Royal Pain by Lara Henley
Lara Williams comes from a tight knit family. She has always succeeded at everything she has chosen to do in her life. She had a great job as a high-powered executive in a Natural Energy Conservation Company. The one thing she hasn’t had the best of luck in is relationships. Lara had all but closed herself off to the possibility of love thanks to past mistakes, until she meets Gavin. The first time the gorgeous Gavin Clarke catches her eye, she knew that everything was about to change, but will that change be for the better?
Gavin Clarke is used to getting whatever and whoever he wants. When he sees the beautiful Lara Williams across the room of a pub, he knows she is what he wants next, but Gavin carries a secret close to his heart. One that he is reluctant to share. Will his secret destroy his chances with Lara? Will he get the chance to prove that he is the perfect match for her or will he lose his chance with Lara forever?
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Excerpt:
When I entered the bar’s main bar area, I stopped dead in my tracks. Suddenly, all the blood rushed to my head and my palms began to sweat profusely. Sitting in a chair directly in front of me was the handsomest man I had ever seen or, as they would say in Greek, an “Adonis”. His muscles rippled out from under his sleeves and his smile could probably light the sky when dark. OMG, and those amber eyes…I felt hypnotized by them. His dark caramel colored skin and tight curls made my mouth water. I knew I looked like a fool standing there staring at him, but I couldn’t break my eyes away. Once he looked over at me, I broke my gaze. I couldn’t let him catch me gawking at him. Where had I seen this man before?
All of a sudden, I felt a push from behind and I fell forward. Feeling and probably looking flushed, I looked up to see the Adonis had his hand out in front of me. I was afraid to take it because I knew my own hand was sweaty, but I gave in and took his hand anyway. Time froze as my hand entered into his. There was a questionable look on his face; he was glaring at the man who had pushed me forward. He yelled, “Hey arse, watch where you’re going!” The man turned and looked at him as if he was going to come back over to us. Instead, he just cursed under his breath and continued walking. “Are you okay, Miss?” he asked in his Aurian accent. What was it with guys and accents? Most American women fall over themselves for a man with an exotic accent. I was dazed and confused, trying to process everything that had just happened. “Miss, Miss,” he grumbled.
Fading back into the moment, I finally stated, “Yes, I’m fine. Thanks”. I thought I was going to drop dead from embarrassment. He looked at me with those beautiful amber eyes and I thought, “Oh God, you are gorgeous.” I peered down at my dress to make sure I was truly alright and noticed a red spot on my dress.
Again, my Adonis spoke, “I think you’re bleeding”.
I removed my hand from his hand and excused myself. I headed as fast as my legs could carry me, without running, to the restroom to get myself cleaned up. Flustered, I pulled my dress up and noticed a long scratch on my lower thigh. I immediately dabbed water onto a paper towel and cleaned the wounded area. “Ahh, that’s better,” I mumbled under my breath. I returned to the bar area to thank the man once again but he was nowhere in sight. I shrugged and sat at a table near the back. Guess I won’t be seeing him again. I strolled over to the bar to order Roast and Potatoes, my favorite meal here. Finally, my dinner arrived. As I cut into the first slice of roast, I heard the voice again, “Are you sure you’re okay?” he whispered into my ear. His husky voice vibrating sent shivers down my spine. Where in Heaven’s name did he come from? I thought for sure he was gone from the bar a moment ago. I turned around to see him grabbing the back of my chair. We stared at each other for what felt like an eternity.
“Yes, I’m sure,” I answered truthfully. “Thank you again for your help.”
“Sure thing,” he said, “I wouldn’t want a beautiful woman like you getting hurt.” I blushed at his compliment and turned my head back to my plate. When I lifted my eyes to respond, he was gone once again. Was I imagining this person? Where had he gone? This was the second time that this happened to me.
From The Author:
I originally from Oklahoma, but have lived several places in my life. I began writing in 2009 when I had a dream about a little girl traveling with her grandmother. In essence that is how Jessie Discovers Christmas was born. I then ventured out into YA and adult romance. I hold a bachelors degree in Fashion Marking and a Masters in Administrative Leadership. I love all things creative and hope to a full-time writing career.
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