Passionate Kisses 2 Boxed Set: Love in Bloom
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Passionate Kisses 2
Love in Bloom
By
Magda Alexander
Wendy Ely
Kylie Gilmore
Allie Boniface
Liz Kelly
Nikki Lynn Barrett
Sydney Holmes
Rebecca J Clark
Victoria Barbour
Jessi Gage
Up Close and Personal - copyright Magda Alexander
Split Decision - copyright Wendy Ely
Stud Unleashed: Barry - copyright Kylie Gilmore
Setting Sail - copyright Allie Boniface
Tempting Vivi - copyright Liz Kelly
A Masterpiece of Our Love - copyright Nikki Lynn Barrett
Escape - copyright Sydney Holmes
Borrowed Stilettos - copyright Rebecca J Clark
Geek God - copyright Victoria Barbour
Jade’s Spirit - copyright Jessi Gage
Published by Passionate Press
©Copyright 2015 Passionate Press
Cover design by Amy Gamet
ISBN:978-1-941239-10-0
All rights reserved. No part of these books may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems-except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews-without permission in writing from the particular author.
These books are works of fiction. The characters, events and places portrayed in them are products of the authors’ imaginations and are either fictitious or are used fictitiously. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental and not intended by the authors.
From the authors of the bestselling Passionate Kisses Boxed Set, comes a new set featuring five never-before-published stories. Dive into this collection of 10 contemporary romance novels and novellas ranging from sweet to sizzling:
Up Close and Personal
By
MAGDA ALEXANDER
NEW RELEASE!
Desperate to pay her mother’s medical bills, Caitlyn Bennett’s thrilled when Sterling MacKay hires her as his personal assistant. But soon the reclusive billionaire demands things no gal Friday should be expected to do. Should she walk away? Or surrender to her desires … and him?
Split Decision
By USA Today Bestselling Author
WENDY ELY
NEW RELEASE!
Sports reporter Grace Avery is up for a promotion, but only if she gets an interview with the notoriously private, heavy weight champion, Rally Brewer. Grace discovers who Rally is beyond the boxing ring. Little does anyone know, as Grace gets Rally to open up, a two-year-old secret is in jeopardy. Is revealing his secret worth gaining Grace’s love?
Stud Unleashed: Barry
By
KYLIE GILMORE
NEW RELEASE!
Successful, not-so-great-with-the-ladies, nice guy Barry Furnukle can’t believe his luck when Amber Lewis agrees to date him. But when the world’s most awesome date (birding and fro-yo) lands him in the friend zone, it’s time to unleash his inner stud to win the woman he can’t forget.
Setting Sail
By
ALLIE BONIFACE
NEW RELEASE!
When real estate agent Jason McClintock discovers his billionaire client’s latest target is the historic diner owned and run by his high school crush, Pearl DeVane, things get more than a little complicated. Does forging a successful career mean giving up everything from his past, including the only woman to ever steal his heart?
Tempting Vivi
By
LIZ KELLY
NEW RELEASE!
Graduating college and starting her dream job, Vivi DuVal’s confidence is severely shaken, sending her spinning right into the arms of heroic Lane Kettering. But their ultra romantic beach fling may turn into nothing but tabloid fodder when Lane’s secret is revealed, tossing Vivi into some very hot, tempting water.
A Masterpiece of Our Love
By
NIKKI LYNN BARRETT
Their lives are entwined by a tragedy. Now twenty years later, neither Becca or Hunter can deny the deeper feelings they have for the other. Their bond is tested when an unknown face from the past wants them to remember the entire events of the fateful crash that changed their lives.
Escape
By
SYDNEY HOLMES
When beautiful and mysterious Rowan Baker moves upstairs from Shane Adams, he’s instantly captivated, but as an experienced Private Investigator, he can’t shake the suspicion that Rowan is hiding something. Rowan is good at keeping her distance from people, but can’t seem to stay away from Shane. The closer they get, the more she fears he won’t accept her if he learns the truth.
Borrowed Stilettos
By
REBECCA J CLARK
Plans go hilariously awry when mild-mannered Audrey Thompson dresses as Ava, her flamboyant but cowardly twin, in order to break up with Ava’s fiancé, Zach Banister. However, as Audrey pretends to be Avaâwhich means stuffing her bra and tottering around in borrowed stilettosâshe can’t help falling for Zach herself. Little does she know he has his own agenda, one that involves a seduction she can’t refuse.
Geek God
By
VICTORIA BARBOUR
Looks can be deceiving. Just ask Classics professor Jillian Carew. At first glance, Evan Sharp is every inch a bona fide god amongst mortals. But at heart he’s nothing more than your typical geek. Can she really make it work with a man who pretends to be an ogre-fighting dwarf, even if he’s hotter than the Roman soldiers that invade her dreams?
Jade’s Spirit
By
JESSI GAGE
Lawn care business owner Emmett has kept his youth-group virginity vow for a decade. When his next client turns out to be Jade, a stripper on the run from an abusive boyfriend, he finds himself tempted to the breaking point. A Blue Collar Boyfriends paranormal romance.
Up Close and Personal
By
Magda Alexander
Acknowledgments
No writer succeeds on her own. If she’s lucky, she’ll encounter many helping hands along her journey. I’ve been singularly blessed by, first and foremost, my critique group, the Crit Divas, Lula Diamond, Loni Lynne, Andy Palmer, and Teresa Quill. Without them, this book would not exist. Second, I’m grateful for the sisterhood of the Passionate Kisses Boxed set authors, whose professionalism and enthusiasm through the last eight months made them a joy to work with. And, as always, to my wonderful son, Juan, and his beautiful wife, Melinda, who provided me with the best motivation to write - a granddaughter.
Chapter One
McLean, Virginia
A Saturday in January
Caitlyn
Tall, rail thin, and sporting a pencil mustache, the snob dressed in a tweed jacket and a bow tie checks his clipboard. His lip curls when he says my name. “Ms. Bennett.”
I’ve waited three hours to be interviewed by Sterling MacKay, the billionaire magnate looking for a personal assistant. Ten candidates showed up. Nine preceded me, every last one of them wearing a designer business suit, expensive shoes, and carrying bags with golden initials. My purse came from Walmart, my shoes from a bargain store, and my suit? A hand-me down from a friend. I shortened the hem, took in the waist, but it still does not sit right across my frame. But beggars can’t be choosers, right?
Squaring my shoulders, I come to my feet and walk into the lion’s den.
The room is impressive as hell. Huge, shiny. A humongous glass desk with chrome legs presides over the space. Except for a laptop, a phone, and a projector of some
kind, the desk lies empty.
The prig points to a chair in front of the desk and orders me to ‘sit’ in a voice I wouldn’t use on a dog. I don’t protest but thank him instead. Too much depends on my getting this job. Not that I have a chance in hell of getting it.
A couple of minutes after he leaves, the phone rings, once, twice. It will go to voice mail, right? Except it doesn’t. The stuffed shirt disappeared, and I’m not going on a wild goose search for him.
After the eighth ring, I reach across the desk and answer the phone, “Mr. MacKay’s office.”
A gruff, male voice asks. “Where is he?”
“He stepped out for a minute. May I take a message?”
“Tell the son of a bitch I’m going to make him pay.”
Without missing a beat, I ask, “I’ll pass the message along. May I have your name?”
“He’ll know who it is.” Click.
What was that about? Somewhere a door opens and closes, and I ease back into my seat, tug down my skirt.
Sure steps approach, and he emerges from the left. Tall, dark-haired, face lined with pain. Sterling MacKay. I recognize him from magazine covers and newspaper photos. An accident stole most of his vision. The onyx, gold-tipped cane he carries looks more like a fashion statement than the crutch it’s meant to be. “Did someone call?” His voice’s like luscious caramel. Rich, hot, delicious.
I lick my bottom lip. My stomach rumbles with hunger. Darn it. I shouldn’t have thought of food. It’s been ages since I ate. “Yes. The phone kept ringing. I answered it. Hope you don’t mind.”
Without fumbling, his hand makes contact with the mammoth chair behind the desk. Amazing that he knows its exact location.
“Who was it?”
“A man. He wouldn’t leave his name.”
Resting his cane against the desk, he eases down into the armless seat without floundering or the slightest doubt. “What did he say?”
“That he’d make you pay. He sounded rather upset.”
His eyes narrow. “Robert Salvio. I took something from him. Something he wanted very badly.”
“What was it?” Curiosity is one of my worst sins.
“That.” He points toward one of the walls where a painting hangs. It’s not big. Maybe two by three feet. “A Georgia O’Keeffe. Quite magnificent, don’t you think?”
A gigantic orchid fills the canvas. Decadent in its coloring and composition, it rather resembles a woman’s vulva. Heat rises in my cheeks. “Quite.” I choke out.
His lips quirk. “It embarrasses you.” How can he sense my unease through hearing alone? Or maybe he can see more than I think.
“How do you know?”
“Your voice. My vision might be deficient, but my other senses are quite acute, especially my hearing. And my sense of smell.”
So he has the ears of a hound and its ability to scent as well. Wonder what other special talents he uses to compensate for his lack of sight? I gaze out the big window behind him. Big, fat snowflakes drift to the ground. “Darn,” I mumble under my breath.
His brow wrinkles. “Does the painting offend you?”
Oops. He caught that. “No. I’m sorry. It’s just …” He scheduled the interviews at his home in McLean, Virginia, and I live in Maryland, half an hour away on a dry, sunny day. But it’s dark now. The trip home will be a bear. Hope my junker holds up. The darn thing grinds when I shift gears. But broke as I am, I can’t afford to have it fixed. I fold trembling hands on my lap and return my gaze to him. “No. It’s quite beautiful.”
“Then what’s the problem?”
“Nothing.”
He tosses his head. “Don’t lie. I can hear it in your voice. You’re worried about something.”
I take a breath, let it out. “It’s snowing, and it’s growing dark.”
His mouth slashes into a tight, white line. “And you must get home. I suppose we better get on with the interview then.” He brushes a hand across his brow.
“Does it hurt much?” It’s a wonder he survived the horrible crash. Images of his mangled car played over and over in the media for weeks.
No response. Not even a nod. “Should have known better than to schedule so many candidates at one time.”
“I’m the last, if that’s any consolation.” I want to get on the road before it’s packed with snow. But I need this job. So here I sit, gazing hopefully at him. Even though he can’t see me. Even though I don’t stand a chance.
He turns on the contraption on his desk and pulls it closer to him. A lone piece of paper lies on top of it. “Name?”
“Caitlyn Bennett.”
The machine’s mechanical voice rifles through a list of names. Ten of them. Mine’s not among them.
“You don’t seem to be here.”
“I was a last minute addition. My employment agency substituted me when its candidate came down with the flu.”
“That explains it.”
“I brought my resume.” I dig in my purse for the document, unfold it. I stand to give it to him, but his desk is so wide I can’t bridge the distance. He doesn’t reach for it. Of course not; he can’t see. Flustered, I rush around the desk to hand it to him. In my hurry, I trip over his cane, and the darn resume sails to the other side of him. “Oh.”
My only thought is to grab my job history. Instead of doing the sensible thing and going around, I bend over him. But the chair is so wide I lose my balance and land on his lap. To compound the disaster, my too-short skirt rides up on me.
“Be careful.” His large hand grasps my leg; his thumb flutters against my bare thigh. Oh, God. With my rear end up in the air, I reach over and grab my blasted resume. I come upright, hand it to him and scurry back to my seat-embarrassed, humiliated, and probably red as a beet. Thank God he can’t notice. As soon as the thought pops into my head, I chastise myself. I shouldn’t be happy the man can’t see, for heaven’s sake.
“Are you always this eager to please?” His lips twitch in amusement.
Pathetically so. “I usually have a great deal of common sense, Mr. MacKay. Don’t know what got into me.” He won’t hire me now. Not after that colossal blunder. Refusing to put myself through more humiliation, I stand. “Thank you for your time. I’ll be going then.”
He laughs, and the expression steals a decade from him. “Why?”
“You’re not going to hire me. So what’s the use?”
A lazy grin spreads over his face. “On the contrary, Ms. Bennett. You’re exactly what I need. You’re hired.”
Chapter Two
Sterling
Wish I could see the look on her face. I’m willing to bet it’s priceless. Last thing she expected was for me to offer her the job. She probably compared herself to the previous nine candidates and found herself lacking. Granted the other applicants graduated from Ivy League schools. And some of them intimated they would do anything I desired. I’m pretty sure if I’d asked them to get down on their knees and service me, a few would have complied.
But I don’t judge people by their pedigree or their willingness to indulge my sexual appetites. I judge them by their actions. And Ms. Bennett did what none of the others had-answered the phone. She’d been polite, asked for the identity of the caller and reported the conversation to me. And, most importantly, she didn’t get flustered by the gruff tone of the caller-my assistant, Anton, who I’d put up to the task.
Sexual favors are not part of the job. I have an escort service on call. Anytime my body demands sex, I ask them to send over Minouette-a leggy blonde with plenty of curves.
Don’t know what Ms. Bennett looks like, but she doesn’t sound like a sex kitten. She’ll make a great personal assistant. She’s eager to please and willing to do what needs to be done. Like answer the phone. Plus she’ll amuse me. The phone call might not have fazed her, but the Georgia O’Keefe painting did. Hopefully, she won’t run away, shocked by the things she’s bound to see and hear.
“I expect my personal assistant to live her
e. Would that be a problem?”
A temporary pause, a rustle. She’s shifting in her seat. “Uh, no, but I’ll need to make arrangements with my landlord.”
Something easily dealt with. “Where are you living now?”
“College Park, Maryland. I share an apartment.”
“Your lease is up when?”
“The end of June.” Today is January 6.
“I’ll pay whatever you need to break it.”
“You don’t have to-”
I cut her off. “Yes, I do. You shouldn’t suffer financially because I require a change in your living arrangements.” When she doesn’t offer any further objections, I continue. “The salary will be $100,000 a year. With an annual bonus at the end of the 12-month period. Another $25,000 if you satisfy me.”
“If I satisfy you?” Her voice wisps at the end, and, for a couple of heartbeats, there’s dead silence. But then she takes a deep breath and asks, “Mr. MacKay, what exactly will you require of me?”
Good to know she has some protective instincts. “I’m a very busy man, Ms. Bennett. My business takes up most of my time. Before my … accident, I enjoyed an active social life-dinner parties and such. I intend to resume them so I’ll need someone to handle the details associated with them. I also need an assistant to help me when I travel.”
“And that’s all?” Her voice wavers, as if she’s still not sure what the job will entail.
Better reassure her. “I won’t require you to service me sexually. If that’s what you’re worried about.”
She chokes, and I grin. How very delicious she is.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t-”
Ignoring her embarrassment, I explain what I expect from her. “Here at home, you will handle my social life. When I travel, you’ll arrange matters, see to details. You will soon discover I’m very demanding and expect everything to go as planned. Measures will need to be taken to accommodate my … special needs. Sometimes individuals don’t understand what I require. It’s your job to get what I desire.”
“Anyone I should talk to about your special needs? A therapist? Or doctor?”
I grit my teeth. I’ve had enough of doctors and therapists to last me a lifetime. “You may discuss them with me and no one else.”
“Very well.” The warmth in her voice dissipates. I offended her with my gruff tone.