Temptation, p.1
Temptation, page 1
Temptation
Temptation Series #1
T.K. Leigh
TEMPTATION
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This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental or, if an actual place, are used fictitiously. The publisher does not have any control over and does not assume any responsibility for author or third-party websites or their content.
The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of various products referenced in this work of fiction, which have been used without permission. The use of these trademarks is not sponsored, associated, or endorsed by the trademark owner.
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Published by Carpe Per Diem, Inc
Edited by Kim Young, Kim’s Editing Services
Cover Design: Cat Head Biscuit, Inc., Santa Clarita, CA
Cover assets:
© kiukson
Used under license from iStock.
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Copyright © 2022 Tracy Kellam
All rights reserved.
Temptation
It was supposed to be a typical business trip to Hawaii.
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During the day, I’d promote the new location of my bakery. At night, I’d relax on the lanai while sipping a glass of wine.
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But that all changes when I meet him.
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Sexy. Intriguing. Haunted.
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And easily fifteen years younger than me.
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I should walk away. The last thing I need after turning forty is a midlife crisis in the form of an Australian Adonis.
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But something keeps drawing me back to him.
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So I make a proposition.
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One week. No names. No expectations.
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It’s the perfect plan…
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Until I learn the true identity of my vacation fling.
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They say temptation can be dangerous.
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I didn’t realize it could be so deadly.
Books by T.K. Leigh
CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE
The Dating Games Series
Dating Games
Wicked Games
Mind Games
Dangerous Games
Royal Games
Tangled Games
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The Redemption Series
Commitment (Redemption Duet #1)
Redemption (Redemption Duet #2)
Possession (Possession Duet #1)
Atonement (Possession Duet #2)
ROMANTIC COMEDY
The Book Boyfriend Chronicles
The Other Side of Someday
Writing Mr. Right
ROMANTIC SUSPENSE
The Temptation Series
Temptation
Persuasion
Provocation
Obsession
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The Vault
Inferno: Part 1
Inferno: Part 2
Inferno: Part 3
Inferno: Part 4
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The Beautiful Mess Series
A Beautiful Mess (Beautiful Mess Trilogy #1)
A Tragic Wreck (Beautiful Mess Trilogy #2)
Gorgeous Chaos (Beautiful Mess Trilogy #3)
Chasing the Dragon (Deception Duet #1)
Slaying The Dragon (Deception Duet #2)
Vanished (A Beautiful Mess Novel)
Heart of Light (A Beautiful Mess Novel)
Mature Young Adult
Heart of Marley
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For more information on any of these titles and upcoming releases, please visit T.K.’s website:
www.tkleighauthor.com
For exclusive content and sneak peeks, sign up for my newsletter.
* * *
Sign Up Here.
Contents
A Note from the Author
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
Persuasion
Playlist
Connect with Me
Free Book!
Acknowledgments
About the Author
Dear Reader,
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Thank you so much for picking up a copy of Temptation. Your support means the world to me.
Before you dive in, I just wanted to point out a few things you should be aware of.
First, if you downloaded and read the free preview novella, Attraction, then you can just start at chapter 9 of Temptation, as you’ve already read the first 8 chapters!
Next, and more important, I wanted to take a moment to advise you that this book contains certain content that may be triggering for particularly sensitive readers. While I never glorify or go into detail, certain content will be alluded to throughout this story, including suicide, sexual assault, and murder. Please keep that in mind if you are a particularly sensitive reader who may trigger easily.
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Thank you and I hope you enjoy Temptation!
Chapter One
Lachlan
“This is utter crap, and you know it,” I seethed, jaw tight, fingers digging into my palms as I fought to keep my voice low.
The last thing I needed was to draw any attention to myself, especially after the night I just had. Thankfully, my agent was prepared, as always, with a change of clothes, ball cap, and sunglasses. To everyone else sitting in the diner on the outskirts of Atlanta a little after seven in the morning on a Saturday, I was simply another hungover schmuck who’d hit it too hard last night.
Nothing could have been further from the truth.
“You haven’t exactly left me with much choice here, Lachlan. You’re lucky I was able to persuade them to hold off on filing charges for the time being.”
Brett leaned closer, his dark suit still crisp and clean, despite having spent the past twelve hours running damage control on my behalf.
“You punched three cops. One of whom you pinned to the ground and proceeded to go to town on his face, breaking his nose and jaw. Landed him in the hospital. You should be kissing my feet and thanking me for making the deal I did.”
“It’s a shite deal.” I grabbed the steaming mug in front of me and took a sip of coffee to help calm me down, to no avail. Nothing had been able to since I’d gotten that blasted phone call, informing me my sister had been found unresponsive.
The past twenty-four hours had been a constant battle of wondering how I could have missed the signs, then arguing with the police that she never would have taken her life. For all I knew, she was…happy. It didn’t make sense, especially considering what she’d shared with me during one of our last conversations.
That in and of itself made this a difficult pill to swallow.
The guilt.
The remorse.
The regret.
Was I to blame? Should I have handled her questions differently?
Should I have believed her?
“That may be true,” Brett said, his even tone cutting through my thoughts. “But it’s the best deal you’ll get right now. Hell. I thought I was going to have to suck dick to get them to agree on not filing charges against you. At least not yet. You put a goddamn detective in the hospital.”
“He deserved it.” I glowered at him, giving Brett a knowing look. If anyone would be sympathetic to why that detective’s line of questioning pushed me to the point of violence, it would be Brett.
I’d just been informed my sister was dead, and that prick of a detective had the audacity to bring up a ghost of my past. Of both our pasts. Asking if one had something to do with the other. Reopening wounds that still hadn’t healed properly.
I doubted they ever would.
“I understand you’re known, and arguably loved, for your slight temper on the mound,” Brett continued, “but that’s baseball. A game. This is real life, and as such, throwing punches has serious consequences, especially when you assault law enforcement. Now, the department is willing to make some concessions, considering who you are. For them to do so, you have to agree you won’t do anything to interfere with their investigation.”
“Investigation.” I barked out a laugh. “It’s a sham of an investigation. All they did was learn my sister had been seeing a therapist f or depression before concluding she clearly took her own life.” I mimicked the detective’s pompous voice to the best of my ability and slammed my fist on the table. The sound cut above forks scraping against dishes and the low hum of the morning news on the television I’d tuned out the second we got here. A few patrons glanced my way before returning to their meals.
At this hour, the diner wasn’t busy. There were a few college-aged kids who’d obviously been out all night, and this was their last stop before stumbling to their apartments and collapsing into bed to sleep it off the rest of the day. Other than that, a handful of men sat at the counter, their dirty jeans and work boots giving the impression they most likely worked construction.
Then you had Brett and me… I wasn’t sure what impression we gave, but if anyone recognized me, they didn’t let on, allowing us to conduct our discussion in private.
“I know my sister.” I leaned closer, eyes on fire. “She would never take her own life.”
“I thought the same about Anthony Bourdain. Robin Williams. You never know what demons someone’s battling while making everyone else think everything’s okay.”
“I know exactly what demons Claire’s battling.” I swallowed hard, then corrected, “What demons Claire battled.”
With every syllable I spoke, my irritation only grew. Brett’s words came from a place of concern, not wanting me to go down a road that may never lead to the answers I hoped to find. But Claire and I had a bond. We were as close as two siblings could be. She always told me when she felt low. When she struggled. When she was happy.
And lately, Claire had been happy. At least until our argument two months ago.
It was the last time I saw her.
And now I had to live with the fact that my last words to her weren’t those of love, but anger.
Then there was the strange voicemail she’d left on the night she died. Broken words interspersed with static, the connection too shitty to make much sense of it.
“She wouldn’t do this,” I added, voice wavering. “I can feel it in my gut, but the police refuse to so much as lift a finger to find out what really happened.”
“Listen…” Brett folded his hands on the chipped tabletop. “I can’t even begin to imagine what you’re going through. And I’m sure it must be harder to come to terms with because of…” He paused, searching for the right words. But there weren’t any. Not for this. “Well, because of everything. Management has agreed to a ten-game bereavement leave. That’ll give them time to decide how they’re going to handle this.”
I blinked, his statement catching me off guard. “Handle what?”
“Really, Lachlan? You assaulted three law enforcement officers, one to the point he required hospitalization,” he reminded me yet again. “You broke his nose and jaw.”
I glanced down at my fist. It was still red and swollen, even more than twelve hours later. Even if I wanted to get back to work, I wouldn’t be able to pitch right now. Not like I normally could.
“Someone had to stand up for Claire. It was obvious those buffoons weren’t going to.”
Brett closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose, his frustration evident. He took a deep breath and returned his gaze to mine. I noticed a few strands of gray in his otherwise perfectly groomed dark hair. With his crisp suit and perpetually clean-shaven face, his presence always exuded professionalism. It was a complete contradiction to my appearance — t-shirt and jeans, unshaven jawline, disheveled brown hair that could use a good haircut. I had no doubt anyone who walked by assumed he was my attorney and I’d just been bailed out of jail.
It wasn’t too far from the truth.
“As your agent, I have a duty to advise you about the best course of action. And right now, that is for you to stay out of the news.”
“And as my friend?”
He blinked. “Excuse me?”
“What would you advise me to do as my friend?”
Brett may have initially approached with an offer to represent me because he saw dollar signs. But over the past four years, he’d become more than someone with whom I discussed business. He’d become a friend, giving me advice I’d rarely gotten from anyone else.
He briefly dropped his professional demeanor. “As your friend, I’d tell you the best thing to do is to go home. Be with family. Your real family. Honor Claire’s life and memory the way she would have wanted.”
I squeezed my eyes shut, blowing out a long breath. It had been years since I’d felt like I had a home. Not since the night that changed everything. The night I watched all my hopes and dreams disappear with the flash from the gun barrel. I’d avoided returning there for a reason, not wanting to be surrounded by the memories.
Now it looked like I had no choice.
Chapter Two
Julia
Ever since I was a little girl, I’d been drawn to the ocean.
Maybe because I’d always felt a sense of freedom whenever I was near the water.
Maybe because it reminded me how vast this universe truly was.
Or maybe because of the mysterious power hidden within the sea’s depths. There was beauty in the ocean’s majesty.
But also danger.
A fact I was abruptly reminded of, thanks to the sharp pain shooting up my leg as I strolled along the Hawaiian shoreline around sunrise, the crashing waves the only sound. At least until my cry pierced the serenity. As an intense, burning sensation worked its way from my foot and up my calf, I fell to the sand, dropping my coffee mug.
When I looked down to pinpoint what could cause so much agony, I winced at the sight of a dozen or so jellyfish tentacles wrapped tightly around my foot and lower leg.
This was not how I imagined my first morning in Hawaii.
Considering my internal clock was still on Atlanta time, I’d woken up before the sun and decided to start the last day of my thirties with a walk along the beach.
Seemed innocent enough.
Until I took off my flip-flops to wade into the shallow water.
Something about the ocean had called to me this morning.
Or maybe it was the handful of attractive surfers who trickled toward the beach as night gradually gave way to day.
I may have been mere hours away from turning forty. That didn’t mean I couldn’t appreciate the chiseled physique of a twenty-something-year-old surfer, the wetsuit perfectly molded to each ridge and valley of his sculpted abs and broad shoulders. It truly was a sight to behold. The rising sun casting a haunting glow over the dark ocean. Dolphins jumping in the distance. An incredibly fit man flexing his impressive leg muscles as he rode a wave toward shore.
Unfortunately, that beautiful sight was precisely what had distracted me from spotting the jellyfish currently attached to my skin.
If that wasn’t karma telling me I shouldn’t be checking out someone who was practically half my age, I didn’t know what was.
Desperate for the pain to stop, I tentatively reached for it, unsure of the best way to go about extracting myself from the web of tentacles. It wasn’t exactly something I had much experience with. It wasn’t something I had any experience with. How hard could it be, though? All I had to do was rip the damn thing off me, right?
