Christie Ridgway: Make Me Lose Control

USA TODAY bestselling author Christie Ridgway returns to Blue Arrow Lake with the dazzling story of opposites attracting in the rustic mountains of California.

As live-in tutor to a headstrong teen, Shay Walker has her hands full—and the girl’s absentee father doesn’t help matters, either. All Shay wants is to let loose and indulge in a birthday fling with the hottest stranger who’s ever caught her eye. But her one-night stand turns out to be Jace Jennings, her student’s long-distance dad…and now he’s taking up residence—at his lakeside estate and in Shay’s most secret fantasies.

Jace isn’t exactly a family man, but he’s determined to do his best by his daughter—and the first step is forgetting how hot he is for her teacher. But close proximity and their heated connection keeps Shay at the forefront of his mind—even as it’s obvious she holds her heart in check. So does Jace. Until they both realize that losing control just might mean finding forever.

Praise for USA TODAY bestselling author Christie Ridgway Praise Dedication Title Page Dear Reader CHAPTER ONE CHAPTER TWO CHAPTER THREE CHAPTER FOUR CHAPTER FIVE CHAPTER SIX CHAPTER SEVEN CHAPTER EIGHT CHAPTER NINE CHAPTER TEN CHAPTER ELEVEN CHAPTER TWELVE CHAPTER THIRTEEN CHAPTER FOURTEEN CHAPTER FIFTEEN CHAPTER SIXTEEN CHAPTER SEVENTEEN CHAPTER EIGHTEEN CHAPTER NINETEEN CHAPTER TWENTY CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE EPILOGUE Extract Copyright

“This sexy page-turner [is] a stellar kick-off to Ridgway’s latest humor-drenched series.”

— Library Journal on Take My Breath Away

“Emotional and powerful…everything a romance reader could hope for.”

— Publishers Weekly (starred review) on Bungalow Nights

“Kick off your shoes and escape to endless summer. This is romance at its best.”

—Emily March, New York Times bestselling author of Nightingale Way, on Bungalow Nights

“Sexy and addictive—Ridgway will keep you up all night!”

— New York Times bestselling author Susan Andersen on Beach House No. 9

“A great work of smart, escapist reading.”

— Booklist on Beach House No. 9

“Sexy, sassy, funny, and cool, this effervescent sizzler nicely launches Ridgway’s new series and is a perfect pick-me-up for a summer’s day.”

— Library Journal on Crush on You

“Pure romance, delightfully warm and funny.”

— New York Times bestselling author Jennifer Crusie

“Christie Ridgway writes with the perfect combination of humor and heart. This funny, sexy story is as fresh and breezy as its southern California setting. An irresistible read!”

— New York Times bestselling author Susan Wiggs on How to Knit a Wild Bikini

Make Me Lose Control

Christie Ridgway

www.millsandboon.co.uk

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In memory of my brother, Matt, the best of family men.

Dear Reader Dear Reader CHAPTER ONE CHAPTER TWO CHAPTER THREE CHAPTER FOUR CHAPTER FIVE CHAPTER SIX CHAPTER SEVEN CHAPTER EIGHT CHAPTER NINE CHAPTER TEN CHAPTER ELEVEN CHAPTER TWELVE CHAPTER THIRTEEN CHAPTER FOURTEEN CHAPTER FIFTEEN CHAPTER SIXTEEN CHAPTER SEVENTEEN CHAPTER EIGHTEEN CHAPTER NINETEEN CHAPTER TWENTY CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE EPILOGUE Extract Copyright ,

It’s time for another visit to Blue Arrow Lake, surrounded by peaks, pines and sunshine! Just a short uphill drive from Los Angeles, the resort area is a popular place for city-dwellers to explore mountain life. The people who make their home there year-round consider themselves the luckiest of souls, even though it means often dealing with the flatlanders who are mere short-timers to the area.

Shay Walker, one of the Walker mountain clan, is content most of the time…except once a year when her birthday rolls around. She has issues on that day, and this time she indulges with a delicious stranger as a way to forget her woes. But when that man shows up on her doorstep—uh, his doorstep, as she’s ensconced in his lakeside estate as a live-in tutor for his estranged teen—she realizes her life has become quite a bit more complicated. Jace Jennings spells difficult d-a-u-g-h-t-e-r, and now he has her sexy tutor to reckon with, as well. He considers himself no kind of family man, but he’s going to discover he has hidden talents!

It takes an open heart to love, as the characters in this story come to learn. They resist, they rebel, they flat-out pretend not to see how wonderful they are for each other, and I enjoyed every minute of writing their journey toward becoming a pair…and then a family. Come on board, sit back and revel in the ride. Destination…romance!

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text USA TODAY bestselling author Christie Ridgway returns to Blue Arrow Lake with the dazzling story of opposites attracting in the rustic mountains of California. As live-in tutor to a headstrong teen, Shay Walker has her hands full—and the girl’s absentee father doesn’t help matters, either. All Shay wants is to let loose and indulge in a birthday fling with the hottest stranger who’s ever caught her eye. But her one-night stand turns out to be Jace Jennings, her student’s long-distance dad…and now he’s taking up residence—at his lakeside estate and in Shay’s most secret fantasies. Jace isn’t exactly a family man, but he’s determined to do his best by his daughter—and the first step is forgetting how hot he is for her teacher. But close proximity and their heated connection keeps Shay at the forefront of his mind—even as it’s obvious she holds her heart in check. So does Jace. Until they both realize that losing control just might mean finding forever.

Praise

Dedication

Title Page

Dear Reader

CHAPTER ONE

CHAPTER TWO

CHAPTER THREE

CHAPTER FOUR

CHAPTER FIVE

CHAPTER SIX

CHAPTER SEVEN

CHAPTER EIGHT

CHAPTER NINE

CHAPTER TEN

CHAPTER ELEVEN

CHAPTER TWELVE

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

CHAPTER NINETEEN

CHAPTER TWENTY

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

EPILOGUE

Extract

Copyright

A life without love is like a year without summer.

—Swedish proverb

CHAPTER ONE

SHAY WALKER WATCHED the twentysomething man slap a cardboard coaster on the polished wooden surface in front of her. His long sun-streaked hair hung about his shoulders in the careless style of a guy who snowboarded on the nearby peaks in winter and kayaked on the deep lakes in summer. “What can I get you?” he asked.

“A change in the calendar?” she murmured, looping the strap of her purse over the convenient hook on the underside of the bar. The small leather bag brushed her knees, bared by the new summer dress she wore. Though the late May evenings might still be cool in the Southern California mountains, Shay had opted for the filmy floral garment anyway. It was sleeveless, and the hemline was asymmetrical, nearly mini in the front and then flowing to midcalf in the back. It also revealed a minor amount of cleavage, which even in its relative modesty seemed to be captivating the bartender.