The Valentine Challenge: South Beach

By Marisa Cleveland

Stacey Bradford believes in love, but when her hot boss, Marshall Royce, decides to close her best friend's flower shop - days before Valentine's Day! - Stacey declares war.

Intrigued by Stacey's devotion to her friend, the hearts and flowers holiday, and belief in true love, Marsh issues a challenge - prove love exists or deliver the closing documents to her friend herself.

Stacey never could resist a challenge, but when Marsh makes Valentine's Day the deadline for their deal, Stacey must decide how far she's willing to go for love.

Previously released 2/28/13 on Entangled's Flirt Imprint.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Macmillan Publishers
• Release date: Feb 28, 2013
• ISBN: 9781622660636

Book preview

How far will she go for love?

Stacey Bradford believes in love, but when her hot boss, Marshall Royce, decides to close her best friend’s flower shop—days before Valentine’s Day!—Stacey declares war.

Intrigued by Stacey’s devotion to her friend, the hearts and flowers holiday, and belief in true love, Marsh issues a challenge—prove love exists or deliver the closing documents to her friend herself.

Stacey never could resist a challenge, but when Marsh makes Valentine’s Day the deadline for their deal, Stacey must decide how far she’s willing to go for love.

Previously released on Entangled’s Flirt imprint — February 2013

Table of Contents

Dedication

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Acknowledgments

About the Author

Also by Marisa Cleveland…

Reforming the Cowboy

Blurring the Lines

Discover more category romance titles from Entangled Indulgence…

The Seduction Game

Masquerading with the CEO

Beauty and the Boss

Bachelor’s Special

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is coincidental.

Copyright © 2013 by Marisa Cleveland. All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce, distribute, or transmit in any form or by any means. For information regarding subsidiary rights, please contact the Publisher.

Previously released on Entangled’s Flirt imprint — February 2013

Entangled Publishing, LLC

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Suite 109

Fort Collins, CO 80525

Visit our website at www.entangledpublishing.com.

Indulgence is an imprint of Entangled Publishing, LLC.

Edited by Liz Pelletier and Kaleen Harding

Cover design by Heather Howland

Cover art from iStock

ISBN 978-1-62266-063-6

Manufactured in the United States of America

First Edition February 2013

For my husband, Simon, for unconditionally loving me.

For my mother, Joan, for so many reasons but especially for taking the time to teach me to type.

For my agent, Nicole, for never giving up on me.

Chapter One

February 8

Anyone but her.

The insult grated on Stacey, but she stayed perched on the edge of the chair outside his office, eavesdropping as her boss defended her.

Stacey’s sharp. She has a good head on her shoulders.

That was right. How dare he dismiss her as a viable candidate when he probably couldn’t even pick her out of a lineup! She was more than qualified for her current position, which was why, when everyone had begged to be assigned to the now vacant job under the IT director, Lorraine Hudson, staffing director, had chosen her.

She’s pretty. Probably dates a ton of guys. Those kinds of girls are unreliable. His voice sounded definite, as though nothing could change his mind. Heat tingled up her neck at his backhanded compliment, which offended her in a dozen different ways. But it also let her know that he knew who she was, could, in fact, recognize her, and still didn’t want her as his assistant. Based on her looks. She smoothed her hair and rose, prepared to confront him.

Lorraine clucked her tongue. Marshall, she’s the newest, so she’s the easiest to transfer to your department.

No.

What kind of man dismissed her without first interviewing her? As if she’d really want to work for him now, after he blatantly declined. The fact that they’d never spoken didn’t dampen the sting of rejection. But this was her third job in three months, and if she didn’t find a permanent job soon, she’d be forced to return to her previous career. A thought that shot a shudder through her already-tense body.

Silence.

Then, Marshall, you can’t discriminate based on looks.

Can’t I? Let’s examine the evidence. Two junior programmers tried to sleep with me. One got pregnant by some biker dude and quit. The fourth one quit without notice because I wouldn’t go on a date with her. They were pretty. I need an old, ugly woman or man.

Lorraine’s heels clicked, and Stacey envisioned her leaning over his desk. Her suspicions were confirmed when she heard the unmistakable slap of palms against the surface. "You have six other brilliant, old developers. What you need is a personal assistant to get your shit in order."

Stacey stifled a snort. Way to go, Lorraine! That oughta put him in his place. Sure, he might be underwear-model gorgeous, but that didn’t mean she’d fall in