His Child. Delores Fossen
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The kiss had done funny things to her body
Jessie tried to blame those funny things on the pregnancy, but she knew it wasn’t her condition causing it. This was some kind of spooky attraction to a man she knew she shouldn’t be attracted to. There was just one problem. She didn’t know how to make it stop.
“Are you all right?”
She didn’t realize she’d been staring at him. And there was certainly a lot of him to stare at. Jeans, worn white in places she wished weren’t so obvious. A blue cotton shirt that showed nearly every muscle the man had.
“Have you felt the baby move?” He reached out and placed his hand over her abdomen. It was probably a mistake, but she looked at him again. Their gazes met. Held. That unwavering, almost pleading look in his eyes caused her breath to stall in her throat.
It was his child….
Dear Harlequin Intrigue Reader,
Welcome to a brand-new year of exciting romance and edge-of-your-seat suspense. We at Harlequin Intrigue are thrilled to renew our commitment to you, our loyal readers, to provide variety and outstanding romantic suspense—each and every month.
To get things started right, veteran Harlequin Intrigue author Cassie Miles kicks off a two-book miniseries with State of Emergency. The COLORADO SEARCH AND RESCUE group features tough emergency personnel reared in the shadows of the rugged Rocky Mountains. Who wouldn’t want to be stranded with a western-born hunk trained to protect and serve?
Speaking of hunks, Debra Webb serves up a giant of a man in Solitary Soldier, the next installment in her COLBY AGENCY series. And you know what they say about the bigger they come the harder they fall…. Well, it goes double for this wounded hero.
Ann Voss Peterson takes us to the darkest part of a serial killer’s world in Accessory to Marriage. The second time around could prove to be the last—permanently—for both the hero and heroine in this gripping thriller.
Finally, please welcome Delores Fossen to the line. She joins us with a moving story of forced artificial insemination, which unites two strangers who unwittingly become parents…and eventually a family. Do not miss His Child for an emotional read.
Be sure to let us know how we’re doing; we love to hear from our readers! And Happy New Year from all of us at Harlequin Intrigue.
Sincerely,
Denise O’Sullivan
Associate Senior Editor
Harlequin Intrigue
His Child
Delores Fossen
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Imagine a family tree that includes Texas cowboys, Choctaw and Cherokee Indians, a Louisiana pirate and a Scottish rebel who battled side by side with William Wallace. With ancestors like that, it’s easy to understand why Texas author and former air force captain Delores Fossen feels as if she was genetically predisposed to writing romances. Along the way to fulfilling her DNA destiny, Delores married an air force Top Gun who just happens to be of Viking descent. With all those romantic bases covered, she doesn’t have to look too far for inspiration.
CAST OF CHARACTERS
Jessie Barrett—Someone wants her dead. Jessie’s only hope is Jake McClendon—the biological father of her unborn child. But will the prominent Texas rancher help a woman he’s never even met?
Jake McClendon—Texas rancher turned politician. Could he trust Jessie—the mother of a child he desperately wants, but thought he could never have?
Abel Markham—Jake’s political opponent. A man with more ambition than ethics.
Douglas Harland—Jake’s brother-in-law and campaign manager. He wants nothing—including Jessie—getting in the way of the campaign.
Willa Harland—Jake’s socialite sister. Is she overly protective of her brother—or does she have a different reason for wanting Jessie out of his life?
Detective Byron DuCiel—Jessie’s best friend. Does he have his own personal agenda, or is he truly trying to help Jessie?
To my husband, Colonel Thomas Fossen,
who encourages me, inspires me and makes sure I keep my sense of wonder.
Contents
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
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter One
Jessie hid in the shadows and waited for him. By now, Jake McClendon probably thought she was dead. He wouldn’t be expecting her or the Saturday Night Special she had gripped in her hands.
He was in for a real surprise.
Not only was she still alive, she was here, armed and in his hotel suite. No guards or restraints to stop her now. One way or another, she would get answers.
The doorknob rattled, and she heard voices in the hall. So he wasn’t alone. Sweet heaven, could nothing go right? Jessie softly groaned and ducked behind the thick brocade drapes. She’d still be able to see him by looking in the mirror over the fireplace, but she wouldn’t confront him until the other person left. Best not to draw anyone else into this.
Pulling in a hard breath, she leaned back against the cool glass of the balcony door. It didn’t ease the throbbing in her head, nor did it loosen the muscles that burned in her shoulders and back. Her body was a tangle of nerves and spent adrenaline. The bone-weary fatigue didn’t help, either. She’d been fighting off the effects of exhaustion for hours now.
Or had it been days?
God, she didn’t even know how long it had been since she managed to escape from that warehouse. For that matter, she had no idea how long they had held her captive. All she knew was that the person responsible was about to come through that door. He would answer for what he’d done to her.
“It wasn’t smart to insult him.” The man pushed open the door and issued that crisp remark over his shoulder. “You need him and his clout.”
Glancing at his reflection in the mirror, she saw his blond hair. Definitely not Jake McClendon. McClendon’s photographs were standard fare in the local newspapers. There was no shortage of publicity shots for the Lone Star State’s golden boy and congressional candidate.
McClendon walked in behind the other man. “I can do without that kind of clout.” He had already removed the tux jacket and was working on the tie. He tugged at it as if it were fighting