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With a disastrous marriage behind him, Wyatt Kent has no interest in getting involved with any woman, let alone his ex-wife's younger sister. But when Calliope Andrews hires him to build an addition onto her day care center, Wyatt can't help but notice she's a desirable woman, as warm and funny as his ex was cold and aloof.
Calliope fell hard for Wyatt the first time he walked through the door of her family's home, and can't believe her sister let him get away. He's still the star of all her fantasies, and she's determined to prove to him she's nothing like his manipulative ex. Wyatt may be all business, but Calliope sees the way he looks at her when he's supposed to be working...
It's not long before Wyatt and Calliope are keeping each other warm on cold December nights. But it's going to take a Christmas miracle for Wyatt to put his trust in love a second time.
28,000 words
Wyatt Kent stood outside Small Hands Day Care Center, debating whether or not he could actually go inside.
He was no coward, but it wasn't often he was faced with something like this.
He was about to give a bid on a construction job for his ex-wife's younger sister.
How he'd gotten stuck with this he didn't know. That was what he got for not paying attention in meetings. He'd been bulldozed by his two brothers along with Tori, Kent Construction's oh-so-efficient but manipulative office manager.
"No big deal, Wyatt."
"Calliope Andrews is nothing like your ex-wife, Cassandra."
"No one else can do the project, Wyatt. It's either you or the job doesn't get done."
Might as well suck it up and get this over with. The wood-frame house was painted shocking blue and blinding white. The sign out in the front yard was plastered with a bunch of multicolored handprints.
So it was cute. The house needed a new coat of paint. Probably would need a new roof within the next year or two, too. But that wasn't his problem. He stood at the end of the walkway and watched the endless parade of parents driving up to the side of the house. The side door opened, parents dashed in to retrieve kids, then the car drove through to the back alley and the next car pulled up.
Wyatt went up to the front door and rang the bell, then waited for someone to answer. And waited. And waited. He tried the door, figuring he'd let himself in, but it was locked.
Great.
He went around to the side and was halted by a tall, thick woman with short cropped black hair and likely more muscles than he had. She wore jeans and a T-shirt and looked more like a wrestler than a day care worker.
She frowned, gave him the head-to-toe once-over.
"Who are you?"
"Wyatt Kent. I have an appointment with Calliope Andrews."
She laid her hand on his chest to keep him in place. "Stay here. Miss Calliope, there's a Wyatt Kent here. Says he's supposed to meet with you."
"Oh, that's right. It's okay, Beth. I'm expecting him."
Beth tossed a thumb over her shoulder. "Go on back. You're in my way."
"Go on back where?"
"Straight down the hall, then turn right. All the way to the end."
Wyatt nodded and dodged a bunch of giggling little girls on his way. They were a few years younger than his eight-year-old niece, Zoey, but they were all dressed in pink—Zoey's favorite color.
Most of the kids must have gone home by now. With the exception of a few stragglers dashing by him on his way down the hall, the place had gone quiet. He found the room Beth had directed him to. It was fairly small and completely empty.
A playroom, it was stuffed with overflowing bookshelves and toys and tables and a giant castle.
He stood in the middle of the room, figuring Calliope had stepped out.
Until he heard a rustling in the castle, then a groan. He turned around and saw one very attractive, jeans-clad butt attempting to back out of the castle opening.
"I swear if my butt gets any bigger I'm not going to be able to clean the toys out of this thing and we'll need to get a bigger castle."
He disagreed. She had a great ass.
She flung toys over her shoulder while Wyatt stood there, feeling sort of inept.
"You need some help there?"
She stilled, her head jerked up and she bumped it against the opening. "Ow. Dammit." She rubbed the wild curls on top of her head, then backed all the way out and sat on the floor, adjusted the tortoise-shell glasses that had ridden down the bridge of her very cute nose.
"Wyatt. I thought you were Beth. You're not Beth."
"No, I'm not."
enticed
Posted December 6, 2011
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I enjoyed this book so much! Bought it yesterday, finished it today. very entertaining.
4 out of 4 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.My Review:
Rating: B
Overall, this was a fun little read. I had some personal issues with Wyatt just because I felt like he hung onto his bitterness over his failed marriage for entirely too long...(PS. Calliope agreed with me.) I absolutely adored Calliope's character and how ballsy she is! She is awesome!! Here is just the perfect taste of what I am talking about:
"I can't believe a big tough guy like you is afraid of a little think like me, Wyatt." Then she stepped back, her gaze traveling halfway down and staring at the part of him she had no business staring at. When she lifted her gaze again, she grinned.
"I know you have balls in there. Why don't you try to find them? When you do, it's your turn to come ask me out."
I love her character. It takes a pretty self-confident girl to go after her sister's ex-husband and Calliope owns that she is that girl...never apologizing for it especially in light of the fact that she knows that Wyatt needs to get past her sister Cassie. This was just a really enjoyable book.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted March 11, 2012
Wyatt Kent never thought he would fall for his ex-wife's sister, but that changes onces she explodes into his life.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted March 18, 2012
A cute romance.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted January 26, 2012
Wyatt is afraid to fall in love again. He was married to Cassandra (the town's beauty) but, they both expected the other to change, which didn't happen. They've been divorced for 3 years but, never really had closure. Meanwhile, Wyatt starts working for Calliope (Cassandra's younger sister) and he thinks that Calliope will be like her sister. She isn't though, she's everything Wyatt has always wanted in a woman. Now, if he can get past Cassandra they might have a chance at happiness.
A light romance that was enjoyable. I'd read more books by this author.
Anonymous
Posted January 23, 2012
Highly recommend!!!! Enjoyable short story.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted January 20, 2012
I just didn't feel like there was anything substatial in this story at all....even for a novella it was too superficial. The best I can say is it's cute but not great as a story.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted January 20, 2012
it was a touching story evolved around Christmas. I would definitely read more books by Jaci Burton.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.ShereadsALOT
Posted January 18, 2012
I loved this book.... The characters are GREAT...
Initially I will admit, that I was a little turned off because of a younger sister dating her older sister's ex-husband. But the book is so much more than that.
It's a sweet love story about going after what you want and finding it within yourself to forgive and let go.
You will DEFINATELY love this book.
Jretoots
Posted January 14, 2012
Feel good, short story.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted January 11, 2012
It was a cute book and an easy read.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.b-e-v-
Posted January 7, 2012
Good light reading, but tough to believe sisters could share a man so generously.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.VickiS14
Posted January 6, 2012
Its always great to read something uplifting during the holidays. This book definately gives hope to those of us that have been through the ringer of Love :)
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.PegHoff
Posted January 5, 2012
Very relaxing for a quiet cold day. Love my Nook.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.SaraO
Posted January 5, 2012
Can I tell you how much I loved this story? I really felt like the characters had time to circle around each other. I didn’t feel like their romantic progression was rushed. And can I just tell you how cute this romantic progression is? Calliope is a quirky girl who knows what she wants and sets out to get him. The potential awkwardness that could result from a woman dating her sister’s ex-husband is dispersed by Calliope’s enthusiasm. Just watching Wyatt’s bear-like nature melt under Calliope’s love and attention was lovely Too cute. I wanted to eat this story up. It was so good, I need to stop myself now before I continue to gush…One of the best of the book for sure.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.karls29
Posted January 4, 2012
highly recommend
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted January 4, 2012
the book was very good but the end did not continue long enough to tell us what happened in their life
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted January 4, 2012
I love Jaci Burton's books, but this was a little bit of a let down for me.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted January 3, 2012
This book moved very quickly and was a nice happy read. Loved it!
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted January 3, 2012
a classic jaci burton. must read
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Overview
With a disastrous marriage behind him, Wyatt Kent has no interest in getting involved with any woman, let alone his ex-wife's younger sister. But when Calliope Andrews hires him to build an addition onto her day care center, Wyatt can't help but notice she's a desirable woman, as warm and funny as his ex was cold and aloof.
Calliope fell hard for Wyatt the first time he walked through the door of her family's home, and can't believe her sister let him get away. He's still the star of all her fantasies, and she's determined to prove to him she's nothing like his manipulative ex. Wyatt ...