by Candace Shaw
Campaign of seduction
Co-owner of an up-and-coming interior-decorating firm, Megan Chase loves being a single woman on the fast track to success. But everything changes when a flat tire brings Georgia senator Steven Monroe into her life. The sinfully sexy politician needs the right woman to clean up his image. And with Megan’s fine eye for detail, she just may be the woman for the job.
Steven’s reputation as a player could cost him his chance at a U.S. senate seat. But when the cameras catch him and Megan in a kiss that’s all too real, it’s not only his future candidacy in jeopardy. As the lines between politics and desire begin to blur, how much will he risk to transform their passionate pretense into a landslide for love?
She let him hold her close.
She felt as if she had drunk more than just water, but her dance high was coming down, and she relaxed in his arms. His hands slowly caressed her waist and back. His intent gaze rested on her face. He lowered his head down to hers, and she caressed his neck with her hands as her breathing became heavy. With their lips only centimeters apart, a voice in Megan’s head said, Go ahead and kiss him. The other one said, Back up and remember this is all make-believe in his eyes. You can’t let your emotions get caught up in this fake relationship.
Megan decided to listen to the first voice instead. Something else told her it wasn’t make-believe anymore, or he was a very good actor. When she realized he was lowering his head to kiss her, she didn’t turn away.
Steven kissed her softly on the lips, just enough to taste the strawberry lip gloss she’d put on over her lipstick, a hint given to her by Chelsea if she wanted to make her lips more noticeable and sexy. She wanted him to kiss her some more, but this club wasn’t the place.
“Let’s get out of here,” he whispered to her.
Books by Candace Shaw
Harlequin Kimani Romance
Her Perfect Candidate
CANDACE SHAW
was born and raised under the sunny skies of northwest Florida and knew she wanted to become a writer after reading Little Women in fourth grade. After graduating from the University of West Florida with a degree in elementary education, Candace began teaching and put her dream of becoming a writer on hold until one summer vacation she started writing again and hasn’t stopped.
When Candace is not writing or researching for a book, she’s reading, shopping, learning how to cook a new dish or spending time with her loving husband and their loyal, overprotective Weimaraner, Ali. Candace is currently working on her next fun, flirty and sexy romance novel.
You can contact Candace on her website, at www.candaceshaw.net; on Facebook, at www.facebook.com/AuthorCandaceShaw; or tweet her, at www.twitter.com/Candace_Shaw.
HER
PERFECT
CANDIDATE
Candace Shaw
Dear Reader,
The idea to write Her Perfect Candidate came about from watching decorating shows on HGTV and listening to a certain U.S. senator from Illinois speak at the Democratic Convention. What I didn’t know was that years later he would be the president!
Megan Chase is ambitious and goal-oriented with her main focus on her career, even though her friends keep setting her up on boring blind dates. But when she meets charismatic and sinfully irresistible Steven Monroe, she can’t shake him from her thoughts.
With his smooth talking and sexy smile, Steven is a ladies’ man who has no intentions of changing his philandering ways. But there’s something about Megan’s bubbly and whimsical personality that has him wanting to win more than just the election.
I hope you enjoy reading Megan and Steven’s journey of winning each other’s hearts. Feel free to contact me at www.candaceshaw.net.
Sincerely,
Candace Shaw
For my girlfriends Brenda, Kenyatta, Lisa, Mary and Tonya for their love and support as I embark on this new chapter in my life.
For my husband, Bobby. Where would I be without you?
Love you!
A big thank you to my girls, authors Sharon C. Cooper and Delaney Diamond. I’m so happy we are on this journey together. Charlie’s Angels for life!
Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Epilogue
Chapter 1
“Great!”
Megan Chase plopped her forehead on the steering wheel. It was early evening in rush hour traffic, and her SUV had just gotten a flat tire on Interstate 85 in Atlanta. Luckily, she was in the far right lane and was able to inch the vehicle over to the shoulder. She lifted her head, breathed deeply and eased open the door to survey the damage. But before her 4-inch heel could hit the pavement, she quickly drew it back in observing the cars zooming by at high speeds.
Shutting the door, she moved her laptop bag and purse from the passenger seat into the back, before climbing over the gearshift. The flat was on the back passenger side. She figured she could change it and then be on her way to meet her twin sister and her best friend at a scholarship fund-raiser event one of her clients had invited them to.
She hopped out of the SUV and walked carefully along the rocky pavement.
“Of all the days to dress up,” she said, pulling her short black dress down to barely touch her knees. She stooped down to look at the damaged tire. The tires were new, so she wasn’t quite sure why she had a flat. A nail, probably, she thought.
Earlier that day, she’d put the finishing touches on decorating a model home in a new subdivision outside of Atlanta. Houses were in the process of being built, and Megan had toured the subdivision to see the homes. She figured she’d run over a nail in the process.
As she popped the trunk to retrieve the tire, she heard her cell phone blaring from her purse in the backseat. Climbing through the trunk of her SUV to reach the phone, she knew who was calling before she even looked at the display. Now, glancing down at the caller ID to confirm her suspicion, she saw Sydney Chase’s name flash on the screen. Megan knew if she didn’t answer the phone, Sydney the worrier, would probably have the FBI, CIA and the SWAT team scouring the city for her within the hour.
The sound of a horn and tires on the gravel behind Megan stopped her from answering the call. She grabbed the mace she always carried in her purse and began to climb backward out of the SUV. Her finger placed firmly on the spray button.
As she turned around to step down, a fine-looking tall man was standing in front of her opened trunk, with his hand out to assist her. She blinked twice and stifled a “Goodness he’s gorgeous” with a slight gulp. The sun was going down behind him radiating an aura of bright yellow and orange.
“Need some assistance, pretty lady?” the sexy, baritone voice offered.
Megan tossed the mace spray over the backseat and placed her empty hand in his. His touch on her skin, although brief, sent a warm shiver through her veins. Once settled onto the pavement, she squinted her eyes and placed her right hand straight across her forehead to see him better without being blinded by what was left of the sun.
She looked up in amazement at the most handsome man she had ever laid her eyes upon. He was quite tall, at least a few inches over six feet. His hair was neatly trimmed with black
wavy ripples. The evening sun was bringing out the color of his smooth, milk chocolate skin, and she fought back the urge to run a hand over his hairless, chiseled face. He had thick eyelashes that supermodels would give up purging their dinner for. His charming smile displayed pearl-colored teeth between his inviting lips. While he had let go of her hand, she could still feel the warmth of it on her skin. She wondered how his strong hands would feel on the rest of her body.
For a moment time stood still. She didn’t notice the cars zooming by them or the April sun bearing down on her. Instead, she thought about how he reminded her of the man she always dreamed about. The man who would one day rescue her on his white horse and love her forever.
Suddenly remembering that he’d asked her a question, she blinked several times before coming down from cloud nine.
“Do I know you?” she asked, studying his captivating face.
A delicious grin crossed his mouth causing her to almost sigh out loud. Stay composed, girl. You see handsome men all the time.
“I don’t think so. I would definitely remember you if we knew each other,” the sinfully sexy gentleman stated in a tone that caused another wave of heat to rage through her.
What the heck is wrong with me?
“Oh, sorry for staring so hard, but you look familiar,” Megan replied, studying his face carefully. Megan wasn’t good with names, but she never forgot a face, especially one as intriguing as his. She couldn’t help but stare at the yummy dimple on his right cheek that appeared every time he smiled.
“What’s your name?” Megan asked.
“Steven.”
“Nice to meet you. I’m Megan.”
“Do you need some help changing that tire?” he asked, nodding his head in the direction of the flat. “It’s too dangerous for you to be out here alone.”
“Oh, yes. I...” she stuttered, glancing toward the tire. This man is making me forget why I’m standing out here in the hot sun in the first place. “I was just about to change it.”
His left eyebrow rose. “Really?” His gaze traveled the length of her body. “Wearing Louboutins and a very...um...sexy little freak’um dress. Are you trying to cause accidents? Seeing you bent over trying to change a flat tire will cause a ten car pileup,” he teased, taking off his blue suit jacket along with a red tie and handing them to her. “I’ll take care of it, while you call back whoever keeps calling you.” He nodded down to the cell phone in her hand that kept vibrating. “Your man is probably worried.”
She shook her head and glanced at the caller ID. “It’s my sister. We’re supposed to meet for an event...” She stopped to glance at her watch. “I’m thirty minutes late and big sis is concerned,” she said, watching Steven take the spare tire and jack out of her trunk. He then slammed it shut and turned to look at her.
“I completely understand. My brother is always checking on me and he’s younger. How many years apart are you?”
“Two minutes,” she answered. “We’re twins.”
“So there are two of you?” A cocky grin formed on his lips. “Nice,” he commented, barely loud enough for her to hear as he rolled the spare tire over to the flat one. “You’re more than welcome to sit in my SUV and wait. The sun is going down, but it’s still hot. Crank the ignition and turn up the air conditioner if you’d like.”
Megan looked past him at the white Range Rover. He seems like the type to own such an elite SUV. Tailored business suit, expensive watch and a powerful, masculine presence.
“Thank you. I’ll call my sister and let her know I’m fine.” She walked steadily on the gravel toward the passenger side of his Range Rover. Once settled in the plush leather seat, she cranked the car as he suggested and was pleasantly surprised to hear Sade singing “Smooth Operator” through the speakers. She turned the volume down when she saw the light flash on her cell phone again.
“Hello?”
“Megan, where are you? I’ve called you like five times!” Sydney exclaimed.
“Syd, I’m sorry. I had a flat tire, but I’ll be along soon,” Megan answered quickly. She was too busy gazing at the jaw-dropping man who was now peeling off his dress shirt to reveal a white undershirt. The shirt did little to hide the gorgeous muscles of his arms, chest and back. A thin sheen of sweat glistened on his forehead. He looks so damn hot and fine. Megan reached over and turned the air conditioner to full blast.
“Are you listening?” Sydney asked in an impatient manner.
Who could listen at a time like this?
“Huh? What did you say?”
“I said do you need any help? Or are you changing it yourself?”
“No, this kind man is changing it for me.” Megan continued to watch as Steven lifted the flat tire off, showcasing the toned muscles of his arms. Oh, my goodness!
“Kind man? You mean strange man! Where are you?”
“Calm down, Agent Chase. I’m sitting in his Range Rover watching him change my tire. He’s almost done,” Megan said, a little disappointed. “Poor thing, he’s sweating. I think I have some bottled water still left in my lunch cooler. Syd, this man is so gorgeous!”
“Um...is this the same Megan that swore off all men almost two years ago when her ex-boyfriend cheated?”
“I didn’t swear off all men, I just said I needed a break from dating and that mostly included all of the blind dates you, Jade and Tiffani had been arranging for me. I don’t have a problem being single.” She frowned as Steven replaced the last lug nut. He looked up and flashed a million-dollar smile, causing her to suck in her breath and become slightly turned on.
“He’s done. I’ll see you in a few.” Megan abruptly hung up the phone to avoid any lectures from her sister about being safe. Sydney was a criminal profiler with the Georgia Bureau of Investigations, and in her book, everyone was a suspect.
Megan hopped out of the passenger seat and walked over to Steven who was wiping the sweat off of his forehead with his dress shirt.
“You’re going to ruin that shirt,” she said, opening the back door of her SUV and reaching over to pull out a small, unopened bottle of water from a small ice cooler. She opened the cap and handed him the water.
“Thank you, pretty lady.” He gulped down half of the bottle before taking a breathing break and then downed the rest of the water. “The shirt will be fine. I’m headed home to change clothes anyway.”
Megan watched him intently as she thought of something else to say. She knew in a minute they’d be back in their own vehicles, going back to their already scheduled day. She didn’t notice a wedding ring—just a college ring. But that didn’t mean he wasn’t seeing someone.
“Thank you so much for changing my tire for me. I must’ve run over a nail today while driving around a subdivision’s construction site.”
“Having a home built?”
“No. I’m an interior decorator. I just finished a project in one of the model homes and decided to drive around the subdivision.” She hoped to find some way to keep the conversation going, but he was already buttoning his shirt and checking his Rolex. She decided not to delay him any longer. He needed to go, and she needed to leave as well before Syd assumed she’d been kidnapped.
He stepped toward her as she closed the back door. She leaned against the SUV as he stood directly in front of her, literally in her personal space. The woodsy scent of his cologne swirled in her nose, sending tingles through her body. I wonder what his scent would smell like intertwined with mine?
Her lips parted slightly as he stared down at her, she thought surely he was undressing her with his eyes as they raked over her.
“Thank you again. I hope I didn’t inconvenience you, Steven.”
“No, not at all. I’m very glad I pulled over to help you,” he stated in a sincere tone, running his eyes over her body one more time before they settled back on her
face.
She smiled up at him before stepping over to the passenger door. He opened it for her and she slid in, crossing her legs and turning her body to face him.
“Bye, Megan,” he said hesitantly before shutting the door. He gave her one last smile before strolling back to his car, whistling.
* * *
Steven watched as the loveliest vision he’d ever laid his eyes on drove away. When he first saw her in the trunk bending over the backseat of her Acura MDX reaching for something, he couldn’t help but wonder if her toned caramel-coated legs and thighs matched the rest of her. The way her little black dress hugged her bottom and hips as it rose up, stirred his manhood. He had decided to take a chance. Plus, he couldn’t possibly leave a female on the side of the highway with a flat tire.
Her long, curly brown hair with subtle blond highlights flowed down her provocative bare back in an utterly sexy manner. He would’ve given anything to run his fingers through her soft curls, or better yet, spread them out on his pillow as he looked down at her.
He’d been pleasantly surprised when she turned around to acknowledge him. Strikingly stunning, she had a pleasant smile, high cheekbones and wore very little makeup. Her almond-shaped eyes were cinnamon in hue and when he stared into them, he felt a sense of overwhelming peace.
Steven admired all women, but Megan stirred feelings and emotions he’d never felt before in the thirty-three years of his life. Her pleasant personality and warm demeanor were a breath of fresh air.
While changing the flat tire, he couldn’t get the image of Megan’s short black dress and shapely legs in black heels out of his head. He had let his eyes roam all over her breathtaking body while he tried to make polite conversation. It was hard to do, considering she had the perfect hourglass figure. Her perky, rounded breasts and small waist were followed by hips that settled snuggly but tastefully in the dress she wore.
He had tried to move his eyes back up to hers so she wouldn’t realize he was checking her out, but instead they’d rested on her inviting lips. Sexy, luscious lips painted in a reddish shade that he enjoyed watching move. He didn’t care what she was saying, he just wanted to devour them. He felt a rise in his briefs again as he thought about the possibility of being kissed by the sexy interior decorator.