Desire Read online

  Table of Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  Chapter 32

  Chapter 33

  Chapter 34

  Chapter 35

  Chapter 36

  Chapter 37

  Chapter 38

  Chapter 39

  Epilogue

  Epilogue

  Epilogue

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  Chapter 32

  Chapter 33

  Chapter 34

  Chapter 35

  Chapter 36

  Chapter 37

  Chapter 38

  Chapter 39

  Chapter 40

  Chapter 41

  Chapter 42

  Chapter 43

  Chapter 44

  Part Two

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Part Three

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  Chapter 32

  Chapter 33

  Chapter 34

  Table of Contents

  Copyright

  Author's Note

  Desire

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  Chapter 32

  Chapter 33

  Chapter 34

  Chapter 35

  Chapter 36

  Chapter 37

  Chapter 38

  Chapter 39

  Epilogue

  Pierce Me

  Hung

  Billionaire's Secret

  About the Author

  Copyright

  Copyright © 2017 by Simone Sowood

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are products of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  Author’s Note

  Desire is a full-length 54,000+ word novel. Please note it ends at 20%.

  I’ve included three free, complete bonus books for your enjoyment, top-ten bestselling Pierce Me, Hung, as well as the first story I ever wrote, Billionaire’s Secret.

  Happy reading

  Simone xoxo

  Desire

  Sometimes fate lands on your lap

  Leo:

  A stunning woman approaches me in my hotel lobby.

  She’s dressed for sin. And I’m a sinner.

  The next thing I know, she flings herself across me in the backseat of my cab.

  I didn’t want an escort tonight, but the look of her lying in my lap is impossible to resist.

  Except she’s not what I thought.

  Young. Beautiful. Innocent. I can’t get her out of my head.

  She’s not to be trusted. But one night in my bed won’t do any harm.

  Grace:

  Leo is way hotter than I’d anticipated when my boss dressed me up and sent me out to lure him into saving our company.

  Sure, he’s arrogant and rude but the air around us is electric. Unable to resist, I wear the red dress and give him my virginity.

  It’s just one time but there’s something more between us, something real. I’m sure of it.

  Until I end up pregnant and Leo disappears off the face of the earth.

  *** A steamy STANDALONE contemporary romance with a smoking hot hero. No cliffhanger, no cheating, and a guaranteed happily-ever-after.***

  Chapter 1

  Leo

  It’s entirely possible that the reason I hate bow ties is because I hate the events that require me to wear them.

  I yank the end of my bow tie and start again. I fucking hate tying bow ties. I can never get the sides to be even.

  Wrestling with the ends, I’m finally satisfied with the results. I need it to be perfect because I know a couple of hundred people are going to take my photo tonight.

  It’s an industry event to celebrate new electronic toys that are being created by startup companies here in Silicon Valley. I’m supposed to present some award to a company that developed a doll with artificial intelligence.

  I hate that. What’s wrong with a simple doll? Kids need to develop their imaginations, not have some freaky computer talking to them.

  Listen to me, I sound like I’m my father.

  My father founded Newbury Toys when he was young. He was passionate about making good, old-fashioned toys that kids could get absorbed with in their own worlds while playing with them.

  He did okay, but it wasn’t until after he died and I to
ok control of the company at the tender age of twenty-four that Newbury Toys became the multibillion dollar company it is today.

  Not bad for a thirty-three-year-old guy, if I do say so myself.

  After slipping my arms into the tuxedo jacket, I do a once-over to make sure I’m looking my best. I shove my wallet into my pocket and head out the door of the hotel room.

  In the elevator, I realize I’m late. When the doors open, I stride down the short hallway and into the chandelier-laden lobby.

  “Mr. Newbury?” a woman says.

  I glance around to see where the voice is coming from.

  A woman jumps up from a wingback chair and hurries to my side. I can’t help raking my eyes over her body.

  She’s exactly my type, blonde, blue eyes, big fucking tits and an ass I want to squeeze. My dick twitches just looking at her.

  But I specifically told the hotel that I didn’t require an escort for tonight.

  Normally, I like using escorts because they’re upfront about money. All the women I’ve ever dated are gold diggers and out for my money. At least with an escort, I can pay her a grand upfront and she won’t sell her kiss-and-tell story to some website.

  I learned that lesson the hard way.

  “I said I didn’t need anyone tonight,” I say brusquely and without stopping.

  The blonde falls into step beside me, and I tilt my head to look her.

  She doesn’t look like the usual escort type. Her skimpy dress isn’t what a woman would normally wear to an awards evening, and her make-up’s a little too heavy. But there’s something about her that makes me want to turn around and take her upstairs right now.

  “I’ve been looking forward to meeting you,” she says.

  “With or without your clothes on?”

  She gasps, and stammers without getting any words out. She must be new at this.

  “If I could just have a minute of your time to explain myself,” she finally says.

  “No time, I’m in a hurry,” I say, and look straight ahead as I stride to the exit.

  We reach the revolving door at the same time, and cram into the same small wedge. Her perfume fills the space, and makes my dick twitch again. Fuck, I’m not in the mood to be sociable.

  As much as I’d like to fuck this escort, I’m not prepared to have to spend three hours at the award dinner with her first.

  We spill out of the revolving door and onto the sidewalk. A taxi is waiting. The doorman sees me and opens its backdoor.

  “Look, tell the agency I’d like you to come back to the hotel around eleven, but I don’t need you right now,” I say as I climb into the back of the cab.

  As I tell the driver the address, the hotel doorman starts to close the door.

  Suddenly, the door flies open and the woman propels herself into the backseat. She lands face down, with her juicy ass sticking up across my knees.

  I’m too surprised to react right away. The doorman shuts the cab door and the driver pulls away.

  “You must be really desperate for the money,” I say, stopping myself from smacking her ass.

  “I am, actually,” she says, righting herself.

  “I can pay the full amount for the evening, but like I said, I didn’t want you to come back until eleven.”

  “Well, um, I’m not sure if that’s a good idea,” she says.

  I slide across the seat to make room for her. Part of me wants to stop the taxi and kick her out on the side of the road. But the other part of me, that lower half, enjoyed the feel of her body against me far too much to get rid of her.

  With all her wiggling around, her dress has slid up to the tops of her thighs.

  I bite my bottom lip and plant my hand on her newly exposed flesh. Warmth from her skin floods through my body, something that’s never happened to me before. She jolts at my touch.

  Our eyes meet for the first time, and the warmth turns into fiery heat.

  “I’m Grace. It’s nice to meet you, Mr. Newbury,” she says, and pushes my hand away.

  “Call me Leo.”

  “Okay. Nice to meet you, Leo.”

  “That’s the name I want you to yell out when I fuck you later tonight.”

  Grace’s eyes widen, and she shifts her gaze to the passing buildings outside the car window.

  Strange, since most escorts like to joke around with a little sexy banter. She’s definitely new.

  I wonder if I’m her first-ever client.

  “Will I be your first?” I ask with a coy grin.

  Her gaze flies from the window to me, and her chin drops.

  Her body language says it all. The poor thing must be nervous. I should go easy on her.

  Nah, I should enjoy this for all it’s worth. After all, I am the paying customer. And I didn’t even order her. She’s lucky she’s so fucking hot, or she wouldn’t have a job tonight at all.

  “Don’t worry, I’ll go gentle on you. I’ll save the kinky stuff for next time,” I say.

  “Kinky stuff?” she repeats, her voice barely audible.

  “Yeah, my giant cock is hard enough for our first encounter.”

  “Excuse me? What the hell are you talking about?”

  “I’m talking about what we’re doing later, after this stupid awards dinner is finished.”

  Grace crinkles her nose, and breathes heavily. She shifts her gaze back out the window, and wrings her hands together.

  “I’m not sure I can do this,” she says. I’m not sure if she’s muttering to me or herself.

  It must be nerves. I’d be nervous too on my first night whoring myself.

  I examine her as she sits facing away. Everything about her is perfection. It’s as though my fantasy woman walked straight out of my brain and into the hotel lobby.

  Too bad her personality probably doesn’t match. I fantasize about a smart, intelligent woman who’s driven to make her own money and success, and not suck off mine.

  An escort probably isn’t going to have those qualities.

  That’s okay, I’ll fuck her anyway. I want to hear Grace screaming my name, at least for tonight. I wonder how she feels about bareback.

  I clear my throat, and say, “The dinner’s going to be pretty boring. I hope you’re up for that.”

  “Of course, we can pass the time by discussing new developments in the toy industry,” she says without looking away from the window.

  “Huh?” I say, wondering what kind of escort talks like that.

  Chapter 2

  Grace

  “We’re almost there,” Leo says, as the cab rounds a corner.

  My heart is beating so fast that I can barely breathe.

  Leo Newbury is a real piece of work. No. He’s a jerk. Even if he is a super hot one who smells delicious.

  He must think he’s God’s gift to women. I can’t believe the things he said to me, or that he assumes we’re going to have sex tonight.

  And what was all that stuff about it being my first time? How can he tell I’m a virgin?

  The only explanation is that Shawna told him.

  But does she even know? My brain races through my memories. In the back of my mind, there is a hazy instance during a drunken night out where I told Anna, my roommate and closest friend at work, that I’m a virgin.

  Did Anna betray me to Shawna? Or did someone overhear us talking?

  Does it even matter? If my boss does know I’m a virgin, why the hell would she tell Leo Newbury about it?

  The taxi pulls up in front of the large conference hall.

  “We’ve arrived at this evening’s hell,” Leo says.

  “Hell?” I repeat.

  Leo ignores me and pays the driver. My stomach is twisted in knots, but I have to do this. I have to convince Leo to let us use his brands in order to save our company, Mini Motivations.

  The company and all our jobs, including mine, are depending on me. This afternoon, the company founder, Shawna, called me in for a meeting and begged me to approach Leo Newbury in his hotel to
night and convince him to license his toy brands to our app, Mini Motivations.

  He’s our last chance. The company is running out of money and will go under. We’ve tried going through his company, and speaking to his various vice presidents, but haven’t gotten anywhere.

  So today, the senior executives begged me to take these extreme measures to get Leo Newbury’s attention and convince him directly. They know I’m as determined to be rich as they are.

  The entire reason I moved to Silicon Valley was to make something of myself.

  Shawna said the best way to get his attention was in a skimpy dress.

  She never said anything about my virginity being involved.

  Sigh.

  Ignoring the tremble in my hand, I reach for the handle and open the door. I step out of the car. Leo is standing waiting and reaches his hand out to me.

  My feet freeze. I don’t want him to get the wrong idea. Well, he already seems to have the wrong idea, I don’t want to solidify it. Because at eleven o’clock I most definitely will not be in his hotel room.

  Even if that is what it would take to save the company. There is a line I won’t cross, and sex is most definitely over that line. I didn’t get to twenty-three without having meaningless sex for no reason, and I’m not about to start now.

  I’m not a prude, I’m simply waiting to lose my virginity to Mr. Right. So far, all my brief boyfriends have been Mr. Wrongs.

  Even though I’ve stopped moving, Leo comes to my side and wraps his arm around my waist, resting his palm on my hip.

  Good Lord, this man is presumptuous. We’ve only just met.

  But holy hell he smells good. And I can’t ignore the circle of heat around my waist wherever his arm is in contact with my body.

  “Let’s get this over with, then we can move on to the fun stuff,” he says, squeezing me to accentuate his words.

  He steers me to the door and I decide to play along with whatever is going on in his head since that will give me my best chance of getting him to talk business with me.

  If I tell him who I am right now, he’ll probably leave me standing here, and I can’t risk that.

  “Where are we going?” I ask.

  “A silly awards dinner.”

  “What kind of awards?”

  “Some electronic toys bullshit. I have to give out an award for a doll with artificial intelligence. What’s wrong with a simple fucking doll?”

  Holy shit, it’s the Intelligent Toys Awards Dinner. At Mini Motivations, we dream of getting invited to this event.