A multimillion-dollar family dynasty was hard to walk away from. And that’s what Dominic Hardcastle intended to do. Until he met his father’s employee Bella Andrews. She was intriguing and sexy beyond reason…and out to ruin his estranged, ruthless father. So Dominic offered to keep her secret if she’d keep him company…after hours.
Everything about Dominic set off alarms in Bella’s head. For he had the power to destroy her plans. Maybe some intense overtime with Mr. Tall, Dark and Dangerous was needed. Suddenly her scheme didn’t seem so simple…or her heart so safe.…
I’m thrilled to have a chance to chat about my newest book. Millionaire’s Secret Seduction is the first in my three part Hardcastle Progeny series about dying billionaire tycoon Tarrant Hardcastle and his attempts to find an heir for his retail empire—by tracking down the illegitimate sons he once scorned.
Dominic, the hero of Millionaire’s Secret Seduction, was the result of an affair Tarrant had in the late 1970’s. A notorious ladies man, Tarrant partied hard during the disco scene at Studio 54, where he met Dominic’s beautiful young mother. Once she became pregnant, he dumped her—and refused to admit paternity or support his son.
Yeah, Tarrant Hardcastle is not a nice guy.
His son Dominic on the other hand, has grown up to be a man of honor who takes personal commitments seriously. When his ‘father’ suddenly comes out of the woodwork and wants to meet him, he’s disgusted with the man who betrayed his mother, and wants nothing to do with him. After a while, though, family ties start to tug at him in ways he never anticipated.
And that’s where things get complicated, because Dominic has discovered that the beautiful, talented and totally hot Bella Andrews is not only in charge of the company’s chemistry lab, she’s a mole trying to steal back research she believes was swindled from her own father.
Does he want to side with Bella and betray the father who wasn’t there for him? Or does his sense of honor demand that he reveal her treachery to the dying man who is, after all, his flesh and blood?
Bella wants to retrieve her father’s work to help her mother out of a financial and emotional crisis. She’s so close to achieving her goals—until Dominic shows up and threatens to ruin everything.
Seduction, subterfuge and smokin’ hot sex result, all in steamy, summer-hot Manhattan. Here’s glimpse into the scene where Bella begs Dominic not to tell Tarrant about her:
Something in his expression lit a thin ray of hope in Bella’s heart. “So you understand?”
Dominic tipped his head back, studied her down the length of his proud nose. “Sure. I understand. I’m not saying I approve.” He raised an eyebrow.
All she needed was another few days. Since the files arrived she’d been combing through them every free moment when no one was around. She only had two more drawers to search. She’d Xeroxed at least a thousand pages of her dad’s decades-long research to prove the extent of the intellectual property Tarrant swindled him out of. All that remained was to find the amount he’d been paid. Her impractical father and flighty mother had kept few of their personal financial records.
“But you’ll keep my secret.” Her voice was barely a whisper.
“Like I said, we can make a deal.” His dark eyes drifted over her face. Grazed her lips and roamed over her neck. Her skin heated.
He wants to sleep with you.
She could read it in his face as clearly as if he’d said it.
Maybe he was one of those men who just had to conquer every woman that crossed his path? Tarrant Hardcastle was rumored to be such a man, though his terminal illness—not to mention his very young and beautiful third wife—had put a damper on his womanizing ways.
She’d worked here for a solid year. Smiled in the face of the man who destroyed—who killed—her father. But she had her reasons. Surely she could go one extra step to safeguard everything her mother loved so dearly.
Her fingers and toes stung with panic. She’d come too far to lose it all now. If she could keep him quiet for a few days she’d be done.
Do it.
She took a step toward him and tilted her face upwards. Held her breath as she offered her mouth to him.
One dark brow lifted.
Had she read him wrong?
Her answer came when his lips crushed hotly over hers.
The breath evaporated from her lungs. His big hand settled crudely on her backside and he tugged her close enough for her breasts to wrinkle his starched shirtfront.
Dominic didn’t smell like the expensive cologne they sold downstairs. His scent was raw—rough and feral—the aroma of undiluted lust.
His tongue grazed her teeth and sent a shiver of sensation to her toes. Bella found herself on tiptoe, reaching up to deepen the kiss as he craned his neck down to meet her. Her legs trembled from the strain and from the breathless wave of desire that washed over her.
He pulled back first. Simply lifted his head and left her standing there, lips angled toward the recessed light fixture in the ceiling.
She flushed and slammed her lips together.
Dominic’s dimples were strangely absent. And something glittered in his near-black eyes.
“Gosh. I must go. My train.” Her words trickled out like drips from a faucet. Her brain seemed to have seized up.
She lunged for her briefcase.
“Not so fast, princess. It’s dark out. I’ll get you a cab.”
“I prefer to walk.”
“Then I’ll walk you.”
And after that, he just can’t seem to leave her alone….
Have you ever become involved with someone you really shouldn’t have? Leave a comment for a chance to win a signed copy of Millionaire’s Secret Seduction. Next month Fatin’s invited me back to tell you about the second book in the series, In the Argentine’s Bed, in which Tarrant sends a female employee to track down one of his missing sons in Argentina’s wine country—and you can probably guess from the title what happens next. I hope you enjoy the Hardcastle Progeny series and thanks for stopping by!
Jen
Honorary Mention of Book Sluts 'R' Us Blogger Awards by 
RR@H Novel Thoughts & Book Talk 