Hearts on Fire: Romance Multi-Author Box Set Anthology

by Violet Vaughn

  She felt a stab of disappointment and tried to laugh it off. The hardness she’d carried around lately was only now beginning to melt. “You don’t have to rush off, Leo.” She hoped he’d stay for longer but maybe he needed to rest.

  He gave her another one of his unsure looks, as though he was making his mind up about whether to stay or go. He had been worried about her and had come to see if she was alright. The thought of it made her heart swell and she watched with disappointment as he got up, ready to leave. Understanding that there would be no changing his mind, she untucked her legs and stood up reluctantly.

  Slow down, she told herself, as they both stood face to face, awkwardly. There was no electric current here, no breathlessness or feeling that the room was spinning around her.

  But her heart had started to beat loudly again. Unblinking, she savored the moment.

  “I had to come and make sure. I was worried about you, Andrea.”

  Words, bare and simple to tell her that he cared. But more than words, Leo had always shown her a kindness she’d taken for granted without ever stopping to think about it. Her eyes moistened and she felt embarrassed that she might fall apart in front of him, that a kindness such as his could make her feel so humble.

  “I know,” she said, quietly. “You always worry about me, Leo.” It felt as though he really did care. She felt a lump floating around in her throat.

  “And we are business partners, as you keep reminding me.” His brown eyes were shiny and soft and she found it hard to tear her gaze away from them. “And we have a lot of work to do going forward.” He said. Then his fingers brushed against hers as though he was about to grab her hand but he quickly moved his hand to the safety of his pockets instead. The absence of his touch left her feeling as though she’d missed out on something good.

  She saw the softness in his eyes and saw him clearly for the first time. Not Leo, the man she’d taken on as a business partner. But Leo. Just Leo—a man who was her friend and cared for her. She dared not to let herself think further.

  “Did you want to go out and get something to eat?” he asked her.

  “Now?” She was desperate to escape the apartment while bad memories hung around like vultures. And she was hungry. She’d been eating on the go these past few days and the idea of a filling and tasty plate of food, a change of scenery and company that mattered—all of these things made his offer alluring.

  “Yes, now. I’ve been eating hospital food for days and I’m dying for a good plate of pasta.”

  She smiled. “It must have been terrible. Of course, I’d love to. I think it would do us both some good.”

  His face lit up like a firework. “We could talk about plans for getting back into business. I know there were a few units available a few weeks ago when I enquired. I was thinking we needed to move to bigger premises anyway. We could even move out of Montova.”

  She nodded her head in agreement. It was a chance to start over.

  “This is a great opportunity to start over again, Andrea. This could be the chance for a new start, to do things bigger and better. We can take it slow, not grow so fast, but we could have a bigger vision for where you see this business going.”

  He had already sold her on his ideas, and she listened to him, all the while nodding in agreement as she tried not to stare too hard at his dimple. Or remember that she had seen him without his shirt on. She shook the thoughts from her head. This was how it had started with Riley. Leo was different, she knew it in her core as deeply as she knew herself. But their business would suffer if their relationship changed. And he didn’t feel anything for her. She couldn’t trust her feelings again, not after getting things so wrong the second time round.

  But as a business partner, with Leo by her side, she could make things right again. He was so big-hearted, had almost died, and yet here he was, not stopping to rest but telling her about the ideas he had; all for the betterment of her business.

  His arrival at her apartment helped lighten some of the darkness that had poured itself into her life of late. The more she thought about these things, the more she found herself tongue-tied to say anything.

  “It sounds great,” she managed. “We could talk about the future.”

  “I know a place nearby. A great family restaurant. Would you like to try it? It’s a bit tricky to get to but I’ll drive us there. I know all the short cuts.”

  She nodded, finding comfort in being looked after, of having someone else make the decisions, someone else who would take her there and back. “I’ll drive, Leo. I don’t think you should exert yourself.”

  “It’s okay. I’ve been lying in bed for days and even driving a car makes me happy.”

  “Then I won’t get in the way of your happiness,” she said, looking forward to their meal already.

  “You never get in the way, Andrea.”

  She smiled. “Let me change, quickly,” she said, then explained, not wanting him to think she was making an effort just for him. “I was at the warehouse earlier and I can still smell the smoke in my clothes.”

  “I’ll wait for you.”

  She rushed into her room and grabbed the first outfit that came to her. Then she threw it away and grabbed another. How wrong could she get it with a simple pair of jeans? It was only Leo, she told herself, as the fluttering in her stomach increased. She picked up a bright purple top, then threw it down. It clamoured for attention. She picked up a white one, and threw that down, too. It screamed clinical and convention. Next she grabbed a silky cream one and was about to throw that down as well.

  Why was this so difficult to do? Crazy thoughts fluttered around her head, making her dizzy.

  It was just dinner with Leo. Yet she felt strangely excited, as though she wanted to burst out smiling again.

  “I won’t be long,” she shouted, and disappeared into the bathroom.

  She was going to be alright, thought Leo, settling back down into the single seater when Andrea disappeared.

  He’d rushed here as soon as he’d found out about the broken screen; worried that Riley might do something to her. He still didn’t know why the man had done what the evidence seemed to indicate but he trusted that his memories would return in time and he would be able to piece it all together.

  She seemed to be taking things well even though she’d looked a little down when she’d opened the door to him. He could tell she was putting on an act and that she was trying to hold it all together. But deep down inside, if Riley had really done the things they suspected he had, he knew the knowledge of his deception would be a bitter wound for her to recover from. Trying to discover what she was feeling was almost impossible because she covered her heart, just like her feelings, in armor.

  “I won’t be long,” she shouted and then he heard another door close.

  Getting ready, he thought, and tried not to get too excited. It was dinner, only dinner and nothing else. If it helped her to get out of the apartment and away from all thoughts associated with that man, that’s what he wanted.

  He didn’t know how much more the police investigation would uncover or whether they had enough proof to press any charges. Riley James had been as slippery as oil and as sweet as honey on the surface.

  It didn’t take a genius to see that Andrea’s confidence had been knocked sideways. It wasn’t only the business that would need building back up again; she was hurting too, no matter how hard she tried to appear brave in the face of such heinous deception.

  He didn’t expect that it would be easy reacting to the shock of Riley’s previous engagement. She’d put it away for now, had tried to look brave as though she could recover from this. But he liked to think he knew enough about her to know she was soft too. And this news had broken her. He’d be here, if she ever wanted to open up.

  It was going to be difficult seeing her hide her pain when all he wanted to do was to make her feel better. But she didn’t feel that way about him and he would never push it.

  But then again…
the feel of her fingers brushing against his had sent sparks shooting through him.

  Was there a chance she might have felt something, too?

  He couldn’t hope for anything. Working alongside her, rebuilding the business, doing whatever he could to make things better for her—that would be a reward in itself.

  She walked into the living-room and he couldn’t control his gaze as it trailed over her, taking in her hair, loose over her shoulders, the simple black top and dark pair of jeans. She wore the slightest stain of red gloss on her lips, as if she’d put it on then rubbed it off again. Staring at her lips, it made him wonder if he’d be able to remain her friend. Or whether he’d have to walk away.

  “Ready?” she asked, picking up her handbag and smiling at him.

  “I am,” he replied, trying not to stare at her lips. “Are you?”

  This is the end of Andrea and Riley’s story but Andrea’s story with Leo will continue. The sequel will be due for release around Summer 2016.

  Click here to receive release dates for the other books in the ‘Italian Summer Series.’ By joining my mailing list you will receive excerpts of upcoming books, cover reveals and you’ll be the first to find out about special discounts. You’ll also get a FREE book!

  I hope you enjoyed this story. If you have a moment to spare, and if it’s not too much trouble, please consider leaving a review at Goodreads or Amazon. A review can be as short as one sentence and your opinion goes a long way in helping others decide if a book is for them.

  * * *

  Thank you so much.

  Lily

  Honeymoon Series:

  Honeymoon For One

  Honeymoon For Three

  Honeymoon Blues

  Honeymoon Bliss

  Honeymoon Series Boxed Set (Books 2, 3 & 4)

  Italian Summer Series: (A spin-off from the Honeymoon Series)

  It Takes Two

  All That Glitters

  The Billionaire’s Love Story:

  The Gift, Book 1

  The Gift, Book 2

  The Gift, Book 3

  The Gift, Boxed Set (Books 1, 2 & 3)

  The Offer, Book 1

  Perfect Match Series:

  The Proposal

  Lost In Solo

  Heart Sync

  Perfect Match Boxed Set (Books 1, 2 & 3)

  A Leap of Faith

  Tainted Love Series: (A spin-off from the Perfect Match Series)

  Misplaced Love

  Reclaiming Love

  Embracing Love

  Tainted Love Boxed Set (Books 1, 2 & 3)

  Standalone books:

  Love, Inc

  An Unexpected Gift

  Unexpected Love (Bundle: An Unexpected Gift & Love, Inc)

  About Lily Zante

  Lily Zante is the pseudonym for an author who writes contemporary romance.

  She lives with her husband and three children somewhere near London, England.

  Connect with Me

  I love hearing from you – so please don’t be shy! Email me, message me on Facebook or connect with me on Twitter:

  @lilyzantebooks

  LilyZanteRomanceAuthor

  www.lilyzante.com

  lily@lilyzante.com

  Rock the Boat - Lib Starling

  A Griffin Bay Novel

  Jordan Griffin has worked hard to make her charter sailing business a success. But years of catering to rich, entitled clients have finally worn her down. She’s on the verge of giving up when she gets a request for a mysterious charter… and it’s accompanied by a suspiciously large payment. The money will set her up for a year, allowing her to figure out where her life is headed. But payments that large don’t come from pleasant clients. Jordan braces for the worst… but the worst doesn’t even begin to describe what she finds waiting at her slip.

  Davis Steen is a world-famous rock star, but his fame is fading. His manager sends him on a ten-day sailing vacation with one clear directive: use the time to figure out exactly where his career is going or the record label will drop him. But the last thing Davis wants is contemplation. The serenity of the San Juan Islands only amplifies his doubts—and Davis would rather sail away from his problems than confront them head-on. He’s eager to have a good time the only way he knows how: with booze, loud music… and debauchery.

  Davis clashes hard with the sexy but straight-laced captain. Despite her irritation with his party-boy image, Jordan finds Davis’s alpha personality and gorgeous body impossible to resist. The fire that flares between them is stoked more by fury than affection. But when they can no longer deny their attraction, the captain and the rock star must learn to see eye-to-eye. If they can chart a course together, they’ll turn hate into love… and find unexpected passion filling their sails.

  Rock the Boat

  A Griffin Bay Novel

  Lib Starling

  RunningRabbitBooks.com

  Copyright 2016 – Lib Starling

  First Ebook Edition – 2016

  This book is a work of fiction.

  Any resemblance to actual people or incidents is coincidental.

  Running Rabbit Press

  San Juan County, WA

  290 ½

  For Paul.

  Boatswains mate, no apostrophe.

  1

  Jordan came around the corner of the old, rough-hewn limestone building too fast and nearly collided with a herd of tourists making their way up the gentle slope of Spring Street. Stifling a curse, she hoisted her paper coffee cup over her head so it wouldn’t spill and picked her way step by step across the crowd. She’d learned from a lifetime of experience that tourists this close to the ferry landing seldom paid attention to anything other than the town’s quaint, inviting main street—its old-time shop fronts; its warm, welcoming vibe. She couldn’t blame the tourists for staring, for being oblivious to everything but Griffin Bay’s magical charm. The town’s cozy, enduring feel was what she loved best about living in Griffin Bay. Nothing in the nearby cities of Seattle and Bellingham, Washington, could compare to Griffin Bay’s soft, soothing glow. Its distinctive peace was the feature that drew large crowds every summer, as the city dwellers of the Northwest came looking for a little slice of paradise to take their minds off the hustle and bustle of their day-to-day lives. But Jordan knew that when the ferry was in and the crowds were in flood tide, the coffee had better go up over her head, or she’d soon be wearing it on her shirt. None of these mainlanders could watch where they were going—not during those first blissful moments in Griffin Bay.

  She squeezed through the crowd and stepped over the curb into the street. Better to walk in the road from here; the sidewalks were just too packed, with the offloading ferry only a block away. She sighed with relief and took a sip of her latte the moment she was free of the crowd. Then she hurried downhill toward the marina, skimming along between the angle-parked cars and the slow-driving vehicles that disgorged from inside the cavernous ferry.

  Jordan knew she really ought to feel a bit more welcoming toward all these summer visitors. Griffin Bay, positioned on the leeward side of San Juan Island and isolated from mainland Washington by an hour-long ferry trip, relied on tourism to keep its quaint little wheels turning. There was almost no one Jordan knew who didn’t depend on a busy summer season to carve out a living. She herself was heavily invested in the tourism trade—a fact that only made her grit her teeth today as she forced herself toward the marina—toward her job. But lately she had found herself longing for a much simpler life.

  The mere thought made her snort a laugh into her latte. Life didn’t get much simpler than in Griffin Bay. It was the only town on San Juan Island—and though the whole moss-covered rock didn’t even have five thousand year-round residents, Griffin Bay somehow managed to be the largest town in the archipelago. There wasn’t even a stoplight on San Juan. And I want a simpler life than this? Jordan knew she was being unreasonable. And yet, life had gotten unbearably complicated for Jordan in recent weeks. She
couldn’t deny that… and she didn’t know what to do about it.

  That’s not true, she told herself sternly. You do know what you need to do. You need to quit—give up the business and move on to something that actually makes you happy.

  Jordan didn’t know yet exactly what would make her happy. She hadn’t allowed herself to think that far ahead. For now, all she knew for was that the business she had worked so hard to build wasn’t doing the trick anymore—if it ever had. She had to figure out exactly where she belonged—and fast, before she drove herself crazy with worry.

  When an elderly driver slowed down to gape at Griffin Bay’s main street, Jordan took advantage of the stopped traffic to dodge across the road. With a few more rushed steps she was on the boardwalk overlooking the harbor—the neat rows of the marina docks with their adornments of gleaming, white-hulled boats; the calm water beyond, reflecting the clear sky in shades of sapphire and cobalt blue; the dark, forested slopes of the other islands beyond, rising almost vertically from the calm, blue-green waters of the Salish Sea. Boats moved busily in and out of the harbor, those with sails—Jordan’s favorite kind—heeling and kicking up foam when they reached the outer waters where the wind was brisk and unimpeded.

  Nearby, from her own slip at Steele Marina, she could see the two masts of her oyster schooner, the Coriolis, rising above the masts of surrounding boats. Ordinarily the sight of her boat—her baby!—filled her with happiness and a craving for adventure, for the wind in her hair and the rocking of the waves. Today she only stared at it in glum silence and took another absent-minded sip of her latte.

  It’s time to let it go. I gave this business my best shot, but… this just isn’t the life for me.