Tag swiped one palm down his jacket, then over his forehead. “That was terrifying, and you’re looking at a guy who once jumped off a cliff face.”
“Why’d you do it?” she asked, beaming up at him.
“It was my first time in Hawaii and one of the locals dared me to—”
She stretched on her toes and pulled his face down to hers, smothering his words with another kiss. By the time her lips left his, he’d wrapped both palms around her waist and rested his forehead on hers.
Eyes open, he murmured, “Because I love you and I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I wasn’t sure if you’d forgive me if I called, so I thought if I showed up, you’d have to listen.”
“Smooth,” she said with a smile.
“Yeah, well. Work with your strengths.”
“Get ready, single ladies,” the DJ announced over the music. “Next up, we’re doing the bouquet toss!”
“Oh no. Not that.” Tag quirked one eyebrow and without warning, lifted Rachel into his arms.
She squealed and held on for dear life as he tromped out of the tent, his hold on her tight.
“What are you doing?” she asked through her laughter.
“Old habits die hard. I’ll explain later.” He tightened his hold on her and lowered his lips to hers. “Besides, I thought you’d be into this whole me-Tarzan, you-Jane thing.”
She ran a finger over his soft beard, her heart full. She was right where she belonged—in his arms and in his heart. “Can I brush your hair later?”
He laughed before turning her on with another lengthy kiss. When he pulled away, it was only a scant inch so he could say, “Love you, Dimples.”
To which she replied, “I love you, too, Taggart.”
Also by Jessica Lemmon
The Love in the Balance series
Tempting the Billionaire
Can’t Let Go (novella)
Hard to Handle
The Millionaire Affair
The Second Chance series
Bringing Home the Bad Boy
Rescuing the Bad Boy
A Bad Boy for Christmas
Return of the Bad Boy
Billionaire Bad Boys
The Billionaire Bachelor
ACCLAIM FOR
JESSICA LEMMON’S NOVELS
THE BILLIONAIRE BACHELOR
“Lemmon hits the right emotional buttons with this lavish, indulgence-fueled romance.”
—Publishers Weekly
“Wonderfully entertaining storytelling filled with sharp, sassy banter…Reese and Merina’s strong sexual tension and fiery chemistry will have readers hooked.”
—RT Book Reviews
RETURN OF THE BAD BOY
“Love, friends, family, sweet and steamy romance, and so much more, Jessica Lemmon is an auto-buy for me! Her Bad Boys are just sooo good!”
—Erin Nicholas, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author
“In Lemmon’s latest, her signature style of storytelling laced with emotion and grit will engage readers with each turn of the page.”
—RT Book Reviews
A BAD BOY FOR CHRISTMAS
“Shopping for a hot holiday read? Look no further than A Bad Boy for Christmas…With charismatic characters, stirring situations, and enough sexy to fill an entire town’s worth of stockings, this latest in Lemmon’s Second Chance series is 400-plus pages of Christmas magic.”
—USA Today, “Happy Ever After” blog
“Connor and Faith are strong and complement each other, and their chemistry is explosive. Lemmon is an expert at the modern-day romance.”
—RT Book Reviews
“Lemmon’s sexy and well-constructed third Second Chance romance uses a nice reversal: The man wants marriage and the woman is commitment-shy…Likable and realistic characters with believable emotions, and the right balance of fantasy fulfillment, make for some good holiday heat.”
—Publishers Weekly (starred review)
RESCUING THE BAD BOY
“An amazing read and I can’t wait for the next installment.”
—TheBookNympho.com
“Nobody does a bad boy like Jessica Lemmon.”
—HarlequinJunkie.com
“An amazing read.”
—RT Book Reviews
BRINGING HOME THE BAD BOY
“Everything I love in a romance.”
—Lori Foster, New York Times bestselling author
“Clever, romantic, and utterly unforgettable.”
—Lauren Layne, USA Today bestselling author
“4½ stars! A sexy gem of a read that will tug at the heartstrings…A heartfelt plot infused with both emotionally tender and raw moments makes this a story that readers will savor.”
—RT Book Reviews
THE MILLIONAIRE AFFAIR
“Fast-paced, well-written, and impossible to put down…Jessica writes with humor infused generously throughout in a realistic, entertaining way that really helps to make her characters realistic people you’ll want to know.”
—HarlequinJunkie.com
“Landon and Kimber’s banter is infectious as their chemistry sizzles. Smartly written with a narrative infused with humor and snark, this modern-day romance is a keeper.”
—RT Book Reviews
“Magnificent writing and characters.”
—NightOwlReviews.com
HARD TO HANDLE
“[Aiden is] a perfect balance of sensitive, heart-on-his-sleeve guy who is as sexy and ‘alpha’ as they come…A real romance that’s not about dominance but equality and mutual need—while not sacrificing hotness factor. A rare treat.”
—PolishedBookworm.com
“[Aiden is] a fantastic character. He is a motorcycle-riding, tattooed, rebel kind of guy with a huge heart. What’s not to love?…Entertaining and heartfelt.”
—RomanceRewind.blogspot.com
“I smiled through a lot of it, but seeing Aiden and Sadie deal with all of their hurdles was also incredibly moving and had me tearing up more than once as well…I can’t wait to see what Lemmon will bring to the table next.”
—HerdingCats-BurningSoup.com
CAN’T LET GO
“This novella was long enough to get me hooked on Aiden and Sadie and short enough to leave me wanting more…The chemistry between the characters is fan worthy and the banter is a great addition. The writing style draws readers in.”
—BSReviewers.blogspot.com
TEMPTING THE BILLIONAIRE
“A smashing debut! Charming, sexy, and brimming with wit—you’ll be adding Jessica Lemmon to your bookshelves for years to come!”
—Heidi Betts, USA Today bestselling author
“Lemmon’s characters are believable and flawed. Her writing is engaging and witty. If I had been reading this book out in public, everyone would have seen the huge grin on my face. I had so much fun reading this and adore it immensely.”
—LiteraryEtc.wordpress.com
“The awesome cover opened to even more awesome things inside. It was realistic! Funny! Charming! Sweet!”
—AbigailMumford.com
Ever since he returned from war missing a leg, Eli Crane just wants to be left alone. So why does his family keep interfering in his life, sending personal assistants to baby him? But when beautiful, undeniably sexy Isabella Sawyer appears at his front door, maybe a little company isn’t so bad…
Isa can’t deny the red-hot attraction she feels for this gorgeous and infuriating man. But she has a secret, one that could change everything. Will the sparks between them ignite or flame out?
A preview of
The Bastard Billionaire
follows.
Chapter 1
The flames in the fireplace were nearly extinguished, the curtains on the high windows of Elijah Crane’s office drawn. Rain pattered on the glass, providing a soothing backdrop for his work. He pecked at his keyboard, mind on the email, when a mousy, quiet voice lifted in the darkness.
“Miste
r…Crane?”
The only other light was the desk lamp and the slice of natural light that made its way past the doorless entry to his office. His newest temporary assistant stood in that light, her shadow a long wedge.
“Reese Crane called,” she said as she walked into his office. “Your brother.”
Like he needed that reiteration?
“I know who Reese Crane is, Melanie.”
“He asked me to…” Her small voice grew smaller until it vanished altogether. The reason being because Eli had just taken a deep, rumbling breath and pushed himself up from the desk.
Slowly.
Let it never be said intimidation wasn’t an art form.
He kept his eyes on the woman now standing at the other side of his desk. She was young, probably in her early twenties, and from what he’d gleaned in the last eight or so hours since she’d started this position, weak. He’d bet he could run this one off in record time. Not that he was keeping track, but maybe he should. He was getting good at it.
He blew out that same breath, keeping his lip curled, his expression hard. He let the breath end on a growl.
“What did I tell you this morning?” he asked, his voice lethal.
The temporary personal assistant currently putting a massive cramp in his style blinked big, doe-like eyes at him. “Not to interrupt you, but, Mr. Crane—”
“Not. To. Interrupt. Me.” He made a show of pulling his shoulders straight and hobbling around the table. Her gaze trickled down to the prosthesis at the end of his right leg as he affected a limp. One he didn’t have. One he’d trained himself not to have.
For some reason, the help found him more intimidating when he reminded them he was an amputee. He’d used it to his advantage on more than one occasion. “Do I look like I need to be bothered with trivial questions, Melanie?”
“N-no, sir, but it’s about Crane Hotels, and I was hired to—”
“You answer to me,” he told her point-blank. “I don’t care if it’s a memo from the pope. I asked not to be interrupted. I expect not to be interrupted.”
“But the board meeting…” Melanie trailed off, her eyes blinking faster as if staving off tears.
Tough shit, sweetheart.
The sooner word reached his brothers that the ninth—or was Melanie the tenth?—PA to set foot in Eli’s warehouse left in tears, the better. He didn’t want to be bothered with Crane business. The thickheaded men in his family didn’t listen when he’d clearly and concisely said no to a pencil-pushing position at the Crane home base, so he’d resorted to showing, not telling.
“Mr. Reese Crane said all you need to do is read and give your opinion. I can reiterate on the conference call for you,” she squeaked.
He elevated his chin and stared her down. She didn’t hold his gaze, her eyes jerking left then right and very purposefully avoiding dipping to his missing limb for a second time. Sucking in a deep breath, he blew out one word.
“Fine.”
“Fine?” Melanie’s eyebrows lifted, her expression infusing with hope. She was a sweet thing…Who was about to get a lesson in hard knocks.
“Fine. I’ll give you my opinion.” He lashed a hand around her wrist, snatched the folder from her hand, and tossed it into the fireplace. They were mostly embers now, but a single flame crawled over the edge of the folder, where it fizzled, then smoked instead of igniting.
Well. That was unimpressive.
“You-you’re…” Melanie’s fists were balled at her sides, her eyes filling yet again.
“Spit it out. I don’t have all day.”
“You’re a monster,” she said, then turned and ran—yes, ran—from his office, through his living room, and to the warehouse elevator. He stepped out from behind his office wall to watch the entire scene, arms folded over his chest. There were only a few doors and walls in his place, so not much hampered the sight of another victory won by Eli “Monster” Crane.
He walked back behind the wall of his office and stomped on the smoking file folder at his feet. Once he was sure he wouldn’t burn down his house, he chucked it into the wastebasket on the side of his desk.
“Sorry, Reese,” he said to thin air. “You’ll have to manage without me.”
They’d managed without him for the years he was stationed overseas, so he didn’t see why they couldn’t put one foot in front of the next now. God knew being away for years hadn’t improved Eli’s ability to weigh in on financials.
His cell phone buzzed with a text—not from one of his brothers, but from a contact he’d made earlier this week. He felt a real smile on his face as he lifted the phone and walked smoothly from his desk to the kitchen.
Yep, still in business, it read.
He tapped a reply. Let’s talk more next week. Give me a choice of dates.
Then he pocketed his phone and opened a beer, feeling a charge shoot down his arms. This was what he was supposed to be doing. Real work. Work that would change the worlds of men and women who’d made sacrifices. For their country, for their families. Men and women who’d returned home with less than they’d left with and were expected to drop back into the flow of things seamlessly.
Whenever Eli thought of the opening for chief operations officer of the gargantuan Crane Hotels, he felt two things. One, he had no time to trifle with meetings and operations of a hotel chain that had been humming along for decades without him. Two, his oldest brother had COO on lock. There was nothing Reese couldn’t do, and the last thing Eli needed was to be in a position of power when he did not give a shit about it.
Eli’s answer was a solid, resounding no. And if Reese and Tag—and hell, even his retired father—continued to push him about COO? No problem. Eli had become adept at running off PAs. In fact, he’d become more inventive about the ways he could get them to quit.
He covered his smile with the tip of the beer bottle and drank down half the contents.
Next, he’d move to a creepy mansion atop a hill so the villagers could murmur about the beastly man no one dared bother lest they suffer his wrath. He let out a dry chuff.
Sounded like heaven.
* * *
The phone was ringing off the hook today, which normally would be a good sign. But the caller on hold sent Isabella Sawyer’s stomach on a one-way trip to her toes.
“Isa?” her assistant asked from her desk. “Do you want me to take a message?”
“No, Chloe, I’ll take it.” She didn’t want to take it, but she’d take it. She shut her office door and in the minimizing crack watched as her best friend’s face morphed into concern. Isa gave Chloe a thumbs-up she didn’t quite feel.
Isa lifted the handset of her desk phone. “Bobbie, hello,” she said to Reese Crane’s secretary.
“Hold for Mr. Crane,” Bobbie said in her usual curt manner.
She’d had similar conversations with Reese several times already. Ten of them to be exact. Isabella was pretty sure this was the “you’re fired” call she’d been expecting three personal assistants ago. But that was okay, because she had prepared a response.
“Isa. Here we are again,” came Reese’s smooth voice. She’d met him once in passing, at an event she’d attended on behalf of her personal assistant company, Sable Concierge. Reese Crane was tall, intimidating, handsome, and professional. And married.
Not that he was Isa’s type. Business guys in suits for clients, yes. Business guys in suits for dating potential, no thanks. She’d been there, done that, and picked up the dry cleaning.
“Mr. Crane, I’m sorry we aren’t speaking under better circumstances.”
“So am I. You promised me you’d found the ideal PA for Eli this time around.”
Melanie hadn’t exactly been second string, but Isa had already sent her top choices. Elijah Crane had chased off every last one of them. They were down to her assistant Chloe or a new hire named Joseph. No way would he last thirty seconds.
Isa refused to pull her other PAs off current assignments to cater to Elijah Cra
ne. If she lost the Crane business, she’d need her current clients or they’d all starve.
“Solve my problem.” Reese’s commanding tone brooked no argument, nor should it. Isa was at his beck and call for one simple reason: his seal of approval would boost her budding business or, if she continued to fail at finding a suitable assistant for his brother, could tank it. She wanted a foot in the door with the elite in Chicago, and Reese held the key.
“I have a solution,” she said. “A PA who has over three years’ experience at my company, a decade prior to that working as right-hand woman at Sawyer Personal Finance, and I guarantee your brother absolutely will not succeed in scaring her away.”
“And who is this maven?” he asked, but the lilt of his voice suggested he already knew.
“Me.”
A quiet grunt that could have been a laugh came through the phone. “I take it you’re not much of a wilter.”
“No. I’m tenacious and stubborn.”
“An exact match for Eli.”
“Once I convince him to get more involved in Crane Hotels, I’m sure I can place one of our many qualified assistants in my stead. I do have a company to run.”
She cleared her throat, her mother’s scolding voice in the back of her mind. Be polite, Isabella. No man likes a woman who disrespects him.
“My foray as his assistant will be brief,” she continued. “But there’s no need for him to know I’m top brass. I’ll act as if I’m number eleven and give him a run for his money.”
“Eleven,” Reese repeated, and Isa could have kicked herself for reminding him how many assistants they’d run through already.
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