Unexpectedly Mine (Birch Crossing) - Softcover

Rowe, Stephanie

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1940968372 ISBN 13: 9781940968377

Publisher: Stephanie Rowe, 2016

Synopsis

New York Times bestselling author Stephanie Rowe delivers another winner when small-town matchmakers decide a billionaire is the perfect man for a single-mom widow.

"This is one of my favorite Romance books EVER!" ~Amazon Reader Review

Clare Gray's latest tenant just moved out, leaving her short of funds and stuck in a job she hates. She needs to rent out her spare room, and fast. When a billionaire shows up in her small town and can't find a hotel room, the last thing she wants is for the sexy out-of-towner to invade her life, even if he is dangerously addictive and tempting. But when a bevy of interfering locals decide that her spare room will solve both their problems, the single mom suddenly finds herself sharing a bathroom with a man who looks much too good in the morning.

Griffin Friesé is in town on a personal mission, and he has no time for love. But when he moves into Clare's farmhouse, he soon finds that life doesn't always give you want you want...but it might give you exactly what you need. Gradually, Clare's smile, her passion for life, and her small-town loyalty awaken something inside him, something that makes him yearn for a life he's never had.

Can a single mom find the love and family she always wanted with a man afraid to open his heart again?

"Heartwarming doesn't even begin to describe this romance! Wow!" ~Vickie R. (Amazon Review)

"I can't say enough good things about this book. I couldn't stop reading once I started." ~Carla E. (Amazon Review)

"A testament to Stephanie Rowe's skill and talent, one that deserves applause... phenomenal... superbly developed." ~Bex 'N' Books

Books in the Birch Crossing series: Unexpectedly Mine
Accidentally Mine
Unintentionally Mine
Irresistibly Mine
Mistakenly Mine (Coming Soon!)

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Stephanie Rowe is "contemporary romance at its best" (Bex 'N' Books). She is a 2018 winner and five-time nominee of the RITA® award, the highest award in romance fiction. As the successful author of more than fifty books, Stephanie touched the hearts of readers all over the world. NOTE: Unexpectedly Mine was originally published under the title No Knight Needed as part of the Ever After series.

About this title

From the Author:

Dear Reader, I know it can be a challenge to find a book you love, and sometimes it feels risky to try an author or a series for the first time. I really think you'll enjoy this story, so I wanted to share a little excerpt with you to help you decide if this book is right for you! Enjoy! Love, Stephanie
EXCERPT:
Clare was just lifting the box of cupcakes off the front counter when she became aware of the utter silence of the general store.

Awareness prickled down her arms, and she looked at Norm, who was in his usual spot behind the front register. She could have sworn that there was amusement crinkling his gray eyes when he nodded toward something behind her.

Clare spun around, and there he was.

Griffin Friesé.

Her mystical knight in shining armor from last night.

Her heart began to race as she met his gaze. His stare was intense, penetrating all the way to her core. She was yanked back to that moment of his hands on her hips, of his strength as he'd lifted her. The power in his body as he'd emerged from his truck after he'd defeated the cliff. Her body began to thrum, and his expression grew hooded, his eyes never leaving hers, as if he were trying to memorize every feature on her face.

He was wearing a heavy leather jacket that flanked strong thighs and broad shoulders. His eyes were dark, as dark as they'd been last night in the storm. Whiskers shadowed his jaw, giving him a rough and untamed look. His boots were still caked with mud, but his jeans were pressed and clean. His light blue dress shirt was open at the collar, revealing a hint of skin and the flash of a thin gold chain at his throat. His hair was short and perfectly styled, not spiked and rugged like it had been last night. A heavy gold watch sat captive on the strong wrist that had supported her so easily.

Today, he wasn't the dark and rugged hero of the night.

Well, okay, he was. His power transcended mud, storms, nice watches, and dress shirts.

But he was also, quite clearly and quite ominously, an outsider, a man who did not fit into the rural Maine town of Birch Crossing.

Then he smiled, a beautiful, tremendous smile with a dimple in his right cheek. "How's your daughter?"

A dimple? He had a dimple? Clare hadn't noticed the dimple last night. It made him look softer, more human, more approachable, almost endearing. Suddenly all her trepidation vanished, replaced by a feeling of giddiness and delight to see him. She smiled back. "She's still asleep, but she's okay. Thanks for your help last night rescuing her."

"My pleasure." His smile faded, and a speculative gleam came into his dark eyes. "And how are you?"

No longer feeling like a total wreck, that was for sure. Not with Griffin Friesé studying her as if she were the only thing he ever wanted to look at again. Dear God, the way he was looking at her made her want to drop the cupcakes and her clothes, and saunter with decadent sensuality across the floor toward him, his stare igniting every cell in her body. "I'm fine." She swallowed, horrified by how throaty her voice sounded. "Thank you," she said. "I owe you."

"No, you owe me nothing." He smiled again, a softness to his face that made her heart turn over. "Seeing you hug Katie was plenty."

She started to grin, just as she heard the scrape of a chair behind her. 

Clare stiffened and jerked her gaze from Griffin. The entire store was watching them in rapt silence, listening to every word. Oh, God. How had she forgotten where they were? Wright & Sons was the epicenter of gossip in Birch Crossing, and everyone had just witnessed her gaping at this handsome stranger.

Astrid and Emma were leaning against the doorjamb, huge grins on their faces, clearly supportive of any opportunity to pry Clare out of her dateless life of isolation. But Norm's eyes were narrowed, and Ophelia was letting some scrambled eggs burn while she gawked at them. Everyone was waiting to see how Clare was going to respond to him.

Oh, man. What was she doing nearly throwing herself at him? In front of everyone?

Suddenly she felt very exposed, as if everyone in the room could see exactly how deeply she'd been affected by him last night. How she'd laid awake all night, thinking of his hands on her hips, of the way his deep voice had wrapped around her, how he'd made her long for the touch of a man for the first time in a very long time.

She quickly took a step back and cleared her throat. His face cooled, clearly reading her retreat as the rejection she'd intended, and not intended, it to be.

He narrowed his eyes, then turned away, ending their conversation.

Regret rushed through Clare as she glanced at Astrid, torn between wanting to call him back, and gratefully grasping the freedom his response had given her, freedom from feelings and desires that she didn't have time to deal with.

"I need a place to stay," Griffin said. "A place without rats, preferably."

Griffin's low request echoed through the room, and Clare spun around in surprise. Then she saw he was directing his question to Norm, not to her. Relief rushed through her, but there was also a pang of disappointment.

No, it was good he wasn't asking to stay at her place. Yes, she owed him, on a level beyond words, but she couldn't afford to get involved with him, for too many reasons. Staying at her house would be putting temptation where she couldn't afford it. There was no way she was going to offer up her place, even though her renter had just vacated, leaving her with an unpleasant gap in her income stream.

"Griffin stayed at the Dark Pines Motel last night," Judith whispered, just loudly enough for the whole store to hear.

"Really?" The Dark Pines Motel was quite possibly the most unkempt and disgusting motel in the entire state of Maine. How had he ended up there?

"Well, Griffin," Norm said as he tipped his chair back and let it tap against the unfinished wall. "Most places won't open for another month when the summer folk start to arrive. And the Black Loon Inn is booked for the Smith-Pineal wedding for the next week. It's Dark Pines or nothing." 

Griffin frowned. "There has to be something. A bed and breakfast?"

Norm shook his head. "Not this time of year, but I probably have some rat traps in the back I could loan you for your stay."

"Rat traps?" Griffin echoed. "That's my best option?"

Astrid grinned at Clare, a sparkle in her eyes that made Clare's stomach leap with alarm. "Don't you dare--"

"Clare's renter just moved out," Astrid announced, her voice ringing out in the store. "Griffin can stay in her spare room. No rats, and it comes with free Wi-Fi. Best deal in town."

Oh, dear God. Clare's whole body flamed hot. Please tell me he didn't hear that.

But Griffin was staring right at her, looking thoughtful. Interested. Intrigued.

Oh, yes. He'd heard. And so had everyone else.

About the Author:

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Stephanie Rowe is "contemporary romance at its best" (Bex 'N' Books). She's author of more than forty-five novels, and she's a four-time nominee for the RITA® award, the highest award in romance fiction. As an award-winning author, Stephanie has been touching readers' hearts and keeping them spellbound for more than a decade. For more info on Stephanie, visit her at www.stephanierowe.com.

About this edition

• Publisher: Stephanie Rowe
• Publication date: 2016
• ISBN 10: 1940968372
• ISBN 13: 9781940968377
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 398