His offer was on the table ⦠and his face was just inches from hers.
She bit her lower lip. A part of her wanted Conner to talk her into this deal. That way, she wouldnât have to accept all the blame for the fallout.
âTell me something that will make it worth my while. Sweeten the pot for me,â Nichole said.
âI want you.â
Those bald words sent a shiver down her spine. She wanted him, too, but she wanted him to want her enough to not make it a business deal.
She licked her lips, and he tracked the movement with his eyes. His pupils dilated right before he brushed his lips over hers. Just that touch sent a pulse of desire through her entire body.
She turned her head to the side. âI want you, too, but Iâm not going to give in to physical desire.â
âThat sounds like a challenge.â He flashed a wicked smile. âYou should know I never lose.â
Dear Reader,
This book was just an absolute dream to write. From the moment Nichole Reynolds appeared on the page, Conner couldnât keep his eyes or his hands off her. I was trying to create something a little different with these characters. I wanted them to be smart and sassy with lots of zingers flying back and forth, but I also needed them to be real people with real problems to deal with.
Conner was almost easy once I decided that heâd be single, because the one man from whom he should have learned how to be a husband and fatherâhis ownâhad betrayed him. That set in stone the kind of man that Conner was. He secretly longs for something he can never have.
Nichole just wants the story of a lifetime at first, but then as she gets to know Conner she wants so much more. She really hopes that she can heal that injured part of him, never realizing that his idea of whole might be very different from hers.
I hope you enjoy reading this book as much as I enjoyed writing it.
Katherine
KATHERINE GARBERA is a USA TODAY bestselling author of more than forty books, who has always believed in happy endings. She lives in England with her husband, children and their pampered pet, Go-diva. Visit Katherine on the web at www.katherinegarbera.com, or catch up with her on Facebook and Twitter.
This book is dedicated to Rob, Courtney and Lucas.
I love you guys.
Acknowledgments:
There are many people to thank for their help and support during the writing of this book. First of all, my husband for giving me the freedom to just writeâthere truly arenât words to thank you for that. Also to my kids for just making me laugh when I was stuck on the plot and couldnât figure out where to go. And last, to my editor, Charles Griemsman, for being a great sounding board for ideas and of course for his deft editing.
Conner Macafee was used to reporters snooping around his family. His great-uncle had been a confidant of John F. Kennedy, and Connerâs own family were considered American royalty in politics and business. Of course, they had more than their share of scandals as well, which had always kept the press interested in them.
But Nichole Reynolds, the society reporter for the national newspaper America Today, was going about it in an entirely new way. Sheâd crashed his familyâs Fourth of July party in Bridgehampton and was doing her best to fit in, but so far sheâd done little but stick out. Sheâd tried to blend by faking an ennui with the dignitaries and A-list celebs who were in attendance. But Conner couldnât help but notice her gushing more than once to the model and polo star Palmer Cassini.
Conner had gone to school with Palmer and knew him to be a fun-loving partier. He was an intense athlete, but also a hell of a fun guy, and Conner counted Palmer as one of his closest friends. But Palmer didnât hold his interest the way the redheaded reporter did.
He knew why Nichole was here. Heâd turned down numerous interview requests from her and her bosses. He understood that she was a friend of Willow Stead, the producer of Sexy & Single, the reality television show that featured his company, Matchmakers, Inc. With the TV show under way, Nichole intended to write a series of articles on the matchmaking service his grandmother had founded. But he didnât trust reporters and never talked to them. Thatâs why he had a marketing manager, Zak Levy, who was handling all the promotion and press releases. Conner had been very careful to keep out of the spotlight.
âWho is she, Conner?â his mother, Ruthann Macafee, asked, coming up next to him.
âWho, Mother?â he asked, pulling his gaze away from Nichole. He assured himself that keeping an eye on the reporter was the only thing that interested him. Not her lush red hair, which flowed in waves past her shoulders, or the stunning white sheath dress she wore. But he knew that he was lying to himself. He wanted her and if heâd had any idea how potent the attraction would be, he would have granted her an interview at his office weeks ago.