Dawn Atkins - Her Sexiest Surprise

Chloe steadied her gaze on Riley, his smile broader with each step she took toward him. She stopped inches away.

“Hello there,” he said softly.

“It’s my birthday. And when I blew out my candles, I promised myself the next time you walked in here, I would…” She trailed off.

He looked her over, slow and easy. Every place his gaze touched came alive to him. Then he kissed her.

She wanted more. She wanted this. She wanted it all. The new Chloe was going to kiss this man until she was finished with him. Kiss him and then some. When she slid against him, he groaned and his eyes lit with fire. He grabbed her backside to stop her movements.

“This could get hot fast, Chloe.”

“Exactly what I had in mind,” she said, thrilled by her boldness.

“You sure this is what you want, Chloe?” he asked.

“This is my birthday. And this is my wish,” she said. “Please take me to bed.”

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Dear Reader,

Believe it or not, this book made me a better cook! To understand Chloe’s passion for cooking I had to do some research, of course. I discovered how much better freshly chopped garlic tasted than the stuff in a jar. And fresh herbs? Yum. What aromas, what flavors. So that was a cool benefit of the book, beyond bringing together a man and woman who needed each other.

It was so rewarding to match Chloe with Riley, the tough-guy cop who needed her optimism like water in the desert. Who could be better for a man who believed he didn’t have much heart than a woman who has nothing but heart? And Riley helped Chloe free herself from the family obligations that kept her from living her own life, going after what she wanted—in bed, too. Now, that was fun to write. Especially the handcuff part.

I hope you enjoy how these two work out their differences as much as I did writing their story. Now I can’t wait to get a reservation at Chloe’s restaurant when she finally opens it. Something tells me Riley will be in the kitchen doing prep work. What do you think?

I’d love to hear your thoughts on this love story. Write me at dawn@dawnatkins.com. Keep track of upcoming projects at www.dawnatkins.com.

Best,

Dawn Atkins

TORONTO • NEW YORK • LONDON

AMSTERDAM • PARIS • SYDNEY • HAMBURG

STOCKHOLM • ATHENS • TOKYO • MILAN • MADRID

PRAGUE • WARSAW • BUDAPEST • AUCKLAND

This is award-winning Harlequin Blaze author Dawn Atkins’s twenty-second published book. Known for her funny, spicy romances with a touch of mystery, she’s won a Golden Quill for Best Sexy Romance and has been a several-times Romantic Times BOOKreviews Reviewers’ Choice finalist. This year she was a finalist for a Romantic Times BOOKreviews Career Achievement Award for “Best Love and Laughter.” She lives in Arizona, where, inspired by this book’s heroine, Chloe Baxter, she tries out culinary experiments nightly on her hapless husband and teen son. So far, they’ve survived.

HARLEQUIN BLAZE

93—FRIENDLY PERSUASION

155—VERY TRULY SEXY

176—GOING TO EXTREMES

205—SIMPLY SEX

214—TEASE ME

253—DON’T TEMPT ME *

294—WITH HIS TOUCH †

306—AT HER BECK AND CALL †

318—AT HIS FINGERTIPS †

348—SWEPT AWAY #

391—NO STOPPING NOW

To Amy and Laurie for never letting go

Acknowledgment

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

Heartfelt thanks to Carol Jennings for sharing her culinary-school expertise with me over that leisurely lunch.

Carol, your courage in the face of the challenges that began that very day moves me beyond words.

HOLDING HER BIRTHDAY CAKE high, Chloe Baxter backed through the restaurant pass door, grinning in advance at how delighted her friends would be when they tasted what she’d made.

She whirled, then froze, startled by the sight of Riley Connelly in a nearby booth. She’d missed his arrival and so had Sadie, her fellow hostess, who’d threatened to drag him to the birthday celebration if he showed at Enzo’s tonight.

He’d showed all right, and he’d stopped Chloe dead. The pass door whapped her on the butt and she jolted forward, looking ridiculous, no doubt.

Riley flashed a grin, knowing and sexy and so kissable that Chloe melted like the candles she would soon blow out.

Jeez, Louise, the man merely smiled and she dissolved? She should get out more. She should get out, period. And she should certainly get laid.

She smiled back, hoping her face didn’t look as hotly red as it felt. She had such a crush on the man.

Walking toward her party table, Chloe felt light-headed. Part of that was the champagne Enzo insisted they tap from the bar’s stock. She rarely drank, but in honor of her birthday, she’d downed an entire flute of the bubbly gold.

At the table, everyone exclaimed over her cake, which she set at her place, midtable, right across from the booth where Riley, who mouthed happy birthday to her, sat.

She nodded her thanks, wishing she were bold enough to do something—anything—more than smile and nod at the man.

At least Sadie had been too busy lighting Chloe’s candles to notice Riley and mortify Chloe by inviting him over. Sadie said he was hot for her, too, but Sadie exaggerated everything about sex, including how much Chloe needed it.

Chloe dropped her gaze to her cake, where twenty-five candles sent up hopeful little flames.

Twenty-five. A quarter of a century and what did she have to show for it?

Not much. Her hostess job and her own car. But she still lived at home to look after her father. She rarely dated, even more rarely had sex, and she’d saved only seven thousand dollars toward her dream of culinary school.

At least now that her sister Clarissa was finally settled with her husband in California, Chloe could sock away more cash. All she needed was time and no disasters. She lowered her face to wish for that, the candles warming her cheeks.

“Not yet! Don’t wish yet!” Enzo’s wife, Natalie, waved at Chloe from down the table. “Enzo! Give it to her.” She tugged her husband’s sleeve.

Enzo pulled an envelope from the dinner jacket he always wore when he appeared at his beloved restaurant, and passed it down the row with a somber nod.

“We know your dream is cooking school,” Natalie said as the envelope reached Chloe. “So practice on us!” Natalie was ten years younger and far livelier than her husband.