Janice Maynard - Christmas in the Billionaire's Bed

“I find myself at a loss.

“I know you’re up to something,” Aidan continued, “but since my family has taken you to their bosom, I can hardly toss you out on your ear.”

“I live here now,” Emma said, her gaze daring him to disagree.

“And why is that?”

“You didn’t want any explanations,” she reminded him.

“Perhaps I was too hasty.”

“The information window is closed.” Her ironic smile made his temper spark, but he was determined to keep the upper hand.

“What if we agree to an exchange? One piece of info for another.”

“I don’t need to know anything about you. I don’t care.”

“Look at me.” He strode to where she sat, pulled her to her feet. “Actually, there’s only one thing I really need to know.”

“What’s that?”

“I’ll show you,” he said, capturing her mouth beneath his.

* * *

Christmas in the Billionaire’s Bedis part of The Kavanaghs of Silver Glen series: In the mountains of North Carolina, one family discovers that wealth means nothing without love.

Christmas in the Billionaire’s Bed

Janice Maynard

www.millsandboon.co.uk

JANICE MAYNARDis a USA TODAY bestselling author who lives in beautiful east Tennessee with her husband. She holds a BA from Emory and Henry College and an MA from East Tennessee State University. In 2002 Janice left a fifteen-year career as an elementary school teacher to pursue writing full-time. Now her first love is creating sexy, character-driven, contemporary romance stories.

Janice loves to travel and enjoys using those experiences as settings for books. Hearing from readers is one of the best perks of the job! Visit her website, www.janicemaynard.com, and follow her on Facebook and Twitter.

For all the wonderful authors who paved the way at Mills & Boon. I read your stories growing up, took trips around the world, and dreamed of writing my own romantic heroes one day …

Contents

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Introduction “I find myself at a loss. “I know you’re up to something,” Aidan continued, “but since my family has taken you to their bosom, I can hardly toss you out on your ear.” “I live here now,” Emma said, her gaze daring him to disagree. “And why is that?” “You didn’t want any explanations,” she reminded him. “Perhaps I was too hasty.” “The information window is closed.” Her ironic smile made his temper spark, but he was determined to keep the upper hand. “What if we agree to an exchange? One piece of info for another.” “I don’t need to know anything about you. I don’t care.” “Look at me.” He strode to where she sat, pulled her to her feet. “Actually, there’s only one thing I really need to know.” “What’s that?” “I’ll show you,” he said, capturing her mouth beneath his. * * * Christmas in the Billionaire’s Bed is part of The Kavanaghs of Silver Glen series: In the mountains of North Carolina, one family discovers that wealth means nothing without love.

Title Page Christmas in the Billionaire’s Bed Janice Maynard www.millsandboon.co.uk

About the Author JANICE MAYNARD is a USA TODAY bestselling author who lives in beautiful east Tennessee with her husband. She holds a BA from Emory and Henry College and an MA from East Tennessee State University. In 2002 Janice left a fifteen-year career as an elementary school teacher to pursue writing full-time. Now her first love is creating sexy, character-driven, contemporary romance stories. Janice loves to travel and enjoys using those experiences as settings for books. Hearing from readers is one of the best perks of the job! Visit her website, www.janicemaynard.com , and follow her on Facebook and Twitter.

Dedication For all the wonderful authors who paved the way at Mills & Boon. I read your stories growing up, took trips around the world, and dreamed of writing my own romantic heroes one day …

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Extract

Copyright

One

Mrs. Maeve Kavanagh

and

Mr. and Mrs. W. H. Larin

request the honor of your presence

at the marriage of their children

Dylan Edward and Mia Elaina

on Saturday, December 20th

The Chapel in Silver Glen

Aidan Kavanagh stared at the cream vellum card edged with tiny holly leaves and berries and shook his head in reluctant admiration.

Game. Set. Match.

His mother had won the war without firing a single shot. The last thing Aidan wanted to do was visit Silver Glen, North Carolina, during the holidays, but Maeve knew he wouldn’t miss his own brother’s wedding.

The first of his siblings, Liam, had tied the knot recently as well. That event had been a huge, splashy society affair at Zoe’s home in Connecticut—a hop, skip and a jump from New York City. This time Aidan wouldn’t be so lucky.

It wasn’t that he didn’t love Silver Glen. He did. But going home for Christmas brought back too many ugly memories. So, he chose to visit his large, close-knit family at other times of the year: Easter, Mother’s Day, the Fourth of July...and October, when the fall foliage in the mountains was at its peak.

But December? No. In the last decade, he had managed it only once and only then because one of his brothers had been in the hospital. Aidan would have felt like a total jerk if he had let his family down.

That visit had been both uncomfortable and unpleasant. His mother and brothers had walked on eggshells around him, everyone far too aware that Aidan carried the weight of past tragedy. He’d done his damnedest to prove to them he was fine...that he had moved on.

Unfortunately, no one had been convinced by his deliberate facade of Christmas cheer. Least of all Aidan himself. Because the truth was, December sucked. He was fine. His life was good. He was content. But not even his family knew the worst of what had happened so long ago.

He stood and stretched, tossing the offending invitation on his desk. The view from his office window stretched from the Statue of Liberty all the way to the George Washington Bridge. Aidan loved New York City. The constant pulse of life. The fact that he could stop for lox and bagels at three in the morning and no one batted an eye.

Most of all, he loved the anonymity. No one here cared about his past or even his future. The emotional breathing room had become as essential to him as food or water.

Growing up in Silver Glen provided an idyllic childhood—at least until his father’s death when Aidan was a young teen. The little alpine-like town would always be home. But living in a fishbowl where everyone knew his business became unbearable when he was twenty-one and his entire world crumbled around him.

Moving to New York had been his salvation. With a hefty nest egg of Kavanagh money—long since repaid—he’d started a high-end real estate company. The lessons he’d learned as a youth working in his family’s swank hotel stood him in good stead. Although the Kavanaghs were very wealthy, the crème de la crème here in the city took that definition to a far greater level. Aidan enjoyed the challenge of matching socialites and business magnates with their perfect homes on the rooftops of Manhattan.

His phone pinged, reminding him of an upcoming appointment. Once more he sat down, then picked up his favorite pen and rolled the heavy gold cylinder between his fingers. He had inked his first real estate deal with this pen. Beyond the leather blotter, the wedding invitation lay innocently. He read it a second time, finding its elegant cursive font no less stomach tightening than he had before.