Excerpt
Heart pounding, Lauren turned with a polite smile plastered on her face to address the owner of the rich, deep, very masculine voice.
And almost twisted both ankles in her high-heeled shoes.
He was tall—six-four, six-five. His thick raven hair had silvery strands at both temples.
Instead of making him look old, they added sophistication and enhanced his grey eyes.
He was drop dead gorgeous.
“L-Lauren Matt-hews,” she stammered and extended her hand politely.
“Beautiful name for a beautiful woman.” He took her hand and raised it to his lips.
I bet you say that to all the girls.
“I’m Drake.”
“Pleased to meet you.” She pulled her hand free when he made no attempt to release it and turned to leave. “I must go. I have to let the bartender know that I’m—”
“Not anymore.” He briefly raised a finger and Maxwell hurried over.
How had the man even seen Drake’s subtle gesture? It had been so fleeting; the man had to have been watching Drake to have noticed it.
Lauren felt her face burn. The manager had interviewed and hired her for the cleaning job. He was probably wondering what the hell she was doing in the club prancing around as a waitress.
“Lauren won’t be working tonight,” Drake told the man without the slightest explanation or hint of apology.
“Certainly.” The man agreed with a nod of his perfectly coiffed dark head. “I will let Amaund know.”
“How dare you!” Lauren hissed as soon as the manager was out of earshot. “Now I won’t get paid.”
“Of course you will,” he responded. “I own the club.”
“Oh!”
Lauren’s legs threatened to give out from under her. How could she have not made the connection the moment the man mentioned that his first name was Drake?
It wasn’t a typical name.
Not in the UK.
But, she thought resentfully, he should have introduced himself properly. He should have given his freaking surname!
The name ‘Patterson’ she would have recognized immediately.
He was her employer after all…and every, every bit as mouth watering as Stacey had described him.
“Enter,” his deep voice beckoned.
Heart pounding, Lauren turned with a polite smile plastered on her face to address the owner of the rich, deep, very masculine voice.
And almost twisted both ankles in her high-heeled shoes.
He was tall—six-four, six-five. His thick raven hair had silvery strands at both temples.
Instead of making him look old, they added sophistication and enhanced his grey eyes.
He was drop dead gorgeous.
“L-Lauren Matt-hews,” she stammered and extended her hand politely.
“Beautiful name for a beautiful woman.” He took her hand and raised it to his lips.
I bet you say that to all the girls.
“I’m Drake.”
“Pleased to meet you.” She pulled her hand free when he made no attempt to release it and turned to leave. “I must go. I have to let the bartender know that I’m—”
“Not anymore.” He briefly raised a finger and Maxwell hurried over.
How had the man even seen Drake’s subtle gesture? It had been so fleeting; the man had to have been watching Drake to have noticed it.
Lauren felt her face burn. The manager had interviewed and hired her for the cleaning job. He was probably wondering what the hell she was doing in the club prancing around as a waitress.
“Lauren won’t be working tonight,” Drake told the man without the slightest explanation or hint of apology.
“Certainly.” The man agreed with a nod of his perfectly coiffed dark head. “I will let Amaund know.”
“How dare you!” Lauren hissed as soon as the manager was out of earshot. “Now I won’t get paid.”
“Of course you will,” he responded. “I own the club.”
“Oh!”
Lauren’s legs threatened to give out from under her. How could she have not made the connection the moment the man mentioned that his first name was Drake?
It wasn’t a typical name.
Not in the UK.
But, she thought resentfully, he should have introduced himself properly. He should have given his freaking surname!
The name ‘Patterson’ she would have recognized immediately.
He was her employer after all…and every, every bit as mouth watering as Stacey had described him.
Excerpt
It was time for the second rule: You will spend every night in my arms.
Not in my bed.
In my arms.
Many nights she’d wished that Neil would hold her just a little after they’d made love. Instead, he’d rolled off and promptly started snoring besides her. A few times he’d been too drunk to roll off. He had been only slight, but she’d had no choice but to push him off bodily when parts of her body went numb from his deadweight.
Three months before he’d left, they had been lying entwined on the sofa one Saturday watching a movie after they’d polished off Chinese takeaway from their favourite local. He’d complained that his arms ached from being stretched around her. She’d laughed and suggested that they reversed positions so that she could hug him instead.
That night when she’d been sure that he was sound asleep, she’d cried as she hadn’t since she fell as a child and broke her arm. It hadn’t been the worst thing Neil had ever said to her, but it had hurt like little else had done.
Drake’s arms were longer and stronger…but all night was a long time.
Perhaps he means it figuratively, she decided, belting the sash of the matching dressing gown and opening the door that led to his dressing room.
As she crossed the thick carpet to his bedroom door she imagined some duke or earl sneaking back the same way after making love to his duchess or countess.
I read way too many historical romance novels, she thought with a laugh and quickened her step.
She was grateful that she didn’t have to trek down the hall and risk running into one of his staff—she would die if one of his employees caught her dressed as she was.
His bedroom door was ajar. She tapped on it and held her breath.
It was time for the second rule: You will spend every night in my arms.
Not in my bed.
In my arms.
Many nights she’d wished that Neil would hold her just a little after they’d made love. Instead, he’d rolled off and promptly started snoring besides her. A few times he’d been too drunk to roll off. He had been only slight, but she’d had no choice but to push him off bodily when parts of her body went numb from his deadweight.
Three months before he’d left, they had been lying entwined on the sofa one Saturday watching a movie after they’d polished off Chinese takeaway from their favourite local. He’d complained that his arms ached from being stretched around her. She’d laughed and suggested that they reversed positions so that she could hug him instead.
That night when she’d been sure that he was sound asleep, she’d cried as she hadn’t since she fell as a child and broke her arm. It hadn’t been the worst thing Neil had ever said to her, but it had hurt like little else had done.
Drake’s arms were longer and stronger…but all night was a long time.
Perhaps he means it figuratively, she decided, belting the sash of the matching dressing gown and opening the door that led to his dressing room.
As she crossed the thick carpet to his bedroom door she imagined some duke or earl sneaking back the same way after making love to his duchess or countess.
I read way too many historical romance novels, she thought with a laugh and quickened her step.
She was grateful that she didn’t have to trek down the hall and risk running into one of his staff—she would die if one of his employees caught her dressed as she was.
His bedroom door was ajar. She tapped on it and held her breath.
“Enter,” his deep voice beckoned.