Much more than he bargained for…
“You want me to find you a wife?”
“No. I want you to be my wife.”
Garrett Song is this close to taking the reins of his family’s LA
fashion empire…until the Song matriarch insists he marry her handpicked bride
first. To block her matchmaking, he recruits Natalie Sobol to pose as his wife.
She needs a fake spouse as badly as he does. But when passion burns down their
chaste agreement, the flames could destroy them all…
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EXCERPT:
Garrett resisted the urge to glance over
his shoulder to check on her. Natalie was a grown woman and he didn’t need to
protect her from being swarmed by admirers. Besides, she was the one who had
proposed they refrain from other relationships, so she wouldn’t do
anything to hurt his reputation or hers.
Earlier, at her apartment, he’d caught
fire at the sight of her in her little black dress. It was demure compared to
the one she’d worn at Le Rêve, but it hugged her hourglass figure and
highlighted the curves underneath just enough to tease his imagination.
He walked to the bar for his Scotch and
grabbed a flute of champagne from a server on his way back. As he’d
anticipated, Natalie was now surrounded by a group of men and he lengthened his
strides to reach her.
“Sorry to keep you waiting, sweetheart.”
He pressed a light kiss on her lips and handed her the champagne.
“Thank you.” She leaned her head against
his shoulder when he pulled her to his side, playing her part like a pro.
“Natalie was just taking us to task
about USC’s new head coach. It seems neither he nor I truly understand college
football,” said one of Mike’s college friends.
“Is that so?” Garrett raised an eyebrow
at her and she shrugged.
“Taking you to
task is a bit harsh.” She hid her grin against the rim of her champagne flute
as she took a long sip. “It’s just that I have a better understanding
than you guys.”
The audience winced and guffawed at her
cheekiness. As Natalie continued with her lecture, all the men listened
intently, as did Garrett. She was funny and down-to-earth, and her mind was
quicker than lightning. Lost in her words, Garrett belatedly noticed the crowd
had grown. Her champagne glass was depleted and her smile was becoming
strained.
He leaned down close to her ear.
“Tired?”
“And hungry.”
“All right, gentlemen. I’m whisking away
my date now. I’m tired of sharing her.”
When the crowd finally dispersed,
Natalie slumped against him with a groan. “I need food, champagne and somewhere
to sit.”
A server walked over with a tray of
bacon-wrapped shrimp and Natalie snatched a couple of them. She popped one in
her mouth and mumbled around her food, “Not necessarily in that order.”
Garrett laughed and guided her toward
the French doors leading out to the garden. Natalie ate every single hors
d’oeuvre she met along the way and finished another glass of champagne.
“Holy cow. Is everything really, really
delicious, or am I just famished? I would totally go back for that crab cake if
my feet weren’t screaming at me to get my butt on a chair.”
He glanced down
at her zebra-print high heels. They did amazing things for her legs but didn’t
look remotely comfortable. “There’s a bench around the corner.”
“Oh, thank God.” She kicked off her
shoes as soon as she plopped onto the seat.
Garrett shrugged out of his jacket and
draped it around her shoulders before sitting next to her.
“Thank you,” she murmured, gazing at the
garden. “It’s so beautiful out here.”
“Is it?” He and Mike had grown up
tearing apart that very garden, but Garrett had never sat still and taken it
all in, like they were doing now. “I guess you’re right.”
“Mmm-hmm.”
He studied her profile, her high, regal
cheekbone and the graceful curve of her neck. Half of her hair had escaped the
loose knot behind her head and fell down her back and shoulders. He wanted to
sweep aside her hair and feel the softness of her skin, which he absolutely
should not do.
“So how do you know so much about
college football?” He tore his gaze away from her and stared at an old maple
tree ahead of him, hard enough to make his eyes water.
“Long story.”
“We’ve got time.” He made a show of
checking his watch. “I’ll give you ten minutes.”
Her laughter filled the garden, then
ended on a wistful sigh. “My dad and I, we weren’t very close. The only time
he didn’t mind my company was when we watched college football together. He was
a huge fan. I don’t think he even noticed I was sitting there half the time.”
Garrett
understood what that felt like. As soon as he finished graduate school, he’d
thrown himself into his work. It was satisfying in its predictability and it
created a common ground for him and his father. His dad had stepped down from
the CEO position when his mom died, but returned to Hansol a few years later as
an executive VP.
“I thought if I learned enough about the
sport, he’d like me a little better.” Her shrug told him it hadn’t worked, but
Natalie told her story without an ounce of self-pity—like she owned her past,
hurt and all. His respect for her deepened. “But soon I noticed I wasn’t faking
my enthusiasm anymore. I’d grown to love the sport. Who knew it’d come in handy
at an intimate birthday party for a hundred people?”
“You certainly won over quite a few of
them.”
“I did?” Her eyebrows shot up in genuine
surprise.
He huffed out a laugh. “Why did you
think that crowd was hanging on to your every word?”
“Watch yourself, Garrett Song.” Natalie
narrowed her eyes and pointed a finger at him. “I know where you live.”
He snatched her hand and tugged her to
her feet. “Yes, and you’ll be living there with me starting Sunday.”
“Ugh.” She hooked an index finger in
each of her shoes, not bothering to put them back on. “Do you ever stop thinking
about work?”
“Yes.” He cocked his head and pretended
to consider her question. “But only when I’m thoroughly distracted.”
Her lashes fluttered and color saturated
her cheeks, and his gut clenched with heat. She could definitely become his
most dangerous distraction.
What I thought about Temporary Wife Temptation
In this marriage of convenience story, Garrett Song wants to be CEO of his family company, but his grandmother insists that he be married. To be able to choose his own wife and be CEO he must find a wife quickly to keep his grandmother from forcing him into an arranged marriage.
Natalie Sobol wants to be a VP with Hansol, but tragic circumstances mean that she missed her opportunity for an interview for the position. After being at the compnay and knowing she can do the job, she approaches Garrett. Turns out they can both help each other out.
As expected, a mutual attraction grows between Natalie and Garrett as does their relationship. There's a few hurdles for them to get to the HEA and while there weren't really many surprises to this story, I loved reading about the different culture and how that impacted the characters view of their world. They do manage to finally admit their feelings for each other and it's all good.
Overall, an entertaining and quick read.
A review copy was provided by the publisher.
About the author JAYCI LEE: Jayci Lee writes poignant, funny, and sexy romance. She
lives in sunny California with her tall-dark-and-handsome husband, two amazing
boys with boundless energy, and a fluffy rescue whose cuteness is a major
distraction. She is semi-retired from her 15-year career as a defense
litigator, and writes full-time now. She loves food, wine, and travelling, just
like her characters. Books have always helped her grow, dream, and heal. She
hopes her books will do the same for you.
