Jennifer Lewis - Bachelor's Bought Bride / CEO's Expectant Secretary - Bachelor's Bought Bride / CEO's Expectant Secretary

JENNIFER LEWIS

LEANNE BANKS

www.millsandboon.co.uk

Advertising Media Volume 187

FEATURE SPOTLIGHT

This Week in Advertising…

The Adman:Gavin Spencer

Her New Campaign:People Treats. For husbands who need to learn to sit, stay and beg.

We’ve all heard the rumblings that Maddox Communications exec Gavin Spencer was itching to start his own agency. After all, he has been under the thumb of the Maddox family for far too long. And he is a genius. But we all wondered how he’d acquire the capital to get his business off the ground. Could he possibly have entered into a deal with the devil … um, we mean his new father-in-law?

Yes, you read it correctly. Gavin Spencer has taken the marriage plunge—with heiress Bree Kincannon. There’s no denying Miss Kincannon is somewhat attractive … but she’s been on the shelf for so long we almost forgot she existed. Could her rich daddy have offered Gavin some startup cash to take Bree off his hands? Oops—have we said too much? Sorry, Mrs Spencer! We’re sure it’s all pure conjecture on our part … But may be you should speak to your husband just in case.

JENNIFER LEWIS

JENNIFER LEWIShas been dreaming up stories for as long as she can remember and is thrilled to be able to share them with readers. She has lived on both sides of the Atlantic and worked in media and the arts before she grew bold enough to put pen to paper. Happily settled in England with her family, she would love to hear from readers at jen@jen-lewis.com. Visit her website at www.jenlewis.com.

Dear Reader,

The past year has been an exciting time for me. Last summer my family moved from our long-time home outside New York City to a pretty village near London. I grew up in London, but left when I was still a teenager, so there has been much to absorb and learn about living here as an adult. First I had to get used to driving on the other side of the road (I still keep trying to climb in the wrong side of the car!). Road lanes and especially parking spaces are tiny and I had my first-ever accidents, all involving stationary objects, happily. The twenty-four-hour clock is the norm here, and I still panic when I look for the time and discover that it’s 15:34. Doesn’t that sound way later than 3:34?

I’ve made some wonderful new friends and had many adventures, but it’s also been a great pleasure to just slip into my fantasy world and write. I love the fact that the imagination travels with you, never gets lost in baggage claim and doesn’t need an adaptor. My favorite characters live on both sides of the Atlantic—and anywhere else I might happen to be. Thank goodness for books!

I hope you enjoy escaping into Bree and Gavin’s romantic journey as much as I did while I wrote the story.

Jen

For Julie, international woman of mystery and

passionate San Franciscan, who’s made living

in England so much fun.

Many thanks to the kind people who read the book

while I was writing it, including Anne, Anne-Marie,

Carol, Cynthia, Jerri, Leeanne, Marie and Paula, my

agent Andrea and Senior Editor Krista Stroever.

U h-oh. What now?

Bree Kincannon’s father waved to her from across the ballroom. A self-conscious everyone-is-watching wave. She stiffened as he headed toward her, marching through the splendidly attired crowd. He’d left their table the moment dessert was done, heading out to see and be seen, as usual.

Bree, as usual, had settled into her chair to listen to the music and wait for the evening to end. She’d come only because the fundraiser was for one of her favorite charities.

Wary, she glanced up as her father approached, his silver hair gleaming in the ballroom lights. Then she noticed the tall man behind him.

Oh, no. Not another introduction. She thought he’d finally given up trying to introduce her to every eligible bachelor in San Francisco.

“Bree, dear, there’s someone I’d like you to meet.”

A familiar refrain. She’d heard it a lot in her twenty-nine years, and it rarely led beyond an awkward first date.

Still, she rose to her feet and planted a smile firmly on her lips.

“Gavin, this is my daughter, Bree. Bree, this is Gavin Spencer. He’s an advertising executive with Maddox Communications.”

Gavin Spencer thrust out his arm. She politely extended her hand to meet his. “Nice to …” Oh, goodness. She looked up and her heart almost stopped. Thick dark hair swept back from a high forehead. The slightest hint of five-o’clock shadow enhanced chiseled features, which framed a wide, sensual mouth.

He was gorgeous.

“Meet me?” A twinkle of humor lit warm gray eyes.

“Uh, yes. Really nice to meet you.” She snatched her hand back. Her palm was practically sweating. Her father must be nuts thinking a man like this might be interested in her. “Maddox has done some really good campaigns lately. The print ads for Porto Shoes were really eye-catching.”

And perhaps I could use the word really a few more times in quick succession. She felt her face heat.

“Thanks, I worked on that campaign.” A smile revealed perfect white teeth. His chin had a slight cleft. “Your father tells me you’re a photographer.”

Bree’s eyes darted to her father. He had? Shock and pride swept over her. He never bothered to say a word about her hobby, as he’d called it once. “Yes. I enjoy taking photos.”

“She just won an award,” her father chimed in, his face beaming with bonhomie. “The Black Hat or something.”

“Black B-Book,” she stammered. “It’s a commercial photography competition.”

“I know what the Black Book Awards are.” Gavin tilted his head. “That’s quite an accomplishment.”

Bree’s father waved to someone across the ballroom, nodded his apologies and strode off into the crowd.

Leaving her all alone with the most breathtakingly handsome man in the room.

She swallowed, smoothed the front of her crinkled taffeta dress and wished she’d worn something less … hideous.

“What kind of photographs do you take?”

“Portraits, mostly.” Her voice sounded reasonably steady, which was impressive under the circumstances. She was annoyed that this gorgeous man her father had forced on her was having such an effect on her. She always felt so out of place in these situations. “I try to capture people’s personalities.”

“That sounds like quite a challenge.”

“It’s mostly about timing. Picking the right moment.” She shrugged. She couldn’t explain it herself. “I think the technical term is that I have a knack for it.”

His finely cut mouth widened into a smile and those dreamy gray eyes twinkled. “A knack generally implies the kind of talent that makes you stand out from the crowd.”

“Well, I certainly don’t stand out from this crowd.” She swept her arm, indicating San Francisco’s most elegant and well-heeled partygoers—and instantly regretted her foolish words.

Of course she stood out. As the frumpiest and most unexciting person there.

“Everyone here is trying so hard to stand out.” Dimples appeared under his impressive cheekbones. “It’s the people who aren’t trying who are more interesting. Would you like to dance?”