“Sugar, where I come from, when a man is attracted to a woman, he lets her know by kissing her,” John Lee said. Letter to Reader Title Page PEGGY MORELAND Dedication Chapter One Chapter Two Chapter Three Chapter Four Chapter Five Chapter Six Chapter Seven Chapter Eight Chapter Nine Copyright
“Sugar, where I come from, when a man is attracted to a woman, he lets her know by kissing her,” John Lee said.
Before Merideth could stop him, he closed his mouth over hers.
The capture was so complete, so unexpected, she felt her knees weaken, her heart slam against her ribs.
“And sometimes even touching her,” he murmured against her mouth as he pulled her body against his.
Willing herself not to respond, she took in a shuddering breath. “If you think I’m going to spend the next several months playing nanny while being pawed by you, you’ve got another think coming.”
He drew his head back just far enough to meet her eyes. “You Yankees might call it pawing,” he said, his eyes burning into hers, “but down here in Texas, we call it something else....”
Dear Reader,
This month, Silhouette Desire is celebrating milestones, miniseries—and, of course, sensual, emotional and compelling love stories. Every book is a treasured keeper in Lass Small’s miniseries THE KEEPERS OF TEXAS, but this month, the continuation of this wonderful series about the Keeper family marks a milestone for Lass—the publication of her 50th book for Silhouette with The Lone Texan, also our MAN OF THE MONTH selection!
Desire is also proud to present the launch of two brand-new miniseries. First, let us introduce you to THE RULEBREAKERS, Leanne Banks’s fabulous new series about three strong and sexy heroes. Book one is Millionaire Dad—and it’s a story you won’t want to miss. Next, meet the first of a few good men and women in uniform in the passion-filled new series BACHELOR BATTALION, by Maureen Child. The first installment, The Littlest Marine, will utterly delight you.
Continuing this month is the next book in Peggy Moreland’s series TEXAS BRIDES about the captivating McCloud sisters, A Sparkle in the Cowboy’s Eyes. And rounding out the month are two wonderful novels—Miranda’s Outlaw by Katherine Garbera, and The Texas Ranger and the Tempting Twin by Pamela Ingrahm.
I hope you enjoy all six of Silhouette Desire’s love stories this month—and every month.
Regards,
Melissa Senate
Senior Editor Silhouette Books
Please address questions and book requests to:
Silhouette Reader Service U.S.: 3010 Walden Ave., P.O. Box 1325, Buffalo, NY 14269 Canadian: P.O. Box 609, Fort Erie, OnL L2A 5X3
A Sparkle In The Cowboy’s Eyes
Peggy Moreland
PEGGY MORELAND
published her first book with Silhouette in 1989 and continues to delight readers with stories set in her home state of Texas. Winner of the National Readers’ Choice Award, a nominee for the Romantic Times Reviewers’ Choice Award and a finalist for the prestigious RITA Award, Peggy has appeared on the USA Today and Waldenbooks bestseller lists. When not writing, she enjoys spending time at the farm riding her quarter horse, Lo-Jump, and competing in local barrel-racing competitions. She, her husband and their three children make their home in Round Rock, Texas.
To my good friend Willie Ferguson.
A survivor whose positive mental attitude inspires us all.
One
Merideth lay back against the warm stones, letting the sun seep into her skin to work its healing magic on her body, on her mind. A month had passed since she’d arrived at the Double-Cross Heart Ranch, battered and bruised, both physically and emotionally.
The bruises on her body had faded now, but those on her heart were still tender, a constant reminder of her loss. A son, she had been told, born much too early to survive.
Tears budded in her eyes and blurred the clouds drifting across the blue sky above her. She’d brought him home with her and buried him in the family plot next to her mother. Now they lay side by side—the mother she’d never known, and the child she would never hold. Placing him there had seemed fitting somehow, and it eased the ache a little, for she knew that her mother was in heaven to greet her grandson, to gather him close within her angel wings and to watch over him.
Merideth closed her eyes behind the dark sunglasses, squeezing back the tears. Even though she was home, back on the Double-Cross and surrounded by family, she felt so alone. So utterly and terribly alone. There was no child to lavish her love on, no husband with whom to share her grief. There was only Merideth. Merideth McCloud. Soap-opera star extraordinaire. The woman whose face and body men all over the world lust after... the same face and body that women all over the world despised her for. Her life-style was envied, her wealth whispered about over cocktails....
She almost laughed out loud.
She had no wealth. The life-style she’d chosen had robbed her of that. Clothes, jewelry, travel. The good life. That’s what she’d sought when she first moved to New York City. Fame, adoring fans, her name bandied about in gossip columns, linked with those of wealthy and handsome men. She’d wanted excitement, too, and adventure. And she’d had it all...but in retrospect it all seemed foolish, meaningless when stacked up against what she’d lost.
But regrets were senseless in Merideth’s opinion, and only a crutch used by the weak and foolish to atone for their mistakes. Merideth was neither weak nor foolish. She was a McCloud. She had the McCloud spirit, the McCloud pride. She was a fighter, a survivor. She’d suffered other tragedies in her life and triumphed. She’d survive this one, too.
But how? she wondered. She kept her money problems secret from her sisters. She knew that both Sam and Mandy would willingly give her the shirts off their backs if she