Vanessa Miller - Better for Us

Better than the first time…

Ryla Evans is no stranger to tough choices. After growing up watching her mother bounce from one unfaithful man to the next, she’s always been determined not to repeat the same mistakes. So when she catches her college-athlete boyfriend cheating on her, all her dreams of love and fidelity are crushed. Saying goodbye to the relationship is Ryla’s only option. She resolves never to see Noel again, nor tell him how he has irrevocably changed her future.…

Following a career-ending injury, former NBA star Noel Carter has worked hard to reconstruct his life. With an eye on a congressional seat, he knows he needs a wife to complete his image. What better choice than the passionate woman who has entered his life once again? Noel has never forgotten Ryla, but she has changed in the past seven years, and she is hiding a little secret that comes with some major consequences. Will their reawakened desire be able to heal past betrayals and broken promises and give them a chance at a bright tomorrow?

“Daddy, look, the butterflies got me!” Jaylen called out as several butterflies nestled on her head.

“Not as long as your daddy is here.” Noel stood in a Captain America stance and sang, “Daddy to the rescue.” He made as if he was diving toward Jaylen. Then with care he freed her hair of all the butterflies.

Jaylen and Ryla giggled at his antics. Then as Noel turned toward Ryla, butterflies dancing in her hair also, he leaned into Jaylen and said, “Captain Daddy has to save Mommy now.” She looked so beautiful that he just had to touch her.

“What? I don’t have any butterflies on me,” Ryla said.

Noel kept walking toward her. Ryla had gotten most of the butterflies off, but one still hung on, giving him an excuse to run his hand through her hair. “Stand still,” he said as he slowly pulled his hands through her hair, took the butterfly out and showed it to Ryla. “See, Captain Daddy can save you, too,” he told her with hunger in his eyes. When she didn’t move away from him, but rather tilted her head back, staring at him, he lost himself in her penetrating brown eyes. Noel prayed that she wanted to be kissed, because he couldn’t help but lower his head and devour her mouth.

VANESSA MILLER

is a bestselling author, playwright and motivational speaker. She started writing as a child, spending countless hours either reading or writing poetry, short stories, stage plays and novels. Vanessa’s creative endeavors took on new meaning in 1994 when she became a Christian. Since then, her writing has been centered on themes of redemption, often focusing on characters facing multidimensional struggles.

Vanessa’s novels have received rave reviews, with several appearing on Essence magazine’s bestseller list. Miller’s work has received numerous awards, including Best Christian Fiction Mahogany Award and a Red Rose Award for Excellence in Christian Fiction. Miller graduated from Capital University with a degree in organizational communication. She is an ordained minister in her church, explaining, “God has called me to minister to readers and to help them rediscover their place with the Lord.”

She is currently working on a She Who Finds a Husband trilogy.

Better for Us

Vanessa Miller

www.millsandboon.co.uk

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Dear Reader,

Better for Us is the second book in the For Your Love series. It is about love and betrayal. Sometimes love just isn’t enough, not when two people are dealing with issues that are too deep to allow love to blossom.

Noel Carter, former NBA star, had truly been in love with Ryla Evans, but she betrayed him, and Noel is not about to be a fool for Ryla’s love ever again.

If Ryla could go back in time and take back the awful thing she did to Noel, she’d do it in a heartbeat. The only problem with that is she would just do the same thing all over again. Because issues that she had never dealt with from her childhood, years before she ever met Noel, caused her to destroy their love.

But now that Noel is back in her life, Ryla is prepared to do whatever she has to in order to turn back the hands of time.

I hope you enjoy Noel and Ryla’s story!

Happy reading,

Vanessa

For everyone who has loved, lost and found the courage to love again.

Contents

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

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 1

If Ryla Evans had known that by the day’s end she would be running to her car and fleeing the scene, she would have worn flats rather than her skinny-heeled Jimmy Choos. Hobbling as she got into her car with one skinny heel in hand, she mumbled repeatedly, “Jimmy Choos are not for running,” as her other heel just barely hung on. Ryla then quickly sat down, removed her other shoe and tearfully threw them both on the passenger side.

Fashionable, chic and stylish were words normally associated with Ryla Evans. She freely admitted that she loved shopping for clothes, shoes and purses. But she was a single mother, and had just left her corporate position to run her event-planning business full-time, so Ryla rarely bought anything that wasn’t on sale. Her stilettos had been her one extravagance. But Noel Carter had ruined that enjoyment, just as he’d ruined her hopes and dreams almost eight years ago.

Tonight he’d had the audacity to strut his tall, dark and too-gorgeous self into the banquet hall as if the party was all about him. Ryla had been smiling as she handed a business card to a potential client, when she noticed the commotion going on over by the bar. The guy was a top-notch Houston attorney, just like tonight’s guest of honor, and he didn’t look like the kind of man who spent his time worrying about how much things cost...her favorite kind of client. Nearby, her ex-man and former NBA superstar Noel Carter was holding court, slapping hands, grinning and taking numbers as if he was still a wonder worker on the basketball court. Even though Noel’s short-lived NBA career had ended three years ago, he was still sniffing on fresh air. She wasn’t surprised. The lead dog in the pack always got the fresh air.

Stepping away from her potential client, Ryla made her way to the kitchen on the other side of the large banquet hall to speak with the chef. “How’s everything going, Chef Michael?”

“Everything is superb, Ryla. Now what are you doing in my kitchen? You know I don’t like lookie-loos in my kitchen.”

Don Michael was too temperamental when it came to his kitchen. That was the one thing about him that got on her last nerve. But her clients always had extremely satisfied expressions upon their faces once they savored Don Michael’s hors d’oeuvres. And with six out of ten of her clients asking for the chef’s recipes, Ryla lived with his temperaments. “I was just checking to see if you needed my help with anything?”