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A one-night stand with a sexy stranger seems like a great idea, until he turns out to be my new billionaire boss... On her last night in Auckland, Heidi meets an attractive man in a bar who invites her to go back to his hotel room. Despite her reservations, she agrees to a one-night stand given that she's leaving the city the following day. The night turns out to be the most intense and passionate experience of her life, and she leaves the next morning feeling disappointed but excited to start anew. Unfortunately, things don't go as planned. She can't find a permanent secretarial position in Wellington, so she has to take up temp work. The only room available for rent is damp and tiny, and to make matters worse, she ends up with an unexpected complication from her fling. Feeling like she's hit rock bottom, she starts a new temp job, only to discover that her mystery man from Auckland is her new boss. Oddly enough, he doesn't seem to recognize her and acts as if they've never met. It isn't until later that he reveals he's actually the CEO.
Heidi
It's Tuesday the twenty-sixth of July, the first week of the English school summer holidays, and I'm in the kitchen making bread when my phone vibrates in the back pocket of my jeans, announcing the arrival of a message.
Assuming it's another unwanted text, my heart sinks as I take the phone out with floury fingers. I do a comical double-take when I see it's a Facebook message from Lawrence Oates.
I feel a wave of relief, then a flutter of pleasure deep inside. My heart racing, I go over to the sink and wash my hands, then pick up the phone and bring up the message. It's short but sweet.
Your Royal Highness! Don't suppose you'd be around for a Zoom call at 8 p.m.?
I laugh at his greeting. My full name is Heidi Rose Huxley, and the first time we met, he commented that my initials were HRH.
Still smiling, I sit on the kitchen chair, bring up his Facebook profile, and study his picture.
His real name is Lawrence, but everyone calls him Titus. He got the nickname from the Antarctic explorer of the same name who sacrificed himself for his teammates in 1912 by going out into a blizzard. That Lawrence Oates was nicknamed Titus after the English priest who invented a conspiracy to kill the English king, Charles II, in 1678.
How do I know all this? Because when I was sixteen, tipsy on one glass of sparkling wine at my brother Oliver's twenty-first birthday party, I asked his gorgeous mate for a kiss. Instead of getting exasperated with the irritating young teen who was trying to pretend she was sassy and sophisticated, he proceeded to kiss the living daylights out of me. Shy and innocent, I'd never even had a boy kiss me on the cheek before, so to be French kissed by a gorgeous older guy completely blew me away.
After the kiss, I found out everything I could about him, convinced I'd found my Prince Charming and that we were destined for a happily ever after.
We weren't, of course, and unsurprisingly after the party he didn't contact me and declare his undying love. We did see each other relatively frequently over the years, either at Oliver's business club or at my parents' house. Every time our gazes met with a mischievous smile as we both clearly recalled that kiss, although we never spoke of it openly.
We've been friends on Facebook for some time, although we've never communicated on there. Two years ago, I moved to England, and I haven't spoken to him since. He was the first guy to burst my girlish, romantic bubble, but he wasn't the last. Einstein said insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. I think, from that definition, I'm pretty bonkers, as the English like to say.
His profile picture is an old one, taken when he was at university, of him with his arms around Oliver and their friend Mack. It's a bit blurry and doesn't do him justice. I remember him as tall, dark, and handsome, and being impressed because he'd been approached to play rugby for the Auckland Blues. The only other thing I remember about him is that his mother is Scandinavian, and he has Viking tattoos down each arm.
As I scroll down through his Facebook feed, I can see why I've never read any posts from him-he hardly ever goes on there. Oliver has mentioned him in passing when I've spoken to him on Zoom over the past two years, but I don't know anything about what he's been up to, apart from that he works with computers.
Why on earth does he want to talk to me?
Then it comes to me-it must be about Oliver's wedding. Oliver is marrying his girlfriend, Elizabeth, next month, and I'm flying to New Zealand for it. Maybe Titus is organizing something he wants me to be a part of. Yes, that would make sense. Much more sense than him deciding he wants to chat up the tipsy teenager he snogged eight years ago.
Blowing out a relieved breath, I reply to his message.
Hey Titus! Sure! 8 p.m. your time or my time?
He responds almost immediately:UK time.He includes an invitation to the Zoom call, then says:Great, speak to you tonight.Wow. Captain Concise.
Putting the phone aside, I return to making the easy-bake bread, adding a can of beer to the flour with the baking powder. I mix it all up and tip it into the loaf pan.
Then I scoop it back into the bowl, add the salt and sugar I'd forgotten, and put it back into the loaf pan again. I top it with grated cheese and salt and pepper, and slide it into the oven.
Then I remember I haven't added any olive oil, take it back out, drizzle the oil over the top, return it to the oven, and set the timer.
Even though it's clearly not a romantic call, he has me all flustered.
I huff an irritated sigh at myself and check the time on my phone. It's nearly ten a.m. now, and I'm due to have another Zoom call with my sisters. I go into the living room and collect my laptop, then take it out of my tiny cottage into my even tinier garden, and set it up on the plastic table under the umbrella.
I've learned that summer in England can be extremely variable, especially where I live, in the county of Devon in the southwest, where the hills of Dartmoor generate mild, wet weather. Last year, it rained the whole of July and a good part of August. This year, June proved to be one of the wettest on record, but the weather has miraculously cleared up for the start of the school holidays, and today the sky is the color of bluebells.
I click on our Zoom link and discover that two of my three sisters-Chrissie and Evie-are already there, waiting for me. There's a moment of delay, and then their pictures spring up on the screen.
"Hey!" They smile and wave as they see me, and I grin and wave back.
"Hey you lot!"
"Ooh, it looks like a lovely day there," Chrissie says.
"It's a beautiful summer morning," I reply.
Evie shakes her head. "It must be so weird to have summer in July!"
"You get used to the seasons being reversed," I tell them. "Christmas in winter wasn't as strange as I thought, because our cards Down Under tend to feature wintry scenes despite it being in summer. And it makes sense that Easter takes place in spring here, with all the lambs and chicks being born."
"I guess," Evie says. "But Halloween in autumn? That's just weird."
I smile. I can't imagine that either Evie or Chrissie would take to living in England. There's a tendency for Kiwis to think of the English like cousins because so many of us have relatives back in the UK, but the fact is that the two cultures are very different.
Chrissie is thirty-three and, like me, a schoolteacher, although she teaches science at a large secondary school, which is a world away from my position teaching five-year-olds at a tiny Devon primary school. Evie is twenty-seven and a police officer, bossy and no-nonsense. They're both quite frank and outspoken, and I think they'd struggle with the way most English people are reticent and reserved.
"Where's Abigail?" I ask, referring to our oldest sister.
"She's in the South Island with Sean at the moment," Evie says. "They decided to have a weekend away to celebrate their third wedding anniversary, so she won't make it tonight."
"Oh, that's a shame. Have they taken Robin with them?" Their little boy is eight months old.
"No, they've left him with Mum and Dad," Chrissie replies.
"I can't wait to see him," I say longingly. Robin is my first nephew, and I'm desperate for a cuddle.
"Not long now," Evie says cheerfully. "It'll be great to see you. We've missed you so much."
"Yeah, me too. It's going to be such fun. Hey, do you know if Titus is organizing something for Oliver?"
Chrissie shrugs. Evie says, "What do you mean?"
"I don't know. I've just got a message from him asking if I'm free for a Zoom call tonight. I assumed it was something to do with the wedding."
"Are they having a stag do?" Evie asks Chrissie.
"Not as such. Hux says he didn't want one," she says. Even though his first name is Oliver, everyone calls him Huxley or Hux, except me. It always feels odd to me, especially as my surname is Huxley too. "He says he's too respectable," she adds. Evie and I snort. Chrissie grins. "When we go to Lake Tekapo, the night before the wedding, the guys and the girls are having some kind of separate wine and whisky event. That's all he wanted, as far as I know. And Mack's organizing it, so it's nothing to do with Titus."
"Hmm." Now I'm puzzled. "What do you know about him?"
"He's got a big knob," Evie says.
My eyebrows shoot up as Chrissie bursts out laughing. "Jesus," I say. "Evie!"
"What?" she grins. "You asked."
"I meant, you know, his personality, what he does for a living."
"Oh... sorry."
"How do you know how big his knob is, anyway?" Chrissie asks. "I didn't think you were in the knob business."
"Claire referred to it once," Evie says, ignoring the jibe, used to her sister's teasing about her sexuality. "She's his ex," she explains to me. "They were together for a couple of years, but they broke up a while ago. I met her at Huxley's club one evening. She was absolutely out of her tree, and she told us she called his dick 'Sir Richard' because it was so big."
"Oh my God," I say, as Chrissie dissolves into giggles. "Now I'm not going to be able to think about anything else while I'm talking to him."
"I wonder what he wants," Evie says curiously.
"He works with computers, doesn't he?" I ask.
"He doesn't just work with computers," Chrissie says. "He's the CEO of NZAI. New Zealand Artificial Intelligence?"
"Oh. Wow."
"Where have you been hiding, little wolf?" He stared at me with his amber eyes, a vicious smile on his lips. I faced him, chin held high. "Move out of my way." "I could kill you, you know..." His fingers dipped to my inner thighs before his hands came to rest at the joint between my legs and hips, and his fingers squeezed. His large hands moved over my breasts and stomach, running over my skin as if it was made from the softest velvet. His caresses were tender, unhurried, and appreciative, and I could feel myself swelling up with a strange emotion. My lips never left his skin as he slowly thrust up, nipping, kissing, and sucking on his shoulders and neck. I whispered sweet encouragements". _____ Hidden away by a cruel uncle for years, where she was kept prisoner, treated like a piece of trash in the basement of his house. Beaten, broken, neglected, hated and rejected by him for reasons she can't even understand. Sable's life takes an unexpected turn. A chance for escape leads her straight into the arms of a mysterious wolf shifter named Ridge, the alpha of the North Pack. As her world shatters, she discovers the shocking truth about the existence of shifters and the undeniable pull she feels towards Ridge The alphas of the East and West Packs step forward, claiming her as their mate too. Now, she finds herself torn between four powerful and captivating alphas, each with their own secrets and desires..The four alphas who’ve each claimed her as their mate kept their promise to protect her. They came for her. They saved her. For one beautiful, blissful moment, the five of them were united, joined more closely than she have ever been with anyone. As sable learns to navigate this new world of shifters, danger lurks at every corner. Witches threaten the borders of shifter lands, and insurrection brews within the packs. But the greatest danger of all may come from within herself. Will her potential mates accept her now that they know the truth? Can she trust them to protect her from the looming threats?
Introducing the "Billionaire One Night Stand Romance" series of standalone novels. This enthralling collection will take you on a journey of passion, power, and forbidden love. Brace yourself for a captivating experience that will leave you breathless across all of the spellbinding books. 1. Elizabeth is faced with a difficult decision. Desperate to start a family, she turns to her ex-lover, a billionaire who once broke her heart, for help. Despite her reservations, she agrees to one night of passion, hoping to conceive a child and move on with her life. But as the night unfolds, old feelings resurface, and she finds herself torn between her desire for a baby and the risk of getting involved with her ex again. Will she be able to keep things strictly business, or will love complicate everything? 2. I'm twenty-five, and I decide enough is enough. Family responsibilities have made dating impossible. Now I’m single and inexperienced. Like, completely. My virginity is a millstone around my neck. And I want to get rid of it. All I need is one night, with one stranger, so I don’t look like an idiot when I start dating for real. My sister convinces this country bumpkin to sign up for Tinder, and to head to the city. My first two matches are complete failures, and I’m about to give up. Then I see Kip’s profile. I swipe right, and so does he. We chat for ages, and agree to meet that evening for dinner. He’s gorgeous. Kind. Sexy. Wicked. Perfect. So I tell him I want him to teach me as much as he can before the sun comes up. I ask for one night. But it’s only the start of Alice’s adventures in Wonderland… 3. When the hottest one-night stand of my life turns out to be my new billionaire boss, I don’t think I can ever live it down. And to make matters worse, he’s pretending not to know who I am—and seems hell bent on making my life a living hell.
Oh, God Not again, but again. All that flashed through my head in the space when Gavril let me back down, and bang! Bang! He cursed, pulling up my panties, then fastening his own pants. He had a gun out, and where did he get that gun? But he had it pointed down, and he took my hand, pulling me to the back of the shed. _____ Naomi finds herself trapped in a nightmare she never asked for. Forced into a marriage with the monster of her nightmares, she struggles to reclaim her identity and freedom. With every moment, her spirit is crushed as her name is erased, and her life is shattered. Garvril Kirilenko, a relentless and dangerous billionaire Boss , refuses to accept no for an answer. From the very beginning, his rough hands tore apart her dreams, leaving her with a choice: submit to a life of torment as his wife or face a fate worse than death. Their marriage, built on lies, becomes a twisted web of secrets and manipulation. The truth, if revealed, could cost her everything. But remaining silent means enduring the unimaginable. In the depths of his depravity, he breaks her, claiming her body as his own. Night after night, she surrenders to his dark desires, her suffering becoming his pleasure. Yet, amidst the pain, a glimmer of hope emerges when she discovers she carries his child. Now, with the life of their baby hanging in the balance, she must navigate a treacherous path to survival. Will she find the strength to protect herself and her child from the clutches of this monstrous Billionaire Boss? Or will she forever be trapped in a loveless, torturous existence?
In a desperate bid to save her mother's life, Elena Rousseau finds herself at a crossroads she never imagined. Stepping into the dimly lit embrace of a gentlemen's club, she prepares to make a sacrifice she never thought she would have to make. But fate has a twisted sense of humor, as she comes face to face with a man she never expected to encounter in such a place - Alexander Kennedy. What starts as a chance encounter quickly spirals into a proposition that turns Elena's world upside down. Instead of selling her body, Alexander offers her a marriage of convenience. A deal that promises to save her mother's life, but at a cost she never anticipated. For hidden beneath his charming facade lies a web of revenge, and Elena becomes a pawn in his dangerous game. Caught between a rock and a hard place, Elena is left with an impossible choice. Does she embrace the devil she knows, Alexander, and risk losing herself in his twisted plans? Or does she take a leap of faith into the unknown, hoping to find a way out of the darkness that surrounds her?
Raven has been in love with Ares Windsor ever since she met him. He is a man of great wealth, power, and influence, and his enigmatic charm has always captivated her. Unfortunately, Ares has only ever had eyes for Raven's younger sister, his fiancée. Raven has always felt like she lived in her sister's shadow, but when her sister doesn't show up on the wedding day, Raven is forced to take her place and marry Ares. Despite her deep love for Ares, marriage to him is nothing short of torture for Raven. She can feel his disdain and resentment towards her, and the fact that he only sees her as a substitute for her sister only makes it worse. But Raven is determined to win him over and make him fall in love with her. To her, this is a war, and she's prepared to do whatever it takes to win. She's determined to use every weapon in her arsenal, from her intelligence and wit to her beauty and sensuality, to make Ares see her as the woman he truly desires.
Bailey , a fierce werewolf, made a tough choice to leave her pack and embrace her destiny. But when she returns, she's thrown into a world of danger, power, and forbidden love. As Bailey tries to find her place, a new pack king, Nathan Frost, emerges. Handsome and ruthless, he demands her obedience. But Bailey's not one to back down easily. She's determined to fight for her freedom and the love she truly desires. Just when Bailey thinks she has it all figured out, a shocking twist sends her world spinning. The mysterious stranger who took over the pack's throne might not be who he seems. Secrets unravel, alliances shift, and Bailey's life is on the line. Now, Bailey must navigate treacherous waters, facing enemies at every turn. She'll have to trust her instincts and rely on unexpected allies to survive. Will she be able to outsmart her enemies and find her true place in the pack?
During her three years of marriage with Brendan, Adeline had become as humble as dust itself. However, what she got in return wasn't love and affection, but endless indifference and disdain. Worse yet, when the woman in Brendan's heart suddenly showed up, he further distanced himself from her. Finally, Adeline couldn't stand it anymore and asked for a divorce. After all, why should she stay with such a cold, distant man? The next one would surely be better. Brendan watched as his ex-wife left with her luggage in tow. Suddenly, a thought occurred to him and he made a bet with his friends. "She'll definitely regret leaving and will come crawling back to me in no time." After hearing about this bet, Adeline sneered. "Dream on!" A few days later, Brendan ran into his ex-wife in a bar. It turned out she was celebrating her divorce. Not long after, he noticed that the damned woman seemed to have a new suitor. Brendan was starting to panic. The woman who had clung to him for three years suddenly didn't seem to give a damn about him. What was he going to do?
Linsey was stood up by her groom to run off with another woman. Furious, she grabbed a random stranger and declared, "Let's get married!" She had acted on impulse, realizing too late that her new husband was the notorious rascal, Collin. The public laughed at her, and even her runaway ex offered to reconcile. But Linsey scoffed at him. "My husband and I are very much in love!" Everyone thought she was delusional. Then Collin was revealed to be the richest man in the world. In front of everyone, he got down on one knee and held up a stunning diamond ring. "I look forward to our forever, honey."
As a simple assistant, messaging the CEO in the dead of night to request shares of adult films was a bold move. Bethany, unsurprisingly, didn't receive any films. However, the CEO responded that, while he had no films to share, he could offer a live demonstration. After a night filled with passion, Bethany was certain she'd lose her job. But instead, her boss proposed, "Marry me. Please consider it." "Mr. Bates, you're kidding me, right?"
We've been married for three years, but I've never truly had his love. When his childhood sweetheart returned, just as promised, all I was met with were the cold, glaring divorce papers. "If I were carrying our child, would you still choose to divorce?" I asked, holding onto the faintest glimmer of hope, making one last desperate plea. His response, as expected, was just as cold as ever. "Yes." I closed my eyes, choking back tears, and finally chose to let go-to honor his decision. Years later, my heart had turned to ash. Lying in a hospital bed, I trembled as I signed the divorce papers. "Alexander, from this moment on, we owe each other nothing..." What I never saw coming was the ruthless, decisive CEO kneeling at my bedside, his voice hoarse, almost broken, as he pleaded, "Vivienne, don't divorce me... please."
Mia's life is spiraling out of control. Abandoned by her mother, bullied mercilessly at school, and thrown into a household of four dangerously attractive stepbrothers, she's desperate to find her footing. "You look absolutely edible," Sean growled, his eyes devouring her. Mia felt a rush of heat between her thighs "Oh, you think so?" she purred, turning to face him. She reached out and traced her fingers along the ribbon that wrapped around his waist. "Well, I've been waiting for this all day. And I'm starving." Sean's smile grew into a predatory grin. "Then let us feast," he said, and in a flash, the ribbon fell away, exposing his rock-hard length. He stepped closer, and Mia felt the warmth of his breath on her face as he whispered, "You're going to take every inch of us tonight, aren't you?" With Rolex's teasing smirk and Sean's quiet, hot stares, Mia doesn't know where to turn-or who to trust. Every glance, every touch leaves her breathless, confused, and craving more than she should. Will Mia survive their games, or will she lose herself in a dangerous world of secrets, seduction, and forbidden desire? One house. Four brothers. Endless temptation.
Betrayed by her mate and sister on the eve of her wedding, Makenna was handed to the ruthless Lycan Princes as a lover, her indifferent father ignoring her plight. Determined to escape and seek revenge, she captured the interest of the three Lycan princes, who desired her exclusively amid many admirers. This complicated her plans, trapping her and making her a rival to the future Lycan queen. Entwined in jealousy and vindictiveness, could Makenna achieve her vengeance in the intricate dance with the three princes?