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Taking a Chance on Love: The Youngers Book 2 Chapter 1
Thea Younger looked over her shoulder to make sure her boss wasn’t around and opened a new tab on her Internet browser. She’d already gotten in trouble once before for looking at this website, but she just couldn’t help herself.The photos were mesmerizing; they made her mouth water and her heart pound faster. Her body heated with anticipation as she paged through the photos, one after another, already knowing what she’d see but needing to take them in just one more time.Who knew that looking at trees could be such a turn-on?“Whatcha doing?” Nicole, Thea’s fellow administrative assistant at the law office where they both worked, asked. She chuckled when she spotted what Thea was doing. “Are you looking at that cabin again?”Thea sighed happily. “Isn’t it gorgeous? I’ll be there in three days, Nicole. Only. Three. Days.”She paged to the photo that showed the inside of the cabin, which featured an expansive fireplace and high ceilings made entirely of gorgeous oak. Thea had wante
Taking a Chance on Love: The Youngers Book 2 Chapter 2
Thea shivered as she peeled off her sodden jacket, trying to find a light switch inside the darkened cabin. The rain continued to fall, pounding on the roof above. Thea finally gave up on trying to find a light switch and turned on her phone to use as a flashlight. Her bladder was about to explode, and it didn’t care one bit if she couldn’t see to find a bathroom.Luckily there was a bathroom with just a toilet and sink on the first floor. After relieving herself, Thea ventured into the kitchen. She switched on the oven light, which provided enough illumination that she could get a better idea of her surroundings.It was close to midnight. She’d planned on arriving earlier in the evening, but a late start coupled with a rainstorm that had turned the twisty forest roads into mud had slowed her down considerably. She’d almost thought about turning back, but her four-wheel drive SUV and her own stubbornness had forbidden her.Her stomach growled, although fatigue pressed on her more th
Taking a Chance on Love: The Youngers Book 2 Chapter 3
Anthony woke up the following morning to the sound of rain against the cabin roof and an ache in his foot. It took him a moment to remember what had happened last night. Namely, that this Thea person had stolen his phone and had stomped on his foot so hard that when he looked at it in the morning light, there was a nice-sized purple bruise on it.He grumbled, his stomach also grumbling. Thea had locked her door and refused to come out, and Anthony had decided to let her win—this time. Although he was pissed enough to break down her door if he had to.After a quick shower and shave, he ventured downstairs. He smelled something cooking, and when he went into the kitchen, he found Thea singing as she cut fresh fruit. She also wore tiny shorts with the most ridiculously tight tank top, which only increased Anthony’s irritation. Why couldn’t she be anything but an attractive woman with an ass that was totally distracting? He wished she smelled like anchovies and never brushed her teeth.
Taking a Chance on Love: The Youngers Book 2 Chapter 4
“I’ve pulled some strings, and my contact has agreed to drive up and get you in his Jeep,” said Anthony without preamble when she finally came downstairs.When he saw the flare of anger in Thea’s eyes, he ignored it. She was getting out of this cabin whether she liked it or not. He’d throw her over his shoulder, kicking and screaming, if he had to.“Are you serious?” she said. “In this weather? This is crazy. Once the rain stops I’ll drive out of here myself. Besides, I have four-wheel drive. How is a Jeep going to be better?”“We have no idea when the rain will stop. According to the weather, it isn’t supposed to let up for days. Maybe a week. I’m not prepared to wait.”“And what about you?” she countered. “What if you get stranded from the rain?”He shrugged. “I doubt that will happen.”“Since you’re so rich, why not call in your private jet? Or even better, Air Force One? I’m sure you have loads of contacts in D.C.”Each word from her was a barb, but he ignored them all. She
Taking a Chance on Love: The Youngers Book 2 Chapter 5
Anthony sat down at his laptop the next morning, coffee in hand, and opened his email to find that the Society article had been published online. After reading it, however, he was close to tossing his coffee against the wall.The moment Anthony Bertram sits down across from me at the upscale French café he chose for this interview, he’s all business. He drinks the most expensive espresso drink on the menu, and yes, his suits look like they cost more than my annual salary. I’m pretty sure his cufflinks have diamonds in them, in case you’re wondering (I am).“I built this company from the ground up,” he says when I ask him about how he’s dealt with this flood of bad press. “I won’t let anyone stop me.”When he says that, I know he means it. I’m glad I’m not the one he’s set his sights on, because I have a feeling this CEO is not just driven but utterly ruthless to boot.The article continued, characterizing Anthony as a brutal control freak who refused to listen to any kind of critic
Taking a Chance on Love: The Youngers Book 2 Chapter 6
It wasn’t until Saturday, an entire week after Thea and Anthony had arrived, that the rain finally stopped. By that point, the entire cabin was surrounded by mud and puddles that resembled small lakes. Despite the mud, when the sun peeked out from behind the clouds, Thea put on her hiking boots and jacket and headed outside.She and Anthony had avoided each other since their confrontation in her bedroom. They’d barely spoken more than ten words to each other altogether. That was fine with Thea.She just hoped that now that the rain had stopped, she could get out of here. Her resolve to stay had disintegrated in the face of actually having to be around Anthony Bertram. And despite wanting to find some kind of dirt that she could relay to Mittens, she wasn’t exactly going to get results by not speaking to him. Or even getting near him or his things.Thea sighed happily as she felt the sun on her face. Even though mud sucked at her boots with every step, she didn’t care one bit. She co
Taking a Chance on Love: The Youngers Book 2 Chapter 7
Thea took the rabbit into her bedroom and wrapped it in a towel to get it warm. She knew that rabbits could die of shock, and she held her breath, hoping the poor thing wouldn’t collapse from the stress of its adventure. The fact that the rabbit wasn’t even trying to get away said everything. Thea just hoped they hadn’t acted in vain.Anthony knocked on her door. “How’s it doing?” he asked.“It’s alive. Actually, could you find me a box or something to put it in?”Anthony nodded; she heard him go downstairs. She still couldn’t believe he’d helped her rescue the rabbit. Where had the arrogant, selfish billionaire gone? The one without a heart? The one who didn’t care about testing on animals and sure as hell didn’t care about helping other people?Thea couldn’t help but wonder if he had an ulterior motive, but then she dismissed the idea. He had nothing to gain from her. In fact, she had more to gain from him in this situation. But he’d crossed the creek, potentially risking his own
Taking a Chance on Love: The Youngers Book 2 Chapter 8
Thea couldn’t stop trembling. It wasn’t the cold, considering she’d left her room so warm for the rabbit. And it wasn’t even because she wore only a towel.It was because she’d never been kissed like that. No man had ever kissed her like he would consume her very soul. Anthony had kissed her and, in the process, had imprinted himself upon her like a brand.She touched her kiss-bruised lips. It wasn’t like she was some innocent virgin. She’d had boyfriends, although she hadn’t dated much in the last few years, mostly because Fair Haven wasn’t great for dating. She’d lost her virginity in high school to her first boyfriend, and she’d enjoyed sex with different men in her early twenties.But this wasn’t about sex. Not really. Oh, Anthony definitely wanted her—she wasn’t stupid enough to think otherwise. But that kiss—it had obliterated all of her good intentions, all of the warnings she’d given herself about Anthony.He wasn’t a good man. She knew that. She could list every reason why
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Taking a Chance on Love: The Youngers Book 2 About the Author
A coffee addict and cat lover, Iris Morland writes sexy and funny contemporary romances. If she's not reading or writing, she enjoys binging on Netflix shows and cooking something delicious.Stay in touch!irismorland.comIris Morland’s MermaidsNewsletter Facebook Twitter BookBub Goodreads Instagram
Taking a Chance on Love: The Youngers Book 2 Also by Iris Morland
Say You’re MineAll I Ask of YouMake Me YoursHold Me CloseOopsie DaisyHe Loves Me, He Loves Me NotPetal PluckerWar of the RosesincludingThen Came YouTaking a Chance on LoveAll I Want Is YouMy One and OnlyThe Nearness of YouThe Very Thought of YouIf I Can’t Have YouDream a Little Dream of MeSomeone to Watch Over MeTill There Was YouI’ll Be Home for Christmas
Taking a Chance on Love: The Youngers Book 2 Enjoy this exclusive excerpt
Emily drank half of her beer and laughed. “I feel so much better.” She gasped as she turned. “Let’s play darts!”She grabbed Phin’s arm, and Phin followed her over to the wall as she set her drink down on a rickety table and pulled the darts from the board. She giggled when she dropped a dart. It rolled under a table, and Phin got a full view of Emily’s luscious ass as she bent down to grab it.If Emily had been sent here to kill him, she was doing a great job of it.Emily handed him all but one of the darts to hold. “Let’s do best out of five. You ready for this?”She threw the dart, which bounced off the wall—nowhere near the board—and they both watched the dart roll back toward Emily’s feet.“I’m usually good at darts,” she said. She took another dart from Phin’s hand and threw it. This time, the dart caught the very edge of the board before dropping to the ground.This went on for the next three throws, and by the last one, Phin was biting his tongue in half to keep from laug
Taking a Chance on Love: The Youngers Book 2 Epilogue
“Do you think he remembers this is his home?” said Thea as she and Anthony walked down the hill from the cabin to the creek.“He’s a rabbit. I’m not sure he remembers much of anything.”Thea elbowed him, but she smiled, too.It was late summer now, and although most of the trees were still green, Thea noticed a few that had started to change for fall. Anthony had surprised Thea with a getaway to the cabin that had started it all.At the moment, they were taking Sneaky back to where they’d rescued him. He’d made a full recovery with the assistance of the wildlife rescue. Thea had assumed they would release him outside Fair Haven, but Anthony had once again surprised her when he’d somehow negotiated with the rescue to have them release Sneaky to him. She had a feeling he’d made a hefty donation for the privilege. She didn’t mind that in the least.They reached the creek, the damaged bridge having been rebuilt since that spring. Thea found some bushes where Sneaky could hide out. Tak
Taking a Chance on Love: The Youngers Book 2 Chapter 23
Thea wasn’t sure if she was going to die of excitement or nerves. Maybe both. Her stomach roiled a bit, adrenaline pumping through her, and she kept wiping sweat from her forehead. It didn’t help that it was one of the warmest days on record in Seattle, with the temperatures edging toward ninety degrees and few places having air conditioning.But Thea didn’t care about the heat. She only cared about how this art show would go, and if she’d made a huge mistake agreeing to do it.“Hey, it’ll be amazing,” said Mittens as they sat outside the gala in his car. He rubbed her back. “Do you need a Xanax?”Thea laughed shakily. “No, thanks. The last thing I need to do is start blurting out embarrassing things.”She wiped her clammy hands on her pants as she tried to settle her nerves. She couldn’t help but remember the last art show she was in, when Henry Thatcher had told her that her art was drab and lifeless. It was stupid that all these years later, his words could still affect her. If
Taking a Chance on Love: The Youngers Book 2 Chapter 22
Anthony stood at the floor-to-ceiling windows in his penthouse without seeing anything. In just a few hours, he would face his reckoning as the CEO of Bertram, Sons, and Co. He’d make his case, to persuade the board that he still had the right and the ability to run the company.Anthony sipped his coffee. It was so hot that it burned his tongue, but he barely noticed.He barely noticed a lot of things lately.After the story behind his divorce, including his using company money to pay off Elise and Ryan, everything had gone to hell in a handbasket. The media had been pounding down his door, while the board had been in an uproar. Anthony had refused to talk to any of them until everyone had calmed down. He wasn’t going to beg each one to let him keep his position. So, he’d waited, crafting his plan, and banking on the fact that despite this scandal, the majority of the board still liked him.And who would they hire to replace him? They would have a hell of time finding someone as ca
Taking a Chance on Love: The Youngers Book 2 Chapter 21
Thea stared at the pile of folders on her desk and wondered who had decided to leave them there. Because she was one of the administrative assistants, her coworkers tended to think that her desk was everyone’s desk. She would often find files, folders, papers, and all sorts of various office accoutrements that had appeared while she was going to the bathroom or out to lunch. They knew enough not to put them on her desk when she was sitting there, apparently, so they just did it when she was gone and couldn’t object.She sighed as she flipped through the folders. They were client files that needed filing, most likely. Already bored by the thought of having to file all afternoon, she put them in her drawer that she could lock, effectively forgetting them for now.“Hey, Thea, I have some more files for you,” said Jason, one of the newer lawyers Ferguson had hired. Jason was the epitome of the adjective smarmy, with his easy good looks and ability to talk down to anyone who didn’t share
Taking a Chance on Love: The Youngers Book 2 Chapter 20
Thea took one look at Anthony’s face and knew that she was too late. His lip curled, and when she took a step forward into his office, he said in a scathing tone, “Get the fuck out of my office.”“Please, let me explain. You don’t know the full story. It wasn’t me—”“Really? I have proof that you’re lying. But you’ve been lying to me this entire time, haven’t you?”Someone coughed behind Thea. Turning, she saw a young woman who must be Anthony’s assistant.“Should I call security?” the woman asked quietly. She shot Thea a wary glance, like she wasn’t sure Thea wouldn’t attack her.Anthony didn’t answer for a moment, and Thea expected the worst. Finally he said, “You can go, Cara. I’ll take care of this.”Cara shut the door behind Thea, and Thea couldn’t help but feel like she’d entered into a prison. Where had the playful, affectionate Anthony gone? Right now, she barely recognized the man standing in front of her. The mask he wore was in plain sight, and if he’d ever loved her—o
Taking a Chance on Love: The Youngers Book 2 Chapter 19
Anthony was gone when Thea woke in the morning. His side of the bed was already cold, so he must’ve left hours ago. Yawning, she went to take a shower, the hot water clearing the cobwebs from her mind.Her conscience pricked at her. She’d driven down here to tell Anthony the truth, and she’d failed utterly. She’d tried to get Anthony to listen, she told herself. But he hadn’t wanted to talk. Then he’d kissed her and it had all gone downhill from there. It was like the second he touched her, every thought in her brain disappeared.Thea dressed, sick with guilt and frustrated at how weak she was for this man already. Although it terrified her, she texted Anthony, saying, We still need to talk. When do you get home?When he didn’t reply, she hoped it was because he was in a meeting and not ignoring her. She wandered downstairs and got some food from the kitchen. After she’d eaten, Anthony finally replied. Back late. Feel free to stay at my place as long as you want.Well, that was hel
