The Marriage Mistake

Prologue

Carina Conte stared into the flickering flame of her homemade campfire and reminded herself she wasn’t crazy.

She was just a woman in love.

Her hand trembled around the piece of paper. The violet fabric book of love spells nestled in the grass beside her feet. She glanced around and hoped to God her family didn’t wake. She’d promised her sister-in-law she’d never attempt to cast a spell, but Maggie didn’t need to know. Tucked toward the back of the property, the scents of crackling burnt wood and sweet crocus filled her nostrils, and she prayed the firelight wouldn’t reveal her location.

Carina glanced down at the page. Okay, time to summon Earth Mother. She hoped Father Richard wouldn’t get upset. She quickly recited the words to summon the powers of female earth to conjure her a man with all the qualities written on her list.

Then she threw the paper in the fire.

Lightness flowed through her and she let out a relieved sigh. Done. Now, all she had to do was be patient. She wondered how long Earth Mother usually waited to bestow her gift. Of course, she’d made the job quite easy for the entity. Instead of a long list of qualities, her list held the power of one single name. The name of the man she’d been in love with her whole life, the man who looked upon her as a little sister, the man who was worldly and sexy and dated some of the most beautiful women in the world, the man who left her tongue-tied during the day and wracked her body with hot-blooded need during the night.

Maximus Gray.

Carina waited until the entire paper turned to ash, then dumped the bucket of water onto the fire. She cleaned up with quick, efficient movements, scooped up the fabric book, and made her way back into the house.

The soft grass tickled her bare feet, and her white nightgown billowed around her like a ghost. A sense of excitement shivered down her spine as she snuck back to her room. She slid the book back into the drawer and crawled into bed.

Finally, it was done.