One Small Secret

One Small Secret
Meagan McKinney

THE LOVER SHE COULDN'T FORGET… Honor Shaw had never forgotten the passionate, sultry summer she'd spent in the arms of golden boy Mark Griffin. But then their time together ended, and maybe it was for the best. She was a simple country girl. He was in line to inherit his family's fortune.They'd both known all along it was strictly a summer romance… . Now Mark had unexpectedly returned home and seemed determined to recapture the love they'd shared. Honor knew she owed him the truth, but would Mark's desire for her be enough once he discovered the secret she'd kept for eight long years?

NATCHEZ GOSSIP COLUMN (#u65d9cd79-4b4e-5e98-9ead-2ce7c39055f0)Letter to Reader (#u0695da78-d484-555e-b96c-8e43598da2b9)Title Page (#u79ca8e53-9160-5f91-926a-be2c67313aac)MEAGAN McKINNEY (#u4dbdecf1-36ca-5f10-b883-1151c0e31c21)Dedication (#ue3c058fa-651d-5ee3-a205-5d8022b1da4d)Chapter One (#ua82f5867-7c5b-5e0c-a6f3-71e746ab770b)Chapter Two (#ub6dfcc5e-ecbc-57f7-b8b5-bedc01404d6e)Chapter Three (#ue6e67229-a07f-5167-9d22-f9a6958733ca)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)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)Copyright (#litres_trial_promo)

NATCHEZ GOSSIP COLUMN

Word has it that well-to-do Mark Griffin has returned home to reopen his family’s summer retreat, Blackbird Hall. Wonder how a certain bed-and-breakfast owner feels about the studly CEO popping back into her life. Rumor has it that these two shared one memorable summer eight years ago, and then Mark disappeared without a trace, leaving the proper country girl with a secret. Question is, what will Mark do once the unknown has been revealed?

Dear Reader,

Why not sit back and relax this summer with Silhouette Desire? As always, our six June Desire books feature strong heroes and spirited heroines who come together in a highly passionate, emotionally powerful and provocative read.

Anne McAllister kicks off June with a wonderful new MAN OF THE MONTH title, The Stardust Cowboy. Strong, silent Riley Stratton brings hope and love into the life of a single mother.

The fabulous miniseries FORTUNE’S CHILDREN THE BRIDES concludes with Undercover Groom by Merline Lovelace, in which a sexy secret agent rescues an amnesiac runaway bride. And Silhouette Books has more Fortunes to come, starting this August with a new twelve-book continuity series, THE FORTUNES OF TEXAS.

Meanwhile, Alexandra Sellers continues her exotic SONS OF THE DESERT series with Beloved Sheikh, in which a to-die-for sheikh rescues an American beauty-in-jeopardy. One Small Secret by Meagan McKinney is a reunion romance with a surprise for a former summer flame. Popular Joan Elliott Pickart begins her new miniseries, THE BACHELOR BET, with Taming Tall, Dark Brandon. And there’s a pretend marriage between an Alpha male hero and blue-blooded heroine in Suzanne Simms’s The Willful Wife.

So hit the beach this summer with any of these sensuous Silhouette Desire titles ... or take all six along!

Enjoy!

Joan Marlow Golan

Senior Editor, Silhouette Desire

Please address questions and book requests to:

Silhouette Reader Service

U S.: 3010 Walden Ave., P.O. Box 1325, Buffalo, NY 14269

Canadian PO. Box 609, Fort Erie, Ont L2A 5X3

One Small Secret

Meagan McKinney

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

MEAGAN McKINNEY

is the author of over a dozen novels of hardcover and paperback historical and contemporary women’s fiction. In addition to romance, she likes to inject mystery and thriller elements into her work. Currently she lives in the Garden District of New Orleans with her two young sons, two very self-entitled cats and a crazy red mutt. Her favorite hobbies are traveling to the Arctic and, of course, reading!

To the patron saint of lost causes...

One

“We were told this place was private.” The man smirked slightly to the man standing next to him, then straightened his acid-green tie. “We don’t want to see nobody. That’s why we wanted to stay here.”

Honor Shaw looked at the man in the dark suit, not sure how she should react. She’d run a profitable bed and breakfast for eight years by always putting the guests first. But this guy, with his thick Brooklyn accent and malevolent stare, just didn’t seem the type to desire a long, hot weekend in the South’s premier antebellum tourist mecca. And he was demanding a lot.

She cleared her throat, then smiled. “I have five rooms here, sir, and certainly, I’m always glad to accommodate a private party, but I was told you and Mr.—” she took a quick glance at her reservation book but no names were listed yet “—ah, that you and your companion would only require two rooms.”

The man straightened his tie again but stayed silent.

“The spring is a very busy time here in Natchez,” she said apologetically. “The azaleas are blooming, and everyone in the world wants to come here and see our fine mansions.” She picked up the phone at the desk. “I’m really so sorry you’ve been disappointed, but perhaps I can call the Pilgrimage and see if someone at one of the private homes might let out a guest house.”

“No.”

Honor lowered her gaze to the hand that covered hers. A strange chill ran down her spine. Slowly she put down the receiver.

“We’ll stay here. We don’t want no private home-owner snooping around our stuff.”

She took a deep, calming breath. This was how it was when one dealt with the public. People could be polite and friendly or they could be difficult, neurotic and rude. Either way, she told herself, she was a pro. Though she’d only been on this earth twenty-seven years, she’d handled a lot in that short time, including the death of her mother and becoming a single parent. Honor Shaw, of the Shaws of Natchez, could certainly handle an unruly guest without chasing away business.

“I can assure you, we’ll do everything to make your stay as comfortable as possible. I have adjoining rooms in the attic, and that way you’ll hardly bump into any of our other guests. Have you much luggage?” She smiled and handed the man a pen and the register.

“No,” he answered.

“Well, Mr...Metz,” she read, then looked up, “I serve a big Southern breakfast on the veranda between eight and ten. Just let me get an impression of your credit card and I’ll show you gentlemen to your rooms.”

Metz whipped out a platinum card. Honor imprinted it and handed it back. Keys in hand, she nodded pleasantly. “This way.”

The two men followed her, their only luggage an awkward, oversize, black nylon duffle bag.

Once back at the desk, Honor looked at the register again. Larry Metz and Jack Kehher. Home address: Miami. She would never have guessed it. The two looked like they’d just stepped out of a New York Checker cab.

“Boo!”

Honor jumped, then turned around and hugged the eight-year-old girl who’d come up behind her. She’d been so engrossed in her thoughts, she hadn’t even noticed Lockey sneak up on her.

“What’re you doing, Mom?” Lockey asked as she plunked down her backpack onto the antique mahogany sideboard that served as the B&B’s reservation desk.

“Not much. How was school?” Honor swept her hand across Lockey’s brow. The girl smiled and hugged her again.

Everyone said mother and daughter were like clones, both blond, blue-eyed, petite. But Honor saw another in her daughter, especially when the child smiled. Lockey’s grin would start at the right corner and grow from there. After more than eight years away from that grin, Honor still remembered, and the memory of it could pierce her heart.

“Barton Phelps is still teasing me, even after Ms. Gibbons told him not to,” Lockey said with all the fabulous drama of a second-grader. “I hate him, Mommy. I really do. I’m sorry.”

Honor melted, as she always did with her daughter. “Look, it just sounds like Barton Phelps is a little boy with a crush on you, love. I’d just forget him. He’ll go away if you ignore him.”

Lockey looked at her mom in horror. “You mean he likes me? Yeeek!” She ran around the foyer, shaking her hands in disgust.

Honor laughed. But the fun was cut short the second Lockey ran into the black-suited form of Larry Metz and his companion, who appeared at the rear entrance.

Lockey took a step back as if by instinct. On the same impulse, Honor pulled her daughter to the reservation desk and stepped in front of her.