Love Struck

By Ellie Lynn

It's love at first sight for Blaine Everett, and he'll let nothing stop him from marrying Beth. It's obvious she likes him, so why does she keep turning him down? Instead, he begins a relentless pursuit of her by promoting her to his executive assistant at Starling Productions and moving into an apartment close by.

Beth Romano has had enough bad relationships to last a lifetime, so when her handsome billionaire boss takes a liking to her, she'd rather run than get involved. Before she knows what's happening, Blaine moves into the apartment across the hall and he's telling everyone they are engaged.

With Beth fighting tooth and nail to remain coolly aloof, Blaine's only options are deceit and trickery. Aided by two matchmaking friends and a wily cat named Houdini, Blaine puts a plan in motion to woo the woman of his dreams, using every dirty trick in the book.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Deslise Publications
• Release date: May 22, 2018
• ISBN: 9781775349150

Ellie Lynn

Ellie Lynn always wanted to be a writer, and since every writer she'd ever met said to 'write what you know', she started out writing romantic comedy. The comedy part she had figured out--y'see, she's a bit of a smartass in real life anyway. The romance part, not so much. Ellie writes under her own name, but other pen names include Jennifer Lynn and Rebecca Deslisle. Ellie lives in rural Saskatchewan with her husband, two incredibly spoiled dogs and Horatio the salamander. Ellie loves to interract with readers on her blog at http://romancewithsass.blogspot.ca/ on Twitter @ellielynnbooks or via Facebook www.facebook.com/ellielynnbooks

Book preview

Chapter One

T he next time your husband says he knows just the man for me, I’m going to shoot him! Beth sipped from her coffee mug and watched the rain speckle the window of the fourteenth floor as San Francisco was engulfed by yet another batch of black clouds.

Why? What’s Howard done now? Simone’s wide-eyed, innocent look didn’t register on Beth.

Oh come on, like he didn’t tell you about the guy he set me up with last night? The one who is new in town, good looking, with a great sense of humor and has tons in common with me? Her left eyebrow rose a fraction, and a hint of amusement flickered in her blue-gray eyes.

"He does have a lot in common with you. He’s single!"

"So he did tell you what he was up to! Beth crossed her arms. If I were looking for a relationship, I’d find someone who has a little more in common with me than just our marital status. Honestly Simone, we’re completely different."

Beth stepped away from the window and walked up the row of cubicles until she reached her own, casting the occasional backward glance over her shoulder to ensure Simone was still listening before plopping herself down in her chair. She scanned her desktop for a clear spot to rest her mug. He’s into fitness, eats only health food, loves the symphony and theatre, and says he adores going to art galleries. I hate all that stuff. We had absolutely nothing to talk about.

First dates are always awkward, but by the time you’re old marrieds like me and Howard, you’ll be so comfortable with each other that you won’t even want to talk!

I keep telling you, I don’t need a man complicating my life right now, which incidentally, is what this guy seems intent on doing. For crying out loud, he proposed to me last night! She tossed her head until her thick brown hair fell away from her face and looked up at Simone, who was suddenly examining her fingernails and obviously struggling to keep the grin off her face.

Of course that was before, during and after he had sized me up and decided I was good enough to warm his bed! Oh yes, that was his alternative when I said I wasn’t interested in marrying him. And while he’s yummily good-looking, I have no intention of doing the horizontal mambo with someone I’ve just met. Now, with this whole exchange happening in the space of ten minutes, you can imagine how awkward the rest of the dinner was. I ended up making some lame excuse about being tired and having a headache just to get out of there. She heaved a sigh. At least I won’t have to see him again.

Uh, I wouldn’t count on it, Beth. Simone looked at her watch and inched up the aisle. Just how do you think Howard knows him anyway?

Beth gave her a blank stare.

That was B.D. Everett, the guy that just bought into the company. I think you’ll be seeing him around.

Beth’s jaw dropped open, and before she could recover with a sharp retort, Simone had hurried to the relative safety of her office. Words having failed her, she leaned forward and banged her forehead on the edge of her desk in hopes that she would wake up from the nightmare she was sure she was having.

They need these upstairs by lunch. Sorry. A stack of papers landed with a loud smack, returning Beth to an upright position. She glared at the messenger, who shrugged apologetically and pushed his cart to the next desk. Judging from the audible groans coming from the rest of the administrative assistants, she wasn’t the only one to receive his special brand of magic this morning.

Great, a two-inch stack of what looked like corporate contracts. The secretaries upstairs usually dealt with them because of their complexity, and Beth had to have them typed and printed by noon. Turning on her computer, she pushed the other ‘rush jobs’ aside and lost herself in the production contracts and business proposals that were so much a part of show business.

The sharp beeping of her telephone dragged her attention away from her keyboard. Beth Romano.

How’s my girl today? A rich masculine voice echoed through the receiver, making her every nerve stand on end.

Who is this? Beth demanded.

I’m insulted. Have you forgotten me all ready? What am I going to tell the Reverend?

Blaine?

A low chuckle met her ears. Are you engaged to anyone else?

"We are not engaged! She protested hotly. And I’m awfully busy with a noon deadline so I don’t have time to argue the point with you right now." Hanging up the phone and getting to her feet, she grabbed up her coffee mug and headed for the coffee machine before he had a chance to redial.

She groaned. Not only did he know where she lived, he also knew where she worked and had even gone so far as to discover her desk extension number. Of course, that wouldn’t be too difficult; he owned the company, which technically made him her boss. She groaned again and contemplated committing hari kari with her coffee stir stick.

With her freshly sugared coffee, Beth returned to her desk, forced him out of her mind and continued working frantically at her task for the remainder of the morning.

BLAINE DAWSON EVERETT replaced the receiver in its cradle and grinned broadly. She was feisty, that was for sure. He could count on one hand the people with enough nerve to hang up on him.

He imagined Beth sitting at her computer, her cheeks flushed with frustration. She had probably run her hand through that silky brown hair, letting it fall carelessly to her shoulders. Blaine was certain her gray eyes were twinkling with the tiny blue flecks he had seen last night. Last night, they had reminded him of diamonds sparkling in candlelight, but from the curt tone in her voice this morning, he thought they’d probably look more like ice chips today.

He rubbed his hands together and grinned. Ah, but with a little heat, ice can be melted!

AS SHE MOVED THE MOUSE cursor to ‘print’ and right-clicked on the button, Beth’s eyes traveled up the aisle to Simone’s glass enclosed office. She was involved in an animated discussion with Howard, and if Beth didn’t know better, she’d say they were talking about her. The little furtive glances cast her way were a dead giveaway.

Her brow furrowed with concern as her friends suddenly laughed and stole another glance in her direction. What were they up to now?

She stepped around her desk and retrieved the last of the contracts from the printer and heaved a sigh of relief. Technically, she had forty-five minutes until her noon deadline, but the perfectionist in her demanded that she show off her efficiency to the upstairs brass. She shuffled the contracts into a neat pile, stuck them into a lavender colored file folder and carried them toward the elevator.

Stepping onto the Executive Suite of the eighteenth floor was always a bit daunting, probably because it was something Beth didn’t do everyday. The executive receptionist sat behind a large circular leather and mahogany desk and glanced up with a look that Beth could only label as ‘haughty’.

Smartly dressed in a lace-edged navy business suit, her eyes traveled up and down Beth’s simple outfit until she spoke with a smug note of superiority. Can I help you?

Self-consciously, Beth smoothed her pleated navy skirt. Um, I was told to bring these contracts up as soon as they were ready.

Actually, I believe you were told that they were to be ready for noon. It wasn’t necessary for you to bring them up. The messenger could’ve done that. Leave them here and I’ll make sure they get to the right department.

I don’t think so. I was told they were important, so I’d like to deliver them personally. So that I can be sure they get to the right department before noon.

Ms. Romano, this may be acceptable behaviour down in the administrative pool, but here on the Eighteenth Floor, we do things a little differently. Leave them here. She indicated the in-basket on her desk and then raised a finger as she paused to answer the phone.

Beth stood uneasily, unsure of whether she should relent and hand over the documents or insist on hand-delivering them.

The receptionist hung up the receiver and continued, pinching her lips together with irritation. Give me the folder, Ms. Romano.

Is there a problem here, Joy?

Beth cringed. She recognized that voice. She clutched the lavender package to her chest and took a deep breath.

The receptionist’s voice turned sugary. Of course not, Mr. Everett. Ms. Romano was about to give me the contracts you’ve been waiting for, isn’t that right Beth?

Tossing her head, Beth’s eyes widened with false innocence as Blaine made his way toward the mahogany desk. Oh no, Joy. My instructions were to bring them up directly to the right department just as soon as they were ready. And here they are Mr. Everett.

Blaine’s fingers closed over hers as she handed him the file and an unwelcome blush crept into her cheeks. She quickly pulled her hand away and averted her eyes.

He leaned forward and lowered his voice. Ms. Romano, may I see you in my office?

Beth’s head snapped up. The last thing she wanted to do was explain to her boss why she lied to get out of their date early last night. Raising her nose pertly, she spun on her heel and stepped onto the elevator. No, you may not.

The doors slid shut, then suddenly opened wide. Blaine stood in front of the elevator, holding his finger on the call button.

Then we’ll talk over dinner. Same time, he said with a significant lifting of his brows. He released the controls and took a step backward, as a look of confusion crossed Beth’s face.

HOUDINI, YOU LITTLE stinker. Where are you now? Dropping on her hands and knees, Beth searched under the sofa, feeling for the cat’s favorite hiding spot. She rocked back on her heels and sighed, scanning the apartment until a cool breeze from an open window caught her attention. Damn! She had left the window to the fire escape open this morning, but it wasn’t open much. Only a mere couple of inches!

You couldn’t have squeezed through there, could you? Her eyes flew to the answering machine’s evil red eye blinking furiously. Oh no, she groaned. Not Mrs. Henrickson again.

She rewound the messages and listened to the old battle-axe downstairs complain about the meowing outside her window all afternoon. The last message was a threat to call the landlord if Beth couldn’t keep her pet under control.

The clock chimed six-thirty and, as if right on cue, the doorbell rang. She groaned again, a little louder this time, but still allowed her feet to carry her to the door. Startled, Beth stepped backward as one big golden eye stared through the other side of the peephole. Flinging the door wide with relief, she reached toward the cause of her distress. Houdini?

Blaine stroked the fluffy blond fur and passed the cat to Beth’s waiting arms. I take it this little rascal belongs to you?

Yes, and I’ve been looking for him everywhere! She carried the kitten inside, rubbing her cheek against the soft fur. Naughty, naughty Houdini. Where did you find him?

Blaine folded his arms across his chest and braced his shoulder against the doorjamb. He followed me onto the elevator. Friendly little thing, isn’t he?

Well, he’s never been very discriminating, she mumbled, then spun around with eyes wide. Oh, I didn’t mean it like that! I—

Once an alley cat, always an alley cat?

Yeah, something like that. Seems like you can take ‘em out of the street, but you can’t take the street out of ‘em.

He nodded, then indicated her dress with a wave of his hand. Are you planning to go to dinner dressed like that?

An angry flush crept up into her cheeks as Beth slowly put the cat on the floor and turned to face Blaine. What’s the matter with what I’m wearing?

Not a thing, he said quickly. It’s a lovely outfit, and I really like what it does for your legs because that secretary look turns me on, but I really do prefer more skin. And since you wore it to work, I thought you might prefer to wear something else. Something with more sex appeal.

Well, if you want the truth, I just made it home, so I haven’t had time to change. Some idiot ran into one of the cable cars, and my bus couldn’t get around the wreckage for ages. She stole a glance at his face and then her