Claiming His Valentine Read online

  She watched him as he kissed her intimately. She didn’t move when his hands pulled her towel open and let it fall. He struggled to pull his towel, and discarded it onto the floor before lowering himself down and kissing her shoulder. Trailing small kisses down the side of her left breast, he continued down her stomach. Sarah-Jane held her breath when he reached her pussy, his tongue teasing around the outside of her labia. His fingers explored her, sliding inside her as his tongue tantalized her clit.

  When he crawled back up to her face, he grabbed her and rolled her over on top of him. His kisses grew more passionate, and his hands touched her with more urgency. She opened her legs around him, his hardened cock pressing against her pubic bone. She moved perfectly and moaned when he entered her. She wanted to love him, she needed to love him. She had to learn to give in to her desires and forget her inhibitions. Moving slowly back and forth, she kissed his neck, wondering how she was able to get so lucky to have a man like Callum Black fall in love with her. Sarah-Jane wasn’t sure how she truly felt about him, but she needed to find out.

  They made love as the sun illuminated the room through a large bay window overlooking the city. They came together and lay next to each other, their breathing slowly steading. They fell blissfully asleep in each other’s arms.

  Sarah-Jane awoke to find the curtains closed and a rumble in her stomach so loud she was sure it would wake Callum.

  “I don’t think I slept that well in weeks,” she said, smiling and stretching her tired body. She ached, but she felt amazing.

  When Sarah-Jane rolled over, all she saw were disheveled sheets and a crumpled pillow. Wrapping the sheet around her, she went to the stairs where she smelled the intoxicating aroma of coffee and bacon.

  She followed the scent down the stairs and through the house. When she got to the kitchen, she peeked around the corner to see Callum dancing around the kitchen with just an apron on his body and a spatula in his hand.

  Sarah-Jane was in love.

  ***

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  His Prize:

  A Second Chance

  Billionaire Romance

  She’s not getting away this time.

  My billion-dollar company ran a competition that swept the nation.

  First prize?

  One week at my Caribbean mansion.

  I can’t believe my eyes when the winner steps off the plane.

  Olivia King.

  The girl who wouldn’t go to prom with me.

  I never expected her to win my prize.

  But now that she’s here, I’m going to give it to her over and over.

  *** A steamy STANDALONE contemporary romance novella with a smoking hot hero. No cliffhanger, no cheating and a guaranteed happily-ever-after.***

  CHAPTER ONE

  OLIVIA KING

  I CAN’T WAIT to bury my toes in warm white sand.

  Peering out the window, I watch as the clouds buoy the private jet in its journey across the sky.

  Sighing, I tear my eyes away from the peaceful view and marvel at my luck.

  The last two weeks flash through my mind as I take in the opulence of the plane that is transporting me from little old Tennessee to Turks and Caicos.

  Spacious leather seating, wood-grain trimmings and a gracious stewardess to cater to my every need.

  Everything is at my fingertips all because I randomly entered a contest on a social media app that Winnie couldn’t stop raving about.

  After downloading the Discover Travel app, I entered the contest by answering a simple question: How has traveling changed your life?

  Sticking to the truth, I instead shared how the absence of travel had shaped my life. All the flights I never booked. All the adventures I’d never had. As well as how much I wanted to change that.

  Now, it’s happening.

  I could kiss Winnie on the forehead for her pesky insistence.

  As if she can sense that I’m thinking about her, my phone vibrates as a new message comes through. Thanks to the complimentary WiFi on the flight, I’m still able to utilize my phone’s cloud messaging feature.

  Don’t forget about my shout out!

  When I land, I’m set to meet the creator of the app, Bash Something-or-other. What kind of name is that? Cameras will be present to capture him giving me my prize of one-million dollars, as well as the keys to the private house I’ll be staying in for the duration of my one-week stay on the southernmost island of Turks and Caicos.

  I have dinner tonight with the creator of the app as part of the contest, then the rest of the week is mine to fill with whatever I want to do.

  The meet and greet is set to stream live on the app as well as Good Morning America. The thought of so many eyes on me is nerve-racking but at least I’ll be fashionable while I’m sweating bullets.

  With Winnie’s help, I went shopping earlier this week and nearly maxed out the one credit card I had.

  Grinning, I tap out a reply to my best friend.

  Couldn’t forget it for the world. I’m so freaking excited!!

  I followed the exclamatory text with a string of emojis to further convey my excitement.

  I’m excited for you, sweetie.

  I type out another message.

  I wish you were here with me.

  The original plan was for Winnie to act as my plus one for the duration of the trip. However, her boss overturned his approval for her vacation request at the last minute when a big project came up.

  So I’m flying solo. Literally.

  I’ll make it up to you, doll. Just relax and soak it in. You deserve this break more than anyone I know. Enjoy every second.

  My heart squeezes at her sweet words.

  Thanks, hon. See ya in a week! Kisses

  Seconds later, my phone buzzes in my lap. I laugh looking down at the screen.

  And don’t forget to tell me all about your island fling. I want to hear every detail.

  Snickering, I return my gaze back to the window and get lost in my thoughts.

  For some reason, Winnie is convinced that I’m going to find a handsome stranger and engage in all sorts of lewd acts during my short stay. She claims I can use the “release” and an island fling is the perfect way to get my feet wet again after such a dry spell.

  I haven’t dated anyone seriously in years.

  Not since my ex, Jordan, who failed to mention he’d been planning his wedding the whole time we were involved. One morning, I’d logged into my Facebook account during a break at the nursing home and nearly lost my breakfast.

  Posted for all our friends to see were photos of Jordan from the previous night, dressed in a tux and looking lovingly at a woman who was not me as he exchanged his wedding vows.

  To say I was heartbroken would be an understatement. Shattered was more like it.

  Of all the shitty things in my life, I had considered Jordan to be my bright spot. But apparently, I’d only been a distraction from his true love.

  The whole ordeal devastated me for months. I’d been so humiliated that I shut down, emotionally and physically.

  I’d ended up quitting my job and sleeping on Winnie’s couch for a month. Her tough love had brought me back to life and given me the boost I needed to get back on my feet.

  She told me that I was welcome to stay with her as long as I needed, but I had to at least try. She wouldn’t stand by and watch me deteriorate into nothingness.

  She was the only person rooting for me and I couldn’t let her down.

  So I’d gone out and landed my current job
as a live-in caregiver for my eighty-year-old patient, Arnold.

  His son, Gavin, hired me because his aging father has dementia and requires around-the-clock care.

  The only catch is that I had to move in to the home and make myself available twenty-four seven.

  Since I wasn’t dating and led a pretty boring life anyway, I jumped at the opportunity not realizing the physical and mental toll that the long hours and demanding work would take on my body.

  I can’t remember the last day I’ve had free time to do more than grab a quick coffee with Winnie, let alone escape my hometown for a week-long vacation.

  I’m counting on this trip to revive me in more ways than one. This is the first time I’ve ever left the country and I can’t wait for the adventure ahead.

  It seems the universe is finally working in my favor.

  A ding sounds and the stewardess appears near my seat seconds later, wearing an easy smile.

  “We’ll be landing soon, dear. Is there anything I can get you before our descent?”

  “No, thanks,” I answer with a smile of my own.

  As we descend, I check my face in my compact and make sure I’m camera ready.

  As ready as I’ll ever be.

  Moments later, we’re on the ground and I expel a shaky breath.

  This is it.

  Gathering my purse, I stand and make my way to the door near the front of the plane.

  My steps nearly falter when I see the man waiting for me to join him on the tarmac.

  Sebastian Downs.

  Chapter two

  SEBASTIAN DOWNS

  THE AIRPLANE stairs open and I shove my hands in my pockets, waiting for the winner to be revealed.

  A petite figure appears and the cameramen move quickly to capture her every move.

  Patiently, I wait as the woman grabs the side rail. I admire her subtle curves in the white dress that stops above her knees.

  She’s a tiny little thing but her body is pure perfection.

  As she nears, it dawns on me that she looks familiar. Like I’ve seen her face before.

  My brain begins working overtime to place her face and when it happens, I’m nearly floored.

  Olivia fucking King!

  My high school crush and the girl who turned me down for prom a decade ago.

  Carefully, I watch her face for any signs of recognition but she only smiles while tossing furtive glances at the cameras surrounding us.

  Holy shit.

  She looks good.

  Exhausted, but good.

  Still a dainty little thing, her hair is darker than I remember and her eyes don’t hold the same light they once did, but not much else has changed.

  The next few moments pass me by in a blur.

  We are cued by people on the sidelines to shake hands and smile for camera two. Then a distant voice instructs me to present her with the prize money and pose with the obnoxious, oversized check.

  Olivia goes through the motions, smiling but not making eye contact and I know without a doubt that she recognizes who the fuck I am.

  When I present her with the keys to my private compound for the week, our fingers brush and a shock jolts my entire body.

  What the hell?

  Following her lead, I maintain my cool for the cameras and smile charmingly as she accepts the grand prize and proclaims her love for someone named Winnie.

  It all passes me in a haze of activity as I’m transported back to Prairie View High School ten years earlier.

  The halls were crowded as I made my way through the mass of people to get to my next class.

  Only one thing was on my mind at the moment and that was asking my longtime crush, Olivia King, to the senior prom.

  I’d liked her since I had laid eyes on her earlier this school year, and I’d harbored this crush secretly, all the way to prom season.

  But today was the day.

  I was going to bite the bullet and just go for it.

  I’d never wanted to go to prom before. It wasn’t really my scene.

  As a self-proclaimed tech nerd, my circle was pretty small and I stuck with them for the most part.

  But something about Olivia had called to me and made me eager to learn more about her.

  From our limited interactions in art class, I knew that she was sweet and soft spoken. She always slid me an easy smile and engaged in small talk as we worked on our projects in the studio.

  I was a terrible artist but it was the elective I looked forward to most.

  I arrived in the art studio and dropped my backpack near the door before pulling on my smock. I collected the tools I’d need to complete my project and went to sit down to wait for Olivia’s arrival.

  She didn’t keep me waiting long and walked in wearing a pretty yellow sundress and sandals. Her strawberry blonde hair was pulled up and secured by a white ribbon.

  She was perfection.

  Her usual easy smile was missing and replaced with a serious, contemplative expression.

  But she still greeted me sweetly after putting on her smock.

  “Hi, Sebastian.”

  Butterflies swarmed in my stomach.

  “Hi, Olivia. How’s it going?”

  She tilted her and appeared to think about her answer before settling on, “I’m really happy it’s Friday. I don’t think I could take another day here.”

  “I hear you. Any plans this weekend?”

  Shaking her head, she frowned.

  “What about you?” she asked, selecting a pencil to start her new sketch.

  “Not much. Probably just helping my dad out at the shop and then I may go see a movie.”

  Olivia made a noncommittal sound and just nodded before diving into her art work.

  We worked in silence for a few minutes before I gathered up the nerve to speak again.

  At that moment, I was thrilled that our workstation was near the back of the gallery, not exactly in earshot of the other students or the art teacher for that matter.

  “Olivia, there’s something I’ve been meaning to ask you.”

  Distracted, she looked up.

  “What’s up?”

  “Would you like to go to prom with me?”

  After what seemed like hours, Olivia found her voice.

  Though her next words made me wish she’d just remained mute.

  “Sebastian, I’m sorry.”

  I cleared my throat and tried to pretend that the words didn’t sting as much as they did.

  “It’s not you, trust me.”

  If I wasn’t so crushed, I’d probably roll my eyes at her weak attempt to console me.

  “This is just not a good time for me. I don’t even know what’s happening anymore. I wouldn’t be good company anyway. But it was really sweet of you to ask.”

  Unable to speak, I just gazed at her and only nodded, letting her know that I understood.

  Even if it was the furthest thing from the truth.

  This is why I never put myself out there.

  No matter how good my chances seemed, I just wasn’t cut out for this shit.

  A sad smile claimed her face before she went back to work as if she hadn’t just crushed my teenage dreams.

  Jolted back to the present by a hand on my shoulder, I allow myself to be escorted to the awaiting limo.

  Olivia slides in before me and I follow close behind her.

  This should be fun.

  * * *

  Thank you for reading the first chapters of His Prize. Want more? Go to Amazon.com to read the full story in my collection, Quickies. Thank you!

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