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?
Excerpt
"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.
Erin's Review
I adore Izzy and Jack! Simply adore them! This couple has so much heat between them forget the blankets! The two of them in the tree house was one of my favorite parts of the book.Their story is not only sweet but filled with heartache. Everything isn't always roses and no one knows that better than Izzy and Jack.
The sexual frustration between them is all too real. You just want to scream at Jack to kiss her or take her on the hood of his car or something! And Izzy, she always wanted the fairytale, will she finally have it?
Their fake day was perfectly described in detail and you felt like you were their. It almost felt like an intrusion on a very private ceremony between a couple very much in love. If only it were real.
This was my feel good read. Even through all the struggle the couple goes through, you cannot see them apart. Jack shows some vulnerability beneath his rough exterior and you know just why Izzy falls. You have to read this book to get the rest of the story. You will not be disappointed.
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.
Erin's Review
I adore Izzy and Jack! Simply adore them! This couple has so much heat between them forget the blankets! The two of them in the tree house was one of my favorite parts of the book.Their story is not only sweet but filled with heartache. Everything isn't always roses and no one knows that better than Izzy and Jack.
The sexual frustration between them is all too real. You just want to scream at Jack to kiss her or take her on the hood of his car or something! And Izzy, she always wanted the fairytale, will she finally have it?
Their fake day was perfectly described in detail and you felt like you were their. It almost felt like an intrusion on a very private ceremony between a couple very much in love. If only it were real.
This was my feel good read. Even through all the struggle the couple goes through, you cannot see them apart. Jack shows some vulnerability beneath his rough exterior and you know just why Izzy falls. You have to read this book to get the rest of the story. You will not be disappointed.
I'm thrilled with this review. Thank you so much!
ReplyDelete