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Seduced In San Diego
Reese Ryan
Portrait of desireThere’s nothing conventional about Jordan Jace, except his membership to the exclusive San Diego chapter of the Millionaire Moguls. An acclaimed artist, he’s also a rebel who resists his wealthy family’s attempts to rein him in. Until, at the opening of his latest exhibit, he meets stunning Sasha Charles, a marketing consultant hired to improve his image. He may not need her expertise, but persuading the straight-laced beauty to break some rules is an irresistible challenge.A casual affair with a client could put Sasha’s professional reputation at risk. Yet she’s drawn to the man who’s a sexy masterpiece in his own right. With Jordan’s guidance, Sasha is living life to the fullest for the first time—enjoying glittering restaurants, colorful local dives, and nights of intense pleasure. Their ardent affair may turn out to be a temporary diversion, unless they can discover the art of love- together…
Portrait of desire
There’s nothing conventional about Jordan Jace, except his membership in the exclusive San Diego chapter of the Millionaire Moguls. An acclaimed artist, he’s also a rebel who resists his wealthy family’s attempts to rein him in. Until, at the opening of his latest exhibit, he meets stunning Sasha Charles, a marketing consultant hired to improve his image. He may not need her expertise, but persuading the straitlaced beauty to break some rules is an irresistible challenge.
A casual affair with a client could put Sasha’s professional reputation at risk. Yet she’s drawn to the man who’s a sexy masterpiece in his own right. With Jordan’s guidance, Sasha is living life to the fullest for the first time—enjoying glittering restaurants, colorful local dives and nights of intense pleasure. Their ardent affair may turn out to be a temporary diversion, unless they can discover the art of love—together...
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.
Past president of her local Romance Writers of America chapter and a panelist at the 2017 Los Angeles Times Festival of Books, Reese is an advocate of the romance genre and diversity in fiction.
Born and raised in the Midwest, Reese has lived in the South for nearly a decade and has an accent that confuses folks from both regions. Reese is an avid reader, a music lover and a musical soundtrack addict.
Connect with Reese via Instagram, Facebook or at reeseryan.com (http://www.reeseryan.com).
Also By Reese Ryan (#u5554e811-bb65-5c5a-850c-781c1f420bfc)
Playing with DesirePlaying with TemptationPlaying with Seduction Never Christmas Without You (with Nana Malone) Seduced in San Diego
Discover more at millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk).
Seduced in San Diego
Reese Ryan
www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)
ISBN: 978-1-474-08276-1
SEDUCED IN SAN DIEGO
© 2018 Harlequin Books S.A
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)
They stood in silence, her hand in his, staring at the city across the bay. Her silent comfort wrapped itself around him. Warmed the chill he felt inside. Made him feel whole again, if only for as long as they stood there together in silence.
“Well, I’d better go.” She turned to him finally, slipping her hand from his. “But thank you for the coffee and the tour of your lovely home.”
“The pleasure was mine.” Jordan shoved his hands into his pockets. “Thank you for the ride and the chat.”
There was something in her eyes as they met his. She opened her mouth to say something, then shut it quickly, dropping her gaze.
“Sasha, what is it?”
He should let it go. She’d decided against saying it. He should just leave it at that. But he couldn’t. He needed to know.
She inhaled a deep breath, as if gathering her nerve. When her eyes met his, she leaned in, flattened her palms against his chest and rose on her toes to kiss him.
Dear Reader (#u5554e811-bb65-5c5a-850c-781c1f420bfc),
When my son was young, he took weekly art classes at the Cleveland Museum of Art. During his class, I roamed the museum, enchanted by its art and history. Sculpture was among my favorite mediums. So I was thrilled that Jordan Jace—the hero of Seduced in San Diego—is a sculptor.
Writing Jordan and Sasha’s story allowed me to immerse myself in the fascinating world of sculpture, as I hadn’t since I was a regular at the museum.
On the surface, Jordan seems skin-deep. But peel back the layers of this complex character, and you’ll discover a big heart and the secrets weighing on it.
Seduced in San Diego is a fun, glamorous, sexy and emotional ride as Jordan and Sasha find their way to each other.
For series news, reader giveaways and more, join my VIP readers list at reeseryan.com (http://www.reeseryan.com).
Happy reading,
Reese Ryan
Dedicated to all of the remarkable readers I’ve met during my publishing journey. You support African American and multicultural romance with your hard-earned dollars, valuable time, honest reviews and enthusiastic word of mouth. We are nothing without you.
Acknowledgments (#u5554e811-bb65-5c5a-850c-781c1f420bfc)
Shannon Criss and Keyla Hernandez, it has truly been a pleasure to work with you both. Thank you for your confidence in me, your patience and your enthusiastic support of my career, which has opened the door to additional opportunities within Harlequin.
Thank you to the Kimani editors, copywriters, cover artists and marketing team for your support. It has been an honor to be counted among the ranks of the remarkable Kimani Romance authors I have long admired.
Contents
Cover (#ua57641fc-88aa-5ccf-97a5-d927d3ec28cd)
Back Cover Text (#uc724b395-63b1-5b38-ad95-10856da15fe4)
About the Author (#u0bf5861f-1683-5471-917c-f456bbe84f0b)
Booklist (#uc77010ad-c58d-5bbf-8ad6-3f9cac7f5bca)
Title Page (#udd8bdd93-8985-5b52-9ba3-080100eeead8)
Copyright (#u5fda52ed-51ef-5e0b-8a02-1669ceaac3ee)
Introduction (#u9cab1c8f-509c-5d7f-9a1d-cfff83d6d3a3)
Dear Reader (#u6dc5aca7-227d-5813-9316-c5ff2bc851bd)
Dedication (#ud7736848-6183-5fbb-ba1e-e6f2f192b6b5)
Acknowledgments (#u2f4456e1-aa17-5cde-8913-a97621d6f54a)
Chapter 1 (#ud93b8282-40c4-56a7-b198-4af6fe251f26)
Chapter 2 (#ubd7a53a2-460a-5f2e-a0e2-ca7a1f71bbea)
Chapter 3 (#ue3958610-98f0-5b07-95e9-00863415d668)
Chapter 4 (#u0d439709-11f0-5440-bd80-5e192d625d58)
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)
Epilogue (#litres_trial_promo)
Extract (#litres_trial_promo)
About the Publisher (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter 1 (#u5554e811-bb65-5c5a-850c-781c1f420bfc)
Jordan Jace made a hard turn into the car park of the Prescott George headquarters. He got out, slamming the door of his black Karma Revero. Jordan glared at the stone-and-brick building.
He didn’t appreciate being summoned to HQ. Vaughn Ellicott may have been a lieutenant when he served in the navy. But as a civilian, Vaughn was the treasurer of the San Diego chapter of Prescott George, not his commanding officer.
Jordan had joined Prescott George, or the Millionaire Moguls, as they were more commonly known, as a concession to his parents. He was the outlier in a family of wealthy London bankers who also had financial interests here in San Diego. His membership in the Millionaire Moguls was his way of throwing them a bone so they’d let go of their hopes that he’d eventually join the family business.
Jordan caught a glimpse of himself in the glass as he approached the building. Overpriced, tattered jeans. A T-shirt that read Icon. An unbuttoned, blue check shirt. Black motorcycle boots. His thick, curly hair grown out in twists.
He was no bloody banker. Artist. Metal sculptor. Professional badass. Any of the above applied. But a banker?
Not in this lifetime or the next.
Jordan checked his watch. It was nearly one o’clock in the afternoon. The opening for the latest exhibit of his work at his art gallery, Sorella, began in six hours.
Vaughn better make this quick.
Jordan scanned the modern, industrial space. Exposed brick. Concrete floors. Metal railings. Offices with glass walls and doors. Masculine, minimalist, modern furniture. No one was milling about the club.
He entered the building and made his way to the treasurer’s office. There was Vaughn seated behind his glass-and-steel desk.
A career military man, Vaughn carried himself with poise. Stern scowl, confident demeanor, erect posture. But the man fidgeting behind that desk looked as if his seat was littered with thumbtacks, and he couldn’t quite get comfortable.
Something is very wrong.
Whatever it was, Jordan didn’t like it. Nor did he have the time or inclination to deal with any Millionaire Moguls drama today.
His assistant had been ringing his mobile all morning about the opening at the gallery that night. If he didn’t get there soon, Lydia Dyson might need to crank up the dosage on her anxiety meds.
Jordan barged through Vaughn’s partially open office door without knocking. He dropped onto one of the leather guest chairs on the other side of the man’s desk and crossed one ankle over his knee.
“So, what is it you needed to see me about so bloody desperately that it couldn’t wait until after my show tonight?” Jordan studied the man’s reaction.
Vaughn’s face went through a rapid series of emotions. Miffed that Jordan hadn’t knocked. Unnerved about whatever it was he wanted to discuss. Annoyed with Jordan’s cockiness after he read his T-shirt.
All of which deepened Jordan’s smirk.
Vaughn returned his gaze to the paperwork he was reviewing on his desk.
“How long have you been a member of the San Diego chapter of Prescott George, Jordan?”
“Since I hopped across the pond. About a year ago, I guess.”
“And how long were you a member of the London chapter before that?”
“A few years, I suppose. Why does it matter?” Jordan leaned into two fingers, pressed against his temple. “You didn’t bring me down here to complete inconsequential paperwork that could have been handled just as easily via text, did you?”
“No.” Vaughn put down his pen and frowned deeply, his hands steepled over his belly. “But I need to know how you feel about Prescott George.”
Something most definitely isn’t right.
Jordan sat up, clasping his hands in his lap. “Prescott George is a storied organization steeped in history. And over the years it’s done a lot of good.”
