“You can’t deny you wanted me to touch you,” Rowe said.
His look made desire claw at her, tempting her anew. “I did want it, but I shouldn’t have,” Kirsten replied.
“Why not? Neither of us is married.” His glare intensified. “You’re not committed to anyone, are you? Is it Jeffrey’s father?”
The truth must have been reflected in her gaze because Rowe’s expression softened. “I should have thought of that before. Did he hurt you badly?”
Choosing her words with care, she said, “Jeffrey’s father never loved me.”
“And you didn’t find out until you were pregnant?” His long fingers tightened their grip. “I would never do such a thing to you, Kirsten.”
The savage intensity in his assertion made it difficult to remember that it was exactly what he had done to her sister.
Dear Reader,
October is bringing big changes in the Silhouette and Mills & Boon worlds. To strengthen the terrific lineup of stories we offer, Silhouette Romance will be moving to four fabulous titles each month.
Don’t miss the newest story in this six-book series—MARRYING THE BOSS’S DAUGHTER. In this second title, Her Pregnant Agenda (#1690) by Linda Goodnight, Emily Winters is up to her old matchmaking tricks. This time she has a bachelor lawyer and his alluring secretary—a single mom-to-be—on her matrimonial short list.
Valerie Parv launches her newest three-book miniseries, THE CARRAMER TRUST, with The Viscount & the Virgin (#1691). In it, an arrogant royal learns a thing or two about love from his secret son’s sassy aunt. This is the third continuation of Parv’s beloved Carramer saga.
An ornery M.D. is in danger of losing his heart to a sweet young nurse, in The Most Eligible Doctor (#1692) by reader favorite Karen Rose Smith. And is it possible to love a two-in-one cowboy? Meet the feisty teacher who does, in Doris Rangel’s magical Marlie’s Mystery Man (#1693), our latest SOULMATES title.
I encourage you to sample all four of these heartwarming romantic titles from Silhouette Romance this month.
Enjoy!
Mavis C. Allen
Associate Senior Editor, Silhouette Romance
The Viscount & the Virgin
Valerie Parv
To David and Judy,
Carramer citizens by right of friendship.
Books by Valerie Parv
Silhouette Romance
The Leopard Tree #507
The Billionaire’s Baby Chase #1270
Baby Wishes and Bachelor Kisses #1313
*The Monarch’s Son #1459
*The Prince’s Bride-To-Be #1465
*The Princess’s Proposal #1471
Booties and the Beast #1501
Code Name: Prince #1516
†Crowns and a Cradle #1621
†The Baron & the Bodyguard #1627
†The Marquis and the Mother-To-Be #1633
††The Viscount & the Virgin #1691
Silhouette Intimate Moments
Interrupted Lullaby #1095
Royal Spy #1154
VALERIE PARV
lives and breathes romance and has even written a guide to being romantic, crediting her cartoonist husband of nearly thirty years as her inspiration. As a former buffalo and crocodile hunter in Australia’s Northern Territory, he’s ready-made hero material, she says.
When not writing her novels and nonfiction books, or speaking about romance on Australian radio and television, Valerie enjoys dollhouses, being a Star Trek fan and playing with food (in cooking that is). Valerie agrees with actor Nichelle Nichols, who said, “The difference between fantasy and fact is that fantasy simply hasn’t happened yet.”
Contents
Chapter One
Kirsten Bond took a deep breath, tried to ignore the complaints her feet were making about the new shoes she had foolishly chosen to wear, and smiled broadly at the group clustered around her. This was the last tour of the day. As soon as it ended, she would close the door of her office, kick off the shoes and reward herself with a cool drink, she promised herself. She sneaked a glance at her watch. Only fifteen minutes to go.
She resisted the urge to groan aloud. Served her right for being seduced by five-inch heels and teensy black ankle straps that the sales person had assured her made her legs look fabulous. At five foot three, she wanted all the help the heels could provide, and had bought the shoes on impulse. She should have had the sense to break them in at home before wearing them to her job at the castle, where she was on her feet for a good part of the day.
Nevertheless, she was managing, managing, that is, until a tall, good-looking man attached himself to the back of the group. Of itself, there was nothing wrong with him choosing to participate. Tours of Merrisand Castle were free and people often joined in after the start if they’d arrived