A Pinch of Commitment

When falling in love isn’t part of the contract.

Techie Ethan Mattson may have married chef Lily Harper, but he didn’t vow to love her. His only commitment was to hand her half of his business assets and a year later file for divorce while saving a tidy sum on taxes. Little does Ethan know that the pretty woman from his past needs so much more than just a business.

She needs protection and love, the two things he believes he's too broken to offer.

Chef Lily Harper grew up tagging along after her best friend's brother, Ethan, who saved her from bullies, mud puddles and being an outsider. When Lily flees a nasty ex who won’t take a hint, she comes home to Blueberry Springs, striking a deal with her childhood protector, Ethan. If he marries her, she’ll take his restaurant off his hands, giving him more time to spend on his dream tech business. Not only that, but she’ll finally earn her way into owning a thriving restaurant.

It seems like an ideal agreement…until she begins to fall in love.

Will Lily be able to show Ethan how to love again or will their hidden histories ruin their recipe for love? Find out in this irresistible new book from New York Times bestselling author Jean Oram. Start reading this friends-to-lovers, sweet marriage of convenience romance today!

“Why are we going to do this if we’re not going to bother to make it look convincing?” She continued to press him. “It won’t work if you don’t touch me, and you flinch like you’ve been seized by the devil any time I reach over to play the part of adoring fiancée.”

Adoring fiancée. Why did he want to savor the sound of that?

“People are going to expect us to kiss, Ethan.”

“I’m sure there’s a way around it.” He shifted, his back bothering him from all the tensing going on.

She let out a tortured sigh. “Have you ever been to an engagement party? People kiss.”

Man, she was insistent. But dutifully, Ethan thought back. Mandy and Frankie? Kissing had been constant, like they’d wanted to rub it in to the entire world that they’d finally hooked up. Devon and Olivia? Yup. Still lots of kissing going on there, too.

Lilypad had a point. Kissing and physical affection were basic expectations of newlyweds.

But still.

“Nobody expects me to be affectionate.”

“They’re going to want at least one lip lock. Even from you.”

Ethan ran a hand over his face, unsure how to proceed. He’d strived to avoid thinking about touching her, caressing her, holding her, tasting her. And now she wanted him to.

He couldn’t decide if he was cursed or blessed.

Heck, his mind was already swiftly heading to the gutter, his libido on call and hurrying to be named later as an accessory in the upcoming crime scene where their friendship was ruthlessly murdered.

Lily was blinking furiously, looking so hurt he knew he had to act, figure out a way around this.

Why couldn’t he just be at home with his web business like he wanted, and ignore the rest of the world and its complications?

“What would you like me to do?” he asked.

One dutiful husband-to-be, coming up.

“Act like I’m not repulsive! That…that―”

“You’re not repulsive.”

She turned in the seat, her expression hard. “Then kiss me.”

“Lilypad, come on…” His grip tightened on the steering wheel. Kissing her felt akin to taking advantage. He was older than she was. She was someone he had to look out for. And if he kissed her…it felt like he’d be avoiding his duty somehow.

Which was all entirely stupid. He needed to get over himself. They were adults. She was sexy. And she wanted a kiss.

He was a good kisser.

Kissing her was his new duty.

She crossed her arms, chin out. “I can’t risk breaking the trust of the people we love just because you don’t find me desirable.”

To his horror she began crying. She turned away, swiping at her eyes angrily, trying to be tough, strong.

“You’re desirable,” he said quietly, shifting in his seat. It felt wrong admitting it out loud. But did she have to cry? That was so unfair.

She was still sniffing and he didn’t know what to do. Mail a confession on fancy notepaper? She’d probably be appalled if she had any idea how much he craved her.

He tentatively patted her knee. It was bare due to her short skirt, and sexy as all get-out. If he wasn’t careful, his hand was going to find its way higher and higher on her leg, savoring the smoothness of her skin. He withdrew it abruptly.

“See?” she spit. “See? You patted me like I’m your grandma!”

If this was what it was like to be married, maybe he didn’t want it so much, after all.

“Get out of the car,” she said.

“What?”

“Get. Out of. The car.”

He slowly turned off the engine, taking the keys with him in case she had ideas about teaching him a lesson and leaving him on the side of the mountain. He angled his way out of the SUV, testing his leg before putting weight on it. Standing, he turned to face her, but she was already storming around the vehicle. She came up beside him, slamming his door with such force his eyebrows shot up. She backed him against the SUV, grabbed his face and pressed her lips to his before he had a chance to react. Her lips were warm, her eyes closed. She had his head in a tight grip so he couldn’t escape, and she tasted like chocolate and tears.

She didn’t give up when he didn’t kiss her back, just kept pressing against his closed mouth, working his rigid lips with her own.

Her body felt good against his. Those curves. Those voluptuous, sexy curves that had been haunting his dreams since her return. She was all woman. One hundred percent. The tomboy had been chased away so fully she was barely recognizable. She wasn’t Tagalong any longer. She was the sexiest thing he’d ever… no. No comparison. She was just the sexiest thing ever.

She pressed nearer, so near he couldn’t think. She bit his bottom lip and he opened his mouth in surprise. She took advantage, her tongue meeting his. His blood surged at the intimate contact and he kissed her back, his own desire taking over, his mind lost.

He spun her, tumbling against her as they pressed up against the vehicle’s cool metal, desperate, their kisses bordering on indecent with their urgency as thunder rumbled in the distance. Everything he’d held back soared through him and their kisses became frantic with need, their tongues battling as his hands lifted, cupping her. He gave a tender squeeze and she sighed into his mouth, and just before he lost all sense of bearing a vehicle passed on the highway, tooting its horn and smashing the magic.

He broke away, to find Lily panting, her expression one of unhidden need, of satisfaction and desire. It was heady seeing her lips rosy, her chest heaving, the unbridled want flashing in her eyes. Want for him. She was tipping toward him, unfinished business blatant in her gaze, in his bloodstream.

He backed up another step so he didn’t fall into her once again, because for the first time since their agreement, he thought Lily wasn’t the only one at risk of taking things too far and getting hurt.

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