Between the CEO's Sheets / House Calls: Between the CEO's Sheets / House Calls. Michelle Celmer

      What man in his right mind would pass up a few months alone with a woman like Maggie?

      The kind of man who knew that she deserved better – that she would expect it. To her, he was just another damaged human being she could fix.

      But this wasn’t about her. It was about him, and as much as he would have liked to deny it, he wanted his life back. If he did go, and failed, he’d be no worse off than he’d been before. With her help, he’d at least have a chance.

      “If you say no, I’ll have to reduce myself to kidnapping. You don’t want me to commit a felony, do you?”

      An honest-to-goodness chuckle rose in his chest and it felt…good. It had been a long time since anyone had made him feel this way. “You win. When do we leave?”

      Between the CEO’s Sheets

      CHARLENE SANDS

      House Calls

      MICHELLE CELMER

       www.millsandboon.co.uk

      BETWEEN THE CEO’S SHEETS

      by

      Charlene Sands

      Dear Reader,

      I’ve always wanted to write a story set on an island. What better place to put Wade and Gina than in a resort I’ve visited dozens of times during my life, Santa Catalina Island! I’d ride the express boat to make the twenty-two-mile journey from Los Angeles to dock at Avalon Bay, the crescent-shaped harbour that was once a pirate’s hideaway.

      And to make the story complete, I was fortunate to tap into the expertise of my lifelong friends Allyson and Ross Pearlman, owners of the real catamaran yacht, Between The Sheets. I thank them for their sailing tips, the inspiration for the title (I stole it!) and those wonderful times on the water. Thanks to them I had an easy time sending Wade and Gina off on their romantic and rocky adventure!

      Sincerely,

       Charlene Sands

       CHARLENE SANDS

      resides in Southern California with her husband and best friend, Don. Proudly, they boast that their children, Jason and Nikki, have earned their college degrees. The empty nesters now have two cats that have taken over the house. Charlene’s love of the American West, both present and past, stems from storytelling days with her imaginative father, which sparked a passion for a good story and her desire to write romance. When not writing, she enjoys sunny California days, Pacific beaches, and sitting down with a good book.

      Charlene invites you to visit her website at www. charlenesands.com to enter her contests, stop by for a chat, read her blog and see what’s new! E-mail her at [email protected].

      To my husband, Don, sole owner of my heart.

      And to Jason and Nikki, our wonderful children

      who always make us proud.

      One

      It was the last place Gina Grady wanted to be.

      But desperation was an unwelcome persuasion. And Gina was just that: desperate. Her pride and determination also played in the mix.

      She needed this job.

      She needed to stay in L.A.

      Gina was ushered into an empty office. “Mr. Beaumont will be right with you,” Mrs. Danner from Human Resources announced before exiting the office, leaving Gina alone with her thoughts.

      She walked over to the massive floor-to-ceiling window and took in the view from the twelfth floor of the trendy Santa Monica high-rise, praying the interview would go well. She shouldn’t be so worried. Sam Beaumont had been her friend once. He’d always been kind. Yet, having to take him up on his offer of a job at the Triple B ranked with her top-ten most desperate acts of survival. The Beaumont name alone caused her insides to quake and she wondered at her own sanity in coming. However, it wasn’t Sam but his younger brother, Wade, she hoped never to cross paths with again.

      The Pacific Ocean loomed on the horizon, the pounding blue surf and white caps filling the view. She shuddered at the sight, and shook off her thoughts of Wade. She had enough to worry about without letting old fears get the better of her today.

      She owed money to a whole lot of people and they didn’t give a damn that she’d been swindled by a con man she had once trusted as her partner. GiGi Designs, the company she’d struggled to conceive hadn’t been given a chance. Her lifelong dream had been destroyed in the blink of an eye. All that she’d worked so hard for had come crumbling down around her.

      Now Gina was even more determined to rebuild her clothing design business—from the ground up, if need be.

      But first, she needed to pay off her debts.

      Gina tidied her long dark hair, making sure it hadn’t fallen from the tight knot at the back of her head, straightened her black pinstriped suit and took a seat in front of the massive oak desk, setting her black knockoff Gucci handbag on her lap. She waited for Sam to enter his office.

      She closed her eyes to steady her wayward nerves. Calmer, she took a deep breath before opening them again. But when she glanced down, she simply stared in disbelief at the nameplate outlined in solid brass on the desk:

      Wade Beaumont, CEO.

      “No!” Her heart thudding against her chest, she rose abruptly. She couldn’t bear to see Wade again, much less work for him. She couldn’t possibly swallow that much pride. She set her purse strap on her shoulder and turned to leave.

      “Running away again, Gina?”

      Stunned, Gina stopped abruptly and stared into the dark-green eyes of Wade Beaumont. His head cocked to one side, he was leaning against the door where she’d hoped to make her escape. He stared back at her, his lips curled into a mocking smile. “You do that so well.”

      Gina kept her head held high and tried to appear calm while her insides quivered uncontrollably. She’d foolishly hoped that Wade had nothing to do with Triple B, but now she’d seen the folly in that.

      But she couldn’t deny how handsome Wade was, standing there in a pair of black trousers and a crisp white shirt, the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. He looked older, more mature and those bold green eyes—she’d never forget the way they use to soften when he looked at her. Or the way his strong body felt crushed up against hers.

      Or the day, nine years ago, when she’d run away from him.

      “I…this is a mistake. I shouldn’t have come,”