Goodnight, Sweetheart

by Lacie Doyle

  Candlelight. Soft music. A sexy négligée. A night to remember.

  Two months after Rebel Wynter moved to Daleview for a new start, she's ready to jump back into the dating pool. And she knows who she wants. It's definitely not perpetual flirt Ethan McKinley, who has the entire female population of Daleview fawning over him. No way. She knows the heartache such a man can bring. Been there, done that. That's why she's set her sights on Ethan's best friend instead, someone quieter and more dependable. Someone who won't break her heart.

  Now that she's ready to make her move, she sets up a surprise seduction, waiting for him in bed, handcuffs and all, until he comes home. By the end of the night he won't ever want to leave the bed!

  Except who should walk through the doors but none other than Ethan McKinley. . .

  Reading List

  https://www.laciedoyle.com/

  Kiss & Tell | Lacy Doilies & Tea Parties

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  Risky Business Series

  The Deal

  The Proposition

  The Contract

  Contemporary Romance Standalones

  Goodnight, Sweetheart

  Always a Bridesmaid (Coming 2021)

  Holiday Standalones

  Christmas in July

  The Prodigal Wife (Coming 2021)

  Secrets & Lies Series

  Best Kept Secrets (Coming 2021)

  Best Bet (Coming 2021)

  Best Case Scenario (Coming 2021)

  Best Laid Schemes (Coming 2021)

  Best Practice (Coming 2021)

  Masquerade Series

  Masquerade

  Façade

  Illusion

  Charade

  Rêverie (Coming Soon)

  Mirage (Coming Soon)

  Pantomime (Coming Soon)

  So You Want to Write a Romance Novel?

  Holiday Cottage Series

  Sugarplum Cottage

  Cover

  Cover Copy

  Books by Lacie Doyle

  Table of Contents

  Copyright Page

  Title Page

  Dedication

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Kiss & Tell

  About the Author

  Goodnight, Sweetheart

  Copyright © 2021 Lacie Doyle

  Cover Design: Lacie Doyle

  Editor: Lacie Doyle

  Formatting: Lacie Doyle

  www.laciedoyle.com

  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. This book contains material protected under International and Federal Copyright Laws and Treaties. Any unauthorized reprint or use of this material is prohibited. No part of this may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by an information and retrieval system without express written permission from the Author/Publisher.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  Dedicated to all those sexy Australian firefighters with the cute animals. Please stay safe. Those drop bears can be vicious buggers.

  "Well, well, well, what do we have here?"

  At the sound of the Australian drawl, Rebel Wynter's head jerked up and her eyes popped open from where she had been propped up in the bed, giving herself a pep talk for the last ten minutes, trying to hold on to the last of her waning courage that had landed her where she was now, a place she normally would never have gone previously—in the bed of a man she had only met a month ago, waiting to surprise him in nothing but a skimpy négligée that left little to the imagination.

  Seeing the tall man with the tousled blond hair and sea-green eyes and shoulders that took up the width of the door opening, she blanched.

  "Where's Jared?" she blurted when the man would have taken a step forward.

  He stopped, leaning against the door frame. "Not exactly the greeting I was expecting when I walk in to find a beautiful woman in my bed, dressed in practically nothing."

  His comment only served to remind her of her scanty attire and she quickly pressed her legs tightly together, heat rushing to her face. "Why are you here?" Of all the people to see her like this, it had to be Ethan "Mr. Hot Stuff" McKinley—a nickname bestowed on him by others, not by her, of course. This would only give him more reasons to tease her mercilessly than he already did.

  An eyebrow raised. "I live here."

  Unease trickled down her spine. "But I thought this was Jared's house? This was the address he gave me when I dropped off some documents last week."

  "Only here temporarily while his house was undergoing renovations. Just finished today, actually. That's where he is now, moving back in, along with Jaclyn."

  "Jaclyn?" Please tell her Jaclyn was his pet goldfish.

  "His girlfriend."

  She groaned. She really knew how to pick them. When she moved to Daleview two months ago, ready to pick up the pieces of her life after her disaster of a marriage, and met Jared Macintosh, she thought he was the perfect man for a new relationship. After all, with his short brown hair and thin frame, topped off with a pair of wire-rimmed glasses, as well as his quiet demeanor, he was as far from her ex as could be. Tonight was supposed to be the start of a new beginning, with her showing him how ready she was, and get him to finally notice her romantically.

  She and her bright ideas.

  "Been together ten years," Ethan went on. "High school sweethearts. She went to stay at her sister's. Would have stayed here, had I the room. Would have been welcome too. She's a great gal. You'll like her."

  Doubtful. Rebel didn't think she could ever meet the woman and look her in the eye, knowing she had set out to seduce her boyfriend.

  An awkward silence followed

  "Well, I'll just make myself scarce," she finally said, moving to the edge of the bed—only to be jerked back painfully just as she was pulling herself upright, the clang of the metal handcuffs against the headboard explaining her halt.

  Face flaming and her head averted so as not to meet his eyes, she muttered, "Can you help me out, please?" A nod toward the nightstand on the other side of the bed from where she had chained herself revealed a key resting on the edge farthest from the bed.

  As he made his approach, Ethan asked, "Why did you put the key so far away?"

  "I didn't want to give myself any reason to back out. If I put the key where I could reach it, I'd use it when I invariably chickened out."

  "Ah."

  She heard the slide of the key as he picked it up, then felt the bed depress with his weight.

  Her eyes flew up, finally meeting his. Key in hand, he positioned himself over her until he was practically straddling her, then leaned over her as he reached to insert the tiny key into the lock.

  Once again heat rushed to Rebel's face, but this time in awareness of his proximity. As he leaned over her, it brought his chest mere inches away from her face and his clean masculine scent filled her senses until all she wanted to do was inhale deeply—then lick the expanse of his neck that was exposed.

  "Damn, the key's having a hard time," Ethan muttered.

  All she could think to say was, "Oh," as he leaned even closer, reminding her of another certain act that would entail him leaning over her, close enough for her to lick, salty and slick with sweat. With him straddling her and her dressed in only a thin
garment, it didn't take much imagination to envision their limbs tangled together, writhing against each other as their bodies moved together in rhythm.

  Rebel squeezed her eyes shut, trying to banish the image, only for it to become all the more vivid in the darkness behind her eyes. For now everything was magnified with the loss of sight—the scent of his soap, the gentle rocking of the bed as he struggled with the handcuffs, every squeak of the bed with the slightest movement.

  "There, all free," he finally said, pulling back. Rebel's eyes popped open to escape the dangerous images flooding her mind—only to stare right into Ethan's before he had pulled back far enough.

  They stared at each other for seconds, erotic images dancing before her eyes as she did so. So she knew the moment he became aware of their positions, him poised over her and her beneath him, both on his bed. His sea-green eyes darkened into the stormy blues of the ocean, before his gaze dropped down to her lips. As if controlled by someone else, she licked her lips. His eyes darkened even more, if possible.

  She knew she should look away, break the spell, but she couldn't—didn't want to. Even when her mind reminded her he was all wrong for her, other parts of her body argued fervently that he was just what she needed.

  So when he lowered his mouth to hers, she kicked her logical brain to the curb, then pulled him closer instead.

  "So tell me. I want all the details. How did it go with Jared last night? Must have been good. You didn't get home until after I'd fallen asleep, and let me tell you, girl, I waited." The words greeted Rebel as soon as she tiptoed into her kitchen early the next morning. So much for sneaking to avoid an inquisition by her roommate.

  What Breanna didn't know was Rebel hadn't been home more than half an hour when she got caught. Rebel sighed, knowing it would be useless not to answer her roommate. The girl had the tenacity of a bulldog and would hound her until she spilled the beans.

  Grabbing the coffee pot, Rebel set about making some coffee. She would need a strong pot of Joe to sustain her for the day. She yawned, an action that did not go unnoticed by her roommate, judging by the twinkle that appeared in the woman's eyes.

  "So? Tell me! How was Jared?" she persisted.

  Rebel shrugged. "I don't know. I found out he has a girlfriend."

  Confusion crossed her roommate's features. "But you were gone all night. Where did you go?"

  Rebel blushed. "Yeah, about that. I ended up spending the night with his best friend."

  "What?" Breanna shrieked, her jaw dropping open and her light brown eyes widening in disbelief. Then a smile crept across her face. "Was it good?"

  Rebel blushed again, but couldn't help the smile that formed on her own face. "Yes."

  "So you gonna date this guy instead?" Interest brimmed in Breanna's eyes.

  Rebel frowned. "No, it was just one night."

  "But why?" Confusion replaced the interest.

  "Ethan is too much like my ex. Blond, good looking, loves the ladies too much, only out for a good time, flirting with me within seconds of us meeting. What happened last night was just a momentary lapse in judgment. It was good, and it'll remain a good memory, but getting involved with a Billy 2.0 would be sheer stupidity. What I want is a dependable, steady guy. Getting involved with Ethan McKinley would only end in heartache."

  "Hi, Rebel! Fancy meeting you here."

  At the familiar voice, Rebel groaned inwardly before turning around from where she had been picking from an assortment of apples at the local grocery store that afternoon.

  "Hi, Jared." After her near catastrophic blunder, she didn't want to face him. She only hoped Ethan hadn't mentioned anything to him.

  Next to Jared stood a beautiful woman, her raven hair cut into a stylish pixie cut. Jaclyn, Rebel guessed.

  "How are you doing? Haven't seen you around lately," Jared said.

  Yes, and it had been deliberate.

  "You know how it is, busy, busy, busy. Kitten season and all."

  "Rebel here volunteers at the local shelter," Jared explained to his paragon girlfriend. "Say, you two should get together sometime. Jaclyn here is quite involved with the PET Organization. It's a charity that benefits young animals who have been orphaned."

  Rebel's ears perked up. She had a soft heart for unfortunate animals and was willing to look past her epic embarrassment if it meant helping them.

  Jaclyn regarded her with interest. "You volunteer?"

  "Yes, though it's only biweekly at the moment."

  "Anything helps." Jaclyn's smile held genuine warmth and Rebel couldn't help but like her.

  Ten minutes later they were chatting and laughing as if they had been friends since childhood.

  "Oh, I just remembered," Jaclyn said as she and Jared were about to leave. Jared had been patiently waiting beside their shopping cart full of groceries while the two women had been conversing. "There is a charity auction next week. Tickets have been sold out for months, but I can help you get in if you're interested. Proceeds will go toward helping the PET Organization. It's the first time we're doing this type of auction, but it's been a huge hit already," Jaclyn explained as Rebel listened on with rapt ears.

  Color her intrigued. "What type of auction?"

  A dimple appeared in Jaclyn's cheek. "A bachelor auction."

  Definitely color her intrigued.

  It just might be what she needed.

  "Count me in."

  Music thumped through the air as Rebel made her way into the grand hall where the auction was to begin shortly. Eying Jaclyn, she made her way over to stand beside her.

  "Hi," she said once she reached her.

  Jaclyn turned at Rebel's voice, elation lighting up her face at the sight of her friend. She gave her a warm hug. "Hey, you! I'm glad you made it!"

  "Of course. It's for a great cause," Rebel said, smiling. She didn't tell Jaclyn that she intended to bid on one of the bachelors in the hopes of banishing from her mind the persistent memories of her night with Ethan. He was too much like her ex, with his flirty ways and his constant entourage of women. She didn't need another man like that, no, sir.

  "Oh, by the way, did I mention that Ethan is one of the bachelors?" Jaclyn asked innocently, as if reading her mind.

  Rebel feigned indifference. "Oh?" She only hoped her face wasn't as red as she imagined it to be, if judging by how hot it suddenly felt.

  "Yes. I bet he'll get a lot of women clamoring for a date with him, too. He's very popular with the ladies," Jaclyn confided, as if Rebel had never seen the swarm of women constantly surrounding him.

  "Yes, I've noticed."

  "But he's a one-woman kind of guy." Somehow Rebel doubted that. "He's such a great guy," Jaclyn prattled on, like a proud mother hen. "Whoever wins him will be very lucky indeed."

  Rebel only made a non-committal sound. From what she knew of Ethan, the "lucky" lady was more likely to have her hands full. She didn't envy that woman, whomever it might be, that was for sure.

  Luckily she wasn't required to make any further comments, as the lights dimmed at that moment and a woman in a tailored black pantsuit appeared, a microphone in her hand as she walked toward the center of the stage.

  "Ladies!" she boomed. "Thank you for coming out tonight in support of such a worthy cause! I know the PET Organization will appreciate your generosity tonight!" Enthusiastic hollering and clapping rang out through the room.

  "But I know what you've come here for tonight!" More hollering followed, especially when the large screen behind the emcee filled with images of shirtless men with golden tans and chiseled abs wearing only the yellow pants of a fireman uniform flashed across the screen, one after another, each man accompanied by a kitten, a puppy, a lamb, a chick, and various other baby animals.

  "You've all seen those delicious calendars featuring those delectable firefighters, along with those cute and cuddly animals, all benefitting charity! Well, now they've gone one step further and have agreed to do a bachel
or auction, once again featuring those scrumptious firefighters! All benefitting this great cause. Yes, ladies, this means you have a chance to live out your fantasy! Let's give them a round of applause!"

  Deafening applause and catcalls filled the grand space, growing even louder as the first bachelor stepped onto the stage in a sleek tuxedo that showcased the breadth of his shoulders and the tall length of his body and setting the auction into motion. Despite the man's undeniable good looks and irresistible charm as he winked and flashed his dazzling smile to the crowd of eager women, Rebel did not bid on him. Too much like her ex, the easy way in which he enjoyed the attention from the women.

  The next bachelor was just as gregarious and beautiful, with the bids coming as fast and furious as the first, the numbers rising at a quick pace. Every man that followed were snatched up quickly, each bringing in hundreds of dollars for the cause.

  Until Ethan stepped onto the stage. Suddenly a hush fell over the room. Other than a shout of, "Hey, Mr. Hot Stuff!" that pierced the silence, the room was strangely quiet. Ethan smiled at the woman who had called out his name, but otherwise remained standing with his hands clasped in front of him, unlike the other bachelors who had hammed it up for the audience, some even strutting across the stage, while others had thrown kisses toward the women.

  This was the first time she'd seen him since their night together. Aside from a nightly text from him saying, "Goodnight, Sweetheart," communication had been non-existent. It only reinforced how similar he was to her ex, who liked to pull a magician's act and disappear, often weeks at a time before returning home with sob stories of how he missed her and had been thinking of her nonstop, all while lipstick marks stained his collar and his clothes reeked of perfume. Rebel ignored the way her stomach fluttered at the sight of Ethan's tall frame, pushed out all thoughts of how he had made her insides liquefy when he had kissed her all over, the way he had made her lose control as she screamed his name, and instead hardened her heart against raising the paddle in her hands and making a bid.