Everything You Desire

By Evelyn Lyes

This is a (59.000 words/180 pages long) contemporary romance. Due to sexual content this book is recommended for 17+.

Sometimes a lie can unite and the truth divide.

When 22 year old Rose Gray meets her friend and neighbour’s brother, Kalen, she feels something she has never felt before: attraction.
Kalen has heard a lot about her from his brother, and is shocked to find that far from being annoying and over the top as he had imagined, Rose is one cute kitty. And he has a soft spot for kitties.
When Rose discovers that Kalen is an escort, she hires him to pose as her boyfriend to get her matchmaking mother off her back once and for all. The relationship is mutually beneficial: She pretends to be his girlfriend to appease his meddling grandmother.
But when business becomes pleasure, will Kalen be able to risk the love he feels for Rose by telling her the truth about who he is? Because Rose has a secret of her own, and his revelation might just divide them forever.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Evelyn Lyes
• Release date: Apr 21, 2014
• ISBN: 9781310446023

Evelyn Lyes

Evelyn Lyes is the author of Everything contemporary romance Series. The Everything Series includes:Everything You Want 3-part SerialEverything HalloweenEverything Christmas SpecialEverything You Can't HaveEverything You Want to ForgetEverything You LoveEverything Valentine SpecialEverything You Do 4-part SerialYou can subscribe to her new release emailing list at: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1w2oSLi-wEbJ6vdCRUg4g2o6DL9qppFx6zrVYrEo70oc/viewformShe also writes YA and NA fantasy with clean romance under pen name Ela Lond.

Book preview

Everything You Desire

by

Evelyn Lyes

SMASHWORDS EDITION

Sometimes a lie can unite and the truth divide.

When 22 year old Rose Gray meets her friend and neighbour’s brother, Kalen, she feels something she has never felt before: attraction.

Kalen has heard a lot about her from his brother, and is shocked to find that far from being annoying and over the top as he had imagined, Rose is one cute kitty. And he has a soft spot for kitties.

When Rose discovers that Kalen is an escort, she hires him to pose as her boyfriend to get her matchmaking mother off her back once and for all. The relationship is mutually beneficial: She pretends to be his girlfriend to appease his meddling grandmother.

But when business becomes pleasure, will Kalen be able to risk the love he feels for Rose by telling her the truth about who he is? Because Rose has a secret of her own, and his revelation might just divide them forever.

Copyright © 2014 Evelyn Lyes

Evelyn’s New Release Mailing List

Smashwords Edition, License Note:

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting author’s work.

This book uses British spelling

Everything You Desire

Chapter 1

Rosalind, darling, you are twenty-two now, you have to think about your future.

Yes, Mum. Rose Grey grimaced at the phone she held in her hand.

You should find yourself a man, somebody like Harold. Maybe a doctor or a lawyer. A banker would be good, too, even though they are so unpopular nowadays. Just yesterday, Harold told me that somebody scratched his new Jaguar. The nerve of people. Don't they know how expensive the repairs are?

Yeah, yeah. Rose rolled her eyes. The offence probably had nothing to do with Harold's occupation, and everything to do with his nature. Oh, God, how she abhorred the I'm-entitled-to-everything attitude that Harold and his kind were so fond of displaying.

It's such a shame that you refuse to allow me to set up a date with him for you. He's such a nice, polite man, and he's quite fond of you.

Not that again, Rose thought.

He's always asking how my dear Rosalind is faring and when he will be able to see you? When are you coming home?

For the summer party. Like she did every year, but this time, since her best friend Camden was on his mountain-climbing trip, his absence robbed her of her security blanket and buffer. If she could have, she would have avoided her mother’s party altogether, but that would bring her mother's wrath upon her. It was better to suffer through one day than to listen to Mother's whining and tantrums for months, even though she had become good at tuning her mother out.

I mean come to live with us, darling.

Your house is not my home.

How can you say that? You know how much Peter likes you.

Peter was her stepfather. Haven’t we been over this already? Rose's voice hardened. You know very well why I moved out and why there's no way I'm coming back

But darling, that was ages ago.

Rose mentally tried to prepared herself for a tiring debate with her mother, the one that never accomplished anything, but was always able to suck energy out of her and leave her wrung out like a rag.

The doorbell rang.

Rose swallowed the sigh of relief. Listen, I have to go. There's somebody at the door. She passed the grey sofa and light brown coffee table to arrive at the entrance door, half-hidden from the living room by a tall, narrow closet. She pointed her phone at the door so that her mother could hear the ringing more clearly before she said, I have to go now, okay? She didn't wait for her mother's reply, but cut the connection. She loved her mother, but her insistence that she date a wealthy guy was getting ridiculous. Just because her mother had married well and she knew a few eligible guys with money didn’t mean Rose had to date one, especially since Rose dating a guy like that had ended horribly, once. Remembering it still brought a taste of nausea and an urge to throw up.

Another ring of the doorbell.

She passed the cabinet facing the door and pushed herself onto her toes. She glanced through the peep-hole and her eyes widened at a square face with a strong chin and narrow nose, framed with blond hair. A curl of it fell onto the man's brow. He looked slightly familiar and without any reservation, she opened the door. Yes?

Hi. The blond flashed a row of perfect white teeth in a charming smile. Kalen James. I'm here for the keys. His voice was smooth and rich.

Oh, yes. Camden's brother. No wonder he looked familiar. She turned to a small basket set on the shoe-cabinet against the wall. She browsed in it for the keys her neighbour and co-worker Camden, who she considered one of her best friends, had given her. I don't know why he couldn't leave Patchy's care to me? Actually she did suspect the reason; the cat had disliked her since the time she helped Camden bathe it and it kept a safe distance from her, not even allowing her to come close enough to pet it.

He explained to me that the even though the cat likes you, it prefers to keep its distance from you.

She found the keys. Here. She gave them to him, subtly scrutinising his body and noting how nicely his simple, but well-cut black denim jacket fit his shoulders. She tried to remember if Camden had ever told her what his brother did for living. No, he hadn’t. Could he be a model? He had the looks for it.

Thank you. His fingers brushed against her hand as he took the keys and a soft current of electricity spread from the place he touched.

She frowned and made the mistake of lifting her gaze. Their eyes met and her heart did a flip in her chest and a gentle tingle bloomed in the pit of her stomach. He had such vivid eyes, the colour of the sea, such a lovely turquoise blue. Her tongue darted out and slipped along her upper lip as she stared up at him. She swallowed. You are welcome.

He smiled again before he lifted his hand. See you around.

Kalen, she silently said. Camden had explained to her that he and his brothers’ names were of Gaelic origin, since his mother had Irish roots, but the name, now that she had met the owner of it, sounded so different. Less rural and more mystic. She watched him turn and walk to the door parallel to hers, just a few steps away. Peeking her head through the door, she continued to gaze at him as he unlocked the door and, with a short nod in her direction, disappeared inside. She moved backwards and shut the door, then leaned against it. She had never in her life felt attraction to any man, never, ever. Men, except Camden, were just annoying things. She especially abhorred the ones trying to get into her pants, with Harold and that ass who shall not be named, being at the top of the list. But here she was now, with heat tingling in her lower parts, because of a simple brush of his fingers and short glance of his amazing eyes. Well, he is a fine specimen, she said to herself as she pushed herself away from the door. You bad, bad lust, you are not only very picky, but also quite shallow.

She mentioned that to her best friend Callie, a few hours later, when they met for coffee in The Delight, the place they both worked.

I'm sure it was just indigestion, the brunette told her.

Knowing that her friend was being serious, Rose said, I don't think so. I know how indigestion feels and that wasn't it. It was lust, plain and simple lust. And it told her that she was not frigid as she thought she was. Not that she ever worried about that.

You don't even know what lust feels like. Callie took a bite of strawberry cake. She closed her eyes and released a muted sound of contentment. So good.

But you do. A small smile curved Rose's mouth. Do you make that face when you’re doing it with Blade?

A blush dusted Callie's cheek. Stop doing that.

Doing what?

Saying embarrassing stuff.

You are too sensitive. Rose pushed her cup of tea out of the way as she leaned her elbows on the table. Hey, you’ve known Camden since forever, right?

I wouldn't say that. We were schoolmates when we were kids, but we really only started to hang out together as teenagers. Callie took another bite of cake, but this time without displays of appreciation, even though she did close her eyes for a second.

Oh. So, you don't know much about Kalen?

Not really. Callie shrugged her shoulder. He's an older brother who was always doing his own stuff, not like Ewan, who hung out with us quite a bit.

What a shame. She would have loved to find out more about Kalen.

What do you plan to do? Callie asked. Pounce on him?

Like I would do something like that.

Callie's eyebrows rose up and she studied her for a short moment before she nodded. Oh, yes, you would.

I don't even know the guy. Rose propped her chin in her hand.

He did ignite your lust.

Which, according to you, is only indigestion. Rose picked up the teaspoon and used it to twirl the yellowish liquid, just so she would have something to do. Maybe you’re right, maybe it is indigestion and even if it isn't, the lust might be only a one-time thing.

She had a chance to confirm it, two days later, when she went to water the herbs she had growing on the balcony and she saw him sitting behind a small table by the balcony door.

He was hidden behind a newspaper, probably drinking his morning coffee.

She leaned on the iron rail that divided their balconies. Good morning.

Good morning. The newspaper rustled; he glanced over it before he folded it and put it on the table beside his cup.

Have you already settled in? She focused on her belly, searching for the tingle and heat. They weren't there. So it had been just a one-time thing. She couldn't decide if she felt disappointed or relieved.

Yes.

She nodded, searching for anything else to say. How's Patchy?

Fine.

She nodded. Okay, well... if you need some help, like where the shops are and all, let me know.

Did Camden tell you to do that? He stretched his legs and crossed them at the ankles.

No. She smiled. Which is actually weird.

He wrote me four pages of instructions and marked all of the important places on a map; maybe that's why he thought I wouldn’t need a tour guide.

Probably. She nodded. Well, anyway... See you around, I guess. She turned around.

Yes, see you around, he said.

She walked inside. It wasn’t as if she expected to hang out with him or to become best friends with him, but he could have at least been courteous and offered her some coffee.

#

Is it how you expected it to be? Rose had her phone nestled between her shoulder and ear, while she held her shopping basket with one hand and with the other threw a packet of white tea into it. She had been browsing through the aisles of the food market five streets away from her apartment building when she received Camden's call. She hadn't heard from her friend since he had gone on his rock climbing holiday a week ago and she missed him terribly. It wasn't the first time he had gone climbing, but this was the first time that his vacation was going to be longer than a fortnight.

Better.

I want to hear everything. What did she need? She took the list from the pocket of her dark-grey tracksuit and looked at it; rice, tea, chicken, ginger, fruit...

The mountains are wow, so breathtaking and the view... Sometimes I just have to stop and drink in the view, you know? There's something about the green and grey and white of the mountains against the blue of the sky, or how the clouds crowd around the top of the mountains, making them look like they have cotton hats. And the air, it's so clear and... it's amazing.

Only the surroundings? Her fingers wrapped around the phone and held it against her ear while she went toward the produce aisle. She needed some bananas. Her morning smoothie tasted too watery without a banana. And she also needed some tomatoes and apples. And mozzarella for her tomato salad.

There are no girls here that would make me go ‘wow,’ if that's what you mean, Camden said.

And even if there were, would you tell me? Holding her phone with her shoulder again, she tore a bag off the roll set in front of the shelves stacked with red, yellow, blue and green fruit.

And subject myself to your interrogation? I don't think so.

I'm not that bad. Rose grabbed a bunch of bananas and shoved it into the bag, which she tossed into the basket. Apples were next.

Worse. I saw how you harassed Callie when she started to date Blade.

I never harassed her, I only grilled her for details.

Camden chuckled. Isn't that the same thing?

She smiled. There's a difference; a subtle one, but there's a difference. She walked to the vegetable shelves and a minute later bags of tomatoes, onions and cauliflower weighted her basket. She moved toward the shelves of rice and pasta, all the while enjoying her chat with Camden. They had similar small talks almost every day, when he was at home, just sitting on the balcony and chatting about nothing and everything. She missed those moments, needed them actually, to chase the way the gloominess that appeared after every one of her conversations with her mother. She had had another one yesterday, with the same words of how Rose should find herself a rich, well educated boyfriend, to live on his money. As if Rose were incompetent, as if she weren’t able to provide for herself, which she had been doing for three years now, since she moved out of Grandmother's place. But that didn't matter to her mother. No, she should marry well, find herself an obnoxious husband with bad manners and money, like her mother had, only then would her mother be proud of her. As if marrying money were an accomplishment. As if becoming part of that crowd of stuck up people would make her happy. Rose would rather eat nails than become one of them. Her mother was very well aware of that fact, and yet she still nagged her, completely dismissing how Rose felt about that subject.

I have to go, Camden said. We’re having dinner soon.

You'll call again soon, right? She strode toward the end of the aisle, then turned left past a mother with a toddler in the shopping cart. At the sight of a blond accompanied by Sally, her neighbour from across the hall, at the end of the row, she moved backwards into the safety of the shelves. Hey, you won't believe who I just saw?

Who? Callie and Blade?

Your brother and Sally. She giggled. It seems that in your absence Sally has found a new James to stalk. She peeked over the shelf at the pair, smirking at what she hoped was an expression of annoyance on Kalen's face. Served him right.

Poor Kalen. He's not exactly a people person. You have to save him.

No, I don't.

Yes, you have to.

No, I don't.

Yes.

The hell --

Rose!

"The spatula, I do."

But he made you tingle.

She sucked in the air, pouting at the mirth she could distinguish in his voice. You talked to Callie. Not that that surprised her.

She joked that it was only indigestion, Camden said. Help him, please.

Why should I? He's always so tight-lipped and he never invited me over for a cup of coffee.

You don't drink coffee.

That's beside the point. She put the basket on the floor as she pressed her phone against her other ear.

Sally is a nice girl, but you know how overwhelming her flirting can be, even for me, and I'm quite sociable. Please.

No, I don't think so. Another peek around the shelves, over the bottles of Coca-Cola. They were quite close now and she could hear Sally's high-pitched voice. You know, by the look of things, he's doing quite well on his own. His face is quite blank and his eye isn't twitching like yours does when Sally is around. A shame, really.

Like you can see all that.

Actually, I can, they are quite close, she whispered into the phone. He doesn't look bothered by her presence.

If he looks like that, it's only because he's quite good at hiding his feelings; it's part of his job.

What does he do?

Well...

Yeah? A moment of silence in which Rose thought that she had lost