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The perfect lie...
Violet Drummond can’t face another office Christmas party as a singleton, but charismatic family friend Cameron McKinnon seems like the perfectly platonic “plus one” for the festive season. Until he reveals his plan to make Violet his convenient fiancée!
Wealthy architect Cameron sees this charade as the perfect escape hatch from the unwelcome attention of an important client’s wife, but soon fake feelings shift to real attraction...
There’s only one thing Cameron wants to unwrap on Christmas morning—the staid suit from Violet’s lush body—and he’s willing to push the boundaries of their agreement to accommodate his growing desire...
‘Are you sure we should be doing this?’
There was a slight easing of the tension around his mouth. ‘We’re not robbing a bank, Violet.’
‘I know, but—’
‘If you’d rather not, then I can always find someone—’
‘No,’ Violet said, not even wanting to think about the someone else he would take. ‘I’ll go. It’ll be fun—I haven’t been out to dinner for ages.’
He smiled a lopsided smile that made the back of Violet’s knees feel weak.
‘There’s one other thing...’
You want it to be a real date? You want us to see each other as in see each other? You’ve secretly been in love with me for years and years and years?
Violet forced herself to keep her expression blank while her thoughts pushed against the door of her reasoning like people trying to get in to a closeing down sale.
‘We’ll have to act like a normal dating couple,’ he said. ‘Hold hands...show affection...and so on.’
And so on? What else did he mean?
Violet nodded as if her head was supported by an elastic band instead of neck muscles. ‘Fine. Of course. Good idea. Fab. Brilliant idea. We have to look authentic. Wouldn’t want anyone to get the wrong idea... I mean...Well, you know what I mean.’
Cam leaned down and brushed her cheek with his lips, the slight graze of his rougher skin making something in her stomach turn over.
‘I’ll pick you up at seven.’
MELANIE MILBURNE read her first Mills & Boon at age seventeen, in between studying for her final exams. After completing a Master’s Degree in Education she decided to write a novel in between settling down to do a PhD. She became so hooked on writing romance the PhD was shelved and her career as a romance writer was born. Melanie is an ambassador for the Australian Childhood Foundation, is a keen dog-lover and trainer and enjoys long walks in the Tasmanian bush.
Books by Melanie Milburne
Mills & Boon Modern Romance
His Mistress for a Week
At No Man’s Command His Final Bargain Uncovering the Silveri Secret
The Ravensdale Scandals
The Most Scandalous Ravensdale
Ravensdale’s Defiant Captive Awakening the Ravensdale Heiress Engaged to Her Ravensdale Enemy
The Chatsfield
Chatsfield’s Ultimate Acquisition
The Playboys of Argentina
The Valquez Bride
The Valquez Seduction
Those Scandalous Caffarellis
Never Say No to a Caffarelli
Never Underestimate a Caffarelli Never Gamble with a Caffarelli
Visit the Author Profile page at millsandboon.co.uk for more titles.
Unwrapping His Convenient Fiancée
Melanie Milburne
To my dear friend Jo Shearing.
You are such a gorgeous person and I value our friendship so much. This one is for you. xxxx
Contents
IT WAS THE invitation Violet had been dreading for months. Ten years in a row she had gone to the office Christmas party sans partner. Ten years! Every year she told herself next year would be different, and yet here she was staring at the red and silver invitation with her stomach in a sinkhole of despair again. It was bad enough fielding the What, no date? looks and comments from her female colleagues. But it was the thought of being in a crowded room that was the real torture. With all those jostling bodies pressing up so close she wouldn’t be able to breathe.
Male bodies.
Bodies that were much bigger and stronger and more powerful than hers—especially when they were drunk...
Violet blinked away the memory. She