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Ben peeled off his soaked T-shirt and all Ellie could do was stare.
“I’m sorry about that.” She dabbed at his bare chest with a paper towel, her fingers brushing against his muscular flesh. “I meant to warn you that Amy was playing with that soda can before putting it in the fridge.”
“It’s okay.”
But it wasn’t okay to be feeling what she was feeling when she touched him.
Yet she didn’t seem to be able to step away. Not yet. Her hands remained poised on his warm skin, her fingers splayed. His heart beat beneath her open palm.
Her gaze lifted to his. Standing this close she saw a faint scar running along the right side of his jaw. “How did you get this?” She ran her fingertips along his skin, noting the seductive friction caused by the roughness of his morning’s growth of beard.
“I fell when I was sixteen. Hit my jaw on the edge of a table and needed stitches.”
“You must have fallen pretty hard.”
“A bad habit of mine,” he murmured huskily. “I don’t fall often, but when I do, I fall hard.”
Dear Reader,
If you can’t beat the summer heat then join it! Come warm your heart with the latest from Silhouette Romance.
In Her Second-Chance Man (SR #1726) Cara Colter enchants us again with the tale of a former ugly duckling who gets a second chance with the man of her dreams—if only she can convince him to soften his hardened heart. Don’t miss this delightful story of love and miracles!
Meet Cinderella’s Sweet-Talking Marine (SR #1727) in the newest book in Cathie Linz’s MEN OF HONOR miniseries. This sexy soldier promised to take care of his friend’s sister, and he plans to do just that, even if it means marrying the single mom. A hero’s devotion to his country—and his woman—has never been sweeter!
Talk about a fantasy come to life! Rescued by the handsomest Native American rancher this heroine has ever seen definitely makes up for taking a wrong turn somewhere in Montana. Find out if her love will be enough to turn this bachelor into a husband in Callie’s Cowboy (SR #1728) by Madeline Baker.
Lilian Darcy brings us the latest SOULMATES title with The Boss’s Baby Surprise (SR #1729). Dreams of her handsome boss are not that strange for this dedicated executive assistant. But seeing the confirmed bachelor with a baby? She doesn’t believe it…until her dreams begin to come true!
We hope you enjoy the tender stories in this month’s lineup!
Mavis C. Allen Associate
Senior Editor
Cinderella’s Sweet-Talking Marine
Cathie Linz
Acknowledgments:
Special thanks to pun-meister Bill Phillips for his invaluable input on the fairy tales that my hero tells. You are brilliant as always!
Special thanks to my best friend De Patch for the drawing at the front of this book.
Books by Cathie Linz
Silhouette Romance
One of a Kind Marriage #1032
*Daddy in Dress Blues #1470
*Stranded with the Sergeant #1534
*The Marine & the Princess #1561
A Prince at Last! #1594
*Married to a Marine #1616
Sleeping Beauty & the
Marine #1637
*Her Millionaire Marine #1720
*Cinderella’s Sweet-Talking
Marine #1727
Silhouette Books
Montana Mavericks
“Baby Wanted”
Silhouette Desire
Change of Heart #408
A Friend in Need #443
As Good as Gold #484
Adam’s Way #519
Smiles #575
Handyman #616
Smooth Sailing #665
Flirting with Trouble #722
Male Ordered Bride #761
Escapades #804
Midnight Ice #846
Bridal Blues #894
A Wife in Time #958
†Michael’s Baby #1023
†Seducing Hunter #1029
†Abbie and the Cowboy #1036
Husband Needed #1098
CATHIE LINZ
left her career in a university law library to become a USA TODAY bestselling author of contemporary romances. She is the recipient of the highly coveted Storyteller of the Year Award given by Romantic Times and was recently nominated for a Love and Laughter Career Achievement Award for the delightful humor in her books.
Although Cathie loves to travel, she is always glad to get back home to her family, her various cats, her trusty computer and her hidden cache of Oreo cookies!
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