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One Night with the Wealthy Rancher & Billionaire, M.D.: A 2-in-1 Collection (Harlequin Bestselling Author) - Softcover

Buch 2 von 6: Texas Cattlemans Club: Maverick County Millionaire

Jackson, Brenda; Gates, Olivia

 
9780373010219: One Night with the Wealthy Rancher & Billionaire, M.D.: A 2-in-1 Collection (Harlequin Bestselling Author)
Softcover
ISBN 10: 0373010214 ISBN 13: 9780373010219
Verlag: Harlequin Bestselling Author Collection, 2015

Inhaltsangabe

Sometimes a knight in shining armor wears a Stetson 

Seven years ago, as a young cop, Darius Franklin saved a vulnerable woman from a violent situation. They shared one night of pure passion before she walked away. Now Darius is a wealthy rancher and security contractor working at a women's shelter. And he's shocked to meet the new social worker: Summer Martindale, a beautiful damsel no longer in distress. 

Darius has never been able to forget that night—or forgive Summer for the pain she caused him when she left. And he's suspicious of why she's suddenly in his part of Texas. But neither can deny the desire still crackling between them. When Summer's life is once again threatened, Darius knows he can only protect her if he stays very close to her… 

BONUS BOOK INCLUDED IN THIS VOLUME! 

Billionaire, M.D. by USA TODAY bestselling author Olivia Gates 

Pregnant Cybele awakes in the hospital with no memory of her past—and no clue just how deeply entwined her life is with the handsome Spanish surgeon at her bedside. The truth will change everything—forever.

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Über die Autorinnen und Autoren

Brenda Jackson is a New York Times bestselling author of more than one hundred romance titles. Brenda lives in Jacksonville, Florida, and divides her time between family, writing and traveling. Email Brenda at authorbrendajackson@gmail.com or visit her on her website at brendajackson.net.

USA TODAY Bestselling author Olivia Gates has published over thirty books in contemporary, action/adventure and paranormal romance. And whether in today's world or the others she creates, she writes larger than life heroes and heroines worthy of them, the only ones who'll bring those sheikhs, princes, billionaires or gods to their knees. She loves to hear from readers at oliviagates@gmail.com or on facebook.com/oliviagatesauthor, Twitter @Oliviagates. For her latest news visit oliviagates.com

Auszug. © Genehmigter Nachdruck. Alle Rechte vorbehalten.

"What are you doing here, Summer?"

Summer Martindale's eyes froze on the document in front of her at the sound of the husky voice. It was a voice she hadn't heard in almost seven years, yet she distinctively remembered the sensuous timbre and how every audible vibration could stir her senses in a way that even today she could not explain.

In a way she wished she could forget.

She inhaled deeply and after a moment, she lifted her eyes and stared into Darius Franklin's dark and intense gaze. It was a gaze that was emitting a chilling glare.

Summer could just as easily glare back but refused to let him know how disturbing it was to see him again. What had once been between them was over and done with. He had made sure of that in the worst possible way, which she could never forgive him for. His actions had caused her pain—a degree of pain she vowed never to experience again.

"I could ask you the same thing, Darius," she finally responded. Her tone was just as sharp as his had been.

He stood tall, all six foot one inches of him, as he leaned in the doorway with his arms crossed over his chest and his gaze fixed directly on her. She thought at that moment the very same thing she'd thought when she'd first laid eyes on him. Darius Franklin, with his pecan tan complexion, close-cut black hair, charcoal gray eyes and neat pencil-thin mustache, was an extremely handsome man. But there were other noticeable changes. His cheekbones appeared more pronounced and his lips seemed firmer.

His dark stare, as well as the way a muscle seemed to twitch in his jaw, were all the evidence she needed that he wasn't happy to see her and if truth be told, she wasn't happy to see him, either. It would be a lie to claim she hadn't thought about him over the years, because she had. Yet at the same time, the memory of what he'd put her through—the humiliation, heartbreak and pain—made her regret ever lowering her guard and letting him into her life.

He stepped away from the door and she watched his every move, wishing she weren't drawn to how fit his body was, and wishing a tug of desire had not invaded her stomach. Although he wasn't as lean as he used to be, he wore his masculinity well. Well-toned muscles outlined his chest and shoulders—muscles she could easily see through the material of his chambray shirt. And then there were jeans that hugged his firm hips and strong thighs. They were thighs that could keep a tight hold on hers as he thrust deeper and deeper inside of her.

She forced the turbulent memories away. Her gaze moved back up to his eyes and she tried not to flinch at the cold look in them. Something inside her shivered and she wondered how a man she had once fallen in love with so deeply could end up treating her so shabbily.

"I live here in Somerset."

His voice cut through Summer's thoughts. He lived here in Somerset? Maverick County? That information immediately filled her with apprehension and dread, as well as curiosity. When had he left the Houston Police Department and why?

"I live in Somerset, as well," she heard herself say. "I moved to town last month to work here at Helping Hands as a social worker."

Surprise lit his eyes. "A social worker?"

"Yes."

She understood his surprise. When he'd last seen her seven years ago, he'd been twenty-four years old and a detective with the Houston Police Department. And she'd been a nineteen-year-old trying to escape the clutches of an abusive fiancé by the name of Tyrone Whitman. After she had broken off their engagement, Tyrone had refused to get out of her life, to leave her alone. He had stalked her for months before he'd finally caught her alone in her apartment, and for three hours he had held a gun to her head, threatening to blow her brains out.

While the SWAT team had been trying to talk Tyrone into surrendering, Darius had broken into the apartment by coming through a bathroom window. He'd apprehended Tyrone and saved her. That night, Darius Franklin had become her knight in shining armor.

He was the same man who had stopped by her apartment the next day to repair the window, and the same man who, after learning that a not-too-smart judge had posted bail for Tyrone, made it his business to become her protector until the trial. After that, he was the same man who she began seeing on a daily basis, who would drop by when his shift changed to spend time with her, to show her how special he thought she was.

The same man who during that time, for one night, had been her lover.

"So, you went to college and got your degree?" he asked, and for a split second she could have sworn she detected a degree of admiration in his voice, but the look in his hard gaze told her she'd been wrong.

"Yes, I got my degree," she responded, proud of her accomplishment and quickly remembering he was one of the few people who'd encouraged her to do so, and convinced her that she could. He had made her believe in herself. And a part of her had believed in them, in a future together. He had proven her wrong.

"Congratulations."

"Thank you," she said briskly, putting aside the document she had been reading. "So, why are you here, Darius? Although we've established the fact that we're both living in Somerset, I'm sure this town is big enough for the both of us. What brings you to Helping Hands?"

"I'm here to install the security system as well as the billing account for the shelter," he said, as if that explained everything.

She nodded. "I was told the Texas Cattleman's Club would be sending someone over to do those things," she said, finding it hard to concentrate.

She had heard a lot about the Texas Cattleman's Club, a group of men who considered themselves the protectors of Texas and whose members consisted of the wealthiest men in Texas, mostly from old money. The TCC was known to help a number of worthy causes in the community and Helping Hands, a newly opened women's shelter located in the small, impoverished section of wealthy Maverick County, was one of them. They provided all the shelter's funding.

Summer had interviewed for the position at the shelter and once she had been offered the job, had decided it would be a good way to have a fresh start. She had made the move from Austin, where she had been living for the past six years.

"How did you get the job?" She couldn't help but ask.

He shrugged. "I own a security company."

She raised a brow, surprised he had gotten out of law enforcement. He'd made a good police detective and she'd figured it would be his career. "How long have you been living in Somerset?" she asked.

"Around six years."

It was the same amount of time she had lived in Austin. He had moved here a year after they had broken up. She quickly recalled that they really hadn't broken up since they had never truly been together…at least not like she'd assumed they had.

"If you're through with your interrogation, I'd like to get to work," he said.

"Fine. I'll get out of your way if you need to work in here for a while," she said, getting up from her desk. Seeing him again after all this time was just a bit too much. Bittersweet memories were trying to invade her brain and she was determined to fight them back.

"If you need anything, just let the shelter's secretary, Marcy Dillard, know. I'll use this time to go to lunch."

She grabbed her purse out of her desk drawer and quickly moved past him toward the...

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Verlag
Harlequin Bestselling Author Collection
Erscheinungsdatum
2015
Sprache
Englisch
ISBN 10 
0373010214
ISBN 13 
9780373010219
Einband
Taschenbuch
Anzahl der Seiten
368
Kontakt zum Hersteller
Nicht verfügbar
Verantwortliche Person
Product Safety Manager
enquiries@harpercollins.ie

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