Secret Santa's Bride, Book #2

• Secrets! Tons of secrets.
• Alpha Male
• Adversaries to Lovers
• Workplace Romance

Mathias Blackstone: Scrooge or Santa Claus?

I have a notorious reputation for ruthlessness, maybe because I’m in the procurement business. Whatever you want—secret information, objects d’art, people—I can get. But there's another side to my operation I keep very quiet. Every Christmas, I procure wishes.

Despite playing Santa, my world lacks something. Color. Or it does until the colorful children's author/illustrator Jacq Randell, aka Jack Rabbitt, explodes into my life.
Jacq is determined to keep her identity a deep, dark secret. Unfortunately, it’s a secret I intend to expose. For my client, her alter ego is a wish come true.

But the more I pursue Jacq, the more I realize that Jacq is my Christmas wish, too! Too bad I’m not hers.

Secret Santa’s Bride is a passionate, tender contemporary romance, guaranteed to make you a believer in happily-ever-after.

Note to Readers: Secret Santa’s Bride is Book #2 in The Matchmakers Series, a contemporary romance series by USA Today bestselling author and eleven-time RITA© (Romance Writers of America) finalist, Day Leclaire. This story features a hot, take-charge alpha hero and the perfect woman for him, and a sizzling romance between soul mates.

Mathias Blackstone touched the Bluetooth device in his ear. “We’ve found her, MIA.”

He allowed a small smile of satisfaction to touch his mouth. After all these months, he’d finally found Jacq Randell.

MIA, the computer program Nick Colter had designed for his personal use responded promptly. “Excellent, Mr. Blackstone. Will you be instituting Step 2 in your plan? You still must prove Ms. Randell and Jack Rabbitt are one and the same.”

He shook his head at the hint of warning that rippled through the AI’s melodic voice. Ridiculous to attribute human emotions to a program, and yet there were times…

“Yes, instituting Step 2.”

The next step would be to prove that the elusive Ms. Randell was the even more elusive Jack Rabbitt, author and illustrator of the most popular line of children’s books currently on the market. His client would be pleased to hear the latest news.

Very pleased.

“I suggest you proceed with Step 2 as soon as possible.”

“Thank you MIA,” he responded dryly, then disconnected the call.

How interesting that with MIA’s help he’d run her to ground in Seattle of all places, hiding right beneath his very nose. The fact that she’d turned out to be Turk Randell’s daughter was even more ironic. Turk’s public relations firm had been attempting to snag his attention for two solid years. It was a coincidence Mathias intended to use to his full advantage—once he came up with a client in need of a PR firm. Did Randell know his daughter was also Jack Rabbitt? If not, it offered interesting possibilities.

After all the research he’d done, he was intensely curious to meet Jacq, which was why he’d accepted Turk Randell’s invitation to this party. Mathias had hoped to meet her in an informal setting. The sketchy facts he’d gathered had captivated him, stirring an interest he hadn’t felt in years.

Studying her artwork—assuming it was hers—had only served to magnify that interest. She was twenty-eight, described by those who knew her as both strong and dainty, brilliant and vague, stubborn and easygoing. The contrasting comments intrigued him. Only on one fact did all agree. Jacq Randell guarded her privacy with ruthless determination.

He folded his arms across his chest and waited patiently until the glittering array of guests cleared from his line of vision. He’d been forced to ask someone to point her out, but fortunately such a large party allowed him to maintain a certain level of anonymity. It gave him time to analyze the situation at his leisure, while searching for any vulnerabilities he could use. As the tide of humanity finally ebbed, he spotted Jacq by the buffet table and fought a sense of amazement.

He found it hard to believe that this bit of whimsy was Turk Randell’s daughter. She looked nothing like her father. For that matter, she didn’t look anything like her brother or sister, either. To a one they exuded a brittle sophistication—tall and handsome with sleek black hair, sleeker figures, and brilliant jet-hued eyes.

But not Jacq.

She was as delicate as spun glass. Almost coltishly slender, she’d caught the weighty mass of streaked blond curls at the nape of her long fragile neck. As she bent to sample the hors d’oeuvres, her scoop-necked dress revealed the fine bones of her shoulders and offered a tantalizing glimpse of sweetly rounded breasts.
His mouth tightened. Didn’t they ever feed the woman? Apparently not, considering the way she devoured the bite-size appetizers, her greed as unconscious as that of a ravenous child.

She peeked around just then, as though checking to see if any observed her hunger. Huge hazel eyes dominated her triangular face. They stared out at her surroundings with an avid curiosity so revealing, he longed to shield her from a world waiting to consume her.

And then it hit him.

He was the only one waiting to consume her. He was the one destined to hurt her.

Too bad, came the regretful thought. He hadn’t felt this attracted to a woman in a long time. But as much as he might wish it otherwise, his client’s need took precedence. There could be no doubt about how this chase would end. Like the rest of the Randells, this woodland sprite didn’t stand a chance against him.