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Category: Excerpts

The Designers Bride by Lynn Chantale

The Designer’s Bride #MFRWhooks

For cosmetics heiress Elisabeth Bach, finding the right man hasn’t been easy, especially when her father is bent on arranging her love life for his own twisted purposes. When she falls for fashion designer Jordan Carlisle, she knows she’s met The One, and she’ll do anything to keep their relationship secret from her father’s schemes.

Jordan Carlisle has been waiting a long time for a chance to date Elisabeth and he’s determined to make her his wife. Will a Valentine’s Day proposal be enough to keep her or will his checkered past destroy his future?

 

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Excerpt

“Are you playing matchmaker again, Dylan?”

He chuckled. “No ma’am. He saw you sitting alone.”

“I think I can take it from here,” a smooth, velvety voice interrupted.

Dylan nodded and backed away. Elisabeth straightened a little in her chair. Her breath stuck in her throat at the intensity of the newcomer’s stare. His long slow perusal left her body simmering.

His jet black hair was cut close, the smooth hairline tapering to neatly trimmed sideburns. Otherwise, his rugged face was clean-shaven. He smiled and her eyes were drawn to his full, sexy mouth. For a moment, she wondered how his lips would feel pressed against hers. Desire flooded her veins.

“Jordan Carlisle.” He offered his hand. The oversized watch on his wrist winked in the dim light, vying for attention with his gold cufflinks.

She accepted his hand. “Elisabeth.” She snapped her gaze to his at the crackle of electricity between them. He held her hand a second too long and flirtation gleamed in the depths of his coffee-colored eyes.

“Mind if I join you?” He waved to the vacant chair across from hers.

She shook her head and bit back a sigh when his biceps flexed against the dark silk of his suit jacket. He unbuttoned his coat and sat down.

“I hate dining alone,” he said, smiling apologetically.

“I do too. I was just about to leave.” She studied him from beneath her lashes before meeting his eyes a second time. He seemed familiar to her, yet she couldn’t quite place where she’d seen him. “Have we met before?”

He smiled, wide and easy, and her heart fluttered in anticipation.

“Not formally. I’m a friend of your brother’s. We went to college together.”

His dark good looks and devil-may-care eyes slid into place in her memory. The photo in her brother’s room, of the lacrosse team. Jordan had been the captain.

“You and Drew played lacrosse.”

He nodded. “How is Andrew? It’s been a few months since we’ve seen each other.”

“Out of town at the moment. At a conference.” She reached for her water glass and Dylan reappeared with a second menu. “I’ll have to tell Andrew we spoke.”

“I’m sure he won’t mind.” Jordan smiled again and she melted.

She shook her head. “He thinks I should get out more, but my father has a way of sabotaging my love life.” She sipped her water.

He regarded her a moment, avid interest shining in his eyes. “You are definitely worth protecting.”

Heat crept into her cheeks from his scrutiny as well as the compliment. “You’re pretty suave, aren’t you?”

He chuckled, a smooth laugh that reminded her of warm fudge. “When it suits me.”

“Like now?”

He inclined his head.

“And my father knows nothing about you?”

“Not that I’m aware of.”

She picked up a menu. “Let’s keep it that way.”

 

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What had she agreed to? #MFRWhooks

Seducing His Wife 

By Lynn Chantale

 

Haunted by nightmares, Sheridan Sinclair just wants to get through one night without reliving the terrible accident that led to her miscarriage. And she longs for the arms of the man who betrayed her. Matthew Sinclair has always loved his wife, but when she refuses to speak to him after her accident, he's left to wonder what went wrong. When a stolen kiss ignites their forgotten passion, he'll use their love as a means to get her home and in his bed again. Will a husband’s plan of seduction be enough to heal a wife’s broken heart?

Excerpt:

 

Matthew rubbed his eyes. Sheridan always had the ability to make him ache. From the first moment he saw her, she exhilarated him. Even after all these months, she made him feel alive and all was right with his world again.

 

But something about her was wrong and not just the brace he glimpsed on her wrist. She wasn’t the same Sheridan. Something traumatic happened to his wife. Maybe it was the accident, maybe not, but the tragedy was enough for her to avoid him, enough to lose weight. He tried to comprehend the possibilities, but he wasn’t the type of man to jump to conclusions. He leaned over and picked up the phone, breathed deep, and dialed her number before he lost his nerve.

 

* * * *

 

Sheridan laid her needlepoint on her lap and picked up the phone on the second ring. “Hello?”
 
“Did I wake you?” The rich timbre of Matthew’s baritone voice sent tingles down her spine.
 
She wiggled her toes in excitement. He actually called. “No. I couldn’t sleep.”
 
“You have a moment?”
 
“Yeah.” She picked up her needlepoint again, cradling the phone between her shoulder and ear.
 
“I’m working on a presentation, and I haven’t found my attention-getter.”
 
“What’s it about?”
 

“Employee turnover.”
 

“Start with the amount of money a company loses each time they have to train someone who doesn’t stay for more than ninety days.”
 

He chuckled. “That’s not really why I called.”
 

“I know. You’ve had your presentation done for weeks, but I’m glad you called, anyway.”
 

“Really?”
 

She swallowed hard. She hadn’t meant to admit she was glad to hear from him, but the words had already been said, and she wasn’t prepared to lie to him. “Yes.” She cleared her throat. “I’ve made my decision.”
 

“Okay.”
 

“I’ll do what you ask on one condition.”
 

“I’m listening.”
 
“Don’t ever ask me why I left.”
 
He remained silent for so long she pulled the phone from her ear and checked the display screen to make sure he hadn’t disconnected the call.
 
“But…” He fell silent again. “Fine. I’ll agree if you share the same bed with me. We’re not doing separate rooms and all that crap.”
 
She almost laughed. “What is this, quid pro quo?”
 
“I get what I want, and you get what you want. What’s the harm in that?”
 
At the moment, she couldn’t see any harm. All that mattered was he not ask her again why she left. “None, I guess. What time?”
 
“Does tomorrow afternoon work for you?”
 
“All right.”
 
“I’ll drop the keys off at the store before I go to work. What time will you be there?”
 
“Any time after six. I have inventory,” she responded.
 
“So early? And here I am keeping you awake. I’m sorry.”
 
“Don’t be.” She would’ve been up anyway, and she enjoyed talking to him, despite everything. “I’ll see you in the morning. Goodnight.”
 
“Goodnight. Oh, and Sheridan?”
 
“Yes?”
 
“Thanks.”
 
The line went dead. Sheridan slowly returned the phone to the cradle and turned the ringer off. The soft smile she wore moments ago faded. She was going back home. She clasped a hand over her pounding heart. What had she agreed to? Panic seized her and shook her hard. She and Matthew would be in the same bed. Had she lost her mind? She breathed deep.
 
The situation wasn’t permanent. She was merely helping Carolyn so she could get Sean back as quickly as possible. The thought steadied her. And speaking of Carolyn…  

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His Gaze Pierced Hers #MFRWhooks

Seducing His Wife by Lynn Chantale  

Haunted by nightmares, Sheridan Sinclair just wants to get through one night without reliving the terrible accident that led to her miscarriage. And she longs for the arms of the man who betrayed her. Matthew Sinclair has always loved his wife, but when she refuses to speak to him after her accident, he’s left to wonder what went wrong. When a stolen kiss ignites their forgotten passion, he’ll use their love as a means to get her home and in his bed again. Will a husband’s plan of seduction be enough to heal a wife’s broken heart?

 

Excerpt

 

When she found the last few sketches, she shuffled them neatly and exited her office. Whatever designs Mrs. Davis didn’t use for the Governor’s Ball, she would file away.

 

“I found them!” Sheridan announced breathlessly, entering the room. “Although for this particular dress, the manufacturing…” Her gaze fell on the tall, dark, handsome man standing in the middle of her boutique.

 

Images of him and that…that woman clouded her mind. How she led him inside, salad dressing filling her nostrils, and waiting for him to leave her darkened house. A searing pain ripped her heart. The sketches slipped from her fingers and whispered to the floor. “Matthew,” she murmured, his name sticking in her throat.

 

His gaze pierced hers. “Hello, Sheridan. Nice to see you again.”

 

Sheridan couldn’t stop staring. He looked just as good as she remembered, well…maybe a little better. She snuck another glance. He appeared bigger, as if he’d been working out, and he still made her heart race and hands tremble. She inhaled, and her senses collided with the crisp, woodsy scent she gave him for his last birthday. Tears burned her eyes.

 

“Darling, are you all right?” Mrs. Davis asked, concern coloring her voice.

 

Sheridan blinked. They weren’t alone. “Yes, yes, I’m fine.” She unclenched her wool skirt and realized her hands were empty. She glanced at the floor and stooped to retrieve the fallen sketches.

 

Matthew bent to pick up one of the pages resting near him. “I need to talk to you.” He offered her the page, holding her gaze a moment before straightening to his feet.

 

Sheridan stood, shuffling the papers back into order, hating how her hands shook, how he still sent electricity pulsing through her veins with just a look. “Um, Mrs. Davis. These are the sketches.” She handed the drawings to the older woman. “If you’ll excuse me?”

 

Mrs. Davis offered a sympathetic smile. “Of course, dear. Nessa and I will discuss these over a cup of peppermint tea, and if I leave before you return, I’ll see you Friday.”

 

Sheridan glanced at Matthew. “I’ll get my coat. We can walk to the café on the corner.” She forced her steps to remain slow as she entered the back. Once out of sight, she took a deep breath.

 

He was here. He had finally come to ask for a divorce so he could marry the woman he should have married. She wouldn’t wait. Sheridan wouldn’t prolong the process. She blinked back a set of tears, tugging on her coat and hat. She had to do this now or she would never be able to walk away again.

 

She returned to the front of the store and quietly approached where Matthew stood. “Okay.”

 

“This won’t take long.” He held the door open.

 

Sheridan hesitated on the threshold. When his hand grazed her sleeve, she gazed up at him.

 

He implored her, eyes dark with longing. “Please, Sher.”

 

Nodding, she stepped into the biting cold. Fat snowflakes fluttered to the salted pavement, dissolving on impact. “So what do you think of the weather?” She tried for neutrality.

 

“I’d rather be in front of a fire with the woman I love,” he replied.

 

She flinched.

 

He put a hand on her elbow, stopping them in the middle of the sidewalk. “Why did you leave?” Pain creased his features. “You never called. You barred me from your hospital room. Why, Sheridan? What was so bad you couldn’t tell me?”

 

She shrugged off his hand, intending to return to her shop. He reached out again and reclaimed her elbow.

 

She was wrong. She couldn’t do this. Being near him was just too painful, especially when all she wanted to do was rest in his arms. Sheridan shook her head. “No.”

 

When she stepped away a second time, he jerked her to a halt. “What was it?”

 

Tears puddled in her eyes, dangerously close to spilling over. She drew a ragged breath. “No, Matthew, not now.” She blinked hastily. “It’s too late for us. Just give me the papers, and I’ll give you your divorce.” The words tumbled from her mouth in a rush. She hitched in a breath, her heart thudding in her chest, her stomach flip-flopping.

 

“Divorce!”

 

He glared at her, and Sheridan realized she stunned him with her statement. He yanked her to him, the heat of his body chasing away the chill, the soft curves of her breasts pressing his hard chest. She didn’t dare breathe. He tightened his grip on her arms.

 

“Is that what you want?” He searched her face.

 

She couldn’t tear her gaze away. His eyes were wet, betraying the pain her words caused. Could she have been wrong? She couldn’t think with him so close. She curled her bare hands into the lapels of his coat. It would be so easy to lift to her toes and press her lips to his. He smelled so good, and she had missed him so much…and he hurt her.

 

She jerked from his grasp. “That is why you sought me out, isn’t it?”

 

He sighed wearily, dropping his hands to his sides. “No, Sheridan.”

 

She glanced at him. No divorce? Then what did he want? Wordlessly, she resumed walking toward the café, and he followed. He caught up with her in time to swing the door open. She hid a smile. Always a gentleman; it was nice to see Matthew hadn’t changed. A few moments later, they were seated in a corner booth away from prying eyes. Sheridan ordered a hot chocolate, and Matthew ordered black coffee. He picked up a menu.

 

She remained silent. Matthew wouldn’t wait to tell her why he’d come. He never minced words or had trouble communicating what was on his mind, whether telling her she was beautiful or when he asked her out on their first date. Always confident, the only time she’d ever seen him flustered was when he proposed to her four years earlier.

 

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