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Silken Embrace
Zuri Day
What a Drake wants…he usually gets!Billionaire businessman and heir to a sprawling Northern California dynasty, Terrell Drake wants to make a difference. Mentoring fatherless young boys at Paradise Cove's new youth centre fulfils that dream. However, passion of a different kind ignites when he meets Ashley Robinson. The stunning single mother's manner reads strictly hands-off. But the heat sparkling in her big brown eyes tells Terrell something else.Ashley learned about life the hard way. The up-from-the-streets anaesthesiologist can't afford to trust the charismatic playboy, who is already winning over her son. But the desire Terrell arouses is too powerful to ignore. Just as their casual fling flames into something deeper, the lovers are hit with a double whammy: sudden celebrity and a blast from the past that could jettison their future together. But the promise of forever is too precious to give up without a fight!
What a Drake wants...he usually gets!
Billionaire businessman and heir to a sprawling Northern California dynasty, Terrell Drake wants to make a difference. Mentoring fatherless young boys at Paradise Cove’s new youth center fulfills that dream. However, passion of a different kind ignites when he meets Ashley Robinson. The stunning single mother’s manner reads strictly hands-off. But the heat sparkling in her big brown eyes tells Terrell something else.
Ashley learned about life the hard way. The up-from-the-streets anesthesiologist can’t afford to trust the charismatic playboy, who is already winning over her son. But the desire Terrell arouses is too powerful to ignore. Just as their casual fling flames into something deeper, the lovers are hit with a double whammy: sudden celebrity and a blast from the past that could jettison their future together. But the promise of forever is too precious to give up without a fight!
She placed an arm around his waist. “Yes?”
“Have you enjoyed the evening so far?”
“Are you kidding? This has been the most fun I’ve had in a long time.”
“It makes me happy to hear that.”
“I’m happy that you’re happy.”
He stopped and turned to her. “Then only one question remains.”
“What’s that?”
“Should our next destination be the airport, to take you home and kiss you good-night at the door, or my place here in San Francisco, away from prying eyes?”
She leaned into him. “Mr. Drake, I want you to take me wherever you can fulfill your promise of leaving me fully satisfied.”
They couldn’t reach the Drake place fast enough.
“Wow.” Aliyah stepped inside, immediately noticing the city view from their high perch in the hills. “This is beautiful.”
Terrell came up behind her, kissing her temple as he wrapped her in his arms. “So is this.”
She turned into him, desire in her eyes. The evidence of his desire was a little farther down.
“You know what I’ve been wanting to do all night?”
“Probably the same thing on my mind.”
Dear Reader (#ulink_1251c1e2-cc67-542c-9104-a87c0898678a),
We’ve all met him at least once in our life. That guy. The one who thinks he has it all, an assumption only made worse by the fact that...it’s true! He does! Success, swagger, fifty shades of sexy and any woman he wants. Such is the case with Terrell Drake, an unapologetic ladies’ man who’s always come out a winner in the dating game. Reminds me a lot of a guy I once dated. The one who was the one...well...until he wasn’t. Like Terrell, this guy was 6′2″ of mouthwatering hard candy with bedroom skills that could fill a college course curriculum.
However, unlike Terrell, he wasn’t quite ready for a smart, ambitious woman who appreciated all he had to offer. Though not to the detriment of reaching her goals. He let a good one get away.
Suffice it to say, Terrell Drake has a different ending in mind.
Zuri Day
Silken Embrace
Zuri Day
www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)
ZURI DAY sneaked her first Mills & Boon romance at the age of twelve from her older sister’s off-limits collection and was hooked from page one. Knights in shining armor and happily-ever-afters filled her teen years and spurred a lifelong love of reading. That she now creates these stories as a full-time, award-winning author is a dream come true! Splitting her time between the stunning Caribbean islands and Southern California, she’s always busy writing her next novel. Zuri makes time to connect with readers and meet with book clubs. Contact her via Facebook (haveazuriday (https://facebook.com/haveazuriday)) or at zuri@zuriday.com.
Sometimes the goal is worth the chase
Vying with many in the race
When you’re heart to heart and face-to-face
Forever enjoying his silken embrace.
Contents
Cover (#ued0a5c45-f06d-5b1a-9b8c-3f7d6c98e662)
Back Cover Text (#u64fc7533-1781-558f-b8c3-319680df1c79)
Introduction (#ub56602ce-20f1-57fd-988d-9fa25b946bc0)
Dear Reader (#ulink_6d9eeb07-b38e-5861-9556-670d9e9e4b93)
Title Page (#u1aa33468-0b3b-5e0c-b0ea-971ef7f8537b)
About the Author (#u9d68a5b6-19d0-54ac-bc7a-083e3135c2ce)
Dedication (#ub45df368-e422-550f-9828-e1913d7259d7)
Chapter 1 (#ulink_3ce6cbc0-a250-5685-a356-f88dc1abb6b3)
Chapter 2 (#ulink_c9aedcdd-21a7-5b1d-be91-7577f2ec536b)
Chapter 3 (#ulink_1e161e7f-d40f-5324-85c6-009b101bddbc)
Chapter 4 (#ulink_8f7357f8-a7be-575b-a692-284240a7d72c)
Chapter 5 (#ulink_d37ff44b-5996-5a5f-b482-f0229e1c03f4)
Chapter 6 (#ulink_31e1ed06-c218-55bc-b0d6-83e8cc2bdaca)
Chapter 7 (#ulink_889f5f77-7758-593d-8a79-4fc839395e4f)
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)
Chapter 18 (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter 19 (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter 20 (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter 21 (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter 22 (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter 23 (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter 24 (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter 25 (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter 26 (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter 27 (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter 28 (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter 29 (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter 30 (#litres_trial_promo)
Copyright (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter 1 (#ulink_91c9ef85-061a-5cae-a8ea-a313ae538657)
“Good morning, Terrell.” The attractive Drake Community Center employee’s eyes sparkled with admiration and interest while traveling the length of his body.
Terrell Drake returned her greeting with a smile and a wink, aware of but unaffected by the blatant flirtation. He wasn’t cocky. At least not more than the average Drake man. He was simply used to it; he’d affected the female species this way his entire life.
“Hey, Tee, what’s up, man?”
“It’s your world, Luther, I’m just trying to navigate it.”
He bumped fists with the community center’s executive director and kept it moving. Months ago when his mother had asked him to volunteer at the center as one of its assistant directors, he’d balked at what he thought would cramp his style. He’d been wrong. The joy that came from seeing a struggling student solve a math problem, or properly knot his tie, or curtailing a would-be bully’s antics and have him see reason was beyond anything Terrell could have imagined. He actually looked forward to the three days a week he spent at the center. Walking into this after-school and summertime haven for more than a hundred children always made him feel good.
He reached the T-shaped end of the hallway and turned right toward the gymnasium. What he saw next made his heart skip a beat and wonder who owned the booty that, like sunshine, had just brightened up his world.
“Wow.”
The owner of said gluteus maximus stopped, paused for a beat, then turned to look at him.
Wait, did I just say that out loud?
If he were to judge by her reaction and the look at her face? That would be a yes.
But that his slip caused her to turn was worth whatever was about to happen. The woman looked as good from the front as she did from the back. Better even. Her heart-shaped face was almost totally devoid of makeup, natural, the way Terrell preferred. She had big brown eyes, a pert nose and pleasingly plump lips to match her generous cleavage. All kinds of sexy oozing through that frown. Time to turn on the Drake charm. Terrell whipped out a smile that could sell toothpaste and closed the distance between them with a confident stroll.
“Good afternoon.”
Her perfectly arched brow raised a notch. “According to whom?”
He had the decency to look sheepish. “Sorry about that.”
“You should be.” Her voice remained stern but he noticed a spark in her eyes.
He determined that he could get lost in those eyes. Holding out his hand, he said, “Terrell.”
She paused just long enough to make him nervous, and then extended her hand. “Aliyah.”
“Like the singer?”
Her scowl deepened as she shook her head and pulled back her hand. “No. Like myself.”
“I meant no offense, was a real fan of her music.” Terrell could deliver spot-on compliments in his sleep. Not today. From the look on her face, he’d just added insult to injury. He shifted his position to regroup and was just about to unleash his arsenal of amorous acclamations when he noted that Aliyah’s weren’t the only eyes watching him intently. He looked to her right, and down.
“Hello there, little man.”
“Hi.”
“What’s your name?”
“Kyle.”
Terrell held out his hand. “Nice to meet you, Kyle. I’m Mr. Drake.”
The kid sized him up openly with a face that would do any poker player proud. “Are you my teacher?”
“I work with teenagers. How old are you?”
