Can she resist his brand of trouble in paradise?
HIS ACCIDENTAL HEIR
Billionaires and Babies
Joanne Rock
Releasing June 6, 2017
Harlequin Desire
The Boss’s Baby Bargain
When resort
developer Cameron McNeill goes undercover to root out problems at his prized
island property, his first discovery is the irresistible concierge, Maresa
Delphine. Her business smarts are vital to his mission. But the struggling
single mom could help with his personal mission, too: fulfilling the marriage
terms of his grandfather’s will.
Maresa is
overwhelmed caring for her infant niece and tending to the demands of the
resort’s sexy mystery guest. When he reveals himself as the owner, she’s thrown
for a loop. But when he proposes…can she resist his brand of trouble in
paradise?
EXCERPT
She
appreciated the cooler breeze on her overheated skin, and the light mist of
rain blowing in with it. Only now did she realize the strap of her sundress had
fallen off one shoulder, the bodice slipping precariously down on one side.
Before she could reach for it, however, Cameron slid a finger under the errant
strap and lifted it into place.
Her skin
hummed with pleasure where he touched her.
“Sorry.” He
slid his hand away fast. “The bare shoulder was…” He shook his head. “I get
distracted around you, Maresa. More than I should when I know you want to keep
things professional.”
The room was
mostly dark, except for a glow from the last light of day combined with a
golden halo around a wall sconce near the bathroom. He must have turned that on
when he’d entered the master suite and found her sleeping.
Dreaming.
“What about
you?” Her voice carried the sultriness of sleep. Or maybe it was the sound of
desire from her sexy imaginings. Even now, she could swear she remembered the
feel of his strong thigh between hers, his chest pressed to aching breasts. “I
can’t be the only one who wants to keep some professional objectivity.”
She slid her
feet to the floor, needing to restore some equilibrium with him. Some distance.
They sat on opposite sides of the chaise longue, the gathering storm stirring
electricity in the air.
“Honestly?” A
flash of lightning illuminated his face in full color for a moment before
returning them to black-and-white. “I would rather abdicate my role as boss
where you’re concerned, Maresa. Let my brother Quinn make any decisions that
involve you or Rafe. My professional judgment is already seriously
compromised.”
She breathed
in the salty, charged air. Her hair blew silky caresses along her cheek. The
gathering damp sat on her skin and she knew he must feel it, too. She was
seized with the urge to lean across the chaise and lick him to find out for
sure. If she could choose her spot, she’d pick the place just below his steely
jaw.
“I don’t
understand.” She shook her head, not following what he was saying. She was
still half in dreamland, her whole body conspiring against logic and reason. Rebelling
against all her workplace ethics. “We haven’t done anything wrong.”
Much. They’d
talked about a kiss. But there hadn’t been one.
His eyes
swept her body with unmistakable want.
“Not yet. But
I think you know how much I want to.” He didn’t touch her. He didn’t need to.
Her skin was
on fire just thinking about it.
“What would
your brother think of me if he knew we…” Images of her body twined together
with this incredibly sexy man threatened to steal the last of her defenses.
“How could he be impartial?”
Another flash
of lightning revealed Cam in all his masculine deliciousness. His shirt was
open at the collar, just the way it had been in her dream. Except now, his
shirt was damp with raindrops, making the pale cotton cling like a second skin.
Cameron
watched her steadily, his intense gaze as stirring as any caress. “You know the
way you have faith in your brother’s good heart and good intentions? No matter
what?”
She nodded.
“Without question.”
“That’s how I
feel about Quinn’s ability to be fair. He can tick me off sometimes, but he is
the most levelheaded, just person I know.”
She weighed
what he was saying. Thought about what it meant. “And you’re suggesting that if
we acted on this attraction…you’d step out of the picture. Your brother becomes
my boss, not you.”
“Exactly.”
Cameron’s assurance came along with a roll of ominous thunder that rumbled
right through the villa.
Right through
her feet where they touched the floor.
Maresa felt
as if she were standing at the edge of a giant cliff, deciding whether or not
to jump. Making that leap would be terrifying. But turning away from the
tantalizing possibilities—the lure of the moment—was no longer an option. Even
before she’d fallen asleep, she’d known that her window for selfish pleasures
was closing fast if Isla proved to be Rafe’s daughter and Maresa’s
responsibility.
How could she
deny herself this night?
“Yes.” She
hurled herself into the unknown and hoped for the best. “I know that you’re
leaving soon, and I’m okay with that. But for tonight, if we could be just a
man and a woman…” The simple words sent a shiver of longing through her.
Even in the
dim light, she could see his blue eyes flare hotter, like the gas fireplace in
the Antilles Suite when you turned up the thermostat.
“You have no
idea how much I was hoping you’d say that.” His words took on a ragged edge as
his hands slid around her waist. He drew her closer.
Crushed her
lips to his.
Want more of the McNeill Brothers?
Four-time
RITA nominee Joanne Rock has never met a romance sub-genre she didn't
like. The author of over seventy books enjoys writing a wide range of stories,
most recently focusing on sexy contemporaries and small town family sagas. An
optimist by nature and perpetual seeker of silver linings, Joanne finds romance
fits her life outlook perfectly--love is worth fighting for. A frequent speaker
at regional and national writing conferences she enjoys giving back to the
writing community that nurtured and inspired her early career. She has a Masters
degree in Literature from the University of Louisville but credits her fiction
writing skills to her intensive study with friend and fellow author Catherine
Mann. When she's not writing, Joanne enjoys travel, especially to see her
favorite sports teams play with her former sports editor husband and three
athletic-minded sons.
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