Romance: My Stepbrother's Plaything

by Valentine, Annie

  “I love you.” I told Charles and he held me tighter. I didn’t know how he was going to explain this to the people that he left baffled at his wedding, but I knew that whatever he said they’d understand. I knew that he said he wasn’t the type of man to go back on his words because that was a cowboy’s way, but I was happy that he broke this rule for me. Who would have thought that I’d fall in love so quickly with the man that I held in my arms? Who would have thought that in just one week, I’d be walking down the aisle wearing white in a wedding that I planned for myself and have it be the best wedding Montana has seen in twenty years?

  3.

  Marly and Rick,

  an MOB Romance

  By: Emily Sharpe

  Marly and Rick, an MOB Romance

  © Emily Sharpe, December 2015 – All rights reserved

  Published by Steamy Reads Publishing

  No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form, including electronic or mechanical, without written permission from the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events are purely coincidental. This book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only.

  This book may not be resold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy. If you are reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, please return it to the seller and purchase a copy. Thank you for respecting the author’s work.

  Warning

  This book contains graphic content intended for readers 18+ years old.

  If you are under 18 years old, or are not comfortable with adult content, please close this book now.

  Chapter One

  It was the worst bad hair day for her since she started working at The Knot, an events planning company that caters to weddings, birthdays, anniversaries, graduations and even christening. Her company can cater to almost every occasion.

  Marly, in her usual blue pencil suit, sat idly at her cubicle while staring at the wedding pictures her most recent client sent yesterday. She wasn’t able to take pictures of her own for documentation because the couple had specifically requested for all photos to be taken by a photographer of their choice. Although reluctant, she had agreed with the terms since the clients agreed to provide the pictures she will be needing for her report.

  The photographer did a decent job in capturing perfect moments for the couple, their visitors and the celebration itself, but none of the photos showed what she was looking for. None of it captured the moment that got stuck in her head. She should have been done with her report if she had thought of secretly taking a shot.

  “Having a bad hair day?” Erin asked as she sat at the edge of the table.

  “I wish this was just a bad hair day. Life would have been so much better.” Marly rolled her eyes in exasperation.

  “Richard didn’t get the pictures right again? That idiot.”

  Erin came to work for The Knot a year after she started. The woman had always carried a positive vibe around her. She was mostly the source of inspiration for all the events planner when things got too challenging.

  “Richard could have nailed the shot if he was allowed to. Unfortunately, this couple had their own photographer and insisted on having a single camera capturing every moment.”

  She stood up and grabbed her mug. Coffee. A huge mug of steaming coffee would be a nice diversion. No matter how long she stared at the computer screen, her dilemma would still be the same.

  “I heard the boss is negotiating with a filthy rich client.” Erin blurted out while she poured coffee on her cup as well. “The groom is a ranch owner willing to pay millions just to have a perfect wedding.”

  “It would be a perfect project except for the probability that it will be held in a ranch.” She took a sip of her own coffee before continuing. ”Ugh, I hate farm animals and the dry dusty soil.”

  “We’ll find out soon who gets the handle the job.” Erin chuckled as they head back to their workstations. “Just pray it won’t be you.”

  Marly sat back on her chair and closed the picture viewer on her computer. She could work on the report later. She checked her new emails and started reading the important ones while deleting the spam and promotional emails.

  “Ladies, ladies!” The owner and manager of The Knot, Jeremy Jenkins clapped his hand loudly to get everyone’s attention. “As you may have heard, we have a new deal. This will be the biggest project ever so I want its execution to be perfectly flawless.”

  She had a gut feeling that she wouldn’t like the next words that would come out of her manager. And her suspicion was affirmed when the manager glanced at her way. Oh no!

  “Marly, sweetheart. Can you come over?” He asked with an extra sweet tone.

  She forced a smile on her face as she walked toward where her manager stood. He placed a hand around her shoulders, smiling widely at the everyone.

  “I’m happy to announce that I’m handing this project to our senior events planner and the most sought after bachelorette in the company. Let’s all give a round of applause to congratulate Marly!”

  The clapping of everyone’s hands echoed all over the floor. The pride she had for her success and growth in the company resonated in her aura. It’s not difficult to spot her since she was a tall woman with a little more flesh than the most admired skinny type of women. Her Latin blood was evident in her physical features.

  “Thank you, Jeremy. You can always count on me.” She shook his hand and laughed with delight.

  “We can a have a toast after the event.”

  Jeremy led her outside of the floor and into his private office. She sat comfortably at the white lounge chair facing his desk while he poured whiskey on a glass.

  “The client is Maverick Lane. Does the name ring a bell?”

  She knew she heard it somewhere, but she was unsure who exactly was this person or what he does.

  “He owns ranches in Montana. One of the popular tourist destination is Lone Mountain Guest House.”

  Oh. So the famous Rick Lane was getting married. How wonderful. But did Jeremy just mention Montana?

  “I know that look, Marly. You can’t refuse the job just because you don’t like cowboys and horses. You need this for your promotion.”

  “What?” That was something she didn’t expect. “You’re not serious, are you?”

  “I don’t play games when working, honey. You know that very well.”

  “But you can’t use my promotion against me. You know how I feel about ranches and farms.” It was a desperate and pathetic reasoning, but that was all she could think of.

  “Take it, Marly. Suck it up. It’s either this or forget your promotion.”

  Of course, her promotion was worth everything. It was the reason why she had worked so hard in the past three years. It was her dream and wanted it pretty badly. But she really abhorred the countryside. She had her reasons for hating it which no one knew about.

  “Mr. Lane already arranged everything. You’ll be gone for two weeks so make sure you pack your things accordingly. A charter plane will take you to Montana two days from now.” He paused upon seeing her contorted face. “You can personally present your proposal to him after an ocular inspection.”

  “A rush wedding?”

  Chapter Two

  She wore her casual outfit, one she usually wore whenever she goes on an ocular inspection before planning an event. Marly didn’t feel the need to look too stylish or classy on her way to the ranch. Her job was to plan the most beautiful wedding every woman would ever dream of having. It was her job and she was the best at what she did.

  “Miss Andrada, we will be landing in less than ten minutes.” The cap
tain of the charter plane announced through the intercom.

  Marly glanced outside the window expecting to see a vast land full of dirt and farm animals running about. Her expectations were proven wrong when she saw a vast land of green, lush grass with huge pine trees that were strategically planted all over the ranch, mostly near the cottages.

  She adjusted her shades and shrugged her shoulders. Okay. Maybe she didn’t really do her research on the place. Whatever. As soon as she was done with planning, she would call Erin to supervise the materialization of the concept.

  The plane landed smoothly on the hangar a few meters away from the outdoor activities area. She had to admit, the place was both impressive and expensive looking. A white cart was waiting for her and when a valet placed her luggage at the back, she settled on the front seat.

  A man in checkered long sleeves that was rolled up to his elbow paired with tight jeans and hi-cut cowboy boots was waiting for her in the receiving area. His hat was very notable because it was elongated rather than round.

  “Miss Andrada?” The man offered a hand with a smile on his face. His eyes were hidden behind his Oakley shades.

  “Hello, Mr. Lane. Nice meeting you.” She shook his hand and gave him her sweetest smile. “Just call me Marly.”

  “I’m Rick.” He led her inside the receiving area.

  It was an open space with four huge pillars on each corner and a dome-like ceiling with two gigantic ceiling fans made out of thinly cut wood. The customer service counter had three pretty receptionists with the typical model-like body.

  She wasn’t the skinny type and was made fun of as a teenager for it. But despite her size, which was curvier and had more flesh than single women her age, she was a confident woman. She had learned to love her body and treated it with care.

  “How about some refreshments?” He offered.

  “A glass of cold water please.”

  “Is that all you're having? It’s almost lunchtime. Why don’t we eat first before I take you around the ranch?”

  Marly hesitated for a minute. The three-hour flight was a bit tiring. She had wanted to check the place right away then spend the rest of the day on her room. So she could relax while conceptualizing her ideas for the wedding. But then again it would have been rude to refuse his offer.

  “That would be nice,” she said once they were inside the breakfast house. The ranch had at least three main halls for dining, one each for breakfast, dinner and lunch.

  Rick grinned at her before gesturing for the waiter. They waited for almost 20 minutes before their orders were served. She just had salad and strawberry juice. He, on the other hand, had steak, some grilled shrimps, and a salad.

  “So what do you think about this place?” he inquired while chewing on his steak.

  “It wasn’t what I expected it to be,” She answered him with honesty.

  “How so?” Her answer had taken his interest.

  She took a sip of her juice and thought for a moment. Often times, she intimidated her subordinates because she didn’t sugarcoat the truth. She spoke her mind. But, she also realized that she needed to be cautious with this particular client. After all, this was her biggest project and she didn’t want to blow it by saying the wrong things to him.

  “Well, I’ve never been into a ranch before. I’ve only seen a glimpse of what it is like on TV shows. I’m not a fan of farms, ranches, and running horses.” Then she looked him straight in the eyes. “But I’m impressed by the natural beauty of the place. It seemed as though no human touch was added to achieve its perfection.”

  He gave her a thin smile while staring at her with an aura that made her uncomfortable. Rick wasn’t the bulky type of man or a macho guy often portrayed in shows. He was lean but muscular with broad shoulders.

  “The more reason why I should personally take you for a tour of my land.” He gulped down his beer without breaking eye contact. “Do you believe in love at first sight?”

  Marly had nearly choked on the salad she was about to swallow. Where did that question come from? She covered her mouth for a second to clear up her throat before smiling.

  “No, I don’t.”

  “Why is that?” He asked like it was just a normal conversation between two good friends.

  “I’ve been into too many weddings and witnessed firsthand how easily relationships break. So no, love of first sight doesn’t exist. It’s just an illusion.”

  “A nonbeliever, huh?” He nodded while weighing his beliefs against hers.

  “I beg to disagree. Love does exist. But I don’t think it can happen in an instant. It takes time and effort.”

  She paused and thought about the high school crush she obsessed about who ended up used her to excel in their class. He treated her poorly and failed to give importance to her feelings. It was the darkest time of her life and really formed her strong beliefs about love and relationships.

  “And one can never mistake lust for love,” he said.

  Chapter Three

  The exterior of the cabins were made out of hardwood painted based on its natural color. It had one door at the front and a sliding door on the other end, which would lead to a small veranda where guests were given an overlooking view of the outdoor activity area.

  Marly couldn’t deny how lovely the place was. She didn’t know ranches could have this kind of beauty, probably because she didn’t have an interest in them.

  “How do you like your cottage?” Rick asked while he stood next to her on the veranda.

  “I must say, I’m already beyond impressed with the architectural design of this place. Really.” She took out her camera and took a few pictures.

  “You like taking pictures too?”

  “It’s a hobby.” She smiled while slowly panning the area through her lens.

  Rick moved into her line of vision and posed like a pro for her. His body angle together with the scenery as his background did look great on her camera and so she took a picture of him. When she checked the result, she was left with awe. He had taken off his shades revealing two beautiful hazel eyes that accentuated well with his roughly combed copper hair.

  “Did you like what you see?” He asked after seeing her expression.

  “Huh? Uh, yes. Here.”

  She showed him the picture which he gladly looked at, holding her camera at the same time. The slight brushing off of their hands sent chills along her arms which made her gasp. What was wrong with me?

  “Are you alright?”

  “Yes, I’m fine.” She stepped back a little to place a distance between them. Suddenly, she felt uneasy around him.

  She discreetly glanced at him and found him staring closely at her, watching every expression and movement she was making. His gaze held a more sensual look. She breathed deeply before asking him a question in the hopes of diverting his attention to something else.

  “I haven’t seen the future Mrs. Maverick Lane. When can I meet her?” She flashed him her business-like smile, happy and interested yet professional.

  There was amusement in his eyes, she could see it lingering at the corner while he remained composed.

  “She’s not here yet. She will be arriving two days before the wedding.”

  He walked back inside the cottage with his hands in his pocket. He then sat on the couch in the living room which was directly connected to the kitchen. Marly was forced to sit down on the other seat, directly facing him.

  “This marriage isn’t the conventional one. I’m not seeking for an everlasting love or the perfect marriage. I need an heir, a boy I can take to horseback riding or a Daddy’s girl who I can spoil.”

  “All marriages will eventually lead to having children, I suppose. Married couples want that.” At least that was her observation after being in the business for years.

  “But not all couples marry for love. Some do it for convenience.”

  “But mutual trust is a very important factor. Without it, even an arranged marriage or a marriage for convenience
, for that matter, will never work.”

  “Are you saying this based on your experience?” He held a serious look, waiting with great interest for her answer.

  “I don’t believe it matters where I am basing this on. The matter at hand, Mr. Lane, is conceptualizing both you and your bride’s idea of a perfect wedding. It would be of great help if you can give me an idea of what those are.”

  There was something odd about how he addressed his bride. He seemed distant and unattached from her and she wondered what his real motivations were for getting married so quickly. She found it strange that his future wife had no involvement in the preparation and planning of their wedding.

  “I can guess what you’re thinking just by looking at your expression.” He chuckled while shaking his head. “Versatility. I am a person who can adapt to anything. My future wife is a sweet and lovely woman and I love her dearly.”

  “She must be one lucky woman.” For a minute, she felt envious of his bride. Though he wasn’t crazily in love with her, he knew her worth and valued it for who she was.

  He stood up. “I guess I should be going and leave you to settle in.”

  Marly made sure there was enough distance between them when she followed him as he went out of her cottage. She halted right away when he suddenly turned around.

  “Have you been in love, Marly?” His asked in a serious tone. “Like madly in love?

  “Mr. Lane.”