Her Best Man

“Get out of my bedroom!” Letter to Reader Title Page Dedication About the Author Prologue Chapter One Chapter Two Chapter Three Chapter Four Chapter Five Chapter Six Chapter Seven Chapter Eight Chapter Nine Chapter Ten Chapter Eleven Epilogue Copyright

“Get out of my bedroom!”

Like lightning to a rod, his blue-eyed gaze zeroed in on her bare shoulders and silky white negligee.

Scowling, Lindsey pulled up the covers around her neck. “Go away, Alex. I think we’ve both said enough for one evening—”

“You’re right,” he said, surprising her by agreeing.

“We’ve said too much. That’s the problem.”

With his shirt unbuttoned and his shirt cuffs rolled up to reveal strong forearms, he looked disheveled and dangerous.

Lindsey shivered with trepidation.

He stepped closer to her bed. “I said some things that were totally out of line. I don’t know what came over me.”

She knew. They were in a romantic paradise, alone for the first time in their lives without a chaperone.

“Still friends?”

She nodded. He sighed his relief. “Thank goodness.”

Then, before she knew what was happening, he enveloped her in a hug.... Liquid heat spilled through her veins. Alex was putting her through hormonal hell.

He pulled away, but didn’t release her. For a moment she was afraid he might kiss her.

Afraid he wouldn’t.

Dear Reader,

In 20 months Silhouette Romance will celebrate its 20th anniversary! To commemorate that momentous occasion, we’d like to ask you to share with us why you’ve chosen to read the Romance series, and which authors you particularly enjoy. We hope to publish some of your thoughtful comments during our anniversary year—2000! And this month’s selections will give you food for thought...

In The Guardian’s Bride by Laurie Paige, our VIRGIN BRIDES title, a 20-year-old heiress sets out to marry her older. wealthy—gorgeous—guardian. Problem is, he thinks she’s too young.... The Cowboy, the Baby and the Bride-to-Be is Cara Colter’s newest book, where a shy beauty reunites a lonely cowboy with his baby nephew...and lassoes love in the process! Karen Rose Smith’s new miniseries, DO YOU TAKE THIS STRANGER?, premieres with Wealth, Power and a Proper Wife. An all-work-and-no-play millionaire learns the value of his marriage vows when the wife he’d suspected of betraying him suffers a bout of amnesia.

Rounding out the month, we have Her Best Man by Christine Scott, part of the MEN! promotion, featuring a powerful tycoon who heroically offers protection to a struggling single mom. In Honey of a Husband by Laura Anthony, an ex-bull rider returns home to discover his childhood sweetheart is raising his child—by another woman. Finally, rising star Elizabeth Harbison returns to the lineup with True Love Ranch, where a city gal and a single-dad rancher lock horns—and live up to the Colorado spread’s name.

Enjoy!

Joan Marlow Golan

Senior Editor Silhouette Romance

Please address questions and book requests to:

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To Mom—

a truly gentle woman

CHRISTINE SCOTT

grew up in Illinois but currently lives in St. Louis, Missouri. A former teacher, she now writes full time. When she isn’t writing romances, she spends her time caring for her husband and three children. In between car pools, baseball games and dance lessons, Christine always finds time to pick up a good book and read about...love. She loves to hear from readers. Write to her at P.O. Box 283, Grover, MO 63040-0283.

Prologue

“Bartender, another drink for me and my friends,” Alex Trent called.

Happy hour had long gone. The dinner rush was finally winding down for the evening. All that was left in the bar were a few stragglers, stopping off for an after-dinner drink and quiet conversation. Alex and his group of friends were the boisterous exception to the rule.

But, hell, Alex mused, why not?

Tonight was a celebration, wasn’t it?

His best friend was getting married to the only woman Alex would ever love. He couldn’t think of a better reason to get stinking drunk.

The bartender ambled toward Alex, assessing him as he went. “A Scotch, two drafts and a coffee, right?”

“That’s right,” he said with an emphatic nod. The words came out slow, and only slightly slurred.

“Looks like you guys are celebrating,” the bartender observed. “What’s the occasion?”

Determined not to let his bitterness show, he slapped his closest drinking buddy on the back. “This is Danny boy’s last weekend as a bachelor. The fool’s about to take the plunge into matrimonial bliss.”

“Danny boy”—sandy-haired, well over six feet and weighing close to one-eighty-five—grimaced. “Jeez, Alex, do you have to make an announcement everywhere we go?”

Alex ignored his friend. “Bartender, have you ever been married?”

“No, sir. I can’t say that I have,” he answered, placing a glass of Scotch on the bar top.

“Smart man,” Alex said, helping himself to a hefty swig of the drink.

“Give it a rest, Alex,” Danny muttered. “I’m not changing my mind.”

“He’d better not,” the largest of the group said, a seriously fit-looking man with thick, black hair and dark brooding eyes. “Otherwise he’ll have to answer to me for breaking my little sister’s heart.”

A worried expression crossed Danny’s face. “You’ve got nothing to worry about, Rick. No one, not even Alex and his big mouth, is going to talk me out of marrying Lindsey.”

“Don’t let Alex bother you, Danny,” Jon, Alex’s brother, advised with a chuckle. Jon was a taller, darker version of Alex. The family resemblance was uncanny. “He’s still kicking himself for letting you get to Lindsey first.”

Danny narrowed a glance at Alex. “That true?”

Alex felt his heart leap into his throat. Jon’s observation hit too close to the truth. Scowling, he said, “You know, you’ve got a big mouth, brother.” He returned his gaze to his friends, deftly changing the subject. “It’s bad enough I have to see him everyday at work. Tell me again, why did we bring him along, tonight?”

“Because he was the only one crazy enough to agree to drive us anywhere we want,” Rick explained.

The bartender shook his head.

“To designated drivers.” Toasting his reprieve, Alex drained his Scotch. The liquid burned his throat. His eyes watered. But the drink had served its purpose. He felt blessedly numb inside.

Danny knocked elbows with Jon. “You’re married, right, Jon? Tell ’em, marriage isn’t so bad.”

“Marriage isn’t so bad,” Jon repeated.

Alex snorted. “Spoken like a true believer.”

“Come on, Jon,” Danny pleaded. “Help me out here. Tell ’em the advantages of being married.”

Jon sipped his coffee, looking as though he were giving the matter considerable thought. Then said, “Well, the food isn’t bad. Much better than I could make myself.”

Alex and Rick exchanged glances. Grinning, they chorused, “Takeout.”

Jon took up the challenge. “Okay, how about companionship? Since I’ve been married, I’ve never had to come home to an empty house.”

“Hell, Jon,” Rick drawled. “If I want companionship, I can always get myself a dog.”

Alex chuckled.

Jon continued, unperturbed. “Then there’s the sex...when you’re married, boys, you don’t have to go looking for love.”

Alex studied his drink, fighting an unwanted surge of jealousy.

Danny’s tone brightened appreciably. “That’s right. After this weekend, Lindsey and I—”

“Don’t even think of mentioning my sister and sex in the same sentence,” Rick warned him, a forbidding look on his face.

“Rick, your sister’s a big girl now. She’s getting married next week,” Jon said, biting back an amused smile. “I think she knows all about the birds and the bees.”

Rick pointed an unsteady finger at Alex’s brother. “If it was your little sister we were discussing, you’d feel the same way.”

“He’s right, Jon,” Alex murmured. “I don’t know about you, but I haven’t had a decent night’s sleep since Stephanie started dating.”

Rick frowned. “The brat’s old enough to date?”

Alex and Jon shot their friend a disbelieving look. Alex was the first to speak. “The brat’s in college. She’s going to law school next fall.”

“Law school? Why doesn’t that surprise me?” Rick grunted, then proceeded to answer his own question. “She certainly has the mouth to be a lawyer. I’ve never met anyone as opinionated as your little sister.” He shot Alex a wary glance. “No offense, Alex, but you know I’ve never been able to warm up to the brat.”

“Don’t worry, Rick,” Alex assured him. “I believe the feeling’s mutual.”

Rick leaned back in his seat and grinned. “Like I always said, the only good thing to come of your parents moving to Florida was that they took your little sister along with them.”

Alex gave a noncommittal shrug.

A thoughtful pause descended upon the group. They sipped their drinks in silence. The bartender wiped a rag over the bar, buffing the already-shiny surface.

After considerable deliberation, Alex announced, “Boys, this party’s getting entirely too quiet. I think it’s time we moved on.”

“Now where?” Jon groaned.

Alex stood. “The east side of the river. Where the entertainment’s a little friskier...if you catch my meaning.”

“Uh-uh.” Danny shook his head. “I promised Lindsey I wouldn’t go to any strip joints.”

“After next weekend, you can do anything Lindsey tells you,” Alex said, pulling Danny to his feet. “Tonight, you’re with us.”

The pair swayed slightly, looking none too steady.

Danny moaned, “Lindsey’s gonna kill me if I get into trouble.”

“Trouble? We’re not going to get into trouble,” Alex assured him. He patted Rick on the shoulder. “Not as long as we have a cop in the group.”

“Alex, are you trying to influence a police officer?” Rick asked, striving for solemnity, but the words came out thick and slurred.

“Would I have any luck if I did?”

“Hell, no.”

“Then there’s your answer.”

Rick chuckled.

“Alex, I don’t think this is such a good idea,” Danny said as he was led away, Rick on one side of him, Alex on the other.

“We’re friends, Danny. Have I ever let you down?” Alex asked, trying not to dwell on the irony of his own words. Their friendship was the only reason he hadn’t tried to stop this wedding. If it had been anyone else but Danny who’d proposed to Lindsey, he wouldn’t have given a second thought to stealing her away. “Trust me, Lindsey won’t be upset. If she is, I’ll take care of it. You can count on me, buddy.”

“Mr. Responsibility, that’s you, Alex...” Danny mumbled, his words fading as they stepped away.

Mr. Responsibility. The title struck a discordant note in Alex’s fuzzy mind. Since freshman year in high school, they’d been the best of friends, each assuming their appointed roles. Rick, the athlete. Danny, the maniac. And Alex, Mr. Responsibility.

Alex had always been the one to clean up one or another of the messes Danny had gotten them into. Danny’s reckless spirit had been impossible to tame. Which was why Alex had been stunned when his best friend had announced he was going to marry Lindsey.

Not that he didn’t understand his friend’s reason. Beautiful, gentle Lindsey held the power to reform even the worst of life’s reprobates.

Regret rifled through him. If only...

Alex slammed the brakes on the thought, not allowing it to go another step. Lindsey, and whatever feelings he may have had for her, was in the past. He’d waited too long to tell her the truth... that he cared.

Now it was too late.

Dammit, it was much too late.

Chapter One

Four years later

The woman of his dreams was tall, slender and dark haired. Her back was turned to him as she stared out onto the ocean, giving him a mouthwatering view of shapely curves outlined in a sexy red dress. A light breeze softened the air, molding the silky material to her body.

Alex firmly believed he’d died and had gone to heaven. If not heaven, then surely he was in paradise.

Impatiently, he reached out, anxious to learn the identity of his dream woman. His fingers grazed the smooth skin of her shoulder, sending shock waves of awareness tripping through his body. And—

A bell rang.

The woman’s image faded.

Alex moaned, fighting to hold on to the remnants of sleep. He hit the Snooze button on his clock radio. Once again, quiet descended upon his bedroom. With a sigh, he snuggled under the covers for another ten minutes of ecstasy.

The dark-haired enchantress resurfaced in his mind’s eye and...the bell rang, again.

Not the radio, he realized. The phone was ringing.

Grumpily, Alex pried open his eyes and squinted at the clock radio. It was 6:00 a.m. Who in their ever-loving mind would be calling him at this hour?

Another ring.

Alex growled and yanked the receiver from its cradle, effectively stopping the shrill peal. “Speak to me,” he mumbled as he closed his eyes and drifted back into oblivion.

“Alex?”

The woman of his dreams now had a voice. A vaguely familiar, sweet and sexy voice. The rich, velvety timbre reminded him of melt-in-your-mouth chocolate fudge. Alex licked his lips at the thought.

“Alex?” A trace of impatience this time. “Are you there?”

The woman of his dreams had a face. A perfect oval-shaped face with patrician features. Her eyes were the color of smooth, rich caramels, with only a touch of sadness tinging the mix. Her nose was pert and slightly upraised, as though she were ready to challenge his integrity. Smart girl. Her mouth...her mouth was like a strawberry, plump and ripe and ready for the picking.

His empty stomach growled a hungry protest.

“Alex, wake up!”

Startled, Alex sat up straight, knocking the bedcovers aside. Cold air hit his passion-aroused bare skin. He shivered in response. Just a dream, he told himself, shaking off the remnants of sleep. A dream that had been occurring much too often. What had been denied him in waking moments, his subconscious seemed bent on allowing him in slumber.

The woman of his dreams was Lindsey Richards, his best friend’s wife.

“Lindsey?” he croaked, wincing at the strained sound of his voice.

“I was just about ready to give up on you, Alex,” she said with an impatient breath.

Guilt lodged in his throat as he recalled his wanton dream and the major role his friend’s wife had almost played in it. He swallowed hard. “Don’t do that, Lindsey. You know I’m always here for you. Anytime you need me.”

“I know that, Alex.” Her tone softened. “You’ve been—” She paused, her voice catching. “You’ve been very good to me. More than I deserve—”

“Don’t start that again.” He scowled. They’d had this discussion before. It had happened with an annoying frequency in the past two years since Danny Richards had been tragically killed in a traffic accident. “I’ve told you before, we’re friends.” Though, if repressed desires had anything to do with it... He allowed the thought to go unfinished. “Friends look out for each other.”

“I know that, Alex, but—” She gasped. “Goodness, what am I thinking? I forgot to ask. Is this a good time to talk? Or am I, uh, interrupting something?”

He feigned ignorance. “You mean, other than my getting a full night’s sleep?”

“No, Alex, that’s not what I mean.” The impatience was back again. Alex could almost imagine her raising that pert little nose of hers. “I meant... are you alone?”

A blush probably accompanied that last hushed question. Alex couldn’t help but smile. For a woman who’d been married and had given birth to a child, she was such an innocent.

“Hold on. Let me check.” Alex took the opportunity to pull the wayward covers back up to his waist. Then, stacking his hands beneath his head and cradling the phone against his shoulder, he settled back onto the bed. “Nope, no one under these covers but little ol’ lonesome me.”

“Good,” she said, sounding relieved. Alex raised a curious brow, wondering if she were relieved that they were free to talk or that she’d found him alone in his bed. Before he could ask, she continued, “I wanted to catch you before you went to work. Do you remember what day it is today?”

“Jeez, Lindsey. Do you have to give me a pop quiz at six o’clock in the morning?”

“Alex—”

“All right, all right...let’s see, well, it’s Friday. The third week in November. Thanksgiving’s less than a week away. And—wait, I know there’s something else—ah, yes, it’s my godson’s birthday.”

“You remembered,” she said, unable to keep the pleasure from her voice.

“How could I forget?” He chuckled. “Jamie’s been reminding me of the upcoming event every time I’ve seen him in the last two months.”

James Daniel Richards was the spitting image of his father. A towheaded hellion with an angel’s smile. He had everyone who loved him wrapped around his chubby little finger. Alex included.

“Which brings me to the reason I called,” she said, her discomfort obvious.

Warning signals prickled his skin. He waited.

“Alex, I don’t want you to feel obligated to come tonight.”

He sat up in bed again, nearly dropping the phone in his haste. “Lindsey—”

She wouldn’t let him finish. “Hear me out, Alex. Jamie’s been a little overly enthusiastic about his birthday. Turning three’s an important step. When you’re three, you’re officially old enough to go to preschool. And chances are good that you’re going to make a real haul with all those birthday presents.” She stopped rambling long enough to suck in a deep breath. He could almost see the tiny furrow forming between her dark brows, the one she always got whenever she was feeling pensive. “The thing is, Alex, I’m sure you have better things to do with your time than spend a Friday night at a three-year-old’s birthday party.”

“Such as?” he demanded, his grip tightening around the receiver.

“Well...a date, for instance.”

“You think I’d rather go on a date than attend my only godson’s birthday party,” he said, his voice low and deceptively even. Anger simmered beneath the surface of his calm demeanor. “Just what kind of godfather do you think I am?”

“You’re a wonderful godfather,” she assured him. “Too wonderful. That’s the problem. What with work and your busy social life—”

“Busy social life?” Was that a note of jealousy he’d detected in her tone? Nah, he assured himself, just wishful thinking on his part. “What busy social life?” “Oh, Alex, really,” she said, laughing.

He felt his defenses kicking in. “All right, maybe I go out on a few dates—”

“A few? Tell me, Alex, is there any woman over the age of eighteen in St. Louis that you haven’t dated?”

Though her tone was teasing, the question caught him off guard. So he went out on a few dates—okay, a lot of dates. Who could blame a man for trying to drown his sorrows in female companionship? Especially since the only woman he’d ever really wanted thought of him as nothing more than a good friend.

“Now, look, Lindsey—”

“I know, I know, your personal life is your own business.” Lindsey sighed. “I never meant to criticize you. All I wanted to say was that, with everything else you have going on, I don’t know how you find so much time to spend with Jamie. It’s too much.”

“I can handle it,” he growled, finding his voice.

“Alex, Danny wouldn’t expect you—”

“It’s settled, Lindsey,” he said in a tone that would brook no further argument. “I’m not skipping out on my godson’s birthday party. Now what time should I be there?”

She hesitated. Then, in a resigned tone, said, “Seven o’clock. I’m afraid to make it any later. Or the guest of honor will be nodding off before he gets to open his presents.”

“Seven o’clock will be fine,” he said firmly.

“Alex, are you sure—”

“Lindsey, give me a break. It’s too early for an argument. I haven’t even had a cup of coffee yet.”

He heard her soft sigh, a whispery breath across the phone line. “All right, Alex. I’ll see you tonight.”

“G’bye, Lindsey.”

He waited, listening for the click of her phone to disconnect before he hung up the receiver. Once she was gone, the bedroom felt too quiet, too empty. He laid back on his bed and brooded over his conversation with Lindsey.

“Stubborn, fool woman,” he muttered to the four walls. “She has enough to worry about. She doesn’t need to add my social life to the list.”

As usual, when it came to dealing with Lindsey, his anger quickly dissipated. These past two years hadn’t been easy for her, he reminded himself. Danny’s death had been unexpected. His loss was a devastating blow for all of them. For Lindsey, most especially.

She wasn’t prepared, financially or emotionally, for the unspeakable. Typical of Danny, he’d believed himself to be invincible. He hadn’t bothered with life insurance and he’d just socked away most of their savings in a down payment on a house, a rambling, old fixer-upper in Kirkwood. The house had great potential, a big yard, lots of room, a perfect home for a growing family. But it was also a money pit. Something always needed to be repaired. After Danny’s death, Lindsey had been left scrambling to make ends meet.

Not that she would have admitted any of this to him.

The only way he’d found out about her monetary problems was through her brother, Rick. Alex’s offer of financial assistance had been graciously yet firmly turned down. Instead, Lindsey chose to work two jobs on top of raising her son, just so she wouldn’t lose the house that she held in loving tribute to her late husband.

The thought left a bitter taste in his mouth, one that he refused to attribute to jealousy. Long ago, Alex had accepted that any romantic feeling he may have toward Lindsey was merely an exercise in futility. Lindsey had loved Danny. She still loved him very deeply. Their being apart was a tragedy. Besides, how could he be jealous of his best friend, a man who’d been cheated out of the best years of his life?

Alex shifted uncomfortably in his bed. Lindsey might be too stubborn to accept a simple loan of money—a loan that he could well afford to make—but he’d be damned if his moral support would be brushed aside with as much ease. As long as Lindsey and his godson needed him, he intended to be there for them.

It was the least she could do for the widow of his best friend.

The phone rang again.

Alex glared at the instrument. Lindsey, again. She’d probably thought of a new excuse why he shouldn’t bother attending his own godson’s birthday party. He snatched the phone from its cradle.

“You know, it’s a good thing I don’t have a woman in bed with me this morning,” he growled. “I’d have a hell of a time explaining all these phone calls if I did.”

Dead silence met his terse greeting.

Then, after a discreet clearing of a feminine throat, an older woman’s voice responded, “Well, Alex, thank you for sharing that bit of information with me. I’m not sure whether I should be relieved or disappointed.”