Susan Connell - Tall, Dark And Temporary

“I Know That Some Nights You Dance Alone In Your Kitchen, Megan,” “I Know That Some Nights You Dance Alone In Your Kitchen, Megan,” Nick said, stepping closer. “That tells me you still have faith in your hopes and dreams. Let me in on them, sweet girl.” Her hopes and dreams. Megan winced when she remembered that uppity speech she had delivered to Nick a decade ago about her hopes and dreams. How different her life had turned out. “Nick, you just don’t understand.” “No, I don’t,” he said. “But doesn’t it mean something to you that I want to?” Then he closed his arms around her and rocked her gently in his embrace. Closing her eyes, she quietly acknowledged the truth to herself. No one had ever held her like this. No one had ever made her feel so safe, yet so close to danger. And it felt so good she never wanted to let go. Letter to Reader Dear Reader, Hello’ For the past few months I’m sure you’ve noticed the new (but probably familiar) name at the bottom of this letter I was previously the senior editor of the Silhouette Romance line, and now, as senior editor of Silhouette Desire, I’m thrilled to bring you six sensuous, deeply emotional Silhouette Desire novels every month by some of the bestselling—and most beloved—authors in the genre. January begins with The Cowboy Steals a Lady. January’s MAN OF THE MONTH title and the latest book in bestselling author Anne McAllister’s CODE OF THE WEST series. You should see the look on Shane Nichols’s handsome face when he realizes he’s stolen the wrong woman.. especially when she doesn’t mind being stolen or trapped with Mr. January one bit.... Wife for a Night by Carol Grace is a sexy tale of a woman who’d been too young for her handsome groom-to-be years ago, but is all grown up now.... And in Raye Morgan’s The Hand-Picked Bride, what’s a man to do when he craves the lady he’d hand-picked to be his brother’s bride? Plus, we have Tall, Dark and Temporary by Susan Connell, the latest in THE GIRLS MOST LIKELY TO... miniseries; The Love Twin by ultrasensuous writer Patty Salier, and Judith McWilliams’s The Boss, the Beauty and the Bargain. All as irresistible as they sound! I hope you enjoy January’s selections, and here’s to a very happy New Year (with promises of many more Silhouette Desire novels you won’t want to miss)! Regards, Melissa Senate Senior Editor Please address questions and book requests to: Silhouette Reader Service U.S.: 3010 Walden Ave., PO. Box 1325, Buffalo. NY 14269 Canadian. P.O. Box 609, Fort Erie. Ont. L2A 5X3 Title Page Tall, Dark And Temporary Susan Connell www.millsandboon.co.uk About the Author SUSAN CONNELL has a love of traveling that has taken her all over the world—Greece, Spain, Portugal, Central and South America, to name just a few places. While working for the foreign service she met a U.S. Navy pilot, and eight days later they were engaged. Twenty-one years and several moves later, Susan, her husband, Jim, and daughter, Catherine, call the New Jersey shore home. When she’s not writing, her part-time job at a local bookstore, Mediterranean cooking and traveling with her family are some of her favorite activities. Susan has been honored by New Jersey Romance Writers with their coveted Golden Leaf Award. She loves hearing from her readers. Prologue Chapter One Chapter Two Chapter Three Chapter Four Chapter Five Chapter Six Chapter Seven Chapter Eight Chapter Nine Chapter Ten Chapter Eleven Epilogue Copyright

“I Know That Some Nights You Dance Alone In Your Kitchen, Megan,”

Nick said, stepping closer. “That tells me you still have faith in your hopes and dreams. Let me in on them, sweet girl.”

Her hopes and dreams. Megan winced when she remembered that uppity speech she had delivered to Nick a decade ago about her hopes and dreams. How different her life had turned out.

“Nick, you just don’t understand.”

“No, I don’t,” he said. “But doesn’t it mean something to you that I want to?”

Then he closed his arms around her and rocked her gently in his embrace. Closing her eyes, she quietly acknowledged the truth to herself.

No one had ever held her like this. No one had ever made her feel so safe, yet so close to danger.

And it felt so good she never wanted to let go.

Dear Reader,

Hello’ For the past few months I’m sure you’ve noticed the new (but probably familiar) name at the bottom of this letter I was previously the senior editor of the Silhouette Romance line, and now, as senior editor of Silhouette Desire, I’m thrilled to bring you six sensuous, deeply emotional Silhouette Desire novels every month by some of the bestselling—and most beloved—authors in the genre.

January begins with The Cowboy Steals a Lady. January’s MAN OF THE MONTH title and the latest book in bestselling author Anne McAllister’s CODE OF THE WEST series. You should see the look on Shane Nichols’s handsome face when he realizes he’s stolen the wrong woman.. especially when she doesn’t mind being stolen or trapped with Mr. January one bit....

Wife for a Night by Carol Grace is a sexy tale of a woman who’d been too young for her handsome groom-to-be years ago, but is all grown up now.... And in Raye Morgan’s The Hand-Picked Bride, what’s a man to do when he craves the lady he’d hand-picked to be his brother’s bride?

Plus, we have Tall, Dark and Temporary by Susan Connell, the latest in THE GIRLS MOST LIKELY TO... miniseries; The Love Twin by ultrasensuous writer Patty Salier, and Judith McWilliams’s The Boss, the Beauty and the Bargain. All as irresistible as they sound!

I hope you enjoy January’s selections, and here’s to a very happy New Year (with promises of many more Silhouette Desire novels you won’t want to miss)!

Regards,

Melissa Senate

Senior Editor

Please address questions and book requests to:

Silhouette Reader Service

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

Canadian. P.O. Box 609, Fort Erie. Ont. L2A 5X3

Tall, Dark And Temporary

Susan Connell

www.millsandboon.co.uk

SUSAN CONNELL

has a love of traveling that has taken her all over the world—Greece, Spain, Portugal, Central and South America, to name just a few places. While working for the foreign service she met a U.S. Navy pilot, and eight days later they were engaged. Twenty-one years and several moves later, Susan, her husband, Jim, and daughter, Catherine, call the New Jersey shore home. When she’s not writing, her part-time job at a local bookstore, Mediterranean cooking and traveling with her family are some of her favorite activities. Susan has been honored by New Jersey Romance Writers with their coveted Golden Leaf Award. She loves hearing from her readers.

Cindy Gerard and Leanne Banks—

Recently Voted: The Friends Most Likely To

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Prologue

“Hey, girlfriend, who says you can’t go home again?”

Another warm wave of nostalgia washed over Megan Sloan at the spirited sound of her old high-school classmate. Megan was already smiling as she turned to face the woman walking toward her across the dimly lit dance floor.

“Unlike you, Rebecca, some of us never left,” Megan said, sharing a hug. “I’m so glad you made it back.”

“Me, too.” Rebecca Barnett reached out to run her hand through the curtain of crepe-paper streamers billowing behind them. “It’s hard to believe it’s been ten years since we graduated from this place.”

“Not if you squint a little. Try it. It’s like being back at the senior prom.”

Megan knew; she’d been stealing filtered looks back to the past since the first couple wandered out onto the dance floor over an hour ago. The silly thrill she experienced each time she did it was embarrassing. Or would have been if anyone knew what memories she was stirring up. But that’s what high-school reunions were all about. Reliving moments from another lifetime. At least, the good ones, she thought, glancing toward the red and white streamers.

She fidgeted with one of her earrings, then took a long, quiet breath before turning her attention back to Rebecca. The strikingly attractive brunette tilted her head and dutifully squinted for several seconds before turning a doubtful gaze to Megan.

“I don’t know, Meggie,” Rebecca said, a teasing reprimand in her tone. “As the person in charge of this reunion, you did one heck of a good job. But that’s not exactly Prom Night, Part Two going on out there.”

“And what’s not working for you?” Megan asked, pretending disbelief. “The fake French café? The golden oldies?”

Rebecca stepped closer. “John Canfield and Freddie Wagner,” she whispered behind the curled fingers of one hand.

Leave it to Rebecca to make her feel as if they were standing by their lockers exchanging high-school gossip once again. “What about them?” Megan asked, while somehow managing not to move her lips.

“Their hair,” Rebecca whispered. “How could they have lost so much of it in just one decade?”

Biting back a laugh, Megan managed to shrug. “You’ve been away a long time.”

“And while I’m dishing,” Rebecca said, leaning closer to deliver her critical, if not downright comical commentary, “what’s with Michelle Barante’s dress? It’s not exactly the purple satin slip thing she wore without a bra to the prom. She looks puffy tonight.”

“Well, you would, too, if you were dressing for three. She’s expecting twins.”

Rebecca delivered a deadpan stare, along with a slow and solemn nod. “That would explain it.”

“Let’s get Jade in on this.”

“Good idea,” Rebecca said as they reached out to close their hands around the wrist of the pretty redhead walking by them.

The faraway look in Jade Macleod’s eyes suddenly focused on Rebecca and then Megan. She ran a nervous hand over the waist of her black velvet cocktail dress. “Hi, you two. What’s happening?”

“We’re trying to time travel back to the prom, but reality keeps tripping us up.”

“Help us out here, Jade.”

After stealing a glance at her escort standing several yards away, Jade gave them a bewildered look. “Why would we want to do that? We’re doing exactly the same thing we did at the prom.”

Megan and Rebecca looked at each other and then at Jade.

“What are we doing?” they both asked.

Jade gave an exaggerated shiver. “We’re standing on the edge of the dance floor. Alone. Again. Without men.”

Shaking her head, Rebecca gave in to a lively burst of laughter. “She’s right, Meggie. We are back at the prom.” Jutting her chin toward a couple standing several yards away from them, she added, “Listen to that. Lily Magnusson is still arguing with her date.”

“I think that’s her fourth husband, Reb,” Jade said as the couple’s arguing got louder, “but my mother told me it’s impolite to count them after the second divorce.”

As Jade and Rebecca continued the high-spirited repartee, Megan blew softly through her lips as another memory wedged itself into the moment.

When she and Andy used to fight like that, she lived in constant fear that they would be overheard. Even though she’d been widowed over five years ago, she could still recite their arguments line for line. Closing her eyes, she pulled in a deep breath, then swallowed hard. She had looked forward to this reunion for months, and she wasn’t going to allow the memory of Andy Sloan to ruin it now that it was here.

“Hey, you two, I have some very good memories of prom night,” Megan said.

“You do?” Jade smiled encouragingly as she moved to face her. “We’re listening.”