The Lone Star Cinderella

The Lone Star Cinderella
Maureen Child

Dave Firestone needs a fake fiancée to seal a tough business deal, so he turns to housekeeper Mia Hughes who accepts Dave’s fantasy proposal.But, when their pretend romance turns into passionate nights, Dave isn’t ready to let Mia go! Can he negotiate a permanent arrangement?

A fake engagement at the Texas Cattleman’s Club? It must be a fairy tale from USA TODAY bestselling author Maureen Child!

Dave Firestone has no intention of getting married, but he’ll pretend anything if it means sealing a tough business deal for his ranch. Needing a spur-of-the-moment fake fiancée, he turns to housekeeper Mia Hughes. With her boss—and Dave’s business rival—missing and her paycheck on hold, she accepts Dave’s fantasy proposal. But when their pretend romance takes an unexpected turn into passionate nights, Dave isn’t ready to let Mia go. Can the smooth-talking businessman negotiate a more permanent arrangement?

“How long would we have to pretend?”

“Shouldn’t take more than a month.”

“A month as your fiancée.”

“Yeah.”

“No touching of any kind. No kissing—”

“Hold on.” David stopped her in midstream. “We have to convince this guy we’re a real couple. So there will be touching. And kissing. And there will be you looking at me with adoration.”

She laughed.

He frowned.

“Fine, fine,” she said, waving a hand at him. “I’ll be a good fiancée and the occasional touch or kiss—in public—is okay.”

“Then we have a deal.” He held out one hand to her and waited for her to take it.

Nodding, Mia slid her hand into his and couldn’t help feeling that just maybe she was swimming in waters way too deep for her.

* * *

The Lone Star Cinderella is part of the Texas Cattleman’s Club: The Missing Mogul series:

Love and scandal meet in Royal, Texas!

Dear Reader,

A continuity series is always an adventure! And doing not one, but two books in the same series is double the fun! I really enjoyed being able to explore two very different couples within the same continuity.

This book is all about Dave and Mia. Suspicion, need and a secret deal bring them together—but it’s the unexpected passion they find that turns everything upside down.

Life in Royal, Texas, is never boring. You’ll see old friends dropping in and meet new characters whose stories are just about to be told.

And through it all is the romance that sparks between Mia and Dave—two people who have no reason to trust each other, and every reason to surrender to the inevitable.

I really hope you enjoy this book as much as I did when I wrote it. Please stop by my website to check out the latest news and come and visit with me on Facebook! Until next time…

Happy Reading!

Maureen

maureenchild.com (http://maureenchild.com)

The Lone Star Cinderella

Maureen Child

www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)

MAUREEN CHILD writes for Mills & Boon

Desire

and can’t imagine a better job. Being able to indulge your love for romance as well as being able to spin stories just the way you want them told is, in a word, perfect.

A seven-time finalist for the prestigious Romance Writers of America RITA

Award, Maureen is the author of more than one hundred romance novels. Her books regularly appear on the bestseller lists and have won several awards, including the Prism, the National Readers’ Choice Award, the Colorado Romance Writers Award of Excellence and the Golden Quill.

Maureen believes that laughter goes hand in hand with love, so her stories are always filled with humor. The many letters she receives assures her that her readers love to laugh as much as she does.

Maureen is a native Californian, but has recently moved to the mountains of Utah. She loves a new adventure, though the thought of having to deal with snow for the first time is a little intimidating.

To Kate Carlisle and Jennifer Apodaca—great friends

and wonderful writers who helped keep me sane

during the writing of this book!

Contents

Chapter One (#u127cb409-4fe3-5e84-991e-66f119605bf7)

Chapter Two (#ue77380bf-199b-5bfd-b3bc-7932ff77b205)

Chapter Three (#u8d5cd122-afb2-528f-964c-02c27eb9d804)

Chapter Four (#litres_trial_promo)

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)