The Forbidden Brother
Series: The McNeill Magnates #7
Author: Joanne Rock
Publisher: Harlequin Desire
Publisher: Harlequin Desire
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: July 1, 2018
Release Date: July 1, 2018
Blurb
A night of passion and mistaken identity means
unmistakable consequences…
unmistakable consequences…
Jillian Ross craves adventure. And she gets it, when her new career as a movie location scout leads her to the ranch owned by the wealthy Wyoming McNeills. A close encounter with the playboy McNeill causes havoc—since it’s actually his reclusive twin, Cody, she’s fallen for! Now she’s pregnant—and still can’t get enough of her reluctant rancher. Is this adventure just beginning?
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Excerpt
“You’ve improved my Saturday night a whole lot, too.” He
liked the feel of her, his hand warming the cool skin through the thin blouse
she wore. “It’s been a long time since I’ve thought about anything outside of
work.”
liked the feel of her, his hand warming the cool skin through the thin blouse
she wore. “It’s been a long time since I’ve thought about anything outside of
work.”
Her eyebrows lifted. “Leading me to wonder what you could be
thinking about right now.” Her lips curved. “Admiring the Wrangler’s decor? Or
maybe remembering how much you like a good George Jones tune?”
thinking about right now.” Her lips curved. “Admiring the Wrangler’s decor? Or
maybe remembering how much you like a good George Jones tune?”
He laughed appreciatively. “I do respect a bar that still
plays a classic. But the vinyl upholstery in the booths isn’t doing much for me
in the decor department.” His gaze skated over her features; he was looking
forward to making her blush again. “And I was thinking about you more than
anything else.”
plays a classic. But the vinyl upholstery in the booths isn’t doing much for me
in the decor department.” His gaze skated over her features; he was looking
forward to making her blush again. “And I was thinking about you more than
anything else.”
His directness might have caught her off guard. She nibbled
her lower lip briefly before meeting his eyes. “I haven’t been the center of
anyone’s attention in…a long time.”
her lower lip briefly before meeting his eyes. “I haven’t been the center of
anyone’s attention in…a long time.”
There was a story there. He heard it in her voice. Saw it in
her eyes.
her eyes.
“You aren’t involved with someone else?” He needed to be
sure before he let this go on any longer. But his pulse was already thrumming.
“I don’t see a ring, but I have to ask.”
sure before he let this go on any longer. But his pulse was already thrumming.
“I don’t see a ring, but I have to ask.”
“I am very much unattached.” She shook her head, red curls
catching the overhead light as she moved. “What about you? No one waiting at
home?”
catching the overhead light as she moved. “What about you? No one waiting at
home?”
“The only ones who might be missing my presence right now
are a couple of rowdy shepherds back at my ranch who would have preferred the
night off.” He swayed with her. Her knee brushed his now and again in a way
that fired right through him. “But no girlfriend. No wife.”
are a couple of rowdy shepherds back at my ranch who would have preferred the
night off.” He swayed with her. Her knee brushed his now and again in a way
that fired right through him. “But no girlfriend. No wife.”
He respected that she asked, even though she was clearly
feeling the same spark as him. And now that those formalities had been cleared
away, he could simply enjoy the moment. The completely unexpected pleasure of
having a beautiful stranger in his arms. He didn’t want to let go of her now.
He wanted to take her outside into the fresh, rain-cleaned night and kiss her.
See if she tasted as good as he imagined.
feeling the same spark as him. And now that those formalities had been cleared
away, he could simply enjoy the moment. The completely unexpected pleasure of
having a beautiful stranger in his arms. He didn’t want to let go of her now.
He wanted to take her outside into the fresh, rain-cleaned night and kiss her.
See if she tasted as good as he imagined.
“The stars are aligning for us so far, aren’t they?” She
peered up at him with something like wonder in her eyes.
peered up at him with something like wonder in her eyes.
He couldn’t remember a woman ever looking at him quite like
that. As if he was the answer to a question. An answer that pleased her.
that. As if he was the answer to a question. An answer that pleased her.
“It feels that way.” He didn’t want to scare her off with
empty pickup lines, or come across as some lowlife playing games with a woman
in a bar. But as the music shifted again—this time to an even slower, modern
country love song—Cody wondered if he could convince her to let the spark
between them run wild. To follow the heat wherever it led. “And since the stars
aligning would be a first for me, I wonder if can ask you just one thing.”
empty pickup lines, or come across as some lowlife playing games with a woman
in a bar. But as the music shifted again—this time to an even slower, modern
country love song—Cody wondered if he could convince her to let the spark
between them run wild. To follow the heat wherever it led. “And since the stars
aligning would be a first for me, I wonder if can ask you just one thing.”
He halted them in the middle of the floor, now that the
two-step was done. Bringing her fractionally closer, he swayed to the slower
tempo in a barely moving lovers’ dance.
two-step was done. Bringing her fractionally closer, he swayed to the slower
tempo in a barely moving lovers’ dance.
She followed him seamlessly, her gaze never straying from
his. She was fully focused on him. Framed by dusky brown lashes, those
green-gold eyes reminded him of new grass and spring.
his. She was fully focused on him. Framed by dusky brown lashes, those
green-gold eyes reminded him of new grass and spring.
“Sure. Ask away.” Her voice had a sweet-sultry quality that
made him want to listen to her speak more.
made him want to listen to her speak more.
“Don’t you ever wish you could forget about the expectations
of the world around you and just…choose your own adventure?” He remembered
books like that when he’d been a kid, where you could test out different
endings to a story.
of the world around you and just…choose your own adventure?” He remembered
books like that when he’d been a kid, where you could test out different
endings to a story.
For someone who’d always taken the safe route in real life,
he had liked the option of seeing how another choice played out. At least in a
book. Cody couldn’t do that with ranching. Or his family. But he could take a
chance here. Tonight.
he had liked the option of seeing how another choice played out. At least in a
book. Cody couldn’t do that with ranching. Or his family. But he could take a
chance here. Tonight.
Her lashes swept down for a long moment, hiding her
expression. But when she tilted a glance up at him again, there was a new curiosity
there.
expression. But when she tilted a glance up at him again, there was a new curiosity
there.
“Are you asking to share an adventure with me?” She sounded
disbelieving. But maybe a little intrigued.
disbelieving. But maybe a little intrigued.
“I suppose I am.” He would never have made such an
outrageous suggestion to a local—a woman who knew him or his family. But she
had “tourist” and “temporary” written all over her. Surely there couldn’t be
any harm in drawing out the flirtation? “What would you say to throwing away
the rule book for a little longer?”
outrageous suggestion to a local—a woman who knew him or his family. But she
had “tourist” and “temporary” written all over her. Surely there couldn’t be
any harm in drawing out the flirtation? “What would you say to throwing away
the rule book for a little longer?”
He let go of her hand for a moment to tip her chin higher,
to see her face in the dim overhead light of the dance floor. Feminine interest
flickered in her eyes. He inhaled as she released a pent-up breath. He could
almost taste her in the space of silence between them.
to see her face in the dim overhead light of the dance floor. Feminine interest
flickered in her eyes. He inhaled as she released a pent-up breath. He could
almost taste her in the space of silence between them.
Then he leaned closer to press his cause. “Choose me
tonight.”
tonight.”
Author Bio
Four-time RITA
nominee Joanne Rock has never met a romance sub-genre she didn’t like. The author
of over eighty books enjoys writing a wide range of stories, most recently
focusing on sexy contemporaries and small town family sagas. An optimist by
nature and perpetual seeker of silver linings, Joanne finds romance fits her
life outlook perfectly–love is worth fighting for. A frequent speaker at
regional and national writing conferences she enjoys giving back to the writing
community that nurtured and inspired her early career. She has a Masters degree
in Literature from the University of Louisville but credits her fiction writing
skills to her intensive study with friend and fellow author Catherine Mann.
When she’s not writing, Joanne enjoys travel, especially to see her favorite
sports teams play with her former sports editor husband and three athletic-minded
sons.
nominee Joanne Rock has never met a romance sub-genre she didn’t like. The author
of over eighty books enjoys writing a wide range of stories, most recently
focusing on sexy contemporaries and small town family sagas. An optimist by
nature and perpetual seeker of silver linings, Joanne finds romance fits her
life outlook perfectly–love is worth fighting for. A frequent speaker at
regional and national writing conferences she enjoys giving back to the writing
community that nurtured and inspired her early career. She has a Masters degree
in Literature from the University of Louisville but credits her fiction writing
skills to her intensive study with friend and fellow author Catherine Mann.
When she’s not writing, Joanne enjoys travel, especially to see her favorite
sports teams play with her former sports editor husband and three athletic-minded
sons.
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