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One Unforgettable Kiss
A.C. Arthur
A bid on passionAll Navy pilot Garrek Taylor ever wanted was to fly far from his family’s notorious past. But now, with his wings temporarily clipped, the famous sextuplet is back in his Virginia hometown to live down a scandal and unload his family’s historical antebellum mansion. His plan is sidetracked when he becomes the winning bidder at an auction for a date with Temptation’s most reluctant and gorgeous bachelorette.The only child of a retired Army colonel, Harper Presley is haunted by the secret that forced her return to the comfort of her southern town. The unconventional house restorer is mortified to be paired off with an infamous Taylor–until desire blindsides them. As a slow burn of passion heats to a combustible connection, Garrek confronts a mistake that could end his military career. Can Harper help them both rebuild their lives . . . and build an everlasting future?
A bid on passion
All navy pilot Garrek Taylor ever wanted was to fly far from his family’s notorious past. But now, with his wings temporarily clipped, the famous sextuplet is back in his Virginia hometown to live down a scandal and unload his family’s historical antebellum mansion. His plan is sidetracked when he becomes the winning bidder at an auction for a date with Temptation’s most reluctant and gorgeous bachelorette.
The only child of a retired army colonel, Harper Presley is haunted by the secret that forced her return to the comfort of her Southern town. The unconventional house restorer is mortified to be paired off with an infamous Taylor—until desire blindsides them. As a slow burn of passion heats to a combustible connection, Garrek confronts a mistake that could end his military career. Can Harper help them both rebuild their lives...and build an everlasting future?
A.C. ARTHUR is an award-winning author who lives in Baltimore, Maryland, with her husband and three children. An active imagination and a love for reading encouraged her to begin writing in high school, and she hasn’t stopped since.
Also By A.C. Arthur (#uff9aac95-d2bc-598b-80a5-bdc4d79285fc)
Defying Desire
Full House Seduction
Summer Heat
Sing Your Pleasure
Touch of Fate
Winter Kisses
Desire a Donovan
Surrender to a Donovan
Decadent Dreams
Eve of Passion
One Mistletoe Wish
To Marry a Prince
Loving the Princess
Prince Ever After
One Unforgettable Kiss
Discover more at millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)
One Unforgettable Kiss
A.C. Arthur
www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)
ISBN: 978-1-474-08277-8
ONE UNFORGETTABLE KISS
© 2018 Artist Arthur
Published in Great Britain 2018
by Mills & Boon, an imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers 1 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF
All rights reserved including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form. This edition is published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, locations and incidents are purely fictional and bear no relationship to any real life individuals, living or dead, or to any actual places, business establishments, locations, events or incidents. Any resemblance is entirely coincidental.
By payment of the required fees, you are granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right and licence to download and install this e-book on your personal computer, tablet computer, smart phone or other electronic reading device only (each a “Licensed Device”) and to access, display and read the text of this e-book on-screen on your Licensed Device. Except to the extent any of these acts shall be permitted pursuant to any mandatory provision of applicable law but no further, no part of this e-book or its text or images may be reproduced, transmitted, distributed, translated, converted or adapted for use on another file format, communicated to the public, downloaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of publisher.
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www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)
She looked so small under the thirty-foot-high—minimum—roof and rafters. But he now knew that she was fierce and determined. She was also the sexiest woman he’d ever seen.
“I know we haven’t been on a real date,” he said as he closed the distance between them. “But that doesn’t mean a damn thing.”
She was standing with her arms at her sides, the tips of her fingers barely reaching the hem of that sexy little black dress. There were red roses on the dress as well—one at her left shoulder, and the other on the right side of the skirt. She reached up and pushed her hair back from her face, tucking the curled strands behind her ears.
“I’m not sure I know what any of this means,” she stated quietly.
“I want you, Harper,” Garrek said. “I don’t know why, because that’s not what I came here for. I just know that since that first night when I saw you standing on that stage, I’ve been drawn to you. I can’t seem to keep my hands off you.”
With those words he lifted his hand, tracing his fingers along the line of her jaw.
Dear Reader (#uff9aac95-d2bc-598b-80a5-bdc4d79285fc),
I’m so excited to be back in Temptation! This time it’s to see Garrek Taylor find his happily-ever-after.
Although, like his siblings, Garrek doesn’t know he’s looking for happiness when he comes back to his hometown, he finds it not long after he arrives. The independent and defensive Harper Presley was just the woman to break through Garrek’s determined exterior. I love this couple because they both believed they knew what was best for their lives and their future, without even considering that the answer might actually mean they should be together.
The citizens of Temptation are also back and nosier than ever as they wait to see if yet another Taylor finds love in their tight-knit town. I am so in love with this series and these families. I cannot wait for you to visit with them and fall in love one more time.
Happy reading,
A.C.
Contents
Cover (#u0343b1d7-853d-546b-9ff4-bfa868493902)
Back Cover Text (#ue9d246f2-2b6b-5649-8b63-1fa1b3a830e9)
About the Author (#u0e567e3e-1d7e-5a3d-affe-3430af0e14fc)
Booklist (#u6220beb3-a5c0-51e7-929b-f272af022d4b)
Title Page (#u1eb0ecda-c5ab-5682-84e4-0e2b3f804cb1)
Copyright (#u9edeec74-630a-510d-907e-c93c1bab1f19)
Introduction (#u61c3c0ab-0ca9-583e-993f-9ec0cb0b4293)
Dear Reader (#u5ea90a52-a620-5ee2-83e3-ee0417448057)
Chapter 1 (#u85ebd90d-8e32-5b0e-ae8b-dc5cf1669e69)
Chapter 2 (#u7545c8aa-d722-5b1a-9b9c-9e63ebe54f9c)
Chapter 3 (#u9c12301f-ce61-53d2-a932-e21b15c83e21)
Chapter 4 (#u44be79c1-a0a6-5e62-806b-f5be56629c59)
Chapter 5 (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter 6 (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter 7 (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter 8 (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter 9 (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter 10 (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter 11 (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter 12 (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter 13 (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter 14 (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter 15 (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter 16 (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter 17 (#litres_trial_promo)
Extract (#litres_trial_promo)
About the Publisher (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter 1 (#uff9aac95-d2bc-598b-80a5-bdc4d79285fc)
“We have another bid! Going once. Going twice. Going...three times, and it’s gone! Sir, you’re our lucky winner!”
Garrek heard the applause behind him and turned to see what was going on. The room wasn’t large—it included a dance floor in the center and a homemade bar setup in the corner, where he’d quickly found a seat. But Garrek was not comfortable at this moment, as he noticed the gaze of every person in the room was now on him.
“Come on up here and claim your prize!” a short man with his hair parted and gelled down to the side announced into the microphone he was holding.
The crowd clapped and cheered, stepping aside until a walkway had been formed, starting where Garrek sat at the bar and ending at the two steps that led to the stage.
“Come on. Don’t be shy. Your prize is waiting!” the man continued.
Garrek had no idea what he’d won, because he hadn’t entered any contest. All he’d done was follow the crowd that had been heading into this old building because they’d looked excited about coming in here. And when he’d seen the sign on the door that read Cash Bar, Garrek had felt a wave of relief. He’d needed a drink. He didn’t want one, because each time he swallowed his favorite rum, he remembered the night that he knew would haunt him for the rest of his life. But he needed it. That was a simple fact.
It had been a long week, one he was still wondering how he’d survived. His career was on the line, and after two Cuba libres, his mouth was still dry. He’d just held up his hand to signal the bartender when the man on the stage began to speak.
“He’s a handsome one, too,” a woman said. She had pushed through the crowd and stopped right in front of him. “Nice body and everything.”
The last was said as she lifted small hands and pressed them firmly, front and center, on his chest.
“Harper, you let me know if you need any help with this one.” The woman spoke over her shoulder, as her hands squeezed his pectorals.
Garrek was wearing a white T-shirt that fit him snugly, a fact that the woman who looked to be in her midsixties seemed to enjoy.
“I’m Connie, and I’d be happy to escort your fine self up to the stage.”
Before Garrek could decline her offer, Connie, with her cap of silver hair and no more than five-foot stature, was right beside him, lacing her arm through his and holding on tight. She wore a pale-green-and-white polka-dot dress, and a huge white flower was pinned close to her left shoulder. Her grin was wide as she looked up at Garrek, and when he continued to stare down at her, she winked.
Before Garrek could react, she was taking a step, and he found himself quickly slipping off the wobbly stool he’d been perched on to follow her lead. They moved down the path that reminded Garrek of the old Soul Train line, sans music. He hadn’t purchased anything but drinks since he’d arrived not even a half hour ago, so he doubted he’d won a raffle.
The people on the outskirts clapped as they walked by, and Connie nodded as if she were in her element being the center of attention. When they came to the two steps that led up onto the stage, Garrek had to hold Connie steady as her knees wobbled with each step up. A quick flash of memory had him thinking back to his late teenage years in Pensacola, the years when his mother’s condition was getting worse.
“Here we go,” the man said as he touched the younger woman standing next to him on the shoulder. “Now, you can thank us later, Harper. But this is what the lovely ladies of the Magnolia Guild wanted to give to you.”
She looked frightened.
That’s the first thought that came to Garrek’s mind as he gazed at the young woman standing next to the other man, who was doing all the talking.
Garrek was a navy pilot, but he’d been trained as a pilot first. His instinct to protect was strong and quick.
“That’s right, Beuford,” Connie said as she stepped away from Garrek to grab the microphone from the man’s hand.
Beuford frowned down at her, but Connie didn’t notice, because she’d already turned her attention to the other woman.
“Now, Harper, us ladies at the guild have known you since you were a little thing running around town with scraped knees and dirt smudges on your face. Haven’t we, ladies?” Connie asked and looked out to the crowd.
A group of six women wearing the same white corsage as Connie stood close to the stage, nodding their agreement.
