Stephanie Doyle - One Final Step

A new image…step by step

Who said moving forward is easy? Car thief turned race car driver, Michael Langdon has worked hard to build his image. Now to take it to the next level and become a successful manufacturer, he needs to kick that image up a notch. Enter Madeleine Kane, a genius at adjusting public perception. With her in charge, he’s guaranteed to look better while keeping his darkest secrets where they belong—in the past.

Doesn’t take long, however, for his ambition to change and the campaign to become personal. Because he wants Madeleine—as beautiful as she is talented and smart. First, Michael must overcome her reservations about crossing professional boundaries and persuade her he’s worth the risk…without revealing those buried parts of himself. Good thing he’s very persuasive.

“What do you want from me, Michael? Why are you pushing me?”

He couldn’t say what he wanted. He only knew what he didn’t want. “I don’t want you to go. Stay here with me. Let’s just see what could happen. Don’t we owe ourselves that? A chance at maybe…I don’t know…happiness?”

Madeleine crossed her arms over her chest and raised her head as if seeking divine intervention. “That’s not going to happen. I still work for you. If you think I’m going to set up house here and be your little lady…so not going to happen.”

“You’re right. I was stupid. I forgot one last thing.”

This time Michael did pounce. He had his hands around her upper arms holding her in place.

“Madeleine, you’re fired.”

It was the last thing he said before he swooped down and kissed her.

Dear Reader,

For as long as I can remember I’ve had a crush on George Stephanopoulos. I think it might be because the name “Steph” appears in his last name. I mean, how cool would it have been to be Steph Stephanopoulos? But beyond the name connection, I was always fascinated by how he was able to rise to the top of the political world so quickly. He was this super boy wonder and many people credit him with making an unknown candidate a president.

The idea of doing a story featuring a character like him appealed to me. Then I thought of another young person involved with the president, who also became a household name, but for a very different reason. That’s when it hit me. What if I combined George Stephanopoulos and Monica Lewinsky? What kind of challenges would that create?

My heroine Madeleine Kane is that twisted brainchild and her challenges are many. Good thing she’s got a hero like Michael Langdon to help her along. The two of them are pretty messed up, but together they learn that love will help them to take that One Final Step.

I love to hear from readers so if you are in the mood you can contact me at www.stephaniedoyle.net.

Enjoy!

Stephanie Doyle

One Final Step

Stephanie Doyle

www.millsandboon.co.uk

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Stephanie Doyle, a dedicated romance reader, began to pen her own romantic adventures at age sixteen. She began submitting to Harlequin Books at age eighteen and by twenty-six, her first book was published. Fifteen years later, she still loves what she does as each book is a new adventure. She lives in South Jersey with two kittens who have taken over everything. When she isn’t thinking about escaping to the beach, she’s working on her next story idea.

Books by Stephanie Doyle

HARLEQUIN SUPERROMANCE

1773—THE WAY BACK

SILHOUETTE ROMANTIC SUSPENSE

1554—SUSPECT LOVER

1650—THE DOCTOR’S DEADLY AFFAIR

SILHOUETTE BOMBSHELL

36—CALCULATED RISK

52—THE CONTESTANT

116—POSSESSED

Other titles by this author available in ebook format.

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For Kimberly and Emil

You may live on the other side of the ocean but family bonds never break.

Contents

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Nineteen

Excerpt

CHAPTER ONE

MICHAEL LANGDONLOOKEDat the woman on the opposite side of his wide desk and felt as if he’d been struck on the head with a bat. Having previously experienced such a sensation, he felt it was an accurate description. But looking at her was far less painful.

She was the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen. He knew in that moment—she was going to change his life.

Then he shook off the ridiculous thoughts. Just as he’d shaken off the effects of actually being hit by the bat. Only, there was still a buzzing in his head and as he took notice of his body, he found himself shifting in his chair and wondering.

“I’m surprised you accepted my invitation,” he said.

He watched as her right eyebrow arched, slightly framing a perfectly shaped cobalt-blue eye. The color was everything he’d heard about and read about. And it was more amazing than anything he’d seen on television.

Cobalt-blue eyes combined with dark, long hair that had reddish highlights he suspected were real. Her skin looked as if it would feel silky to the touch and her lips were full enough to make a man think of the things men usually liked to think about when it came to a woman’s mouth. Her chin was slightly pointed, a small flaw that prevented her from being a goddess yet at the same time made her that much more intriguing because it meant she was real and not mythical.

“Ben Tyler is a personal friend, as well as my employer. When he asked as my employer, I refused. When he asked as a friend, I had no choice.”

Her voice was cool and clipped. Sophisticated and well balanced. Everything an Ivy League education should produce.

“How is Ben doing?”

She turned her head. “Not well.”

Michael nodded. He’d known about the cancer, of course, but Ben was one of the toughest fighters he’d ever met. If anyone had a chance of beating it, it was Ben. He would be that one man in a million.

“I called him because I needed the best. Because what I’m about to do is very important. Not for me or my company but for the country. Maybe even the world.”

She didn’t smirk or look away. A woman like Madeleine Kane understood events that impacted the world.

Michael knew by her silence that he was being invited to make his pitch. It was like being granted permission to speak by the queen. He shifted in his chair again, then placed both elbows on the desk and clasped his hands together.

“I’ve created something. A car that I believe will revolutionize the industry. I need to convince people it’s real and credible and not another Langdon prototype or an interesting anomaly.”

“Why do you care what people think? You have an idea…you should build it and sell it.”

“I can’t do it alone.” He sighed. “I wish I could. I don’t have the resources the bigger companies do. I don’t want this to be a high-end car that only a few can afford. I want to make it available to the masses. For that I need a partner. To get one of those, I need to rebuild my image. It’s time to lose the old race-car persona and focus on who I am as an inventor and industry leader.”

Madeleine crossed her legs slowly. He couldn’t help but let his gaze follow the length of her panty-hose-clad leg to the simple black three-inch pump.

Her ankle was a work of art.