The Last-Minute Marriage

The Last-Minute Marriage
Marion Lennox

Peta and Marcus had a wonderful whirlwind wedding - but their vows are a sham: it's a marriage of convenience!Now billionaire Marcus Benson is showering his bride with gifts and offering a life of luxury. Surely that would be a dream come true for penniless Peta? No! Peta wants him - not gifts or money!She's startled to realize she's falling in love with her convenient groom. But Marcus has built impenetrable walls around his heart. Has Peta got what it takes to knock them down?

They were left alone. The lights were dim.

He was standing in the hallway, holding a girl in his arms—his bride—and she was gazing up at him with eyes that were luminescent, trembling, sweetly innocent.

She was so desirable. And she was his wife! He could kiss her right now….

“Cut it out,” she told him, jerking her face back from his and jiggling in his arms. “Marcus Benson, put me down. Right now.”

“I thought—”

“I know what you thought. I can read it in your eyes.”

“Peta…?”

“I knew you’d want something.” She bounced and wriggled some more and he was forced to set her down.

“I don’t want anything.”

She fixed him with an old-fashioned look. “You’re saying you don’t want to take me to bed?”

There was nothing he’d like better.

A wedding dilemma:

What should a sexy, successful bachelor do

if he’s too busy making millions to find a wife?

Or if he finds the perfect woman, and just has to

strike a bridal bargain….

The perfect proposal:

The solution? For better, for worse, these grooms

in a hurry have decided to sign, seal and deliver

the ultimate marriage contract….

Look out for our next CONTRACT BRIDES story,

coming next month in Harlequin Romance

! A Wife on Paper by Liz Fielding #3837

The Last-Minute Marriage

Marion Lennox

CONTENTS

CHAPTER ONE

CHAPTER TWO

CHAPTER THREE

CHAPTER FOUR

CHAPTER FIVE

CHAPTER SIX

CHAPTER SEVEN

CHAPTER EIGHT

CHAPTER NINE

CHAPTER TEN

CHAPTER ELEVEN

CHAPTER TWELVE

EPILOGUE

CHAPTER ONE

MARCUS BENSON shoved open the fire-escape door—and ran straight into Cinderella.

Marcus running into anyone was unusual in itself. The influence of the Benson Corporation reached throughout the international business community, and Marcus, at its head, was a man held in awe. Bumping into people was unheard of. A path usually cleared before him.

It wasn’t just power, wealth and intellect contributing to the aura surrounding him. He was in his mid-thirties, tall and superbly fit, with jet-black hair and striking, hawklike features. His charisma and influence were such that women’s magazines were unanimous in declaring him to be America’s most eligible bachelor.

And Marcus was likely to stay that way.

Well, why not? His experience of family life had been a disaster. His time in the armed forces had taught him loyalty and friendship, but loyalty and friendship had ended in tragedy. So Marcus Benson was a man who walked alone.

But that was before he met Peta O’Shannassy.

And Peta’s kids, dogs, cows and catastrophe.

He didn’t see that now, though. All he saw was a kid who reminded him oddly of Cinderella.