Someone Like You

Someone Like You
Shirley Hailstock

Does the perfect plan have a surprise ending?Wedding consultant Theresa "Teddy" Granville helps her clients plan lavish black-tie ceremonies, though her own love life is strictly casual. Her matchmaking mother's latest candidate, Adam Sullivan, may be sexy but besides being successful, they have little in common. Agreeing to a fake relationship to fool her mother could make both their lives easier. But their unexpected slow-burning kisses and scorching nights are anything but make-believe. Adam's "marriage pact" with Teddy was supposed to be a temporary arrangement. Suddenly he's realizing just how deeply he desires this intelligent, passionate woman. In business, he's known for taking big risks and reaping bigger rewards. Now he's playing for the highest stakes of all, hoping he can convince Teddy to trust him-and her heart - before she walks away forever… .

Does the perfect plan have a surprise ending?

Wedding consultant Theresa “Teddy” Granville helps her clients plan lavish black-tie ceremonies, though her own love life is strictly casual. Her matchmaking mother’s latest candidate, Adam Sullivan, may be sexy but besides being successful, they have little in common. Agreeing to a fake relationship to fool her mother could make both their lives easier. But their unexpected slow-burning kisses and scorching nights are anything but make-believe.

Adam’s “marriage pact” with Teddy was supposed to be a temporary arrangement. Suddenly he’s realizing just how deeply he desires this intelligent, passionate woman. In business, he’s known for taking big risks and reaping bigger rewards. Now he’s playing for the highest stakes of all, hoping he can convince Teddy to trust him—and her heart—before she walks away forever….

“You’ll think about the pact?” he asked.

Teddy nodded. “I promise.” She smiled, then surprised herself by adding, “We could talk more about it sometime.” She hesitated, and that was unlike her. “After the markets close, maybe.”

“We need to know more about each other,” he agreed.

She nodded.

“While you’re thinking, here’s something to help you along.”

Before Teddy knew what he was going to do, he leaned toward her, and she couldn’t help but lean into him. Her head tipped up and her heels came off the floor at the same time. His mouth hovered over hers. He took her face in his hands, first one hand, then the other, cradling her. She took in his scent. Images swam before her eyes. She closed them as emotions burned within her. Intense heat flashed through her until she was sure she was glowing yellow. His mouth settled on hers. Easy. He didn’t rush or plunge. His fingers threaded through her hair, combing it with ease as if he savored the texture and feel of the dark strands. Palms slid across her shoulders and with slow, caressing movements skimmed over her arms and sides before wrapping around her waist. He pulled her against him possessively, his mouth mirroring the actions of his body. She felt the fire of his hands searing her suit fabric.

Teddy had been kissed before, but never like this, never with this tenderness, this softness that was as unnerving as if he were devouring her.

SHIRLEY HAILSTOCK

began her writing life as a lover of reading. She likes nothing better than to find a quiet corner where she can get lost in a book, explore new worlds and visit places she never expected to see. As an author, she can not only visit those places, but she can be the heroine of her own stories. An author of over thirty novels and novellas, including her electronic editions, Shirley has received numerous awards, including a Waldenbooks Bestselling Romance Award and an RT Book Reviews Career Achievement Award. Shirley’s books have appeared on BlackBoard, Essence and Library Journal bestseller lists. She is a past president of Romance Writers of America.

Someone Like You

Shirley Hailstock

www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)

Dear Reader (#ulink_c6a67e7a-a59e-5515-b7d8-f10e90c3620e),

Theresa (Teddy) Granville is Diana’s friend and partner from His Love Match, the first book in the Weddings by Diana series. It wasn’t long into writing about this character that I knew Teddy had to have her own story and her own wonderful hero in Adam Sullivan. From my own experience working in a bridal shop, I knew how important the mother of the bride and the mother of the groom are to the nuptials of their children.

It doesn’t matter how educated or intelligent the parents are. When it comes to their children, logic is what they say it is. And, thus, the meddling mothers show their tail feathers.

It’s great fun to watch as the women think they’re pulling their children’s strings. But, as it turns out, Teddy and Adam have other plans….

Happy endings,

Shirley Hailstock

To my dear and supportive friend and fellow author Candice Poarch.

Contents

Cover (#u974919a7-9473-5885-a28a-ca3c085e71e7)

Back Cover Text (#ud5fd46ec-b27f-5854-b7bb-33bd8304afd3)

Introduction (#u4be4660e-21f1-5386-9b9b-19f6b45a8d3f)

About the Author (#u9615447e-18a0-5a5e-895d-3d4131a0580b)

Title Page (#udb86d86b-71d4-5ec2-b311-7cafe97282f5)

Dear Reader (#ub0708aea-95bc-582d-88b0-37ef304945e3)

Dedication (#u4faa670e-ff24-523a-950a-5b24f2b32e78)

Chapter 1 (#u935de7b2-3464-5ed0-905b-d001f1a1b9fe)

Chapter 2 (#u8ff27046-1e46-5a0f-b7e5-0c65a41bcad8)

Chapter 3 (#uabb7813d-8dfe-56e6-a4ef-5a24885bd8f8)

Chapter 4 (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 5 (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 6 (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 7 (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 8 (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 9 (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 10 (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 11 (#litres_trial_promo)

Epilogue (#litres_trial_promo)

Copyright (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 1 (#ulink_f1b6fe8e-8cf7-5e69-afae-4b3d7f068774)

Blind date! Theresa Granville, Teddy to her friends, drummed her long red fingernails on the white tablecloth. She was waiting for Adam Sullivan, a man she’d never met, and she could just as easily spend the rest of her life happily oblivious of his existence. But that was not to be. She’d been set up. Teddy hated blind dates and she didn’t need anyone to find her a man, especially not her mother. The truth was, she was capable of meeting men on her own and dated often. But she’d been goaded into agreeing to have dinner with Adam Sullivan. Since she didn’t like to go back on her word, she was stuck.

The restaurant was crowded for a Thursday night in Princeton. It was fall and the majority of the university students returned a month ago. Most of the restaurant’s patrons were around the bar cheering on some sports team’s efforts to statistically capture a spot in the history books. Teddy had long since stopped hearing the triumphs and groans of their participation in the televised game. She’d relegated the sound to white noise. Her attention was on the restaurant’s entrance. From her solitary perch on the second-floor dining area, where private parties were usually held, maybe she’d be able to spot her date when and if he arrived. Maybe he hated blind dates, too. And Teddy would feel no disappointment at being stood up. If she didn’t have to gently explain to her mother yet again why she didn’t want to be set up, she wouldn’t be here, either.

Frowning, she watched a short guy with round-rimmed glasses enter. Her fingers went to the phone in her pocket. Diana, her friend and business partner, was only a call away. The two had worked out a signal if Teddy wanted or needed to be rescued.

Again, she glanced at the man below, taking in his height or lack of it. One of Teddy’s requirements in a man was height. At five feet nine inches, she didn’t want to stand with a man whose head only reached her breasts. Thankfully, Mr. Glasses lifted his hand, acknowledging his party, and joined a group at the end of the bar. She breathed a sigh of relief that he wasn’t her blind date.