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Rebecca Winters has written over forty-five books for Harlequin Romance® and is an internationally bestselling author. Her wonderfully unique, sparkling stories continue to be immensely popular with readers around the world.
Praise for REBECCA WINTERS:
About The Prince’s Choice
“Rebecca Winters…is pure magic.”
—Romantic Times
About Claiming His Baby
“Rebecca Winters creates an extraordinary tale with a majestic setting…and a strong emotional conflict.”
—Romantic Times
Every woman has dreams—deep desires, all-consuming passions, or maybe just little everyday wishes! In this brand-new miniseries from Harlequin Romance® we’re delighted to present a series of fresh, lively and compelling stories by some of our most popular authors—all exploring the truth about what women really want.
Step into each heroine’s shoes as we get up close and personal with her most cherished dreams…big and small!
Is she a high-flying executive…but all she wants is a baby?
Has she met her ideal man—if only he wasn’t her new boss…?
Is she about to marry, but is secretly in love with someone else?
Or does she simply long to be slimmer, more glamorous, with a whole new wardrobe?
Whatever she wants, each heroine finds happiness on her own terms—and unexpected romance along the way. And she’s about to discover whether Mr. Right is the answer to her dreams—or if he has a few questions of his own!
This month enjoy The Forbidden Marriage by Rebecca Winters.
And look out for more stories in the WHAT WOMEN WANT! miniseries, coming soon!
The Forbidden Marriage
Rebecca Winters
CONTENTS
CHAPTER ONE
CHAPTER TWO
CHAPTER THREE
CHAPTER FOUR
CHAPTER FIVE
CHAPTER SIX
CHAPTER SEVEN
CHAPTER EIGHT
CHAPTER NINE
CHAPTER TEN
EPILOGUE
CHAPTER ONE
MICHELLE HOWARD had just reached the second floor of her brother’s Spanish-styled home in Riverside, California, when she saw her niece Lynette come out of the guest bedroom at the other end of the hall.
As soon as their eyes met, the eighteen year old brunette jumped. “Aunt Michelle—what are you doing here?”
Michelle had probably frightened her niece who’d thought no one else was in the house besides Zak. Maybe that was the reason she’d sounded faintly accusatory just now.
“I was about to ask you the same question. Your mom said you had classes at college this morning.”
“Only one on Thursdays. It starts at eleven.”
Michelle glanced at her watch. “Considering the heavy traffic, you’d better hurry if you want to get there on time.”
Lynette’s pretty features hardened. “I think I can manage my own life, thank you.”
Both Graham and Sherilyn had been complaining about their only daughter’s change of attitude. It had come on over the summer. According to them she’d turned into someone defensive and difficult.
After this experience Michelle was beginning to understand what they meant. Lynette was behaving like a different girl. Michelle had never known her to be outright rude before.
“Forgive me, honey. I didn’t mean anything by it. I’m sorry.” With two ice bags and her blood pressure case tucked in one arm, she gave her niece a hug with the other, but Lynette barely reciprocated.
Puzzled, Michelle stepped back. Looping a strand of neck length ash blond hair behind her ear she said, “Your mother asked me to come over and check up on your uncle Zak while she did some grocery shopping.”
Her niece’s expression remained mutinous. “I am capable of waiting on him.”
“I know. It’s just that she’s an anxious sister who wanted my medical assessment of her brother’s condition this morning.”
“He wouldn’t be out of the hospital if he weren’t getting better,” Lynette said on a sarcastic note. “I’m almost nineteen, but everyone around here still thinks of me as an adolescent. You can be damn sure my parents never treated Zak like this!” Her brown eyes flashed in anger.
Michelle winced because she’d never heard Lynette so upset she’d swear in front of her. “I think it has more to do with the fact that your uncle Zak was already nine years old when my brother married your mom.”
Even at nine, Zak had been a law unto himself. Michelle remembered back to those early days when her brother Graham had worked so hard to win Sherilyn’s aloof younger brother around without coming across like a heavy handed stepfather type.
It had paid off. They had a great relationship as brothers-in-law now.
“Why do you insist on calling him my uncle? There’s no blood tie between us.”
Lynette, Lynette.
Her niece’s bizarre behavior was finally beginning to make sense. The stretch from teen to adult could be a very confusing, painful time.
“Come on, Aunt Michelle. You know it’s true. First his birth parents abandoned him and he lived in foster homes. Then Mom’s parents adopted him and then they got killed. By the time I started kindergarten, Zak was already in high school. I hardly ever saw him.”
“Nevertheless he’s your uncle, and that makes him a member of your family,” Michelle reminded her. “After Graham married your mom, they raised him and me with all the love two people possibly could. Zak and I were so lucky to have an older brother and sister who provided a stable home for us with both of our parents dead.”
Naturally
