A Los Angeles Passion

by Sherelle Green

  “I know,” Trey said, brushing a piece of her hair out of her face. “But what you need to realize is that the biggest issue with what you told me was the fact that you had to endure that pain alone. I know that you are disappointed that you can’t carry kids of your own, but, Kiara, if you want to be a mother, you can be a mother. There are so many children in the world who need a good family, and I happen to think that you and I would make amazing parents to some hopeful kids.”

  Kiara smiled as the backs of her eyelids burned with tears she was holding in. “Kids, as in plural? You’d be open to adoption?”

  “Of course I would,” Trey said, placing a light kiss on her forehead. “And yes, I mean plural. You never said so, but I have a feeling you always wanted more than one child. And although I never used to think I would be a good father, I feel differently now that I’ve spent so much time with my nephew. Being a family doesn’t mean that you must be blood. It means loving one another unconditionally, and if we adopt, the children we adopt will be ours to love and raise.”

  Kiara leaned her head against Trey’s chest. “How did I get so lucky to fall in love with a man as amazing as you are?”

  Trey lifted her so he could stare into her eyes. “You love me?”

  “Duh,” she said with a laugh. She lifted her hand to his cheek. “Trey Moore, I love you more than words can say, and although I never saw you coming, I am so grateful that we found one another. I don’t have any doubt in my heart that we’d make great parents to some amazing kids. Even though you said I don’t have to apologize, I want to spend the rest of this week making sure you realize just how much I love you and how sorry I am.”

  “Is that why you rented me?” Trey asked. “To prove your love?”

  Kiara nodded. “Yes. I figured a normal apology wouldn’t do.”

  Trey glanced around his rooftop. “Did Carmen let you in?”

  “She did,” Kiara said. “I got her number from your friend Kendrick and told her that I needed her help. She was really sweet for doing this. She even helped further by giving your brother Max the second envelope so that he could give it to the security guard at Prescott George. I’m not a poet, but I’d hoped that the screenwriter in you would appreciate my efforts.”

  “I appreciate it,” Trey said with a laugh. “But we’ll work on your rhyming skills another time.”

  Kiara playfully hit Trey on the shoulder. “You’re not cute.”

  “According to your second card, I’m sexy.”

  “I should have chosen a different word,” she said, rolling her eyes.

  Trey nodded. “Which is exactly why we’ll practice your writing skills.”

  Kiara scrunched her forehead. “Is this to get me back for the time I came over to teach you how to care for your nephew? Because if it is, I hope you realize that this isn’t the same thing.”

  “It’s sort of the same thing,” Trey said with a laugh. “Except, I know how to care for Matthew now.”

  Kiara shook her head, a smile spreading across her lips. “What am I going to do with you?”

  “You mean, what are we going to do with each other?” Trey pulled her closer to him. “I can think of a few things.”

  Kiara squealed when Trey lifted her into his arms and carried her off the rooftop terrace and through the greenhouse. Her heartbeat quickened in anticipation, but it wasn’t only for the intimate plans she saw formulating in Trey’s mind. Her heart was racing in excitement as she thought about all the exciting things she and Trey had in their future. She wasn’t ready to only make memories with the man who’d stolen her heart. She was ready to create the life and future she’d always dreamed of.

  Epilogue

  Two weeks later

  “Trey, are you ready?”

  Trey glanced inside the picnic basket once more to make sure he had everything he needed, before responding to Kiara. “Yes, I’m ready.”

  When Trey had asked Kiara if she wanted to take another impromptu weekend trip to the French Riviera, she hadn’t hesitated to say yes. The past two weeks with Kiara had been just as beautiful as all their other times together, and he couldn’t wait to see what their future held.

  Trey’s mother was back from her African safari and was eager to meet Kiara. Trey and Kiara had decided that they’d host a small pre-Thanksgiving dinner at their home so that their families could meet. It seemed that even though the families hadn’t met yet, everyone was glad they’d found love in one another.

  Trey was even slightly looking forward to celebrating Thanksgiving with Max, Derek and Reginald. They still weren’t finished proving Reginald’s innocence, or worse, confirming that he was guilty, but they were working on a few new leads that Trey hoped were promising.

  “I’m so proud of you,” Kiara said as they made their way to the beach. “I’m excited to go to my first awards show.”

  “I haven’t even been nominated for an award yet,” Trey said. He’d informed Kiara that his agents and producers were predicting that his latest screenplay was award worthy, and she’d taken what he’d said and run with it. Although he kept reminding her that there was no guarantee, he secretly appreciated how much faith she had in his work.

  Another project that Trey was excited about was the fact that he’d convinced the LA board to allow Prescott George to team up with LA Little Ones for a mentorship program that focused more on children who were raised by a single parent. They planned on working on the preliminary programming and jump-starting that initiative in the New Year, after the holidays.

  As they arrived on the beach, Trey was glad that it seemed to be deserted. There was a festival going on in town and he assumed people were there instead. Trey laid out their beach towels and took out the sandwiches, wine and fruit he’d packed.

  “I’ve never had a picnic on the beach,” Kiara said.

  “Me, neither,” Trey said. “I almost thought about setting up this picnic in the lifeguard stand.”

  Kiara laughed. “I’m not really in the mood to get caught again, so the beach is fine.” They spent the next few minutes eating and talking about all the plans they needed to make for the holidays. It was a busy time for both of them, but Trey couldn’t help thinking that this was going to be the best holidays he’d ever had, all because he’d found Kiara.

  “Want to check out the water?” Trey asked.

  “Sure.” Kiara pulled off her maxi dress, revealing a white bikini.

  “Damn,” Trey said. “On second thought, do you want to head back to the villa and finally make love in the canopy bed?” Trey couldn’t believe that, once again, they’d had sex everywhere but the canopy bed.

  “No chance,” Kiara said. “You’re tempting, but this water has been calling my name since we arrived.” Kiara ran into the ocean. Trey removed his T-shirt and raced toward her, splashing as much as he could. She squealed and splashed him back just as much.

  “I was thinking,” Trey said, pulling her to him as they stood knee-deep in the ocean. “You mentioned that you were okay with moving in with me and putting your house up for sale, but what if we keep your home for guests to stay in when they visit us from out of town? It’s only a few blocks from my home, and we could always place it on Airbnb for the times we aren’t using it.”

  Kiara smiled. “I think that’s a fantastic idea.”

  “Great.” Trey cleared his throat. “Because I was also thinking that we could reach out to the adoption agency and get started on the paperwork. I know neither one of us wanted to wait too long to start a family, and the process could take a while.”

  Kiara frowned slightly. “I’ve heard it can take a while, too, but we aren’t married yet, and I’m not sure how that will change the process.”

  “Then I guess we should change that.” Trey smiled and kissed her lips softly before he reached into the pocket of his trunks and bent down on one knee. Kiara gasped
as she covered her mouth with her hands.

  “Kiara Woods, I fell for you the moment I laid eyes on you, and I’ve been falling ever since. There isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t realize how lucky I am to have you in my life. We may not be perfect, but together, I think we’re as close to perfection as it gets. I hope that you realize that you will never have to go through any hardship on your own again because I will be there, right by your side. You are stronger than you realize. Powerful and wise beyond measure. And more beautiful than a woman has a right to be. Will you make me the happiest man on earth and marry me?”

  Kiara wiped the tears that had fallen on her cheeks. “Yes, Trey. I’ll marry you.” Trey stood and placed the ring on her finger, the brilliant diamond catching the beautiful sunrays.

  “I love you,” Trey said, his voice filled with emotion.

  “I love you, too.” Kiara stood on tiptoes and placed her hand on the back of Trey’s neck, pulling him in for a kiss. Trey enclosed his arms around Kiara and lifted her out of the water, spinning her in a circle, their lips never leaving from one another. It was a move that Trey had written in one of his romance screenplays, but never had he thought he’d be starring in his own love story with a leading lady as astounding as Kiara. She was his own romance heroine. She was his everything.

  * * * * *

  Keep reading for an excerpt from Her Perfect Pleasure by Lindsay Evans.

  Join Harlequin My Rewards today and earn a FREE ebook!

  Click here to Join Harlequin My Rewards

  http://www.harlequin.com/myrewards.html?mt=loyalty&cmpid=EBOOBPBPA201602010003

  We hope you enjoyed this Harlequin Kimani Romance.

  You dream in vibrant hues! Harlequin Kimani Romance stories feature sophisticated, soulful and sensual African-American and multicultural heroes and heroines who develop fulfilling relationships as they lead lives full of drama, glamour and passion.

  Enjoy four new stories from Harlequin Kimani Romance every month!

  Connect with us on Harlequin.com for info on our new releases, access to exclusive offers, free online reads and much more!

  Other ways to keep in touch:

  Harlequin.com/newsletters

  Facebook.com/HarlequinBooks

  Twitter.com/HarlequinBooks

  HarlequinBlog.com

  Join Harlequin My Rewards and reward the book lover in you!

  Earn points for every Harlequin print and ebook you buy, wherever and whenever you shop.

  Turn your points into FREE BOOKS of your choice

  OR

  EXCLUSIVE GIFTS from your favorite authors or series.

  Click here to join for FREE

  Or visit us online to register at

  www.HarlequinMyRewards.com

  Harlequin My Rewards is a free program (no fees) without any commitments or obligations.

  Her Perfect Pleasure

  by Lindsay Evans

  Chapter 1

  Carter climbed out of the glittering turquoise pool, water dripping down his bare chest, chiseled abs, and the swimsuit clinging to his narrow hips and trunk-like thighs. The warm desert breeze brushed over him like a caress, leaving pleasurable goose bumps in its wake.

  It was a damn nice day.

  He ran a hand over his close-cut hair and squinted against the glare of the afternoon Las Vegas sunshine. His arms and back ached from the laps he’d swum in the Olympic-sized pool separated from the wading pool by a stylized velvet rope, and his chest rose and fell with his regulated breath.

  He should’ve been more relaxed. Hell, he should’ve been a limp noodle after the fruit-heavy tropical breakfast, hour-long massage and strenuous swim he started his day with. But the dream was still riding him. Somehow, it had seemed worse than usual last night.

  So instead of feeling tranquil after a long morning and afternoon of food, pampering and winning at blackjack, Carter was tense. His whole body was a mass of coiled muscle. He barely managed not to look over his shoulder, searching for a familiar pair of brown eyes, curved lips, a sweet face that begged for promises he’d never been able to keep.

  At nearly three in the afternoon on a Tuesday, the hotel pool was as crowded as a Saturday night at a regular spot. But in Vegas, people didn’t keep regular hours. Every night was a party. Every day was a vacation.

  At his lounge chair, he scooped up his towel and roughly scrubbed it over his head, neck and chest. People watched him. Women, specifically. He could feel the burn of their eyes. Their gazes roamed his body, hard and muscled from a rigid routine in the gym, greedy and admiring.

  He was used to all that and so just shrugged it off.

  “Can I get you anything else, Mr. Diallo?” A poolside concierge paused by his chair, her white uniform shining in the sun while she held an empty tray at her side. She looked ready to get him just about anything he wanted.

  “Just another mineral water, please.”

  The woman nodded and quickly flitted away to get him what he asked for.

  Carter had had a whiskey sour earlier but quickly switched to water after he got a call that the reason for his Vegas trip was set to go down in just a few hours. Alcohol never really affected him, but he didn’t take the chance while he was on the job. When he was at work, he was at work.

  As the head of his own security company he built from scratch, personally taking care of many of the situations his high-end clients demanded with discretion, he was always very careful to separate business from pleasure. One careless slip could mean losing everything for his client, and even for himself. Carter Diallo never slipped.

  When he’d come in the day before, anticipating that the work part of his trip wouldn’t start for another twenty-four hours, he took full advantage of the perks of being in Vegas. He hit a couple of the casinos, indulged in a long evening at the late-night spa before sitting down to a solitary meal in the hotel’s rooftop restaurant. Views of the strip had been the ideal accompaniment to his perfectly cooked steak and creamy rosemary potatoes. He had slept well last night. Long and deep. Until the dream swept over him, that is.

  A tone chimed on his phone. Three fifteen.

  Carter sighed, his massive chest rising up and down with the breath.

  Time for him to get to work.

  * * *

  “Did anyone ever tell you, blackmail isn’t a very safe hobby?” Carter crossed his arms over his chest and loomed over the skinny guy cringing back in the hotel bed.

  “I didn’t do anything, man!”

  The guy, no older than twenty-five at best, did his best to melt into the headboard, his stupid hipster beard quivering like a weed in the storm.

  When would these boys stop thinking growing big beards on their baby faces was a good substitute for actually being a man?

  Carter didn’t back down. He towered over the young man and deliberately used his tall and burly frame to intimidate the guy who’d dared try to blackmail his sister. His dark gray suit, worth more money than the dude could spend in a week, only added to the intimidating picture. Carter made sure of it.

  “I swear, it wasn’t me! Alice is lying!” The kid was trying to practically climb over the headboard and into the wall now, his skinny legs bared in some ridiculous underwear with a string that crawled between his butt cheeks.

  What did Alice ever see in this guy?

  “So this isn’t you I see using the prepaid ATM card you demanded she send you to this post office box?” Carter showed him a picture on his cell phone.

  It was undoubtedly him, despite the low-drawn hoodie and shoulders hunched away from the cameras. But the idiot wore the same shoes he’d somehow convinced Alice to buy for him, limited-edition two-thousand-dollar kicks that had only come out a few days before the photo was taken.

  In the blackmail note, the kid demanded money and shoes. Greedy for everything he w
ouldn’t get now that Alice had seen through his crap for what it was and broken up with him.

  Anger boiled in Carter, a low and violent rage. But, as usual, he kept a tight grip on it, another aspect of his personality that secured him the title as the most placid Diallo brother, if also the most dangerous.

  Calmly, Carter scrolled to another picture on the phone. A blown-up version of the one the boy sent to Alice’s email address. In the photo, two people were obviously in an intimate situation, the boy with Alice despite what he’d amateurishly done to try and hide his face.

  “Are you going to tell me this isn’t you too?” Another pair of men’s string underwear and expensive shoes were just within the frame.

  “I’m telling you, man! I didn’t do anything...” An obvious lie. The kid tried to fend Carter off with his skinny arms, but Carter wasn’t about to get himself dirty by touching the little slimeball.

  Instead, he growled and the kid jerked violently back into the wall, nearly giving himself a concussion. Carter held up the phone and deliberately deleted the dirty pictures of his sister though it was a mostly symbolic gesture. He’d already wiped the copies from the cloud—along with every piece of information the idiot punk stored on it—and already tracked down all the other digital and hard copies of the photos themselves. Carter darkened the phone and tucked it away in his inside jacket pocket.

  Alice needed better taste in men.

  “If I hear from you again or find out you’re trying this crap with other women, I’ll be back. And I won’t be so nice next time.”