Marrying Marcus

Marcus unexpectedly reached out and ran his thumb over her lower lip.

Her eyes locked with his, and a jolt of sexual awareness coursed through her, leaving her breathless and dizzy.

Marcus’s eyes had darkened, and she could see a tiny muscle twitch near his jaw. Then he smiled and, without taking his eyes from her, snaked his arm along the padded back of the couch, letting it lie there, his fingers just touching her shoulder.

“Nice?” he said softly.

Jenna couldn’t speak. That light touch scorched. She couldn’t recall ever being so acutely aware of another human being. When his thigh brushed against hers, she bit down hard on her lip.

This is Marcus, she said to herself, dazed. She’d never felt like this about him—about anyone….

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

www.millsandboon.co.uk

Books by Laurey Bright

Silhouette Romance

Tears of Morning #107

Sweet Vengeance #125

Long Way from Home #356

The Rainbow Way #525

Jacinth #568

Marrying Marcus #1558

Silhouette Special Edition

Deep Waters #62

When Morning Comes #143

Fetters of the Past #213

A Sudden Sunlight #516

Games of Chance #564

A Guilty Passion #586

The Older Man #761

The Kindness of Strangers #820

An Interrupted Marriage #916

Silhouette Intimate Moments

Summers Past #470

A Perfect Marriage #621

The Mother of His Child #918

LAUREY BRIGHT

has held a number of different jobs, but has never wanted to be anything but a writer. She lives in New Zealand, where she creates the stories of contemporary people in love that have won her a following all over the world.

Contents

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter One

Anticipation sizzling in her blood, Jenna Harper scanned the passengers from the recently landed Los-Angeles-to-Auckland flight. Backpackers in jeans and boots, business people in tailored suits, parents with tired-eyed children, a middle-aged couple whose grandchildren swarmed to them as they appeared from the customs area.

Among those waiting at the arrivals gate, Pacific Islanders in flower-patterned prints, and an Indian woman’s butterfly-wing sari, created splashes of early-morning color.

By Jenna’s side her best friend, Katie Crossan, shifted impatiently from one foot to the other. Katie’s sister, Jane, hitched her youngest into her arms while her husband restrained the older two, who were becoming restless.

“When’s Uncle Dean coming?” the four-year-old demanded.

“Soon,” his grandmother assured her.

The entire Crossan family had turned out to welcome Dean home. Even Marcus, his elder brother.

Jenna wondered if Marcus would have come if Katie hadn’t begged him to drive her and Jenna to the airport at Mangere.

He stood a little aside from the rest of the tightly knit group, taller than any of them, including his father. Dark hair was ruthlessly combed back from his angular, intelligent face; his hands were thrust into the pockets of gray-green trousers, which he wore with a cream shirt.

He turned his head a fraction and caught Jenna looking at him. One black brow lifted slightly, and then a corner of his long, firm mouth. His storm-cloud eyes were disconcertingly penetrating.

Jenna gave him a nervous smile, flicked a strand of fine, light-brown hair from her cheek to behind her ear and looked away, searching the next wave of arrivals.

Marcus was older than Katie and Dean, the twins who were born when he was nearly six and Jane five.

Katie and Jenna had agreed that although they’d miss Dean like crazy, the scholarship that had taken him away for four years to America would give him the chance to move out of Marcus’s formidable shadow. But the waiting had been hard.

Marcus saw him first. “Here he comes.”

Katie broke away from the group, shrieking Dean’s name before her arms circled his neck and he caught her, swinging her off her feet.

The children, suddenly shy of this stranger, hung about Jane, impeding her and her husband as they too pressed forward.

Jenna couldn’t help a smile of pure joy, bubbles of it bursting inside her like champagne, but she made herself wait. As soon as the family greetings were over, Dean would look for her. And she enjoyed just drinking in the sight of him.

He was not as tall as his brother, but his hair was nearly as dark and had a nice wave. His features were regular and his eyes a warm blue. Film-star looks. And when he saw his family, his face showed unashamed affection that to Jenna’s eyes made him even more handsome.

Mr. Crossan gave him a quick hug, Mrs. Crossan wiped a tear after hugging him in her turn, the three children clustered around Jane as she kissed her younger brother’s cheek, and her husband clapped him on the shoulder.

Jenna took a step forward, then halted when the tall, tanned blonde behind Dean, whom she had assumed was another passenger patiently waiting for the family to move out of the way, went to his side. Unbelievably he turned to put an arm about her.

It was like a slow-motion movie. Jenna’s mouth dried, her blood froze. She was almost suffocating, standing immovable as a puzzled hush settled on the group just yards away.

Dean smiled down at the girl and said happily to his family, “This is Callie—we’re getting married.”

Chapter Two

The world stopped for Jenna, although all about her people were moving, calling out to others, hugging and kissing, helping to push carts piled high with luggage.

The family came to life. Katie squealed, punched Dean’s chest. “You didn’t tell us!” His mother gave Dean another hug, embraced the girl and kissed her cheek. His father shook her hand, then Dean’s.

Dean hadn’t even looked at Jenna.

Everything around her faded and turned gray, and the jumble of sounds became muffled. She was numb.

A hard hand closed about her arm, so tight that it hurt. And she was glad, because she needed something to persuade her she could still feel. Marcus’s deep voice next to her ear said, “Do you want me to get you out of here?”

Yes, she thought, but said thinly, when her woolly tongue found itself, “No.” He couldn’t abandon his family. “Of course not. You…h-haven’t said hello to your brother.”

She dragged her eyes from Dean and saw that Marcus was looking extremely grim, his gaze on his brother’s face not welcoming at all. He returned his attention to her. “Neither have you. Are you up to it?”

Overwhelming embarrassment and panic gripped her. Maybe she was going to be sick. Afraid to open her mouth again, she tried to nod.

“You look as though you’re about to fall over,” Marcus said bluntly.

Jenna gritted her teeth, forcing out words. “I won’t.” She held her breath, hoping to bring some color into her cheeks.

The group around Dean was surging toward her and Marcus. He didn’t let go of her arm as Dean saw them and bounded over, abandoning the baggage cart.

Jenna molded her lips into something approximating a smile and instructed herself to breathe again. Marcus had moved ahead of her, his free hand outstretched so that Dean had to stop and take it, giving Jenna a little more time.

Marcus said unemotionally, “Hi, Dean. Congratulations. And welcome home.”

“Thanks.” Dean’s other hand gripped his arm. “You haven’t changed a bit, Marc.”

Behind him, Katie shot Jenna an anxious look. Then Dean turned to Jenna and held his arms wide, eclipsing his sister. “Hi, Jen! Sweet of you to turn out at this time of the morning. How are you?”

He hugged her, not seeming to notice that her own arms hung lifelessly at her sides. “You have to meet Callie,” he said.

She supposed she did.

Stepping back, she almost collided with Marcus, her shoulder touching his chest, but he didn’t move. And neither did she, buttressed by the solid feel of him right behind her.

She turned the hurting smile to the girl’s face. “How nice to meet you.”

“You too.” Callie had a warm American accent, a genuine smile. “I’ve heard a lot about you.”

What? her mind asked frantically. What did Dean say about me? Did he tell you I’ve been stupidly in love with him since we were children? That I thought he would come back and marry me? That next to Katie and his mother I thought I was the person he was closest to in all the world?

“Katie’s best friend,” Callie said, “and roommate—except here you call it a flatmate.” She screwed up her nose and laughed. “Isn’t that right?”

“Yes.” Jenna couldn’t say any more. She wanted to scream, cry—run. Pride kept her upright, smiling.

Callie looked at Marcus. “And you’re Marcus,” she said. “The big brother.” She gave him a frank, open look, her eyes wide and candid, and the smile turned from friendly to appreciative. “He’s told me all about his family.”

“And yet he hasn’t told us a thing about you,” Marcus said.

Callie laughed again. “He wanted to surprise you.”

“You are certainly a surprise.” Marcus paused. “A welcome one, of course. I hope you’ll enjoy New Zealand.”

“I’m looking forward to it, and to getting to know you all. Oh—and Jenna too.”

The afterthought was kindly meant, Jenna knew, but it made her conscious that she wasn’t really family, she didn’t belong.

Jane’s children had commandeered the baggage cart, and one of the bags slipped. While Callie helped to reorganize the luggage, Jenna blindly turned away, following an instinct to flee.

Marcus was in her way. His fingers circled her arm again for a second. “Just stay here.” His voice held a note of command.

She stood there while he exchanged a few quick words with his parents and Katie, who threw her friend another worried glance.

Then Marcus was back at her side, his hand on her elbow. “Come on.”

She didn’t ask where they were going, so relieved that he was taking her away from this nightmare that she didn’t care. “Katie…?” she said feebly as he whisked her across the polished floor.

“There’s room for her in Mum and Dad’s car, and she won’t want to be separated from Dean. That’s something Callie will have to get used to—how close the twins are.”

And of course with Callie sharing the back seat, there’d be no room for Jenna.

Dean’s parents expected him to stay at their home, just half an hour out of Auckland, until he’d settled. They hadn’t been expecting him to bring a fiancée, but there’d be no problem putting up an extra person in the big house where they’d brought up their family—the house Jenna had known almost as well as she knew the much smaller home she’d shared with her mother next door.

In the parking area the cool air chilled her, although the gray morning sky was turning to blue, with high white clouds drifting across it.

Marcus guided her to his sleek maroon car and opened the door for her. He didn’t speak again until they were on their way out of the airport complex, driving between green fields gradually being overtaken by new buildings.

Then he said, “I told the family I’d join them later. Have you had breakfast?”

“Breakfast?” Jenna repeated vaguely.

“Something to eat. What most people have in the morning.”

“No.” She and Katie had been too rushed and too excited to eat breakfast at that early hour. She didn’t see what relevance it had.

“Neither have I,” Marcus said. “We’ll stop on the way.”

Jenna didn’t argue, although she had never felt less hungry. Like his younger siblings, she’d developed a habit of listening to Marcus.

When they reached the outskirts of the city he found a restaurant and ordered juice, toast and pancakes for two, and made Jenna drink hot, strong coffee. With sugar.

“That’s better,” he said, after she had eaten two slices of toast and pushed the empty coffee cup away. “You’re beginning to look human again.”

“I’m never at my best in the morning,” she said.

Marcus gave her a thoughtful look. “I’m sorry, Jenna.”

She gazed down at the white ceramic salt cellar on the table—shiny and smooth. “Thanks,” she said, “for breakfast.” And for rescuing me. Stopping me from making a complete fool of myself. “I’ll pay my share.”

“Don’t be silly.” A lean hand caught hers as she made to open her purse. “I’m paying.” He removed his warm, strong fingers from hers and took out his wallet.

In the car she said, “Maybe I should just go home.”

Katie had taken it for granted that Jenna would spend the weekend with the Crossans. It was lucky, she’d said, that her twin had chosen to fly in on a Saturday. They needn’t take time off from work.

Jenna had thought it lucky too. Now she wished she could plead pressure of work, an emergency, any excuse not to be there.

His hand on the ignition key, Marcus turned a searching look on her.

“An engagement is a family affair,” Jenna suggested, her voice strained. “And I’m not family.”

Gently he said, “It smacks a bit of sour grapes, you know. Do you want to make us all feel guilty?”

“No! We—you’ve all been looking forward so much to having Dean home again. I want everyone to be happy for him and…and Callie.”

“Very noble.” His tone was extremely dry. “I suspect you’d like to slap him silly, really. I know I would. I felt like thumping him at the airport.”

Jenna blinked up at him, surprised that Marcus should feel so strongly on her behalf. “I don’t suppose I’d be missed,” she said.

He made a small, scornful noise in his throat. “You know better than that. Of course you’d be missed.” He paused. “If it’s what you want, I’ll take you back to the flat and tell the family you’re not well.” But he sounded reluctant.

They’d guess that the only thing she was nursing was a broken heart…wouldn’t they? And if Katie did believe in a sudden sickness, concern about Jenna being ill and alone would spoil her delight in her brother’s return.

She chewed her lower lip, undecided. “I suppose your whole family is sorry for me.”

“Katie might be. I guess you’ve told her how you feel?”

After a moment Jenna shook her head. “Not really. I mean…not in so many words.” She’d assumed that Katie knew—but then she’d assumed Dean felt the same. And she’d been totally, unbelievably wrong. “I thought everyone knew.” She lifted her eyes to his almost accusingly. “You did.”

His mouth moved in a slight smile. “I don’t think my parents have recognized yet that you and the twins are actually grown up. They’ve never taken your adoration of Dean seriously. And Jane has been pretty much occupied with her own family for the past few years. I take it you haven’t been exchanging love letters with my little brother?”

She’d always signed her regular letters with “Love, Jenna.” And Dean had sent his love in return when he wrote, but his much-less-frequent letters were addressed to both Jenna and his twin, and when he phoned the flat, whichever of the girls answered the phone called out to the other, and they’d eagerly swapped the receiver between them and passed messages until Dean had to hang up.

Jenna had never minded sharing. She’d been grateful that Katie didn’t either. Twins, even nonidentical ones, enjoyed a special bond. She understood that. Did Callie? She said, “Not love letters, exactly.”

She and Dean had known each other so long there was no need to express their feelings in extravagant words. They would have felt silly doing it.

“Dean isn’t cruel,” Marcus said consideringly. “But he’s not always terribly bright about people’s feelings. Probably he just never noticed. The consequence of growing up together. He didn’t see what was right under his nose practically all his life.”

If Marcus was right, staying away today would only fuel any suspicion that might enter anyone’s head—including Dean’s. Or Callie’s. Somehow that would be worse than anything.

His voice became brisk. “How are your acting skills? You used to be pretty good as a kid. Especially if it was a question of saving young Dean’s bacon.”

But Marcus, she recalled, had always seen through her subterfuges on Dean’s behalf. As he’d seen through her today and stepped in to avert what might have been a dampener on the family reunion, an embarrassment to everyone.

When she remained silent, he added, “It’s entirely your choice, but if you come along I promise I’ll make it as bearable as I can—and we’ll leave early.”

Jenna took a deep breath. “I’ll come.”

She couldn’t read the look he gave her. His mouth was very firm, his eyes dark and probing. Then he put out a hand to squeeze hers before starting the car.

It was just as bad as she had imagined.

Marcus parked in the asphalt area in front of the sprawling old house with its gabled windows, the walls and decorative trims freshly painted in honor of Dean’s return. Brushing past scented lavender and frilled pinks in pots at the side of the steps, they went in the big front door that was expectantly open and through the wide hallway.

The adults were sitting around in the family room with cups of tea and coffee, while the children darted between the chairs and chased one another in and out of the French windows opening onto the tree-fringed lawn and the fenced pool.

Marcus explained their delayed arrival by saying he’d needed something to eat after being dragged out of bed at some ungodly hour at his younger sister’s insistence and then stuck at the airport for nearly an hour.

“You could have eaten here,” his mother chided.

“I was too hungry to wait.” He smiled at her. “And going without breakfast didn’t do Jenna any good, either.”

Mrs. Crossan gave her a sympathetic look. “You are a wee bit pale.” She dropped her voice and murmured anxiously, “You’re not upset about Dean’s engagement, are you, dear?”

“I think it’s wonderful,” Jenna lied valiantly. “Callie’s beautiful, isn’t she? And Dean looks so happy.”

“Well, yes.” Mrs. Crossan’s eyes turned to the couple, and Jenna saw the smile she couldn’t help. “They are very happy.”

Dean and Callie had freshened up, and Callie looked even more gorgeous than she had at the airport. Dean hardly took his eyes off her for long enough to wave to his brother and throw a careless “Hi, again!” at Jenna.

She should be glad he didn’t look at her too closely, but instead she felt a jealousy so strong and painful she had to bunch a fist at her midriff to stop it hurting so much.

Marcus’s fingers closed over hers and pried them apart. “Is there coffee on?” he asked no one in particular. “Let’s get some, Jenna.” He hauled her with him into the big, sun-filled kitchen.

“We just had coffee,” she said as he dropped her hand and went to the machine in a corner of the counter.

“Have some more. Or can I get you something stronger?”

Jenna shook her head. She needed her wits about her. “No.”

He pulled two mugs from hooks under the cupboards and filled them, stirring some sugar into hers. “Here.”

Katie came in, a pile of cups and saucers in her hands. “Are you all right, Jen?”

Trying not to sound too hearty, Jenna injected a faint note of surprise into her reply. “I’m fine. Are you pleased to have your brother home? Don’t answer that. Silly question.”

Katie grinned, obviously unable to suppress it. “I never realized how much I missed him.” The grin fading abruptly, she added, placing the cups on the counter, “Callie’s a bit of a bolt from the blue, though.” Her eyes worried, she asked, “He…he hadn’t said anything about her to you, had he?”

“Not a thing.” Jenna made her voice cheerful. “If he’d told anyone it would have been you.”

Marcus interjected, “A whirlwind romance? If even you didn’t know anything, Katie…”

“He did mention her a couple of times, but I never twigged she was anyone special, and he hadn’t said anything about her recently. He says he was scared she’d turn him down, and he didn’t want to come home and have us all know he was nursing a broken heart. She only agreed to come to New Zealand with him a couple of weeks ago, and he decided to keep it secret until they got here, so he could see our faces when he gave us the news.”

Thank heaven he hadn’t seen hers, Jenna thought. She curled her hand around her hot coffee mug, ignoring the discomfort.

Katie added thoughtfully, “And I have a suspicion he was afraid she might change her mind before he got her on the plane.”

Jenna forced a smile. “Well, it’s a nice surprise, isn’t it?”

Dubiously, Katie agreed, “I suppose so. Are you sure you’re okay with it, Jen?”

Hoping she looked bewildered and innocent, Jenna said, “Of course. Dean’s very happy. And I’m happy for him. Aren’t you?”

Hesitantly, Katie said, “I thought it would be you and him. Even when we were kids you said you were going to marry each other.”

Jenna’s laugh should have earned her an Oscar. “We were—what?—eight years old? Come on, Katie!”

“Sometimes when we were older it kind of looked like you were more than friends.”

Jenna had thought so. They’d exchanged kisses from time to time. She’d imagined that, like her, Dean was keeping their relationship on the level of a warm, intimate friendship while they both worked hard at their degrees and were too young and impecunious for marriage.

After they’d graduated, the scholarship had come up for him to study in America. He’d asked Jenna’s opinion, stressing how long he’d be away from home, and she’d somehow concealed her panic and dismay and said of course he must take it, a chance like that wasn’t to be missed.