by Shayla Black
MORE THAN TEMPT YOU
More Than Words, Book 5
Written by Shayla Black
This book is an original publication by Shayla Black.
Copyright © 2019 Shelley Bradley LLC
Kobo Edition
Cover Design by: Rachel Connolly
Photographer: Sara Eirew Photographer
Edited by: Amy Knupp of Blue Otter
ISBN: 978-1-936596-54-6
The characters and events portrayed in this book are fictional. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental and not intended by the author. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form by an electronic or mechanical means—except for brief quotations embedded in critical articles or reviews—without express written permission.
eBooks are not transferable. They cannot be sold, shared, or given away, as it is illegal and an infringement on the copyright of this work.
All rights reserved.
ABOUT SHAYLA BLACK
Shayla Black is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of more than seventy novels. For twenty years, she’s written contemporary, erotic, paranormal, and historical romances via traditional, independent, foreign, and audio publishers. Her books have sold millions of copies and been published in a dozen languages.
Raised an only child, Shayla occupied herself with lots of daydreaming, much to the chagrin of her teachers. In college, she found her love for reading and realized that she could have a career publishing the stories spinning in her imagination. Though she graduated with a degree in Marketing/Advertising and embarked on a stint in corporate America to pay the bills, her heart has always been with her characters. She’s thrilled that she’s been living her dream as a full-time author for the past nine years.
Shayla currently lives in North Texas with her wonderfully supportive husband, her daughter, and two spoiled tabbies. In her “free” time, she enjoys reality TV, reading, and listening to an eclectic blend of music.
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SERIES BY SHAYLA BLACK
For more info, visit ShaylaBlack.com
MORE THAN WORDS
Contemporary romances that depict a love so complete, it can’t be expressed with mere words.
DEVOTED LOVERS
Steamy, character-driven romantic suspenses about heroes who will do anything to love and protect the women bold enough to be theirs. Begins where Wicked Lovers ended.
WICKED LOVERS
Dark, dangerous, beyond-sexy romantic suspenses about high-octane men and the daring women they risk all for, even their hearts.
PERFECT GENTLEMEN
Suspenseful contemporary romances about the “Perfect Gentlemen” of Creighton Academy. Privileged, wealthy, and powerful friends—with a wild side.
MASTERS OF MÉNAGE
Very sexy romances about men of power and danger who share a kink—and a special woman. Though she’s inexperienced, she isn’t afraid to embrace all she desires.
SEXY CAPERS
Sassy, sinful contemporary romances with a pinch of suspense that show both the fun and angst of falling in love while snaring bad guys.
DOMS OF HER LIFE: RAINE FALLING
Super-sexy serialized contemporary romances about one tempestuous woman thoroughly in love with two friends and their battle to see who will ultimately win her heart.
DOMS OF HER LIFE: HEAVENLY RISING
Super-sexy serialized contemporary romances about one innocent and the two frenemies desperate to her touch, protect, and claim her as their own.
MISADVENTURES
Fun, sexy, rompy standalone contemporary romances with a fun premise, fast pace, and high heat.
STANDALONES
Romances published independent of a series, some sexy, some sweet, all with a happy ending that’s finished and complete.
HISTORICALS
Sexy stories about the bold rakes and audacious beauties of lush eras gone by.
PARANORMAL
Magic, ancient myth, and human emotions blend in this passionate, good-versus-evil series set in contemporary London.
PRAISE FOR MORE THAN WANT YOU
“Amazing! Everything I didn’t even know I needed or wanted in a romance novel. Hot. Spicy. Addicting.”
—Rachel Van Dyken, #1 New York Times Bestselling Author
“Sexy, passionate and oh-so-clever! An intriguing love story!”
—Lauren Blakely, #1 New York Times Bestselling Author
“You’ll hate him and then you’ll love him! A sexy read with a surprising twist.”
—Carly Phillips, New York Times Bestselling Author
PRAISE FOR MORE THAN NEED YOU
5 Stars! “I adore Shayla Black! She masterfully delivers story after story full of passion, love, heartbreak, and redemption.”
—Chasing Away Reality
5 Stars! “I love this book!!! It has all the elements that takes you on an emotional rollercoaster.”
—Romance Between The Sheets
PRAISE FOR MORE THAN LOVE YOU
5 Stars! “The perfect blend of romance, lust, love and standing in your own way. I love the story.”
—Alpha Book Club
5 Stars! “One of the best books I’ve read in months! I love this book!”
—Magic Beyond The Covers Book Blog
PRAISE FOR MORE THAN CRAVE YOU
5 Stars! “With beautifully written characters and a storyline that I could not put down this was a fabulous read. It needs more than 5 stars!!”
—The Overflowing Bookcase
5 Stars! “…fun, hot and really hard to put down…loved it!”
—Sissy’s Romance Book Review
ABOUT MORE THAN TEMPT YOU
I romanced her for revenge…but what if she’s not the enemy after all?
I’m Clint Holmes. I was an ambitious guy with a busy life and a growing business. Sure North Dakota wasn’t a tropical paradise, but I was happy enough—until tragedy struck. Now the only thing that matters is finding the person responsible and making her pay. But Bethany Banks is a Harvard-educated shark used to swallowing her enemies whole while playing dangerous corporate games. How can a blue-collar oil man like me possibly beat her?
The moment I lay eyes on my beautiful nemesis, the answer is obvious. I seduce her.
On Maui, where she’s fled, I get to know the man-eater who caused my family so much pain…only to find she’s not the brazen ballbuster I assumed. She’s skittish, secretive, vulnerable. For some reason, my instinct is to protect her. I can’t abandon my plan…but I can’t stop wanting her. Night after night, I pry her open with my touch until I’m drowning in our passion. Soon, I’m questioning everything, especially the fine line between love and hate. But when the past comes back to wreak vengeance and the truth explodes, can I prove that I’m more than tempted to love her forever?
There are infinite ways to tell someone you love them. Some of the most powerful don’t require words at all. This was the truth rolling through my head when I first conceived of this series, writing about a love so complete that mere letter
s strung together to make sentences weren’t an adequate communicator of those feelings. Instead, for this series, music was my go-to choice.
I love music. I’m always immersed in it and spend hours a day with my ear buds plugged in. I write to music. I think to music. I even sleep to music. I was thrilled to incorporate songs into the story I felt were meaningful to the journey. I think of it this way: a movie has a soundtrack. Why shouldn’t a book?
So I created one.
Some of the songs I’ve selected will be familiar. Some are old. Some are newer. Some popular. Some obscure. They all just fit (in my opinion) and came straight from the heart. I listened to many of these songs as I wrote the book.
For maximum understanding (and feels), I seriously recommend becoming familiar with these songs and either playing them or rolling them around in your head as you read. Due to copyright laws, I can’t use exact lyrics, but I tried to give you the gist of those most meaningful to Clint and Bethany’s story. I’ve also made it simple for you to give these songs a listen by creating a Spotify playlist. Click here for all the enjoyment.
Hugs and happy reading!
BEER RUN – Garth Brooks featuring George Jones
DON’T STOP BELIEVIN’ – Journey
STRONGER (WHAT DOESN’T KILL YOU) – Kelly Clarkson
DARE YOU TO MOVE – Switchfoot
HAPPY – Pharrell Williams
SOMEWHERE OVER THE RAINBOW – Israel Kamakawiwo’ole
I WON’T GIVE UP – Jason Mraz
FORTRESS AROUND YOUR HEART – Sting
PLEASE FORGIVE ME – Bryan Adams
DIG – Incubus
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Cover
Title Page
Copyright Page
About Shayla Black
Series by Shayla Black
Praise for More Than Want You
Praise for More Than Need You
Praise for More Than Love You
Praise for More Than Crave You
About the Book
Foreword
Dedication
Prologue
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
About More Than Pleasure You
More Than Words Series
Let’s Get to Know Each Other!
Series by Shayla Black
To my beloved. Without you, nothing would be possible, Coke Zero.
PROLOGUE
June
Rural North Dakota
CLINT
“Come home.”
I groan as I glance across the room at my father. Not again… “Dad, we’ve talked about this.”
“No, you’ve talked about it. I haven’t said my piece.”
“But I know your spiel. Look, I’ve transplanted, and my roots are here now. My business is growing again. I’m still a newer kid on the block in the oil industry around here, so it’s taking time.” I lean back in my chair and grip my cold beer. “But I’m okay with that. Besides, you don’t need me; you still have Bry at home.”
My father huffs, then takes a drag of his cigar. “Until he goes off to college in the fall. Besides, when do you think your youngest brother is ever home? He’s a seventeen-year-old boy who’s just graduated from high school and has his own wheels. At that age, when were you home?”
He’s got a valid point, but… “I know it’s been hard since Mom’s death. The last eighteen months have been an adjustment for everyone.”
“It’s not that. Open your eyes, son. The oil boom will likely bust again. Five years ago, this was a great business, and you were in the right place at the right time. Even Bethany agreed,” he says of his investment advisor, whom he constantly raves about. “But now, it’s time to cut your losses before they go any deeper. OPEC wants to put US oil production out of business, and they have the resources to make that happen. They did really well at choking your business last year.”
I can’t deny that. Twelve months ago, I was lamenting high costs and dismal profits. “This year has been better so far.”
“Slightly. C’mon, Clint. Do you really want to eke out a living? Sell this thing. You’ll get a pretty penny for the business, even if the industry isn’t at its hottest right now.” He hunkers back in my favorite leather chair and takes a sip of his whiskey. “If your mother’s death taught me anything, it was that life is even shorter than people warn you. Forty-nine was way too young to die, but that didn’t matter. Her number was up. Watching her go through all that breast cancer treatment just about killed me.”
Me, too. I wasn’t there for the worst since I moved to North Dakota at nineteen and went straight to work, eventually building my own oil services business from the ground up. But I came home for the end. Seeing her so frail and wasted devastated me. Losing her gutted my family. “I know, Dad.”
When I reach across the space to take his hand, he squeezes mine. “Look, I want to retire. I want to do all the things your mother and I planned to before I pass on. We were going to get season tickets to one of those fancy theaters. We were going to drive up Pacific Coast Highway to San Francisco and see the sights. Hell, we were going to take a Hawaiian vacation. We didn’t follow through on any of those plans because we had three growing boys and always thought there would be time. And now…she’s gone.”
When my father chokes back emotion, I squeeze his hand again. “I’m sorry.”
“It’s not your fault. She would have chosen keeping you kids happy over a vacation any day.”
“But she worked all her life and didn’t get to enjoy the quieter years. That upsets you, I know.”
“Yes, but it upsets me more that I promised her I’d do all those things after she was gone. So far, I’ve done nothing but grieve and try to figure out how to carry on.”
Guilt tugs at me. If I stay in North Dakota, I’ll be following my own path. If I give that up to return to La-La Land, I’ll be helping my family, yes. But I’ll also be assuming a business that never interested me and putting myself smack-dab in the middle of crowds, congestion, and smog—all the reasons I left LA—again.
“What about Bret? He’s going to graduate from UCLA next year with a business degree. I never went to college. Would he be better equipped—”
“You think he’s ready to leave the frat house and walk straight into a multimillion-dollar-a-year business? Hell, as far as I can tell he hasn’t pulled his head out of a keg in the last six months.” My father sighs. “I’m not trying to guilt you. I’m simply hoping you’ll see the wisdom of this idea. Your business might be drying up, depending on the price of oil per barrel. Mine is thriving, but it’s too much for me to handle these days. I’m just getting too old.”
“You’re only fifty-three.”
“After your mother’s passing, I feel ancient.”
He’s not his usual, robust self. I know he’s not sleeping well, and I guess that’s age. But he seems more fatigued than I would have thought. Two years ago, he walked to my favorite fishing spot without any trouble. Today, he was short of breath on the same short trek. Even now, hours after our return, a fine sheen of perspiration beads on his forehead. Granted, it’s almost ninety degrees and humid as hell outside, but it’s comfortable in the air-conditioned house.
“Dad, you just got here yesterday. Enjoy your vacation. Maybe you’ll feel refreshed at the end of two weeks and—”
“I’ve been thinking about this for months. Now I want you to think about it. Please.”
How can I say no to that?
“All right. I’ll consider it.”
My father smiles wide. “Great. I worry about you out here, you know.”
“Why?” I love the wide-open spaces a
nd the down-to-earth people. Sure, it gets colder than a well-digger’s butt and summers can be miserably hot, but I appreciate the beauty of nature—something you see almost none of in Los Angeles.
“I didn’t see many pretty single girls while we drove through town. There don’t seem to be any way out here, just a bunch of prairie dogs and cows. And I know better than to think they’re keeping you warm at night.”
Admittedly, that’s one of the biggest drawbacks to living in the middle of nowhere. I’ve already dated all the single women within a hundred-mile radius. None of them are for me. When I want to feel a warm female, I have to go to Williston or Bismarck, hit a bar, and hope I get lucky. Most often I do, but sometimes I strike out. It happens. North Dakota is one of the few states where males outnumber females, especially in the western half of the state, where the surge of oil workers has made the odds of hitting a home run shittier.
“No. I’m definitely not into anything with four legs, Dad.”
He laughs, absently rubbing at a spot under his right shoulder. “Come back to California. The timing is perfect. You can run my business. It’s booming. It will make you rich. You can stop getting your hands dirty every day.” He peers at the grease that seems permanently embedded under my fingernails, no matter how hard I scrub. “You can spend more time with me and your brothers. And I want to introduce you to Bethany.”
“I don’t need a financial advisor right now.” Especially not one in a state I don’t reside in.
“Maybe not. It never hurts to start investing, in my opinion. But that’s not what I meant.”
It takes me a minute to realize what he’s saying. “You’re trying to hook me up with her?”
“She’s beautiful and smart and sweet. You’d like her, son. You’d like her a lot.”
I know zero about this woman, and since I don’t want to move to LA, I’m interested even less. “You date her, Dad. You’re single.”
