Jasper doesn’t want to get married. He’s not opposed to
marriage in general. He just has a plan for his life and being married to a
rancher on a remote settler planet isn’t going to get him where he’s decided he
wants to be. But he does need investigate what’s going on. A lot of government
land seizers have been coming across his desk lately. And when the ad for a
husband catches his eye, he knows that would be the perfect cover for his
investigation. He’s going to have to sell himself to Kat, though, without overselling
and coming off like a creep. So this is how I imagined his reply to go.
I am a very courteous and respectful male in my
mid-thirties. I do not have any warrants and have never been arrested or ever
charged for any crimes. Though I’ve never worked with animals or been on a
settler planet, I am a hard worker and a quick learner. I also have a solid
background in business, which I believe could be a benefit to you and your
ranch. My interest in your ranch is purely from a business perspective. It
would be nice to develop a friendship and camaraderie over time, but I have no
expectations of physical intimacy if we do reach an agreement.
Blurb:
Universal Defiance, Book One
On a rural settler planet, Kat must resort to putting out an
ad to find a husband. She doesn’t expect to find love—that’s a dream in these
parts—just a partner to help work her ranch. Then the devastatingly handsome
Jasper answers her ad and turns her on in ways she never dreamed possible. Too
bad he’s not who he says he is.
Jasper doesn’t know what he’s getting into when he ventures
undercover to investigate a legal claim against Kat’s ranch. But after a
toe-curling night under her roof and in her bed, he’s willing to do anything to
stay there. He can’t say no to the tough-as-nails businesswoman who makes his
body come alive.
When people start getting hurt, though, both Kat and Jasper
have to decide how valuable one piece of land is. And the ranch that brought
them together might be the very thing standing between them.
A Romantica® sci fi erotic romance from Ellora’s
Cave
Excerpt:
When
he opened the door to the guestroom, though, the blaring of an alarm stopped
him from going any farther. At first he thought he’d somehow triggered the
noise but as soon as he smelled the first wisps of smoke, understanding filled
him. Something was on fire. He wanted to rush out into the safety of the open
grounds but he fought against the instinct. He had to make sure Kat got out as
well.
He
raced back to the bathroom to find her standing in the hallway, wrapped in
nothing but a towel, with her dark hair flung over one shoulder in a curly
mess. There were no tears or hysterical rants despite the fear clearly
reflected in her expression.
His
job required him to make quick assessments of situations and he excelled at it.
But sometimes that left him blind to the more subtle aspects of life. He’d seen
a competent businesswoman when he’d first laid eyes on Katarina Maxim. She’d
been nothing but efficient and practical from the moment she held her hand out
to him. But now, as she shivered in front of him with alarms going off in the
background, he realized how much he’d missed in that original assessment. He’d
seen her as a businesswoman but the person standing in front of him now
possessed so much more.
The
vulnerability of the moment and her calm resolve in meeting it added to her
strength and touched him.
“I
came to find you as soon as I heard the alarm.”
“Most
men would’ve gone to battle the blaze first.”
His
heart sank at her words. She saw him as a coward. Not that it mattered how she
saw him. He wasn’t really trying out for the role of her husband. As soon as he
finished his report, he’d be on his way back to his real life. But her words
still stung. He’d like to be the hero at least once. To be the one who rushed
in and saved the day.
“Don’t
look at me like I just kicked your damn puppy. I meant that as a compliment.
Most men stupidly let their hormones control them and they tend to get in the
way,” she added as she walked past him. “I’ve never been impressed with the
gender as a whole.”
He
felt fairly certain they did not share the same understanding of the word
“compliment” but didn’t dare ask for a clarification as she bustled down the
hallway all businesslike.
I’ll
be back a little later to tell you about the conflict that binds Jasper and Kat
as they struggle to find out what’s going on with the ranch.
In the mean
time, you can find out more about me by visiting my website at www.ChandraRyan.com, follow me on Twitter
@ChandraRyan, or friend me on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/chandra.ryan
If you want to
know more about Ulterior Motives you can check out it’s page on the Ellora Cave
site: http://www.ellorascave.com/ulterior-motives.html
1 comment:
That is a very nice and appropriate response from Jasper...not aggressive and appropriately deferential.
catherinelee100 at gmail dot com
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