Contents
BOOK 5: To Thrill Again
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
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
BOOK 6: To Dream Again
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
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
BOOK 7: To Feel Again
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
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
BOOK 8: To Live Again
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
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
A note from the author
Preview: Single Wide Female (a fun chick lit series with FREE book)
Preview: Lifeguards and Liars (a cozy mystery)
Other Titles
Legal Notice
Forty and Free
(Book 5)
To Thrill Again
A Sweet Romance
By
Lillianna Blake
& Maci Grant
Copyright © 2016 Lillianna Blake
Cover design by Beetiful Book Covers
All rights reserved.
Chapter 1
Muffled footsteps against thick carpet blended into a strange lullaby. Cassie leaned closer to the wall and inspected the last stroke she’d made with her paintbrush. As the library bustled around her with people seeking out books while maintaining a sacred hush, she added another stroke. Before her, the wall came to life with images from every fairy tale that she’d managed to fit onto the space—people, creatures, magical beings and even a few flying dragons inhabited the children’s section thanks to Cassie. As pleased as she was to donate her time to create the mural, her inner criticism was running rampant.
“Maybe the talon should be longer.” She tapped the end of her paintbrush against pouted lips. The more she stared at the image before her the more she could see things wrong with it. She shook her head and forced herself to focus on something—anything—else.
As she dipped her paintbrush into the color, she heard someone cough just behind her. She looked up with surprise from where she crouched in front of the mural. Behind her was a man, tall, thin, and dressed in a tweed sweater and pleated green dress pants.
He pushed up his thin gold-rimmed glasses and studied her for a moment. Something in the way he looked at her made her uneasy—as if he wanted something from her.
Who is this guy? She raised an eyebrow. “Can I help you?”
“Are you Cassie Reed?”
A million thoughts raced through her mind. Was he a bill collector? She had plenty of those after her. Was he there to serve her papers from some lawsuit put forth by one of her debtors?
“No.” She blinked.
“No?” He lifted his eyebrows.
“No, I’m not. Sorry.”
“So, you’re not the artist?” He pointed to her signature on one of the smaller murals. “Cassie Reed?”
Cassie gripped the paintbrush tight in her hand. “I said that I wasn’t.” She stood up and locked eyes with him. “But she’s a friend of mine. Why are you looking for her?”
“I have a proposal for her.” He folded his arms across his chest and stared right back at her. “For Cassie, I mean.”
“A proposal?” She laughed. “That’s a new one.” She brushed her short black hair back from her eyes and shrugged. “Look, I don’t have any money. You can say whatever you want, but I’m flat broke. What is it they say? You can’t get blood from a stone? I don’t even have a stone to squeeze. So really, you’re wasting your time here.”
“So you are Cassie?” He widened his eyes and looked down the high ridge of his nose at her.
“Okay, yes. I am. But that doesn’t change anything.”
“I’m not privy to your financial history, Ms. Reed, but perhaps what I’m here to offer can help you with that. I represent a very wealthy man who has taken an interest in your artwork. He’d like to hire you to create a mural in his home.”
“Oh?” She laughed. “Great. Did Angela put you up to this? She did, didn’t she?”
“I’m sorry, I don’t know any Angela.” His lips drew into a firm line. He reached
into his pocket and pulled out a business card. “You can verify this information if you’d like, but the request is time sensitive. He’d like you to get started as soon as possible.”
“The request?” She looked down at the business card in her hand. “Lucas Morgan? This is a California address. I live here, in New York.”
“Yes, it is.” He folded his hands behind his back. “Mr. Morgan will pay for all travel costs and provide your accommodation in addition to your salary, which is written on the back of that card.”
She stared at him for a moment before turning the card over. Her heart jumped at the amount of zeros jotted across the card. This has to be a joke. She looked back up at him and smiled.
“You play your part very well, but there’s no way this is true. Listen, I don’t know what your purpose here is, but I really don’t have time for pranks.”
“It’s not a prank, Ms. Reed. If you would like to call and verify the offer you are welcome to. Just be aware that Mr. Morgan would appreciate a response within the next twenty-four hours. He’s a very busy man.”
“I’m sure Mr. Morgan is. You can let him know that I’m not interested.” She slid the business card into her pocket with the intention of getting to the bottom of the scam later. “However you got my name—I’m going to find out.”
“Oh, no need for that. You were recommended to Mr. Morgan by Pamela Seavers. Are you familiar with her?”
“Pamela Seavers? How could I not be? You’re really going to throw a local celebrity into the mix? This is pretty creative, I’ll give you that.”
“Please, Ms. Reed, I’m not trying to con you. You’re welcome to contact Ms. Seavers as well.”
“Why would she take a call from me?”
“She’s a big fan of yours. Now, Mr. Morgan is as well. I understand your skepticism; however, it would be in your best interest if you at least verified the information. I think you’ll find that Mr. Morgan has made you a very generous offer—and pardon me for saying but since your financial situation seems to be a bit grim, I’d hate for you to pass it up.”
“Sure. Okay. I need to finish this.” She turned back to the mural and crouched down again.
“Please remember, this is time sensitive, Ms. Reed. I will be awaiting your call.” He turned and walked away.
She glanced back over her shoulder as he exited through the front door of the library. Of course it had to be a scam.
She frowned. But what if it wasn’t?
Chapter 2
At the same moment that his fingers wrapped around the handle of his briefcase, Lucas Morgan’s cell phone rang. He looked out across the tarmac at the plane that was waiting for him, then pulled his phone out of his pocket.
“What is it?”
“I delivered the proposal.”
He narrowed his eyes at the strain he heard in his assistant’s voice. “And?”
“And she’s thinking about it.”
Lucas glanced at his watch and frowned. “What does that mean exactly?” With quick strides he approached the plane. “I’m running late, just tell me what she said—exactly what she said.”
“You have to understand she’s a bit skeptical—”
“That’s why I sent you—to handle that situation.” He climbed onto the plane and nodded to the pilot before settling into his seat. “I have to take off here in just a minute and I’d like to know what she said. If I have to ask you again—”
“She said to tell you no.”
He grimaced and leaned his head back against the seat. “No?”
“I’m sure that once she has time to think things through, she’ll agree. But sir, there are some things about her that are a little concerning.”
“Oh?” He signaled to the pilot.
The plane began to taxi toward the runway.
“Like what?”
“She’s completely broke. Are you sure that’s someone you want in your home?”
“Funny.”
“What?”
He gritted his teeth. “Where did you grow up, James?”
“I see what you’re saying, and I’d never question your decision, but—not as your assistant—as your friend, I’m concerned.”
“As my assistant you should be very concerned, because the task I gave you was to get a yes, and you failed at that. As my friend, you know better, James. I’m not easily taken. If she’s not who I suspect she is, then we’ll just handle the problem if and when one arises.”
“I understand that, but I’m worried that you might be blinded by this situation.”
“What situation do you mean?”
“She’s beautiful.”
“Aren’t they all?” Lucas laughed.
“I see your point. But she is a beautiful stray puppy, and you seem to have a soft spot for the less fortunate.”
“Good thing I do, right, James?” His voice hardened.
“Yes, I agree. But not everyone who is in a bad situation is worthy of your rescue.”
“I want her. Are you going to be able to handle it?”
James sighed into the phone.
Lucas smiled at his exasperation. “Consider it a challenge, James. I’m sure you can do it. You have my permission to sweeten the deal if necessary.”
“It’s already generous.”
“If she’s as destitute as you say, it’s going to a good cause.”
“There are plenty of other artists—”
“James, get me Cassie Reed.” He hung up the phone just as the plane launched off the runway.
As he stared at the airport disappearing below, a familiar rush carried through him. It always enlivened him to think that he could leave the world behind, even if it was just for the duration of a flight. In the air, he could imagine a sense of freedom that the weight of his influence and wealth didn’t allow him.
Lucas turned his attention to his phone and flipped through the photos he’d saved there. When his friend Pamela had suggested Cassie, he’d been as skeptical as James. Once he’d done a little research on the woman, though, he hadn’t needed more convincing. The murals she’d created spoke to the core of him, in a way that nothing else had come close to in years. Her use of colors and light awakened a fascination within him. It was pure beauty and he wanted it for himself.
“Nothing wrong with that.” He smiled as he gazed down at a photograph of Cassie that was attached to an article about her murals. She hadn’t bothered to dress up for the photograph in any way. Though the image was black and white, it was easy to see that she didn’t have much make-up on. She seemed far different than most of the women Lucas encountered in his day-to-day life, but he figured that that was part of what made her an interesting artist.
As the plane leveled off, he considered what Pamela had told him about Cassie’s work. Her financial situation came as no surprise to him. He’d done his research on her before he ever considered making her an offer. With the circumstances of his life he could never be too careful about who he allowed in it.
This woman would be in his home, and though he had plenty of security, he didn’t often invite people in. While many on the outside looking in considered his life to be one of ease, his wealth actually put everyone around him in quite a bit of danger. If anyone wanted to get to him, they could go through those he cared about. He only had a few people he held that close, but those that he did, he protected fiercely.
Was Cassie Reed a person to be concerned about? He looked back at her picture again. Only time would tell.
The more important question was whether or not James would be able to convince her to accept the offer in the first place. Lucas wasn’t used to being turned down. Even if she denied him at first, he was sure that she’d eventually comply. They always did.
James’s hesitation did give him pause, though. One thing he’d learn to trust was James’s intuition. It had protected him on more than one occasion when it came to the press.
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