Yahrah John - A Chance with You

Baby, I’m Yours

Charismatic caterer Raina Martin knows a lot of things: how to whip up a soufflé, how to throw a party and how to be independent. One thing she doesn’t know is how to be a mother. So when a cruel twist of fate claims her sister’s life and leaves Raina with custody of her six-year-old niece, Zoe, Raina can think of only one place to turn. Zoe’s father has to be out there somewhere, and she intends to find him.

When sexy sports agent Spencer Davis is confronted by the feisty beauty, he is torn. He does not believe he is the father of Raina’s niece. Yet he is reluctant to let the beguiling chef slip away. Soon he and Raina are engaged in a passionate liaison that is both unwise and inevitable. With Zoe’s parentage still in question, Spencer knows their relationship may be short-lived. But his longing for Raina is quickly outweighing his judgment, and he is willing to risk everything on the chance that they might be meant for each other….

When Spencer tugged her ever so slightly to face him, Raina saw the sexy gleam lurking in his dark brown eyes.

She knew she should resist what she knew was about to happen, but she didn’t.

Spencer’s head descended toward her and he brushed his lips briefly but firmly across hers. His lips were featherlight yet determined as they caressed hers, and a soft sigh escaped her lips. He threaded his fingers through her wavy curls and her lips parted of their own accord. His tongue slipped inside her warm and waiting mouth and explored the recesses of her mouth, filling, learning and savoring every inch of her. He devoured her with his seductive kiss in such a possessive and primitive way that it left Raina wanting more.

Raina had to force herself to push Spencer away even though her lips still tingled from his kiss. His heat and breath against her face overwhelmed her. “Oh, my God!”

What the hell was she doing? Spencer could have been with Alexa! She’d gotten caught up in the moment and allowed herself to let go, and look what had happened. He’d been seducing her all day with his charms and she’d fallen prey to them like an innocent schoolgirl. “That kiss should never have happened.”

“I disagree,” he whispered, so the other family couldn’t hear. “That kiss has been in the making since the moment I laid eyes on you. I’ve wanted to know if you would taste as sweet as you looked and you didn’t disappoint.”

YAHRAH ST. JOHN

is the author of ten books and numerous short stories. A graduate of Hyde Park Career Academy, she earned a bachelor of arts degree in English from Northwestern University. Her books have garnered four-star ratings from RT Book Reviews, Rawsistaz Reviewers, Romance in Color and numerous book clubs. In 2012, St. John was nominated for RT Book Reviews Reviewers’ Choice Award for Best Series Romance. A member of Romance Writers of America, St. John is an avid reader of all genres. She enjoys the arts, cooking, traveling, basketball and adventure sports, but her true passion remains writing. St. John lives in sunny Orlando, the City Beautiful.

A Chance with You

Yahrah St. John

www.millsandboon.co.uk

Dear Reader,

I came up with Raina and Spencer’s story several years ago after I’d watched the movie No Reservations and saw current athletes in paternity pickles, but it was put on the back burner. When I finally sat down to write their story, the words flowed.

Raina losing her sister and gaining custody of her niece while falling for basketball great Spencer was the easy part. Crafting a story containing grief, family duty and custody while still being true to their spicy romance was a bigger challenge, but I rose to the occasion. Raina was a workaholic much like me; add in sexy reformed bad boy Spencer on the path to redemption and voilà, a sexy romance is born.

Be sure and visit my website at www.yahrahstjohn.comfor the latest news or contact me via email at Yahrah@yahrahstjohn.com.

Kind regards,

Yahrah St. John

Thank you to my beau Freddie Blackman, friends Tiffany Griffin, Dimitra Astwood, Therolyn Rodgers, Tonya Mitchell, Denise Mose, Kiara Ashanti and Bhushan Sukhram and last, but not least, my dad, Austin Mitchell, and my family the Mitchells, Bishops, Smiths and Astwoods for believing that my creativity has the potential for greatness. Hugs to my loyal readers for all their support.

To my girlfriends and sisters: Dimi, Therolyn,

Tiffany and Tonya.

Contents

Prologue

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

Epilogue

Prologue

“Are you sure you want to leave Zoe with me?” Raina Martin asked her twin, Alexa. She was stunned by her sister’s bequest that she be given sole guardianship of her six-year-old daughter, Zoe. She was single, after all, and her five-year-old catering business was finally taking off.

“Of course.” Alexa smiled weakly at her sister from her hospital bed at Jackson Memorial. She’d been fighting off a rare cervical cancer for over a year, and she was exhausted. Raina knew she was tired of the chemo and radiation and was ready for nature to take its course. “You’re the only person I trust to take care of my baby.”

“What about Mom and Dad?” Raina looked toward the door that their parents had just gone through to get a cup of coffee. Their parents, Crystal and Anthony Martin, were financially secure and lived in a huge four-bedroom house with a swimming pool. They could easily take care of Zoe. “You know they would be up to the task.”

“Would they love and care for her? Yes, but would they be the fun-loving parent that I know you will be?” Alexa inquired, shaking her head. “I doubt that.”

“I’m honored that you trust me enough to take care of her,” Raina replied, touching her chest. “But...” Her voice trailed off. She didn’t know how she would manage taking care of herself and Zoe and running her thriving business, but somehow she would. It was Alexa’s dying wish. Losing her was like losing a part of herself.

“Don’t doubt yourself like you always do,” Alexa stated. Her twin had never been bold; that trait had been her strength. “You have what it takes, Raina.”

“Oh, Alex...” Raina started to cry. Her sister’s optimism for life was what she would miss the most. Alexa always saw the glass as half-full and encouraged Raina to go after what she wanted, even if that meant leaving her cushy gig as an executive chef at a fine dining establishment in favor of starting up a catering business. How was she going to go on without her and be strong for Zoe? Zoe would be grieving and would need a mother. Raina barely knew how to take care of herself.

“Don’t worry. I know you’re up to the task,” Alexa said. “It’s because of you that I even had Zoe.”

Alexa had been a wild child from the start, always sneaking out to meet boys and going out to parties. When she’d gotten pregnant, she hadn’t been sure what to do, but Raina had told her what a blessing her child would be and had promised to support her—and she had. Their parents had been terribly disappointed, but as soon as they’d seen their granddaughter, they’d fallen in love.

“Yes, but what about Zoe’s father?” Raina inquired. Alexa had never spoken of him, and Raina had never pushed for his identity until now. She had to know. What about child support?

“He...he won’t be issue,” Alexa said, coughing uncontrollably.

At her vague response, Raina realized the reason Alexa had never mentioned him and what she’d always suspected. “He has no idea he has a child, does he?” She stared into her twin’s dark brown eyes. The man hadn’t even shown up when Zoe had been born. As far as she knew, he’d never met his daughter.