We’re celebrating the release of the THE TEMPORARY BRIDE by Marquita Valentine! Check out the excerpt below and don’t miss the fun on Marquita’s Facebook page!
Only a temporary marriage to Haven is anything but peaceful—not to mention that they can’t keep their hands off one another. But, when the will’s conditions have been fulfilled and baseball season starts up again, will Heath and Haven be able to say goodbye when hate turns to love?
Or can temporary turn into forever?
“Don’t even think about it,” he warned.
She gave him a smile so sweet that it made his stomach hurt, or the sight of her gave him indigestion. “You can have this one if you want,” she said, surprising him with her thoughtfulness. “I can wait.”
Manners that had been drilled into him since birth reared their inconvenient heads. “Ladies first,” he said, giving the cucumber sandwich one last look of longing.
Scooping up the petite sandwich, she took a bite, moaning at the taste. “So good.”
“When will they bring more out?” he asked. If she kept moaning over the food, he would lose it, and not because he was attracted to her. He wasn’t. She was too irritating.
“They’re not,” she said, licking her fingers.
He stared at her. “Did you lie to me?”
“I didn’t mention anything about more.”
“You said you would wait. Wait implies there’s more to come.”
Her silver eyes widened in mock amazement. “They’re teaching you really big words at baseball camp. I’m so proud of you, especially with the way you spelled tickets. Good job.”
His blood began to boil. Why in the hell she’d always felt the need to insult him was beyond his comprehension. “Then you lied by omission.”
“I guess.”
“Why?”
She shrugged, her cotton candy-colored hair sliding over her shoulders. “I really wanted one.”
“So did I,” he all but growled at her. A tic started up in his jaw.
“Guess I wanted it more.” She whirled around, but he reached across the table and grabbed her before she could flounce off with rest of the sandwich.
“You’re not being nice, Haven.”
Over her shoulder, she glanced at him, her eyes flicking up and down his body. Normally, he’d be flattered if a woman who looked like her was perusing him like that, but again… she irritated the pure hell out of him.
“Let go, and I’ll share.”
“Promise?”
“What do you think?” she said, her nose tipping in the air.
He let go of her. “Fine.”
Haven’s mouth twisted up slightly in one corner, like she was up to no good. Which was probably true. Then she picked up the last bit of the cucumber sandwich and popped it into her mouth, closing her eyes and moaning in such an exaggerated way that more than a few heads turned to stare.
“You little—” He took a breath and began again, “You made a promise.”
“No, I didn’t.”
“You said—” He paused. She hadn’t promised him anything. Just asked him what he thought. Damn it. “Fine. You got me. Satisfied?”
She leaned in a little, giving him a glimpse of the tops of her breasts. Very nice breasts. Gorgeous even. He didn’t have to like her to appreciate that fact. He averted his eyes before she could call him out on staring at her. “By you? Yeah, right.”
“We’re getting too old for this, Haven.” They were way too old to be fighting over food of all things.
“Maybe in baseball years.”
“Like that.”
Suddenly, Haven’s expression changed, a friendly smile on her lips. Heath looked around, only to find Leah Ambrose bearing down on them with a determined look.
“Leave,” he said.
“What?” She shook her head, hands fists on her hips. “Don’t tell me what to do at my own—”
“My mother is in matchmaking mode.”
“So what,” she snapped.
“I’m single, and my mother wants all her children… not single. Apparently, I’m the holdout,” he managed say without losing his cool.
“Aw,” she said with a little pout and a whole lot of sarcasm. “Did your baseball bunny hop to another guy with a bigger basket?”
His basket was big enough, but if he even hinted as much, she would tear him down in two seconds flat. “I’m not interested in anyone at the moment.”
“What does that have to do with me?”
Heath glanced over his shoulder. His mom was almost to them, but different people at the reception kept sidetracking her. “I’m sure that big brain of yours can figure it out.” While she just stood there, he rubbed the bridge of his nose and tried again. “You. Me. Together. Date.”
“Oh my word.” A look of horror covered her face. “Why didn’t you tell me in the first place?” Then she hightailed it out of the reception tent and left him to face the one woman he loved to death but drove him crazy, too.
After selling his share of the successful tech company, Noah Sawyer lost everything when an unscrupulous realtor stole the money he intended to use to purchase a huge swath of land worth millions. So, when a chance meeting at a mutual friend’s wedding with a hot brunette turns into a mutually beneficial business arrangement, Noah jumps at the chance to salvage his business.
However, the sexy land developer has no intention of his marriage to Kate being in name only…
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After a freak car accident, Lily Sawyer wakes up in the hospital, remembering two very important things about her life. One, she’s a dance teacher. Two, she’s married to her high school sweetheart, Luke. Only, she can’t figure out why he’s so distant.
Unable to abandon Lily in a time of crisis for the second time, Luke pretends to be the husband she needs until reality replaces fantasy and neither of them can deny the passion threatens to consume them.
But, when Lily begins to regain her memory, will she leave him once again, or give their love the second chance it deserves?
Marquita met her husband aka Hot Builder at Sonic when they were in high school. She suggests this location to all of her single friends in search of a good man—and if that doesn’t work, they can console themselves with cheesy tatertots. She lives in North Carolina in a very, very small town with Hot Builder and their two children.
