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The Real Thing
Brenda Jackson
Praise forNew York TimesandUSA TODAYbestselling author Brenda Jackson
“Brenda Jackson writes romance that sizzles and characters you fall in love with.”
—New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author Lori Foster
“Jackson’s trademark ability to weave multiple characters and side stories together makes shocking truths all the more exciting.”
—Publishers Weekly
“There is no getting away from the sex appeal and charm of Jackson’s Westmoreland family.”
—RT Book Reviews on Feeling the Heat
“Jackson’s characters are wonderful, strong, colorful and hot enough to burn the pages.”
—RT Book Reviews on Westmoreland’s Way
“The kind of sizzling, heart-tugging story Brenda Jackson is famous for.”
—RT Book Reviews on Spencer’s ForbiddenPassion
“This is entertainment at its best.”
—RT Book Reviews on Star of His Heart
* * *
The Real Thing is part of The Westmorelands series: A family bound by loyalty … and love! Only from New York Times bestselling author Brenda Jackson and Mills & Boon
Desire™!
The Real Thing
Brenda Jackson
www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)
BRENDA JACKSON is a die “heart” romantic who married her childhood sweetheart and still proudly wears the “going steady” ring he gave her when she was fifteen. Because she believes in the power of love, Brenda’s stories always have happy endings. In her real-life love story, Brenda and her husband of more than forty years live in Jacksonville, Florida, and have two sons.
A New York Times bestselling author of more than seventy-five romance titles, Brenda is a recent retiree who now divides her time between family, writing and traveling with Gerald. You may write Brenda at PO Box 28267, Jacksonville, Florida 32226, USA, by e-mail at WriterBJackson@aol.com or visit her website at www.brendajackson.net.
To the love of my life, Gerald Jackson, Sr.
To my readers
who continue to inspire me to reach higher heights.
To my family—
the Hawks, Streaters and Randolphs who continue to support me in all my endeavors. I couldn’t ask to be a part of a better family.
For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.
—Acts 4:20 NKJV
Contents
Chapter One (#ue15d9f12-a700-5b18-b692-056848e89be0)
Chapter Two (#u12af806c-7cfa-5b21-be11-d3d18cb97948)
Chapter Three (#u8935148b-a068-5144-9d92-26631af5e6d2)
Chapter Four (#u491fab3b-abb9-5325-b655-cf0272b1ea2f)
Chapter Five (#u7d041315-3760-52ae-b4c3-faa6803237c3)
Chapter Six (#u28aee3e8-da2e-54eb-bb4c-e57da3af5c8f)
Chapter Seven (#ude0efd3b-a128-590d-95c9-cf7dec5b514d)
Chapter Eight (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Nine (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Ten (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Eleven (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Twelve (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Thirteen (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Fourteen (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Fifteen (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Sixteen (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Seventeen (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Eighteen (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Nineteen (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Twenty (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Twenty-One (#litres_trial_promo)
Epilogue (#litres_trial_promo)
Excerpt (#litres_trial_promo)
One
“I understand you’re in a jam and might need my help.”
In a jam was putting it mildly, Trinity Matthews thought, looking across the table at Adrian Westmoreland.
If only what he’d said wasn’t true. And...if only Adrian wasn’t so good-looking. Then thinking about what she needed him to do wouldn’t be so hard.
When she and Adrian had first met, last year at his cousin Riley’s wedding, he had been standing in a group of Westmoreland men. She had sized up his brothers and cousins, but had definitely noticed Adrian standing beside his identical twin brother, Aidan.
Trinity had found out years ago, when her sister Tara had married Thorn Westmoreland, that all Westmoreland men were eye candy of the most delectable kind. Therefore, she hadn’t really been surprised to discover that Thorn’s cousins from Denver had a lot of the same traits—handsome facial features, tall height, a hard-muscled body and an aura of primal masculinity.
But she’d never thought she’d be in a position to date one of those men—even if it was only a temporary ruse.
Trinity knew Tara had already given Adrian some details about the situation and now it was up to her to fill him in on the rest.
“Yes, I’m in a jam,” Trinity said, releasing a frustrated breath. “I want to tell you about it, but first I want to thank you for agreeing to meet with me tonight.”
He had suggested Laredo’s Steak House. She had eaten here a few times, and the food was always excellent.
“No problem.”
She paused, trying to ignore how the deep, husky sound of his voice stirred her already nervous stomach. “My goal,” she began, “is to complete my residency at Denver Memorial and return to Bunnell, Florida, and work beside my father and brothers in their medical practice. That goal is being threatened by another physician, Dr. Casey Belvedere. He’s a respected surgeon here in Denver. He—”
“Wants you.”
Trinity’s heart skipped a beat. Another Westmoreland trait she’d discovered: they didn’t believe in mincing words.
“Yes. He wants an affair. I’ve done nothing to encourage his advances or to give him the impression I’m interested. I even lied and told him I was already involved with someone, but he won’t let up. Now it’s more than annoying. He’s hinted that if I don’t go along with it, he’ll make my life at the hospital difficult.”
She pushed her plate aside and took a sip of her wine. “I brought his unwanted advances to the attention of the top hospital administrator, and he’s more or less dismissed my claim. Dr. Belvedere’s family is well known in the city. Big philanthropists, I understand. Presently, the Belvederes are building a children’s wing at the hospital that will bear their name. It’s my guess that the hospital administrator feels that now is not the time to make waves with any of the Belvederes. He said I need to pick my battles carefully, and this is one I might not want to take on.”
She paused. “So I came up with a plan.” She chuckled softly. “Let me rephrase that. Tara came up with the plan after I told her what was going on. It seems that she faced a similar situation when she was doing her residency in Kentucky. The only difference was that the hospital administrator supported her and made sure the doctor was released of his duties. I don’t have that kind of support here because of the Belvedere name.”
Adrian didn’t say anything for a few moments. He broke eye contact with her and stared down into his glass of wine. Trinity couldn’t help but wonder what he was thinking.
He looked back at her. “There is another solution to your problem, you know.”
She lifted a brow. “There is?”
“You did say he’s a surgeon, right?”
“Yes.”
“Then I could break his hands so he’ll never be able to use them in an operating room again.”
She stared wide-eyed at him for a couple of seconds before leaning forward. “You’re joking, right?”
“No. I am not joking. I’m dead serious.”
She leaned back as she studied his features. They were etched with ruthlessness and his dark eyes were filled with callousness. It was only then that Trinity remembered Tara’s tales about the twins, their baby sister, Bailey, and their younger cousin Bane. According to Tara, those four were the holy terrors of Denver while growing up and got into all kinds of trouble—malicious and otherwise.
But that was years ago. Now Bane was a navy SEAL, the twins were both Harvard graduates—Adrian obtained his PhD in engineering and Aidan completed medical school—and Bailey, the youngest of the four, was presently working on her MBA. However, it was quite obvious to Trinity that behind Adrian Westmoreland’s chiseled good looks, irresistible charm and PhD was a man who could return to his old ways if the need arose.
“I don’t think we need to go that far,” she said, swallowing. “Like Tara suggested, we can pretend to be lovers and hope that works.”
“If that’s how you prefer handling it.”
“Yes. And you don’t have a problem going along with it? Foregoing dating other women for a while?”
He pushed his plate aside and leaned back in his chair. “Nope. I don’t have a problem going along with it. Putting my social life on hold until this matter is resolved will be no big deal.”
Trinity released a relieved sigh. She had heard that since he’d returned to Denver to work as one of the CEOs at his family-owned business, Blue Ridge Land Management, Adrian had acquired a very active social life. There weren’t many single Westmoreland men left in town. In fact, he was the only one. His cousin Stern was engaged to be married in a few months; Bane was away in the navy and Aidan was practicing medicine at a hospital in North Carolina. All the other Westmoreland men had married. Adrian would definitely be a catch for any woman. And they were coming after him from every direction, determined to hook a Westmoreland man; she’d heard he was having the time of his life letting them try.
Trinity was grateful she wasn’t interested. The only reason she and Adrian were meeting was that she needed his help to pull off her plan. In fact, this was the first time they had seen each other since she’d moved to Denver eight months ago. She’d known when she accepted the internship at Denver Memorial last year that a slew of her sister’s Westmoreland cousins-in-law lived here. She had met most of them at Riley’s wedding. But most lived in a part of Denver referred to as Westmoreland Country and she lived in town. Though she had heard that when Adrian returned to Denver he had taken a place in town instead of moving to his family’s homestead, more for privacy than anything else.
“I think we should put our plan into action now,” he said, breaking into her thoughts.
He surprised her further when he took her hand in his and brought it to his lips while staring deeply into her eyes. She tried to ignore the intense fluttering in her stomach caused by his lips brushing against her skin.
“Why are you so anxious to begin?”
“It’s simply a matter of timing,” he said, bringing her hand to his lips yet again. “Don’t look now but Dr. Casey Belvedere just walked in. He’s seen us and is looking over here.”
* * *
Let the show begin.
Adrian continued to stare deep into Trinity’s eyes, sensing her nervousness. Although she had gone along with Tara’s suggestion, he had a feeling she wasn’t 100 percent on board with the idea of pretending to be his lover.
Although Dr. Belvedere was going about his pursuit all wrong, Adrian could understand the man wanting her. Hell, what man in his right mind wouldn’t? Like her sister, Tara, Trinity was an incredibly beautiful woman. Ravishing didn’t even come close to describing her.
When he’d first met Tara, years ago, the first thing out of his mouth was to ask if she had any sisters. Tara had smiled and replied, yes, she had a sister who was a senior in high school with plans to go to college to become a doctor.
Jeez. Had it been that long ago? He recalled the reaction of every single man at Riley’s wedding when Trinity had showed up with Thorn and Tara. That’s when he’d heard she would be moving to Denver for two years to work at the hospital.
“Are you sure it’s him?” Trinity asked.
“Pretty positive,” he said, studying her features. She had creamy mahogany-colored skin, silky black hair that hung to her shoulders and the most gorgeous pair of light brown eyes he’d ever seen. “And it’s just the way I planned it,” he said.
She arched a brow. “The way you planned it?”
“Yes. After Tara called and told me about her idea, I decided to start right away. I found out from a reliable source that Belvedere frequents this place quite a bit, especially on Thursday nights.”
