Bonus Content

For my subscriber's only!  A little taste of my entire new series Moonlight Beach Bachelors, here's the first two chapters of this novella Online Read coming to Harlequin on January 26th.  Enjoy a little Holiday Gift from me to you!      

Secret Designs on the Billionaire 

CHAPTER ONE

          What were the odds that Matthew “Maverick” Sullivan would come back from the dead to haunt her again? Okay, so he wasn’t really dead, but dead as far as she was concerned.  Of course, for a corpse, he was better looking than she’d remembered in high school, those shoulders were rock pillars now, his heart-melting eyes even deeper blue, as if that was possible and he might’ve even grown an inch or two past his six foot frame since twelfth grade.

            He stood in the foyer of super star Dylan McKay’s Moonlight Beach mansion. “Thanks, Joanna,” he said to the housekeeper who’d let her in.  “So you’re the artist?”     

            He didn’t recognize her.  Not too many people from her high school days did anymore.  The “Cookie” McDonald who’d been bullied and badgered as a kid was also a corpse and she wasn’t going to dig her up, not even for the former college All-American-turned-movie star, Matt Sullivan.  “I’m Lisa Mills from Beanstalk Designs.  I’ve been commissioned by Mr. McKay.”

            “Right,” he said, rubbing his chin.  His gaze lazily rolled over her body, one fluid sweep that took in her blonde waves and the snug fit of her size six denim dress and then sliding down her legs to glimpse her smooth leather boots.  Beanstalk was her baby and she had to portray fashionable and hip, yet business-like and smart.  This commission to mega star Dylan McKay could skyrocket her career.  “I didn’t realize you were starting so soon.”

            “Mr. McKay wanted me to start on the first of the month,” she informed him.

            He was the houseguest that would be overseeing the project?  Fate couldn’t be that cruel.   

          “Well, it is the first,” he said, the Mav’s killer grin reminding her that some people just got better with age.  Thirty-one years of golden boy status…some guys had all the luck.  “Come in. Dylan is filming overseas, and since I’m living here temporarily, I’m elected to show you around.  I’m Matt.”  He extended his hand.

            Placing her hand in his was surreal. She’d had daydreams and night sweats over Maverick Sullivan touching her and that was before he’d become world famous.  A thrill shimmied up and down her spine as he pumped once. “Hello, Matt.”

            “Lisa, right?” 

            She nodded.  To him and all of Chesapeake High, she’d been known as the fat girl, Cookie McDonald.  Not pleasingly plump, not jolly round, or chubby with a pretty face. Her nickname had once been a loving endearment initiated by her father, but after his death, she’d gained ninety pounds.  For a girl who stood five foot four, those pounds rounded her out like a giant chocolate chip cookie, and the name had stuck.    

            “So, Lisa from Beanstalk Designs, where would you like to start?”

            “It’s Mr. McKay’s preference that I start in his master bedroom.”

            Eyes twinkling, he waggled his brows. “Yeah, that’s sounds just like Dylan.”

            Dylan had a reputation with women, yet he’d been polite and professional with her and she’d been put at ease while doing the preliminary mock-ups for him.  “I’m sorry, I don’t understand?” 

            “I don’t get it either. What exactly is Beanstalk Designs?”

           

CHAPTER TWO                                   

      “So what you do really is a form of living art,” Matt said, eyeing her a little differently now that she’d explained.  That he’d been eyeing her at all blew her mind.

        “Yes, that’s right.  I create and build vertical gardens. It’s a very specialized field.”  She opened her notebook and handed him her card as they headed further into the house. “I’m surprised Mr. McKay didn’t explain it to you.”

        “He may have, I don’t remember.  Last time we spoke on the phone, I was blitzed.”  He shrugged a shoulder.  “I celebrated a little too hard at a wrap party.”

        “Gotcha.  If you don’t mind, I’d like to get started. My team is due here in a few minutes.”
        Her team consisted of her younger brother, Joe and his buddy, Malcolm.  Fresh out of college, with no job prospects, they’d agreed to help launch her business.  That was two years ago and she’d been able to keep her business afloat, barely, and keep them on the payroll. 
      “Sure.” They reached the winding staircase. “After you.”

        Lisa gulped down trepidation and managed a feeble smile as she climbed the stairs with Maverick Sullivan steps behind her.

Lord have mercy.   If he didn’t know who she was by now, he’d probably never figure it out. No sense waking the dead.  She was years past that humiliation and didn’t want a reenactment.  She had weeks of work to accomplish and needed a clear head. 

        The toe of her boot missed the step. She careened backward, her arms flailing for balance.  Her notebook took flight, the pages flittering like the flapping of a bird’s wings as it flew over the banister. “Whoops!” 
         Her back met with Matt’s rock wall of a chest. His arms wrapped around her torso, securing her, both wrists pressing the underside of her breast.  Wild heartbeats pounded her chest.  She’d always been clumsy around him. He made her do stupid things.  Oh, how she’d hated him for that.

       “Lisa,” he said, his warm breath tickling her ear.  “Are you okay?”

       He held her, still. 

       She closed her eyes and relished him surrounding her, protecting her.  “Yes, I’m fine.” 

      “Your foot twisted on the step. You didn’t hurt your ankle?”
      She wanted to jump into a rabbit hole. “No, no. I think I’m good.” 

     “Okay, guess I’m going to have to let go of you now,” he rasped, his breath warm against her throat.  He smelled good, like fresh rain and soap.  Supposedly dead to her, here he was alive and gorgeous and keeping her from falling down the stairs.

His arms slid away and she grabbed the banister.  “Thank you.”

      “Welcome.”  He eyed her notebook lying at the base of the stairs.  “I’ll be back in a sec.  Wait for me in the bedroom.”
      Her stomach clenched and she stood immobilized.  She hadn’t heard him correctly, had she?  Those exact words didn’t tumble out of his mouth just now. 

      Lisa sighed at the sheer absurdity of her situation. Those were the very same last words Matthew “Maverick” Sullivan had ever spoken to her.

     Back in high school.