Debbi Rawlins - To Love An Older Man

David glanced around and raked a nervous hand through his hair. “This isn’t the place to have this discussion.”

“No denial?” A grin tugged at Beth’s mouth. “Well, that’s progress.”

“Don’t get any ideas.” He pressed the remote and unlocked the car doors.

“Too late.” She laughed when he rolled his gaze heavenward, and reached for her door handle. And then he muttered something about the impulsiveness of youth. She stopped, thought a moment.

Impulsive, huh? She’d show him impulsive.

She opened the door, flung her purse onto the passenger seat, and then before he could climb in, went around the hood and threw her arms around his neck. He stumbled back in surprise, his hands going to her waist.

She smiled up at his shocked face. “How’s this for impulsive?” And she kissed him.

Dear Reader,

What better way to celebrate June, a month of courtship and romance, than with four new spectacular books from Harlequin American Romance?

First, the always wonderful Mindy Neff inaugurates Harlequin American Romance’s new three-book continuity series, BRIDES OF THE DESERT ROSE, which is a follow-up to the bestselling TEXAS SHEIKHS series. In the Enemy’s Embrace is a sexy rivals-become-lovers story you won’t want to miss.

When a handsome aristocrat finds an abandoned newborn, he turns to a beautiful doctor to save the child’s life. Will the adorable infant bond their hearts together and make them the perfect family? Find out in A Baby for Lord Roderick by Emily Dalton. Next, in To Love an Older Man by Debbi Rawlins, a dashing attorney vows to deny his attraction to the pregnant woman in need of his help. With love and affection, can the expectant beauty change the older man’s mind? Sharon Swan launches her delightful continuing series WELCOME TO HARMONY with Home-Grown Husband, which features a single-mom gardener who looks to her mysterious and sexy new neighbor to spice up her life with some much-needed excitement and romance.

Best,

Melissa Jeglinski

Associate Senior Editor

Harlequin American Romance

To Love an Older Man

Debbi Rawlins

www.millsandboon.co.uk

This is for Bernadette, my partner in crime. I’m still waiting for you to write the next chapter.

Debbi Rawlins currently resides with her husband in Las Vegas, Nevada. A native of Hawaii, she married on Maui and has since lived in Cincinnati, Chicago, Tulsa, Houston, Detroit and Durham, N.C., during the past twenty years. Now that she’s had enough of the gypsy life, it’ll take a crane, a bulldozer and a forklift to get her out of her new home. Good thing she doesn’t like to gamble. Except maybe on romance.

HARLEQUIN AMERICAN ROMANCE

580—MARRIAGE INCORPORATED

618—THE COWBOY AND THE CENTERFOLD

622—THE OUTLAW AND THE CITY SLICKER

675—LOVE, MARRIAGE AND OTHER CALAMITIES

691—MARRY ME, BABY

730—THE BRIDE TO BE…OR NOT TO BE?

741—IF WISHES WERE…HUSBANDS

780—STUD FOR HIRE?

790—OVERNIGHT FATHER

808—HIS, HERS AND THEIRS

860—LOVING A LONESOME COWBOY

881—HIS ROYAL PRIZE

927—TO LOVE AN OLDER MAN

HARLEQUIN INTRIGUE

587—HER MYSTERIOUS STRANGER

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

Chapter Seventeen

Epilogue

“Hey, Boss, it’s eight-thirty. Aren’t you ready to pack it up for the night?”

David Elliot Matthews looked up from his day planner at one of the firm’s younger lawyers poking his blond head in David’s office. “What are you still doing here?”

Todd shrugged. “Jason and I have the Sandburg’s Metal fraud trial coming up next week. We’re trying to get a head start on the case.”

“Any problems?”

“No. Everything is under control,” Todd said quickly, tugging at his loosened tie. “We just want to be prepared.”

David suppressed a smile. They were young, only two years out of law school, and eager to make a good impression. As soon as he set foot in his private elevator, they’d head for Houlihan’s bar on the first floor.

Fourteen years had passed since he graduated from law school himself, but he remembered those days when Houlihan’s had just opened. His father had been head of the firm then, and found no amusement in the fact that his only son would rather party than practice law.

David Sr.’s first heart attack had been a sobering wake-up call for David. The second fatal attack changed David’s life forever.

“Why don’t you two go home? I’m headed out myself in a minute.” His gaze drew to his day planner. Appointments filled page after page. He couldn’t remember when he’d been able to eat a quiet lunch at his desk. Even the noon hours were blocked for meetings with the mayor, the chairperson of one charity or another, or perspective clients.

They always ate at Star Bistro or the St. Francis hotel. Damn if he could recall what a Big Mac tasted like.

“Yeah, we’ll be wrapping it up soon.” He glanced at his watch. “Have a good one.”

“See you tomorrow.” David had already transferred his gaze to his day planner. Only five appointments tomorrow. Maybe he’d have time to get on the treadmill for an hour.

He got up and stretched, and then picked his suit jacket up off the valet. Pausing a moment, he stared out at the lights across Fisherman’s Wharf. San Francisco was his favorite city in the world.

Paris was beautiful in the spring and Athens possessed a certain magical quality at night. But there was no place like San Francisco for David. Not just because he’d grown up here. In fact, there were times when the prominent Matthews name made the city a difficult place to live, especially during his rebellious youth.

He shrugged on his jacket and watched the fog roll in. Another ten minutes and the glittering lights and the moon’s reflection on the water would be shrouded with the thick damp haze. He didn’t mind. There was something comforting and peaceful about the fog.

David grabbed his briefcase and a bottle of Evian from the wet bar for the ride home. His private elevator waited, and while he rode to the garage, he mentally ticked off the three briefs he had to review tonight. By tomorrow morning he had to…

The day planner—he’d left it on his desk.

Dammit.

His reserved parking stall was just outside the elevator doors and he pressed the button to unlock his car and then threw his briefcase onto the passenger seat. He hesitated, trying to decide how badly he needed the day planner.

Shaking his head, he locked the car doors again and then took the elevator back up.

He’d left his office door open for the cleaning crew and the light from the corridor was enough for him to get to his desk without breaking his neck. The day planner was still open right where he’d left it. He picked it up and then straightened his desk blotter when he heard a loud angry voice.

He stopped and listened. It wasn’t Todd or Jason…David figured they’d left the moment they heard his elevator earlier. But as far as he knew, no one else was here.

Concerned, he moved closer to the door. He recognized the voice. Tom Snyder was their newest hire, a young lawyer only a year out of law school. Who the hell could he be talking to in that harsh tone? The guy was usually so well mannered.

David angled himself to get a better view. They were standing just outside Tom’s door, Snyder and a young woman. Although David got only a shot of her profile, she looked barely out of her teens, her dark blond hair pulled back into a ponytail, her rumpled coat a size too big. With a trembling hand, she pushed stray tendrils of hair away from her flushed face.

“I don’t want you here, Beth.” Tom glared at the woman, his face darkened with rage. “Go back to Rock Falls.”

“You know I can’t do that,” she said in a small defeated voice.

“I’ll give you bus fare, but nothing more.”

She wrapped her arms around herself. “You act as though I’m asking for a handout. It’s my money, Tommy. You said you needed it for us, that once you had the right clothes and car and your career took off we could get married and I could go back to school.”

“But you ruined it, didn’t you? I told you I didn’t want any kids tying me down. But you got yourself knocked up.”

“You know it was an accident.” She visibly swallowed but lifted her chin. “Besides, I seem to remember your participation.”

Tom cursed viciously. “Go back to Idaho.”

“Believe me, I don’t want to stay here. Not with you.” She shook her head. “You’ve changed, Tommy. I don’t even know you anymore.”

“And you haven’t. You’re still the idealistic little girl who thinks all is right with the world as long as your apple pie wins the blue ribbon.”

She flinched. “Please give me some of the money, Tommy. Just enough to go get set up somewhere. I don’t care about the rest. You don’t have to pay me back. You’ll never have to see the baby or me again.”

David let out a breath, tamping down his growing anger. This was none of his business. He had no right eavesdropping. He never interfered in his employees’ personal lives. He wouldn’t start now, even though he’d like nothing better than to plant his fist in the middle of Snyder’s arrogant face.

He had to leave. The feelings stirred inside him weren’t about the young woman’s plight as much as they were about David’s own tumultuous youth, about the grave mistake he’d made almost twenty years ago.

“Did I say I’d pay you back?” Tom asked, drawing David’s attention back to the drama outside his office. “I thought the money was a gift.”

“Tommy, please, I don’t have anywhere to go tonight. Even if you don’t care about me, you can’t let our baby suffer.”

“Use your credit card.”

“You’ve maxed it out.”

“So this is my fault again.” Tom swore and paced the corridor. “I don’t have any money. I don’t get paid for another week. Can’t you get an advance from your job?”

“You got me fired, remember?”

He stopped and glared, his face distorted with fury. “Dammit, Beth, can’t you accept responsibility for anything?”

Her mouth dropped open. She started to speak but then pressed her lips together and sadly shook her head.

“Go back to Idaho where big brother will make everything all right.” Tom sneered. “Back to the farm where you belong.”

“This isn’t fair,” she said, clutching her fists. “I’m only asking for what’s mine.”

“Life isn’t fair. Haven’t you figured that out yet?” He glanced at his watch. “Now I suggest you get out of here, which is what I’m about to do. I’d hate to have to call security.”

David stepped back. The woman didn’t appear to be in danger, which meant David had no business interfering. Making certain he had his day planner, he got in the elevator and headed for the garage.

He didn’t know Tom Snyder well. Most of their interaction had occurred during the interviewing process, but he knew enough about the young man to be shocked by his behavior. David wasn’t keen on having anyone of that ilk working for his firm. He had every intention of keeping a close eye on the guy. If he stepped out of line once, he was gone. Legally that was about the best he could do for now.