Guarding a forbidden lov.., p.1
Guarding a Forbidden Love, page 1
“So, what have you been doing this morning? I’ve seen you using your crowbar and hammer,” she said in an attempt to change the subject.
“I’ve been removing some of the rotten wood across the front. With those gone, I can then start replacing the rotten wallboard underneath. What’s your favorite color?”
She sat back in her chair. “Pink. What’s yours?” she asked. The man was positively incorrigible.
“Blue. What’s your favorite kind of food?” He bit into one of the cookies and washed it down with a sip of coffee.
“I like all kinds of food, but Mexican is probably my favorite. What’s your favorite?”
“Burgers. I love a big, juicy cheeseburger with a side of fries.”
“Are you going to ask me what my sign is now? I’m a Libra and as stubborn as you seem, I would guess you’re a Taurus. Why are you asking me all of this?”
He tilted his head slightly and the dimple danced in his cheek as he grinned. “I like to learn as much as I can about the woman I’m going to date.”
Dear Reader,
Winter is here and as the snow flies, we all seek our own little pocket of warmth in the world. My little pocket is a recliner chair with a soft, furry blanket and a good book. The blanket warms my body, but a good book heats up my very soul.
I hope you find Guarding a Forbidden Love to be your heat for a few hours of pleasure. I had a lot of fun writing this one about a middle-aged woman and a sexy younger hunk. I hope Harper and Sam can convince you that love is love and age really doesn’t matter.
Enjoy reading!
Carla Cassidy
GUARDING A FORBIDDEN LOVE
Carla Cassidy
Carla Cassidy is an award-winning, New York Times bestselling author who has written over a hundred and seventy books, including a hundred and fifty for Harlequin. She has won the Centennial Award from Romance Writers of America. Most recently she won the 2019 Write Touch Readers Award for her Harlequin Intrigue title Desperate Strangers. Carla believes the only thing better than curling up with a good book is sitting down at the computer with a good story to write.
Books by Carla Cassidy
Harlequin Romantic Suspense
The Scarecrow Murders
Killer in the Heartland
Guarding a Forbidden Love
Colton 911: Chicago
Colton 911: Guardian in the Storm
Cowboys of Holiday Ranch
Sheltered by the Cowboy
Guardian Cowboy
Cowboy Defender
Cowboy’s Vow to Protect
The Cowboy’s Targeted Bride
The Last Cowboy Standing
Colton 911
Colton 911: Target in Jeopardy
Visit the Author Profile page at
Harlequin.com for more titles.
To Darlene, the daughter of my heart. I love being your mother. You make me laugh and you make me proud. I love you...more!
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
Epilogue
Excerpt from Her Texas Lawman by Addison Fox
Chapter 1
Harper Brennan sat on her sofa and stared at the birthday cake in the center of her coffee table. The cake was a beautiful dark chocolate, frosted with a rich raspberry buttercream and baked in her very own bakery, the Sweet Tooth.
She’d planned a very small birthday party for herself this evening with two of her best friends. Unfortunately, they had both canceled at the last minute. So now Harper was having a pity party for one and she was the guest of honor.
She grabbed one of the silly pointed party hats she’d bought for the occasion and fastened it atop her head. She then stared at the single candle in the center of the cake. There was only one because there was no way the cake could hold forty-five candles.
Forty-five. She’d never dreamed at this age she would be celebrating a birthday all alone. A little over six years ago, she’d been happily married and had dreamed of opening her own bakery.
She’d managed to see her dream of the bakery come true, but her marriage had ended when her husband had left her for a twenty-five-year-old woman. Jerk. At least the happy couple had moved away so Harper didn’t have to see them together every day.
She now sighed and picked up a lighter to light the single candle. In the mood she was in, she felt like bingeing on the cake and eating half of it or more. But she’d only eat a small piece because lately it seemed she only had to look at food and extra pounds jumped right to her tummy and hips. Damn middle age.
Before she could light the candle, a knock sounded at her door. Maybe one of her friends had made it after all. She jumped up off the sofa and hurried to the front door. She opened it to see Sam Bravano standing on her front porch.
“Hi, Harper. I’m here about the ad.” He smiled, revealing a dimple in one cheek.
Sam Bravano. She’d seen him around town many times, but nothing had prepared her for seeing him so up close and personal.
Lordy, if she were ten years younger, she would so jump his bones. And fine bones they were. With his broad shoulders and slim hips, and his slightly shaggy dark hair and his unexpected, yet vivid green eyes, he was definitely a piece of hunky eye candy.
“Harper?” His smile faltered and she realized she’d just been standing there staring at him and maybe mentally drooling a bit. God, she hoped she hadn’t really been drooling.
“Oh, yes...the ad. Uh, come on in.” She opened the door wider to allow him entry. As he passed by her, she caught the scent of sunshine, a hint of a spicy cologne and intoxicating male.
“Please, have a seat.” She gestured him to the chair facing the sofa.
“It’s your birthday?” he asked as he sat.
“It is. Would you like a piece of cake? I’d planned a little party for myself with a couple of friends, but at the last minute they couldn’t make it.”
“That’s a shame. It’s no fun to celebrate your birthday all alone.” He stood, and to her utter surprise, he grabbed one of the party hats from the coffee table and put it on his head.
Even the silly hat didn’t detract from his attractiveness.
The man definitely knew how to wear a pair of worn jeans and a T-shirt. His skin was nicely tanned and overall, he just looked incredibly fit.
Harper sank back down on the sofa. “I was just about to light the candle when you knocked on the door.”
“Then by all means, light the candle,” he replied and that charming dimple winked at her once again. “How many other candles should there be?”
She laughed. “Enough to burn this house down.” She lit the candle.
“Now, wait to blow it out,” Sam said. “What’s supposed to happen now is everyone sings ‘Happy Birthday.’ So, here goes...” to her surprise again, he stood up and began to sing the traditional song.
His lovely baritone not only filled the room, but shot a rivulet of warmth straight through her. She swallowed against unexpected tears that burned at her eyes. He was obviously being very kind to a lonely older woman.
“Now, make a good wish and blow out your candle,” he said when he finished singing.
She made her wish and blew. “You can take off that silly hat now,” she said as she took off the one on her head and set it aside. She picked up the cake server, cut a liberal piece, placed it on one of the decorative plates and then held it out toward him.
He swept the hat off his head and took the cake. “Wow, this looks delicious.”
“I hope it is.” She handed him a fork.
“Aren’t you having a piece?” he asked.
“I’ll, uh, have one later. You said you were here about the ad. Sam, I know your work around town and I know you’ve seen my storefront. It obviously needs a lot of work.”
She’d gotten an amazing price on the piece of real estate on Main Street because it had needed a lot of cosmetic work and the mortgage company was eager to sell after the last owner had defaulted on their loan years before.
Since opening the business a little over two years ago she’d focused most of her work and finances on the inside. Now she had enough money saved and a small loan in place to begin the necessary work on the outside.
She’d placed an ad in the local Millsville News requesting a carpenter. Sam and his two brothers were all carpenters who often worked at one project or another around town. However, they weren’t the only carpenters in town.
“It just needs a bit of a face-lift,” Sam now replied.
Yeah, that makes two of us, she thought wryly. “I’d like to do a bit more than a face-lift in the back.” As she told him her plans, he set aside his half-eaten cake and pulled out a notepad and pen from his back pocket and began to make notes. He also asked her some questions to clarify exactly what she wanted.
She was acutely aware of him. She’d had men in her living room before, but none of them had filled the space quite like he did. Even sitting, energy wafted from him. It wasn’t an uncomfortable ene rgy, rather it was soft and soothing and would instantly put a person at ease.
And yet she felt oddly on edge. Maybe it was because of the way he looked at her so intently, like what she said was the most important thing in the world. Or maybe it was because he exuded a self-confidence and strength in a quiet way. Then there was that dimple...
Oh, the young ladies in town must be positively mad about Sam.
“Business must be good for you to plan all these renovations,” he said. He picked up his piece of cake once again.
“It helps to be the only bakery in town,” she replied.
“There is that,” he agreed with a grin. “But from what I’ve heard, you’re good at what you do. And if this cake is any indication, you’re damn good at what you do.”
She felt a blush warm her cheeks. “Thanks.”
“Did you always want to be a baker?”
The personal question surprised her. “From the time I was a little girl, I liked to bake and dreamed of having a place where I could sell my goodies to other people. My mom loved to bake, too, and we often worked together in the kitchen.”
A quick wave of sadness fluttered through her. She’d lost her mother a little over a year before to a heart attack. It was three years after her father had passed away from the same ailment.
“Did you always want to be a carpenter?” she asked in an effort to stave off her sad thoughts.
“My dad was a carpenter all his life and I often went to jobs with him. I wanted to follow in his footsteps. Besides, I enjoy working hard and then seeing something tangible. I enjoy building something new, or rebuilding something old.” He laughed. “And that was probably more than you wanted to hear.”
“Not at all,” she protested. “I’ve always been interested in what people do and why.” She shrugged and felt a blush once again heat her cheeks. “I guess I’ve always been a people person.”
“That’s a good thing considering your business, right?” He smiled at her.
“Yes, I suppose it’s a good thing,” she agreed. She held his gaze for a long moment and then looked down at the cake. “So, what happens now?” She gazed at him once again.
“What I’d like to do is come to the bakery tomorrow morning and take some measurements and check things out. It’s the only way I can give you a close estimate as to what all this is going to cost,” he replied. “Will nine o’clock work for you?”
“That would be just fine,” she agreed.
He stood. “I would encourage you to get several estimates, but I’m betting I can beat anyone else’s price and I definitely do better work than anyone else in town.” His green eyes sparkled brightly at his last words.
She got up as well and walked with him to the front door. He was a tall drink of water and towered over her shorter frame. She opened the door and then gazed up at him. “Thank you, Sam, for sharing my birthday with me.”
He smiled. “It was my pleasure, Harper. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
Good Lordy, the man looked every bit as good going as he had coming. When he reached his pickup truck in the driveway, she closed her door and locked it.
As she carried the cake and then the dirty dishes to the kitchen, she thought about Sam’s suggestion that she get estimates from other places. She didn’t intend to waste her time.
She’d already spoken to several people who’d had work done by Sam and his brothers, and everyone had said they were hardworking, delivered on time and had been very fair with their prices. So, why get other estimates?
The only reason she’d placed the ad in the paper was because she had been afraid that Sam and his brothers would already be tied up with other jobs.
She sat at the kitchen table with a small slice of cake before her. It was a slow time at the bakery right now. Fourth of July had passed and the next big holiday was still a couple of months away. Thank goodness she had regular customers who came in daily for coffee and a cinnamon roll, a slice of cake or cookies.
Her birthday cake was delicious and once she’d put it into the refrigerator, she headed for her bedroom even though it was relatively early. Bedtime always came early for her because she tried to be in the bakery by five in the mornings.
Once she was in bed, she couldn’t help but think about Sam. He seemed like a nice guy. She guessed he was around thirty years old. Too bad he wasn’t, at the very least, ten years older, although even then he would be far out of her league.
She turned over on her back and stared up at the ceiling where moonlight danced in and created flickering shadows. She wouldn’t mind having a man in her life again. She missed eating dinner with somebody. She missed intriguing conversations and laughter. She missed watching something as simple as a sunrise or a sunset with a special somebody.
She finally fell asleep and into totally inappropriate and delicious dreams of Sam Bravano.
* * *
Sam whistled a cheerful tune as he left Harper’s place. The cake was still a delicious taste in his mouth and the woman who had baked it intrigued him.
Harper was a cute little thing with short, curly dark hair and bright blue eyes. She had captured his attention more than once, whenever he saw her out and about in town, although he knew little about her. All he really knew was she had been divorced years ago and owned the bakery.
It had definitely been kind of pathetic to walk in on her having a birthday party all alone. She’d looked charming even with the silly party hat atop her curls. He had no idea what had possessed him to sing to her. He didn’t normally do things like that but it had just felt like the right thing to do in the moment.
He pulled away from her house and headed home. As he drove down the main drag of the small town of Millsville, Kansas, a sense of enormous pride filled him. He loved this town and he had worked on several of the storefronts, transforming them from old and tired facades to colorful places that breathed of new life.
He wasn’t surprised when he pulled up in his driveway to see his two younger brothers lounging in the two wicker chairs on the front porch. Tony and Michael almost looked like twins despite there being almost two years’ age difference between them.
They both had the Bravano dark hair and brown eyes. Sam had no idea where he’d gotten his green eyes from. His father had joked that the mailman had bright green eyes, but there was no doubt that Sam was his father’s son. He looked just like his father where Tony and Michael favored their mother. The two brothers sat up straighter in the chairs as he pulled into the driveway.
Sam had bought the two-story house a year ago. He’d gotten a good price for it because it had needed a lot of work and the former owners had just wanted out. His idea was to get it back into good shape and either remain in it or flip it, depending on what the housing market was doing when he got it all finished.
Because his two brothers still lived at home with their mother, they often popped in at his house in the evenings to drink a few beers and shoot the breeze.
Tony wasn’t dating anyone in particular at the moment and Michael had an on-again-off-again with his girlfriend named Paula.
“Good evening, boys,” he said as he approached them.
“Hey, Sam,” Tony said and got up from his chair.
“Where have you been?” Michael asked, also rising from the chair.
“Since when do I need to check in with you?” Sam asked good-naturedly as he unlocked his front door.
“Just wondering, that’s all,” Michael replied as he and Tony followed Sam through the front door. Tony beelined directly into the kitchen and reappeared a moment later with three beers in hand.
He tossed one to Michael, who had reseated himself on Sam’s sofa, and then one to Sam, who then eased down in his recliner. “So, what’s new?” Sam asked once they were all seated with their beers cracked open.
“Paula and I broke up again last night,” Michael said mournfully.
“Have you ever considered that maybe she’s not the right one for you?” Sam asked.
“But I’m crazy about her,” Michael lamented.
“You’re a schmuck,” Tony said. “That girl leads you around like a puppy dog. When she snaps her fingers, you jump. You need to get better game, bro.”
