Faking it never felt so good.
Wedding photographer and romance lover Izzy Latham dreams of finding her
own happily-ever-after. When her former teenage crush arrives at her
doorstep, looking sexier than ever, and asks to marry her, it should be
her dream come true, right? Wrong. It turns out he doesn't want to
actually marry her—he only wants to pretend to marry her.
Marriage hater Jack Carter will do anything to close his latest business
deal, including finding a wife. The only person who can help him is his
childhood friend, Izzy. Except Izzy isn't a little girl anymore. She's
definitely all woman, and there's an attraction between them that's hard
to ignore.
Jack has to convince Izzy to fake it, but the problem is that she hates
to lie. However, she can't deny her feelings for him either. So when
Jack makes her an offer she can't refuse, she reluctantly agrees to help
him out.
Faking it is the easy part. But what happens when fake starts to feel so real?
Content Warning: contains sensual sex and occasional strong language
"Let me work off the money," Izzy said.
She felt Jack's gaze rake over her body, watched the clench of his jaw.
"And how are you planning to work it off, Isabel?" he almost growled.
"Is that what all of this is about?" he asked as his hand made an
indicating sweep over her body. "Dress to impress so you can pay me in
kind?"
"Oh God, no," she spluttered. "This is me showing you I'm not the weak, naïve girl I used to be and I won't be pushed around!"
The hard glint in his eyes softened slightly. "You were never weak.
Naïve…" He trailed off. "So how exactly were you planning to pay me
back?"
"Working here for you for free until I pay you back. I could collect glasses, work the bar, or clean."
"And you have experience in any of those roles?"
"No. But I could learn."
"But what about the house repairs?"
She shrugged. "I could do that during the daytime and work here at
night. Then when I'm earning again from my day job I'll pay you back."
"And what exactly is your day job?"
"I'm a photographer. I could even do that here. Take photographs of the patrons and sell them for you."
"You work freelance?”
"I have my own business." She hesitated before elaborating. "As a
wedding photographer," she said quickly, hoping he wouldn't snag the
teasing opportunity.
Too late. The corner of his mouth quirked until it bloomed until a grin.
"A wedding photographer. How appropriate. I knew playing dress-up with
your mother's veil and having teddy bears as your guests would have an
influence on you one day."
"You mean like wanting to have a traditional wedding where the groom
doesn't have to bribe the bride? Yeah, my childhood messed me up real
bad," she said with sarcasm.
"You're not working here, Izzy. And this conversation is over."
"No, it's not. I'm giving you a solution to paying off what I owe. I'll
work off the amount Ellie paid for our debts and the rest you get from
her. So when do I start?"
"You are not working here."
"Why?"
"Do you really want to have some guy groping you as you serve drinks? Or
a group of guys? I run a tight ship and look out for my staff, but
sometimes it happens."
"I can look after myself. I have been groped before, you know. I can deal with it."
He slid his chair closer, bending his legs so hers surrounded him
without touching, but close, very close. He looked up at her under dark
lashes. "So if some guy puts a hand on your leg you wouldn’t mind?"
She shook her head.
"And if that hand strayed beneath your dress?" he asked as his hand
reached out to graze the sensitive skin of her inner thigh, making her
shudder.
She shook her head slowly, earning a dark look. Of course she would mind. But this was Jack.
He stood abruptly, stepping into the v of her thighs. "And if a guy tried to kiss you?"
"I have been kissed before, remember?" she said, inwardly cringing at how breathless she sounded.
"I remember being a boy kissing you as a girl. If I were to kiss you now
I wouldn’t be holding back and I wouldn’t be kissing you as a boy—I’d
be kissing you as a man."
"Then do it," she demanded.
Buy Links: Beachwalk Press Amazon Barnes & Noble
A devourer of books from an early age, I spent much of my childhood
stepping into wardrobes, searching for that magical snowy world where
conversing with animals would be expected. When I wasn't searching for
those worlds, I wrote about them instead. My first step into the world
of romance was when I stole sneak peeks into my nana's books. I'm still
in that world and refuse to leave.
I live in Staffordshire, UK, with my husband and three wonderful
children. An avid reader and writer of romance, I strongly believe that
words make the world go around.
