The Unwilling Executive: Out Now!

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Lucas and Jade's love story is now live! If you've pre-ordered, please check your devices to make sure you got your copy. If you haven't downloaded it yet, please click here to find all the store links to the book. It's currently only US$0.99.

Thank you so much for being with me as I continue to write more steamy and stirring romance novels for your enjoyment. I truly hope The Unwilling Executive finds its way into your hearts. Lucas and Jade challenged me but in the end, even I was touched by how their love story unfolded 🙂 .

Happy reading and feel free to let me know what you think!

Much love,

Miranda xxx

P.S. Book 2 of the Captured by Love series, The Unyielding Bachelor, is now available for pre-order.

The Unwilling Executive: Chapter Two

Hi again! Hope you enjoyed Chapter One of The Unwilling Executive.

Pre-order for this book is now available from Amazon and Kobo at a special price of $0.99.

It's not up on the other stores yet, but hopefully it won't be too long before you can pre-order it from the other places.

For now, here's Chapter Two. Enjoy!

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Jade stood by the threshold of Thomas Bilton’s impressive office, her boss so focused on his computer that he hadn’t noticed her standing there. For a man who was almost sixty-five and could retire with more money than Jade would know what to do with, Thomas still worked at least fifty hours a week.

Jade had already experienced how exacting Thomas was as a boss. She didn’t mind it. It was actually quite inspiring. In the handful of days that she’d worked for him, she could see why he’d become very successful.

Besides, she’d heard from Lexie how generous Thomas was to his dedicated employees. Jade hoped to be on the receiving end of some eye-popping bonuses, too.

But right now, she wasn’t looking forward to the conversation she was about to have with her boss. Contrary to what Lucas had accused, she wasn’t someone who did things without question. So even though she’d be risking her boss’s ire, she had to say something about the way she’d been kept in the dark about what Lucas had been told. She didn’t want to establish a precedent she wasn’t comfortable with.

She rapped on the door, making Thomas look up.

“Jade!” Thomas rose from his chair and gazed at her with hopeful anticipation.

Jade hid a sigh as she walked towards her boss’s desk.

“Lucas turned up?” Thomas asked, gesturing for her to take a seat.

“Yes, sir,” she said, sitting down. “His answer was no. He also said he didn’t appreciate being conned—”

Thomas gasped. “He read the letter?”

“Yes. But—”

“He read it?” Thomas asked again in delighted disbelief.

“Yes, and he said no to whatever’s in it, sir,” she repeated, wondering if her boss hadn’t heard her earlier. “But, Mr. Bilton—”

“Oh, Jade. Thank you!”

Jade frowned in confusion.

“This is progress,” Thomas said, still looking thrilled. “Do you know how many times I’ve tried to get him to listen to what I have to say? I sent him emails and tried to call him. But he didn’t want to listen to a single word. Then I got other people to intervene on my behalf. Still no success—until now. I don’t expect him to have a change of heart from the one letter you handed him, but I’m encouraged that he read it.”

Jade took a deep breath. Well, that was an unexpected reaction.

“What did you say to him?” Thomas asked eagerly. “How did you get him to read the whole letter?”

“I pleaded with him, sir,” she said with a shrug. “He really wasn’t happy, Mr. Bilton. And if you don’t mind me saying, I wasn’t either. Lucas said he’d been lied to just so he would turn up to our meeting. I would have appreciated if you’d told me that.”

“Oh, Jade, I apologise. You see, I needed you to look innocent to boost the chances of his reading the letter. If he got an inkling that it was from me, he wouldn’t have opened it. So it worked!”

Jade stared at Thomas. The man was practically glowing, making her ignore her annoyance. Whatever this was about, it was clearly very important to her boss.

Thomas leaned back in his chair. “We must keep on chipping away,” he declared.

We?

“I’ll need you to get him to talk to you again, Jade. And work on changing his mind.”

What?

“I know this is highly unusual,” Thomas said. “But I really need your help.”

“Sir, after today I doubt he’d want to see or hear from me again.”

“Oh, but you must try. You’re the first person who’s gotten him to pay attention to something from me. And at your first attempt too!”

Jade didn’t know what to say.

“You have no idea how important this is to me, Jade,” Thomas said quietly. “It’s an order.”

She sighed. How could she say no when he put it like that? Besides, she’d be lying to herself if she didn’t admit that Lucas Renner intrigued her. She wouldn’t mind knowing more about him.

“I can only try, Mr. Bilton,” she answered. “I can’t promise you the results you want.”

“And that’s all I expect,” Thomas replied, beaming at her. “There are things I need to sort out regarding this, and they’re taking more time than expected. I’ll let you know when I need you to make contact with Lucas again.”

“Um, sir, I know you said this is a personal matter. But since I’ll be working with you on this, would you mind telling me what this is all about?”

Thomas considered for a moment. “I guess that’s a fair request. When I have the information I’m waiting for, we’ll talk about it, okay?”

Jade nodded. “Thank you, sir.”

“Well, that’s it for now. And thank you again, Jade.”

“You’re welcome, Mr. Bilton.”

Jade walked back to her desk, curiosity tickling her hard. Thomas hadn’t mentioned a time frame for their conversation, but she’d have to settle for a promise.

*****

Jade entered the apartment she shared with one of her best friends. She lifted her eyebrows when she found Cassie Stephens looking glum as she sat in front of the TV, eating a bar of chocolate.

“Hey, Cassie, what’s wrong?” she asked.

“My boss is a prick,” Cassie said. “Someone resigned today, and he announced that he won’t be looking for a replacement. He expects the rest of us to share the work, but we’re already overloaded as it is!”

“I keep telling you to look for another job.”

“I’m still waiting for you and Lexie to recommend me for a role at Bilton Machineries,” Cassie said with a grin.

Jade chuckled. “Don’t worry. We’re keeping an eye open for you.”

“How was your day?”

“Weird!” Jade sat down to tell her friend about the meeting with Lucas and her conversation with her boss.

“Wow. Sounds very intriguing.”

“I know. The best—or worst—part, I’m not sure which yet, was that Lucas Renner is a total hunk.”

Cassie lifted an eyebrow. “You met someone today who you think is a total hunk?”

“I looked up at the ceiling as if it were the most interesting thing in the world when he caught me staring at him.”

Cassie gasped. “You know what this means. You are so interested, Jade Tully.”

“Yay. Glad to know my heart hasn’t permanently turned to stone after all,” she said dryly.

“Yes. Yay,” Cassie said, looking pointedly at her. “It’s okay to give your heart a rest after it’s been hurt. But it’s been too long since you’ve taken a risk in the relationship department, Jade. That’s why I think it’s exciting that this Lucas guy had a strong effect on you.”

“But don’t you think it would be totally unprofessional if I flirted with him? Besides, considering his obvious issue with my boss, I doubt he’d even want to be in the same room as me again.”

“But didn’t Thomas say he wants you to keep working on him? Use your charm and see how effective it is,” Cassie teased.

“Ha-ha. I don’t think my feminine powers would have any effect on him. He’s too good-looking,” she said with a pout.

“Ah, you are most definitely interested.”

“You should have seen him, Cassie. You’d know what I mean. But then again, I think I’ll keep him to myself.”

“Now you’re really making me curious about this guy. Maybe the next time you have to meet with him, I could lurk in the background.”

Jade sighed. “Then he’ll see you and fall for you. And there goes another guy stolen from me by a so-called friend.”

“Excuse me. How dare you think I’m like that woman you used to call friend?” Cassie said, giving her a censuring push. “But… if this Lucas Renner is as hot as you say he is…”

They chortled.

“Glad you’re able to laugh at that joke, Jade,” Cassie said quietly.

“Yeah. I guess I’m really ready to move on now,” she said with a grin, Lucas Renner’s handsome face floating in her mind.

*****

“Jade, I know it’s late in the day but I need you to do something for me before you leave for home,” Thomas said over the phone.

“Sure, Mr. Bilton,” Jade answered.

“My wife’s niece just had a baby girl. We’ll be visiting her in the hospital tonight, and Diana and I want to bring a big bunch of flowers and some gifts for the newborn. Could you get them, please?”

“Of course,” she answered. “Do you have a particular gift in mind?”

“Diana’s niece had hinted that a bracelet engraved with her child’s name would be nice, along with some clothes and toys. You can get the bracelet from our favourite jewellers.” Thomas gave her the name of an exclusive store.

“What’s the budget, sir?” she asked.

Thomas told her.

Jade gulped. Her most expensive necklace was less than half the price of the bracelet Thomas wanted her to buy.

*

Jade walked towards a flower shop two blocks away, carrying a large shopping bag full of baby stuff. The expensive bracelet she’d just bought was safe in her handbag.

Ruby, the florist, would be surprised to see her back again so soon. She’d been there just last week.

Since her nephew had been diagnosed with a heart condition, Jade had been buying flowers every two weeks for her brother and sister-in-law. At first, Jerry had asked her not to waste money on things that wilted and got thrown away after several days. But the lovely blossoms cheered his wife so much that sometimes Jerry would even remind Jade to pick up a fresh bunch on her way home. Good thing that Ruby had been giving her a good discount for being a frequent customer.

Jade used to buy from a different florist, but when Cassie came home one night with flowers from her workmates for her birthday, Jade had started buying from Ruby. Ruby’s arrangements were much more beautiful and the quality of her flowers was superb. She’d been a regular of Ruby’s now for over four months and had developed a friendship with the older woman. Ruby had been an additional source of comfort when Jade had been so worried about her nephew’s heart surgery.

Jade walked into the inviting flower shop, spotting Ruby with another customer. Her assistant wasn’t around, so Jade put the shopping bag down in a corner and browsed the greeting cards section while she waited. Thomas hadn’t asked her to buy a card, but she’d get one anyway. There were several cute ones for welcoming a new baby girl into the world.

“What are you doing here?” a low growl came from behind her, making her jump and whirl in surprise.

“Lucas!”

Lucas glared at her, looking more pissed off than he’d been when he’d left her at the café yesterday.

“So?” he whispered harshly, his handsome face marred by a deep scowl.

“Um… I’m here to… buy some flowers.” She gave herself a mental shake to get back her composure.

“I don’t believe you,” Lucas said in a soft but angry tone. “Please leave now.”

“What? No! I told you I need to buy some flowers,” she whispered heatedly, annoyance replacing her earlier fluster. How dare this guy order her about?

“Come with me,” Lucas said, grabbing her arm and steering her to the exit.

She resisted, frowning at him. What the hell was wrong with this man?

Cheery goodbyes came from Ruby and her customer, then Ruby appeared from around the corner.

“Jade! Hello. I thought it was you,” Ruby greeted, looking at her and Lucas with curiosity.

“Hi, Ruby,” Jade said, walking away from Lucas with relief. “I need a big bouquet for someone who’s just had a baby girl.”

“Sure,” Ruby said as she lifted her eyebrows at Lucas. “You two know each other?”

“Yes,” Lucas answered, smiling at Ruby. “Jade’s a friend of a friend. Anyway, Mum, there’s something I need to talk to her about first. Excuse us for a while.”

Mum? The revelation disconcerted Jade enough that she let Lucas lead her outside.

Lucas faced her when they were far enough away from the entrance to Ruby’s shop. “Thomas sent you here, didn’t he?” he asked. “What’s your assignment this time? To get my mother to talk to him?”

“No!”

“Don’t lie, Jade.”

Jade gasped indignantly. “I am buying flowers for Mr. Bilton, but he did not send me here. For your information, I was Ruby’s customer way before I started working at Bilton Machineries. And I had absolutely no idea she’s your mother, because in the four months that I’ve been coming here every other week, I’ve never seen you around. So please don’t accuse me of a hidden agenda.”

Lucas narrowed his eyes, but she held her head high and glared back at him. She might find him attractive enough to get muddled every once in a while, but she refused to get intimidated by this infuriating male—even though her lashes were batting involuntarily despite her anger.

Argh! Damn him for being so good-looking.

The suspicious look in Lucas’ eyes disappeared and his lips curved upwards.

Shit. Jade Tully, you’re so freaking obvious.

“I’m sorry,” Lucas said.

Her brows rose.

“You really didn’t come here to talk to my mum about Thomas?” Lucas asked.

“No.”

“And you didn’t know she’s my mother?”

“No. How could I have known that, Lucas?”

“Does she know you work for Bilton Machineries?”

She shook her head. “I only just started, so we haven’t had the chance to talk about it yet. I’m sure she’ll ask where I work now, though. She knew I was looking for a new job.”

“Please don’t tell her.”

“Why not?”

Lucas rubbed his face. “It’s a long story, Jade. And it’s private.”

“In other words, it’s none of my business,” she said.

Lucas gave her a tight smile that held sadness she was surprised to see. It pricked her conscience and, unthinking, she squeezed his arm in a gesture of comfort.

Whoa. Muscles.

She pulled away, cursing herself for being too touchy-feely towards a man she hardly knew.

“Lucas, I see your mum every two weeks,” she said hurriedly. “Unless there’s a long line of customers waiting, we usually have a friendly chat. What should I tell her if she asks me?”

“Anything, as long as you don’t say you work for Bilton Machineries. It would upset her if she finds out that Thomas is trying to contact me. Please.”

There was no sarcasm on Lucas’ tone, only a soft plea. She had lots of questions for him and opened her mouth to ask one. But she shut it and nodded instead. Judging from Lucas’ stance, Thomas would be more forthcoming with details. She’d have to wait.

“Thank you, Jade. I appreciate this. Let’s go back in.” Lucas motioned for her to go first.

She headed back to the flower shop, trying to get a fake story clear in her head. She didn’t look forward to dishing out fibs to Ruby, but she couldn’t find a good enough reason to argue with Lucas’ request. Her gut told her it was the way to go for now.

She only hoped she could be convincing. Her expressions and gestures often gave her away even if her words didn’t.

###End of Chapter Two###

I can't wait until the book goes live on the 17th!  Hope you're looking forward to it as much as I am 🙂

Till next time, take care.

Much love,
Miranda xxx

Pre-order for this book is now available from Amazon and Kobo. Coming soon in other stores.

 

The Unwilling Executive: Chapter One

Just a few more days to go before March 17th, the official release date of The Unwilling Executive (Captured by Love Book 1). And it's time to share Chapter One with you!

Without further ado, here it is!

TheUnwillingExecutive-200x300The Unwilling Executive Chapter One

Jade Tully exhaled her frustration as she checked her watch for the umpteenth time. It was thirty-five minutes past the scheduled start of her meeting with a guy called Lucas Renner, and he still hadn’t turned up.

She drummed her fingers on the wooden table of the busy café in the middle of Sydney’s bustling business district while surveying the patrons. Perhaps Lucas was already here, waiting?

No. She was the only one sitting by herself.

Unfortunately, she didn’t even know what Lucas looked like. She was relying on her new boss’s assurance that Lucas would get the message of where she was sitting and the colour of the top she was wearing.

“Can I take this for you?” a wait staff asked, indicating her empty mug.

“Yes, thank you,” she answered. “And I’ll have another latté, please. Decaf, this time.”

“Sure.”

Jade didn’t want another drink, but the establishment was full and she felt guilty hogging a table when there were people waiting for a seat. She grabbed her phone and dialled the direct line for Thomas Bilton.

“Jade,” her employer answered.

“Hello, Mr. Bilton. I just want you to know I’m still waiting for Mr. Renner. He hasn’t turned up yet.”

“Hang on a minute. Let me check if he’s left a message.”

A few seconds later, Thomas was back on the line.

“There are no messages, Jade. Please keep waiting. He must be held up somewhere.”

“Okay, sir.”

“Jade, remember it’s of utmost importance that you get him to read the letter and get his answer. And as I’ve said before, don’t worry if he gets annoyed. He’ll be reacting to the message, not to you. Okay?”

“Yes, sir,” she answered, her curiosity spiking once again.

Thomas hadn’t told her anything about this errand, except to say that it was a private but extremely important matter. So she didn’t press for more information. Anyway, how hard could it be to get someone to read a letter and get an answer?

She took out a sealed envelope from her handbag and inspected it again. Not even the recipient’s name was on it.

It was all very strange, and she couldn’t help but think that this extraordinary task demonstrated Thomas Bilton’s eccentric tendencies that Lexie Mead, one of her best friends, had told her about.

Lexie worked in the marketing department at Bilton Machineries and had witnessed some of the odd demands Thomas had made to their team. Evidently though, Thomas had always known what he was doing. After all, the man had single-handedly built a construction machinery company in Australia that now had branches in several countries.

Who knew, maybe Thomas and Lucas Renner were partners in a top-secret project, and they didn’t trust email technology for delivering important documents.

Jade rolled her eyes at herself. Gosh, she was so bored with waiting that she was coming up with ridiculous ideas. In all probability, this assignment might be her boss’s way of testing to see if she was indeed the best person to be his new PA.

Lexie had nominated her for the position when Thomas’ long-serving employee had retired last week. Aided by a glowing reference from her old boss, Jade was the last person standing after a gruelling selection process.

The job offer came at the right time. Jade was still in shock from her previous employer selling the company to an overseas buyer, who’d subsequently closed the Australian branch. Heaven knew she needed a good salary to help her older brother Jerry and his wife with their financial needs. Their baby boy had just had open-heart surgery to fix a congenital birth defect and was in for years of medical care. Even though Jerry didn’t like taking money from Jade, it wasn’t a matter of choice.

But Jade wasn’t guaranteed to keep this new job. She was on the usual three-month probationary period, and Thomas had made it clear that if she didn’t perform to expectations, she’d be replaced immediately.

So it bothered her that Lucas Renner still hadn’t turned up. Damn it. Another important task waited for her in the office—one she was supposed to finish before she went home for the day. It was taking her longer than expected to complete because she was still learning the system.

A commotion outside drew her attention. Someone must have knocked down a lady, who was now gathering what looked like pamphlets from the ground—chasing after some that were being blown by the breeze. Passers-by helped, and a tall, dark-haired man caught Jade’s eye.

He was good-looking. Extremely.

The guy turned his back to her as he stooped down to pick up a loose sheet. While he was wearing a business shirt, she could already picture a hard and muscular body underneath his clothes. He was pure male from the way he moved.

Jade rested her chin on her hands and continued to watch, enjoying her unexpected reaction to the stranger. It had been such a long time since someone attracted her enough to make her want to gape.

A gust of wind blew the paper he was trying to retrieve, causing Mr. Hot to face her way again.

Suddenly, he glanced up and caught her staring at him through the window.

Jade’s eyes widened before she found herself hastily averting her gaze up towards the ceiling, as if something there had captured her attention.

She almost laughed out loud when she realised what she’d done. Wow, she couldn’t remember the last time she’d behaved like that from being caught ogling.

A wait staff delivered her second latté. She smiled her thanks before looking out the window again. But Mr. Hot was nowhere to be seen.

Ah, damn. Why couldn’t she have smiled at him? She wasn’t shy around men.

She smirked. No she wasn’t usually shy unless the guy was really attractive—as in incredibly. Then she got flustered—an irritating reaction she’d been trying to change. But it hadn’t been easy making improvements in that area when she hardly stumbled across such men. She guessed she had ‘high standards’ when it came to who could make her blush.

Well, considering her luck with men, Mr. Hot was probably already taken anyway.

“Hi.”

Jade’s heart fluttered as she glanced up. Mr. Hot wasn’t outside because he was inside.

“Hi,” she responded.

“Jade Tully?”

Her jaw dropped. “Yes.”

“I apologise for being so late. I’m Lucas Renner.”

What? She’d expected to meet with a man close to her boss’s age of sixty-four. But the hunk in front of her seemed no older than thirty—about five years older than her, if she wasn’t mistaken.

“Seeing how tardy I’ve been, I can understand why you’re reluctant to shake my hand,” Mr. Hot said, his tone apologetic and teasing at the same time. It was kind of cute.

“Hi, Mr. Renner,” she said, rousing her addled brain and going for the handshake while her face burned. Ugh. Did she have to blush?

“Please call me Lucas,” he said as he sat on the chair opposite her. “I’m really sorry for making you wait. I was at another meeting that took much longer than expected. I didn’t have your contact details so I couldn’t update you. But thanks so much for waiting.”

“No problem,” she responded, her earlier annoyance dissipating. His excuse was understandable, she guessed.

A wait staff approached and offered Lucas a menu.

“What else would you like, Jade?” he asked.

“Oh, I’m fine, thanks.”

“Are you sure? I made you wait for so long that I owe you at least a cake or coffee. Please have another one with me,” Lucas said, smiling.

Her lips curved up in response. “Maybe I’ll have sparkling mineral water then.”

“Just that?”

“Yes, thanks.”

“Don’t you want something sweet to go with it?” Lucas asked, cocking his head to the side.

Was it her imagination or did Lucas’ tone drop a tad? And was that a flirtatious look he was giving her?

“Just that,” she said, taking a deep breath.

Lucas gave his order to the waitress, then leaned on the table, a charming smile still on his face.

“So, Jade, you’re here to interview me about my work?” Lucas said.

Jade’s eyebrows shot up in surprise. “Uh, no. I’m here to hand you this letter.”

Lucas frowned as he took the envelope from her. “Are these the interview questions?”

“I don’t know, actually. I was just told to give it to you and ask you to read it.” She fidgeted in her seat, getting uncomfortable. What the hell was this about?

Lucas tore the envelope open and pulled out a sheet of paper.

In a second, his friendly countenance disappeared, replaced by a glare of displeasure.

Eek.

*****

Lucas stared at the signature line of the printed letter. Scrawled in black ink were three unmistakable words: Your father, Thomas.

Heat rose to his face and he didn’t bother hiding his scowl.

“This is from Thomas Bilton,” he said accusingly to the brunette in front of him.

“Yes,” Jade said with a hint of apprehension. “I’m his new PA.”

“I don’t appreciate being conned like this,” he rasped, slitting his eyes.

“Conned? I don’t understand,” she said, her eyes rounding.

He crumpled the sheet and put it in his pocket. “Did you type the letter?” he grunted as he took a couple of bills from his wallet and dropped them on the table.

“No. Mr. Bilton must have typed it himself,” Jade answered, sounding nervous. “I don’t know anything about it. He just told me to come here and hand it to you.”

He inhaled deeply, scrutinising Jade. She held his gaze, looking bewildered… and damned attractive. It was a pity she worked for Thomas Bilton.

“I wouldn’t have turned up if I knew this was Bilton’s doing,” he said, standing up. “I don’t mean to be rude, but I’m leaving now.”

“Wait, Lucas, please,” Jade said, rising to her feet. “Could you please just read it? I’m supposed to relay your answer back to Mr. Bilton.”

He snorted.

“Please, Lucas,” she said quietly. “He told me it’s imperative that you read it.”

Something in Jade’s tone made Lucas pause, and he found himself pulling the letter out and smoothing it. Admittedly, this whole business of a beautiful woman hand-delivering him a letter made him curious as to its contents.

He read it and his lips twisted. The old man was good. He penned quite a moving piece—if Lucas didn’t know any better. But he did. Thomas Bilton was simply trying to manipulate him to protect his reputation.

He shoved the paper back in his pocket. “You said you don’t know what this is all about?”

Jade shook her head.

“So if your boss tells you to jump off a cliff, you’d do it without any question?”

Jade’s face reddened. “Of course not. I didn’t ask questions because he said it was a private matter.”

“So you’re the kind of person who doesn’t care if your job requires you to lie, as long as you get paid good money for it.” Why he felt the need to goad the truth out of her, he didn’t know.

Jade lifted her chin up in defiance. “I’m sorry, but I never lied to you. I was simply following instructions to meet you.”

They glared at each other, and Lucas felt his anger start to evaporate. Jade’s expression seemed honest enough. And hell, her captivating face was distracting him. Those long lashes that framed her beautiful hazel eyes didn’t seem embellished by mascara. And her lips—full and sexy, and—

“I need your answer, Lucas,” Jade said.

The bitter taste came rushing back in his mouth. “My answer is no. And if the circumstances were different, I would have said it was a pleasure meeting you, Jade Tully.”

Then he walked off.

*

Lucas entered the Bondi car service centre owned by his close friend, Connor Reid. He walked to the state-of-the-art service area at the back and found Connor there, checking a computer monitor that gave the condition of one of his client’s vehicles.

“Hey, bro,” Connor said. “How was your meeting with Jade what’s-her-name?”

“She was a fake,” he said flatly.

“What do you mean?”

“She wasn’t there to interview me for an article. She’s Thomas Bilton’s PA.”

Connor stared at him before pressing a button on the screen. Then Connor led him to his office.

Lucas started for the sofa in Connor’s big room, but changed his mind and sat on a chair by the desk.

“What’s wrong with the couch?” Connor asked.

“Please,” he said with snicker. “I’m not going to sit where you and your wife have sex when no one’s around.”

“Hey, it’s been treated with a stain-resistant thing. And Amanda changes the blanket all the time.”

“Amanda was here last night while you worked overtime, wasn’t she?”

Connor just grinned at him and sat on his chair behind the desk.

Lucas shook his head good-naturedly. There had been a time, when he and Connor had worked for the same Formula One team as mechanics, that the two of them had competed for the title Mr. Fuck King—a label jokingly given to Connor by their workmates because of Connor’s popularity with women from different parts of the globe. Now the title was all Lucas’, but it had lost its lustre. He’d only wanted it for the fun of stripping it away from Connor, anyway.

A picture of Jade Tully popped into his head. Unfortunately, it came with the remembrance of whom she worked for.

“So this Jade woman was sent by Thomas to talk to you?” Connor asked.

“Yup. She made me read this letter where Thomas pleaded for me to talk about the possibility of being part of Bilton Machineries. He said he’s getting old and wants to make sure that the company continues to be owned and operated by his own flesh and blood. And since I’m his sole heir…” He couldn’t help but say the last word with a good dose of sarcasm.

“And you still don’t want to have anything to do with the company? Or him?” Connor asked gently.

“Come on, bro. You know the whole story. Why would he want me to run his company?”

“Hey, you’re the one responsible for making your mother’s flower shop a success because you made sure she has efficient systems for online ordering and fast delivery. Sure, there’s a difference between a flower shop and a billion-dollar company, but—”

“That’s not what I mean, Connor,” he interrupted. “This is all a joke. Thomas never acknowledged me as his son, much less his heir, until recently. He’s up to something.”

“Okay, fine,” Connor said, raising his arms in surrender. “So did you tell off that Jade woman for lying?”

Lucas sighed, Jade Tully’s apprehensive but beautiful face appearing in his mind. “I don’t blame her. I’m sure she was just following Thomas’ orders. She’s new, so she must be desperate to keep her job.”

“You have to admit she was effective,” Connor commented. “How many times did the other PA try to get you to talk to Thomas, or read the emails and letters she sent for him?”

“Yeah,” Lucas said, wondering if he’d ever cross paths with Jade Tully again.

###End of Chapter One###

Stay tuned for Chapter Two! It'll be hitting your inbox soon 🙂 .

Enjoy your day/night!

Lots of love,
Miranda xxx

 

The Unwilling Executive: Cover Reveal and Book Description

As you might know, my upcoming book is about one of our favourite minor characters in the Time for Love series–Lucas Renner. Yes, the reigning Mr. F* King 😉 who appeared in Again and At Last.

His love story with Jade Tully is the first book in the new Captured by Love series and it's due for release on the 17th of March. Today, I'm ready to share the cover with you. Here it is!

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He doesn't care about the wealth and opportunity his father offers.

Racing car mechanic Lucas Renner never expected his biological father to start acknowledging him as a son and only heir. He bet the old man has ulterior motives that has nothing to do with wanting to develop a relationship with him. He refuses to make contact with the man who has rejected him all his life… until his father's message is hand-delivered by a blushing beauty who stirred him in the right places.

She cares about keeping her job.

Jade Tully thanks her lucky stars for her new role as the personal assistant to a wealthy CEO. Heaven knows she needs it. But she doesn't anticipate getting entangled in the personal conflict between her eccentric boss and his extremely hunky son—a man who rattles her poise and melts her heart. She wants to help bring father and son together. But if she continues to do her boss's bidding, would she lose Lucas' trust and her chance to capture his heart?

The Unwilling Executive can be enjoyed as a stand-alone or as part of the Captured by Love series.

This book is for adults only. It contains hot sexual scenes.

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That's all for now. But in a few days I'll share with you the first two chapters of The Unwilling Executive so you can read them before the book is released. Hope you're as excited about this book as I am 🙂

Till then, take care and have fun!

Lots of love,
Miranda xxx