter Ten Chapter Eleven Epilogue Copyright

Andrea Cunningham Was A Menace.

She did tricky little things to his mind and wreaked havoc with his body. The two weeks that she was scheduled to stay at the hotel couldn’t pass quickly enough as far as he was concerned.

Two weeks. Then Andrea would repack her suitcase, settle her bill and leave. She’d be gone, never to be seen again.

Never? his mind echoed.

Well, sure. That was how it was with guests of the hotel. They came, they went, end of story. Unless Andrea decided to visit Prescott again at some point in the future and stayed at Hamilton House while doing so, in two weeks she’d be out of sight, out of mind forever.

Wrong, Brandon thought in the next instant. He had a sneaking suspicion that it would take a while to dismiss Andrea Cunningham from his mind... .

Dear Reader,

Why not sit back and relax this summer with Silhouette Desire? As always, our six June Desire books feature strong heroes and spirited heroines who come together in a highly passionate, emotionally powerful and provocative read.

Anne McAllister kicks off June with a wonderful new MAN OF THE MONTH title, The Stardust Cowboy. Strong, silent Riley Stratton brings hope and love into the life of a single mother.

The fabulous miniseries FORTUNE’S CHILDREN: THE BRIDES concludes with Undercover Groom by Merline Lovelace, in which a sexy secret agent rescues an amnesiac runaway bride. And Silhouette Books has more Fortunes to come, starting this August with a new twelve-book continuity series, THE FORTUNES OF TEXAS.

Meanwhile, Alexandra Sellers continues her exotic SONS OF THE DESERT series with Beloved Sheikh, in which a to-die-for sheikh rescues an American beauty-in-jeopardy. One Small Secret by Meagan McKinney is a reunion romance with a surprise for a former summer flame. Popular Joan Elliott Pickart begins her new miniseries, THE BACHELOR BET, with Taming Tall, Dark Brandon. And there’s a pretend marriage between an Alpha male hero and blue-blooded heroine in Suzanne Simms’s The Willful Wife.

So hit the beach this summer with any of these sensuous Silhouette Desire titles...or take all six along!

Enjoy!

Joan Marlow Golan

Senior Editor, Silhouette Desire

Please address questions and book requests to

Silhouette Reader Service

U S 3010 Walden Ave., PO. Box 1325, Buffalo, NY 14269

Canadian: PO. Box 609, Fort Erie, Ont. L2A 5X3

Taming Tall, Dark Brandon

Joan Elliott Pickart

www.millsandboon.co.uk

With special thanks

to Tara Gavin,

Editor Extraordinaire!

JOAN ELLIOTT PICKART is the author of over seventy novels. When she isn’t writing, she enjoys watching football, knitting, reading, gardening and attending craft shows on the town square. Joan has three all-grown-up daughters and a fantastic little grandson. In September of 1995, Joan traveled to China to adopt her fourth daughter, Autumn. Joan and Autumn have settled into their cozy cottage in a charming small town in the high pine country of Arizona.

THE BACHELORS:

Brandon Hamilton:

Age 35. Hotel owner. 6 ft., nicely built. Black hair, dark

eyes. Principled, protective ... powerfully attractive.

TAMING TALL, DARK BRANDON,

June 1999, Silhouette Desire

Taylor Sinclair:

Age 36. Accountant. 6 ft., trim. Light brown hair, brown

eyes. Self-confident, smart, stylish...sexy.

THE IRRESISTIBLE MR. SINCLAIR,

July 1999, Silhouette Special Edition

Ben Rizzoli:

Age 35. Doctor. 6 ft., rugged. Black hair, dark eyes.

Private, precise, proud...purely potent.

THE MOST ELIGIBLE M.D.,

August 1999, Silhouette Special Edition

These bachelor best friends have bet that marriage and

family will never be part of their lives.

But they’ll learn never to bet against love....

Meet Brandon, Taylor and Ben

in bestselling author Joan Elliott Pickart’s

engaging new miniseries

One

The sleek, candy-apple-red sports car hugged the curving mountain road as the powerful engine beneath the shiny hood won the challenge of the steep climb with ease.

Andrea Cunningham drove the vehicle at the exact speed limit, nodding in approval at the performance of her new possession.

The car was an early Christmas present to herself, an indulgence that had surprised even her when she’d purchased it two weeks before.

She’d been researching automobiles for well over six months, reading consumer reports, price comparing at various dealerships, and going for test drives in sedate, compact cars.

The only color she’d even considered had been white, due to the extreme heat in Phoenix. She’d wanted the best gas mileage, a proven history of easy maintenance, and ease of maneuverability in the congested, big-city traffic.

But she’d been in a strange, out-of-character mood the day she’d walked onto the new car lot and seen the gleaming red sports car that seemed to be calling her name.

An hour later, she had driven away in the catchme-if-you-can red car.

Andrea flicked on the blinker, pressed on the gas pedal and whizzed past an eighteen-wheeler that was struggling to ascend the mountain. Safely in front of the big truck, she eased back into the right lane, then reduced her speed again to the exact number posted on the signs along the highway.

What on earth was she doing with a vehicle like this one? she thought, with a mental shake of her head. Granted, it had given her a bit of a rush to zoom past that big truck, knowing that if she was still driving her little compact car she’d be chugging slowly behind the eighteen-wheeler.

But this new car had cost her far more than she’d budgeted for when she finally admitted that her ten-year-old vehicle had to be replaced.

She, Andrea Cunningham, vice president of the firm of Challenge Advertising, was actually behind the wheel of a roaring, red sports car? It was unbelievable, ridiculous, and borderline embarrassing.

This car was not who she was, it was as simple as that.

Andrea sighed, her shoulders sagging a bit as a wave of fatigue swept through her, accompanied by the beginning of a throbbing headache.

She was furious at herself, at her body that hadn’t kept up with the pace she’d been keeping at work. The whole situation was so frustrating she could scream.

She’d been literally run out of town by her doctor, Andrea fumed. She’d finally gone in for a checkup, complaining of headaches, insomnia, lack of appetite, the inability to concentrate for great lengths of time and being so tired on occasion she’d been close to tears.

She was, the mighty medical man declared, suffering from complete physical exhaustion. He’d ordered her to take two full weeks off. No, she couldn’t just cut back on her hours at the office, she was to get away, go somewhere peaceful and quiet, where her staff couldn’t reach her. Only Jack, her boss, should be informed of her destination.

The doctor knew her personal history, was aware that she had no family to spend the holidays with. Her-parents had been killed in an automobile accident when Andrea was only four.

There had been no loving relatives waiting in the wings to make a home for the frightened little girl, who had had her serene world shattered by the death of her mother and father.

She’d been raised in foster homes before she’d struck out on her own when she was eighteen.

Now she was heading to the small town of Prescott, where she’d never been before, and where her two-week sentence would include the Christmas holiday.

Being away from home on Christmas didn’t matter. She paid little attention to the festive event. She gave gifts to a few close friends, but politely refused all invitations to Christmas dinner. It was a day for families, and Andrea had no desire to be odd-woman-out at anyone’s table.