Melanie Milburne - Awakening The Ravensdale Heiress

‘All it would take is one little kiss.’

Miranda coughed out a laugh, but even to her ears it sounded unconvincing. ‘Like that’s ever going to happen.’

He was suddenly close. Way too close. His broad fingertip was suddenly on the underside of her chin without her knowing how it had got there. All she registered was the warm, branding feeling of it resting there, holding her captive along with the mesmerising force of his bottomless dark gaze.

‘Is that a dare, Sleeping Beauty?’ he said in a silky tone.

Miranda felt his words slither down her spine like an unfurling satin ribbon running away from its spool. Her knees threatened to give way. Her belly quivered with a host of needs she couldn’t even name. She couldn’t tear her eyes away from his coal-black gaze. It was drawing her in like a magnet did a tiny iron filing.

But finally a vestige of pride came to her rescue.

Miranda dipped out from under his fingertip and rubbed at her chin as she sent him a warning glare. ‘Don’t play games with me, Leandro.’

The Ravensdale Scandals The Ravensdale Scandals Title Page About the Author Dedication CHAPTER ONE CHAPTER TWO CHAPTER THREE CHAPTER FOUR CHAPTER FIVE CHAPTER SIX CHAPTER SEVEN CHAPTER EIGHT CHAPTER NINE Extract Copyright

Scandal is this family’s middle name!

With notoriously famous parents, the Ravensdale children grew up in the limelight. But nothing could have prepared them for this latest scandal … the revelation of a Ravensdale love-child!

London’s most eligible siblings find themselves in the eye of their own paparazzi storm. They’re determined to fight back—they just never factored in falling in love too …!

Find out what happens in Julius Ravensdale’s story

Ravensdale’s Defiant Captive December 2015

Miranda Ravensdale’s story

Awakening the Ravensdale Heiress January 2016

And watch for Jake and Katherine’s Ravensdale Scandals … coming soon!

Awakening the Ravensdale Heiress

Melanie Milburne

www.millsandboon.co.uk

An avid romance reader, MELANIE MILBURNEloves writing the books that gave her so much joy as she was busy getting married to her own hero and raising a family. Now a USA TODAY bestselling author, she has won several awards—including The Australian Readers’ Association most popular category/ series romance in 2008 and the prestigious Romance Writers of Australia R*BY award in 2011.

She loves to hear from readers!

MelanieMilburne.com.au Facebook.com/Melanie.MilburneTwitter @MelanieMilburn1

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To Holly Marks.

Thank you for being such a wonderful fan.

Your lovely comments on Facebook have lifted me so many times.

This one is for you with much love and appreciation.

xxxx

Contents

Cover

Introduction ‘All it would take is one little kiss.’ Miranda coughed out a laugh, but even to her ears it sounded unconvincing. ‘Like that’s ever going to happen.’ He was suddenly close. Way too close. His broad fingertip was suddenly on the underside of her chin without her knowing how it had got there. All she registered was the warm, branding feeling of it resting there, holding her captive along with the mesmerising force of his bottomless dark gaze. ‘Is that a dare, Sleeping Beauty?’ he said in a silky tone. Miranda felt his words slither down her spine like an unfurling satin ribbon running away from its spool. Her knees threatened to give way. Her belly quivered with a host of needs she couldn’t even name. She couldn’t tear her eyes away from his coal-black gaze. It was drawing her in like a magnet did a tiny iron filing. But finally a vestige of pride came to her rescue. Miranda dipped out from under his fingertip and rubbed at her chin as she sent him a warning glare. ‘Don’t play games with me, Leandro.’

The Ravensdale Scandals The Ravensdale Scandals The Ravensdale Scandals Title Page About the Author Dedication CHAPTER ONE CHAPTER TWO CHAPTER THREE CHAPTER FOUR CHAPTER FIVE CHAPTER SIX CHAPTER SEVEN CHAPTER EIGHT CHAPTER NINE Extract Copyright Scandal is this family’s middle name! With notoriously famous parents, the Ravensdale children grew up in the limelight. But nothing could have prepared them for this latest scandal … the revelation of a Ravensdale love-child! London’s most eligible siblings find themselves in the eye of their own paparazzi storm. They’re determined to fight back—they just never factored in falling in love too …! Find out what happens in Julius Ravensdale’s story Ravensdale’s Defiant Captive December 2015 Miranda Ravensdale’s story Awakening the Ravensdale Heiress January 2016 And watch for Jake and Katherine’s Ravensdale Scandals … coming soon!

Title Page Awakening the Ravensdale Heiress Melanie Milburne www.millsandboon.co.uk

About the Author An avid romance reader, MELANIE MILBURNE loves writing the books that gave her so much joy as she was busy getting married to her own hero and raising a family. Now a USA TODAY bestselling author, she has won several awards—including The Australian Readers’ Association most popular category/ series romance in 2008 and the prestigious Romance Writers of Australia R*BY award in 2011. She loves to hear from readers! MelanieMilburne.com.au Facebook.com/Melanie.Milburne Twitter @MelanieMilburn1

Dedication To Holly Marks. Thank you for being such a wonderful fan. Your lovely comments on Facebook have lifted me so many times. This one is for you with much love and appreciation. xxxx

CHAPTER ONE

CHAPTER TWO

CHAPTER THREE

CHAPTER FOUR

CHAPTER FIVE

CHAPTER SIX

CHAPTER SEVEN

CHAPTER EIGHT

CHAPTER NINE

Extract

Copyright

CHAPTER ONE

MIRANDA WOULDN’T HAVE seen him if she hadn’t been hiding from the paparazzi. Not that a fake potted plant was a great hiding place or anything, she thought. She peeped through the branches of the ornamental ficus to see Leandro Allegretti crossing the busy street outside the coffee shop she was sheltering in. He didn’t seem aware of the fact it was spitting with rain or that the intersection was clotted with traffic and bustling with pedestrians. It was as if a transparent cube was around him. He was impervious to the chatter and clatter outside.

She would have recognised him anywhere. He had a regal, untouchable air about him that made him stand out in a crowd. Even the way he was dressed set him apart—not that there weren’t other suited men in the crowd, but the way he wore the sharply tailored charcoal-grey suit teamed with a snowy white shirt and a black-and-silver striped tie somehow made him look different. More civilised. More dignified.

Or maybe it was because of his signature frown.

Had she ever seen him without that frown? Miranda wondered. Her older twin brothers, Julius and Jake, had been boarding school buddies with Leandro. He had spent occasional weekends or school holidays and even university breaks at the Ravensdale family home, Ravensdene, in Buckinghamshire. Being a decade younger, she’d spent most of her childhood being a little intimidated by Leandro’s taciturn presence. He was the epitome of the strong, silent type—a man of few words and even fewer facial expressions. She couldn’t read his expression at the best of times. It was hard to tell if he was frowning in disapproval or simply in deep concentration.