MARRIAGE WITH BENEFITS - Kat Cantrell
Harlequin Desire #2212
ISBN: 978-0-373-73225-8
February 2013
Series Romance

Dallas, Texas - Present Day

In order to build a bigger shelter for abused women, Dulciana Allende decides she needs access to her trust fund.  Unfortunately, her grandfather thinks Cia should be married with children, and the only way to access her trust fund is if her husband divorces her.  Now all she needs is a husband, and she figures she's found the perfect candidate.  Lucas Wheeler is a wealthy playboy whose recent scandal is bringing down the family's real estate business.  His love ‘em and leave ‘em philosophy on life means Cia won't be in any danger of falling for him, and marriage to her will bring a measure of respectability back to his reputation. 

Lucas was mortified to find out that the woman he was sleeping with is married, but now her jealous husband is coming after his business, and Lucas feels as if he is letting his family down.  He laughs off Cia's offer of marriage—until she offers the enticement of her grandfather's land. Benicio Allende is selling off the land that his soon-to-be relocated company is sitting on, and if Lucas agrees to marry Cia, she'll guarantee that Wheeler Family Properties gets the sale. 

It may have started out as an in-name-only marriage, but Lucas can't deny the attraction he feels towards Cia, no matter how much she fights it in MARRIAGE WITH BENEFITS.  Cia has had enough loss in her life and isn't about to tie herself emotionally to another person, so a no-strings marriage followed by a no-hassle divorce is the answer she needs.  She's a defensive, prickly person who does her best to push people away, and she thinks she's immune to charm.  Cia hadn't counted on Lucas though, someone way more charming than she's ever dealt with before.  Lucas has always been the fun-loving Wheeler brother, making deals and moving on just as he does with the women he dates.  His affair shook him, and the chance to give the social scene in Dallas the impression that he's involved in a serious, stable relationship is one he isn't going to pass up.  The in-name-only thing is negotiable as far as he's concerned though, and he plans to be as successful in this negotiation as he has been in business.

Two strangers come together hoping to further their business interests but find so much more in MARRIAGE WITH BENEFITS.

Jennifer Bishop