Sins from Her Past (Scandalous) (25 page)

Were they? She hadn’t a clue, since they refused to look at her, let alone speak to her. Besides that one moment with Rhett, which felt like a lifetime ago. “What if my mother tells us nothing?”

The smile that curved his generous mouth was a real one this time, and absolutely devastating in its power. It sent a spark of heat whispering over her skin, along her nerve endings. “If we go all that way to question her, I believe you’ll get her to talk.” He removed his hand from hers, leaving her a little lost without his touch.

The relationship she’d shared with her mother prior to her father’s death had always been a little troublesome. She’d always felt as if her mother were the teeniest bit jealous of the closeness Stasia had with her father.

Maybe now she knew why. Did her mother secretly laugh at them, knowing they weren’t bound by blood? Did she think it amusing, nursing such a powerful secret all these years? Had she hoped to get away with it forever?

Stasia didn’t know. But she did know Gavin was right. She needed to find out. Everything.

Taking a deep breath, she exhaled loudly. “When do you want to leave?”

The smile grew, became even more devastating, if that was possible. The man wielded a power he seemed unaware of, which was scary, especially for the well being of her extremely fragile heart. “I can have my assistant make travel arrangements first thing tomorrow. Whenever you can get away, we’ll leave.”

“My schedule is completely clear,” she said wryly. “I have no commitments.”

“Good to know. I have a few, but I can rearrange them. Fortunately, it’s a quiet period for me.”

“My luck, then.” She smiled wanly. “Yours as well, I’m assuming. So. Have you ever been to Italy?”

He shook his head. “I’ve never been to Europe at all.”

That was surprising. He had a sophisticated air, urbane and immaculate in appearance, what with the precisely tailored suits, elegant in cut and style, the perfectly cut dark hair, the expensive watch that circled his wrist. She believed him the typical attorney who had too much money and spent it on luxurious trips across the continent. She’d known quite a few of them. Had dated some as well. Yet every last one of them had been too slick, too shallow for her to consider them long term.

Gavin, though, had that untamed air about him. As if it wouldn’t take much to reveal the real man beneath the smooth mask.

“You have a passport?” she asked.

“Of course.” Ah, there was her irritated lawyer, though he seemed to realize his mistake quickly. His expression smoothed, his voice returned to that calm, modulated tone. “I figure we can leave by Wednesday at the latest.”

“Sounds perfect.” She sipped from her glass of water, refusing to have any more wine. Too much alcohol and this man would be a heady combination, one that might leave her open and vulnerable to just about…anything.

A thought she shouldn’t be having. He was her attorney. She’d hired him to help her discover the truth about her heritage. No way could she entertain thoughts of indulging in some personal time with the deliciously handsome, secretly sexy Gavin Westmore.

Perfection takes time, but desire waits for no man. Or woman…

Hotter than Texas

© 2013 Tina Leonard

Pecan Creek, Book 1

With more than one skeleton rattling in her closet, Sugar Cassevechia hopes “The Most Honest Town in Texas” will be the perfect place to start an online business. As soon as her mother remembers the family recipe that’ll get hotterthanhellnuts.com off the ground.

In the meantime, no way is Sugar letting their new landlord get away with renting them a run-down house that’s decorated like a rich widow’s orgasm. Even if he’s the biggest hunk of hot she’s ever laid eyes on.

Jake Bentley would love to do nothing but sit back and be amused as the Cassevechia women unwittingly stir up trouble in his uptight town. But something about them thaws out his frozen rescue complex. Especially Sugar’s long, chestnut hair and sassy mouth.

Right about the time Sugar figures one steamy night in Jake’s bed won’t hurt, another skeleton joins the party in the form of a dead body in the “Belle Watling” room. And Sugar must decide if her family’s reputation—and her own heart—are safe with Jake.

Warning: No sex in this book. Nope. None. Nada. Honest. Now, if you believe that, the author has an iceberg in Texas to sell you. Better hurry before there’s none left to cool the fevered dreams generated by this book.

Enjoy the following excerpt for
Hotter than Texas:

They all put in their orders for burgers and sodas, and then Lucy knocked her water glass over on Jake. He jumped, Lucy said, “Oh, I’m so sorry,” in a tone that Sugar knew was less than contrite, and Maggie handed him her napkin.

“Lucy,” Sugar said, taking the napkin and wiping water off Jake’s arm and the front of his denim shirt. Holy Christmas, he had a hard body. Hard as a rock. She rubbed a little harder than necessary on the soaked fabric, feeling tight muscles and a surge of desire that stunned her.

“It’s all right,” Jake said, taking the napkin from her. “In this heat, I’ll dry in less than five minutes.”

Lucy blew a big pink gum bubble, then collapsed it with a sucking sound. “I’m not usually so clumsy.”

“Lucy, it’s okay. It’s so okay that I’m going to tell Kel to comp your meals tonight.”

“Do you manage the restaurant?” Sugar asked.

“Not exactly,” Jake said. “I wouldn’t be caught managing much of anything.”

“That’s why you’re trying to stick our mother with the mayor gig, because you don’t want it,” Lucy said benignly.

“True,” Jake said easily. “Excuse me, ladies.” He gave Maggie a last fond hug, Lucy a level look and Sugar a devil-may-care grin. “Do you have a minute? I’d like to discuss something with you in private. Nothing I couldn’t say in front of you ladies, but I don’t want anybody overhearing.” He gestured to the people packed around them, laughing and chatting as they ate burgers and drank tall, frosty sodas.

“Sure.” Sugar slid off the stool.

“We’ll be right back,” Jake said, tipping his hat to Maggie and Lucy.

Lucy rolled her eyes, and Maggie waved them off. Jake took Sugar over to an open window area. Light country western music played, though not loud enough to drown out the conversational babble.

“So what’s up?” Sugar asked.

“First, about the other night.” Jake looked apologetic. “I didn’t think my mother and her friends would be so—”

“Stuck-up? Witchy?” Sugar leveled a stare at him that could have wilted lettuce before it ever hit a hamburger. “I think my sister is right. I think you did set Maggie up just because you don’t want to be the mayor. What is it you do exactly, besides rent houses that are nothing like their advertised descriptions to unsuspecting out-of-towners?”

He shook his head. “I’ll show you my deep, dark secret. Come on.”

Sugar followed him around to the back, and then down some wooden stairs that went deep underneath the rocking burger joint. “Wow, a dungeon.”

“Now you sound like Lucy.” Jake laughed. “Your sister does not like me at all.”

“Lucy warms up slowly.” Sugar felt compelled to defend her sister. “She’s protective of Mom.”

“And you. Obviously you.” He turned to face her in front of a pool table covered with red felt. “She practically snaps like an electrical fence hit by water whenever I get near you.”

“Cassavechias look out for each other. Anyway, your mom isn’t exactly a study in Southern hospitality.” She looked at the pool table. “Isn’t Brunswick a bit fancy to hide away in a dungeon?”

“Keep my secret. Even my mother doesn’t know this baby’s here.” He handed her a cue. “Do you play?”

“A little.” Sugar studied the room. “Why are we down here?”

“I told you,” Jake said, “I’m sharing my deepest, darkest secret with you.” He sighted down the length of the cue, nodding with satisfaction. “I own Bait and Burgers. This is my private office. None of this info is known by anyone except my partners who cover for me, so if you share, I’ll have to enact landlord penance on you.”

“Terrifying, I’m sure, considering you’d probably never find another sucker to rent the lusty family domicile.” Sugar looked at him. “So this is your Bat Cave. Interesting.”

“You mean man cave.”

She shook her head and walked over to break. “My guess is you hide down here from the bats that inhabit Pecan Creek.”

He laughed. “Just keep my secret.”

“So you wanted me to know this so I won’t be mad at you for trying to dump your mayor’s job on Mom?”

“Yeah.” He leaned against the black vinyl bar and grinned, too sexy for words. “I’m a very busy man. This is your chance to have leverage with me.”

“Got it.” She broke the rack, and balls flew in every direction.

“Not bad.” He got up to study the table.

“Not so fast. Let me see if I can figure the subtext out.” She looked at him before leaning over the table to line up her shot. “The little red ball is going to go first, by the way.”

She made that shot, and went on. “So what you’re trying to tell me is that you’re not an absolute ass for shifting your responsibilities. You own a restaurant, and you rent the family home, and you don’t want your mother breathing down your neck all the time.”

He grinned. “Not bad.”

“Purple-striped ball is history.” She made that shot and moved to the opposite side of the table, near Jake. “Excuse me.”

He raised a dark brow. “Sugar, I think Maggie can handle my mother any day of the week. What are you protecting her from?”

Sugar leaned over. “Rats.”

He turned her toward him. “I honestly am not a rat. I’m not using Maggie.”

“Do not try to mess up my rhythm.” She pulled herself away from Jake with an effort. “Green.”

He waited until she made the shot, then he took her cue from her, setting it down on the table. “I get it. You’re nobody’s fool. You don’t want to be taken advantage of.” He kissed her, his lips warm on hers, but not demanding. Something hot and welcoming surged into Sugar, something she hadn’t felt in a long time, didn’t know if she wanted to feel now. She pulled away, resisting the urge to press her fingertips to her lips to feel the echo of his kiss.

“I’ll keep your secret, Jake.” Sugar looked in his dark eyes, thinking that he was handsome and hot—and oh, so
not
what she needed in her life. “You don’t have to seduce me to get what you want.”

“I wasn’t seducing you.”

She let his statement hang in the air.

“I mean, don’t get me wrong, I’d seduce you in a minute if I thought I could.” He looked at her for a long moment. “The truth is, I’m pretty sure you’re so far out of my league, Sugar, that all I’m hoping for is a good relationship.”

She slowly shook her head. “Let’s just stick with the tenant/landlord thing. It works for me.”

Sins from Her Past

Jules Bennett

She will never be free to love…until she finds the courage to heal.

Scandalous, Book 1

After her parents’ deaths, Evelyn Banks endured a living hell for nearly two years at the hands of her godfather’s son. She couldn’t tell anyone…not her brother, and certainly not the godfather who took them in.

Now she is twenty-five—and still trapped in silence. After all the time, no one would believe her. And any revelation of her shame could halt her godfather’s political aspirations. But what she can do is take her design firm to the next level with a project for her brother’s best friend. Handsome, sexy hotelier Vincent Hawk.

Vin has always had a thing for Evie, but kept his hands off out of respect for her brother. Now that they’re traveling together, though, keeping his distance is tearing him apart. Except every move he makes to get close is met with not just mere resistance, but with a fear-whitened face and trembling body.

Evie can’t deny she’s falling for Vin, but accepting their future means facing her past…a past that could destroy everyone she loves.

Warning: This book contains a heroine who fights to get past her demons, a hero who’s more than willing to help, a few emotional scenes that may require a tissue and some steamy love scenes guaranteed to make you fan yourself.

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This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the writer’s imagination or have been used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, locale or organizations is entirely coincidental.

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