Sgt. Billy's Bride

Bonnie Gardner

Desperate times call for desperate measures!So when general's daughter Darcy Stanton abruptly balked at marrying a macho military man, she shamelessly fled her wedding and hit the road running. But fickle fate delivered Darcy into the arms of irresistible air force sergeant Billy Hays, whose Southern charm and gentle embrace nearly hijacked her heart!Fortunately, this sergeant was a confirmed bachelor. Unfortunately, his beloved, ailing, Alabama mama dearly wished to see him wed. So in a twinkling Darcy was back at the altar–conveniently pretending to be Billy's bride. Trouble was, his sizzling kiss and tenderness made Darcy secretly long for a real happily-ever-after…as Sgt. Billy's wife!

“Sergeant Hays, you may kiss your bride.”

Darcy’s breath caught in her throat. She hadn’t bargained for this. This was only supposed to be a pretend wedding. But the handsome military man leaning in to kiss her was all too real.

Billy’s lips touched her mouth, landing feather soft, like a butterfly lighting on a flower.

She should have let him lift off and be done, and that would have been that.

But Darcy kissed him back.

Then Billy pulled her closer, pressing her against his hard, strong chest. And Darcy felt almost…loved.

Heavens, she couldn’t help wondering, what would it be like if they weren’t pretending?

Dear Reader,

Mills & Boon American Romance has rounded up the best romantic reading to help you celebrate Valentine’s Day. Start off with the final installment in the MAITLAND MATERNITY: TRIPLETS, QUADS & QUINTS series. The McCallum Quintuplets is a special three-in-one volume featuring New York Times bestselling author Kasey Michaels, Mindy Neff and Mary Anne Wilson.

BILLION-DOLLAR BRADDOCKS, Karen Toller Whittenburg’s new family-connected miniseries, premiers this month with The C.E.O.’s Unplanned Proposal. In this Cinderella story, a small-town waitress is swept into the Braddock world of wealth and power and puts eldest brother Adam Braddock’s bachelor status to the test. Next, in Bonnie Gardner’s Sgt. Billy’s Bride, an air force controller is in desperate need of a fiancеe to appease his beloved, ailing mother, so he asks a beautiful stranger to become his wife. Can love bloom and turn their pretend engagement into wedded bliss? Finally, we welcome another new author to the Mills & Boon American family. Sharon Swan makes her irresistible debut with Cowboys and Cradles.

Enjoy this month’s offerings, and be sure to return next month when Mills & Boon American Romance launches a new cross-line continuity, THE CARRADIGNES: AMERICAN ROYALTY, with The Improperly Pregnant Princess by Jacqueline Diamond.

Wishing you happy reading,

Melissa Jeglinski

Associate Senior Editor

Mills & Boon American Romance

Sgt. Billy’s Bride

Bonnie Gardner

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

To Mud, as always.

To Sue, who reminds me that I am woman and can roar, and Kathie and Kathy and Brenda. You know why.

To all the combat controllers and their families I have known through the years and even those I haven’t. You all have tough jobs and manage to do them well.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

BONNIE GARDNER has finally figured out what she wants to do when she grows up. After a varied career that included such jobs as switchboard operator, draftsman and exercise instructor, she went back to college and became an English teacher. As a teacher, she took a course on how to teach writing to high school students and caught the bug herself.

She lives in northern Alabama with her husband of over thirty years, her own military hero. After following him around from air force base to air force base, she has finally gotten to settle down. They have two grown sons, one of which is now serving in the air force. She loves to read, cook, garden and, of course, write.

She would love to hear from her readers. You can write to her at P.O. Box 442, Meridianville, AL 35759.

Books by Bonnie Gardner

MILLS & BOON AMERICAN ROMANCE

876—UNCLE SARGE

911—SGT. BILLY’S BRIDE

Contents

Prologue (#u7de92e7f-2fc4-50