The Forbidden Marriage

Rebecca Winters has written over forty-five books for Harlequin Romance® and is an internationally bestselling author. Her wonderfully unique, sparkling stories continue to be immensely popular with readers around the world.

Praise for REBECCA WINTERS:

About The Prince’s Choice

“Rebecca Winters…is pure magic.”

—Romantic Times

About Claiming His Baby

“Rebecca Winters creates an extraordinary tale with a majestic setting…and a strong emotional conflict.”

—Romantic Times

Every woman has dreams—deep desires, all-consuming passions, or maybe just little everyday wishes! In this brand-new miniseries from Harlequin Romance® we’re delighted to present a series of fresh, lively and compelling stories by some of our most popular authors—all exploring the truth about what women really want.

Step into each heroine’s shoes as we get up close and personal with her most cherished dreams…big and small!

 Is she a high-flying executive…but all she wants is a baby?

 Has she met her ideal man—if only he wasn’t her new boss…?

 Is she about to marry, but is secretly in love with someone else?

 Or does she simply long to be slimmer, more glamorous, with a whole new wardrobe?

Whatever she wants, each heroine finds happiness on her own terms—and unexpected romance along the way. And she’s about to discover whether Mr. Right is the answer to her dreams—or if he has a few questions of his own!

This month enjoy The Forbidden Marriage by Rebecca Winters.

And look out for more stories in the WHAT WOMEN WANT! miniseries, coming soon!

The Forbidden Marriage

Rebecca Winters

CONTENTS

CHAPTER ONE

CHAPTER TWO

CHAPTER THREE

CHAPTER FOUR

CHAPTER FIVE

CHAPTER SIX

CHAPTER SEVEN

CHAPTER EIGHT

CHAPTER NINE

CHAPTER TEN

EPILOGUE

CHAPTER ONE

MICHELLE HOWARD had just reached the second floor of her brother’s Spanish-styled home in Riverside, California, when she saw her niece Lynette come out of the guest bedroom at the other end of the hall.

As soon as their eyes met, the eighteen year old brunette jumped. “Aunt Michelle—what are you doing here?”

Michelle had probably frightened her niece who’d thought no one else was in the house besides Zak. Maybe that was the reason she’d sounded faintly accusatory just now.

“I was about to ask you the same question. Your mom said you had classes at college this morning.”

“Only one on Thursdays. It starts at eleven.”

Michelle glanced at her watch. “Considering the heavy traffic, you’d better hurry if you want to get there on time.”

Lynette’s pretty features hardened. “I think I can manage my own life, thank you.”

Both Graham and Sherilyn had been complaining about their only daughter’s change of attitude. It had come on over the summer. According to them she’d turned into someone defensive and difficult.

After this experience Michelle was beginning to understand what they meant. Lynette was behaving like a different girl. Michelle had never known her to be outright rude before.

“Forgive me, honey. I didn’t mean anything by it. I’m sorry.” With two ice bags and her blood pressure case tucked in one arm, she gave her niece a hug with the other, but Lynette barely reciprocated.

Puzzled, Michelle stepped back. Looping a strand of neck length ash blond hair behind her ear she said, “Your mother asked me to come over and check up on your uncle Zak while she did some grocery shopping.”

Her niece’s expression remained mutinous. “I am capable of waiting on him.”

“I know. It’s just that she’s an anxious sister who wanted my medical assessment of her brother’s condition this morning.”

“He wouldn’t be out of the hospital if he weren’t getting better,” Lynette said on a sarcastic note. “I’m almost nineteen, but everyone around here still thinks of me as an adolescent. You can be damn sure my parents never treated Zak like this!” Her brown eyes flashed in anger.

Michelle winced because she’d never heard Lynette so upset she’d swear in front of her. “I think it has more to do with the fact that your uncle Zak was already nine years old when my brother married your mom.”

Even at nine, Zak had been a law unto himself. Michelle remembered back to those early days when her brother Graham had worked so hard to win Sherilyn’s aloof younger brother around without coming across like a heavy handed stepfather type.

It had paid off. They had a great relationship as brothers-in-law now.

“Why do you insist on calling him my uncle? There’s no blood tie between us.”

Lynette, Lynette.

Her niece’s bizarre behavior was finally beginning to make sense. The stretch from teen to adult could be a very confusing, painful time.

“Come on, Aunt Michelle. You know it’s true. First his birth parents abandoned him and he lived in foster homes. Then Mom’s parents adopted him and then they got killed. By the time I started kindergarten, Zak was already in high school. I hardly ever saw him.”

“Nevertheless he’s your uncle, and that makes him a member of your family,” Michelle reminded her. “After Graham married your mom, they raised him and me with all the love two people possibly could. Zak and I were so lucky to have an older brother and sister who provided a stable home for us with both of our parents dead.”

Naturally Sherilyn had wanted to bring her brother home to convalesce after his accident at the construction site. Michelle supposed that like anyone just out of the hospital, Zak was probably craving a little TLC about now.

Knowing how fiercely independent he was, this was a good way to avoid the ministrations of a number of women who, according to Sherilyn, hoped to be the one. However Zak hadn’t shown signs of wanting to settle down yet.

No doubt he didn’t want any of them to see him in his weakened condition. Michelle had nursed enough men young and old in her career to understand that part of the male psyche. They wore their pride like a shield. There could be no show of vulnerability.

When Michelle’s husband Rob had fallen fatally ill, he’d been so adept at hiding his fears and emotions, he’d created a wall between them she could never breach.

“How come you aren’t working?”

Lynette’s truculent tone made the situation transparent to Michelle. Now that Zak was home for a while, her niece wanted to spend as much time with him as possible.

Since college he’d made several trips a month from Carlsbad to Riverside to visit the family, but he hadn’t come nearly as often as Sherilyn and Graham would have liked.

Michelle hadn’t seen him in two years because she’d been out of town on one nursing job or another during those times.

Caring for various patients in their own households had been her panacea to get on with her life after losing her husband to Lou Gehrig’s disease. The last contact she’d had with Zak had been at Rob’s funeral.

“I just finished a job in Murrieta.”

She didn’t add that her patient, Mike Francis, the prominent Californian pro golfer on the PGA circuit, now recovered from his severely broken leg because of a car accident, had asked her to fly to Australia with him for an invitational tournament next month.

Beneath the conventionally handsome golfer’s arrogance lived a man with a great deal of charm who could make her laugh. On top of that, she’d never been to Australia. The thought of exploring a little of Queensland and the Great Barrier Reef sounded intriguing.

Although she’d applied for a passport in anticipation, Michelle was still trying to make up her mind whether she should go. She suspected he would always love his ex-wife, yet she knew he was trying to make a new beginning with Michelle.

In the course of being his nurse, she’d learned enough about him to know he wasn’t a man who made a commitment lightly. If she didn’t want a new beginning with him just as badly, then she had no business going away with him.

Neither of them needed more pain in their lives.

“As long as we’re on the subject, how grouchy is our patient this morning?” she teased in the hope of putting Lynette in a better mood.

“He’s still asleep and won’t want to be disturbed.”

Her niece was definitely warning her off. At some point this summer Lynette had left her girlhood behind.

“I’m up now,” came a deep masculine voice sounding an octave lower than she’d ever heard it before. Surprised, Michelle wheeled around.

Her breath caught.

“Zak—”

His six-foot-two frame was braced in the doorway at the end of the hall. Alarmed to realize what an effort he was making to remain upright, she started toward him.

“I thought I heard you talking to Lynette,” he said as she drew closer. “It’s been a long time, Michelle.”

She swallowed hard.

Suddenly she had the answer to her niece’s drastic transformation.

The last two years had brought changes. Adult changes. Still and always seven years younger than Michelle, Zak Sadler was a grown man now in every sense of the word. His black hair and strong masculine features made him utterly fascinating.

The aloofness that had characterized him years ago had turned into a compelling sensuality that threw out a male challenge Michelle couldn’t possibly ignore.

He wore the bottom half of a pair of gray sweats and nothing else, unless you counted the bandage wrapped around the ribs of his chest.

Zak was all hard-muscled male with a bronzed tan that came from working in the California sun. At twenty-eight, he was a man in his prime, the head of Sadler Construction Company in Carlsbad, a beach city close to two hours away from Riverside depending on the traffic.

He’d always worked construction and knew how to save his money. Refusing Graham’s financial help, he’d put himself through college to earn his construction engineering degree. According to her brother and Sherilyn, he’d built up an enviable business by bringing many of his former co-workers together. Apparently it was thriving.

Michelle couldn’t help but admire him for knowing what he wanted and going after it with single-minded determination.

But right now all she could think about was Zak’s impact on her. She’d known him for years as Sherilyn’s adopted brother, but she’d never thought of him in a physical way until now.

Struggling to keep her voice steady she said, “It’s good to see you again, Zak, but you shouldn’t be out of bed yet. I was bringing you some fresh ice bags.”

“Just what the doctor ordered.”

Something in his tone produced a quivery sensation in Michelle’s stomach that made no sense at all.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” Lynette had walked up next to Michelle, her avid gaze fastened on Zak. “I could have gotten some for you.”

He gave a negligent shrug of his broad shoulders, bringing more muscles into play. “I appreciate that, but I didn’t know I was hurting again until I came awake a minute ago.”

The whole time they’d been talking, his unsettling gaze had been narrowed on Michelle. Now it flicked to Lynette.

“Aren’t you going to be late for school? With the high cost of tuition these days, you can’t afford to miss class. That’s no way to start your freshman year.”

Michelle shivered because she already knew how Lynette would react to those remarks.

Her niece’s complexion lost color before she shot Michelle a hostile glance. In the next instant she flung around and headed for the stairs without saying a word.

Zak started for the bed with difficulty.

“Weren’t you a little hard on her?” Michelle asked, hating to have been caught in the cross fire.

“Not hard enough,” came the cryptic reply. “If you’ll play nurse for a while, I’ll tell you a story.”

Heat swamped her cheeks to realize she’d almost forgotten about his broken ribs. That was one of the reasons she was here, to provide medical assistance.

By the time she reached him, he’d managed to lie down on top of the queen-size bed. His eyes were closed, his breathing shallow. The long thick lashes lay against his burnished skin. As she drew closer she noticed beads of perspiration along his hair line and black winged brows.

The shadow on his hard jawline and above his compelling mouth reminded her he was a man who could use two shaves a day, though she didn’t imagine he had the time or inclination for more than one. Either way, he was so incredibly good looking her mouth went dry.

Michelle averted her eyes, horrified to discover that she felt an attraction to Zak.

How was that possible?

She moaned deep down as Lynette’s words came back to haunt her. He’s not really my uncle. There’s no blood tie between us.

To her consternation, her body broke out in perspiration.

She placed the ice bags against his left side where she knew several two-by-fours being hoisted at a construction site had broken free to deck him and fracture two vertebrae.

“Ah…that feels good,” Zak murmured.

While she was bent over to listen to his heart and lungs with her stethoscope, an errant strand of silvery gold hair trailed against his hard-boned cheek. His eyes opened.

Through shuttered lids she felt their hazel depths absorb every feature of her face. He seemed to take his time studying her softly rounded chin, the lines of her pliant mouth. His gaze lingered on her finely arched brows and lashes which were darker than her hair.

“Still the same pansy-blue eyes though they’re not drenched with pain anymore. I’m glad to see the worst of your sorrow has passed.”

Shaken by his words, the intensity of gaze, she purposely flashed him her professional smile in an effort to conceal her awareness of him. “I’m much better these days, thank you.”

After she’d finished taking his blood pressure, she stood up and put her equipment away. “You’re the one your sister’s worried about. A collapsed lung is no joke. You shouldn’t have gotten up without someone to assist you.”

“I had my reasons.” That was the second veiled reference to something bothering him.

She felt for his pulse. “And I have mine.”

“Yes, Nurse,” he teased.

In this mood Zak was…irresistible. She was fast losing all objectivity.

“You were struggling in the doorway just now. Your vital signs don’t lie.”

He let out a frustrated sigh. “You’re right. I feel like hell. When do you think I’ll be well enough to get back on the job?”

If only once Rob could have admitted to his misery in front of her like Zak had done just now, they could have shared so much. But he wasn’t the kind of man to let go. His determination to suffer in silence had pushed her away, hurting her and he’d known it.

She let go of Zak’s strong, suntanned arm, noting the cleanliness of his hands and nails. Despite working in construction, he’d always been well groomed. He always smelled good.

Don’t do this, Michelle. What are you thinking?

“I’m not your doctor, but I’d say three to four weeks, barring no complications.”

“I can’t stay away from the condo any longer.”

She leaned back against the dresser with her arms folded. “You don’t have much choice. You need help.”

“I agree.”

His penetrating gaze followed the lines and rounded curves of her slender body dressed in cream linen pants and a sage colored, short-sleeved blouse.

Her pulse raced in reaction. She was helpless to stop it, and that made her more nervous than ever.

“You’ve put on some weight since the last time I saw you, Michelle. It looks good.” His husky tone sent a coil of warmth through her body. “Why don’t you pull up a chair and sit down. I want to discuss something with you.”

Zak hadn’t said or done anything wrong, yet she felt like she was suffocating in the enforced intimacy of the bedroom with him lying there so close and so…

She’d thought the brief feeling of guilt she’d experienced at the funeral when she’d found herself comparing Zak’s openness to Rob’s inability to let her comfort him would be gone by now.

In the interim she’d begun dating again and had met some very attractive men. Mike Francis was a case in point. So why wasn’t she thinking about Mike right now?

“Before I do that, can I bring you something else to eat? Some strawberry dessert maybe? It doesn’t look as if you’ve touched your breakfast.” The tray of food Sherilyn had brought up earlier still sat on the far side of the bed.

“The pills I’m taking have killed my appetite.”

“Then you need some medication to get rid of the nausea.”

“That’s the least of my problems,” his voice grated. “It’s important I talk to you about something else before Sherilyn gets back.”

Suddenly Michelle was transported to the past when a much younger Zak had sought her out to confide something in private.

Anxious to appear at ease around him the way she once was, she complied with his wishes and drew the bamboo chair from the corner of the room.

“What’s wrong?” she asked after subsiding into it.

His eyes were closed again, as if the mere act of talking was an effort for him. It probably was if he felt so sick to his stomach he couldn’t eat. “It’s about Lynette.”

Hearing her niece’s name reminded Michelle of the unpleasantness in the hall earlier. Without being aware of it, she rubbed her palms over her knees. “She wanted to stay home and help you.”

He made a strange noise in his throat. “Three weeks ago she lied to her parents about sleeping over at Jennifer’s and drove to Carlsbad to see me instead,” he explained without acknowledging her remark.

“When I came home for lunch, I found her waiting in my condo dressed, or should I say undressed, in the kind of bikini Sherilyn would never approve of.

“She’d let herself in the back entrance with the key I gave them in case of an emergency. To say I was shocked is putting it mildly.”

“I can imagine,” Michelle whispered. “I’m afraid you’ve been the object of hero worship for a long time.”

His lips twisted unpleasantly. “Throughout the summer she’s been acting out in an attempt to flirt with me. But I never imagined she would go so far as to actually come on to me.”

At that revelation, Michelle’s breath caught.

“When I told her to get dressed and go home before she was missed, she said Jennifer would provide an alibi for her. Then she walked over and threw her arms around my neck. After reminding me that we weren’t really related, she asked me if I was glad to see her.”

Michelle closed her eyes, unable to prevent the quiet gasp that escaped her throat.

“I as quickly removed her arms and told her I was due back to work any minute. After packing up the things she’d left strewn in my bedroom and bathroom, I forced her to give me the key.

“Then I walked her out to her car and told her to drive straight home. If I found out she wasn’t there inside of two hours, I would phone her parents and tell them what she’d done.”

After assimilating everything, Michelle said, “Did she do as you asked?”

“Yes.”

“Under the circumstances, why did you let Sherilyn and Graham bring you here after you were released from Carlsbad Hospital? I understand there are several wom—”

“I need a qualified nurse like you,” he cut in moodily, making no explanation about his personal life. “You’d know the kind of care I require.”

She did. Since his chest tube had been removed, he needed to do regular deep breathing and coughing exercises.

“Sherilyn told me you’re between jobs. That’s why I came home with them, so I could ask for your professional help in person. I’d like to hire you to take care of me at the condo until I’m ready to go back to work.”

What?

“I’ll pay for anything the insurance doesn’t cover. There will be one perk at least. When you’re not busy, you can enjoy the ocean. You’ve never been to my new condo.”

Her heart lurched.

“All you have to do is walk out of your own bedroom and step onto the beach. If you recall, it’s perfect for swimming. How long has it been since you had fun playing in the surf or got a suntan?”

Shock almost forced Michelle out of the chair. It was with the greatest restraint she remained seated so he wouldn’t guess at the true reason for the chaotic state of her emotions.

“The hospital stay has kept me away from my business too long as it is,” he continued. “It’s vital I get back home where my assistant can come over and conference with me in my bedroom if he has to.

“With you there to supervise, Lynette won’t be pulling any more stunts like the last one. Even if I could find another nurse, Lynette would find a way around her. I can’t chance that.

“Let’s pray to God some guy on campus will catch her eye and she’ll be able to chalk this up to growing pains. The last thing I want to do is embarrass her, but I will if I have to.”

A shudder ran through Michelle’s body. He never made idle threats. You always knew where you stood with Zak.

Lynette should have gotten his message loud and clear three weeks ago. The fact that she’d undoubtedly skipped class this morning in the hope of picking up where she’d left off with him, showed how in denial she was, how desperate she was for his attention.

“There’s never been friction with the family,” he confided. “I want things to stay that way.”

“Of course.” She rubbed her arms for want of something to do with all the explosive energy building inside of her.

“I told them in the car I was going to ask you to look after me at the condo. They seemed happy with the idea and urged me to talk to you.”

“We’re thrilled!” Sherilyn backed his statement as she breezed into the room. “No one will take better care of you than Michelle. An injury like yours is something she knows all about.”

Michelle’s head jerked in her sister-in-law’s direction. She hadn’t heard her in the doorway. If she’d come in the room a minute earlier…

Sherilyn, who’d bequeathed the same brown hair and eyes to her daughter, went around the other side of the bed to feel Zak’s forehead. Her concerned gaze strayed to the tray. “Still not hungry?”

“H-he will be after I ask his doctor to prescribe some antinausea medicine for him,” Michelle’s voice faltered.

The second she’d spoken, she realized she’d committed herself to Zak. In the family’s eyes there was no reason for her to turn down his request.

As for Zak, he needed her cooperation to quash Lynette’s fantasies, among other things.

If by some chance Graham and Sherilyn were to find out what had happened at his condo three weeks ago and asked her about it, Michelle feared that in her niece’s present frame of mind, she’d rebel in some way that could only hurt her in the end.

On the same note, it could turn ugly for everyone if she continued to harass Zak.

“I’m surprised the doctor didn’t write something for nausea in the release orders,” Michelle muttered absently. She couldn’t force fluids if he was too nauseated.

When she looked over and saw the satisfied expression that had entered Zak’s intelligent eyes, she started to feel afraid.