The Art of Love

Struggling Dublin artist Shannon Butler is in the middle of a hugely successful show at her gallery when estranged family member Marius Winters appears, hell-bent on revenge. After years away from Ireland, he turns up to accuse her of robbing him of his rightful inheritance.

Shannon is able to convince him that though appearances are against her, she's innocent. Marius is forced to look at his scheming new wife Maggie as the culprit, and begins to see Shannon in a whole new light. He files for divorce, and tried to get his life back on track.

Shannon takes pity on his situation, and soon they become friends and business partners. Thrown together by circumstances, they try to make up for the mistakes of the past. They grow ever closer, and Shannon finally has to admit to herself that she's falling hopelessly in love with the magnetic Marius Winters.

But just when Shannon thinks their way is clear for them to build a future together, Marius' lying ex-wife comes to her with a story so shocking, Shannon knows that even if it isn't true, it could well destroy any chance of happiness she and Marius might have. How can Shannon find the truth, and prevent her new-found love Marius from sacrificing their love for the sake of principle, and leaving her forever?

An excerpt:

Shannon began to push in through her front door of the cottage when it was yanked open. Marius stood towering over her in the doorway.

"You're home early. What's the matter, your boyfriend Tim not up to an all-night session?" he sneered as he pulled her inside roughly by the elbow.

"I wasn't with Tim!" she protested, shaking him off.

In fact, she had forgotten all about her unpleasant dinner with the other man. She wondered if she should explain about the packet of letters tim had purloined from Marius' soon-to-be-ex-wife Maggie, but restrained herself. He was obviously in no mood to deal with any aggravation at the moment.

"Oh please, spare me the innocent act. I've seen it before, remember! I saw you with him. I was inside the gallery. Now you come home at nine in the morning, looking like something the cat would turn its nose up at, and have the gall to tell me you were alone last night?" Marius roared, shaking her.

"Marius, you have no right. You're...."

"What am I?" he shouted in agony. "I don't know any more! I've lost myself somewhere. Just when I thought I'd found the real me again, when happiness was within my grasp if I had the courage to stretch out my hand and reach for it, it's all been swept away. All of this has been like an earthquake, shaking the foundations of my life and leaving nothing but devastation behind. And it seems I was wrong anyway, with you acting like a whore."

The word stung Shannon into losing control at last.

Before she even realized her hand had moved, her hand made blistering contact with his lean hard cheek.

"Damn you, Marius, I was at Rosie's! Pick up the phone and ring if you don't believe me! And I don't care if you do or not! I'm a grown woman, who makes my own decisions. Give me credit for some common sense, not to mention taste. Do you seriously believe I could sleep with a user like Tim? And even if I had, what the hell gives you the right--"

Something in his eyes told her that he was about to make it his right. God, he was going to kiss her...

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Word Count: 75,000

Setting: Modern Ireland

Rating: Mildly sensual

Audience: Fans of Harlequin or Mills and Boons romances with alpha males