Synopsis:
Julia McKinnon was convinced she’d found the one – the man of her dreams, the most seductive, experienced lover she’d ever known – and the night they’d spent together in New York was the stuff erotic fantasies were spun from. But with the dawn of a new day came only heartache and betrayal, and her dreams were snuffed out like so much fairy dust.
Nathan Atwood felt like the lowest sort of life form after seducing the incredibly beautiful girl he met in New York, only to break her tender heart with the confession that he was already involved with someone else. Leaving Julia was the hardest thing he’d ever done, and the memory of their passionate night together haunted his dreams for months afterwards.
Now fate has brought them together again, and they are forced to work alongside each other. Will Julia be able to put aside the feelings she still has for her handsome boss and forge a new life for herself in San Francisco? And how long will Nathan be able to resist the gorgeous woman he’s never really stopped thinking about or wanting?
EXCERPT #1
Nathan walked towards her slowly, and she stood rooted in place, watching him. Then he was standing right in front of her, close enough to smell the light fragrance of her perfume, to see the tiny flecks of gold in her big green eyes, to realize that even with her sky-high heels the top of her shining head barely came to his shoulder.
He had trouble finding his voice, much less think of something clever to say, so he merely smiled and said, “Hello, again.”
She returned his smile, giving him a glimpse of her perfectly straight white teeth. “Good evening.”
They stood in silence for several seconds, blue eyes locked with green, sharing a knowing smile, until Nathan said half-jokingly, “We’ve got to stop meeting this way.”
That evoked a soft laugh from her. “Except that we haven’t actually met, have we?” she asked pointedly.
He grinned. “You’re absolutely right, but that’s a situation very easily remedied. I’m Nathan.”
That he chose not to offer up his last name was not a conscious decision on his part – it simply didn’t seem necessary at the moment. He did, however, offer her his hand which she took carefully. Her hand was small and dainty, the skin warm and smooth, and he closed his own hand over it firmly.
“Julia”, was all she said in response.
He drew her hand to his lips, pressing a soft kiss to her palm, pleased to hear the little indrawn hiss of breath she took. “Hello, Julia. So we finally meet. I was afraid I wouldn’t see you again.”
“Me, too,” she confessed in a shy, sweet voice. “I’ve looked for you running the past few mornings. We must have kept missing each other.”
Nathan was startled by her admission, and greatly exultant that she had evidently been thinking of him, too. “Well, I suppose its fate that we happened upon each other again tonight, isn’t it?”
She squeezed his hand gently. “Or simply good luck. Whatever the cause, I’m glad it happened.”
He turned his cheek into her palm, enjoying the feel of her hand against his skin. “So am I. Would you like to get a drink?”
“Yes.” It thrilled him that she agreed without the slightest hesitation. “I’d love to have a drink with you, Nathan.”
The sound of his name on her lips enthralled him, not that he could be anymore spellbound than he already was. He couldn’t tear his eyes from her, gazing back at her with an odd sense of wonder, almost as if this wasn’t really happening. It seemed very important to him somehow to maintain physical contact with her, almost as though he was afraid she’d slip away as suddenly as she’d appeared, that all of this was just a wonderful dream, so he slid a hand to the small of her back as he guided her inside the hotel.
EXCERPT #2
“How did you find me?”
Julia’s head swung to meet his gaze in disbelief. “Excuse me?”
Nathan leaned back in his desk chair, regarding her across the wide expanse of mahogany, with an expression of barely checked anger. “Come on, Julia. You don’t really expect me to believe that your working here is some sort of wild coincidence, do you? The only logical explanation is that you somehow found out who I was and where I worked, and was lucky enough that there was a job opening. The only real coincidence is that you happen to be an interior designer and that I co-own an architectural design firm.”
She stared back at him, appalled by his arrogance. “Are you kidding? Even assuming that I was able to figure out who you were – Mr. No Last Name, No Occupation, No City of Residence – why would you think I’d want to see you again, much less work with you?”
He shrugged, but his composure looked a bit less cocksure than it had. “Revenge, obsession. Maybe a little of both.”
Julia smirked. “Really? You think I somehow managed to find out your name – by what means I have no idea – then stalked you several thousand miles across the country because I wanted to get back at you? Or worse, because I craved another fuck? Sorry, you weren’t that good.”
Nathan’s eyes narrowed and shot out sparks of light blue fire. “That’s not what you said that night.”
Enraged, she got to her feet, leaning over his desk. “As I recall, both of us said a lot of things that night. But one of us intentionally neglected to say the one thing that would have instantly put a stop to everything else – something along the lines of ‘by the way, I’m already spoken for’.”
He winced at the angry lash of her words. “I deserve that, I suppose. But that still doesn’t explain how you found me or why you followed me cross country.”
She let out a rather undignified hoot of laughter. “For real, Nathan? You’ve still got me pegged as some Fatal Attraction-like stalker? Well, think on this one. I’m normally not a vain person, but I’m not naïve, either. I know I’m hot. Men have been telling me that since I was twelve. If I wanted a man that badly all I’d really need to do would be to walk inside the nearest bar or club or even a grocery store, and let nature take its course. It would take little to no effort on my part to get whatever man I wanted. And he sure as hell wouldn’t be one who’s already taken.”
EXCERPT #3
Nathan felt like he’d just run the fastest mile of his life as he collapsed onto the bed next to her, his arm flung limply over her torso. Both of them laid that way for several minutes, too wrung out to speak or think, or do anything but let their heart rates slowly return to normal. He’d never, ever, had sex that intense before, couldn’t remember ever coming so hard, and had never felt quite as satisfied and replete as he did as this particular moment. Even now, his body was still shuddering with the force of his release, his legs shaking and his breathing labored. He was both physically and emotionally drained, and yet he still felt an overwhelming sense of hunger for this beautiful, sensual creature whose limbs were still entwined with his.
He heard Julia give a little sigh of contentment, and he opened one eye to watch as she turned on her side towards him, burrowing into the pillow. Her eyes were shut, and she looked exhausted, though a satisfied little half-smile played around her lips. Unable to keep his hands off of her for long, he reached over to caress her hip before capturing her mouth in a soft, sweet kiss.
She opened her eyes, and the look of slumberous desire in them made his breath catch in his throat. She stroked his cheek with one slender hand, and he couldn’t resist pressing a kiss into her palm.
“That was -” she paused, giving her head a little shake. “I’ve never had sex like that before. It was – consuming.”
He eased her head to his shoulder, kissing her forehead. “It was fucking amazing is what it was. I’ve never come that hard or that long before, Julia. Like my life force was being sucked out of me.”
She ran her index finger over his jaw and then up over his mouth. “You were right earlier,” she said quietly.
“About what, baby?”
She rose up on an elbow and gazed down at him. “About ruining me for other men. I can’t imagine ever feeling like that with anyone else but you. I’ve never - “
He tilted up her chin when she looked away shyly. “Never what?”
Her eyes were shining and her mouth trembled a little. “I’ve never had such intense orgasms before,” she whispered. “It – I don’t often have orgasms, actually, it isn’t easy for me to come. I always figured it was me, that I just wasn’t responsive enough, or that somehow I was doing something wrong. But it’s so different with you. You’ve already made me come three times tonight, almost without any effort at all, and each one was stronger than the last.” She leaned down and kissed him. “Thank you.”
Nathan groaned and enfolded her in his arms. “Oh, God, Julia. It was my pleasure as much as yours. And you are the sexiest, most responsive woman I’ve ever known. If you haven’t been able to have orgasms easily in the past, it certainly wasn’t because of you.” He buried his face in her hair and murmured, “And this night is far from over. I plan on giving you more orgasms, sweet Julia. As many as you can stand.”
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British hotelier Ian Gregson had it all – wealth, good looks, power, and a share in his family’s worldwide, multi-billion dollar luxury hotel chain. His very name was synonymous with sophistication and elegance, and any woman he wanted could be his with just a look. But the only woman he truly desired was strictly forbidden to him for too many reasons to count.
Tessa Lockwood was young, beautiful, and lonely, despite the fact that she was a married woman. Her life had not been an easy one, and the extravagant world she caught glimpses of as an employee of the Gregson Hotel Group was far beyond anything she could ever dream of. She could no more imagine herself ensconced in that sort of luxurious lifestyle than she could attracting the attention of her handsome, debonair boss.
Ian and Tessa secretly long for each other from afar, never daring to reveal their forbidden attraction to the other, until circumstances bring them together in a very unexpected way. And from that point on, nothing will stand in Ian’s way to finally make her his.
AUTHOR’S NOTE – despite what you might be thinking at this point, there is NO cheating in this story – just an incredibly romantic hero who will make you swoon with the way in which he sweeps the heroine off her feet!
Excerpt #1
There were very few things that could rattle Ian Gregson, or threaten the iron control he typically wielded over his emotions. If he were to attempt to explain this state of affairs, he would likely point to the years spent in strict, rule-abiding English boarding schools. As a young, often rowdy boy of ten he might not have appreciated the discipline imposed on him by his teachers, but as a grown man of thirty-seven he was able to fully appreciate the guidelines that had been instilled in him so long ago.
In the high-profile position he held within his family’s company, Ian made crucial decisions, dealt with multiple levels of managers within his region, and met with patrons and potential new customers of his hotels on a daily basis. It was during these times that he was most grateful for what the years in boarding school had instilled in him – supreme self-control and the ability to mask his emotions when needed. He seldom if ever lost his temper, but it typically only took a slightly raised eyebrow or the merest hint of a frown to signal his displeasure, and those barely imperceptible gestures were often all it took to get his message across loud and clear.
But no amount of schooling or years of experience dealing with argumentative employees or difficult customers had prepared him for the very unexpected – and very compelling – reaction he had to the young woman who stood framed in the doorway of his office.
Ian’s very capable and almost frighteningly efficient PA – Andrew Doherty – was ushering the girl inside, but he paid scant attention to what his assistant was saying. Instead, his gaze was fixated on the arresting face and figure of the stunningly beautiful blonde who was approaching his desk hesitantly, hanging back behind Andrew uncertainly.
“Mr. Gregson, may I introduce you to the newest member of our Management Support Team?” asked Andrew briskly. “This is Tessa Lockwood, sir. She’s just transferred here from the Tucson resort two weeks ago.”
Ian had just returned to the office this very morning after a nearly three week business trip visiting several of the hotels under his direction. That would explain why he hadn’t met the lusciously tempting Tessa until now. He knew instinctively that he would never have forgotten seeing that face before today.
He rose to his feet smoothly, extending his hand across the desk. The smile he pasted on his face was, he hoped fervently, one of polite welcome and nothing more blatant.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Tessa,” he told her gently. “I trust you’re settling in here without any difficulty?”
Tessa placed her slim, smooth hand in his rather tentatively and returned his smile sweetly. “Yes, sir. Everything has been just fine, thank you. I’m – it’s an honor to be working here for you.”
Her voice was breathy, a little high, and astonishingly the sound made him instantly and uncomfortably aroused.
Ian was shocked at his uncharacteristic reaction to this girl, and he drew his hand away almost brusquely. “Well, I’m pleased to hear that. And I’m certain you’ll be a fine addition to our team here.”
“Thank you, Mr. Gregson. I’ll do my very best, I promise,” she told him in that sweet voice that went right to his groin.
There was a somewhat awkward silence for a few moments, until Tessa glanced down at the carpet uncertainly, and Andrew began to steer her out of the office. As his PA was about to leave, Ian called out to him.
“Andrew. A moment, please.”
His usually unflappable assistant looked a bit on the uncomfortable side but merely nodded. “Of course, sir. Just let me get Tessa some data she needs for a spreadsheet and I’ll be right back.”
While Ian awaited the return of his PA – who would definitely have some things to answer for – the image of young Tessa Lockwood refused to erase itself from his mind. For a man who could easily have his pick of beautiful, desirable women around the globe, it was rare that he was rendered virtually speechless by the mere sight of one. And rarer still that he was instantly and almost uncontrollably aroused by one. Ian was as controlled and in command of his sexual needs as he was of every other aspect of his life, so it was more than a little unsettling for him to have this sort of reaction to a woman.
And Tessa Lockwood was barely a woman. ‘Christ,’ he thought in near-disgust. ‘She looks like a damned teenager.’ But the fact that he was likely almost twice her age did absolutely nothing to diminish the attraction he felt for the breathtakingly beautiful girl who, by some rather unfortunate set of circumstances, was now working for him.
Excerpt #2
Ian replaced his phone receiver then shut his eyes, massaging the beginnings of a headache he felt welling up near his temples.
‘Good Lord, what a disaster,’ he muttered under his breath. ‘How in the world are you going to cope with this one, mate?’
Against his will, the tempting image of Tessa invaded his thoughts once again. He longed to spread all of that glorious golden hair out against his pillow; to gently remove that discreetly sexy red dress and bare her lush, curvy body to his eager gaze; to wrap those long, shapely legs around his waist. Ian grew hard instantly as he imagined having her – nothing as crude as a quick, hard fuck - for Tessa was worth so much more than that. Instead, he would linger over her for hours, kissing, caressing, arousing, and making love to her over and over until he was finally sated. For a while, anyway, for he feared that Tessa was the sort of woman he could never truly have his fill of.
It would have been oh, so easy without the unexpected and inconvenient complication of her marital status. Had she been a single woman, the first thing he’d do would be to find her a job of equal pay and rank at another luxury hotel in San Francisco. The Gregson Group had a very strict policy forbidding managers and executives from dating an employee who could be deemed their subordinate, and frowned on employees in general dating each other. Ian in particular held himself to extremely high standards when it came to this rule. After ensuring that Tessa was safely employed elsewhere, he would have pulled out all the stops to make her his own. Ian had rarely courted or seduced a woman before, for he’d never really had to make the effort. From the time he’d reached his teens, women had flocked to his side, attracted not only by his looks but by his money, his well-bred British family who could trace their roots back several centuries, and by his high-powered position in arguably the top luxury hotel chain in the world. He could at any given time have his pick of gorgeous women – executives, socialites, celebrities, models.
But Ian was picky and somewhat fastidious about his taste in women, unlike his brothers. Hugh had married his longtime sweetheart, a girl he’d met at university, and they’d been happily wed for years, parents to four children. Colin had been quite the notorious playboy for years, much to their mother’s dismay, until he, too, had finally settled down just two years ago. He was married to a strikingly beautiful Eurasian woman from Hong Kong and they were expecting their first child in a few months.
That left Ian as the only bachelor among his siblings, and he didn’t envision that status changing anytime soon. Since his one failed engagement more than six years ago, he’d kept busy with work and hadn’t really let himself think about settling down.
That is, until a ridiculously young, breathtakingly beautiful, and delightfully sweet girl had tentatively walked into his office a short time ago. He’d known – just known somehow – that she had been made for him. It had been the biggest shock of his life to realize that she’d already been claimed by another man.
And now, he was going to have to man up and find some way to keep his wayward emotions under control in her presence. Transferring her out of the team would raise too many red flags, especially given her level of competency and the shockingly glowing recommendation from Mrs. Carrington. Ian knew he’d have to call on every ounce of self-control he possessed to treat young Tessa in a professional but impersonal manner, to keep her and his rampaging desire for her at arm’s length at all times, and to remind himself constantly that she was strictly forbidden to him for more reasons than he wanted to count.
‘Damn it,’ he cursed beneath his breath. ‘What in hell was Mrs. C. thinking of sending her my way? If I didn’t know better, I’d swear that old witch was still trying to let me know who’s really in charge around here.’
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About the Author:
Janet is a lifelong resident of the San Francisco Bay Area, and currently resides on the northern California coast with her husband Steve and Golden Retriever Max. She worked for more than two decades in the financial services industry before turning her focus to producing running events. She is a former long-distance runner, current avid yoga practitioner, is addicted to Pinterest, likes to travel and read. She has been writing for more than three decades, with her first e-book Serendipity published in December 2013. Splendor is book two of six in the Inevitable series, each book a standalone with no cliffhangers.
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