Harlequin E Contemporary Romance Box Set Volume 2: Maid to CraveAll I HaveThe Last First DateLight My Fire
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From Hollywood’s red carpet to a farm stand in Missouri. Four novels about finding love in the unlikeliest of places…
Maid to Crave by Rebecca Avery (Man Maid, Book 2)
Single mom Tori Stewart doesn’t know her housekeeper, former army man Seth Lewis, has many other creative uses for the feather duster. Until a night out on the town showcases those talents. Now Tori can’t stop fantasizing about the housekeeper/exotic dancer—who’s proving to be so much more than the sum of his spectacular parts.
All I Have by Nicole Helm
Mia Pruitt is determined to have a successful year at her farmer’s market stand, but her fierce competitor keeps taking off his shirt to attract female customers. Mia might know more about apples and oranges than men, but she can’t deny her attraction to Dell. Now, as the battle of the farm stands heat up, Mia and Dell arrive at the perfect compromise—they’ll have fun, till it’s not….
The Last First Date by Maggie Wells
First date number forty-eight comes to a screeching halt for detective Langley Sheppard when his date lifts a pack of gum from the local convenience store. But things start looking up when he encounters spunky damsel in distress Jessica Vickers, who’s stranded in the store parking lot. Now Lang is about to discover that on a night when everything goes wrong, falling for Jessica feels spectacularly right.
Light My Fire by Kristina Knight
Lily MacIntyre’s life is off track, and she knows exactly how to right it: shed her America’s sweetheart image in a big way. Getting down and dirty in a limo with rocker Nate Lansford seems like the perfect solution. Plus, she’s had a mad crush on him practically since birth. The only problem? Nate is her brother’s best friend…and he doesn’t see her as anything other than a surrogate little sister.
Contemporary Romance Box Set Volume 2
Contains
Maid to Crave by Rebecca Avery
All I Have by Nicole Helm
The Last First Date by Maggie Wells
Light My Fire by Kristina Knight
Harlequin E Contemporary Romance
Table of Contents
Maid to Crave by Rebecca Avery
Prologue
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
All I Have by Nicole Helm
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
The Last First Date by Maggie Wells
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Epilogue
Light My Fire by Kristina Knight
Prologue
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Maid to Crave by Rebecca Avery
This book is for my fabulous sisters. All of them. The ones related by birth who didn’t do me in when we were younger as part of sibling rivalry. Those related by the hands of time that have put up with me for years by choice. The ones related by matters of the heart, who I can’t remember life before them or imagine life without them. And for those who fit all those categories. This means you, Kristi, Jennipher, Amanda, Michelle, Colleen, Heather, Kim, Melissa and, of course, the other Jennifer. These books are completely your fault!
And to the best readers that the land of books and fantasy has to offer, thank you for reading and enjoying glimpses into my imagination.
Prologue
This must be what it felt like when children left home, flew the nest…or whatever.
Master Sergeant Russell “Rusty” Hawkins sat on his couch looking at the last two men from his unit who still worked for him. They had all served together in the United States Army, but after their last tour of duty ended nine months ago, they decided not to re-enlist. Having determined that they’d all had enough of war and violence for a while, the guys had all followed Rusty, their former commander, to his hometown of Beavercreek, Ohio, where he was the proud heir of a company called Man Maid. It was a residential and commercial cleaning service that was passed on to him from his late grandfather.
One of the guys, Sergeant First Class Ronald Brown, had taken the first full-time housekeeping gig Rusty had managed to land for the business, with a single mom Ronnie had since married. Kayla was sweet and absolutely perfect for the mostly solemn soldier and his overly large German Shepherd, Sergeant Buck. Ronnie, as he was known to his friends, seemed happy and had adjusted well to civilian life. He had also managed to find his calling in life in the process. He was now employed part-time at a local high school while simultaneously working toward a degree in physical education and sports management.
That just left Seth and Ian for Rusty to worry about.
Now if Rusty could just keep Ian out of trouble and Seth from whoring it up too much, perhaps he could relax a little bit and maybe even find himself better suited to civilian life, as well. Perhaps, like Ronnie, these two clowns would also find someone to settle down and share their life with.
“Ian is doing most of the other offices and several houses, as well,” Rusty said, looking at Seth. “He simply doesn’t have the time for this job. Besides, it pays well enough that it will afford you the time to help your mom with your brother.”
Sergeant First Class Seth Lewis stared back at Rusty with a look of resignation on his baby face while Staff Sergeant Ian Hamilton sat peeling the label from his beer bottle.
Sighing heavily, Seth said, “You’re right. It would just be more appealing if my new boss was some smokin’ hottie with legs up to her neck. What is she? Like four feet tall and about eighty pounds? Plus, she is seriously, seriously nerdy. Not to mention she thinks I’m a low-life punk. She actually scowls at me. I’ve never felt so uncomfortable around another person in my life…especially not a woman.”
Rusty had met Tori Stewart at Kayla’s mother’s funeral. Then, not too long ago, she had approached Rusty and asked him about what services his company offered. Tori and Kayla were friends from college and Kayla had made Rusty promise to help the woman out. So he’d explained that Man Maid would clean and organize her life in whatever way she needed—cleaning, cooking or even yard work.
The meek woman did not look nearly old enough to be a single mother. Her overly large glasses had continually slid down her nose the entire time they had talked and she had persistently pushed them back up and into place. Nerdy was an understatement, but she was obviously smar
t and made pretty good money, considering what she had offered as a rate for a part-time housekeeper.
Some sick part of Rusty enjoyed the fact that while Ian was currently cleaning house for a woman who did some modeling as a side job, Seth would soon be keeping house for the female version of Sheldon from The Big Bang Theory.
“Hey, as much as she’s paying, you should offer her a lap dance there, Pole,” Ian said with a smirk. “Imagine the bills she’d slip inside that thong of yours.”
Pole was a nickname the guys had given Seth due to his own side job as an exotic dancer. Rusty had never put a stop to the nickname because it seemed to keep Seth grounded, and kept him from becoming overly conceited. If not for dancing, Seth would be struggling financially even more than he was, so Rusty tried not to judge.
Fortunately for Seth, he was blessed by Mother Nature with a handsome face and a natural rhythm, and he had a well-muscled body, compliments of Uncle Sam. The combination left him with no shortage of dates. Rusty wasn’t gay, but he knew when another man was considered attractive by the opposite sex…and women definitely considered Seth good-looking. Most women. Just not Tori Stewart.
Seth pulled out his wallet, opened it and showed it to Ian. “You know what, man? You can kiss my ass. I’ve made some pretty good bank from that gig both in the past and currently. So laugh it up,” Seth argued. “Besides, the ladies love me…and I wouldn’t want to disappoint them.”
“I’m pretty sure you disappointed Tori Stewart, since she turned you down flat for any kind of dancing at Ronnie’s wedding reception. Besides, I think I’ll stick to fighting and leave the soft porn to you, so I’m glad you enjoy it. Doing what I do might actually mess up that pretty face of yours,” Ian cooed, wrapping one large hand around Seth’s face to grasp his chin and shake him as though he were a child. “If given a choice, women want a man who can protect them over one who can shake his booty.”
“You are right, man. Somebody has to be available for those women who watch your fights, the ones with beer guts and missing teeth that could probably kick Rusty’s ass. Leave the ladies to me,” Seth said between lips puckered from Ian’s strong grasp.
“Don’t forget the nerdy chicks like, oh, you know—” Ian snapped his fingers as though trying to think of someone specific “—your new boss!” he enthusiastically replied, laughing.
“Why don’t you both try to remember that Tori is a friend of Kayla’s,” Rusty suggested. “Unlike when Ronnie took his job with Kayla, you at least know who your new boss is. It’s good money, Seth. You need to keep that in mind.”
“The difference between us, Ian, is that I can be selective…because I’m not a giant troll who scares men and women alike. I’m not forced to accept anything less than top-of-the-line ladies. So Ms. Nerdy can look all she wants, but I don’t have to settle for anything less than the best,” Seth said, ignoring Rusty’s comment completely.
“You talk so much shit. One of these days, a real lady is going to come along and knock you off your horse and grind you into the muck of rejection,” Rusty said in response to Seth’s comment. “Until then, I need an answer. Do you want this job or not?”
Sighing loudly, Seth said, “Unfortunately, want is a luxury I can’t afford. I need this job so…yes.”
Chapter One
“Mommy,” Tori Stewart heard her six-year-old son, Zach, whisper.
Tori hadn’t meant to sleep so late. The two extra drinks she’d consumed the night before in an attempt to drown out the repetitious date from hell had now successfully created a pounding in her brain that reacted even to Zach’s whispered words.
“Hey, little guy, let me get a shower and I’ll come down and get you some cereal for breakfast. Can you watch cartoons for a little bit until I get dressed?”
“Okay, Mommy, but there is a man outside cutting grass with a lawnmower,” he whispered loudly right next to her ear before getting off her bed and running out of her room, slamming the door behind him.
As she lay there willing the throbbing in her brain to cease, her mind reviewed what had led to the disappointing date and resulting excruciating hangover headache. She’d gone into the office the previous day, and her new boss had made her even more thankful that she would now be working from home and so wouldn’t have to come back into the office on Monday morning. Not even bothering to hide the fact that they were dating, he’d asked her out loudly enough that even the folks on the West Coast had probably heard him.
“I don’t know,” she’d replied with a look that said he should keep his voice down. “I still have so much to unpack and put away, and I want to spend a little time with Zach, see how he likes his new school.”
“I’m sure he’s doing fine. I’ll even pay for a sitter for the evening. Besides, with your new position and your ability to work from home now, you’ll see more of him than ever before. All I’m asking for is one evening out, with me…not as your new boss, but as your date,” Timothy Silver had replied with a smile.
She and Tim had been colleagues at the Greater Dayton Healthcare Association, where they both worked as database programmers, when they’d started dating a few months ago. Now he was her boss, and if going out with him had been awkward before, it was even more so now. Before all the changes in the department, they had both been content to stay in their cubicles working on data and keep their dating lives to the weekends. Now, for some reason, Tim felt a need to be overly social in the office. As though bragging to the world that he’d gotten the girl and the new job.
The gossip and whispers weren’t spoken quietly enough that Tori didn’t hear them. She just chose to ignore the rumor mill. Her new job would allow her more time with Zach because she could telecommute. The pay increase was also substantial and had been the tipping point in the decision to take this position, even though that meant working directly for Tim, who’d been given an even bigger promotion.
The additional money was enough to get her and Zach into a nice house that she could grow old in…complete with an in-ground swimming pool and finished basement. She might not have any furniture, pictures or decorations to fill the rooms in the house, but she did have space…lots of space. The house was a dream and easily affordable with her new promotion and raise.
What she hadn’t dreamed about was the upkeep involved with a house that size.
Her friend Kayla had recommended hiring a housekeeper from Man Maid, the company her husband, Ronnie, had worked for when they’d met. Tori had finally bit the bullet and called the owner of the business, Rusty Hawkins, but only after convincing herself that there was little to no chance she’d wind up with Ronnie’s friend Seth as the man cleaning her house. Though he worked for the company, too, he would surely have other cleaning jobs…making him unavailable for hers.
The new maid would be starting this weekend, and Tori had hoped to begin migrating some of the data from the old system to a new server while the housekeeper started organizing her new home and kept an eye on Zach. She was hoping for a miracle where her house was concerned, but honestly wasn’t expecting much, considering she had barely begun putting things away unless they were critical for her and Zach.
Tim’s timing for their date had been a distraction at best and annoying at worst. Knowing she shouldn’t be like that toward him since he was exactly the kind of man she should be dating, she admonished herself for being so shallow. He was a nice man, well respected, with a great job and strong ties within the community.
She had convinced herself that perhaps she did need a little time away. Perhaps a date would relax her. And with the new software and electronic patient records database that had been the reason for their promotions and raises, it might be a while before either one of them would be off at the same time again.
Besides, who cared what her coworkers thought? It wasn’t like she’d have to see them every day anymore. She’d been dating Tim for nearly two months before the promotions, and, contrary to the rumors, she had not been sleeping with him when the positio
n was offered to her. Yes, he might have been part of the board of directors that had hired her, but he was just that—a part of the board, not the entire board.
Her coworkers would figure out soon enough that she was good at her new job. They would learn to trust and respect her. This job had been earned through years of working below her capabilities and feeding other people’s egos while quietly doing both their work and hers. She had simply stored the knowledge she acquired away and pulled it out when it counted. The job had not been handed to her by Tim as a thank-you for sleeping with him.
Tim wasn’t the most attractive man in the world, but he’d given her no reason to think he’d only given her the job because she was willing to date him. He was stable, he understood her work, and she didn’t have to worry that he would break her heart if—when—she finally did fall in love with him.
She was working on her feelings for Tim…she just wasn’t there quite yet. There might not be the kind of fireworks that movies and books depicted, but if she worked at the relationship, she could enjoy being with him. She wasn’t a schoolgirl with fantasies of a knight in shining armor. She was logical, and Tim was the sound choice when it came to matters of the heart.
“Okay, fine,” she’d reluctantly agreed. “How about seven thirty? That will give me a couple of hours with Zach since he’ll likely be in bed when I get home later.”
She hated leaving Zach any more than she had to, even though he adored his sitter, Kayla’s daughter Addie. Tori remembered all too well what it was like to be left with a caregiver all the time. How alone and uncared for it had made her feel. Zach was the only family she had that made her feel like she was wanted and needed, so she tried to spend as much time as possible with him.
“Sounds good. Shall I pack a few things? Maybe stay over and leave early before the little guy wakes up?” Tim had asked with a smile.
If only there was a technical manual on pleasing a woman that she could casually leave lying around for him to read….They had only been together a few times, and even though Tim wasn’t so good in the lover department, it beat being played for a fool.