From one-night fling...to the real thing?
For wealthy real estate CEO Cole Masters, a weekend in New Orleans means meeting a beautiful woman and blowing off steam. No names, no strings. So months later when the same woman shows up on his doorstep, it’s a shocker. Even worse, she’s an archaeologist with a court order to access his property—and mess up his business plan. And yet he’s still wild about her.
For Tallie Finley, this mission is both professional and personal, and Cole could prove too tempting a distraction. Will her efforts to uncover her family legacy be derailed...especially when she discovers she’s expecting?
“Could we start again, Tallie?”
He lowered his head, his lips almost touching hers. Then he was kissing her again. This time she felt his hunger and it drew her to him. His tongue moistened her lips before plunging deep inside the cavern of her mouth. She felt his hand at the back of her head, holding her to him as he continued to blow her mind. She heard him groan, then he was backing away, making the heat of the day drop to below freezing.
She wanted his arms around her. She wanted him to kiss her some more, make love to her. She was putty in his arms, encircled by the scent and strength and touch of him. But he was Cole Masters. The Cole Masters. Playboy of the western world. He knew what he was doing. He knew a woman’s body as well as his own, so under the circumstances she couldn’t agree. Eventually he would feel her enlarging belly and he would know. Then his professed interest would change into loathing because he would think she’d set him up; that she had gotten pregnant on purpose.
“I suppose we could talk.”
* * *
One Night with the Texan is part of Lauren Canan’s the Masters of Texas series.
One Night with the Texan
Lauren Canan
LAUREN CANAN has always been in love with love. When she began writing, stories of romance and unbridled passion flowed through her fingers onto the page. Today she is a multi-award-winning author, including the prestigious Romance Writers of America Golden Heart® Award. She lives in Texas with her own real-life hero, four dogs and a mouthy parrot named Bird.
She loves to hear from readers. Find her on Facebook or visit her website, www.laurencanan.com.
Contents
Cole Masters descended the steps of the hotel after his business meeting, bodyguards in tow, and walked toward the waiting limo that would take him to the airport and back to Dallas. The deal he was here to finalize had gone without a hitch. He’d actually been hoping the other party would voice some objections, stir things up a bit. But it had gone down as just another dull and boring merger.
Cole stopped and looked around him. The late-afternoon sun felt good on his face. New Orleans. The Big Easy. It had been years since he’d ventured into the French Quarter with all its laughter and music, but he remembered it fondly. Suddenly something snapped inside and he walked to the waiting car.
“Find out where there’s a thrift store. Something like Goodwill.”
“Sir?”
“Just do it, please.”
The driver disappeared inside the car and returned minutes later with an address.
“Excellent. Can you take me there?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Gene, you and Marco are dismissed,” he said to the security detail. “The plane is waiting in Concourse D. Use it and fly home.”
“Mr. Masters, I don’t know if this is such a good idea.”
“It’ll be fine. Have the pilot back here by tomorrow afternoon.”
Cole got into the limo. “Let’s go shopping,” he told the driver and they were off, leaving the two bodyguards standing at the edge of the street staring after him as though he’d lost his mind. And maybe he had. He wanted to be wild, live in the moment, free of obligations to anyone or anything. Blend in with the other pedestrians and enjoy the few hours he’d allotted himself.
He was tired. Tired of the yes-men who would agree with anything he said. Tired of people using him. Tired of the same corporate demands, the same schemes. He’d grown weary of knowing what questions would be asked and knowing the answers before words ever left the person’s mouth. He was especially tired of being hostage to the family’s business negotiations. The image he was required to maintain had come to feel like a chain around his neck. He couldn’t free himself