[Invitation to Eden 22.0] Delicious and Deadly Read online

  Six months ago, when he'd first met Janine Faulkner, he'd been attracted and intrigued. Then over time intrigue had morphed into irritation, and then from irritation into pissed off. A few weeks ago, they'd had a clearing of the air and things had been nice and friendly. So what the hell was her problem with him now?

  What harm would it do, he wondered, to kiss that sulky mouth?

  No. A pouting mouth, Josh decided. It was a mouth made for kissing. A mouth made for sucking his... Okay. Stop now.

  But hell, she was an attractive woman. A beautiful woman, he corrected.

  No matter how hard he tried, why couldn't he behave like a normal person around her? He didn't have a problem with woman. Women liked him. When he'd been with a woman, nobody got hurt, no harm, no foul. With a normal woman he'd do the little mating boogie, date once, twice, then the sex part of the deal. But Janine was not a normal woman. She had issues. She'd had a rough time. He got that. He did. With Janine he had as much chance of dating and mating as flying to the moon.

  Dream on, sucker.

  Janine wasn't interested. Worse, she was downright hostile if he even twitched in the wrong direction.

  And why was he standing in front of her with his heart going boomdidiboom while she gave him a look that would melt solid steel? He didn't need this woman. A woman who was nothing but hard work. He didn't need the fucking hassle.

  However, one female held his heart in her tiny fist and that female was one Daisy Boo Faulkner. Nearly eight months old and the light of his life. And the feelings were mutual because Boo adored him, too. And Josh knew that her daughter's love for him drove her mama crazy. However, she didn't do anything about it. And Josh reckoned that fact made Janine not only beautiful but a wonderful parent.

  One day, he was sure, she'd make a lucky man a wonderful wife. And it would be a very lucky man to inherit that little ready-made family.

  The pisser was it would never be him.

  He whispered a curse and rubbed the ache that now lived in the back of his neck every time he was around her.

  Josh rose and frowned as he took in Janine's pale face.

  He admired her on so many levels. She was a fantastic mother. She worked hard and was doing an outstanding job running Sweet Sensations. Her friendship with Bronte and Rosie was deep and true. Granted she was a bit skittish around Nico Ferranti... and Josh Erichsen.

  He sighed.

  She was looking at him right now as if he was about to jump her bones.

  If he was absolutely honest he'd been thinking a lot about perhaps dropping a little peck on her cheek to work his away, eventually, around to that fabulous mouth. But the Hand's Off sign was flashing in big red letters so he'd kept his distance.

  She'd annoyed him.

  Janine could tell by the way those Viking eyes cooled, the way his brows met, as if seriously puzzled and ticked off with her.

  He was wearing a black ski cap, his blonde hair escaping here and there.

  He stood and she found her head tipping back as she kept her eyes on his.

  He thrust his hands into the pockets of his black puffa jacket.

  "Got time for a coffee?" he asked in a tone that dared her to refuse. He'd been using that tone a lot around her recently and her eyes narrowed, but before she could speak he continued, "Received the go ahead from planning for the new windows. So you need to make a choice of wood ASAP. I've brochures in the car."

  In the early days he'd asked her out for dinner, twice, but she'd made it clear he was cocking his leg on the wrong tree. And that she was, Not Interested.

  But for some reason today the challenge in those eyes annoyed her to the point where she raised her chin. Perhaps it was better that they discussed business in a public place. Perhaps her hormones would behave themselves around him for once.

  "Okay. Where?"

  He blinked and she didn't miss the surprise in his baby blues.

  "Cafe Roma? They've Wi-Fi and I can show you a couple of amendments to the specifications for the kitchen."

  Now irritation joined the lethal attraction that danced in her belly.

  "I hope the amendments are not going to cost me."

  His deep voice went soft and low. "I told you we're under budget. The amendments will save you money in the long run."

  He was right, they were under budget. But it was okay for him, he didn't have responsibilities. Josh was financially solvent, single, footloose and fancy free. Plus, he had a very busy love life, if all the chit chat about him was to be believed.

  Then she told herself that his love life was none of her business.

  "Okay."

  He walked next to the stroller and they stopped next to his big shiny black BMW parked at the curb to pick up his laptop and her brochures.

  By the time Janine had settled Boo into a high chair with her bottle of water and a cookie, in Cafe Roma, Josh had returned to the table with a tray of frothy coffees and a collection of fresh muffins.

  Irritation tickled the nerves jumping in her stomach.

  She didn't want a muffin, Janine decided, happily forgetting she'd promised herself one of Bronte's later in the day.

  "How much do I owe you," she asked in a tone that showcased her annoyance.

  The way his eyes flashed and held hers as he tugged off his ski cap, unwound his cashmere scarf and shrugged out of his jacket made her belly twitch.

  And Janine wished she'd kept her big mouth shut.

  Under the jacket he wore a pale blue denim, button down shirt under a navy cashmere sweater. Matching jeans hugged muscled thighs and drew her eyes to a place she had no business looking. So her eyes kept on going down long, long, legs to the expensive boots of black leather. He wouldn't have looked out of place on an ad for GQ showcasing a man about town looking effortlessly gorgeous.

  He sat and those eyes met hers as he placed a cup and saucer in front of her before taking muffins off the tray and then his own coffee, a jug of hot milk and a couple of bags of sugar.

  "I'll add it to the bill," he said in a silky voice and placed a double chocolate chip muffin, the size of a man's fist, in front of her.

  The way he assumed she'd do as she was told, like an obedient child, pressed a hot button.

  Janine had never been a woman who went looking for an argument, she'd always been brought up to be polite and always to defer to the men in her life. It would have cost her nothing to say thank you and eat the goddamn muffin. But for some reason she just couldn't let it go.

  "I don't believe I asked for a muffin."

  Now those smooth brows rose.

  "Don't want one? You could do with more meat on your bones."

  Could she indeedy? And just who the hell did he think he was?

  She leaned over the table, into his face.

  "I don't want a muffin. And my weight is none of your damn business."

  Boo whimpered at her mother's tone and a flush of utter mortification burned up Janine's neck into her cheeks.

  "Now look what you've done," Josh said in that horrible silky voice that made her want to belt him. "You've upset the baby."

  Josh wanted to snap and snarl right back at her.

  But the way her eyes filled as she soothed Boo and the way her hand shook as she stroked the baby's velvet cheek held him back.

  She was upset over a muffin?

  What. The. Fuck?

  End of Excerpt “A Daddy for Daisy”

  The Other Books in The Ludlow Hall Series

  Available Now by CC MacKenzie

  The Ludlow Hall Series

  .............

  Reckless Nights in Rome - Book 1: Bronte and Nico (Book 1 – FREE)

  A Stormy Spring - Book 2: - Becca and Lucas

  Run Rosie Run - Book 3: Rosie and Alexander

  The Trouble with Coco Monroe - Book 4: Coco and Raphael

  The Fall of Jacob Del Garda – Book 5: Gabriella and Jacob

  A Film Star, A Baby. and a Proposal: A Ludlow Hall Christmas

  Want
to Know More about the Invitation to Eden series?

  Make sure to check out the rest of the Invitation to Eden series, as follows at your favourite e-book retailer or bookseller.

  MARCH

  Master of the Island by Lauren Hawkeye (FREE PREQUEL)

  APRIL

  Random Acts of Fantasy by Julia Kent

  Yours Truly, Taddy by Avery Aster

  Escape From Reality by Adriana Hunter

  MAY

  Hydrotherapy by Suzanne Rock

  Fight for Me by Sharon Page

  JUNE

  Breaking Free by Cathryn Fox

  Hold Me Close by Eliza Gayle

  Queen's Knight by Sara Fawkes

  JULY

  Dare to Surrender by Carly Phillips

  Ivy in Bloom by Vivi Anna writing as Tawny Stokes

  Second Glances by Elena Aitken

  AUGUST

  Rough Draft by Mari Carr

  Blurring the Lines by Roni Loren

  Return to Sender by Steena Holmes

  SEPTEMBER

  Pleasure Point by Eden Bradley

  Wild Ride by Opal Carew

  OCTOBER

  The Capture by Erika Wilde

  NOVEMBER

  Elusive Hero by Joey W. Hill

  Falling or Flying by R.G. Alexander

  Master of Pleasure by Lauren Hawkeye

  Her Desert Heart by Delilah Devlin

  DECEMBER

  Delicious and Deadly by CC MacKenzie

  Pleasure Games by Jessica Clare

  How to Tempt a Tycoon by Daire St. Denis