Erected

By Desiree Holt

An accident, an unexpected meeting—and a sizzling attraction.

The first meeting between Josh McMann and Vanessa Bowen is anything but promising. He's just finished a successful dinner with a client and she's shrieking that someone's stolen her brand-new car. The walking cast on her leg doesn't help matters. Not a good way to start either a personal or business relationship...

One thing leads to another and soon her next collision is an off-the-charts one with Josh in bed. But there's more than sex at stake here and it will take real commitment to get past the trust issues they both have.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Totally Bound Publishing
• Release date: Nov 7, 2017
• ISBN: 9781786862792

Desiree Holt

A multi-published, award winning, Amazon and USA Today best-selling author, Desiree Holt has produced more than 200 titles and won many awards. She has received an EPIC E-Book Award, the Holt Medallion and many others including Author After Dark’s Author of the Year. She has been featured on CBS Sunday Morning and in The Village Voice, The Daily Beast, USA Today, The Wall Street Journal, The London Daily Mail. She lives in Florida with her cats who insist they help her write her books, and is addicted to football.

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Page

Erected

ISBN # 978-1-78686-279-2

©Copyright Desiree Holt 2017

Cover Art by Posh Gosh ©Copyright November 2017

Edited by Rebecca Baker

Totally Bound Publishing

This is a work of fiction. All characters, places and events are from the author’s imagination and should not be confused with fact. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, events or places is purely coincidental.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any material form, whether by printing, photocopying, scanning or otherwise without the written permission of the publisher, Totally Bound Publishing.

Applications should be addressed in the first instance, in writing, to Totally Bound Publishing. Unauthorized or restricted acts in relation to this publication may result in civil proceedings and/or criminal prosecution.

The author and illustrator have asserted their respective rights under the Copyright Designs and Patents Acts 1988 (as amended) to be identified as the author of this book and illustrator of the artwork.

Published in 2017 by Totally Bound Publishing, Think Tank, Ruston Way, Lincoln, LN6 7FL, UK

Totally Bound Publishing is a subsidiary of Totally Entwined Group Limited.

Warning:

This book contains sexually explicit content which is only suitable for mature readers. This story has a heat rating of Totally Burning and a Sexometer of 2.

Erector Set

ERECTED

Desiree Holt

Book one in the Erector Set series

An accident, an unexpected meeting—and a sizzling attraction.

The first meeting between Josh McMann and Vanessa Bowen is anything but promising. He’s just finished a successful dinner with a client and she’s shrieking that someone’s stolen her brand-new car. The walking cast on her leg doesn’t help matters. Not a good way to start either a personal or business relationship…

One thing leads to another and soon her next collision is an off-the-charts one with Josh in bed. But there’s more than sex at stake here and it will take real commitment to get past the trust issues they both have.

Dedication

To my son-in-law who said Why don’t you write about heroes in the construction business? This one’s for you.

Trademarks Acknowledgement

The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of the following wordmarks mentioned in this work of fiction:

BMW: Bayerische Motoren Werke AG

Stetson: John B. Stetson Company

iPhone: Apple, Inc.

The Glass Menagerie: Tennessee Williams

Keurig: Keurig Green Mountain

Mercedes: Daimler AG

Wanda the Witch: Public Broadcasting Service

Chapter One

Josh McMann smiled at the hostess as he exited the upscale restaurant into the warm Texas night. Despite the fact that Alex was the one who handled these negotiations most of the time. the business dinner had been more successful than Josh had hoped. This wasn’t his area of expertise. Alex was the business brain, Tyler the engineer and he, Josh, the architect. But Alex had left for Phoenix and a meeting with another prospect, forcing Josh to step in.

You can charm them as well as I can, Alex had told him, grinning, as he’d headed for the airport.

But you’ve got all the facts and figures, Josh had pointed out.

I left you a cheat sheet. You’ll do just fine.

And he had. Damn fine! The contract for the new project would be signed tomorrow and he and his brothers would have yet another accomplishment to celebrate. McMann Brothers Development was making its mark in the world of quality construction. No question about it.

He turned to the man standing beside him and held out his hand. We’ll do a great job for you, Chuck, he told him.

I don’t doubt it. Chuck Barnes shook hands with him. I’ve seen what you and your brothers can do and I’m very impressed. He looked around. You did this strip mall, right?

Sure did. And the brothers had been damn proud of the finished product.

Spanish Oaks was an outdoor mall in an upmarket residential neighborhood. All the walls were whitewashed adobe, the roofs barrel tile and the entrances to each business decorated with a carved arch. The merchants here expected to liberate the well-heeled residents of some fine cash and they needed the ambience to do it. McMann Brothers Development had given it to them. In spades.

I know I’ll get the same quality in Blue Hills Village.

I guarantee it. And he did.

When they handed their valet tickets to the parking attendant, Josh included a folded twenty with his.

The kid looked at the money and his eyes widened in shock. Uh, sir? I hate to look a gift horse in the mouth but I think you gave me the wrong amount.

Josh laughed. No, it’s yours. This has been a good night for me. This will take care of both of us. Go ahead and get my friend’s car first, okay?

Yessir. Right away, sir. The kid shoved the money in his pocket with a quick movement as if expecting Josh to change his mind and took off at a trot.

I think you made his night, Chuck commented.

Well, you made mine, so I don’t mind sharing the wealth a little.

Josh congratulated himself on his good fortune. In just a few short years, he and his brothers had established themselves as quality developers of both commercial and residential properties, everything from the design to the finished product. One of the reasons he’d asked Chuck Barnes to meet him at this restaurant was because the upscale center where it was located was one of their star projects.

Call my secretary in the morning, Chuck said, and let her know what time you’ll be by with the paperwork. I’m looking forward to working with you and your brothers.

Thanks. Josh shook hands again with the other man. Until tomorrow.

The young valet pulled up in a slate-gray BMW, hopped out and stood by the open door.

See you tomorrow, Barnes said as he climbed into his car.

I’m getting your truck right now, Mr. McMann, the kid said, hurrying off again.

Josh shoved his hands into his pockets and leaned against one of the columns holding up the canopy, taking a long moment to bask in the evening’s success. But a moment was all he got before his good feeling was shattered.

Help. The voice was female and would have been musical if there hadn’t been such a note of panic in it. Help me. My car’s been stolen.

Josh jerked himself out of his reverie and stared at the woman clumping her way along the parking lot. And clumping was the right word, what with the walking cast on one leg from her foot to just below the knee. She would have bumped right into him if he hadn’t caught her by the arms.

Hey. Hold on. He tightened his fingers when she tried to pull away. I don’t think trying to run in that cast is the best idea in the world. Now. You said someone stole your car?

Yes. She jerked loose from him and looked around wild-eyed. Where’s that idiot valet kid?

Josh studied the image in front of him. Even with the clumsy cast she made his pulse speed up without much urging. She didn’t even come up to his shoulders but the anxiety and anger more than made up for her size. A thin navy sweater and knee-length skirt hugged curves that in any other situation he’d be itching to run his hands over. Thick rich-brown hair tumbled around her face, framing hazel eyes and a sensuous mouth. He saw all of this in a matter of seconds before she started screaming again, and just like that his physical reaction disappeared.

Listen to me. He reached for her again. In his business he was used to dealing with crazy clients. How different could this be? Can you just calm down a minute and tell me about your car? I’ll see if I can help you.

At that moment, the valet drove up in Josh’s tricked-out pickup. The woman broke away from Josh and limped over to him, managing surprising speed, what with the bulky cast. She grabbed the kid by the lapels on his vest and stuck her face close to his.

You have to help me. Right now. My car’s been stolen.

The kid paled and looked to Josh, who had followed the woman.

Okay. He managed to peel her fingers from the kid’s uniform and take her wrists. Can we take a deep breath here and find out just what’s wrong?

What’s wrong, she ground out, is that someone stole my brand-new car. I parked it over there. She pointed to a spot somewhere farther down the parking lot.

Can you tell be a little more specific? Josh was doing his level best to bring some common sense and calm to the situation. Maybe you just forgot where you left it?

She pulled herself away from him again. "Not likely. Who the hell are you, anyway?"

Josh McMann. He curved his lips in what his last three girlfriends had told him was a killer smile that could make women melt. He hoped it worked this time because this sexy handful was about to self-destruct. "How about telling me who you are?"

Vanessa Bowen. Ness. And I’m missing a brand spanking new BMW. Panic washed over her face. It doesn’t even have fifty miles on it.

Josh looked at the valet kid. Did you park it for her?

He shook his head, his face pale and panic evident on his face.

He makes minimum wage and tips. He’s not about to claim any knowledge of a high-end vehicle.

Ness waved her hands in the air. That’s a definite no. Do you think I’d trust it to some idiot?

Way to make friends, Josh thought, and dragged out his best smile. Hey, hey, hey. Let’s calm down and find out what’s going on.

What going on is my car’s been stolen. She took a deep breath, let it out and burst into tears.

Josh looked at the valet, shrugged and pulled a handkerchief out of his pocket.

She looked at him, her face red and tear-stained, and took the handkerchief.

Thank you. I don’t know what came over me. I almost never shriek like a banshee or burst into tears. She gave him a watery grin. At least not in public.

He waited until he figured she was as composed as she was going to get before he spoke again. Maybe, he said in a soothing voice, if you show us the exact spot where you parked, we might find some answers. There might be a security camera there. I happen to know this mall has several of them.

Okay. She wiped her eyes once more