Harlequin Desire January 2021--Box Set 1 of 2

by Maisey Yates

  She turned to her mother, who looked brilliant in a royal blue saree with silver thread woven through it. Diamond solitaires glittered in her ears. She held out her hand and Divya took it, squeezing it tightly.

  “Ma, our family means the world to me. But I don’t want the life you’ve chosen for me. It’s okay if you don’t accept Ethan. We aren’t together anyway. But I need you to support me in my career. You have to trust that you raised me right, and I wouldn’t do anything to embarrass myself and or my family.”

  Her mother dabbed at her eyes. “You know, your father went directly to your grandfather and asked to marry me, and my father said yes. I was so angry that he made this decision without asking me that I ran away.”

  Divya’s eyes widened. Her mother was always so proper; she’d never imagined her doing something so rebellious.

  “Someone reminded me what it’s like to be forced to give up something you love to do.” Her mother’s voice cracked, and she pointed to her feet. Divya looked down and her mother lifted her saree. She was wearing the ghunghuru, the little bells Divya had bought her right before she’d moved to New York.

  Tears prickled Divya’s eyes. “I never told you this, Ma, but my love of music started when I listened to the sounds of your ghunghuru. I used to watch you from the crack in the bedroom door and sing to the sounds of the bells on your feet.”

  Her mother wiped a tear from her cheek. “I guess I’m to blame for this whole singing thing, then.”

  Divya smiled. “And also the running-away thing.”

  “If you guys are all done being sentimental, we should head out to the party and let Divya get ready for her big performance,” Sameer said.

  They all wished her well. When her mother was out of earshot her father turned to her. “You know, Divya, there was someone I loved before I married your mother.”

  She looked at her father. It wasn’t a secret, but he never talked about it. “Arjun’s mother,” she whispered.

  He nodded. “I know what it’s like to fall in love with someone your parents don’t approve of, and I know how it can rip your heart into pieces. When Arjun wanted to marry Rani, we stood in his way because I thought she would tear this family apart. Instead, she’s helped us see that it isn’t the worst thing in the world to have an American son-in-law. The worst thing is losing you. You don’t have to give up your music, and you don’t have to give up Ethan.”

  She smiled for her father’s benefit. She hadn’t given up Ethan. He’d given up on her.

  * * *

  Ethan stood outside the ballroom, listening to the sounds of the party inside, knowing that Divya was just beyond the doors. Allie texted him every few minutes, giving him a play-by-play of what was going on inside. They’d met Divya’s parents, whom Allie described as totally cool.

  He hadn’t intended to come. Wasn’t even dressed for the occasion. But he hadn’t been able to resist. All he wanted was one look at her. A last look.

  “Ethan!”

  He looked up to see Rani emerge from the ballroom. “What’re you doing out here?”

  He smiled, but his throat was so tight he couldn’t speak. She looked at him kindly, then motioned to the armchairs in the hallway. He took a seat and she sat next to him.

  “You know, when Arjun and I first got together, his mother convinced me that our relationship was doomed to fail. I almost didn’t marry Arjun because of his parents.”

  Ethan looked up in surprise. Rani seemed to fit in so well with the family.

  “They’re not bad people, it just takes a while to open their minds. They’re like ice cream when you first take it out of the freezer, cold and hard and unyielding. But give it enough time, and they melt into sweetness.”

  “Thank you, Rani. But it’s not about your in-laws. I don’t want to hold her back. She ran away from her wedding because she didn’t want to get saddled with marital obligations. She’s finally found her freedom and voice. It’s time for her to live her dream. I don’t fit into her plans.”

  “But you fit with Divya, and that’s all that matters.” She put her hand on his. “I’m not saying it all works out, but when you love someone, it’s worth the sacrifices.”

  “I don’t want to hold her back.”

  She looked toward the ballroom doors where the CEO of the record company had just started speaking. “When Divya wants to do something, I’ve never known her to let anything stop her. Don’t you think you’re holding her back by making decisions for her?”

  He sighed. What was the right answer here?

  Rani put her hand on his and he looked up at her. “Do you love her?”

  He didn’t hesitate. “More than anything.”

  “Then, tell her.”

  He smiled. “Would you help me with something?”

  CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

  Divya stood on the stage in her beautiful gown as East Side Records’s CEO introduced her. She ran her hands over the wood of her guitar. She didn’t need the guitar—there was a quartet of musicians onstage to provide the instrumentation for her song. She needed to feel the wood beneath her fingers, to remember Ethan’s faith in her.

  The ballroom had been decorated with sarees and lanterns to celebrate her Hinglish songs. Sameer waved from the front of the crowd, and her heart soared as her mother blew her a kiss.

  She searched frantically for Ethan. He has to be here, he has to be here. She mouthed Ethan’s name when she caught Sameer’s eye, but he shook his head and her heart sank into her toes. He really isn’t coming.

  When it was time to sing, she stepped up to the microphone. Her stomach churned and her legs felt like wooden posts. A sea of people stared at her. Cameras flashed and bright lights shone down on her. She knew her performance was being broadcast live. It wasn’t just the people in the room who’d be watching her.

  The musicians started the instrumental introduction to her song. There was no voice in her throat. I can’t do this.

  Then the ballroom door opened and Ethan entered, his eyes focused on her.

  Her breath released from her chest. He raised his thumb, and she began to sing the song she’d written for him. She sung her heart out, needing him to feel her voice, to understand that she loved him with every fiber of her being.

  People burst into applause and she performed two more songs. She lost track of Ethan in the crowd, but she knew he was there. She could feel his presence and that was all that mattered.

  When she was finished, the roar of the crowd was deafening. The CEO was back onstage. It was her cue to leave so he could make his closing speech, but he motioned for her to stay. “Before you leave, Divya, we have a special presentation.”

  She looked in surprise as her parents and Ethan walked onto the stage. He stood in front of her and looked at her with such longing that her legs threatened to buckle underneath her. He dropped to one knee and a hush fell over the crowd.

  “I’m sorry I was such an ass and didn’t realize how much you meant to me.”

  They were the same words he’d said when he’d crashed her wedding.

  “Must you always show up in such a dramatic fashion?” Tears stung her eyes, and her heart felt like it would burst if he didn’t touch her soon.

  “I’ve been an idiot.”

  “Yes, you have.”

  “I don’t need a house. I don’t need children. All I need is you.”

  She shook her head. “I need at least three-point-four children, but not now, in a few years.”

  He pulled out a ring box and opened it. “I bought you the biggest ring I could find in Vegas.”

  Vegas? He’d bought the ring months ago? Tears streamed down her cheeks. She didn’t know whether she wanted to kiss him or punch him.

  “I’m a poor musician now. I’m going to sell that ring for cash.”

  He held his hand out and she placed hers
on top of it.

  “Will you marry me for my money?”

  She shook her head. “I can make my own money.”

  He stayed on his knee, his eyes so impossibly blue, so full of love that her heart burst in her chest.

  “I love you, Divya. You make me a better man, you give me strength and I want to spend the rest of my life becoming the man you deserve. Will you marry me?” He’d said the words in perfect Hindi.

  She couldn’t speak through the lump in her throat, so she nodded as hard as she could. He slipped the ring onto her finger.

  He stood and she fell into his arms.

  “Kiss! Kiss!” the crowd chanted, and he obliged. She drank him in, her knees suddenly unable to hold her up, but she knew she wouldn’t fall. He’d hold on to her for the rest of their lives.

  Her mother stepped forward and placed a hand on his shoulder. Divya looked at her, silently pleading with her not to ruin the moment. “Ethan, welcome to the family.”

  Her mother joined her hands together in silent apology. Then Divya was hugging her parents, and before she knew it, her father and her siblings and Matt and Heather and the kids were all onstage, and she and Ethan were in the center of a giant group hug.

  “Run away with me?” she asked.

  “My jet is waiting.”

  * * * * *

  Introducing the first book in the new The McKenzies of Ridge Trail romance series from New York Times bestselling author

  LORI FOSTER

  NO HOLDING BACK

  “Storytelling at its best! Lori Foster should be on everyone’s auto-buylist.”

  —#1 New York Times bestselling author Sherrilyn Kenyon on No Limits

  Pre-order your copy today!

  www.HQNBooks.com

  WE HOPE YOU ENJOYED THIS BOOK FROM

  Luxury, scandal, desire—welcome to the lives of the American elite.

  Be transported to the worlds of oil barons, family dynasties, moguls and celebrities. Get ready for juicy plot twists, delicious sensuality and intriguing scandal.

  6 NEW BOOKS AVAILABLE EVERY MONTH!

  Love Harlequin romance?

  DISCOVER.

  Be the first to find out about promotions, news and exclusive content!

  Facebook.com/HarlequinBooks

  Twitter.com/HarlequinBooks

  Instagram.com/HarlequinBooks

  Pinterest.com/HarlequinBooks

  ReaderService.com

  EXPLORE.

  Sign up for the Harlequin e-newsletter and download a free book from any series at

  TryHarlequin.com

  CONNECT.

  Join our Harlequin community to share your thoughts and connect with other romance readers!

  Facebook.com/groups/HarlequinConnection

  ISBN-13: 9781488070365

  Running Away with the Bride

  Copyright © 2021 by Sophia Singh Sasson

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, businesses, companies, events or locales is entirely coincidental.

  This edition published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A.

  For questions and comments about the quality of this book, please contact us at CustomerService@Harlequin.com.

  Harlequin Enterprises ULC

  22 Adelaide St. West, 40th Floor

  Toronto, Ontario M5H 4E3, Canada

  www.Harlequin.com

  Once she’d decided that she wanted him, she hadn’t stopped to consider…

  Did he…not want this? Nina could address the matter in a straightforward way. Yet she opted to play coy instead. Because that always worked. “Hey,” she said, taking a step forward. “We have a few things to celebrate tonight. Let’s order champagne.”

  “Did you want me to kiss you in there?”

  Oh, God! Why couldn’t he let her play coy? “Yeah…about that… Did you not want to?”

  “I had to be sure,” he said. “You remember saying you didn’t want to sleep with me, right?”

  “When did I say that?”

  “The first night we slept together—or shared a bed, I should say. I don’t want to be something you regret.”

  “That’s not possible.”

  * * *

  Scandal in the VIP Suite by Nadine Gonzalez

  is part of the Miami Famous series.

  Dear Reader,

  Fans of glamour, drama and modern love conundrums, welcome to the party!

  Scandal in the VIP Suite is the first of (hopefully) many Miami Famous stand-alone romances, filled with Caribbean and Latinx characters freely pursuing love and happiness, yet always teetering on the edge of scandal. I promise to make my heroes and heroines larger-than-life but involve them in truthfully tender relationships.

  My debut for Harlequin Desire is set in Miami Beach’s famed Ocean Drive. You’ll meet Julian Knight, a beleaguered action movie star whose masculine image has become toxic to his career. Nina Taylor is a bestselling author suffering from writer’s block. When Nina and Julian get past their initial reservations, they find they are the perfect fit, creatively and emotionally. I hope you love them as much as I do.

  For more about my upcoming releases, visit www.nadine-gonzalez.com and follow on Instagram and Twitter, @_nadinegonzalez. Need more Miami modern love? Check out the Miami Dreams series with Harlequin Kimani Romance.

  Until the next one!

  Nadine

  Scandal in the VIP Suite

  Nadine Gonzalez

  Nadine Gonzalez is the daughter of Haitian immigrants, born in New York City. She was raised both in New York and Port-au-Prince, Haiti. A lawyer by profession, she lives in Miami, Florida, and shares her home with her Cuban American husband and their beautiful son.

  Nadine writes joyous contemporary romance featuring a diverse cast of characters, American, Caribbean and Latinx. She networks on Twitter but lives on Instagram! Check out @_nadinegonzalez.

  For more information, visit her website, nadine-gonzalez.com.

  Books by Nadine Gonzalez

  Harlequin Desire

  Miami Famous

  Scandal in the VIP Suite

  Harlequin Kimani Romance

  Exclusively Yours

  Unconditionally Mine

  Visit her Author Profile page at Harlequin.com, or nadine-gonzalez.com, for more titles.

  You can also find Nadine Gonzalez on Facebook, along with other Harlequin Desire authors, at Facebook.com/harlequindesireauthors.

  Sincere thanks to my editor, Errin Toma. It has been a pleasure working with you. Here’s to a long, productive relationship!

  Shout-out to Roxanna Elden, best writing buddy, and the Miami Book Fair and Writers Institute for their unwavering support.

  With regards to craft, I would first like to thank my husband, Ariel. You are always my first story editor. Special thanks to my sister Martine for the unlimited brainstorming sessions that resulted in the perfect meet-cute. To my “creative consultants,” Ian Midgley and Julia Taylor, you have breathed life into my first Jamaican British hero.

  To my sisters Martine and Murielle: your support means everything to me.

  A special shout-out to TEAM 12! You are the best #bookstagram helpers a budding author could have.

  Finally to Ariel and Nathaniel, let’s dream on!

  Contents

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Cha
pter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Epilogue

  CHAPTER ONE

  It seemed to Nina Taylor that she’d been traveling forever. Her flight was delayed at JFK, and the plane had spent an eternity in the queue at Miami International Airport before reaching its gate. Outside, she slipped on dark sunglasses to block out Miami’s Technicolor brightness and settled into the back of a cab. It was unreasonably hot—even for July—and the fake leather seat stuck to her bare arms. The driver loaded her bags into the trunk and slipped behind the wheel. “Where to?”

  “Fifteen ten Ocean Drive.”

  “Sand Castle? Good choice.” He adjusted the rearview mirror. “What brings you to Miami?”

  A simple enough question. Most people wouldn’t have to lie. “Meeting a friend.”

  “Nice! Nice!” The driver nodded. A bald spot on the back of his head revealed a patch of shiny brown skin. He eased into traffic. “I tell my grandkids to have fun! Take chances! Enjoy their youth!”

  “Sounds like you’re a good grandpa.”

  He glanced at her in the rearview mirror. “You look like my granddaughter. Which island are you from?”

  The question didn’t surprise Nina. People from the islands had a sixth sense for this stuff. But Nina’s Caribbean roots were so deeply buried, Manhattan was the only island she could legitimately claim as her own. Just then, a massive SUV sped past them, cutting them off. A honking match ensued. The driver returned his attention to the road, saving her from having to answer his question. It was better this way; her family tree was more of a twisted, brittle vine.