Between worrying about my missing foster daughter, Emily, and trying to keep my wits about me in the face of danger, I donât remember the last time Iâve had a decent nightâs sleep. And donât get me started about the rift that gets wider each day between me and my wife. But it looks like Iâm not the only one who is in dire straits. My honorary son, Sheik Ali El-Etra, seems to be in way over his head. Heâs heir to the throne and under pressure by his family to choose a bride. Heâs finally gotten serious about someoneâ¦but itâs the last woman on earth I would have expected. Just between you and me, Ali thinks heâs Godâs gift to women. And his feisty computer consultant-turned-girlfriend, Faith Martin, is hardly the type to bend to a manâs will. Those two are like oil and water! Perhaps my troubles with Meredith have made me a cynicâ¦. Who knows, maybe Aliâs bachelor days are finally numbered.
SHARON DE VITA,
a former adjunct professor of communications and a newlywed with three grown children, is also an award-winning, USA Today bestselling author of over twenty-four books of fiction and nonfiction with more than two million copies in print and translations in thirteen foreign languages. Sharon admits, âI was both thrilled and honored to be asked to author one of the books in Silhouetteâs new continuity series, THE COLTONS. This series has everything a reader could wantâfabulous characters, a wicked mystery and, of course, incredible romance. I think this series is destined to become one of readersâ favorites.â
Meet the Coltonsâa California dynasty with a legacy of privilege and power.
Ali El-Etra: The powerful sheik. Accustomed to having his minions scurry to do his bidding, this sultan is shockedâand infinitely intriguedâby his new consultantâs irreverence. Has he just met his match?
Faith Martin: The plain Jane. Wary of high-handed âprincelyâ types like Ali, sheâd like to take the sheik down a notch or twoâand then keep him in her loving arms forever!
Meredith Colton: The misplaced matriarch. With no memory of her true identity, the real âMeredithâ has been having recurrent dreams about a little redheaded girl crying out for her helpâa child that she instinctively knows is her own daughter!
Emily Blair: A woman in jeopardy. With little cash and a heart full of fear, the Coltonsâ foster daughter hitches a ride to Wyoming when she suspects she is the target in a botched murder attempt.
I suppose a woman who writes romances should believe in love at first sight, but it took a very special man to make a believer out of me. As I was deep in preparations for my oldest daughterâs wedding, a kind, loving, wonderful manâa widowerâwalked into my life, uninvited and certainly unexpected, and proceeded to turn it upside down.
And I will forever be grateful!
This oneâs for that very special man, who has brought love, laughter, and especially joy back into my lifeâand my heart. Thank you, sweetheart. This oneâs for you!
âColonel Frank Noland Cushing (Ret)
The author gratefully acknowledges the technical help and assistance of the following computer wizards who answered numerous questions with infinite patience and never laughed at this self-confessed computer moron!
Any errors are my own. My heartfelt thanks to: Dennis Liby, Gay Wescott, Jason Arden, Dave Pede.
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
San Diego
F aith Martin was fuming.
Ignoring Mr. Kadid, the dark, elderly male assistant who had been keeping her company for the past hour and a half, Faith expelled an exasperated breath, sidestepped the man and made a beeline for the closed double mahogany doors.
âWait. Miss Martin, youâyou canât go in there.â The words came out of his mouth on a near gasp. He was right on her heels, clucking his tongue in dismay.
But it was too late. Unwilling to be denied, she threw open the double doors and came to a stunned halt, staring at the unbelievable opulence.
âGood Lord.â The words slipped from her mouth as her gaze quickly traveled around the elaborate office suite. Sheâd been in a lot of offices since sheâd started her own computer consulting business seven years ago, many belonging to some of the wealthiest entrepreneurs in California, but nothing had ever compared to the decadent luxury of this one.
The enormous suite was breathtaking.
Done in subtle, masculine shades of navy and maroon, the room contained a collection of exquisite art she had no doubt was genuine. The walls were papered in elegant white silk with hand-carved mahogany chair and ceiling moldings.
In the middle of the room, backlit by a wall of floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the sprawling city, was a large elegant cherry desk that looked hand-crafted. In front of the desk sat two overstuffed navy leather club chairs, each with its own matching ottoman.