by Kwan, Coleen
She turned to him in surprise. “You remember that?”
“Of course.” He was closer than she’d realized. So close that, as his gaze fixed on her, she could make out the hazel striations in his pupils. As he breathed in, she felt her own chest lifting in unison, as if she were hypnotized by the intense green fire in his eyes. “It’s impossible to forget the moment I first fell in love with you.”
Blood thudded in her ears. “Wh-what?” She couldn’t have heard right.
“You heard me, princess.” He stepped closer, and she felt the heat of his body envelop her, consume her. “I fell in love with you back then, when we were just sixteen.”
Owen was talking about love. About being in love. With her. Suddenly her skin felt raw, blistered. “How could you love me then?” She gulped as her eyes started to sting. “I was so mean and—and cruel to you.”
The corner of his mouth twisted. “Yeah, you were. When I left, I thought I hated you, and when we met again I still believed that.” She flinched, but he continued forcefully, “But I fell in love with you again and in a whole new way. I used to call you princess because you were uppity, but now I call you princess because you’re strong and smart and you rule my heart completely.” He paused, and for the first time a hint of vulnerability showed in his expression. “Paige, I know I’m not as polished as the guys you usually—”
“Stop.” To her astonishment, she found herself pressing her forefinger to his lips. “Don’t say another word about other guys.” Against her finger, his mouth was hot and firm. Fierce, primitive longing spiked in her, setting her body trembling. She gulped and blinked back her tears. “You’re the only man to ‘get’ me. You see through all the layers I put on for protection. It’s wonderful, but it’s also scary. I’ve been burned before, by a man I never really cared about, so to open up to you, a man I truly adore, is frightening.”
His gaze seemed to devour her. “Are you saying…?”
Breathing unsteadily, she framed his face with shaking hands. “I’m saying I love you, Owen Bellamy. I love you with all my heart. It—it scares the bejesus out of me, but I have to tell you.” Finally she could give voice to the emotion that had tied her in knots ever since she’d recognized it. Finally she had the courage to tell him how she felt.
“Princess—” He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her to him in a fierce hug, lifting her off her feet. For a few endless seconds she heard their hearts thump together in the aching silence. Then, loosening his grip slightly, he angled his head to cover her mouth hungrily with his. All the bitterness of the past melted away as she answered his ardor with her own unleashed passion. Fueled by the pent-up emotion of their separation, she kissed him like a lost wanderer in the desert finding an oasis.
Eventually they had to come up for oxygen.
Panting and exhilarated, Paige beamed at Owen. “I realized I loved you in this pool, after the night we spent together.”
He exhaled deeply. “That’s why you pulled away, shut me out so completely.”
She nodded. “I was terrified. Still am, really. You’re not a man I can control, but I don’t want to anyway. I want to put my trust in you.” She bit her lip as uncertainty began to nip at her. “I know I’m not the right type for you. I’m not like Heidi.”
Owen stared at her. “Hey, Heidi’s like a kid sister to me.”
“She is? But…I got the impression there was something more between you two.”
He sighed. “Heidi developed a crush on me, and it made things awkward between us for a while, but a few days ago we had a chat and talked things over. She realizes it was just an infatuation she felt for me, and we’re good friends again.” He slid his hands around her waist. “No one could ever hold a candle to you. No one.”
The hungry glow in his eyes dazzled him, and then they were lost in each other again.
A long while later, they were curled up together on a sun lounger, warm and buzzing from the afterglow of their kisses. Paige snuggled her head on Owen’s shoulder as she fingered the buttons on his shirt. “You know,” she murmured, “we could get a lot more comfortable in your bedroom…” She was desperate to make love with him, and she didn’t mind telling him.
“Are you trying to seduce me, princess?”
She coasted her lips over his throat. “Am I succeeding?”
He chuckled as he closed his hand over her fingers. “You can seduce me all you want in a moment, just as soon as I’ve settled a few things with you.”
He was serious, she realized, so she leaned back to listen to him.
“I’m moving into an old farmhouse on the other side of town,” he said as he stroked her arm. “It’s homey, but it has all the modern conveniences.”
“Sounds lovely.” She nestled her head against his chest.
“I still go up to Sydney once a week. I could pick you up on Fridays and drive you back here.”
“Wait a minute.” She lifted her head to gaze at him. “After everything we’ve just confessed to each other, you think I’ll be happy with some long-distance relationship?”
“I know how important your career is to you.” He wrinkled his brow. “And reestablishing yourself in Sydney.”
“I said that when I was still in a funk over that video. And when I was still in denial over what you meant to me.” Pushing herself upright, she leaned over him. “But now you’re the most important person to me. I don’t want to start us off by hedging my bets. I don’t want a tepid, part-time affair, I want the whole deal. I want us to be together, wherever that might be.” She curled her fingers into his shirt, fierce with love.
“You’re sure?”
“As sure as I’m going to get you naked very, very soon.”
“I’ll hold you to that,” he growled, pulling her to him for a quick, hard kiss. “If you’re going to stay in Burronga, there’s a local job opening soon that might be up your alley.”
“What job?”
“We were just discussing it over lunch. Bandicoot Creek requires a proper marketing campaign. We need someone to create the brand and help us sell it. Think you might be interested?”
“Of course.” Enthused at the prospect, she sat up and flicked her hair behind her ears. “I’ll give you a copy of my CV, and then we can set up an interview.”
He pulled back a little to gaze at her. “Sweetheart, you don’t need to interview for the job.”
“Yes, I do. I want this fair and square.” Smiling, she lifted her chin. “Besides, I have an impressive résumé.”
Owen grinned back at her. “That’s fortunate, because it’ll be a demanding job.”
“I’m used to working hard.” She trailed her hand over his chest, her palm coming to rest over his beating heart. “But in return I expect a good remuneration package.”
He splayed his hand across her thighs, triggering a rush of heat in her that coalesced between her legs. “Well…the job does come with some interesting fringe benefits.”
She fluttered her eyelashes at him. “Go on.”
“You get to share my bed on a permanent basis.”
She laughed, suffused with love and growing hunger for him. If Owen didn’t carry her off to his bedroom soon, she’d have to do it herself. “Hmm, that sounds tempting.”
Chuckling, he drew her closer, his mouth oh so irresistibly near. “Let me give you a demonstration, princess.”
Did you love this Bliss? Check out more of our fun and flirty titles here!
And for exclusive sneak peeks at our upcoming books, excerpts, contests, chats with our authors and editors, and more…
Be sure to like us on Facebook
Join the Bliss Book Club
Follow us on Twitter
And follow us on Pinterest
About the Author
Coleen Kwan has been a bookworm all her life. At school, English was her favorite subject, but for some reason she decided on a career in IT. After many years of programming, she wondered what else there was in life—and discovered writing
. She loves writing contemporary romance and steampunk romance.
Coleen lives in Sydney, Australia, with her partner and two children. When she isn’t writing, she enjoys avoiding housework, eating chocolate, and watching Criminal Minds. She is also the author of Undercover in the CEO’s Bed, Baiting the Boss, Real Men Don’t Break Hearts, Real Men Don’t Quit, and White-Hot Holiday (part of the Stranded With a Hero anthology).
Contact Coleen at her website www.coleenkwan.com. Sign up for her newsletter to get sneak peeks, deleted scenes, and new release information.
Sign up for our Steals & Deals newsletter and be the first to hear about 99¢ releases from Coleen Kwan and other fantastic Entangled authors!
Reviews help other readers find books. We appreciate all reviews, whether positive or negative. Thank you for reading!
Also by Coleen Kwan
Real Men Don’t Break Hearts
Real Men Don’t Quit
White-Hot Holiday
Baiting the Boss
Undercover in the CEO’s Bed
Find your Bliss with these great releases...
Second Chance Ranch
by Cindi Madsen
Sadie Hart has a plan: return to her small town of Hope Springs so she can regain her confidence—and bank account—before giving one more shot to her country music dream. The dream she chose over her high school sweetheart, the brooding and sinfully handsome Royce Dixon. Royce has moved on from his memories of the beautiful Sadie. Now he’s focused solely on running Second Chance Ranch, where he rehabilitates troubled teens through ranch work. But when he needs a new employee and Sadie’s the only one to volunteer, he has no choice but to offer his old flame a job.
Chasing the Runaway Bride
by Susan Meier
Former Marine and current rancher Cade Donovan left his hometown for a fresh start. But then Cade inherits the grocery store his grandfather won from the O’Riley family in a poker game more than thirty years ago. The same store that caused a bitter feud between the two families. And worse still, Cade has to share his inheritance with the enemy…the all-grown-up and sinfully tempting Piper O’Riley. After ditching two fiancés at the altar, Piper has a reputation for being the town’s runaway bride. And working with Cade is torture—the kind that can keep a girl up all night imagining naughty, delicious things. It’s all fun and sexy games…until the truth of why Cade left town comes out.
Her Backup Boyfriend
by Ashlee Mallory
When straight-laced lawyer Kate Matthews’s ex gets engaged and a big promotion is on the line at work, she blurts out that she has a new boyfriend. Except there is no boyfriend. And Dominic Sorensen is hot, charming, and very definitely not Kate’s type. But he wants to help Kate renovate her home and he’s willing play “boyfriend.” Now instead of Mr. Right, Kate has a delectable Mr. Fix-It-Right--and some unbelievable sexual chemistry. And if falling for Dominic is a breach of contract, Kate is guilty as charged...
Love Songs for the Road
by Farrah Taylor
The only thing rock star Marcus Troy loves more than making music is his kids. So finding just the right nanny to take on tour with them is important—as is proving to his ex he deserves joint custody. Falling for his employee wouldn’t just be fodder for the paparazzi: it could ruin everything. Too bad the perfect nanny turns out to be beautiful, vibrant Ryan Evans. When the whole world’s watching them, will life in the spotlight be too hot to handle?
Tangling with the CEO
by Annie Seaton
Blake Buchanan and Anastasia Delaney were roommates in college and could never see eye to eye about anything. The only time their walls came down was during one night of passion, never to be repeated. Years later, Blake shows up in Ana’s small California town to manage a corporate takeover that will close down the business she’s poured her heart and soul into. When a family emergency throws them together, their walls come tumbling down once again. But Blake’s business-first position hasn’t changed. And for Ana, it’s not only her job at stake, but her heart.
The Best Man’s Baby
by Victoria James
Jake has never played by the rules. Getting Minister Holbrook’s daughter pregnant wasn’t part of any life plan, but he won’t run from his responsibilities. He’ll step up and be the best man he can, even if he doesn’t have a clue where to begin. The more time he spends with Claire, though, the more he wants her, and the harder it is to get close because that would mean sharing the one thing he hasn’t with anyone—the truth and his heart.
