AlTonya Washington - Embrace My Heart

Is she ready to trust again?

All of the delights and none of the drama—that’s what heiress and gallery owner Vectra Bauer wants from her fling with Qasim Wilder. The gorgeous financial adviser has been Vectra’s platonic friend, but now, after the end of her last painful relationship, she’s ready to take a small risk and open her heart.

Settling for a little of anything isn’t Sim’s ideal. Possessive by nature, he makes no secret of how much he wants Vectra. And he can’t understand why she’s hiding from their intense connection that’s way more than just physical. The man who always gets what he wants is embracing his biggest challenge yet: to make the woman he adores believe in love once more...

Qasim blinked, understanding pooling in his gaze. “You think I brought someone here with me?”

“Didn’t you?”

“No.”

“Then what the hell is going on with you? Why would you say you don’t want to be friends anymore? Did I say something? Do something wrong—” She was silenced when he caught her elbow in a firm yet remarkably gentle grasp and pulled her away from the crowd.

Vectra held on to Qasim’s arm so she wouldn’t stumble on her chic yet outrageously high heels. Qasim didn’t stop moving until he’d found an unoccupied, remote section of the terrace. The structure ran the entire rear of Dazzles and overlooked the garden dining room below.

His hands smoothed up from her elbow to cup her slender neck, practically covering the entire column beneath his wide palm. His fingers played in the short crop of her blue-black hair where it tapered at her nape. His thumb tilted her chin up and back, studying the expression haunting her lovely face.

“Don’t be afraid of me, Vec. Don’t be afraid of me,” he whispered. The repeated words were silenced when his tongue outlined her mouth.

He groaned, then took total possession of her mouth.

Dear Reader Contents Cover Back Cover Text Introduction Dear Reader Title Page About the Author Dedication Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Chapter 10 Chapter 11 Chapter 12 Chapter 13 Chapter 14 Chapter 15 Chapter 16 Chapter 17 Chapter 18 Copyright ,

Vectra Bauer used to be an outgoing sort before a relationship gone wrong caused her to shut down the part of herself that was willing to trust and willing to love. Meeting Qasim Wilder changes all that, and so begins one of the sexiest stories I’ve crafted in a long time. What starts off as friendship smoothly merges into an involvement that pulses with desire and seduction. Qasim makes no apologies for his possessive nature, and Vectra quickly realizes that she’s incapable of resisting the urge to give herself over to the stirring vibes that all but radiate from the man.

The alluring San Francisco and California wine country set the stage for this deliciously sensual tale that is not without its share of dangers when someone very close to our hero wreaks unexpected havoc. I do hope you’ll enjoy the ride!

Thanks for reading!

Love,

AlTonya

altonya@lovealtonya.com

Embrace My Heart

AlTonya Washington

www.millsandboon.co.uk

ALTONYA WASHINGTON has been a romance novelist for nine years. Her novel Finding Love Again won the RT Reviewers’ Choice Award for Best Multicultural Novel in 2004. Her 2012 title His Texas Touch, second in the Lone Star Seduction series, won the RT Reviewers’ Choice Award for Best Mills & Boon Kimani Romance. She enjoys being a mom and librarian in North Carolina.

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To this mysterious, maddening

and marvelous thing called Love!

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text Is she ready to trust again? All of the delights and none of the drama—that’s what heiress and gallery owner Vectra Bauer wants from her fling with Qasim Wilder. The gorgeous financial adviser has been Vectra’s platonic friend, but now, after the end of her last painful relationship, she’s ready to take a small risk and open her heart. Settling for a little of anything isn’t Sim’s ideal. Possessive by nature, he makes no secret of how much he wants Vectra. And he can’t understand why she’s hiding from their intense connection that’s way more than just physical. The man who always gets what he wants is embracing his biggest challenge yet: to make the woman he adores believe in love once more...

Introduction Qasim blinked, understanding pooling in his gaze. “You think I brought someone here with me?” “Didn’t you?” “No.” “Then what the hell is going on with you? Why would you say you don’t want to be friends anymore? Did I say something? Do something wrong—” She was silenced when he caught her elbow in a firm yet remarkably gentle grasp and pulled her away from the crowd. Vectra held on to Qasim’s arm so she wouldn’t stumble on her chic yet outrageously high heels. Qasim didn’t stop moving until he’d found an unoccupied, remote section of the terrace. The structure ran the entire rear of Dazzles and overlooked the garden dining room below. His hands smoothed up from her elbow to cup her slender neck, practically covering the entire column beneath his wide palm. His fingers played in the short crop of her blue-black hair where it tapered at her nape. His thumb tilted her chin up and back, studying the expression haunting her lovely face. “Don’t be afraid of me, Vec. Don’t be afraid of me,” he whispered. The repeated words were silenced when his tongue outlined her mouth. He groaned, then took total possession of her mouth.

Dear Reader

Title Page Embrace My Heart AlTonya Washington www.millsandboon.co.uk

About the Author ALTONYA WASHINGTON has been a romance novelist for nine years. Her novel Finding Love Again won the RT Reviewers’ Choice Award for Best Multicultural Novel in 2004. Her 2012 title His Texas Touch, second in the Lone Star Seduction series, won the RT Reviewers’ Choice Award for Best Mills & Boon Kimani Romance. She enjoys being a mom and librarian in North Carolina.

Dedication To this mysterious, maddening and marvelous thing called Love!

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Copyright

Chapter 1

Chasing a man wasn’t something she did.

Come on, Vec, it’s Qasim Wilder.

Vectra Bauer thinned her lips and tried to drive the silent reminder from her mind.

She guessed that most women would likely deem Qasim Wilder a man worthy of being chased.

Truth be told, Vectra herself could easily subscribe to the same notion if not for the fact that the man in question had been acting decidedly weird for the past few months.

They had enjoyed what she’d considered a pretty nice friendship until he had very noticeably begun to distance himself. As a woman who maintained a short list of close friends, Vectra couldn’t afford to lose any—weird acting or not.