Unable to help herself, Betsy reached out and stroked his cheek, fingering his solid, square-cut jaw, the faint bristle of his beard.
His gaze locked on hers, stirring up something deep within her, and any reservations about getting involved with him flew out the window.
As he lowered his mouth to hers, his musky, masculine scent assaulted her better judgment and set her mind swirling in a maelstrom of desire.
This was so not what sheâd planned, but it no longer seemed to matter.
He brushed his lips against hersâonce, twice, a third time. Then he took her mouth and claimed it.
Dear Reader,
I donât think there could be a better setting for a Christmas romance than Brighton Valley, Texas.
Within the pages of the book youâre holding, youâll meet Dr. Betsy Nielson, a dedicated physician at the Brighton Valley Medical Center. Betsy, who was betrayed by her ex-husband, is facing the holiday season head-on, determined to focus on her work and her patients. But when a tall, dark and handsome mugging victim is brought into the E.R., battered and suffering from amnesia, Betsy is tempted to do something sheâs never done beforeâget involved with a patient. Still, can she trust a man who doesnât even know his own name?
I donât know about your life, but mine gets busy and hectic during November and December. So I try to take time for myself and relax whenever I can. One good way I relax is by curling up with a book whenever I get a chance. I hope youâll do the same.
Merry Christmas and happy reading,
Judy
Under the Mistletoe with John Doe
Judy Duarte
always knew there was a book inside her, but since English was her least favorite subject in school, she never considered herself a writer. An avid reader who enjoys a happy ending, Judy couldnât shake the dream of creating a book of her own.
Her dream became a reality in March of 2002, when Silhouette Special Edition released her first book, Cowboy Courage. Since then, she has published more than twenty novels.
Her stories have touched the hearts of readers around the world. And in July of 2005, Judy won the prestigious Readersâ Choice Award for The Rich Manâs Son.
Judy makes her home near the beach in Southern California. When sheâs not cooped up in her writing cave, sheâs spending time with her somewhat enormous but delightfully close family.
To Janet Elmore, who reads every book I write.
This oneâs for you, Janet! I hope you like it, too.
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Epilogue
A Texas honky-tonk was the last place Jason Alvarez could have imagined himself being on a Wednesday night. But here he was, turning into the graveled driveway of the Stagecoach Inn.
It had been a long day, starting with an early morning workout at the gym, followed by an executive board meeting at Alvarez Industries. After having a business lunch with his brothers at an upscale restaurant in downtown San Diego, heâd flown to Houston on the corporate jet, then rented a car and made a two-hour drive to Brighton Valley.
Heâd stopped once heâd reached the sleepy little town and asked where he could find a local watering hole. Apparently this backwoods cowboy dive was the nearest and the most popular.
The parking lot was only half-full, though, so finding a spot was easy. He pulled in between a white Chrysler LeBaron with a missing taillight and a beat-up Chevy pickup with gun racks and pasted decals in the rear window that said the driverâs name was Eddie and his passenger was Arlene.
Without even stepping inside the place, Jason had a feeling he wasnât going to like the music or fit in with the crowd. But he was on a mission, and personal preferences didnât matter.
So he shut off the ignition of the rental car, a black Cadillac Seville, and unhooked his seat belt. But he didnât get out right away.
Instead, he reached for the bottle of aspirin heâd tucked into the pocket of his sports jacket and opened the child-resistant cap. Then he threw a couple of tablets into his mouth and chased them down with the remainder of the bottled water he kept in the built-in cup holder.
His head was aching again, a result of the concussion heâd suffered earlier this week in an automobile accident.
Heâd been using the Bluetooth device on his cell phone when it happened, distracted by a business matter, his mind on everything but the road. His Mercedes had zipped right through the intersection, T-boning a minivan and injuring a pregnant blonde as well as her little girl.
Jason, whoâd suffered only a concussion and some minor bruises and lacerations, had rushed to help the other victims, calling 9-1-1 as he did so.
Then heâd stood by helplessly as firemen used the Jaws of Life to remove the woman from the driverâs seat and the paramedics treated the child. The police had questioned him, and heâd clearly been at faultâthe officers had known it, and Jason had known it.