{"id":592,"date":"2017-07-18T06:55:04","date_gmt":"2017-07-18T06:55:04","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/rachelbailey.com\/?page_id=592"},"modified":"2017-07-18T12:30:14","modified_gmt":"2017-07-18T12:30:14","slug":"tempted-by-the-wrong-twin-excerpt","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/rachelbailey.com\/index.php\/books\/tempted-by-the-wrong-twin\/tempted-by-the-wrong-twin-excerpt\/","title":{"rendered":"Tempted by the Wrong Twin: Excerpt"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Tempted by the Wrong Twin<\/em> is the 8th book in The Texas Cattleman’s Club: Blackmail <\/strong>series. They are:<\/p>\n

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  1. Maureen Child, The Tycoon’s Secret Child<\/em><\/li>\n
  2. Cat Schield, Two-Week Texas Seduction<\/em><\/li>\n
  3. Sara Orwig, Reunited with the Rancher<\/em><\/li>\n
  4. Andrea Laurence, Expecting the Billionaire’s Baby<\/em><\/li>\n
  5. Maynard, Janice Maynard, Triplets for the Texan<\/em><\/li>\n
  6. Maureen Child, A Texas-Sized Secret<\/em><\/li>\n
  7. Lauren Canan, Lone Star Baby Scandal<\/em><\/li>\n
  8. Rachel Bailey, Tempted by the Wrong Twin<\/em><\/li>\n
  9. Catherine Mann, Taking Home the Tycoon<\/em><\/li>\n
  10. Katherine Garbera, Billionaire’s Baby Bind<\/em><\/li>\n
  11. Charlene Sands, The Texan Takes a Wife<\/em><\/li>\n
  12. Jules Bennett, Best Man Under the Mistletoe<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Read Excerpt<\/p>\n

    Reviews<\/p>\n

    Back to Books<\/a><\/p>\n

    Buy from\u00a0iBooks<\/a>, \u00a0Amazon<\/a>, Barnes & Noble<\/a>, Harlequin<\/a><\/p>\n

    \"\"<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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     <\/p>\n

    One<\/span><\/p>\n

    When his twin brother\u2019s name flashed on his cell phone screen, Nick Tate accepted the call\u2014it was pretty much the only number he didn\u2019t let go through to voice mail these days.<\/p>\n

    Before he could even offer a greeting, Malcolm\u2019s voice thundered, \u201cGoddammit, Nick. You slept with our lawyer, didn\u2019t you?\u201d<\/p>\n

    The blood in his veins froze. There was only one woman he\u2019d slept with since he\u2019d returned from his last tour of duty, and they hadn\u2019t stopped to share life histories. They hadn\u2019t even stopped to exchange names. And now it seemed as though that had been a mistake.<\/p>\n

    \u201cShe\u2019s our lawyer?\u201d he asked. Maybe he\u2019d misheard.<\/p>\n

    \u201cHarper Lake has been Tate Armor\u2019s company attorney for just over two years.\u201d<\/p>\n

    Nick winced. That was the problem with being a silent partner in their business\u2014he missed out on all the details. And it turned out that their lawyer was one hell of an amazing detail. It had been three months since their night together and he still hadn\u2019t stopped thinking about her, but he\u2019d had no way to track her down. Until now.<\/p>\n

    \u201cAnd,\u201d Malcolm continued, \u201cit seems you didn\u2019t tell her who you were. She thinks she slept with me.\u201d<\/p>\n

    Nick swore under his breath. Most people couldn\u2019t tell them apart at the best of times, but add a half-face mask–since it had been a masked ball–and his pretending to be Malcolm, and the task would have been virtually impossible. They hadn\u2019t switched identities since they were kids, but when Nick had heard that a disgruntled customer had threatened his twin and would be stalking him at the ball, he didn\u2019t hesitate to step in and make things right. It had been going on for several weeks, and enough was enough. He might not be good for much anymore, but this was something he could fix for his brother. Even if it had meant dragging his sorry ass out of seclusion.<\/p>\n

    So, yeah, since Harper knew Malcolm, she must have mixed Nick up with him that night. He just hadn\u2019t realized it at the time. Their connection had been instant and explosive, and there hadn\u2019t really been time to explain. Or even make it to the bed.<\/p>\n

    Despite the annoyance emanating from his brother on the other end of the phone, Nick smiled at the memory. He\u2019d never met anyone remotely like Harper Lake.<\/p>\n

    But now wasn\u2019t the time for reminiscing. He pulled himself together and addressed the problem at hand. A rare night of letting go had created consequences for his brother, the twin who\u2019d always had enough finesse and charm for them both.<\/p>\n

    \u201cI\u2019ll handle this, don\u2019t worry.\u201d Now that he knew her name and where she worked, he\u2019d be able to talk to her. Maybe he could wait for her after work tomorrow. Or perhaps he could drop in at lunch and offer\u2014<\/p>\n

    \u201cThis isn\u2019t some simple glitch that you can ride in on your white horse and sort out, Nick.\u201d<\/p>\n

    Something in Malcolm\u2019s voice had Nick\u2019s SEAL training kicking in, and his entire body went on alert. \u201cWhat do you mean?\u201d<\/p>\n

    \u201cHarper\u2019s pregnant.\u201d<\/p>\n

    The power of the word hit him square in the chest. Pregnant? Only his training kept him on his feet as the world tilted around him.<\/p>\n

    Harper was pregnant with his baby.<\/p>\n

    And then a second wave hit him with even more force than the first. Ellie. His three-year-old daughter\u2014the only reason his heart still beat after the horrors of war had pummeled it\u2014could suffer the fallout of his behavior. His ex-wife\u2019s lawyers would use this to further their case that he was an irresponsible and unfit father. Especially if they knew the circumstances of how he\u2019d swapped identities with his brother. His temples throbbed, and he rubbed them with his free hand.<\/p>\n

    Dammed if he was going to let them take Ellie from him. He\u2019d fix this. Fix it for all of them.<\/p>\n

    He jerked his wrist over to check his watch. It was almost seven. \u201cAre you at work? Is Harper still there?\u201d<\/p>\n

    \u201cShe just left,\u201d Malcolm said. \u201cShe waited until everyone else had gone for the day and came into my office. She said she wanted me to know and offered to do a paternity test if I wanted.\u201d<\/p>\n

    He could see the scene playing out in his mind, and he hated it. Hated that he\u2019d put his brother in that awkward position, but mostly hated what he\u2019d done to Harper. What must she be feeling? Cursing him\u2014or the Malcolm version of him\u2014at the very least. She was probably overwhelmed.<\/p>\n

    He had to swallow hard to get his voice to work. \u201cDid you tell her you weren\u2019t at the masked ball? That it was me?\u201d<\/p>\n

    \u201cI said I had to go, apologized and promised we\u2019d talk about it in the morning. She seemed taken aback, but I figured it was your job to tell her.\u201d<\/p>\n

    \u201cYou figured right.\u201d This situation was complex enough without her getting the details from his brother.<\/p>\n

    \u201cYou know how dangerous this is, don\u2019t you?\u201d Malcolm said, his voice a note lower than it had been. \u201cYou\u2019re an owner of the business, and sexual harassment cases are no laughing matter.\u201d<\/p>\n

    \u201cYeah, I get it.\u201d Nick had always been responsible, even when he was a kid, so he\u2019d never thought he\u2019d be the guy his brother would have to give this talk to, and it sat uncomfortably.<\/p>\n

    \u201cPlus, with this Maverick guy going around town spilling everyone\u2019s secrets, don\u2019t count on this situation being private for long. He might already know.\u201d<\/p>\n

    Nick frowned. He might have been out of the loop, but even he had heard about the blackmailer causing headaches and heartaches for people all over Royal. Still, it was a little premature to be thinking about interference here.<\/p>\n

    \u201cHow could he possibly know when I only just found out?\u201d<\/p>\n

    \u201cHow did he know that Wes Jackson had a kid with Isabelle Grayson? How did he know about Cecilia Morgan\u2019s background? He\u2019s obviously got some serious hacking and investigative skills.\u201d<\/p>\n

    \u201cTrue,\u201d Nick said on a sigh. Local businessman and manufacturer Wesley Jackson was a friend of Malcolm\u2019s and Nick had met him a few times. Wes and Isabelle were decent people who hadn\u2019t deserved what Maverick had put them through.<\/p>\n

    \u201cAlso, all Maverick\u2019s targets seem to be in the TCC, and since you and I are both members, we can\u2019t discount the risk.\u201d<\/p>\n

    \u201cHell.\u201d Malcolm had a point. And the new proposals he\u2019d been working on for the supply of body armor were all for security agencies. Given the nature of their business, handing Maverick ammunition to use on them in the form of a scandal like this would make them look like amateurs.<\/p>\n

    He blew out a breath. \u201cOur clients need to know that any information they give us about their organizations is secure and not susceptible to a hacker.\u201d<\/p>\n

    \u201cYeah,\u201d Malcolm said, sounding weary. \u201cNow is the time to have everything aboveboard. No secrets that could make us vulnerable.\u201d<\/p>\n

    \u201cI\u2019m on it.\u201d Nick grabbed his Kevlar riding jacket and slid his arms in, one at a time, switching the cell to his other hand as he went. \u201cI\u2019m going to need her home address.\u201d<\/p>\n

    \u201cIt\u2019s in Pine Valley. I\u2019ll text it to you.\u201d<\/p>\n

    \u201cThanks. And Malcolm?\u201d he said, glancing up at the ceiling.<\/p>\n

    \u201cYeah?\u201d<\/p>\n

    Nick drew in a long breath and held it for a moment before replying. \u201cI will handle this. I\u2019ll make everything right.\u201d There was no other option. He\u2019d make things right for Ellie, for Harper, for Harper\u2019s baby, for Tate Armor\u2014for everyone.<\/p>\n

    \u201cGood luck.\u201d<\/p>\n

    Nick disconnected the call, grabbed his wallet and keys and headed out the door. Hell would freeze over before he\u2019d ever let down someone he was responsible for again.<\/p>\n

    But by the time he\u2019d reached Harper\u2019s place\u2014a \u201ccountry cottage\u201d that was far too impressive to deserve such a description\u2014he was having doubts. How was he even going to convince her that he, not Malcolm, was the father of her baby?<\/p>\n

    Hi. You might be interested to learn that Malcolm has an identical twin brother.<\/p>\n

    Nope.<\/p>\n

    Hey, Harper. Remember that night you thought you were with Malcolm and conceived his baby? Well, it was me. Surprise!<\/p>\n

    Not even close.<\/p>\n

    Harper, I have something to say and you might want to sit down. My name is Nick, and I was impersonating my twin brother when we met. I should have told you before things got out of hand, and I apologize.<\/p>\n

    He\u2019d need to find much better words in the next thirty seconds or risk having the door slammed in his face.<\/p>\n

    He knocked on her front door, still having no idea how he could possibly explain everything. Then the door swung inward and she was there and he had no air left to form words anyway. Her almond-shaped brown eyes widened at the sight of him, and he knew he had to say something. Anything. But her haunting beauty overwhelmed him. He\u2019d barely been able to stop thinking about her since that night, and now here she was in real life. Filling his vision. Smelling like heaven.<\/p>\n

    \u201cMalcolm?\u201d she said, her voice breathy, and instead of explaining, he found himself mute, reaching out to feel the silky-soft skin of her cheek. His palm cupped the side of her jaw, his fingers feathering over her cheekbone, and he was lost.<\/p>\n

    Her eyes widened in surprise and she took a small step back, out of his touch, but her gaze didn\u2019t falter. He waited a beat, waited in agony, waited until she swayed back toward him, and then he reached for her again. Her lips parted as she tilted her head into his palm. The world around them faded, and he took an infinitesimal step closer, being drawn by the magnetic force that had been there since he\u2019d first laid eyes on her three months ago.<\/p>\n

    He was supposed to say something, tell her something, but there were no words in his mind, only Harper and the way her eyes had darkened as she looked at him. Breathing ragged, he lowered his head and speared his fingers through her long, glossy hair. This was wrong, so wrong, yet the rightness of it overwhelmed him, crushing all other thoughts.<\/p>\n

    She lifted herself on tiptoes and met him halfway, her mouth finding his, her lips soft, welcoming, wanting, her arms wrapping around his shoulders and gripping tight. With a groan of surrender, he slid his tongue along hers and hauled her flush against him.<\/p>\n

    This.<\/p>\n

    This was what had driven him crazy the night they\u2019d met. This was what had kept her in his waking dreams since. This was what was making him dizzy now.<\/p>\n

    Of course, a little voice at the back of his mind whispered, this was also what had led him into trouble in the first place.<\/p>\n

    He had to stop kissing her. To find the strength to pull away and explain everything. Oh, but her mouth and what it was doing to his was divine\u2026<\/p>\n

    Reluctantly, he eased back a little, then brushed his lips over hers one last time before straightening. She dropped her hands\u2014all contact was broken\u2014and he blinked hard to make his mind work. She gazed up at him, her eyes unfocused and her lips rosy from their kiss, and\u00a0 previous thought deserted him. In that moment, all that mattered was that Harper Lake knew she\u2019d kissed him. Knew she\u2019d made love with him. Nick Tate.<\/p>\n

    So, with his voice as rough as gravel, all he heard himself say was, \u201cI\u2019m not Malcolm.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    Tempted by the Wrong Twin is the 8th book in The Texas Cattleman’s Club: Blackmail series. They are: Maureen Child,…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":580,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/rachelbailey.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/592"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/rachelbailey.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/rachelbailey.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rachelbailey.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rachelbailey.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=592"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/rachelbailey.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/592\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":598,"href":"https:\/\/rachelbailey.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/592\/revisions\/598"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rachelbailey.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/580"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/rachelbailey.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=592"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}