SWEET
SURRENDERSWEET
SURRENDERSweet Possibility...After the surgery that saved his life, Hayden Campbell's father needs expensive full-time care. Her mother can't take time off without losing her job, and Hayden--a busy Chicago public relations executive--just landed a career-making account. So when she hears that Health Commissioner Cannon Factor has helped people in their situation, Hayden doesn't hesitate to track him down, even if the devastatingly attractive doctor does have a playboy image.
Sweet Fire...Cannon's ambition is everything to him, and that means putting his dubious reputation to rest to win the senate race. When beautiful, feisty Hayden comes to him in desperation, he realizes they can help each other: he'll use his contacts to get her father the best home care available, if she marries him--in name only--and gives him the respectable image he needs. Hayden can't believe he's asking this of her, or that she's agreeing. But then Cannon's passionate kisses spark an undeniable attraction between them, and now Hayden is wondering if this deal with the devil is really a match made in heaven.
The ride to Cannon's condo was a long one. Hayden thought she'd come to grips with what she was doing, but that had changed with their kiss the other night. It was settling in now. There was something about the long silent drive to her new home that brought on a whole new set of fears and doubts. With some satisfaction, she assumed Cannon's silence meant it was finally hitting him too.
It irritated her that he was so polite, showing her around the place for a second time. She was grateful her bedroom and bathroom were far away from his. Despite that, in the silence of the night, she could still hear him rustle around in his room as she lay in her new bed trying to fall asleep.
It made her angry when the noise stopped and there was nothing but loud silence. How could he fall asleep so fast? Was this all so simple for him? Hayden tossed and turned, missing the familiarity of her old bed. After countless minutes of staring at the ceiling, she had had enough and decided to head to the kitchen for a late night snack.
Some wedding night, she thought to herself as she flicked on the night lamp next to the bed. Her eyes shut tight as the pain of the light hit them. The shade to filter the bulb’s power was still packed in one of the boxes marked Bedroom. She whispered a curse to herself as she realized her robe was in one of the suitcases underneath all those boxes. She was wearing the primrose yellow satin top and shorts she wore almost every night to bed. Since Alec had left for Atlanta, her more exotic nighties were gathering dust.
She hesitated for a moment, but decided to chance it. After all, Cannon had been quiet in his bedroom for a long time. She was sure the insensitive brute was sleeping.
Hayden tiptoed across the carpeted hallway past Cannon's closed bedroom door. Looking at the crack underneath the door, she felt more confident as she saw the light was off. Forget him anyway for sleeping like today was any other day.
As she turned the corner towards the kitchen, she noticed the light was on. She would have to have a say in that if he expected her to go half on the utility bill.
Just as she stepped into the kitchen, her heart leaped into her throat and she let out a gasp.
"Sorry," Cannon said as he swallowed a mouthful of vanilla ice cream. "I didn't mean to scare you."
"I thought you were sleep." Hayden stood, frozen in the doorway.
As he leaned casually against the counter top, she found herself extremely conscious of the fact that he wasn’t wearing a top, but only satin pants. His dark brown shoulders, forever wide, were proportioned perfectly to his chiseled chest. The brown paisley pants fell on his body, laying softly on his skin and showing the thickness of his thighs.
Suddenly aware of her own attire, her usual yellow pajamas didn't feel so usual anymore. She realized now her top button was undone, revealing a generous amount of cleavage. Her shorts, which seemed perfectly innocent in the past, now felt too high up on her shapely thighs.
"I thought you were asleep." His eyes roved and lazily appraised her. It wasn’t as if he needed a reminder of how sexy she was, but he got one. "I like that outfit."
"Thank you," she said non-chalantly, lifting her head as she brushed passed him to the refrigerator. "What about yours? Could only afford half?"
"Very nice," he said with a humorous smile. "Midnight comedy."
"Why couldn't you sleep?" She opened the cap of one of the cherry yogurt cups she had brought from her own apartment. Besides her own food, Cannon's refrigerator was bare, maintaining the stereotype of bachelor's refrigerators.
"I usually don't get to sleep until one in the morning anyway." He handed her a spoon from the dish rack, noticing she was reluctant to reach over him. "What about yourself?"
"I need more sleep than that, but I guess I'm unfamiliar with the place." She refused to look at his compelling chest, instead allowing her eyes to roam the kitchen and appreciate its fine black and white decor.
"I can understand that." He took another mouthful of ice cream. He could stand there and stare at her all night. "I like your ice cream."
Hayden smiled as she realized it was her mint chocolate chip ice cream he was eating straight from the pint-sized carton. "Well, you're welcome." If he wasn't so attractive this wouldn't be so difficult.
"So what is with you and your mother?" he asked, thinking of anything he could to keep her in the kitchen.
"What do you mean?" Hayden quickly stole a moment while he turned his head to lower her shorts an inch or two. Her he could tell she hadn’t expected to see him there.
"I've been to quite a few weddings in my time and usually the bride's mother is all over her. I barely saw you with her all night." He returned the ice cream to the freezer and carelessly threw the spoon in the sink. "Are you two close?"
"Of course we are," Hayden said, her eyes widening in alarm she knew there were issues between her mother and herself, but usually no one noticed. It bothered her that he had.
"It just didn't seem like..."
"Is it necessary for you to analyze my family relationships?" She firmly placed the yogurt cup on the counter. "My mother was very pre-occupied with her husband. This was his first outing since surgery if you recall."
"Fine," he said, raising his hands defensively. Hoping to spark a meaningful conversation, he realized he had stuck a personal chord with her.
"It’s not fine," Hayden continued. She hid her embarrassment at his insight under anger. "I don't want you questioning my family relationships."
"Well seeing as how we're supposed to be playing house for a while, I don't know how that can be avoided." Cannon mocked her by placing his hands on his hips and saw that his movement only angered her even more.
"If that's so, then what about your sister?" She regretted the question as soon as she asked it, but it had been in anger not with intent to hurt. She watched with apprehension as the amused expression on Cannon's face immediately turned to anger.
"I don't want to discuss her with you." A serious calm came over his face as he stared at her intently.
"Fine," she said, turning her face from him. "Then I don't want to discuss my mother with you."
"You know Hayden," he said, with a loose voice. "I know the other night was uncomfortable and I understand your desire for us not to be friends, but we're going to be living together and attending social functions together. We don’t have to be buddies, but we do have to get along. It's really not a choice. This will never work if we don't."
"I know," she agreed apologetically. She couldn't tell him it was easier to be angry at him, then try and get along. At least when she was angry she wasn't so attracted to him.
"After all," he said with a slow seductive tone of voice, "this is our wedding night. We could at least not fight."
"Cannon don't joke about that." Hayden quickly buttoned her top button with nervous hands. He was practically naked. Why should she feel ashamed? "It isn't funny."
"This situation isn't ideal for either of us." Cannon turned to walk out of the kitchen, tilting his head backwards at her. "If we don't find a way to laugh at it, we're doomed."
As she stood alone in the large kitchen, Hayden had to agree with him. They would have to learn to get along and find a way to laugh at their situation. It would be brutal otherwise. Laughing wasn’t the hard part. It wasn't her sense of humor she was worried about. March was a long way away and if Cannon insisted on walking around the apartment without a shirt on, Hayden knew it wasn’t her sense of humor she needed to worry about.
ANGELA'S HOME READ REVIEWS, EXCERPTS AND ORDER INFORMATION
MY FAVORITE SITES WRITING ADVICE & NEWS FOR THE FUTURE
InHouse Author Index The Literary Times Home
This
page is designed and maintained by The Literary
Times