Jacquelin Thomas - Five Star Temptation

He’s tempting her in ways she never imagined…

Working undercover has its advantages…especially when Ryan Manning encounters one of the most beautiful women he’s ever seen. The investigative reporter took to the streets of Beverly Hills to expose the plight of the homeless. Now he’s installed in Sage Alexander’s fabulous luxury resort and spa…being given the royal five-star treatment by the hotel heiress herself!

Something about the tall, handsome stranger in rugged clothing touches Sage’s heart—until she discovers who he really is. Stung by his deception, Sage vows to keep her distance from Ryan. But it’s too late, she can’t control her feelings—or her passion—for the courageous journalist. Ryan’s masquerade is over, but is their love affair just beginning?

Sage loved the way Ryan’s kissable lips parted when he laughed that deep,

throaty laugh. He was a very handsome and sexy man—a striking contrast

to when she’d met him for the first time.

At the end of the evening, Ryan escorted her up to her place.

Sage unlocked her door, then turned to face Ryan. He leaned over and kissed her. “I really enjoyed our first date.”

She resisted the urge to touch the place where his lips had been. Her heart was racing, and Sage could feel her blood rushing through her veins.

She glanced up at Ryan, who said, “I didn’t offend you just now, did I?”

“No, you didn’t,” she answered quickly. Sage’s heart fluttered wildly in her chest

His nearness sent a shiver of wanting through her. “Not at all.”

Ryan pulled Sage into his arms, his mouth covering hers hungrily.

She returned his kiss with a hunger that belied her outward calm. Burying her face in his neck, Sage breathed a kiss there.

“You have no idea how long I’ve wanted to kiss you,” Ryan confessed.

“Probably as many times as I’ve wanted you to kiss me.”

JACQUELIN THOMAS

is an award-winning, bestselling author with more than thirty-five books in print. When she is not writing, she is busy working toward a degree in psychology. Jacquelin and her family live in North Carolina.

Five Star Temptation

ESSENCE BESTSELLING AUTHOR

Jacquelin

Thomas

www.millsandboon.co.uk

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Dear Reader,

How many times do we walk past someone who is homeless? How many times do we take a few minutes just to get to know the person? It’s one thing to give a few dollars, but Sage Alexander decided to do something more. In the second book of The Alexanders of Beverly Hills series, Sage encounters a man on the street who will forever change her life. Ryan Manning is an investigative reporter who is passionate when it comes to the plight of the homeless. He goes undercover and is surprised not only by Sage Alexander’s generous and caring nature, but also by his feelings for her.

This is a cause I have been involved in for years, so it’s natural that I would want to write a story about the plight of the homeless. It is my goal to entertain you with a romantic story, but also give you pause for thought the next time you encounter someone down on his/her luck. I hope you will enjoy the ride as you learn more about Ryan and Sage.

May you find it a temptation that is much too hard to resist.

Best regards,

Jacquelin

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

Epilogue

Chapter 1

“Every woman I know—no matter how successful and ambitious, how financially and emotionally secure—feels panic, occasionally coupled with desperation, if she hits thirty and finds herself unmarried.”

Sage Alexander huffed after reading aloud an article by R. G. McCall. “I think panic overstates it, let alone desperation.” She tossed the magazine on the coffee table, nearly knocking over her glass of lemonade.

In a swift move, Sage rescued the glass and took a sip. Still fuming over the article, she uttered, “He’s a man. What does he really know about women?”

“Perhaps you should finish the article before passing judgment, dear?” her mother suggested with a tiny smile. “Besides, R.G. may be a woman.” Barbara Alexander took a long sip of the ice-cold lemonade before setting her glass down on a side table.

Barbara Alexander had decided to spend the day in Beverly Hills, leaving the peaceful estate home in Pacific Palisades she had come to love. She spent the morning talking to employees and hotel patrons. Sage had prepared a light lunch of grilled chicken salad, yeast rolls and steamed broccoli. They had just finished eating and sat down to relax in the living room while finishing off their glasses of lemonade.

Sage set her glass down, making sure it was secure on the Brazilian-cherry coaster. She wrinkled her nose and shook her head, saying, “Oh, he’s definitely a man, Mama. I can tell from the tone of his articles. He comes across as cynical and bitter in his writing as far as I’m concerned. He is someone with a serious chip on his shoulder.”

She ran her fingers through her soft curls. “I have no idea why Kellen likes his work so much.” Sage made a mental note to ask her brother why he was such a fan of R. G. McCall. “Maybe it’s because he’s so mysterious. All anyone really knows about him is his name,” Sage said.

“I’ve read a few of his articles,” Barbara stated. “I can certainly understand why he is so protective of his identity. He tends to get to the heart of the matter, and a lot of people would prefer to keep the truth buried. I think he’s usually unbiased in his articles.”

“What he does is throw rocks at you and then hides his hand,” Sage sniped. She had no idea why she’d allowed this writer—a man she had never met—to get under her skin like this. Maybe it was because he had chosen a topic that was a bit too close for comfort for Sage.

That topic was her state of singleness.

Barbara chuckled. “Well, he’s certainly got you riled up this afternoon. Maybe it’s a good thing that you didn’t finish reading the article.”

Sage gave a grudging nod. “Mama, I’m going to be thirty in October. I really don’t need R. G. McCall telling me that I’m in panic mode or desperate just because I would like to settle down and have a family. That man has rubbed me the wrong way this time with his choice in subject.”

“Don’t take it so personally, dear.”

Her mother was right, but it was hard to just ignore the article. It was just one of many on the subject of women reaching the thirty-year mark. It was Sage’s birthday wish to find the man of her dreams, although deep down she felt as if her knight in shining armor was nothing more than a dream that would never come true.

Sage had dated a few times since her arrival in Los Angeles, and some of the men were really nice, but they were not the type of man she wanted in her life long-term for various reasons. Sage knew that she had to really be careful in her choices of men due in part to her sudden fame. The Alexander family had been thrust into the limelight, and Sage soon found herself with no shortage of admirers—mostly men who were hoping to land a wealthy heiress.