скачать книгу бесплатно
All Wrapped Up
Jennifer Drew
All they want for Christmas…PR professional Olivia Kearns needs a change. Her company's become hipper and more with-it, and Liv simply…isn't. When she finds out her college ex, Nick Matheson, is back in town, she decides he'd be her best instructor in creating the new spontaneous her. She tit hasn't seen him in years and there's no spark anymore, so she's not risking anything. At least, that's what she thinks…Nick thinks it's fate when Liv asks for his help. He needs an interview with one of her clients, who's such a hermit that he can't get to her without Liv.So if she's willing to scratch his back… But once the lessons begin, Nick can't believe how impulsive his sexy ex becomes! He didn't want more than a fling five years ago, but now he's just about ready for anything!
“It’s only me.”
Nick stepped into the change room and closed the door.
“What are you doing in here?” Liv asked, holding the minuscule lacy bra in front of her.
“This would be a good time to see if you have it in you to be spontaneous,” Nick said, reaching for her. The lace didn’t conceal her nipples. On the contrary, it created a peekaboo effect that left him a little breathless.
He moved his lips to the hollow of her throat, stroking with his tongue as he kneaded her buttocks.
“Yes, yes,” Liv whispered.
He lifted a lace-clad breast in one hand and caressed her hardened nipple with his thumb while he slid the other inside her panties. With more willpower than he knew he possessed, he took his hands away and kissed her softly. They’d spent enough time in the dressing room to make the clerk suspicious.
“The lacy bra will do nicely,” he said, winking at the blushing clerk.
Dear Reader,
Who doesn’t love the holidays? The lights, the tinsel, the wrapping of gifts, the unwrapping…? Mmm, especially the unwrapping!
When former lovers Liv Kearns and Nick Matheson are reunited, it’s strictly business until the layers start coming off! Can public relations professional Liv keep reporter Nick at arm’s length?
We (Jennifer Drew is the pseudonym for the mother-daughter writing team of Barbara Andrews and Pam Hanson) hope you enjoy finding out that the answer to this question is a resounding no!
So take a break from the hectic pace of your holiday season and sit back to see what’s going to be revealed!
Enjoy!
Jennifer Drew
Books by Jennifer Drew
HARLEQUIN DUETS
7—TAMING LUKE
18—BABY LESSONS
45—MR. RIGHT UNDER HER NOSE
59—ONE BRIDE TOO MANY* (#litres_trial_promo) ONE GROOM TO GO* (#litres_trial_promo)
72—STOP THE WEDDING!* (#litres_trial_promo)
80—JUST DESSERTS
100—YOU’LL BE MINE IN 99
106—DESPERATELY SEEKING SULLY
All Wrapped Up
Jennifer Drew
www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)
This one’s for our readers…with heartfelt thanks
Contents
Chapter 1 (#u862d7ad9-c086-5dbc-bb54-e56a83b7986b)
Chapter 2 (#u039a5bc2-dc09-54e0-860c-b7babf582699)
Chapter 3 (#u669199d8-0975-5698-98bc-a9958dc3494e)
Chapter 4 (#litres_trial_promo)
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)
1
LATER SHE’D CRY or scream.
Olivia Kearns pressed her throbbing forehead against the ice-cold, living-room window of her suburban Chicago town house. She wanted to freak out, but now wasn’t the time to lose it, not when she had so much to do.
Outside, snow flurries were starting to accumulate. Liv hoped her parents, driving away in separate cars, wouldn’t have trouble with the slippery roads. She shook her head in disbelief, still unable to accept that her parents really intended to divorce after nearly thirty years of seemingly harmonious marriage. They’d come to her home to tell her the bad news, calling ahead to be sure she’d be there on a Saturday afternoon. Dad had nodded agreement while her mother assured her the decision was for the best.
Would she and her sister, Amy, have a place they could consider the family home, a place where they could all gather for Christmas? One set of grandparents had retired to Florida and the other set to Arizona, so everyone had always come to her parents’ house for family celebrations.
Liv was the family problem-solver, the one who could resolve any crisis—but not this one. How could her parents split up? They were the heart of the family. How could they still be a family if her parents weren’t together? Liv knew she was being a drama queen, but she didn’t care.
She padded in stocking feet across the moss-green carpeting, hardly seeing her comfy couch and chair covered with flowery slipcovers or the Queen Anne–style cherry tables. The room was tidy and organized, just the way she liked her life.
What she needed to do was make a list. Making a to-do list would help her focus and feel more in control. She went upstairs to her office in the spare bedroom and grabbed a fresh yellow legal pad.
First, she thought, writing a bold numeral one, she had to cancel her parents’ New Year’s Eve thirtieth-anniversary party.
Theoretically, she and Amy, her older sister by one year, were planning the party, but she’d never expected much help from her sister. Amy was willing enough, but organization wasn’t her strong suit especially now when her wedding was coming up in a few months. She had more on her plate than she could manage. It was up to Liv to cancel the party.
She groaned. Nearly fifty invitations had gone out. She’d have to explain fifty times why the party was off.
Then there was Amy’s wedding. Only her sister would choose February for a big wedding. Liv had tried to suggest tactfully that sub-zero, snowstormy late winter wasn’t the best time. Now it was an awful time because of her parents. Who would keep the wedding arrangements on track? She wrote a large number two on her list.
“I can get through this,” she said with a sigh.
She was almost glad there were no men in her life at the moment. She didn’t have to break a date to the anniversary party, because her last relationship had ended several months ago. Breaking up with Jerry after a lukewarm relationship had been more comedy than drama, although she wouldn’t mind a shoulder to cry on right now.
The timing for a family crisis was terrible. This wasn’t a good time to worry about anything but work. She’d done plenty of that lately because the situation there was in constant flux under a new CEO.
William Lawrence Associates was a venerable old public relations firm. She’d worked there since graduating from college five years ago and loved her job specializing in crisis management. It was exciting to work in the heart of Chicago, even though it meant a daily train commute from her town house in Haley Park. She loved being part of a dynamic team and couldn’t imagine a job better suited to her talents. Her co-workers were like a second family. Her best friend, Dana Gerard, who had the office next to hers, was like a second sister. The vivacious little brunette could always make Liv smile, even after a grueling day. She felt lucky to have such a positive person in her life.
Liv was a little uneasy about the recent change in leadership. William Lawrence Jr. had just retired, leaving a third-generation Lawrence in control. Billy Lawrence, who refused to be known as William III, wanted to attract hip new clients in the sports and entertainment fields. At twenty-seven Liv was one of their top people, but she’d been advised to update her image and change her attitude. Even though her new boss was close to forty himself, Liv didn’t doubt he’d replace her with someone younger if she didn’t meet his expectations.
“Loosen up a little,” Billy Lawrence had told her.
She wrote “loosen up” on her list and underlined it.
The words were painfully familiar, thanks to her ex-boyfriend, Jerry Lockmor. When he’d dumped her, he’d told her that she was too uptight in bed. Of course, his idea of passion had been thirty-two seconds of foreplay and a neon-colored condom. She’d been hurt when he broke off their relationship, but in retrospect it was a relief to have him out of her life.
“I know what great sex is, Jerry, you idiot,” she muttered. “You were never in the ballpark.”
She’d always believed in long-lasting relationships because her parents’ marriage had flourished. They were forcing her to reconsider her beliefs.
She felt confused and hollow inside, but weeping and wailing wasn’t her style. She had things to do.
The phone on the desk right beside her rang. There was no one she was in the mood to talk to at the moment so she let the machine answer it.
“Olivia, pick up the phone. I know you’re there. I just talked to Mom.”
Her sister was at the top of the list of people she wanted to avoid right now. If anyone could shatter her veneer of self-control, it was Amy.
“Honey, I know you’re upset, but I’m going to keep calling until you talk to me. A family needs to pull together at a time like this.” Her sister sounded weepy. “We’re sisters. We should help each other.”
Could things get any worse? How could Liv make Amy feel better when she was miserable herself? Reluctantly she picked up the phone.
“I was in the bathroom,” she lied.
“You were right by the phone trying to avoid me. I know it hurts, Liv, having Mom and Dad break up,” Amy said. “I cried for days when I learned—”
“You cried for days? When did they tell you?” Liv felt as though she’d been kicked in the stomach.
“They didn’t exactly tell me. Well, they did, but only because I knew something was wrong.”
“How?” Liv couldn’t believe she’d missed something so obvious that her sister had clued in to.
“Mom wasn’t into planning my wedding the way she had been. She was distracted,” Amy said.
“How long have you known? Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I haven’t known that long. Mom thought she should tell you herself. Please, don’t get upset. It doesn’t matter who knew what when. I hate that it’s happened, but I’m sure everything will work out. Are you okay?”
That was just great! Amy, who thought a broken fingernail was a major tragedy, was consoling her.
“I’ll be fine when I get used to the idea of parents who don’t love each other anymore. Don’t worry about me,” Liv said.
“I know, I know, you’re the one who always has things under control. But remember, they’re still young enough to build new lives.”
“I didn’t know they hated their old one,” Liv said.
Amy rarely played big sister. In fact, Liv sometimes forgot her sibling was one year older. Talking about her parents’ bombshell was making it seem all the more real.
“They don’t hate each other, they just changed and grew apart,” Amy said. “You’ve probably figured that out for yourself. We have to cancel their anniversary party.”
“People don’t usually give parties to celebrate a divorce,” Liv said, not intentionally sarcastic but it came out that way.
Liv felt numb all over. She didn’t want to deal with this. It shouldn’t be happening to her family.
“Liv, I feel guilty, but I won’t be able to help you call the guests to cancel. It’s really hectic at the flower shop. We can hardly keep up with all the orders for Christmas parties. And Sean says he never sees enough of me, so we’re going to his parents’ in Wisconsin next weekend.”
Amy talked rapidly. Now that she’d given her consolation talk, she clearly didn’t want to deal with Liv’s take on it.
Liv would hate explaining to fifty people why her parents wouldn’t be having an anniversary party, but it wasn’t as if she had much choice.
“Okay, I’ll do it,” she said grumpily.
“You’re the best! No one ever had a better little sister.”
Yeah, yeah. Liv wasn’t in the mood for her sister’s facile compliments.
“There is one tiny little thing you should know. Do you have pencil and paper handy? Of course you do. You’re always so well organized. Write down this number, 555–2996. Got it?”
“Yes, 555–2996. Whose number is it?”
“You didn’t have a date for Mom and Dad’s party, and I just happened to pick up the sports page of the Chicago Post…”
