They don't believe in happily ever afters, until they find themselves in one.
TANGLING WITH THE LONDON TYCOON
Brick Square Series #1
Suzi Jennings
Releasing Feb 13th, 2017
Entangled Indulgence
London publishing tycoon Rosco Redmond closely guards his family, his business, and his privacy. When his sister’s wedding brings the paparazzi baying at his door, wedding photographer Kitty Mayfair unwittingly becomes his decoy girlfriend. But the mysterious Kitty has secrets of her own.
Despite the sexy hint of an appealing Irish brogue, Kitty’s new boss is bent on micromanaging his sister’s wedding and the crazy fake relationship she’s been dragged into. The only thing they seem to have in common, is that neither of them believes in happy-ever-afters. But the more time Kitty spends with the tycoon, the more she begins to suspect there’s a lot of fire beneath his cool facade.
With the past complicating their present, and the zoom lenses of photographers everywhere they go, the commitment phobic control freak and the globe-trotting free spirit clash and ignite.
He led her into a gracious, comfortable living room. Floor-to-ceiling windows arched over a lush autumn garden, and a warm fire glowed beneath a solid marble mantle lined with family photos.
They neatly framed the differences between the Redmond world and hers. Images of family occasions hadn’t added any weight to Kitty’s rucksack in the eight years she’d traveled the world as a photographer.
Family commitment just wasn’t in her DNA.
She turned her back on the pictures and perched on the edge of a plush cream chair, carefully placing her bag at her feet.
“You will be undertaking all photography for my sister’s wedding this weekend,” he said, getting straight to the point while gathering contract papers from a writing desk beside the fire.
Kitty let stunned silence fall between them. She’d never been a wedding photographer, had no albums in her portfolio or on her website.
And this probably wasn’t the time to enlighten him about her views on marriage. She didn’t do weddings. Happily-ever-afters in taffeta and tiaras didn’t ring true for her.
“You will be recompensed for any work lost, and I’ll expect you to be available starting today.” He sat on the sofa opposite her. “Tomorrow, Friday, I will expect you at the wedding rehearsal. The wedding will take place on Saturday afternoon at a confidential rural location.”
Questions raced across her mind, and she tried to sort them into two logical lists. Sensible to ask. Unwise to ask. The last thing she wanted to do was jeopardize this contract.
“Why am I here if you think I look too young for the job?” she blurted out before any list making was completed. His words still prickled her pride.
He sighed and ran his hand through his hair. “I thought you were older. Fifty-something. Your personnel file obviously has an incorrect date of birth. An unacceptable mistake made by my HR department.” He angled another critical glance at her and then quickly looked away.
“So the paparazzi confusing me with Titania was as shocking to you as it was to me?”
“Quite.” He cleared his throat.
“Your photography style is real and totally lacking in glitz. That’s what I want for my sister’s wedding album. I’ll be supervising you closely and advising on all details.”
Close supervision. Kitty opened her mouth to protest then shut it quickly as her common sense finally disciplined her thoughts.
She nodded, mustering polite professionalism. “Why such short notice, may I ask?”
“My sister’s photographer fractured her collar bone.”
“I’m sorry. That sounds painful,” Kitty said, feeling some sympathy for the woman, even as her creative juices surged at her good luck.
“I consider it a fortunate accident,” he continued with the merest nod of matching sympathy, totally at odds with his words. “Her glamorous style was not my choice.”
He adjusted the cuff of the crisp white shirt beneath his suit and glanced at the gold Rolex on his wrist. “So are we in agreement? A few days of your time and my technical supervision?”
Not so fast, she thought. She’d deal with the supervision clause and his arrogant boardroom manner later, but the paparazzi was another level of complication she couldn’t ignore.
Excerpt #3
Her mouth formed a soft pout of concentration. Beautiful without the artifice of makeup. Too late, he forgot he was only there to watch her work.
She had already removed her beret but now started to undress as she moved, apparently oblivious of him.
She slowly unwrapped her woolens in obvious response to the heat of the room. The belt at her slender waist, a wide green textured-leather affair with an oversized silver buckle, was cinched tighter as the buckle was eased and then released.
He swallowed, suddenly thirsty as his body responded with an unwelcome increase of tension.
Next, she dropped the belt gently onto the floor beside her camera bag, with barely a glance.
The woolen wrap-coat flapped open, and she pushed it aside, her hands spanning her waist as she looked critically at the furniture in the room.
She drew a curtain and moved a chair. Unhurried. Proficient.
Standing back, still lost in her set-up plans, she shed the coat completely and let it fall in a raspberry red pool beside the belt.
She reminded him of a Christmas present, red and green, multi-wrapped to frustrate and excite the lucky recipient.
He groaned. That was the sort of Redmond thinking he never indulged in. The sort of thinking his father would have said aloud and laughed, the center of attention. Drinks all around, live-for-the-moment sort of thinking.
Risk-everything-you-worked-for thinking.
Rosco frowned.
Kitty’s next layer of clothing was some sort of see-through, loose-weave top, falling off one shoulder and doing nothing to hide the skintight black leggings and tank top beneath it.
He couldn’t take his eyes off that smooth, slender shoulder. A sudden desire to know what that creamy skin felt like wound his tension up another notch.
The camera came off next—a heavy professional model and perfect for the job, Rosco was forced to admit. Kitty looped it carefully over her head and checked it thoroughly.
Suddenly, that quiet sense of concentration was replaced by one of frenetic energy as Kitty set up the equipment she needed. She motioned for Amanda to stay in the chair where she was, then she stood back to assess her composition and nodded briskly.
She looked excited and totally immersed in her work. The muscles in his right leg started to cramp, but he resisted massaging the familiar, old-injury ache, a sure sign of tension he refused to acknowledge. He couldn’t take his eyes off the action.
Kitty stalked backward on those impossibly high heels toward the coffee table, her eyes never leaving Amanda. With quick, fluid movements, she peeled off her last layer of decent clothing, then scooped up her long dark hair and twisted it into a haphazard knot. It settled low on the creamy skin of her neck, above the skintight black-clad length of her.
There was nothing between her body and Rosco’s imagination.
Suzi Jennings lives in New Zealand and
writes international stories of love and laughter. It all started in childhood
when she discovered reading, scribbled stories about princesses in castles, and
grew up to spend way too much money on books.
She
writes contemporary romance where family secrets, powerful friendships and
enduring loves heal hearts and forge happily-ever-afters. Her characters are
feisty, flirty, fun - and talkative! It’s a match made in keyboard heaven
as Suzi is more than happy to listen.
When
not writing she can be found on Pinterest, sipping creamy lattes, still
dreaming of castles she’d love to visit.
Can you tell us a little about your book?
Tangling with the London Tycoon is a contemporary romance between Rosco Redmond and Kitty Mayfair, two characters who think they have nothing in common. In fact their perceived differences are the very reasons they should be together.
It takes them a while to see this for themselves!
In the meantime they endure a complicated sort of fake relationship, are hounded by the paparazzi, feel harassed by memories of childhood traumas, and try to resist being seduced by the promise of their own happily ever after.
Throw in an international pop star, some meddling, match-making Irish relatives, and a lucrative private palace photography contract. And, phew--it’s hectic!
How did you come up with the concept and the characters for the story?
Rosco and Kitty popped into my head as fully formed characters. I loved them instantly. Kitty made me laugh and Rosco made me smile--he was doomed from the moment he opened his smart London door!
Name one thing you won’t leave home without.
My diary. I need to write things down to ensure they happen!
Name three things on your desk right now.
A ‘6 Minute Morning Yoga’ book
A pot plant half eaten by my cat—she thinks it’s a salad bar
My diary
What do you like to do when you aren't writing?
Read, Pinterest, garden, and dream of travelling on a castle tour.
What types of scenes are your most favorite to write?
I love writing witty dialogue scenes with lots of underlying emotion and sensual attraction. My current favorite is under a table at a wedding—you’ll have to buy Tangling with the London Tycoon to read it
Thank you for featuring TANGLING WITH THE LONDON TYCOON!
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