By
USA Today Bestselling Author
Carly Phillips

Winter Capwell knows all about billionaire Harrison Dare’s bad-boy reputation.

His all-pleasure, no-commitment rule worked well for her, too. Until fate changed everything.

Harrison never wanted a wife or kids. His incredibly large family provides all the siblings and children he needs. Besides, no woman has ever tempted him to give up his bachelor lifestyle.

Until the mysterious and sexy Winter entered his life.

But when someone comes after the woman he loves, he will stop at nothing to protect her and make her his. For good.

This book opens with the startling revelation that Winter is Derek and Nikki Bettencourt’s half-sister. As expected, Collette Bettencourt goes ballistic given the way she’s treated Nikki. She also tries to attack Winter, but Derek prevents it. Corbin reacted quite the opposite and in response, moves out and files for divorce. Mind you this is only half of what’s going on in this book.

Harrison Dare hadn’t been looking for a relationship when he and Winter hooked up while doing the in-depth interviews for K Talent Productions. He couldn’t stop thinking about her though, and they got together again at Nikki and Asher’s engagement party. He knew then something was on her mind, but she was already gone the next morning and they hadn’t talked.

Winter’s revelations and Corbin’s actions triggered another scandal for the Bettencourt family. Fortunately, Nikki, Derek and Asher have all been there for her.

Harrison is looking forward to seeing Winter at this charity ball benefiting Future Fast Track for foster children. It’s a costume ball and he definitely pushed it with a tuxedo and claiming to be James Bond. His look however is nothing compared to Winter’s Audrey Hepburn from Breakfast at Tiffany’s, she truly took his breath away.

Unfortunately, she’s light-headed and feeling nauseous so Nikki leaves with her. It’s Nikki who makes Winter consider another reason for her illness. It seems before the engagement party Winter had been on antibiotics for a strep infection, she didn’t even think of the possibility her birth control could be compromised. Now those results are in and Harrison definitely messed up with his response as his brothers let him know.

Of course, his ex Sharon has to go and mess things up more when Winter calls as he’s finishing up auditions in LA. So instead of her asking him to be at her doctor’s appointment she has Nikki accompany her. Harrison finds out and hopes to catch her there, not thinking of the possible consequences of his actions.

This is a favorite scene.

Harrison called, texted, FaceTimed, and showed up at Winter’s apartment building. She hadn’t answered the phone, her read texts option was off, so he had no idea if she’d seen his message, but he’d bet she was ignoring him. And the doorman told him she wasn’t home. He called Nikki, but she didn’t answer either. Frustration rode him because he needed to sit down with her and discuss his involvement in both her pregnancy and their child’s life.

When the direct route to Winter failed, he called his brother and somehow convinced Asher to tell him where to find the women. They were at Winter’s first obstetrician appointment, and Harrison muttered a curse.

He had no doubt that was why she’d called him. To extend an olive branch and invite him to join her. Then she’d gotten a glimpse of his lipstick-stained face and decided he wasn’t serious enough to be all in when it came to their baby.

Persuading Asher to give him the doctor’s address hadn’t been easy. Asher had insisted that if Winter wanted him to know, she would have told him. And Nikki would throttle him if he got in the middle of their issues.

Harrison tried reminding Asher that they were brothers, Asher had informed him fiancée trumped brother.

“Would you want to miss your baby’s first doctor’s appointment?” he’d asked.

Asher had texted him the address.

Harrison walked into the office off Park Avenue. All sets of eyes turned his way, and most widened the moment they recognized him.

Shit.

A quick glance told him Winter wasn’t in the waiting room, which meant she’d probably been called into the back. He was lucky enough that when he’d spoken to Asher, he hadn’t been late for the appointment.

Harrison stepped up to the front desk where an older woman was on the phone, and he waited anxiously for her to notice him. When she finally glanced up, her lips parted in a surprised O. “You’re… You’re… Harrison Dare! Oh my God.”

He leaned in on one elbow, giving her his full attention.

“Can I help you?” she finally remembered to ask.

“I’m here to see Winter Capwell. I was supposed to bring her today, but I was running late, so she came with her sister. Think you can let me in to surprise her?”

She furrowed her eyebrows together. “Oh, I don’t know. It’s against protocol. Let me go back and ask her.”

That wouldn’t work. Winter would probably have him thrown out. “This really needs to be a surprise.” He treated the receptionist to his patented, big-wattage grin and turned on the charm. “Can you please help a guy out?” he asked with a wink.

She leaned in. “Will you give me your autograph?” She blushed as she asked.

“Sure thing.” One signature later on an envelope, the nearest white paper she could find, and she led him to a room with a closed door and left him there.

Two nurses walked past. Both stared. A patient exited a room, noticed him and did a double take. So much for slipping in unnoticed.

Drawing a deep breath, he knocked on Winter’s exam room door. A female doctor opened the door, and her gaze met his. After the requisite eyebrow-raising, she pulled herself together. “And who are you, besides Hollywood’s Hottest Playboy?” she asked.

His face heated as it usually did when that stupid moniker came up.

“He’s the baby’s father,” he heard Winter speak, followed by a heavy sigh. “You can let him in,” she said, and the nervous knot in his stomach eased.

“Well, I was just leaving so Ms. Capwell can get dressed and meet me in my office where we can talk some more.”

“You’re finished with the exam?” he asked.

She nodded. “With the basics. Congratulations.” She stepped into the hall and let him walk past her and into the small exam room.

Winter sat on the table wrapped in a blue gown with a paper sheet covering her to her waist. Beside her stood Nikki, looking at him with a huge grin on her face. His baby’s mother didn’t look nearly as happy to see him.

“Ladies,” he greeted them with a smile.

“I think that’s my cue to leave!” Nikki gathered her bag and jacket she’d hung on a hook behind the door and walked over to her sister.

She wrapped her arms around Winter and whispered something in her ear, then stepped past him, squeezing his hand in silent support as she left, pulling the door shut behind her.

Harrison glanced around the room, taking in the medical instruments and stirrups on either side of the table, grateful for his timing. He’d missed the exam, and he had a feeling it was for the best this time.

He cleared his throat and met Winter’s glassy green eyes. With her makeup-free face and her arms wrapped around herself, holding her gown shut— and probably herself together— she looked more fragile than he’d ever seen her.

“This is why you called me, right? You wanted to tell me you’d made an appointment?”

She nodded. “I was going to ask if you wanted to come along, but… you were busy.”

He inclined his head. “Watching auditions.” And the rest they would discuss another time. Right now, he needed to be succinct. “I’m here now, and this is how things are going to be. You. Me. Co-parenting this baby.”

She visibly swallowed hard. “I can’t— we can’t— be an obligation.”

There was obviously a lot of emotional baggage behind that word, and he’d need to unpack it if they were going to make this work. They had time to do that, but for now, they needed to be in agreement.

“Winter, I don’t want to do this the hard way or take extreme measures to be a part of my baby’s life. I want to make this work with you. Will you let me?”

Her lower lip trembled as she obviously thought about his words. “I want my baby to have what I never did. If you want to be a steady presence, if you aren’t going to be someone who pops in and out of my child’s life, then okay. We can do this. Together.”

Relief washed over him, and he nodded. A part of him wanted to pull her into his arms and promise her everything would be okay, but she was stiff and didn’t seem as if she’d be receptive to his comfort. Not when he was the one pushing her.

“How about we go for lunch after the appointment and talk? I have some things I want to explain to you. Things that I hope will make me easier for you to understand.” Instead of a hug, he took her cold hand in his. “Are you free?”

After a brief hesitation, she nodded. “I am.”

“Good. I’ll step out so you can get dressed. We’ll talk to the doctor and then you can pick your favorite food or restaurant.”

“I want mac and cheese.”

He couldn’t help but grin. “You got it.”

Then he needed to set her straight about what had happened in LA.
Carly Phillips. Just-One-Fling-Carly-Phillips (Kindle Locations 715-769). Kindle Edition.

A swarm of paparazzi is avoided when Zach sees her before she gets close to her apartment after walking her dog. Now she has to figure out how to handle everything and Harrison, well he has to fix what he’s broken.

This book has so much emotion, from laughter and tears to romance and sizzle. There’s also a bit of drama and action to round it all out.

I can’t wait to see what Carly has in store for us next.

5 Contented Purrs for Carly!

Carly Phillips

Carly Phillips is the N.Y. Times and USA Today Bestselling Author of over 50 sexy contemporary romance novels featuring hot men, strong women and the emotionally compelling stories her readers have come to expect and love.

Carly’s career spans over a decade and a half with various New York publishing houses, and she is now an Indie author who runs her own business and loves every exciting minute of her publishing journey. Carly is happily married to her college sweetheart, the mother of two nearly adult daughters and three crazy dogs (two wheaten terriers and one mutant Havanese) who star on her Facebook Fan Page and website. Carly loves social media and is always around to interact with her readers.