MELANIE MILBURNE - The Tycoon's Marriage Deal

A virgin’s passionate awakening

Ruthless playboy Blake McClelland dominates in the boardroom and commands in the bedroom. So when he’s required to produce a fiancée in order to clinch the most important deal of his life, his solution is as coldhearted as Blake himself—he’ll choose a woman innocent enough to convince the world he’s a reformed man!

After being jilted at the altar, shy bakery owner Matilda Toppington is in no hurry to wear another man’s ring. Blake’s cynical proposition is scandalously, shockingly outrageous—of course she should refuse! Unless Tillie dares surrender to the unknown pleasures his sinful gaze promises...

‘I’m not leaving until I get what I want.’

Something about the set of Blake’s jaw made Tillie realise he had the steely will and determination to achieve whatever he put his mind to. And the ruthlessness.

She kept her gaze on his. ‘Haven’t you heard the wise old adage that you can’t always get what you want?’

Blake glanced at her mouth, then at the swell of her breasts behind her conservatively buttoned cotton shirt, lingered there for a nanosecond before returning his gaze to hers in a lock that ignited something deep inside her body. It was as if their eyes were communicating on an entirely different level—a primal, instinctive level that was as thrilling to her as it was foreign.

No one had ever looked at her like...that.

As if he were wondering what her mouth would feel like against his. As if he were wondering what she looked like without her practical, no-nonsense clothing. As if he were wondering how she would taste and feel when he put his mouth and tongue to her naked flesh...

MELANIE MILBURNEread her first Mills & Boon novel at the age of seventeen, in between studying for her final exams. After completing a Master’s degree in education she decided to write a novel, and thus her career as a romance author was born. Melanie is an ambassador for the Australian Childhood Foundation and a keen dog-lover and trainer. She enjoys long walks in the Tasmanian bush. In 2015 Melanie won the HOLT Medallion—a prestigious award honouring outstanding literary talent.

Books by Melanie Milburne

Mills & Boon Modern Romance

The Temporary Mrs Marchetti

Unwrapping His Convenient Fiancée

His Mistress for a Week

At No Man’s Command

One Night With Consequences

A Ring for the Greek’s Baby

Wedlocked!

Wedding Night with Her Enemy

The Ravensdale Scandals

Ravensdale’s Defiant Captive

Awakening the Ravensdale Heiress

Engaged to Her Ravensdale Enemy

The Most Scandalous Ravensdale

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.

The Tycoon’s Marriage Deal

Melanie Milburne

www.millsandboon.co.uk

To the Dangerous Liaisons Divas, Margie Lawson Advanced Immersion Class, Melbourne 2016—Lauren James, Kristin Meachem, Natasha Daraio, Michelle Somers and of course the marvellous Margie! A special thank-you to Kristin’s parents, Bill and Anna McKay, who hosted our class in their gorgeous home.

And another special thank-you

to my dentist, Dr Jim Rushton,

for the use of his cute labradoodle’s name!

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text A virgin’s passionate awakening Ruthless playboy Blake McClelland dominates in the boardroom and commands in the bedroom. So when he’s required to produce a fiancée in order to clinch the most important deal of his life, his solution is as coldhearted as Blake himself—he’ll choose a woman innocent enough to convince the world he’s a reformed man! After being jilted at the altar, shy bakery owner Matilda Toppington is in no hurry to wear another man’s ring. Blake’s cynical proposition is scandalously, shockingly outrageous—of course she should refuse! Unless Tillie dares surrender to the unknown pleasures his sinful gaze promises...

Introduction ‘I’m not leaving until I get what I want.’ Something about the set of Blake’s jaw made Tillie realise he had the steely will and determination to achieve whatever he put his mind to. And the ruthlessness. She kept her gaze on his. ‘Haven’t you heard the wise old adage that you can’t always get what you want?’ Blake glanced at her mouth, then at the swell of her breasts behind her conservatively buttoned cotton shirt, lingered there for a nanosecond before returning his gaze to hers in a lock that ignited something deep inside her body. It was as if their eyes were communicating on an entirely different level—a primal, instinctive level that was as thrilling to her as it was foreign. No one had ever looked at her like...that. As if he were wondering what her mouth would feel like against his. As if he were wondering what she looked like without her practical, no-nonsense clothing. As if he were wondering how she would taste and feel when he put his mouth and tongue to her naked flesh...

About the Author MELANIE MILBURNE read her first Mills & Boon novel at the age of seventeen, in between studying for her final exams. After completing a Master’s degree in education she decided to write a novel, and thus her career as a romance author was born. Melanie is an ambassador for the Australian Childhood Foundation and a keen dog-lover and trainer. She enjoys long walks in the Tasmanian bush. In 2015 Melanie won the HOLT Medallion—a prestigious award honouring outstanding literary talent. Books by Melanie Milburne Mills & Boon Modern Romance The Temporary Mrs Marchetti Unwrapping His Convenient Fiancée His Mistress for a Week At No Man’s Command One Night With Consequences A Ring for the Greek’s Baby Wedlocked! Wedding Night with Her Enemy The Ravensdale Scandals Ravensdale’s Defiant Captive Awakening the Ravensdale Heiress Engaged to Her Ravensdale Enemy The Most Scandalous Ravensdale 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.

Title Page The Tycoon’s Marriage Deal Melanie Milburne www.millsandboon.co.uk

Dedication To the Dangerous Liaisons Divas, Margie Lawson Advanced Immersion Class, Melbourne 2016—Lauren James, Kristin Meachem, Natasha Daraio, Michelle Somers and of course the marvellous Margie! A special thank-you to Kristin’s parents, Bill and Anna McKay, who hosted our class in their gorgeous home. And another special thank-you to my dentist, Dr Jim Rushton, for the use of his cute labradoodle’s name!

CHAPTER ONE

CHAPTER TWO

CHAPTER THREE

CHAPTER FOUR

CHAPTER FIVE

CHAPTER SIX

CHAPTER SEVEN

CHAPTER EIGHT

CHAPTER NINE

CHAPTER TEN

EPILOGUE

Extract

Copyright

CHAPTER ONE

IT WAS THE best wedding cake Tillie had ever decorated but now there wasn’t going to be a wedding. Her dream wedding. The wedding she had planned and looked forward to for more years than she wanted to count. She looked at the triple-tier wedding cake with the intricate orange blossom petals she’d taken hours and hours to craft. They were so darn realistic you could almost smell them. The finely detailed lacework around the sides of the cake had all but made her cross-eyed. She had even given the marzipan bride on the top of the cake her chestnut hair and pale complexion and brown eyes, and used a tiny scrap of fabric from her own wedding dress and veil to make a replica outfit.

Although...she’d taken a little licence with the bride’s figure and made her look as if she spent her life in the gym rather than hours in a kitchen surrounded by yummy cakes that had to be tasted to get the balance of flavours just right.

The groom was exactly like Simon—blond and blue-eyed—although the tuxedo she’d painted on him was now pock-marked with pinholes.

Tillie picked up another dressmaking pin and aimed it at the groom’s groin. ‘Take that, you cheat.’ Who knew marzipan figurines could make such great voodoo dolls? Maybe she could do a side line business for jilted brides, making break-up cakes with an effigy of their ex.

There’s a thought...

‘Uh-oh.’ Joanne, her assistant, came into the kitchen. ‘Your favourite male customer is waiting for you. Maybe I should warn him you’re in your all-men-are-evil mood.’

Tillie turned from the cake to look at Joanne. ‘Which male customer?’

Joanne’s eyes sparkled so much they looked as if they belonged on a tiara. ‘Mr Chocolate Éclair.’

Tillie could feel her cheeks heating up faster than her fan-forced oven. For the last two weeks, every time that man came into her cake shop he always insisted on being served by her. He always made her blush. And he always wanted the same thing—one of her Belgian chocolate éclairs. She didn’t know whether to dislike him for making sport out of her overactive capillaries or for him being able to eat a chocolate éclair a day and not put on a single gram of fat. ‘Can’t you serve him just this once?’

Joanne shook her head. ‘Nope. He wants to speak to you and informs me he won’t leave until he does.’

Tillie frowned. ‘But I told you I don’t want to be interrupted this afternoon. I have three kids’ birthday cakes to decorate and I have to squeeze in a visit to Mr Pendleton at the respite centre. I made his favourite marshmallow slice.’

‘This guy is not the sort to take no for an answer,’ Joanne said. ‘Anyway, you should see how clock-stopping gorgeous he looks today. Where on earth does he put all the calories you sell him?’

Tillie turned back to the wedding cake and aimed a pin at the groom’s right eye. ‘Tell him I’m busy.’

Joanne blew out an I’m-so-over-this breath. ‘Look, Tillie, I know Simon jilting you was rough on you, but it’s been three months. You have to move on. I think Mr Chocolate Éclair fancies you. He’s certainly paying you heaps of attention. Who knows? This might be your chance to get out and party like you’ve never partied before.’

‘Move on? Why should I move on?’ Tillie said. ‘I’m fine right where I am, thank you very much. I’m over men.’ Three more pins went into marzipan man’s manhood. ‘Over. Over. Over.’

‘But not all men are like—’

‘Apart from my dad and Mr Pendleton, men are a waste of time and money and emotion,’ Tillie said. When she thought of all the money she’d spent on Simon, helping him with yet another start-up business that ended going belly up. When she thought of all the effort she’d put into their relationship, her patience over his commitment to not have sex before marriage because of his faith, only for him to have an affair with a girl he’d met online.

On a hook-up app.

Grr.

Years Tillie had spent being by his side, putting her own stuff on hold in order to be a good little girlfriend and then good little fiancée. Faithful. Loyal. Devoted.

No. Moving on would mean she would have to trust a man again and that she was never going to do. Not in this lifetime. Not in this century. Not in this geological era.

‘So...do you want me to tell Mr Chocolate Éclair to come back some other time?’ Joanne said, wincing when she saw all the pins sticking out of Simon.