Barbara McMahon - Starting with a Kiss

Just because his hair looked as if she should brush it back from his forehead was no reason for her fingers to tingle with yearning. Just because his dark eyes gleamed when they glanced at her was no reason to want to have him stay when she really wanted him gone. Just because his lower lip was slightly fuller than his top lip was no reason for her own to tremble and yearn to feel that sensuous mouth move against her own.

When he looked at her, she blinked. She saw his sister looking at her expectantly. Had Greg said something Abby missed? Had she been caught examining him? Catching herself in the spell of his presence, she tried to ignore the sensations flooding her body.

He radiated sex appeal.

For the first time in her life Abby felt flushed with femininity; she felt sexy—almost alluring.

Dear Reader,

What if…? These two little words serve as the springboard for each romance novel that bestselling author Joan Elliott Pickart writes. “I always go back to that age-old question. My ideas come straight from imagination,” she says. And with more than thirty Silhouette novels to her credit, the depth of Joan’s imagination seems bottomless! Joan started by taking a class to learn how to write a romance and “felt that this was where I belonged,” she recalls. This month Joan delivers Her Little Secret, the next from THE BABY BET, where you’ll discover what if…a sheriff and a lovely nursery owner decide to foil town matchmakers and “act” like lovers….

And don’t miss the other compelling “what ifs” in this month’s Silhouette Special Edition lineup. What if a U.S. Marshal knee-deep in his father’s murder investigation discovers his former love is expecting his child? Read Seven Months and Counting… by Myrna Temte, the next installment in the STOCKWELLS OF TEXAS series. What if an army ranger, who believes dangerous missions are no place for a woman, learns the only person who can help rescue his sister is a female? Lindsay McKenna brings you this exciting story in Man with a Mission, the next book in her MORGAN’S MERCENARIES: MAVERICK HEARTS series. What happens if a dutiful daughter falls in love with the one man her family forbids? Look for Christine Flynn’s Forbidden Love. What if a single dad falls for a pampered beauty who is not at all accustomed to small-town happily-ever-after? Find out in Nora Roberts’s Considering Kate, the next in THE STANISLASKIS. And what if the girl-next-door transforms herself to get a man’s attention—but is noticed by someone else? Make sure to pick up Barbara McMahon’s Starting with a Kiss.

What if… Two words with endless possibilities. If you’ve got your own “what if” scenario, start writing. Silhouette Special Edition would love to read about it.

Happy reading!

Karen Taylor Richman,

Senior Editor

www.millsandboon.co.uk

To my Dad—for making so many times special and for always being there for me. I love you!

has made California her home since she graduated from the University of California (Berkely) way back when! She’s convinced she now has the perfect life, living on the western slopes of the Sierra Nevada Mountains, sipping lattes on her front porch while she watches the deer graze nearby, and playing “what if” with different story ideas. Even though she has sold over three dozen books, she says she still has another hundred tales to tell. Barbara also writes for Harlequin Romance. Readers can write to Barbara at P.O. Box 977, Pioneer, CA 95666-0777.

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

“This is going to be a total disaster!” Abigail Trent exclaimed, frowning at her reflection in the mirror, nerves churning. Taking a deep, slow breath, she tried to calm her jitters.

“Hey, you’re the one who said you wanted to make Jeb jealous,” her friend Kim said, aiming the hair spray at the back of Abby’s head. The hiss of the spray sounded before Abby replied. She held her breath as she was enveloped in the mist. She couldn’t deny Kim’s remark. When she’d first learned Jeb Stuart had stopped calling because he was seeing someone else, she’d been hurt, and furious. She’d thought they’d be heading for the altar one day. Instead, he was totally involved with someone else.

Stepping away from the mirror, she shook her head. “Do you think it’ll work? Even though I don’t look a bit like myself in this getup, I’m not sure it’s going to be enough. I wish I was a fabulous blonde with a figure to die for.” She frowned again. “What has me worried about tonight is I have no business accepting the donation. I’m not sure I should even be going to this presentation banquet. The hospital’s chief administrator should accept. Or the head of Internal Medicine, not some newly appointed doctor of pediatrics.”

“Carol’s family specifically asked for you,” Kim said gently.

Abby nodded, her eyes filling with tears. She missed her friend so much! It wasn’t fair. She’d died so young! Too young. She’d had her entire life ahead of her, until a drunk driver had ended it by ramming into her car.

“Don’t do that or all your makeup will run and we’ll have to start over,” Kim fussed, touching her shoulder in sympathy.

Abby looked up at the ceiling, blinking rapidly. “No time for that! Dr. Hastings will be here any second. And the last thing I plan to do is keep him waiting!”

Kim began to tidy all the bottles and containers she’d brought. “I can’t believe you’ve worked at the same hospital for six months and you still call him Dr. Hastings. Don’t you have any kind of informality there?”

“Not with him,” Abby said, stepping in front of the mirror again. The push-up bra gave her cleavage she’d never expected, and the painted-on dress displayed it for all the world to see. She tried to pull the dress up to a more modest level. Kim slapped her hand.

“Stop that. It’s fine.”

“I feel I’ve been poured into this thing. I’m not sure this was a good idea after all.” All her doubts and insecurities rose up to mock her.

“Hey, you wanted Jeb to see you in a different light. This is it. No scrubs, no lab coat, no jeans. Just pure Abby.”

“This does not look pure!”

Kim laughed. “Okay, then mysterious, sultry, sexy Abby. Jeb will eat his heart out.”

“I wish.” Sighing softly, Abby turned when the doorbell sounded. “Great, nemesis himself.”

“Why did you agree to go with Dr. Hastings if you don’t like him?”

“Politics, why else? When the chief of staff heard I didn’t have an escort, he insisted Dr. Hastings take me tonight. Who am I to argue with the head man? Being low on the totem pole, I need all the friends in high places I can get.”

She hurried from the bedroom when the second peal came. The high heels felt strange, the turquoise dress was definitely two sizes too small, and her teased and tousled hair wouldn’t move in a tornado, it had so much spray holding it. She wished she was spending the evening at home in comfy sweats.

Why had she ever concocted the idea of trying to compete with Jeb’s new love?

Taking another deep breath, she threw open the door, bracing herself for the onslaught of feelings she always experienced when she faced Greg Hastings. It didn’t seem to get easier, though she’d known him for six months.

She’d been in staff meetings with him. Seen him in the corridors dozens of times since she’d started working at Merrimac General Hospital—usually in the company of some nurse gushing in adoration. Not that it was hard to see what they found attractive.

Everything.

From his height, to the breadth of his shoulders, to the high cheekbones and dark, all-knowing eyes. Tanned as if he spent time outdoors and didn’t care about sunscreen, he always looked healthy and vital.

Tonight he looked perfect in the charcoal-gray suit, white shirt and deep maroon tie. But he looked equally wonderful when she’d seen him in the white lab coat he wore attending staff meetings, or even the rumpled scrubs after a day in surgery.

“Hi,” she said, trying to ignore the fluttering in her stomach that had suddenly grown worse. “I’ll just be a sec. Want to come in?” She turned, without waiting for an answer, and snatched up her evening purse and the coat she knew she’d need for San Francisco’s cool evenings.

Kim came out from the bedroom, her tote on her shoulder. “Have fun,” she said. Her eyes widened with interest when she spotted Greg Hastings.

He’d stepped inside and stood studying Abby’s apartment, or what he could see of it. Abby could imagine his disdain for her feminine furnishings. Not that she cared. She had more immediate things to worry about—like getting through tonight’s presentation. She could do it. Take the check that would be given by the Walker family’s attorney. Give her brief acceptance speech on behalf of the hospital. She could do that for her friend’s sake. She had to.

When Kim cleared her throat, Abby rushed into introductions.

“Kim, this is Dr. Hastings.” Abby motioned to Kim and said, “My neighbor, Kim Saunders.”

“Hello, Dr. Hastings, I’m pleased to meet you,” Kim said with a wide smile. She made it a point to cross the room and shake his hand.

Abby envied her friend’s walk. If she practiced for years, she’d never get that sexy sway. Was that what men wanted?

“Kim, a pleasure, and it’s Greg.” His deep voice seemed genuinely pleased to meet her. Abby looked at him, and wished he sounded half as pleased to see her when they met at the hospital.

“You take good care of Abby tonight, Greg,” she said flirtatiously.

“I’m ready,” Abby said, wishing she had her friend’s ease around men. But just being around Greg Hastings tied her tongue in knots and made her stomach feel as if a dozen butterflies were playing rugby.

Greg turned to her, letting his gaze run down the length of her. The slight amusement in his eyes flustered her even more. Was something wrong? Had Kim missed something?

Tilting his head to one side, he commented, “You look different from the way I’m used to seeing you at the hospital.”

“I couldn’t very well wear a lab coat,” she said shortly. But his look only increased her uncertainty about the appropriateness of her dress. Of her whole appearance. After years of concentrating on study and work, she felt like a novice in the social scene. Time to make changes. Starting tonight!

Raising her chin, she glared at him.

His lips twitched as if in amusement. “My car is downstairs.” Without another word, he stood aside for her to precede him out the door. Kim slipped through and waved.

“Tell me all about it tomorrow,” she called to Abby as she headed down the hall to her apartment.

In only moments Abby was seated in the luxurious interior of Greg Hastings’s silver Mercedes. He pulled away from the curb with ease and headed toward the downtown restaurant where the banquet was being held.