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Savannah's Secrets
Reese Ryan
Falling for the boss, or taking him down?Savannah Carlisle had the perfect plan. By infiltrating the Abbott family’s Tennessee bourbon empire as their events manager, she’d be one step closer to claiming half of the business they stole from her grandfather. Now she’s not so sure. Because sexy Blake Abbott, heir to it all, is simply intoxicating. He’s supposed to be the enemy. But after one long, stormy weekend, she’s pregnant with his child…
Falling for the boss, or taking him down?
Savannah Carlisle had the perfect plan. By infiltrating the Abbott family’s Tennessee bourbon empire as their events manager, she’d be one step closer to claiming half of the business they stole from her grandfather. Now she’s not so sure. Because sexy Blake Abbott, heir to it all, is simply intoxicating. He’s supposed to be the enemy. But after one long, stormy weekend, she’s pregnant with his child...
REESE RYAN writes sinfully sweet romance. She challenges her characters with family and career drama and life-changing secrets while treating readers to an emotional love story filled with unexpected twists.
Born and raised in the Midwest, Reese has deep Tennessee roots. She endured many long, hot car trips to family reunions in Memphis via a tiny clown car loaded with cousins. Connect with Reese via Instagram, Facebook or at www.reeseryan.com (http://www.reeseryan.com).
Also By Reese Ryan
Savannah’s SecretsPlaying with DesirePlaying with TemptationNever Christmas Without You (with Nana Malone) Playing with Seduction
Discover more at millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)
Savannah’s Secrets
Reese Ryan
www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)
ISBN: 978-1-474-07625-8
SAVANNAH’S SECRETS
© 2018 Roxanne Ravenel
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)
To my parents, who instilled a love of reading in me at an early age.
To the teachers who fostered that love.
To my childhood friends who felt reading was as cool as I did—both then and now.
To my husband and family, who sacrifice precious time with Babe/Mom/Nonni so that I can share the stories in my head with the world.
And to the amazing readers who are kind enough to come along for the ride.
Thank you, all.
Contents
Cover (#ue85a248f-7895-51d3-a8b4-a312dda6a617)
Back Cover Text (#ua91cc4da-ece8-5dc0-94f0-3dd8143cfa16)
About the Author (#u3b6ab611-ca39-5e35-b7c7-da9a2afea32d)
Booklist (#u7582a937-b555-5bdc-afaa-39c16a0a6f9b)
Title Page (#u700c2b5b-0ad4-5d19-b50e-b9f87bbc370b)
Copyright (#u8431a620-891a-5836-81fb-66c1b73431db)
Dedication (#ue446dc99-b2bf-5e42-8656-9e31d4dc337f)
One (#u451baff3-39ce-5dba-937e-c7087febcf44)
Two (#uafc121bd-efad-5a58-be39-9eaea2c6c577)
Three (#uc9f98579-ab19-5212-83a0-f74a398b3e91)
Four (#uc28cc6c2-e417-5a11-857d-b8111a517882)
Five (#u646ef820-1116-5050-b926-91603b381f0e)
Six (#u7779a908-06c6-5ec6-8bd8-5f5e709053c0)
Seven (#u875b4264-1978-521a-8c49-74744ff8c20b)
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Twenty-Four (#litres_trial_promo)
Epilogue (#litres_trial_promo)
Extract (#litres_trial_promo)
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One (#u2ef9d15f-5968-58a5-b903-af5c982d5c44)
Blake Abbott rubbed his forehead and groaned. He’d rather be walking the floor of the distillery, preparing for their new product launch, instead of reviewing market research data. Out there on the floor was where the magic of making their world-renowned bourbon happened.
His assistant, Daisy, knocked on his open office door. “Blake, don’t forget the interview for the new event manager position... It’s in fifteen minutes.”
Blake cursed under his breath. His brother Max had asked him to handle the interview. The new position fell under Max’s charge as marketing VP. But he was at a trade show in Vegas. Probably partying and getting laid while Blake worked his ass off back at the office.
Their mother—who usually handled their special events—was in Florida helping her sister recover from surgery.
Tag, I’m it.
But Blake had more pressing matters to deal with. Production was two weeks behind on the limited-edition moonshines they were rolling out to commemorate the upcoming fiftieth anniversary of King’s Finest Distillery. Once an illegal moonshine operation started by his great-grandfather in the hills of Tennessee, his grandfather had established the company as a legal distiller of premium spirits.
What better way to celebrate their golden anniversary as a legitimate enterprise than to reproduce the hooch that gave them their start?
Getting the project back on track took precedence over hiring an overpriced party planner.
Blake grunted, his eyes on the screen. “Too late to reschedule?”
“Technically? No,” a slightly husky voice with an unfamiliar Southern drawl responded. “But then, I am already here.”
Blake’s attention snapped to the source of the voice. His temperature climbed instantly when he encountered the woman’s sly smile and hazel eyes sparkling in the sunlight.
Her dark wavy hair was pulled into a low bun. If she’d worn the sensible gray suit to downplay her gorgeous features, it was a spectacular fail.
“Blake, I’m sorry.” Daisy’s cheeks flushed. Her gaze shifted from him to the woman. “I should’ve—”
“It’s okay, Daisy.” Blake held back a grin. He crossed the room, holding the woman’s gaze. “I’ll take it from here, thanks.”
Daisy shoved a folder into his hands. “Her résumé. In case you can’t find the copy I gave you earlier.”
Blake thanked his assistant. She knew him well and was unbothered by his occasional testiness. It was one of the reasons he went to great lengths to keep her happy.
“Well, Miss—”
“Carlisle.” The woman extended her hand. “But please, call me Savannah.”
Blake shook her hand and was struck by the contrast of the softness of her skin against his rough palm. Electricity sparked on his fingertips. He withdrew his hand and shoved it in his pocket.
“Miss... Savannah, please, have a seat.” He indicated the chair opposite his desk.
She complied. One side of her mouth pulled into a slight grin, drawing his attention to her pink lips.
Were they as soft and luscious as they looked? He swallowed hard, fighting back his curiosity about the flavor of her gloss.
Blake sank into the chair behind his desk, thankful for the solid expanse between them.
He was the one with the authority. So why did it seem that she was assessing him?
Relax. Stay focused.
He was behaving as if he hadn’t seen a stunningly beautiful woman before.
“Tell me about yourself, Savannah.”
It was a standard opening. But he genuinely wanted to learn everything there was to know about this woman.
Savannah crossed one long, lean leg over the other. Her skirt shifted higher, grazing the top of her knee and exposing more of her golden-brown skin.
“I’m from West Virginia. I’ve lived there my entire life. I spent the past ten years working my way up the ranks, first at a small family-owned banquet hall. Then at a midsize chain hotel. In both positions, I doubled the special events revenue. My recommendation letters will confirm that.”
She was confident and matter-of-fact about her accomplishments.
“Impressive.” Regardless of how attractive Savannah Carlisle was, he would only hire her if she was right for the job. “You’re a long way from West Virginia. What brings you to our little town of Magnolia Lake?”
“Honestly? I moved here because of this opportunity.”
When Blake narrowed his gaze in response, she laughed. It was a sweet sound he wouldn’t mind hearing again. Preferably while they were in closer proximity than his desk would allow.
“That wasn’t an attempt to sweet-talk you into hiring me. Unless, of course, it works,” she added with a smile. “This position is the perfect intersection of my talents and interests.”
“How so?” Blake was intrigued.
