The Bride's Twisted Proposal, Book #5

• One or two secrets 😉
• Alpha Billionaire
• Adversaries to Lovers
• Workplace Romance

“I’m your escort and I guarantee people won’t question whether we’re lovers. They’ll know we are.”

He calls himself Shayde and like shade, he comes with the night, embodying its most visceral qualities and stirring something deeply feminine within her. She hired him to play the part of her fiancé for business functions. But he made her want more. Much more.

He made her want him. In her bed. On her desk. Anyway and anywhere she could have him.

But Shayde is a man of mystery who has a hidden agenda. He intends to seduce Tess and then give her away to a man more suited to be her husband. At least, that’s the plan…

Until he decides he wants her for himself. Permanently.
The Bride’s Twisted Proposal is a passionate, tender contemporary romance, guaranteed to make you a believer in happily-ever-after.

Note to Readers: The Bride’s Twisted Proposal is Book #5 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.

HE CAME with the night, embodying its most visceral qualities and stirring something deeply feminine within her.

Tess Lonigan sat behind her safe, practical desk and fought to remain rational in the face of a man who could only be described as dark, mysterious and dangerous. Very dangerous. He stood on the far side of the room and for a long moment they simply stared at each other.
The feeble light cast from the lamp on her desk failed to penetrate his cloak of shadows, allowing him to melt into his surroundings. Of course, his all-black attire and ebony hair didn’t help, nor did the stillness with which he held himself.

Worse were his eyes. She couldn’t make out the precise color, but they were the only thing about him that escaped his mask of darkness. They flickered like starlight, the power of his gaze and unwavering directness more disconcerting than anything she’d ever seen before.

Dark, mysterious, and dangerous.

The words repeated in a nerve-racking refrain and a small frown pulled her brows together. They weren’t qualities she admired. How could Jeanne at the employment agency think this man would be appropriate for what she had in mind? Realizing she was on the verge of snapping her pen in half, she carefully returned it to the crisp white blotter protecting her desk and reached an instant decision.

No. This man would never do.

Desperate to end the silent battle of wills, she gestured for him to approach. Normally, she’d have stood and shook hands, offering a warm smile of welcome. But instinct warned that would be a mistake. Her worst mistake, though, had been scheduling this meeting for after-hours.

Everything felt more intense and exaggerated when wrapped within night’s powerful embrace. Not that she’d had any other choice than to schedule the appointment for this late. She didn’t dare let anyone know the reason she’d decided to hire outside help.

He moved forward, not quite slipping free of the shadows. They continued to drape him like the wispy vestiges of some princely mantle.

“You requested my services?” he asked.

Even his voice struck her as wrong. Instead of smooth and polished, it rasped, his every word snagging her full attention whether she wanted to give it to him or not. It reminded her vaguely of Mr. Tough Guy from the Cupid Committee. Only this man’s voice was slightly deeper and far rougher.

“You were sent by the employment agency?” she demanded.

He inclined his head and the subdued lighting caught in his dark hair. It fell to his collar in rebellious waves, no doubt an outward expression of the persona he concealed behind an impenetrable mask. “Jeanne chose me. I’m the most suitable candidate for what you have in mind.”

An intense wave of vulnerability caught her by surprise and prompted a cold briskness completely out of character. “She couldn’t have looked very hard.”
He took the criticism without comment, though she noted a spark of amusement gleam in his eyes. They truly were odd eyes, almost silver in color and disconcerting in their directness. “Try checking my qualifications before making assumptions.”

She forced her lips into a smile of agreement. “Excellent point. Though considering one of the qualifications is how well we get along, that may not take much time.”
He didn’t respond, turning an assessing gaze on both her and the office. If he was hoping to read her character by analyzing her appearance or surroundings, he’d fail miserably. She’d designed her office in a color and style meant to relax her clients, while dressing in a manner intended to come across as friendly and nonthreatening. Both were carefully calculated and had nothing whatsoever to do with her true nature.

“Do you always make snap judgments about people?” he asked as soon as he’d completed his appraisal.

She matched his uncompromising bluntness. “No.”

His full attention fell on her and it took every ounce of self-possession to keep from reacting to the acuteness of that look. “But in my case…?” He allowed the statement to trail off and waited.

To her surprise she found herself answering, which only annoyed her all the more. She preferred keeping her own council, explaining herself and justifying her opinions as little as possible. But there was something about this man, something that forced a response. “You’re not the sort of man I’d marry.”

Silence reigned for an uncomfortable moment. “Perhaps we should start over,” he suggested mildly. “You’re Tess Lonigan?”

She nodded.

“I’m Shayde. I’m here for a job interview.” He stressed the word “job.”

“Shayde?” she managed to get out. “Is that your first name or last?”

“It’s all of my name.”

He stated it with such quiet conviction that there was nothing left for her to say. It was an odd name, and yet it suited him. He looked like a man of shade and shadow. “Please sit down, Mr.—”

“Just Shayde,” came the gentle reminder.

“Right. Please have a seat.”

Out of sheer desperation, she shifted some papers from one side of her desk to the other. It gave her a moment to conceal her reaction to him. This was ridiculous. She’d never had trouble interviewing potential employees before. Why should this time be any different?

And yet, it was. He was. She sensed a dangerously masculine quality enveloping him, a dark ambience that offered a subtle threat she perceived on an instinctive level. It called to everything female within her, humming through her in persistent waves, a forbidden temptation she shouldn’t recognize, let alone respond to. And yet, she wanted to respond, to answer this most primitive of calls. Male pursuing female. Push battling pull. Woman yielding to man.

Don’t forget what’s at stake, came the pointed reminder. The single thought proved a sobering influence. After an endless minute, Tess looked up, able to meet Shayde’s regard with something approaching equanimity. “What details has Jeanne given you about the job?”

“She said you needed an escort to accompany you to business functions. An escort others accept as your lover. They won't doubt I'm your lover.”