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The Makeover Takeover
Sandra Paul
To: Julia, Maggie, Jen, Sharon From: Lauren Date: 12/01RE: I'm not a pregnant virgin!You'll never believe what Rafe did today! He asked me if I was pregnant! Just because he suspected my flu was morning sickness. The worst of it is, as soon as I denied it, he looked relieved! He said he didn't really think it possible. Does he mean he doesn't believe anyone would want me enough to get me pregnant? Watch out, Rafe Mitchell, you drop-dead gorgeous bachelor. Because once you see the new and improved Lauren, you won't doubt any man would long for me!
“Lauren, about the other night…”
Rafe gave Lauren a rueful smile. “I’m sorry. I never intended to say what I did.”
To his surprise, she smiled back. “That’s okay. Forget about it,” she said, almost cheerfully. “Actually, you did me a favor.”
“I did?”
She nodded. “I thought over what you said, and I decided you were right.”
That should have been a good thing, yet Rafe suddenly felt wary. As if he were in the marines again, picking his way through a field full of land mines. “Right about what?” he asked cautiously.
“What you’re always telling me. That I need to develop some backbone. Set goals, get out more. That I should learn to fight for what I want.”
Rafe relaxed again, leaning back in his chair. He gave her an approving nod, pleased that she was finally taking his advice. “Good. Glad to hear it. So what is it that you decided you want?”
“A man.”
Dear Reader,
Celebrate the holidays with Silhouette Romance! We strive to deliver emotional, fast-paced stories that suit your every mood—each and every month. Why not give the gift of love this year by sending your best friends and family members one of our heartwarming books?
Sandra Paul’s The Makeover Takeover is the latest page-turner in the popular HAVING THE BOSS’S BABY series. In Teresa Southwick’s If You Don’t Know by Now, the third in the DESTINY, TEXAS series, Maggie Benson is shocked when Jack Riley comes back into her life—and their child’s!
I’m also excited to announce that this month marks the return of two cherished authors to Silhouette Romance. Gifted at weaving intensely dramatic stories, Laurey Bright once again thrills Romance readers with her VIRGIN BRIDES title, Marrying Marcus. Judith McWilliams’s charming tale, The Summer Proposal, will delight her throngs of devoted fans and have us all yearning for more!
As a special treat, we have two fresh and original royalty-themed stories. In The Marine & the Princess, Cathie Linz pits a hardened military man against an impetuous princess. Nicole Burnham’s Going to the Castle tells of a duty-bound prince who escapes his castle walls and ends up with a beautiful refugee-camp worker.
We promise to deliver more exciting new titles in the coming year. Make it your New Year’s resolution to read them all!
Happy reading!
Mary-Theresa Hussey
Senior Editor
The Makeover Takeover
Sandra Paul
www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)
Dedicated with love to Nikki and Dano. Thanks for all the help and encouragement.
Books by Sandra Paul
Silhouette Romance
Last Chance for Marriage #883
The Reluctant Hero #1016
His Accidental Angel #1087
The Makeover Takeover #1559
Silhouette Yours Truly
Baby on the Way
Mills & Boon Duets
Head Over Heels
Baby Bonus?
Moonstruck
SANDRA PAUL
married her high school sweetheart and they live in Southern California with their three children, their dog and their cat.
She loves to travel, even if it’s just several trips a month to her hometown bookstore. Bookstores are her favorite place to be.
Her first book with Silhouette Romance was the winner of RWA Golden Heart Award and a finalist for an RWA RITA Award.
KANE HALEY
Note to self: Who’s having my baby?
Trudy—hopeless romantic, office gossip, can’t keep a secret. If it’s not her, she might know who it is!
Lauren Connor—dates a lot, trying out new looks to impress her boss, was out sick with stomach flu. Hmm…
Sharon Davies—recently trapped in an elevator with a major client, blushes whenever he’s around, looking a little green lately. Could she be carrying my baby?
Leila—makes eyes at me. Is it more than a crush?
Maggie Steward—my personal assistant, wants children, clock is ticking. She would never go to a sperm bank!
Julia Parker—worries that her endometriosis could make her infertile. No man in her life. Definite sperm bank material!
Jennifer Martin—eight months pregnant. Is it her late fiancé’s baby? Is it mine?
WHEN THE LIGHTS WENT OUT…October 2001
A PREGNANT PROPOSAL November 2001
THE MAKEOVER TAKEOVER December 2001
LAST CHANCE FOR BABY January 2002
SHE’S HAVING MY BABY! February 2002
KANE HALEY, INC.
CHICAGO, IL
Contents
Chapter One (#ud84d098c-7a58-5698-a8e9-b5b9e33b610d)
Chapter Two (#u4de7997c-91c6-5915-8f09-a5fca3c50002)
Chapter Three (#u27e1b473-b343-5b95-bb61-61ba142636a9)
Chapter Four (#u0f8d1c91-2b32-59c7-af7e-50eb09fdb87e)
Chapter Five (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Six (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Seven (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Eight (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Nine (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Ten (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Eleven (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Twelve (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Thirteen (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Fourteen (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Fifteen (#litres_trial_promo)
Epilogue (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter One
“C’mon, Lauren.”
“No.”
“Why not? We have plenty of time….”
“No, we do not.” Sitting stiffly erect in her chair, Lauren Connor carefully avoided meeting her boss’s eyes across the wide expanse of his oak desk. Focusing on the slice of the Chicago skyline visible in the window beyond his broad shoulder, she added, “Mr. Haley might be here at any moment and the last thing I want is for the head of the company to catch us fooling around.”
“He’s not due for at least another thirty minutes—”
“Twenty.”
“Twenty then. That’s time enough.” Rafe Mitchell studied his secretary’s unrelenting expression, then coaxed, “C’mon, Lauren, it’ll help me relax. This Bartlett deal is really stressing me out.”
Unable to stop herself, Lauren stole a glance at his face. His dark eyes met hers, and her stomach flipped in a way that had nothing to do with the nausea that had been plaguing her all morning. Breaking away from that intent stare, she pushed her glasses higher on the bridge of her nose and let her gaze wander over him, trying to assess the truth of his claim.
He certainly didn’t look stressed. As usual, he was leaning back in his chair with his long legs stretched out in front of him and his hands thrust into the pockets of his custom-tailored gray suit. But maybe he was feeling the pressure. No one knew better than she how stressful working at the accounting firm of Kane Haley, Inc., could be, and heaven knew, as Vice-President of Mergers and Acquisitions, Rafe had more than his share of challenges.
On the other hand, no one else knew better than she did how good Rafe was at getting his own way. Even the absurdly hopeful expression he’d donned couldn’t hide the stubborn determination indelibly marked in the hard lines of his face. Rafe Mitchell was tough, and he looked it—from the tight, muscular build of his six-foot-tall body to the shrewd, cynical intelligence gleaming in his dark-brown eyes.
Catching a glimpse of amusement in their depths, Lauren’s spine stiffened even more. “Well, it doesn’t relax me,” she said, trying to make her soft voice sound firm and implacable. “All I end up with is a lot of frustration.”
“That won’t happen this time—I promise,” Rafe said quickly.
She looked at her notepad, pushing her glasses back up as they slipped down her nose again. She doodled on the paper, pretending to add more items to the list she’d made.
“I’ll even let you go first.”
Her pen faltered. To her inner disgust, Lauren could feel herself weakening. She bit her lip, trying not to give in.
His deep voice turned husky with persuasion. “Please, Laurie…”
The last of her resolution crumbled. In the three years she’d worked for Rafe, she never had been able to resist that half-demanding, half-coaxing tone—so why did she think today would be any different? Especially when she wasn’t feeling well enough to deal with him.
She slapped her notepad down on his desk. “All right—you win. I’ll play you one game—but just one! And for heaven’s sake, let’s make it quick.”
Triumph flashed across Rafe’s face, and he sprang to his feet. “Great! You sit at my desk. I’ll set things up.”
Lauren walked over and settled into his chair. The supple leather still retained the warmth from his body, and she sighed as the heat comforted her, helping to dispel the small shivers chasing along her limbs. Even the thick brown sweater and long wool skirt she was wearing weren’t helping much to keep her warm today.
She wrapped her arms around her middle as another pain tightened the muscles in her stomach. She couldn’t be coming down with the flu—not now. The niggling thought that it might be something else, something even more serious, she pushed right out of her mind. She didn’t have time to deal with any personal problems. There was too much work to be done. The meeting with Mr. Haley this morning, the future meetings she needed to set up to prepare for the Bartlett takeover. Contracts to get ready, decorations to plan for the company Christmas party—the list was endless. And right at the top of it was trying to handle a boss who insisted on wasting valuable time.
She watched Rafe as he paced off approximately seven feet on the plush cream carpet. He placed his empty trash can on the spot. Then he strode back toward her to retrieve a small orange hoop, complete with a net, from a drawer in his desk.
Lauren shook her head at the satisfaction on his face as he crouched to attach it to the rim of the can. “Don’t you ever get tired of playing these silly games?”
“Nope,” he answered, without bothering to look up from his task. “I like to win.”
“You’ll probably end up with ulcers,” Lauren told him morosely, the thought prompted by another wave of nausea. “You’re much too competitive.”
Rafe slanted his secretary an amused glance. If that wasn’t the pot calling the kettle black, he didn’t know what was. Lauren was competitive, too. She just didn’t know it.
