Going for Four: Counting on Love, Book 4 (38 page)

Scandalous, Book 1

After her parents’ deaths, Evelyn Banks endured a living hell for nearly two years at the hands of her godfather’s son. She couldn’t tell anyone…not her brother, and certainly not the godfather who took them in.

Now she is twenty-five—and still trapped in silence. After all the time, no one would believe her. And any revelation of her shame could halt her godfather’s political aspirations. But what she can do is take her design firm to the next level with a project for her brother’s best friend. Handsome, sexy hotelier Vincent Hawk.

Vin has always had a thing for Evie, but kept his hands off out of respect for her brother. Now that they’re traveling together, though, keeping his distance is tearing him apart. Except every move he makes to get close is met with not just mere resistance, but with a fear-whitened face and trembling body.

Evie can’t deny she’s falling for Vin, but accepting their future means facing her past…a past that could destroy everyone she loves.

Warning: This book contains a heroine who fights to get past her demons, a hero who’s more than willing to help, a few emotional scenes that may require a tissue and some steamy love scenes guaranteed to make you fan yourself.

Enjoy the following excerpt for
Sins from Her Past:

Oh mercy.

Was the man purposely toying with her? She would not be a cliché and fall for her boss. Technically they were friends first, but right now he was her boss.

“How about if we turn the tables and discuss the woman behind the new design business?”

She laughed. “Okay, Vincent, I’ll let you dig deeper into my professional life for a bit.”
But not too deep.

The water bottle popped as he squeezed it a bit too hard, so he settled it into the cup holder and screwed the cap back on. “What can you offer me?”

Tremors raced, one after the other, through her body. She knew he meant business but, mercy, his words had a whole other meaning. Almost sexual and for the first time, she wanted to explore that underlying passion, but that damn fear kept her from doing so. Still, she was thankful and almost relieved at these normal feelings of desire.

Evelyn ran a finger over the stones of her single-strand diamond bracelet. “I have an eye for details and am a perfectionist. I take the work off my clients so they can relax and enjoy the process.”

“From working with you and the team at Marshall’s I can see how much you love your work.”

“Every minute.”

“That’s what will set you apart from the rest.” His eyes held hers, his tone softened. “When you love something it comes through without any effort.”

Smile frozen in place, Evelyn eyed him with a tilt of her head. “Don’t tell me you love your work. Money clouds the vision.”

“There you go assuming you know the business side of me,” he corrected. He glanced out the side window, then quickly back at her. “Yes, money is nice, but I love what I do just as much as you do. I wouldn’t be in this business if I didn’t. You know how hard I work. Money is a side benefit of doing something I love.”

“Didn’t mean to lump you into the category of rich snobs,” she told him, batting her lashes.

“Oh please. You love knocking me down a peg.” He laughed. “Seriously, I won’t let the money change me.”

“It hasn’t,” she assured him, taking in his faded jeans and black, fitted T-shirt. “I promise to smack you back to reality if it does.”

“I’m afraid you’d like smacking me a little too much,” he told her.

Yes, he owned a jet and two homes, but the man was generous with his time and money and constantly donated to children’s charities and women’s shelters. While he never bragged or boasted about it, Evelyn had witnessed firsthand the people whose lives he’d touched with his generosity. And he didn’t just donate money—often he donated his time.

“Dylan seemed excited we were working together,” she told him. “But he’s a little bummed I just got home and left again.”

“We won’t be gone long.”

Vin gripped the arm of the seat as the plane hit an air pocket. He held his breath for a moment, then blew it out as he focused on her.

“You okay?” she asked. She’d never seen him act so…scared almost. What was up with that? “You seem a bit shaky.”

“I’m fine.” He gripped his bottle in the cup holder, cracking the plastic. “I tried calling him, but he was busy. I guess with fixing up your old house he’s got his hands full.”

“I just hope he doesn’t regret staying there during the process.”

Vin shrugged. “The memories will be there no matter when he goes back. Don’t worry about him.”

“The memories of our parents will certainly be the hardest,” she told him. “But there’re also the memories of Corinne. There’s so much heartache in that house, Vin. I just hope he doesn’t regret purchasing it.”

Evelyn hated the girl who had broken her brother’s heart and nearly killed his spirit in the process. But Vin was right. Dylan was a big boy and he’d be fine…even if his world-renowned model ex-girlfriend returned to their tiny town.

“It’s understandable that you’d want to protect him,” Vin told her. “Especially after what he did for you when your parents died. Between him, Rick and Alan, you were fortunate to have people to take care of you.”

She refused to give an ounce of gratitude. Rage toward the man who murdered her innocence and continued to plague her life bubbled up in her.

Evelyn straightened her shoulders, tilted her chin. “I never needed anyone to care for me.” She came to her feet to look down at him. “I’m more than capable—”

Another air pocket jerked the plane, sending her stumbling onto his lap.

Vin merely quirked a brow and smiled. “You were saying?”

Oh no, she couldn’t be in his lap, not with that sexy mouth so close. Not with that thick, muscular body molded to hers with only their thin layers of clothing separating them. And certainly not when she was seething with anger on top of these newfound urges of desire. How could she trust her own judgment?

His heavy-lidded gaze dropped to her lips.

“Vincent.” Her plea came in a whisper, not strong like she needed it to be. This couldn’t happen. On so many levels this spark of intimacy was wrong.

But on the only level that mattered right now, this feeling in his arms was so, so right. They’d hugged countless times over the years, but nothing like this. No hold had ever felt so…safe and electric at the same time.

With one arm firmly around her, he brought his other hand to her lips, stroking the bottom one with the pad of his thumb. Without her consent, her breath hitched. The man had too much power over her. Power was something she couldn’t lose control of. For her own peace of mind, she needed to stay in control at all times.

Cupping the side of her face in one strong hand, he closed the gap between them. As his lips claimed hers, he stroked the side of her face. Evelyn couldn’t recall what her fantasies of kissing Vincent were like, which just went to prove that reality was much, much better.

Going for Four

Erin Nicholas

It’s either true love…or the biggest mistake they’ve ever made.

Counting on Love, Book 4

Hot firefighter Cody Madsen has stayed away from Olivia Dixon for almost two years—technically. Even though he talks to her every day and sees her every weekend. But there’s no kissing, touching, or telling her how he really feels. Because they’re
just friends.
 
Anything more than that would mean crossing the line that Olivia’s older brother has firmly drawn between them.

Olivia wants what her three sisters have—true love. She could almost believe she’s found it with Cody, if it weren’t for the fact that he’s her older brother’s best friend and her brother won’t have it. And he’s never steered her wrong before. Her head is telling her to trust her brother, but her heart won’t let go of Cody.
 

Her solution? A dating site where she and Cody can each find their “Perfect Pick” once and for all.

But when the site yields some unexpected results, their real feelings come front and center. And they have to decide if it’s worth the risk to cross the line from friendship to love after all.

Warning: Contains a starry-eyed romantic, a wannabe knight in shining armor, and chocolate chip cookies. A
lot
of chocolate chip cookies.

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This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the writer’s imagination or have been used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, locale or organizations is entirely coincidental.

Samhain Publishing, Ltd.

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Going for Four

Copyright © 2014 by Erin Nicholas

ISBN: 978-1-61921-772-0

Edited by Lindsey Faber

Cover by Angela Waters

All Rights Are Reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

First
Samhain Publishing, Ltd.
electronic publication: February 2014

www.samhainpublishing.com