Read Conflict of Interest (The McClouds of Mississippi) Online
Authors: Gina Wilkins
Conflict of Interest (The McClouds of Mississippi)
The gleam in his eyes made her pulse speed up.
“You know all those times we talked on the phone?” His fingers slid down the curve of her jaw. “I didn’t picture you looking quite like this.”
She had to move
now,
before she did something really foolish and unprofessional—like make a pass at her client.
“I think I’ll read for a while before I turn in,” she said, scooting away from him. “I can’t wait to read your new book, by the way. I’m really looking forward to it.”
He studied her face for a moment, his gaze so intense that she wondered if he saw too much there, but then he asked, “How would you like to read it now?”
“I would love to.”
He seemed amused by the fervency of her assurance. “Go on back and put your feet up, and I’ll bring the manuscript to you.”
“In the bedroom, you mean?”
There was an undercurrent of laughter in his voice as his eyes met hers. “That sounds good to me.”
Dear Reader,
Your best bet for coping with April showers is to run—not walk—to your favorite retail outlet and check out this month’s lineup. We’d like to highlight popular author Laurie Paige and her new miniseries SEVEN DEVILS. Laurie writes, “On my way to a writers’ conference in Denver, I spotted the Seven Devils Mountains. This had to be checked out! Sure enough, the rugged, fascinating land proved to be ideal for a bunch of orphans who’d been demanding that their stories be told.” You won’t want to miss
Showdown!
, the second book in the series, which is about a barmaid and a sheriff destined for love!
Gina Wilkins dazzles us with
Conflict of Interest,
the second book in THE M
C
CLOUDS OF MISSISSIPPI series, which deals with the combustible chemistry between a beautiful literary agent and her ruggedly handsome and reclusive author. Can they have some fun without love taking over the relationship? Don’t miss Marilyn Pappano’s
The Trouble with Josh,
which features a breast cancer survivor who decides to take life by storm and make the most of everything—but she never counts on sexy cowboy Josh Rawlins coming into the mix.
In Peggy Webb’s
The Mona Lucy,
a meddling but well-meaning mother attempts to play Cupid to her son and a beautiful artist who is painting her portrait. Karen Rose Smith brings us
Expecting the CEO’s Baby,
an adorable tale about a mix-up at the fertility clinic and a marriage of convenience between two strangers. And in Lisette Belisle’s
His Pretend Wife,
an accident throws an ex-con and an ex-debutante together, making them discover that rather than enemies, they just might be soul mates!
As you can see, we have a variety of stories for our readers, which explore the essentials—life, love and family. Stay tuned next month for six more top picks from Special Edition!
Sincerely,
Karen Taylor Richman
Senior Editor
Conflict of Interest
GINA WILKINS
For John, who is still my strongest supporter after all these years.
Books by Gina Wilkins
Silhouette Special Edition
The Father Next Door
#1082
It Could Happen To You
#1119
Valentine Baby
#1153
†
Her Very Own Family
#1243
†
That First Special Kiss
#1269
Surprise Partners
#1318
**
The Stranger in Room 205
#1399
**
Bachelor Cop Finally Caught?
#1413
**
Dateline Matrimony
#1424
The Groom’s Stand-In
#1460
The Best Man’s Plan
#1479
*
The Family Plan
#1525
*
Conflict of Interest
#1531
Silhouette Books
World’s Most Eligible Bachelors
Doctor in Disguise
Previously published as Gina Ferris
Silhouette Special Edition
Healing Sympathy
#496
Lady Beware
#549
In from the Rain
#677
Prodigal Father
#711
§
Full of Grace
#793
§
Hardworking Man
#806
§
Fair and Wise
#819
§
Far To Go
#862
§
Loving and Giving
#879
Babies on Board
#913
Previously published as Gina Ferris Wilkins
Silhouette Special Edition
‡
A Man for Mom
#955
‡
A Match for Celia
#967
‡
A Home for Adam
#980
‡
Cody’s Fiancée
#1006
Silhouette Books
Mother’s Day Collection 1995
Three Mothers and a Cradle
“Beginnings”
GINA WILKINS
is a bestselling and award-winning author who has written more than sixty-five books for Harlequin and Silhouette. She credits her successful career in romance to her long, happy marriage and her three “extraordinary” children.
A lifelong resident of central Arkansas, Ms. Wilkins sold her first book to Harlequin in 1987 and has been writing full-time ever since. She has appeared on the Waldenbooks, B. Dalton and
USA TODAY
bestseller lists. She is a three-time recipient of the Maggie Award for Excellence, sponsored by Georgia Romance Writers, and has won several awards from the reviewers of
Romantic Times.
Contents
Prologue
A
fter the thirteenth unanswered ring, Adrienne Corley slammed her telephone into its cradle. She wasn’t the type to lose her temper very often, but Gideon McCloud could provoke a saint into a tantrum.
It was the fifth time in the past three days that she had attempted to reach him. His answering machine had broken several weeks ago and he hadn’t bothered to replace it, so she couldn’t leave a message. She’d sent e-mails, but apparently he hadn’t checked those in a while, either.
The worst part was that she suspected he was sitting right there beside the phone, listening to it ring and choosing not to answer.
“I do not need this aggravation,” she grumbled, glaring at the phone as if her scowl would carry through the lines to the man she had been trying to reach. “I could get an easier job, you know. Working in a bank. A library, maybe. Even digging ditches would have to be better than working with eccentric, temperamental authors.”
“Threatening to quit again?” Jacqueline Peeples, her administrative assistant, asked as she set a mountain of mail on Adrienne’s desk.
“Someday I’m going through with that threat.”
“Yeah, right. Tell that to your daddy.”
Adrienne transferred her glare from the telephone to her co-worker. “I’m not afraid of my father. If I choose to quit his literary agency, I’m certainly free to do so.”
“Mmm-hmm.” Jacqueline had heard that before, of course. She didn’t believe it any more than Adrienne did. “At least you’ve got your vacation coming up. If I’ve ever seen anyone who needs two weeks away from the office, it’s you. So don’t you let your father try to talk you out of it again.”
“I won’t,” Adrienne vowed. “I’ve earned this vacation—the first I’ve taken in three years—and I’m going to enjoy every day of it. I’m so tired of schedules and appointments that I haven’t even made any plans for the next two weeks. I’m going to act completely on impulse, take every minute as it comes.”
“That sounds like exactly what you need. But in the meantime, what are you going to do about Gideon McCloud?”
“I’m going to make him talk to me—even if I have to fly to Honesty, Mississippi, and break into his house.”
Jacqueline laughed, as Adrienne had intended. “Now
that
I would like to see.”
“Me, breaking into his house?”
“No. You in Mississippi.”
The more she thought about it, the more it seemed like a brilliant solution. Just the sort of gutsy, tough-guy move her father would make. Gideon McCloud was curt, blunt and reclusive, but he was a talented writer with a great future ahead of him, and she intended to grab a percentage of that future.
“Book me a flight,” she said without giving herself a chance to think about it. “Early next week, preferably. That will give me time to get everything here cleared away.”
Jacqueline’s eyebrows rose. “You can’t be serious. You want to go to Mississippi to meet with an author during your vacation?”
The more she thought about it, the better the idea seemed—though, of course, she
was
overworked and overstressed. She nodded slowly, her resolve strengthening. “It’ll only take a day or two, and I’ve never been to Mississippi, so I can count that as a vacation trip. Two birds with one stone. Let’s just see if Gideon McCloud can ignore me when I’m staring directly into his eyes.”
Chapter One
G
ideon McCloud’s telephone rang several times Monday, but he ignored it so effectively he hardly heard it. In a moment of weakness earlier that morning, he had answered a call. The unfortunate telemarketer’s ears were probably still ringing from the force with which Gideon had slammed the receiver back into its cradle. He had an almost pathological aversion to telemarketers; hence, his general reluctance to answer his telephone.
He really should replace his answering machine, he mused when he became aware that the phone was ringing yet again. Maybe he would get around to that sometime later in the week. Then he focused on his computer screen and tuned everything else out.
Perhaps another half hour passed before he was distracted from work by his doorbell. It chimed half a dozen times, followed by a pounding on the door, followed by someone leaning on the doorbell again.
Muttering beneath his breath, he shoved himself away from the keyboard and stalked through his immaculate house to the front door, which he jerked open impatiently.
“What?”