Charmed: Billionaire Romance Novella, #1

By Camilla Hope

Caroline Winters just seems to pick the wrong men to share her life with.

Her boyfriend, Adam, has cheated on her and she desperately needs to be rid of him. She knows that he is after her father’s money but getting rid of him is proving difficult. Caroline goes to her best friend’s first art exhibition and Adam turns up to persuade her to stay with him. As she struggles to convince him that it is over between them, a tall, dark, handsome stranger, Peter, intervenes and she finds herself charmed by him.

When her controlling father comes home three days early from a business trip, her new romance is almost over before it began but she promises her father that she won’t be late home and goes to meet her charming new man.

But is Peter everything he says he is or is Caroline putting herself in more danger with him than she had ever been with her ex?

• Language: English
• Publisher: X
• Release date: Jul 10, 2015
• ISBN: 9781516333004

Book preview

Chapter One

So what do you think? The red or the green?

Glancing up from my cell, hating what I’d just read there, I saw Sabrina swapping one dress for the other and then back again in front of her full length mirror. She kept her eyes on her reflection, and as I made a quick check back at my screen for the time, I rolled my eyes with a soft sigh. She had spent the last ten minutes going from one dress to the other.

They both look amazing, I said. And they’ll look amazing on you.

She would make a splash in a paper bag, I thought. It wasn’t every girl that had violet eyes under a head of natural chocolate brown hair. My skin was good, but Sabrina’s was flawless.

I relaxed as she turned back to the mirror and, deciding on the red strapless dress, pulled it on, smoothed it over her slim hips and pushed her breasts to attention. Stepping into the shoes, she smiled as the picture started to come together and shot me a sly smile over her shoulder.

Now we should really get going, I said.

You know, she started. He probably won’t even be there.

Yes he will, I said.

You can’t be sure of that, she asserted.

Yes, I can, I said Have a look.

I pushed my phone into her hand, and as she scanned through my texts, she scoffed as she found the deadly decree.

"Hope to see you at Danny’s thing tonight, she read aloud. Miss you lots."

Sabrina narrowed her eyes as she clicked her tongue.

If that prick thinks that he can... she began.

But he obviously does, I said as I sat on my hands. "I can hear him already. Wasn’t nothing, babe. I was confused. I’ve sure got my head on straight now."

I circled my toe across the carpet and bit down on my lip.

And just like that, he thinks I’ll fall into his arms like nothing ever happened, I continued.

Well you’re not going to do that! Sabrina said. Sweetie, we don’t even have to go if you don’t want to.

I didn’t; not really. But it was Danny’s big night. And Danny, Sabrina and I had been the best of friends for forever. Adam might have made me feel a fool, but I’d be damned if he was going to turn me into a lousy friend to boot.

We have to, Bree, I said. I have to. But can we go now? I just want to get it over with.

Sabrina pressed her wrap tighter around her shoulders, and I heaved a sigh of relief as she stood tall and held out her hand.

In and out, she said. We’ll hit Wally’s for a drink afterwards.

She could be a pill, but in spite of everything, Sabrina was true blue.

Chapter Two

The Laurel Gallery was awash with activity as soon as we arrived. The room swirled with men and women in tight black slacks carrying trays of pink champagne flutes and cucumber sandwiches. Under each perfectly aimed light fixture, I saw Danny’s handiwork on display. His current collection, his big break if the notices were to be believed, was what he liked to call an ocular explosion. A million or more eyes blazed from the multitude of hanging canvases, some so real that I was sure that they would blink at any second and others a jigsaw of color with no way of discerning the pupil unless a person stood directly before the piece and tilted their head to the side.

Do you get this? Sabrina whispered as she plucked a drink from a passing tray and tugged on my arm.

I think he’s trying to see the world through every possible set of eyes, I said. I kind of like that. Wouldn’t we all like the chance to do that?

Sabrina downed her drink and quickly searched for a refill.

I still don’t get it, Sabrina said.

I was ready to try and explain to her again, when I spied Danny from across the room. He looked smart and smooth in a lime green shirt and royal blue slacks. Lowering his dark-rimmed glasses to better focus on the potential patron at his side, I had to smile. Maybe Sabrina didn’t get it, but the hushed tones filling the room told me that he was on the verge of the success he wanted most. And Danny more than deserved it.

Come on, I said as I took Sabrina’s wrist, a new drink in her hand, and headed towards Danny.

And this one? the silver-haired woman asked Danny as she pointed to the multi-colored eye.

Danny straightened his bowtie and smiled proudly.

It’s not just about rose-colored glasses anymore, he said. Not when there are so many other shades on the spectrum.

Well put, Mr. Horton, I interrupted.

Danny’s face brightened as soon as he saw me, but he quickly shifted back into business mode and returned his gaze to the would-be buyer.

Interesting, the woman said. I can see it in my summer house. We’re always looking for something to talk about.

One look at the dumpy man that shambled to her side and pushed his pudgy fingers into the woman’s skinny arm painted its own picture of endless nights of highballs and cursory responses. They simply had to buy this. It seemed like the only way to save whatever there was of their union.

Do you like it, Tad? the woman asked.

I gripped Sabrina’s arm and watched Danny hold his breath as Tad tilted his head one way then the other before he finally nodded and shifted his stare to Danny.

Intriguing in its own way, Tad said. I think we should talk to your man.

Danny smiled and firmly shook the man’s hand as he pointed him in the direction of his agent. He held his stance as Tad took his wife by her arm and sauntered away to talk price. I could feel Danny wanting to bust through his own skin, and as soon as his agent flashed him the thumbs up sign, I knew that I had to do something to keep him from exploding.

Get over here, boy! I said.

Pulling Danny into the corner, with Sabrina and her drink at my back, I wrapped Danny into my arms. He hugged me with such force that my feet left the ground, and when he brought me back to earth, I clutched his face and grinned into his eyes.

Success looks good on you! I said.

You look better, Danny said as he kissed both my cheeks and took hold of my hands.

I’m so glad that you came, he said and he looked at Sabrina. Both of you.

Sabrina raised her glass and pinched his cheek.

Where else would we be? Sabrina asked.

Danny sat us down, and with a snap of his fingers, a tray of shots appeared.

Jackpot! Sabrina cried as she abandoned her flute and went for the tequila. She was about to drink when Danny raised his glass and touched my arm.

It’s been a long time coming, he started. Lots of long nights.

He turned his gaze to me, and his smile softened.

Do you remember, Caroline? he said. When I ruined that white whatever it was.

My mind flashed back to the all-nighter in his studio. He said that he was going to paint me, and the marks that took me hours to scrub off my white broderie anglais dress only proved that more brush strokes hit the dress and my flesh than the canvas. But the end result showed me that he’d done enough to create something