Velvet Carter - Season for Love

Is this love at last?

Lark Randolph is ready to give up on men...especially after her last disastrous relationship! A business trip to Italy with designer Dash Migilio is the kind of getaway the Manhattan fashion tycoon really needs. As they explore Italy’s vast countryside, dining in romantic cafés, the sinfully seductive younger millionaire awakens a desire that tempts Lark to cross the line from business...into pleasure.

Dash has admired the beautiful businesswoman from afar. And now the charming Italian is reveling in the passionate side of his boss that he has just discovered. But once back in New York, it’s business as usual—until a ruthless adversary threatens everything Lark has worked for. With both their futures on the line, can Dash convince her to take a chance on him—and them—before it’s too late?

Lark gazed at Dash as their bodies moved to the beat.

The more she watched him, the more she realized how much she was falling for the young designer. Even though he was at least ten years younger than she, he was mature beyond his age. If Lark was ever going to find love, then she would have to take a leap of faith and trust that Dash felt the same way.

Here goes, she thought as she danced closer and draped her arms around his neck.

Lark searched his eyes, trying to get a read on him as she moved her body against his.

Dash didn’t shy away. He took her by the waist and hugged her tightly.

Lark exhaled. She felt safe and secure within his arms and let her inhibitions go. Although the beat of the music was fast, they began slow dancing to a rhythm of their own.

Lark closed her eyes and rested her head on Dash’s shoulder. She was so close to him that she could smell the scent of his cologne. Lark nuzzled her nose closer and took a deep breath...

Dear Reader,

Thank you so much for picking up a copy of Season for Love!

Sometimes we overlook that one person who is offering us love, for one reason or the other. It could be a difference in age, or maybe a forbidden work liaison, much like Lark and Dash. In Lark’s case, when she gives herself permission to be happy, she falls head over heels in love with the stunning younger man.

Season for Love is a story full of romance and a bit of intrigue. There is someone from Lark’s past who crops up at the most inopportune time. But with Dash by her side, Lark’s nemesis has his work cut out for him!

Stay tuned for my next titillating novel!

Happy reading,

Velvet Carter

Season for Love

Velvet Carter

www.millsandboon.co.uk

VELVET CARTERis not just the name of a luxurious fabric, but it’s also the name of one of the world’s leading writers of “exotica.” She’s a prolific novelist, who paints pictures with her words. Velvet has her finger on the pulse and knows how to make your heart race with her tantalizing stories filled with romance and seduction. Her novels have been translated into German, and released in London to critical acclaim. Velvet uses the world as her muse, traveling the globe for provocative inspiration.

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To Earl Milloy and Terry Brantley, two “Good Brothers” whom I not only had the pleasure of knowing, but of loving!

You guys will truly be missed, beyond words!

Acknowledgments

I’d like to thank the team at Mills & Boon, especially Shannon Criss and Caroline Acebo for your insightful edits that really helped flesh out the story! And to my wonderful agent, Sara Camilli, you are the best!

To my family and friends who understand when I have to go undercover, lock myself in a room and create another page-turner!

And to my mom, Alline Carter, whom I love dearly!

Peace and Blessings!

Velvet

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text

Introduction

Dear Reader

Title Page

About the Author

Dedication

Acknowledgments

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 24

Chapter 25

Chapter 26

Chapter 27

Chapter 28

Copyright

Chapter 1

Lark Randolph was taking a long, relaxing bubble bath, complete with soft music, candles and a glass of crisp chardonnay. After a long, stressful day at the office, she was now pampering herself before her much-anticipated date. It had been a while since Lark enjoyed a night out with a man, and the possibilities of that evening made a smile form on her lips. As she lounged in the warm, fragrant water, she fantasized about this guy being The One. Although she hadn’t had much success with relationships, Lark hadn’t given up hope of finding her soul mate.

She lathered soapy suds all over her skin with an oblong loofah. After gently rubbing her body, she rinsed off and stepped out of the Jacuzzi tub. Lark toweled off, wrapped herself in a white terry-cloth robe and made her way into the adjacent bedroom. Spread out on the king-size bed were a black cocktail dress with a plunging neckline and a multistranded pearl necklace. She was going for a sexy yet sophisticated look for the evening, much like Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany’s.

Being a workaholic, Lark hadn’t put too much emphasis on finding a man and cultivating a relationship. This had culminated in a string of short-lived involvements. As the years ticked by, while most of her friends got married and started families, she focused on growing her family’s fashion-design business. Despite some challenges, Randolph on the Runway was still one of the industry’s leading designers of women’s clothing.

Lark was in her late thirties. She knew if she didn’t shift her attention from her work to her personal life and put in a concerted effort to find a husband, then the family she had always dreamed about would probably elude her forever. Lark was determined that would not be her destiny. In the past, friends had set her up on blind dates but nothing had materialized.

To hasten her search to find a mate, Lark had followed the trend and had joined several online dating sites. She was serious—she had mapped out a plan and was approaching the electronic dating process like a business. She would spend her evenings scanning profiles of men whom she found visually appealing. Lark took her time and closely read their answers to various stock questions designed for compatibility. She took notes and didn’t waste time deleting those men who had nothing to offer but a pretty face. Once she narrowed down her search, she devised the next step.

Before meeting a potential candidate, she would communicate with him via email. If the electronic exchanges went well, Lark would agree to talk on the phone with him. And if the conversation flowed, she would have a face-to-face meeting with him, usually at a coffee shop over a cappuccino or a latte. If there was chemistry between them, Lark would agree to dinner with her prospect.