by Milly Taiden
LUCKY CHASE
NEW YORK TIMES and USA TODAY BESTSELLING AUTHOR
MILLY TAIDEN
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Event planner for the rich and famous, Lucky Nuñez lives her dream job. But when it comes to love, she’s scraping the bottom of the barrel. She’s dying to have babies, but it seems that’s never going to happen. A chance encounter leads her into the arms of Jared Thomas. He’s a bad boy to the bone. Sexy, seductive, and so domineering, he makes her toes curl. And he’s got dirty talk down to an art form.
Jared Thomas is a ladies’ man, but when he meets sexy Lucky, he knows she’s worthy of more than just play time. Never has he wanted to keep a woman like he does her. He will make her his wife and mother of his children. There’s only one problem: his past is trying to kill his future.
They have more than communication problems playing havoc with their relationship. With trust issues the size of Texas, these two need to open up to each other. That’s if they can stay alive long enough to try.
Contents
LUCKY CHASE
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Epilogue
About the Author
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
Winter Springs, FL 32708
http://millytaiden.com
Lucky Chase
Re-released formerly Lucky Break
Copyright © 2012 by Milly Taiden
Cover by Willsin Rowe
Edited by: Tina Winograd
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
August 2016
—For my readers.
I love you!
1
“Lucky!”
Luciana Nuñez whipped her head toward the familiar voices of Alexandra, or Alex, as family knew her and Sabrina, also known as Nina. She smiled wide when she spotted the two women past the mass of travelers by the luggage pickup, heading in her direction.
She rushed forward and enveloped both in a group hug. “I missed you so much!”
“We missed you, too, prima!” Alex’s soft voice whispered in her ear.
She pulled back. Both women wore fun, colorful outfits and sandals. Like her, they were on the curvaceous side, voluptuous, with full bodies as her mom liked to say. All three also had long dark hair and the cinnamon-toned skin that came from their Latin heritage. Only Lucky had the blue-black hair with skin just a tad more golden than the others. She was also a few years younger than Alex and older than Nina. It made her the center in their chocolate cookie sandwich.
Fascinated with how dazzling both women looked, she gaped openly at them. If they radiated any more happiness, she’d need sunglasses. Alex glowed with her pregnancy. Meanwhile, Nina’s eyes danced, filled with joy. Her heart ached that she’d been missing out on the comings and goings of her best friends.
Seeing Alex pregnant made her want to cry from happiness. Like her, Alex had always wanted children, so this was a dream come true for her cousin. Lucky knew without a man, her chances of getting those babies she’d wanted for years had diminished. She wasn’t at the point she needed to go get a frozen pop, also known as getting artificially inseminated, but she was definitely considering it.
Having children was important to her. She and her sister came from a big family. They loved kids. Lucky’s ovaries were screaming at her on a daily basis to get to work, while her biological clock had started hitting her so hard over the head she was going to get a concussion soon. She smiled wide at both of her best friends. “You look about ready to burst with joy—especially you, Alex.”
Nina laughed. “Not so much what we’re doing, but what is being done to us.” She winked. “Tu sabes.”
Yeah, she knew, all right. Those sparkling dark eyes of theirs told enough of the story for her not to wonder. And if what she’d heard about Alex’s husband and Nina’s fiancé were true, they were both getting done quite well.
Sadly, Lucky had been very unlucky in that side of her life. Her last relationship had gone down the drain when she’d mentioned family and babies to her ex. Her chest hurt whenever she remembered the way things had ended. Shit had hit the fan in the worst possible moment. Shaking her mind out of the pity party it tended to head to, she smiled at the women.
“Come on, chicas. Let’s get out of here so you can both fill me in on the wedding and what I’m supposed to do to make sure it goes off without a hitch.” She tugged on the plastic handle of her suitcase and headed for the exit, zigzagging her way around the bodies rushing to enter the terminal.
Sweat formed and dripped down her spine the moment they hit the outdoors. Having come from Florida and the warm beach weather, it was odd to have a higher temperature meet her in New York.
Nina winced. “I know. This weather sucks.” She slipped on her sunglasses. “I should have just picked a date in the winter to get married, but I really didn’t want to wait that long.”
Alex rolled her eyes and pointed to her protruding baby bump covered by her purple tank top. “You should have. I would have loved to fit into a regular dress instead of a muumuu.”
“Honey, you’re going to look gorgeous in your dress.” Nina grinned.
“Gorgeous?” Alex lifted her brows high, disbelief written all over her flushed face. “I’ll look like the sun—one big yellow sphere.”
Lucky choked on a giggle. “Alex!”
“It’s true.” She pouted. “I don’t care what you say. I look terrible in all that yellow. Big and yellow. Lovely combination.”
“It’s gold, Alex.” Nina’s voice sounded tired.
As if they’d had that conversation multiple times.
“Gold, yellow, does it matter?” Alex frowned as she pulled a bottle of water from her handbag and sipped.
“But, Alex, you can—”
“Stop telling me I can wear it again.” She groaned. “I don’t think I want to look like the sun in the future.”
Lucky grinned. It was nice to be back with family. She was already enjoying the silly banter between her cousins. They made their way to Nina’s navy-blue sedan. She followed behind Nina and Alex. “So, when do I get to meet the groom?”
Seatbelts snapped into place as Nina started the car. “Tomorrow night. We’re having a private party at Come Again. You already met Andrew at Alex’s wedding. This time you’ll meet my honey, Maxwell, and his best friend, JT—who’s also his best man.”
The car took off suddenly, causing Lucky to jerk in her seat. She bit back the usual “slow-down” retort she used on her sister. It wasn’t that Nina was a bad driver. Lucky just didn’t like speed. Or cars.
“Tonight is just us girls.” Nina cheered.
“Ugh…I hate to be the party pooper here, but I am just not up for late nights anymore,” Alex whined. She lifted her long hair into a bun and used a clip to hold it in place.
“Aw. Poor baby,” Nina cooed. “Don’t worry, hon. You are excused and may go home to rest those swollen little feet.”
Lucky sat back and retrieved a notebook. Time to t
ake down notes on her plans for the wedding.
“Oh, Luckyyy.”
She met Nina’s smiling gaze in the rearview mirror.
“Tonight is going to be a super special surprise. I’m taking you somewhere awesome.”
“A club?” She wasn’t sure she was up to the clubbing scene just yet.
“Nope. A private event. And that’s all I’m going to tell you.”
Lucky opened her mouth to ask further questions, but Alex cut her off. “Don’t even bother asking anything, chica. She’s already said it’s a surprise. She’s obsessed with those things.”
“Hey! I will have you know, you all love my surprises.” She clicked on the radio. The sounds of their favorite ’80s salsa songs filled the car and they all sang along, completely out of tune. She amended her previous thought. It wasn’t just nice to be back with her family, it was awesome.
* * *
Lucky glanced at her body in the full-length bedroom mirror, scanning for anything that might be off with the short black skirt, crimson top, and heeled black sandals. Her breasts strained against the low-cut neckline, showing off more than a peek of her boobs. Hm. Did she look desperate? She hoped not. Her outfit was the height of fashion in the fashion world she’d just come from.
Short of walking around in a nun habit, everything she wore molded to her boobs and hips, clinging in all the right places. Oh well, she had curves and she had no problem showing them off. She was getting older and she still didn’t have the family or children she’d dreamed about for years. She thought she’d get that with Nick, but all she’d gotten was heartbreak. Now her dreams of babies were gone forever.
Her gaze slid up to her face, perfectly made-up eyes, and the dark red gloss coating her lips. Having traveled the world as a top-notch event planner had its perks. She’d learned from the very best makeup artists how to do her face to show whatever mood she wanted. And tonight she wanted sexy.
A soft tap sounded on the door. “Come in.”
Nina’s smiling face peeked around the corner before she waltzed inside in a skimpy red mini dress.
“Look at that. We match! I guess great minds do think alike.”
Lucky grinned. Nina hopped on the bed, her smile wide. She studied Lucky’s outfit with approval. The sparkle of mischief in Nina’s eyes made her more than a little wary. Dammit, but she needed to get out. She needed to unwind.
Heck, after the way her last relationship had ended—with a level of drama worthy of a daytime Emmy nomination for best soap—she needed to have fun. Anything to revive her libido and the lashing it had taken when she’d found out Nick got his ex-girlfriend pregnant, all the while telling her he wasn’t ready for kids or a long-term commitment.
Oh, but let’s not forget how he’d been ready to play her for the other woman. Swift anger made her blood boil. She tamped down the surge of fury that tried to shove its way to the surface to rile her. This happened every time she thought of his lying, cheating ass. If only shit hadn’t happened in such a fucked-up way.
Sadly, she couldn’t change the past. And even if she could, she wasn’t sure she’d change her final actions.
She cleared her throat, swallowing at the dryness taking hold and smiled. “So where exactly are we going?”
“Out.” Nina grinned. “I hope you don’t mind if Max and his friend hang with us. He was acting all sad, and I just couldn’t say no. In fact, we’re going to join them at a different party right now.”
Oh, what the heck? She’d probably end up drinking in a corner and drowning her sorrows in some apple martinis anyway. She leaned back on the dresser, gripping the edge of the wood. Nina was way too excited. That was usually a dangerous sign.
“So why didn’t Jazz and Kaylani fly up with you? I miss both of them. Can’t believe I haven’t seen them since Alex’s wedding.”
“They had last minute details to take care of before joining us.” She placed her tube of lip gloss in a patent leather clutch along with her cell phone. “You know Jazz loves coming back to New York. And Kaylani misses you guys like crazy.”
Her sister Kaylani was her assistant. But Jazz was…well, he was a force all by himself. It didn’t matter that Lucky Break was her business—Jazz acted as though he owned the place. But Lucky didn’t care.
His artistic skill with event design and turning plain old venues into something out of a dream were what her clients paid hundreds of thousands of dollars for. So if that meant dealing with a fun, but eccentric artist, she was fine with that.
“We miss them, too. I’m so glad you are thinking of moving back.” Nina leaned into one of the decorative pillows on the bed.
There was still a lot to decide before she moved back to New York. She’d followed Nick the Dick to Florida to help their relationship move forward because she could work anywhere.
What she hadn’t expected was his ex-girlfriend moving down there, too, to continue to see him without her knowledge.
“Nina…” She licked her lips, hating to blurt out her hopes for a distraction, in the shape of a man, to her happy cousin. The last thing she needed was for her to think she wanted to get emotionally matched up with some guy.
“Is everything okay?” Nina frowned. She placed her small, shiny clutch next to her on the bed. A second later, she stood. The smile slowly slid off her beautiful face. “If you don’t feel like going out, we don’t have to.”
“No, it’s not that at all.” Lucky gulped. “After what happened with Nick, I need to…forget.”
Nina’s comeback smile was filled with determination. “Don’t worry. You are going to have a fantastic time. And if you find anyone you think might help you forget, even if just for tonight, let me know and I will be out of your hair.”
Her heart lifted at Nina’s words. Maybe that was what she needed. A single night to play. No commitments. No restrictions. No emotions. She swallowed at the words drifting through her mind. A one-night stand. Could she do it? Even if only to clear the slate on her sex life and forget the crap she’d been going through?
“You know, you might be on to something.”
Nina rolled her eyes. “Chica, trust me. I know what I’m talking about.”
* * *
Lucky stared at the private driveway filled with expensive cars. The house—one she was sure cost a pretty penny with its imposing structure, Spanish-style design and gorgeous garden—screamed wealth.
“What kind of event is this?” She slipped out of the passenger side and into the warm evening air.
Nina flicked her dark curls back and handed her keys to the valet. “One of Max’s friends is a security genius. He owns a Fortune 500 company that does personal security for dignitaries, heads of countries, and super-rich people.”
Lucky gratefully accepted a glass of champagne from one of the waiters hovering around the lavish foyer. Thank God, because she needed something to help her relax. Live jazz music floated from another room. Her gaze took in the open floor plan. Clearly the owner loved having parties. Casino tables were placed around the floor, and people played craps, poker, and her all-time favorite: blackjack.
“I wonder where Max is.” Nina peered around the room, her gaze scanning the maze of bodies.
An empty blackjack table caught her attention.
Heck, if she wasn’t going to get laid, she might as well enjoy herself playing a few hands. And she wasn’t referring to the type of hands she probably needed playing her body right about now.
“I’m going to play blackjack. I wonder if my name will hold its meaning tonight.” She strolled toward the beckoning table.
“Don’t clean out the house.” Nina giggled. “On second thought, go ahead. It’s all for charity anyway. I’ll be over in a few. Let me find Max.”
Sliding past couples drinking, talking, and mingling, she made her way to the games section. As she neared the table, an electric sizzle slid over her skin. Hmm. Maybe it would be her lucky night.
She sat on the leather stool. The slits on
the sides of her skirt revealed a lot more leg than she’d anticipated when she’d bought it, but she shrugged off the feeling of showing too much skin. A pretty young girl in a white dress shirt smiled at her, her blue eyes twinkling with enthusiasm.
“Good evening, ma’am. Would you like to try your hand at blackjack?”
She opened her mouth to reply but stopped when a man walked up behind the girl. Her breath caught in her chest so fast, she almost choked.
“Take a break. I’ll take care of this for a few.” His deep voice made a heated shudder crawl down her spine.
“Thank you. You’re the best.” The girl smiled warmly and strolled away.
He turned to glance at Lucky, pinning her in place with his steel-gray eyes. She was having a weird reaction to this man. Her skin felt tight, hot. The longer she met his gaze, the more she wanted to tear his clothes off. Talk about chemistry in the first degree.
“Would you like to play?” His low rasp slipped through her skin, heating her veins.
“Yes,” she replied, her own voice husky.
Things were about to get interesting. Who was this guy? From the way he was dressed—with a tux that fit to perfection and short, stylish blond hair—she knew he wasn’t hired help. Pure power emanated from him. The intense way he stared at her, dark and deep, made her hormones stand at attention.
She gulped but held his gaze. Sparks bounced between them.
He pulled out a card and placed it face down before her. He did the same for himself, and then added a second card facing up. It took her a second of mental manipulation to talk her fingers into not shaking so she could grab her cards and look at them.
Her gaze strayed from her perfect game to his hands. His big, sexy hands. Navy-blue cufflinks peeked from the sleeves of his jacket, and she shifted her gaze to his wrists. Shit, she was in trouble. Since when did she consider hands sexy?
Maybe it was the long fingers with their neatly trimmed nails. Or it could be his smooth-looking skin, skin she kept visualizing contrasting against her own darker hue while his hands slid over her body. Whatever it was, it was making her dizzy with the need to touch him.
