Donna Hill - Everything is You

He’s her everything—she just doesn’t know it yet

Jacqueline Lawson is a maverick focusing on her career abroad—a world away from the conservative Lawson dynasty. But when the award-winning photojournalist returns home to Baton Rouge after a high-stakes assignment, she’s hiding a secret—one she’s determined to keep.

Raymond Jordan has sworn to uncover all of Jacqueline’s secrets, and her on-again, off-again lover is the only man who has ever gotten under her skin. RJ didn’t follow Jacqueline back to the United States just to let her get away again. The freelance photographer has been by her side in the most dangerous places, and now he wants them to be a permanent team. The passion’s as hot as ever between them. But love means putting yourself in the line of fire. Is Jacqueline ready to risk her heart?

Jacqueline pushed up from the table

and came around to Raymond’s side.

She put her arm around his waist and rested her head on his shoulder. “You’re going to have a wonderful time, do all those things that families do when they get together and then you’ll fly back.”

Raymond turned on the stool and pulled her between his thighs. He looked up at her and caressed the side of her face with his finger. She lowered herself onto his lap. He tilted her chin upward and kissed her softly.

Jacqueline lightly draped her wrists on either side of his neck and looked into his eyes, seeing the history of their journey there, a journey that she was going to have to end. Her insides tightened.

When had their relationship gone from professional to personal? For several years it had been only business between them. It was the way it should have stayed but she’d made the mistake of letting Raymond slip past her defenses.

DONNA HILL

began writing novels in 1990. Since then she has had more than forty titles published, including full-length novels and novellas. Two of her novels and one novella were adapted for television. She has won numerous awards for her body of work. She is also the editor of five novels, two of which were nominated for awards. She easily moves from romance to erotica, horror, comedy and women’s fiction. She was the first recipient of an RT Book Reviews Trailblazer Award, won an RT Book Reviews Career Achievement Award and currently teaches writing at the Frederick Douglass Creative Arts Center.

Donna lives in Brooklyn with her family. Visit her website at www.donnahill.com.

Everything

is You

Donna

Hill

www.millsandboon.co.uk

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Dear Reader

Thank you for selecting Everything Is You. If you are new to the series, welcome to the intriguing world of the Lawsons of Louisiana! You are in for a treat. This time, I want to introduce you to Jacqueline Lawson, the younger sister of patriarch Sr. Senator Branford Lawson. Jacqueline has been estranged from her family for years, for a variety of reasons. She has not spoken with her brother for nearly a decade. But she’s made a life for herself as an award-winning, international photojournalist. Enter Raymond Jordan, a celebrated journalist in his own right. The two travel the world together. Raymond wants more but Jacqueline knows that she can never commit and the only person who may be able to change that is her brother Branford.

Everything Is You is a tribute to a man whose love for a woman will stop at nothing and who will move mountains to have her. It is about an independent woman who finds that she does need something and someone more. It is about a powerful family, rife with drama, secrets, sexy men and dynamic women. Welcome!

Be sure to follow the entire series: Spend My Life with You, Secret Attraction, Sultry Nights and now Everything Is You. You will also find many of the Lawson clan in my new series Sag Harbor Village, beginning with Touch Me Now.

Until next time,

Donna

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

Epilogue

Chapter 1

A yellow cab turned onto South Figueroa and eased to a stop in front of The Beacon Hill Towers. Jacqueline Lawson stepped out into the late, balmy Los Angeles afternoon. The red-vested doorman pulled open the glass-and-chrome door of the condominium as she approached.

“Afternoon, Ms. Lawson.”

Jacqueline smiled but it didn’t reach her eyes that remained hidden behind wide, dark shades. Her maple-brown skin glistened in the June sun. “Hi, Bobby. Hot out here today.” She lifted the weight of her ponytail from her neck to catch some air.

“Yes, ma’am. They say thunderstorms.”

“How’s your wife and daughter?” she asked, stepping into the cool embrace of the lobby.

“They’re well. Thanks. There’s a package for you at the front desk.”

“Thanks, Bobby.” She adjusted her tote bag over her shoulder. Her teal-colored sling-back heels tapped out a slow but steady rhythm against the terra cotta floor. She approached the concierge desk. “Hi, Mike. Bobby said I have a package.”

“Sure do. Would you like me to send it up? It’s kind of heavy.”

“Yes, please. Send it up later. Thanks.” She started off toward the elevator and the room swayed. She slowed her step and drew in a steadying breath. The warning words of her doctor echoed in her head. Concentrating, she walked to the bank of elevators. Exhaustion rode through her in waves. She squeezed her eyes closed for a moment and willed herself to remain upright.

The elevator dinged and the polished stainless steel doors silently slid open. A young, very tanned couple exited, gave brief nods and moved past her.

Jacqueline stepped inside, thankful to be alone as the doors closed behind her. She leaned against the back wall for support. She was running out of time and her options were limited.

The doors slid open on the eighteenth floor and Jacqueline pushed herself forward down the hallway that was decorated with fresh flowers on antique tabletops and black-and-white art on the walls. Her two-bedroom apartment was at the end of the hall that she shared with one other tenant.

Once inside she adjusted the cooling system and walked into her bedroom that opened onto a panoramic view of Downtown Los Angeles.

Item by item she stripped out of her clothes and tossed them into a hamper in the bathroom. She took her silk robe from a hook on the back of the door and slid it on, tying the belt loosely around her waist.

She needed to lie down. The simple trip to the doctor’s office had drained her more than she’d anticipated. She stretched out on the bed and then turned onto her side curling into a half fetal position.

That’s the way Raymond found her when he came in an hour later, carrying the box that had been delivered earlier.

He placed the box in the corner near the chaise lounge and quietly approached. He leaned down and placed a feathery light kiss on her forehead. She stirred ever so slightly, murmuring something that he could not make out. He eased out of the room and shut the bedroom door halfway, deciding to surprise her with an early dinner. He took a quick shower, changed into his favorite weatherworn navy blue sweatpants and padded barefoot into the living space that opened onto the kitchen. He crossed the shining hardwood floor to the entertainment unit. The gleam of Jacqueline’s Associated Press Medal for photojournalism sat in its place of honor encased in glass. Every time he looked at it a feeling of pride puffed his chest, reminding him of what an incredible woman she was and the fearlessness that it took for her to earn it. He turned on the stereo to his favorite R&B station.