Scandals And Secrets
Dark Secrets, Forbidden Desires, Scandalous Discoveries… Our glittering new six-part saga set in Australia continues. This, and every novel in the set, features a gripping romance that stands by itself, as the passions, scandals and hopes that exist between two fabulously rich families are revealed. But you'll also find yourself hooked throughout the series, as Gemma Smith searches for the secret of her true identity and fights for ruthless seducer Nathan Whitmore's love… .Celeste Campbell had lived on her hatred of Byron Whitmore for twenty years. Revenge was sweet - until news reached her that Byron was considering remarriage. Suddenly she found she could no longer deny all those long-buried feelings for him. Worse, she knew she wouldn't stop at desire! Nathan, however, had convinced himself that was exactly where Gemma's feelings for him ended.Though when Gemma overheard him talking with his ex-wife, Lenore, as if they were lovers, she knew for certain just how much she had always really cared about Nathan… .
Читать Scandals And Secrets онлайн беплатно
THE STORY SO FAR…
After her father’s death, Gemma Smith left the opal fields of the Outback for Sydney to find out the truth about her mother, and to sell her priceless discovery, a flawless black opal.
Fate introduced Gemma to Nathan Whitmore, a famous screenwriter, who offered her a reward for the gem, which had been stolen from Byron Whitmore, Nathan’s adoptive father, twenty years before. Highly attracted by Gemma’s vulnerability, Nathan also seduced and married her.
Gemma’s life was changed forever, and she witnessed startling events in the Whitmore household, too: Nathan’s wild-child adoptive sister, Jade, discovered happiness with Kyle Gainsford, while Melanie, the family housekeeper, let go of her traumatic past and married Royce Grantham. And just look at what had happened to Ava, Byron’s ungainly, much younger sister! She had lost weight and had found Vince Morelli, the handsome, caring Italian of her dreams! But where did all that leave Gemma and Nathan?
There were so many doubts and rumors that Gemma couldn’t ignore, including the disturbing things Damian Campbell had told her about Nathan’s troubled past….
PRINCIPAL CHARACTERS IN THIS BOOK
GEMMA SMITH-WHITMORE: on her father’s death, Gemma discovers a magnificent black opal worth a small fortune, and an old photograph that casts doubt on her real identity. In search of the truth about her mother, and a new life, she goes to Sydney, where she is seduced by, and then married to Nathan Whitmore.
NATHAN WHITMORE: adopted son of Byron Whitmore, Nathan is a talented screenwriter and playwright. After a troubled childhood and a divorce, Nathan is utterly ruthless and controlled. Will he ever be the loving, caring husband of whom Gemma has dreamed?
CELESTE CAMPBELL: head of the Campbell Jewelry empire, Celeste is rumored to have had numerous affairs with younger men. Celeste’s beauty and business acumen make her a woman not to be toyed with—she does the toying. But her predatory exterior hides a broken heart for an old love that refuses to die…
BYRON WHITMORE: patriarch of the Whitmore family, he is a strong, dynamic figure, whose unhappy, loveless marriage came tragically to an end. Secretly very sensual, he did once come close to a woman, but his ambition was greater than his desire…
DAMIAN CAMPBELL: younger brother of Celeste, Damian abuses his position as sales and marketing manager in the Campbell Jewelry empire, as he is only interested in self-gratification and sexual pleasure. He doesn’t care whom he hurts in their pursuit.
LENORE LANGTRY: talented stage actress, ex-wfie of Nathan Whitmore and mother of Kirsty, Lenore has finally found love with top solicitor Zachary Marsden, though she still maintains a close relationship with Nathan.
AVA WHITMORE: Byron’s much younger sister, Ava has blossomed and is now engaged to Vince Morelli, the owner of a gardening and construction business.
A NOTE TO THE READER:
This novel is one of a series of six set in the glamorous, cutthroat world of Australian opal dealing. It is the author’s suggestion, however, that they be read in the order written.
Contents
CHAPTER ONE
CELESTE was turning for her twentieth lap when a glimpse of male legs standing at the end of the pool brought her to a gasping halt, water-filled eyes snapping upwards.
‘Good God, Damian,’ she said irritably once she’d caught her breath and found her feet. ‘You frightened the life out of me.’
Her brother laughed. ‘Nothing and no one can frighten the life out of you, Celeste. What on earth did you think I was? A rapist?’ He laughed again. ‘I would pity any poor rapist who set his sights on you, sister, dear. I know who it’d be ending up on his back.’
Celeste flashed her brother a coolly reproachful glance as she stroked over to the wall, intuition telling her he was referring to her reputation as a man-eater, not complimenting her on her martial arts skills. Damian delighted in delivering sarcastic little barbs her way. In that respect he was very much like Irene.
Dismay and irritation mingled to rattle Celeste momentarily. If there was one person she didn’t like thinking about it was her half-sister. Irene’s death last year might have lessened the feelings of hostility and hatred Celeste had harboured against Irene all these years, but thinking about her inevitably led to thinking about another person, who was unfortunately very much alive.
‘What do you want, Damian?’ she snapped, her nerves suddenly on edge. ‘It’s not like you to surface on a Saturday till at least mid-afternoon. When you come home on a Friday night at all, that is.’
Her brother did not have a monopoly on sarcasm, Celeste realised with a twinge of conscience. Not that Damian was capable of being hurt by such remarks. If anything, he seemed to enjoy any allusion to his decadent lifestyle.
