Tempting Zander Read online

  Zander is in love with me?

  “You don’t have to say anything,” he assured her. “I’m very aware of what an idiot I’ve been.” He touched her cheek gently. “I was a bad-tempered bastard in the car earlier, not because of you or anything you’d done, but because of my own insecurities. Then I heard the gunshot in Taylor’s apartment building, and my heart actually stopped beating when I thought the bastard had shot you. I thought you were dead and— Jesus, it was the most terrifying moment of my life. I was so relieved once I’d reassured myself you hadn’t been shot, after all.”

  “And yet you didn’t come to the hospital and were leaving without saying good-bye…”

  Zander knew he deserved Kate’s disbelief, the continued wariness in her eyes. “Because I panicked. I thought that if I could just get far away from you, that everything would be all right again. That I could go back to living my life of no emotional ties, and you could go back to living yours. That in time I would be able to forget about you.” He shook his head. “I’m never going to be able to forget about you, Kate. You’re under my skin. In my blood. You’re the air I breathe. I can’t breathe when you aren’t near me.”

  “You call me brat…”

  “To try to remind myself of who you are and who I am. But you know what? I’ve realized none of that matters a damn.” He drew in a ragged breath. “I’m not as wealthy as you are, but I own several properties in London and have some very healthy bank accounts, courtesy of investing the money left to me by my parents and grandparents. I don’t need to work, Kate, I do it to give structure and purpose to my life.”

  “You’ve been holding out on me, Zander Buchanan,” she chided huskily.

  “A self-defense mechanism.” He shrugged. “But I also happen to love you to distraction. Hey, what do you know, that gets easier the more I say it.” His smile was self-derisive.

  “It does…?”

  “Oh yeah.” He kissed her palm again. “I’ve never said those words to anyone before. So, whether you like it or not, Ian is no longer your head of security, I am. I’m sticking to you like glue for the rest of your tour. Then I’m going to semi-retire and buy the house next to yours, after which I’ll keep knocking on your door to borrow cups of sugar until you take pity on me and invite me inside. Then I’ll—”

  “I don’t take sugar, and wouldn’t it be easier if we just bought the one house and lived in it together?”

  Now Zander really couldn’t breathe. He couldn’t speak either. All he could do was stare at the woman he loved with hope growing in his heart.

  Kate rose onto her knees, the hand he wasn’t holding moving up to cradle the side of his face. “I realized when you were shot yesterday that I love you, Zander Buchanan. And I’ve never said those words to anyone before either.” Her smile felt a little shaky. “I would like very much for us to live in the same house in the country. To buy that swing set and a double hammock. To plant flowers together and both be there to look at them when they bloom in the spring.”

  “Kate…” Zander groaned, taking her into his arms before his head lowered and his mouth claimed hers.

  There was no holding back now for either of them. The deep love they felt for each other washed away all their past hurts and wariness and the barriers they had both erected out of a fear of loving and losing, and only that love remained. Strong. Everlasting.

  Zander’s eyes glittered with emotion when he and Kate finally broke the kiss. The two of them could only stare at each other in awe at the deep love conveyed in that kiss. “I have one condition.”

  “Anything.” Kate trusted this man absolutely. With her heart. With her love. They had come so close to losing each other, twice, there was nothing Zander could ask of her that she wouldn’t give him.

  “You have to marry me first.”

  She swallowed. “Marry you?”

  “My ring. On this finger.” He kissed the third finger on her left hand. “So that everyone can see you belong to me.”

  Happiness burst inside Kate’s chest and threatened to totally overwhelm her. She hadn’t thought that far ahead. Had never dreamed… “I have a condition too,” she said huskily.

  “Anything,” he echoed.

  “My ring. On this finger.” She took his left hand in hers and kissed the third finger. “So that everyone can see you belong to me.”

  “I wouldn’t have it any other way,” Zander reassured her as his lips claimed hers once again. There was only low and pleasurable groans and soft murmurings as they gave themselves completely to each other.

  Kate announced her retirement two months later, and a month after that, married Zander in the last blaze of publicity of her phenomenal career.

  The two of them moved into their house in the country after their month-long honeymoon touring Europe, and it was soon filled with the sounds of the laughter and conversation of their friends.

  They took delight in planting the flowers together in their huge garden so they could watch them bloom in the spring.

  They also looked forward to the birth of their son or daughter in the spring, a continuation of that normal family life together they both craved as deeply as they loved each other.

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  About The Author

  Carole Mortimer is the author of over 220 novels, contemporary and Regency romance. She is a USA Today Bestselling Author. Recipient of the 2015 RWA Lifetime Achievement Award. Received the 2014 Pioneer for Romance Romantic Times Award. Entertainment Weekly Top 10 Author. She was also recognized by Queen Elizabeth II in 2012 for her ‘outstanding service to literature’.

  She is happily married to Peter. They have 6 sons, and live on the beautiful Isle of Man. She also loves to hear from Readers!

  Other books by Carole Mortimer

  Knight Security Series: spin-off to Alpha Series

  Resisting Alexandre (Knight Security 0.5)

  Defying Asher (Knight Security 1)

  Challenging Gabriel (Knight Security 2)

  Capturing Caleb (Knight Security 3)

  Tempting Zander (Knight Security 4)

  Enticing Ian (Knight Security 5)

  More to come in this series.

  ALPHA series:

  Christmas Alpha (Alpha 1)

  Dark Alpha (Alpha 2)

  Shadow Alpha (Alpha 3)

  Midnight Alpha (Alpha 4)

  Renegade Alpha (Alpha 5)

  Warrior Alpha (Alpha 6)

  Rogue Alpha (Alpha 7)

  Savage Alpha (Alpha 8)

  Series now complete.

  Regency Unlaced Series:

  The Duke’s Mistress (Regency Unlaced 1)

  Claimed by the Marquis (Regency Unlaced 2)

  Taken by the Earl (Regency Unlaced 3)

  Pursued by the Marquis (Regency Unlaced 4)

  Desired by a Lord (Regency Unlaced 5)

  Captured by a Gentleman (Regency Unlaced 6)

  Pleasured by a Duke (Regency Unlaced 7)

  Seduced by a Marquis (Regency Unlaced 8)

  Tamed by the Earl (Regency Unlaced 9)

  A new Regency series, Regency Sinners, coming very soon

 

 

 
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