Michelle Monkou - Here and Now

“Stubborn? Perhaps that’s because you always want things your way,” Laura answered.

Chase pulled on his earlobe, a sure sign that he was getting irritated. Good, she thought, because his cologne was driving her crazy. The familiar scent made Laura remember how it had been between the two of them. And now she couldn’t stop thinking about how it had been to kiss him.

Maybe that’s why she turned her head. She later told herself she had turned to let him know just whom he was dealing with eye to eye.

“We’re not buddies, Chase. Don’t think that this is a beginning for us. There’s no happy-ever-after, no riding off into the sunset and no romantic reunion here,” Laura said.

She’d wanted to say more. She’d had more to say about her hurt and disappointment, but then she made the mistake of looking at his lips….

Kimani Romance

Sweet Surrender

Kimani Press Arabesque

Open Your Heart

Finders Keepers

Give Love

Making Promises

Island Rendezvous

became a world traveler at three when she left her birthplace of London, England, and moved to Guyana, South America. She then moved to the United States as a young teen. An avid reader, her diverse cultural experiences set the tone for her vivid imagination. It wasn’t long before the stories in her head became stories on paper.

In the middle of writing romances, she added a master’s in international business to her bachelor in English. Michelle was nominated for the 2003 Emma Award for Favorite New Author. She continues to write romances with complex characters and intricate plots. Visit her Web site for further information and to sign up for her newsletter and contest at www.michellemonkou.com. Write to her at P.O. Box 2904, Laurel, Maryland 20709, or e-mail her at michellemonkou@comcast.net.

Here and Now

Michelle Monkou

www.millsandboon.co.uk

Dear Reader,

Welcome to the Masterson family, four close-knit siblings that made it through life’s ups and downs without their parents. Each family member has a story to tell. We met the eldest brother, Pierce Masterson, in my first Kimani Romance title, Sweet Surrender. But it wouldn’t be fair to have love visit only one sibling.

In this title, Here and Now, the Masterson family saga continues with a perfectly matched couple—Laura Masterson and Chase Dillard. Who better to appreciate the sexy physique of a sprinter than the beautiful physical therapist that was his first love.

And when you’ve turned the last page of Laura and Chase’s story, you’ll be happy to know that you haven’t seen the last of Laura; she’ll perform a lifesaving technique in the next episode of the Masterson family series. So stay tuned for the youngest sibling Omar’s story. Omar is a stone-cold player who meets his match in a rising hip-hop star and budding actress, Stacy Watts. Theirs will be a young love full of romance, with a touch of spice.

Please check out my Web site—www.michellemonkou.com—for contests, registering on my mail list and posting on my blog, Dream Like a Star. If you prefer snail mail, write to P.O. Box 2904, Laurel, MD 20709, or e-mail me at michellemonkou@comcast.net.

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chase Westfield pulled out his personal data assistant and reviewed the list of reminders. Technically he didn’t need the mental nudge. Every year, since high school, he remembered one particular birthday. First love, like a meteor, had the power to crash into the system with enough impact to throw every feeling, thought or memory off kilter. One woman had such a forceful effect on his system.

He sighed heavily, fingering the thin red ribbon tied around the small gift box. The box fit neatly on his palm. But its meaning was larger than anything in his office. His birthday gift served dual purposes, one more important than the other, that included being considered a peace offering.

“Mr. Westfield, the staff meeting is about to begin,” his secretary prompted.

“Thanks, Sandy.”

She didn’t move until he looked up from the gift box and set it aside. Chase still had to get used to the various meetings that consumed his entire day. Every appointment appeared to come with a special announcement tag or a bold heading marked as important or urgent. All these command performances grated on his nerves. He was a man used to listening to his own internal directives.

Now, a typical day was spent in meetings with the department, the track team and assistant coaches. If he could manage, he escaped to the track field armed with a stop watch. While his peers headed for home around five o’clock, he ended his day with more coaching and the occasional one-on-one mentoring sessions.

With no background in coaching, he had to rely on his college coach’s tricks and tips to nudge the best from his team. By year-end, heck by month-end, these young men had to understand that talent alone didn’t breed success. Razor sharp focus, coupled with one hundred and ten percent commitment, had to become their mantra.

After all, he should know. The emotional high from winning a medal didn’t do anything for those days when consistently crossing the finish line in second or third place threatened rankings in the sport.

He opened his desk drawer to return the small box. His hand paused over the gift. Finding a way to present this token, especially on her first day of work, might prove to be difficult. Well, presenting it was one thing, having it accepted could be near impossible since he’d broken almost every promise that he’d made. He frowned, now wrapped up in his worry.

Shaking off the doubts that tested his conscience, he headed for the conference room. His tardiness already earned him a reputation that made him the butt of many jokes. He’d better hurry. Meanwhile, the clock in the hallway gave him three minutes before the meeting started. As he approached the coffee machine, the steaming pot begged for his attention.

“What the heck,” he muttered, heading toward the scent of freshly brewed, addictive coffee.

Training as a sprinter didn’t afford him the luxury to deviate from a strict diet. To his credit, he carried a super lean physique with a metabolism likened to the Japanese bullet train. Now as head coach, retired from his first profession at the age of twenty-six with a blown Achilles tendon on one heel and a torn ACL in the other knee, he enjoyed breaking the rules that were once his personal code.

Some people who suffered self-medicated with booze. He chose to drown his sorrows in vast quantities of coffee.

He sipped the dark liquid, savoring the robust flavor. Now his day could begin. With a ready smile, he pushed open the conference room door. A quick survey showed most, if not all, of the staff in attendance. The clock on the conference room wall now declared him five minutes late. Darn!

“Ah, Chase has joined us. Okay, let’s begin.”

Chase peered at Roger Freeman, his boss, trying to read if sarcasm was in play. Freeman’s wide grin set his mind at ease. However, muffled laugher and teasing about his tardiness from the rear of the room followed him to his seat.

Freeman held up his hand until there was some semblance of calm. “As you know, we had a little shake-up in staff personnel three weeks ago. Out of the slight chaos we managed to land our very own Olympic medalist, Chase Westfield.” Freeman paused, allowing his staff’s roar of approval to play out. “Before we begin the staff meeting, I’d also like to introduce our latest addition. I’m pleased with our recruitment efforts in adding another qualified physical therapist to our staff. We can count our lucky stars that the board of regents didn’t recommend any cost cutting measures for our departments.” Freeman stepped out of the room.