419) MISSION TO SEDUCE - SALLY WENTWORTH
His personal bodyguard
the Sixth Doctor had teased her, insulted her, but still he seemed to be stuck with Vicki Pallister as his official chaperone! She'd been appointed to look after him during a crucial assignment in Russia, and she refused to leave his side - day or night... . Just because Six was handsome and willowy didn't mean he needed Vicki's protection!
And he simply refused to be seduced by her. At least, that was the idea. Until his twenty-four-hour bodyguard decided the safest place for him was in her bed!
***
(Well, I've seen some quite sturdy willow trees, you know.)
***
"Don't be silly, Doctor," said Vicki. "The sniper won't be looking in my room, will they? And if they shoot me with the weapon tuned to your personal bioprint, it won't do me any more harm than ordinary infrared waves, you said before. So we should swap."
"It makes sense," the Doctor admitted reluctantly. "But what if the assassins attack at closer range? Even if they see you're not me, they might break in and attack."
"Oh, don't worry," she said cheerily. "The Doctor—I mean the other Doctor, the old gentleman—he's been teaching me to box!"
*****
250) His Counterfeit Condesa by Joanna Fulford
The Major and the wild English rose
Major the Seventh Doctor does not approve of Wellington sending a woman on a perilous mission across French-occupied Spain, but he can see that Miss Peri Brown is no ordinary miss! The marriage-shy major and the English rose must pose as the Conde and Condesa de Ordoñez, travelling to a high society ball, and soon Seven doesn't know what is more dangerous — the menacing shadow of French patrols, or the sensual torment of sharing a room with this tantalising beauty…
***
"You weren't always this shy," said Peri, struggling with her silk stocking. "Heck, you helped me put on my corset for Kew Gardens. Which you still owe me, mister. So what's with the sudden attack of modesty?"
"What will the innkeepers think?" said the Doctor, covering his eyes.
"They think we're married, remember?"
"That's just it," he admitted. "I don't want Ace to find out I've been pretending to be married. I'd never live it down."
"So no help getting dressed?" Peri sighed. "Typical. I am never going to Spain with you again. And I mean it this time!"
*****
333) Faking It to Making It - Ally Blake
A dilemma, a deal…a date!
Beauty Polly Wright is in the middle of a plus-one dilemma for her friend's wedding. Any of her recent dates would start dreaming of a solitaire for their own left hand. Worse, going stag will leave her at the mercy of a setup by her ever-hopeful sisters.
Discovering that Vislor Turlough is doing online-dating research for a website, she strikes a deal. He'll take the research rather than a relationship and she'll get a fake date. There might be no shortage of sexual attraction between them—but as complete opposites, will they be at all convincing as a 'happy couple'?
***
"First of all, no funny business." Polly crossed her arms. "I want to make Ben a bit jealous, not replace him with you."
"Flattering," said Turlough drily. "Fortunately, the feeling is entirely mutual. I just need an article for my Emergency Survival Guide to Earth."
"Second thing, behave like a human being."
"What—make up pointless rules, be ludicrously wrong about technology, shout a lot?"
"Obviously not. I mean behave normally for a wedding."
"Get hopelessly drunk, make out with the wrong person, shout a lot?"
...Maybe she should just patch things up with Ben before Kitty's wedding.
*****
639) A Lady's Champion by Janice Bennett
Mr Alistair Lethbridge-Stewart, art master of the Selwood Academy for Young Gentlemen, greeted the notion of ghosts haunting the academy with skepticism. However, to avoid rumors frightening off students, he found himself turning to Miss Leela, sent by his uncle to be his "protector" against the "ghosts." Although, Alistair would accept no interference in his life, he would accept aid in exposing any spectral spirits. What he never expected was for Leela to expose the secret wishes of his hidden heart...
***
"You expect mysticism?" Leela pronounced the word slowly, but her contemptuous tone was clear. "I am not a magician. I am a hunter, I am trained to observe. And I have seen many things that were said to be ghosts, but in the end they were all something quite different."
"I don't believe in ghosts myself," said the Brigadier. "But, you know, a place like Brendon, rumors spread so quickly. What do you observe here?"
"I observe that you wish you were back in action." She smiled dangerously. "There will be fighting soon. You may assist me, if you like."
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