The CEO Takes a Wife / The Throw-Away Bride: The CEO Takes a Wife / The Throw-Away Bride

The CEO Takes a Wife / The Throw-Away Bride: The CEO Takes a Wife / The Throw-Away Bride
Ann Major

Maxine Sullivan

The CEO Takes a WifeMaxine Sullivan He must marry or lose control of his empire. But no ordinary wife would do for Australian tycoon Alex Valente. Emotional entanglements were to be avoided; physical attraction was essential. Struggling designer Olivia Cannington certainly fitted the bill… Perhaps she would even agree to the second part of his marriage ultimatum: give Valente an heir…within a year.The Throw-Away Bride Ann MajorAbby Collins wasn’t in the habit of having one-night stands. Especially with strong, sexy businessmen like Leo Storm. Their night together had been wilder than she’d ever imagined, but it had consequences that Abby hadn’t bargained for. She was pregnant… Leo had asked her to marry him, but Abby really only wanted for her and her baby to be loved.

The CEO Takes a Wife by Maxine Sullivan

“So our marriage wouldn’t be permanent then?”

“No.”

This was beginning to sound much more favourable. “And we wouldn’t be sleeping together?”

The corner of Alex’s lip curved up, yet his eyes darkened. “This isn’t make-believe, Olivia. It would be a real marriage.”

Her stomach flipped at the thought of them in bed together.

Making love.

“I swore I’d never marry again.”

His eyes took on a softer look. “This wouldn’t be for love, Olivia. You wouldn’t have to worry about me hurting you.”

She wasn’t so sure about that.

The Throw-Away Bride by Ann Major

Leo’s arm came around her possessively, and he grinned, showing off his perfect, white teeth.

“Good. You’re still here,” he said.

“It’s my bed. My house,” Abby said. “Where would I go?”

“So—are you going to marry me?”

“There are a million logical reasons why that’s a very bad idea.”

“You’re pregnant. If we’re unhappy, we’ll get a divorce. Big deal.”

Big deal? To Abby, it was a very big deal.

Available in November 2009 from Mills & Boon® Desire™

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The CEO Takes a Wife by Maxine Sullivan

&

The Throw-Away Bride by Ann Major

THE CEO TAKES A WIFE

BY MAXINE SULLIVAN

THE THROW-AWAY BRIDE

BY ANN MAJOR

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

THE CEO TAKES A WIFE

Maxine Sullivan credits her mother for her lifelong love of romance novels, so it was a natural extension for Maxine to want to write her own romances. She thinks there’s nothing better than being a writer and is thrilled to be one of the few Australians to write for the Desire™ line.

Maxine lives in Melbourne, Australia, but over the years has travelled to New Zealand, the UK and the USA. In her own backyard, her husband’s job ensured they saw the diversity of the countryside, from the tropics to the outback, country towns to the cities. She is married to Geoff, who has proven his hero status many times over the years. They have two handsome sons and an assortment of much-loved, previously abandoned animals.

Maxine would love to hear from you and can be contacted through her website at http://www.maxinesullivan.com.

Dear Reader,

I must admit that when I read about those high-profile couples who marry, I sometimes wonder if it’s for love or convenience. And if it’s for convenience, what goes on behind the scenes? Why do you marry someone you don’t know or don’t love? How do you? You’d surely have to feel some sort of attraction for the other person to make it a real marriage.

This is the case between Olivia Cannington and Alex Valente, the heroine and hero in my book. Born with silver spoons in their mouths, they have the responsibility of having to marry for a year for reasons other than themselves. Neither has any intention of getting emotionally involved, but in the end it’s their attraction for each other that sabotages them, and they eventually find their sacrifice hasn’t been the sacrifice they thought it was. They fall in love.

Sometimes it takes a while for some people to realise it, but whether rich or poor, if you have true love you have it all.

Happy reading!

Maxine

To all my workmates at my day job. Thanks for all your support and enthusiasm.

Chapter One

“I presume you asked me in here for a reason, Dad?” Alex Valente said, his tone cool and collected as he sat in front of his father’s desk in the opulent tenth-floor office overlooking Sydney Harbour.

There was a moment’s pause. “Yes, there’s a reason,” Cesare Valente replied, leaning back in his leather chair.