Damnation, what was it about this woman?
Her exceptional figure? Her sharp wit? That glossy honey-blonde hair?
Yes, yes and yes. And something more. Something that gnawed at him whenever he woke and wondered in the still dead of night.
The remnants of a need to tame her?
No, submission wasnât the prize. Heâd never had the desire to tame any womanâonly enjoy them. Spoil them. In his younger days the world had seemed full of alluring possibilities. Then his offshore oil and gas support company had taken off and heâd met Edenâa woman who possessed the contradictory seeds of both natural innocence and darkest temptationâ¦a curious and, as it had turned out, addictive combination.
Time to face facts. The memory of that woman still had him by the horns, and that was far from acceptable. But there was a remedyâone simple answer to one simple question. When he had that he could put that nameless ghost to bed and Eden Foley out of his mind for good.
Dear Reader
Some couples are meant to be. Scarlett and Rhett, Carrie and Big, Edward and Bella. Some people, however, are still searching for their Mr or Miss Right, and oftentimes the search isnât easy. Who wouldnât give their eye teeth simply to lose themselves in a Garden of Eden with the man of their dreams? Imagine itâ¦endless lazy days amid heavenly surrounds spent with your one-time true love.
Fashion designer Eden Foley has the opportunity to do just that. Sheâs found her Mr Rightânot once, but twice. Only second time round she wonât forget that while Devlin Stoneâs special brand of attention is bone-melting itâs also regulated by his adventurous lifestyle. And sheâs not willing to have her heart broken again. But physical attraction is a curious thing. In some instances itâs downright undeniable. I mean, who hasnât wondered if itâs possible to hold onto their own personal piece of paradise for longer than one day? Let alone a lifetime?
Hope you enjoy DEVIL IN A DARK BLUE SUIT. I had such a fun time writing it!
Best wishes
Robyn
One Christmas long ago, Robyn Grady received a book from her big sister and immediately fell in love with Cinderella. Sprinklings of magic, deepest wishes come trueâshe was hooked! Picture books with glass slippers later gave way to romance novels and, more recently, the real-life dream of writing for Mills & Boon.
After a fifteen-year career in television, Robyn met her own modern-day hero. They live on Australiaâs Sunshine Coast with their three little princesses, two poodles and a cat called Tinkie. She loves new shoes, worn jeans, lunches at Moffat Beach and hanging out with her friends on eHarlequin. Learn about her latest releases at www.robyngrady.com and donât forget to say hi. Sheâd love to hear from you!
Robyn also writes for Desireâ¢!
DEVIL IN A DARK BLUE SUIT
BY
With thanks to Qantas pilot, Bruce âRamjetâ Rattle.
And my editor, Kimberley Young,
for helping me to achieve my best every time.
THE almighty crack of shattering glass sent Eden Foleyâs heart shooting like a bullet to her throat. âFlight or fightâ reflex pushed her to her feet as the Swarovski chandelier seemed to jingle overhead and the entire room jostled and gasped.
Good Lord! Had someone dropped a bomb on Sydney central?
Heartbeat racing, Eden peered out beyond the restaurantâs massive glass frontage. Outside, stooped on the footpath, a woman gripped a baseball bat. A luxury sports car parked on the kerb glistened with the litter of its smashed windscreen. Now the woman swung again, ready to go to town on the gleaming black bonnet.
Her outfit mightâve been a nightdress, floating out when she put her all into the next big blow. As a boutique owner, Eden conceded that retro florals were in this season. Bad language and gnashing teeth were not.
At the same time the bat thwacked the bonnet, a tall, impressively built man ripped around the back of the car. With an effortless motion, he wrested the weapon from the attacker. Then, to block and shield some curious passersby, he stretched out his free arm. Like the closing scene from a thriller, a police car screeched up, its high-pitched siren cranking Edenâs nerves up another notch. Two officers bounded out as the woman in her flowery garb crumpled, a sobbing mess, to the ground.
Weak with relief, Eden withered into her seat.
She knew the darkly attractive owner of that car. He was her luncheon date. A lifetime ago heâd swept her off her feet. For four blissful months sheâd come alive and apart in Devlin Stoneâs arms.
Although their affair had ended badly, she wouldnât deny that theyâd shared a special kind of bondâa connection a young woman with stars in her eyes had believed would last for ever. Six weeks ago Edenâs sister had fallen into a similar trap. Sabrina had begun dating Devlinâs younger brother, the well-publicised playboy, Nathan Stone.
Just as Devlin had cut Eden loose when his interest in her had waned, so too would bad-boy Nathan dump poor Sabrina when heâd had his fill of her. Hoping Sabrina would listen to reason and accept that her love affair would be short-lived was a waste of time. Having sampled the delights of a Stone herself, Eden knew from experience how hard facing facts could be. Still, Eden couldnâtâand