by Milly Taiden
MISS TAKEN
RAGING FALLS
NEW YORK TIMES and USA TODAY BESTSELLING AUTHOR
MILLY TAIDEN
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Waking up in some strange man’s bed was never big girl Kira Ardan’s goal for the day. Neither was waking up naked. Wait, naked? Someone had a lot of explaining to do and soon.
Luke Lyen is at the height of his need. He wants a mate and he wants her now. Finding the woman meant to be his brings out the lust he’s been fighting for days. If only she weren’t so stubborn, he might be able to get her to understand she is his. Then they could move on with dirty, freaky loving.
The big lion is doing things with his tongue that makes Kira’s brain cells melt. It will take more than a little danger to get this curvy woman to let go of her firm beliefs. She’s not interested in being anyone’s MINE, but maybe he can convince her to be HIS.
This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places, and incidents are fictitious or have been used fictitiously, and are not to be construed as real in any way. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, locales, or organizations is entirely coincidental.
Published By
Latin Goddess Press
New York, NY 10456
http://millytaiden.com
Miss Taken
Copyright © 2015 by Milly Taiden
Cover by Willsin Rowe
Edited by: Tina Winograd,
Dee Carrell
All Rights Are 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.
Property of Milly Taiden
September 2015
—For My Curvy Readers
I like my girls BBW!
Table of Contents
MISS TAKEN
ONE
TWO
THREE
FOUR
FIVE
SIX
SEVEN
EIGHT
NINE
TEN
ELEVEN
TWELVE
THIRTEEN
FOURTEEN
FIFTEEN
SIXTEEN
SEVENTEEN
EIGHTEEN
NINETEEN
TWENTY
TWENTY-ONE
TWENTY-TWO
TWENTY-THREE
TWENTY-FOUR
TWENTY-FIVE
TWENTY-SIX
TWENTY-SEVEN
TWENTY-EIGHT
TWENTY-NINE
THIRTY
THIRTY-ONE
EPILOGUE
About the Author
ONE
Kira Ardan glanced at the papers her brother handed her. She squinted, pushing her glasses up her nose. “Wait, you want me to what?”
“Which part of what I said didn’t you understand?” Peter snapped. “I want you to check out the land I want to buy.” His brows dipped in a furious scowl. “I heard the locals are angry that I’m tearing down some trees to set up vacation cabins.”
She frowned, ignoring Peter’s attitude and flipping through the papers she had at hand. “You haven’t even discussed this with the current owner of the land.”
He gave her a look like she was being stupid. “So? I’m offering him a lot more than that piece of shit plot of land is worth. If he’s any kind of businessman, he’ll take it.”
She glared at Peter. He acted like he was smarter than everyone else and that annoyed the shit out of her even though he was family. Thanks to her, he hadn’t been sued more than once. Her ability to smooth over ruffled feathers kept his dumbass in business.
“You know, sometimes I wonder if you and I share the same genes,” she sighed. “Peter, I can’t just show up on private property and survey it without the owner’s consent. I can get arrested for trespassing.”
Peter shrugged. “I don’t care what you do. Figure it out and get me photos of the area.”
She sat back in her chair, determined to talk some sense into her idiot brother. “You know, just because Dad put you in charge of the company Mom left to me, doesn’t make you smarter. This is my company.”
He raised his dark brows. “The fact he gave me control speaks of who he trusted more.”
She clenched her teeth, hating that her father had been such a jerk that she couldn’t control her own company without having a male on command. Her lawyer had been very clear. She either got married or her brother controlled Rakida Construction.
“I don’t give a shit who he trusted,” she snapped, angry at her father and brother. She stood, pushing her chair back and hearing it scrape on the wooden floor. Her glasses fell forward so she shoved them up the bridge of her nose for the millionth time. “Father only did that because he wanted to force me to get married.”
Her father had always made it clear his daughter needed a man to take care of her. Since her mother died when she was young, Kira had always been independent. It ticked off her father that his little girl didn’t want to do the things he expected out of women.
“Me getting this land deal would benefit you,” Peter declared with a mocking grin. “I don’t give a shit if you never get married. As long as you don’t, I’m in control. If you die, I get it all. Don’t get married. I’m still in charge.”
She squeezed her jaw, pain shooting from her teeth to temples. It wasn’t that she didn’t want to get married. At almost thirty-seven, she realized her expectations of men might be higher than what most men felt she should have. She fought the urge to take off her glasses if only to not see his annoying face.
“I’m not getting married just to take the company from you,” she growled. “But if I do get married,” she said, meeting his gaze, “you’re going back to your own fledgling company and leaving mine to me.”
“And until then, I get half of everything I bring into your company,” he smiled coldly. “This is what our padre would have wanted.”
“For me to depend on a man? Papá clearly had little common sense,” she said, her anger rising with every word.
Sheets of paper scrunched in her grasp as she turned to leave his office. She didn’t hate Peter. He was her brother and only acted the way he did because that’s how their father had raised him. Besides, it took too much effort to hate anyone. Kira knew she’d never made her father happy being an independent female. He expected her to grovel at his feet. He wanted power over her.
Her father’s mission was to make her marry or turn forty before she got control of her company. She only had three years to wait for the latter option and the other was not happening. Not with her relationship history.
She’d been engaged three times. Each ending with her sending her fiancé to hell. She didn’t have the patience to handle men who thought they’d change her. It started with small comments or remarks. Then it grew into full-blown commands. Kira didn’t like anyone ordering her around.
Though successful men, her exes always had a problem with something about Kira. That something was usually her weight. As a big girl with big curves, they assumed she needed someone to tell her to lose weight. Not the case. They soon realized she didn’t really care what they wanted her to look like. She was damn happy with her figure. Rolls, flab, curves and every soft little jiggle that made her who she was.
She marched into her office, ignoring everyone calling out her name and slammed the door. People always wanted to talk when she was in a murderous mood. With a sigh, she kicked off her heels and plopped into her office chair. Leather squeaking filled the room as she swiveled to face the picture window behind her desk and the forest that lay just yards fr
om the building.
She flipped up her black-rimmed glasses into her hair and rubbed the bridge of her nose. She swore she’d end up with a daily migraine if she didn’t take a vacation soon. Her temples pulsed with a dull, throbbing pain.
Her door opened. She didn’t bother asking who it was. She already knew.
TWO
“Kira,” Carly, her assistant called out, “I brought you coffee.”
She turned to face Carly with a scowl. “You don’t normally bring me coffee.”
Carly smiled. “I know, but the way you slammed the door made the building shake. I wanted to bring you vodka, but I know you won’t drink during office hours, so this is the next best thing.”
Kira smiled and took the to-go cup out of Carly’s hand. “Thank you. Coffee can’t fix stupid, but I appreciate your thoughtfulness.”
Carly sat in the chair across from Kira’s desk. “Your brother, the pompous ass, pissed you off again?”
“You know him, he gets a little worse every day.”
“I remember the first time I met him when we were kids. He wasn’t an ass yet, and still had his sweet moments. Didn’t take long, though.” Carly smiled, “You know it’s a good thing you’re my best friend, otherwise I’d have already killed him or quit. It’s a toss-up.”
Kira’s musical laughter filled the office. “He is so damn stubborn, just like our father. His way or no way.”
“I take it this is about that property again?”
Kira pursed her lips and sipped her latte. She liked it really sweet with lots of milk. Most of the time Carly made fun of Kira by saying she wanted hot, sweet milk with a pinch of coffee.
“Yes.” She leaned back in her chair and let some of her tension drain. “He’s obsessed with Raging Falls and the surrounding area.”
Carly nodded. “Did he tell you he’s got everyone researching it, now? Especially info on the owner or the team of owners.”
Kira’s brother was stuck on Raging Falls. He wanted it badly. If they got the property and could build on it, going on her idea for new cabin getaways, they’d make a killing and Peter knew that.
“I guess this means I need to figure out who I’ll have to apologize to. Peter’s gonna show up with his better-than-thou attitude, trying to buy out the owners and probably insult them in the process. If he hasn’t already. If he is pestering us this much, he has to be doing it to them as well.”
Carly laughed. Sadly, Kira wasn’t joking. She’d had this happen way too many times in the past. The only thing she could do to keep her company intact was to placate those Peter pissed off.
“I won’t tell him, but I’ll find out who owns that property for you,” Carly said with conviction.
“I don’t understand why it’s such a secret. I mean, you’d think it would be common knowledge.”
“Except it’s not.” Carly placed the files on Kira’s desk in color order. Kira had a thing for keeping things looking neat and organized in her office. At home, that was another story.
“No. The owners are hidden under an umbrella corporation and we can only deal with their lawyer to get any information, which is a pain in the ass.”
“Much like your brother,” Carly agreed.
“Exactly.” She put her empty cup down and met Carly’s gaze. “I guess I’m going on a little road trip.”
Carly pouted. “Wish I could come with you, but I will hold down the fort, instead, and do my best not to end up in jail for assault on your ass of a brother before you get back.”
“Don’t worry. I’m sure this will be a very short adventure,” she said. Hiking through woods and figuring out who lived in Raging Falls was not her idea of fun.
THREE
Luke Lyen wiped the sweat off his brow with the back of his hand. He glanced at the pile of wood with satisfaction. A storm was quickly approaching and the last thing he needed was to be left in the cold with no firewood.
His cell phone buzzed in his pocket for the fifth time, but he ignored it. His friend, Bastien, had informed him that Rakida Construction was still trying to get in touch with them for an unwanted offer.
A low growl sounded in the back of his throat. He hated that the owner of that company didn’t get the hint. Neither Luke nor any of his friends were interested in selling their lands to allow Rakida to destroy their forest or displace the families under their care. They bought this place for the relative quiet and peace their animals needed. They could be themselves up here without interference from those who didn’t understand them.
He picked up a stack of wood and carried it to the shed behind his cabin. Unlike the ones Rakida wanted to construct, Luke’s cabin wasn’t a five-star hotel. He lived in comfort, but in a cabin meant for a family.
His wind chimes sounded.
“Hey, Luke? You out there?”
He dropped the load of wood on a neatly stacked pile several feet high. “Hey, Luna,” he called out to his stepmother. She’d been as close to a mother as he’d gotten through his life.
Footsteps stopped at his back and he turned to smile at her.
“Look at you,” she laughed. “You remind me of when you were a kid and hell-bent on doing everything your father did.”
He’d been a smart-mouthed kid, telling his father and stepmother he could do anything adults did.
“Why are you over here when a storm is brewing?” he asked, following Luna out of the shed and into the cabin’s kitchen. He dusted his hands and wiped his feet on the welcome mat, something she’d taught him at youth.
“I brought you stew. I didn’t want you spending the next few days holed up here with nothing to eat.” She proceeded to put a large pot on his stove and several containers next to it.
He raised a brow and met her gaze. “I’d hardly be without food. I have enough meat in my freezers to last months.”
He might die of restlessness though. His lion would need to get out and run. Hunt. He might even find himself needing female attention.
“Have you spoken to Melissa?” Luna asked.
Melissa. His ex-many-night stands had gotten too attached and he found himself having to break things off with her. She was going into heat soon. All the females were. Unlike the females, the men in Luke’s pride didn’t go into heat. But when the women were, it drove their need to mate and have sex to almost uncontrollable heights.
Melissa needed to stay away or he’d find himself in trouble. The last thing he needed was for her to see their relationship for more than it was. An arrangement. They’d been clear in the beginning. No strings. Both had been fine with that.
The height of his sexual arousal stage was coming up along with the females’ heat and the last thing he needed was to end up mated to Melissa driven by lust. He kept her at bay and hoped he could spend his time exercising his body in ways other than fucking. He’d already been working hard, doing manual labor like splitting firewood. Still, soon he would feel like he was losing control of his lion.
“Melissa needs to find someone who’s interested in being her mate,” he said, shrugging out of his shirt and wiping the sweat off his body with it.
“That isn’t you, huh?” Luna asked, offering a hand to take the dirty shirt.
He shook his head, not giving her the shirt, but dumping it in a basket of laundry he needed to wash. “She’s not the one for me.”
“Ah,” Luna sighed. “I’m sorry, son.” She smiled softly, her eyes crinkling at the corners. “I remember when your father asked me to be his mate.” She cleared her throat. “I had no idea what he was talking about. I just knew something drew me to him.”
Luke nodded. “You loved him. He made the best decision asking you.”
Luna’s eyes filled with tears. “Thank you, Luke.” She sniffled and glanced around his kitchen. “I’m making sure Bastien has enough food for this storm, too.”
He laughed at the idea that his friend Bastien, the big growly bear, wouldn’t have enough food. The guy’s pantry was the size of Luke’s cabin. “M
ost of Bastien’s pantry is filled with snacks. He’s got freezers full of cod and salmon.” He shook his head. “The only way he’d go hungry is if he had a house full of people during the storm. With as grumpy as he is, I highly doubt that.”
“You’re pretty anti-social yourself, mister.” Luna grinned. “Besides, he’s like my second child. I’m taking him stew, as well.”
Luke walked Luna to the door, stopping at the entrance to give her a hug. She held him tightly, well, as tight as she could for a human. Unlike some of his other friends, Luke’s biological mother hadn’t been his father’s true mate. They’d let her heat take control from them and she ended up pregnant.
As the pride leader, his father kept Luke and his mother left to find her own mate. He hadn’t seen her since he was a little boy. Luna had taken over being his mother when Luke was eight years old. For the past thirty years she’d been the best mother any kid could ask for.
“I know I probably don’t say it enough, but I love you.”
Luna smiled and gave him another hug. “I know you do, and I love you, too.”
He waved good-bye, watching her hop into her jeep and take off along the rocky roads. Gray clouds engulfed the sky.
Time to light the fire. It was only a matter of hours before it started snowing. Before he locked himself indoors, he’d go for a final run.
FOUR
Kira shivered in her car. She turned the heat full blast and held the steering wheel in a white-knuckle grip. She should have listened to the weather reports. She’d been in such a rush to finally get to Raging Falls that she jumped into her car and forgotten all else.
“Fucking hell!” She slammed her hand on the steering wheel. At least she’d dressed warmly.
She eyed the road her GPS told her to turn on. Only it wasn’t a road. It looked like a tiny pathway that wouldn’t fit her car. She debated walking, but made the turn and drove slowly between the trees.
