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A Stallion Dream
Deborah Fletcher Mello
Has this Stallion met his match… in and out of the courtroom?Collin Stallion plans to give back to the community by volunteering to exonerate someone wrongfully convicted of crime. His partner in the high-profile case—powerhouse attorney London Jacobs—isn’t impressed by the seductive bachelor. Until passion ignites. But with an adversary threatening Collin’s family legacy and London’s ex-fiancé sworn to win her back, will they fulfill their dream of love?
Has this Stallion met his match...
In and out of the courtroom?
Collin Stallion plans to give back to the community by volunteering to exonerate someone wrongfully convicted of crime. His partner in the high-profile case—powerhouse attorney London Jacobs—isn’t impressed by the seductive bachelor. Until passion ignites. But with an adversary threatening Collin’s family legacy and London’s ex-fiancé sworn to win her back, will they fulfill their dream of love?
Writing since forever, DEBORAH FLETCHER MELLO can’t imagine herself doing anything else. Her first novel, Take Me to Heart, earned her a 2004 Romance Slam Jam nomination for Best New Author. In 2008, Deborah won the RT Reviewers’ Choice award for Best Series Romance for her ninth novel, Tame a Wild Stallion. Deborah received a BRAB 2015 Reading Warrior Award for Best Series for her Stallion family series. Deborah was also named the 2016 Romance Slam Jam Author of the Year. She has also received accolades from several publications, including Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and RT Book Reviews. With each new book, Deborah continues to create unique story lines and memorable characters. Born and raised in Connecticut, Deborah now considers home to be wherever the moment moves her.
Also By Deborah Fletcher Mello (#ulink_b4853cc0-4bc4-53fb-bead-57a30b032523)
Truly Yours
Hearts Afire
Twelve Days of Pleasure
My Stallion Heart
Stallion Magic
Tuscan Heat
A Stallion’s Touch
A Pleasing Temptation
Sweet Stallion
To Tempt a Stallion
A Stallion Dream
Discover more at millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)
A Stallion Dream
Deborah Fletcher Mello
www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)
ISBN: 978-1-474-08601-1
A STALLION DREAM
© 2018 Deborah Fletcher Mello
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)
A moment passed and neither made any effort to move, still gazing at each other, memorizing each fine line that detailed their expressions.
Collin’s eyes flickered closed and then open. “I swear,” he repeated. “I’m going.”
She laughed, acutely aware of the urgent matter pressing tightly against the front of his slacks for attention. She shifted her body forward until she was pressed firmly against him. His arm tightened around her waist, his fingers gripping the back of her dress.
“You’re not playing fair,” he said. “You know what you’re doing to me, right?” He pushed his pelvis forward, the gesture teasing.
“That feels like a personal problem to me.”
“Oh, it’s very personal. It’s about as personal as you can get.”
“I imagine that’s why you haven’t moved yet?”
“That, and you need to move first. Unless you want me to roll over you?”
London giggled softly. She pushed her body even closer against his.
“London,” he started, “maybe we should...”
“Maybe we should just stop talking,” she said. She trailed her fingertips along the profile of his face. “In fact, I can think of a few other things we could be doing,” she concluded, and then she kissed him, capturing his luscious lips with her own.
Dear Reader (#u982d8f8e-7b54-5b46-aa84-790bf12d6c98),
When a man has dreams that revolve around a woman he loves, he knows everything is possible and there is nothing that’s insurmountable. Baby boy Collin Stallion is all grown up, and his days of stealing cars are long behind him. He’s standing on the right side of the law, and the only thing he’s stealing now is a woman’s heart. London Jacobs talks a great game, and the only rules she plays by are the ones she sets. But there is something about Collin that has her breaking those rules like there’s no tomorrow. He’s the game changer that has her fantasizing about her own big dreams!
This Stallion son hasn’t fallen far from the family tree and I absolutely adore him. Collin makes my heart sing, and I hope you’ll enjoy his journey toward love as much as I enjoyed writing it. Together, Collin and London are sheer joy!
Thank you so much for your support. This is my last Kimani title, and my success with the Stallion and Boudreaux families would not have been possible without all of you. I am humbled by all the love you continue to show me, my characters and our stories. I can’t begin to express how grateful I am.
Until the next series and the next family and definitely the next story, please take care, and may God’s blessings be with you always.
With much love,
Deborah Fletcher Mello
www.DeborahMello.Blogspot.com (http://www.DeborahMello.blogspot.com)
To Nanette Kelley! You have renewed my faith! I can play in the sandbox again, and I am grateful that you are there to share in the joy with me! I love you to pieces!
Contents
Cover (#u7df3f104-6470-5f16-9549-f9c2b876897a)
Back Cover Text (#ufc978ba9-2a8c-5edb-96a6-884fcd026fc6)
About the Author (#ub69406a2-2589-5223-9c51-9e96ca206bb7)
Booklist (#ulink_91cd91d3-db5d-547f-8327-9541c90e03a4)
Title Page (#u69fa9f67-240e-5974-a367-e3466a7b68a3)
Copyright (#uc9d59072-bf4b-594b-8036-4a2d1c493c8c)
Introduction (#u693e473a-00ed-54a7-9049-d454f13546e1)
Dear Reader (#u3577b279-c604-5565-93e3-86d0921cbd0c)
Dedication (#uac94d58f-51cc-5f83-b862-27cd84b75488)
Chapter 1 (#ua836b45a-7634-54cd-a156-84bd6a0d6f5e)
Chapter 2 (#u66b3e0f3-7456-558e-9528-e4e24d953025)
Chapter 3 (#u8d2b2eb6-bc73-5600-91c6-ddb7dba0d4a6)
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)
Extract (#litres_trial_promo)
About the Publisher (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter 1 (#u982d8f8e-7b54-5b46-aa84-790bf12d6c98)
“Collin! Collin! Hey, Collin!”
Collin Stallion winced as his little brother—Matthew Jacoby Stallion Junior, affectionately known as Jake—screamed for his attention. His younger sibling was somewhere on the other side of the family home, his high-pitched squeal sounding like fingernails grating against a chalkboard. Collin had only been back for a few short hours and the ten-year old had been screaming his name every few minutes like clockwork. He’d screamed for Collin to come see his new Black Panther toys. He’d screamed for Collin to come play video games on his Xbox system. He’d screamed for Collin every time his big brother managed to get out of his sight. Jake screaming his name had begun to wear on his big brother’s nerves.
Their mother moved into the room, swiping her hands on a dish towel. Katrina Stallion laughed warmly, “He missed you, Collin. Cut him some slack.”
“I know, Mom, but I’m going to be here for a minute. Do we really have to catch up on everything in one day?”
Collin’s mother laughed again, “Your little brother is ecstatic to have you home. He idolizes you. So, please, don’t you give him a hard time. By tomorrow he’ll be back to his regular routine and isn’t going to care about you being around until you get ready to leave again.”
Before Collin could respond, Jake came bounding into the room, still yelling out his brother’s name. “Collin!”
Collin took a deep breath and held it for a brief second before he answered. “Yes, Jake? What’s up, buddy?” He dropped the book he’d been reading to his lap.
“There’s a man at the door for you.”
“For me?”
Jake nodded. “He says it’s important. He has a delivery for you.”
Collin shot his mother a look, puzzlement shifting between them. Katrina shrugged her narrow shoulders, having no answers about who was seeking him out or what they wanted. Collin slid his book onto the coffee table and stood up.
Jake grabbed his hand and tugged. “Come on,” he chided, a silly grin widening across his face. The youngster pulled his brother through the family home to the foyer and the front door.
A well-dressed man wearing tan linen slacks and a white dress shirt smiled in greeting. “Good afternoon, sir. Are you Collin Stallion?”
“Yes, I am. How may I help you?”
“I just need to confirm your identification and then get your signature, Mr. Stallion,” the man said as he extended a metal clipboard in Collin’s direction.
Collin scanned the documents attached, noting a delivery receipt that required his signature to acknowledge his acceptance. “I’m sorry, but what is this for?” he asked.
The man took a step back and gestured over his shoulder. Sitting in the driveway of the Sunnybrook Lane property, directly in front of the four-car garage, was a black-on-black Mercedes C-300 sedan with a huge red bow adorning the hood. The brand-new vehicle was gleaming under the midday sun, looking like it had been spit-polished with multiple coats of car wax. The windows were tinted, and new sports rims adorned the frame.
“There’s a card,” the man said, gesturing to the paperwork in Collin’s hand. “But I do need your signature first, sir!”
Still puzzled, Collin read through the fine print quickly, then scribbled his moniker across the dotted line. He handed the clipboard back. The deliveryman snatched a duplicate copy from the bottom of the document and passed it and an envelope to Collin. He reached into his pocket for a set of keys and passed them to him, as well. “Congratulations,” he said as he did an about-face and stepped down off the porch.
Collin stepped out of the house after the man. He watched as the stranger slid into the passenger seat of the Mercedes dealership’s service van, the vehicle eventually pulling out of the driveway and disappearing into midday traffic.
“It’s so cool!” Jake exclaimed as he bounded down the steps and peered into the driver’s-side window. “Who gave you a car?”
“I want to know who it’s from, too! Are you going to open your card?” Katrina asked.
