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"I present to you The Chariot Race by Charlie Ballard." Sebastian waved his arm, and the silk drape was whisked away, disappearing somewhere above the mezzanine.
A pin dropping in the fountain's waters could have been heard at the other end of the lobby. Four magnificent stallions strained against their harnesses, racing into the sky. The fountain's waters began to churn and hiss, billowing up like the dirt and dust beneath the animals' charge as they dragged the broken chariot behind them. They were triumphant while their driver had been lost in defeat.
As the sun hit the metal, the splendid animals came to life and Matt could almost hear the roar of their hoof beats. With no driver, the reins blew wild in the wind, and their copper tails flew out behind them like flames. Everything was awash in color, even the mosaic gleaming on the platform of the fallen chariot as it was exposed by the oncoming light. The spectators were utterly in thrall of the sculpture's power as the sun moved over it.
He heard whispered words like genius and brilliant. On the other side of the fountain, Charlie glowed as brightly as the chimera she'd created. Matt was in awe that she could produce such beauty from all its disparate parts--pitchforks and bicycle wheels, tractor seats and pipe fittings. She made sense out of senselessness. And in turn gave power and strength to everyone who gazed at her masterpiece.
The sun revealed new facets like diamonds sparkling in radiant light. His gaze followed its path until he saw a woman beyond the fountain, hidden in the shadows until the sun found her.
Her long blond hair turned a fiery gold as the light hit her, and she was suddenly the only thing Matt could see, young and lithesome, pretty and wholesome, pure and sweet.
It was the girl from the group home, the one who'd played with Noah. Ariana.
Noah had adored her, and she'd been so good with him, endlessly patient, her smile angelic as they played in the dirt. Would she want to be Noah's nanny?
Matt usually had older caregivers for Noah. Young women wanted to date, they could be flighty, or they moved on too soon. But he sure hadn't been batting a thousand with anyone he'd hired so far.
Maybe it was wishful thinking. Maybe it was something extraordinary about this young lady that set her apart from every other woman who'd walked through his front door. Maybe he'd been alone way too long.
Whatever the reason, when Ariana suddenly turned, her gaze met his like a lightning strike. He had no idea what her story was, or if she'd even consider becoming a nanny, but he put down his drink and headed straight for her. Damn good thing a Maverick always knew how to get what he wanted. Because today, Matt knew exactly what--and who--he wanted.
Ariana.
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THE END
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BREATHLESS IN LOVE, the first book in our Maverick Billionaires series about Will Franconi, is out now! FEARLESS IN LOVE (Matt's story) will be released June 15, 2016!
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/> For news on Bella Andre's upcoming books, click https://BellaAndreFans.com/Newsletter to sign up for Bella Andre's New Release Newsletter.
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For news on Jennifer Skully's upcoming books, click https://bit.ly/SkullyNews to sign up for Jennifer Skully's New Release Newsletter.
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Enjoy an excerpt from BREATHLESS IN LOVE, Will's story...
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Will Franconi has a dark past that he's kept a closely guarded secret--very few people have ever heard his real story and he plans to keep it that way. After surviving a hellish childhood, he's now living the dream life where everything he touches turns to gold. But something's missing. He doesn't quite know what, until a simple letter from a teenage boy brings Harper Newman into his life--a woman who just might fill up the empty places inside him...if only he could ever be worthy of her love.
When a man has more money than he could spend in five lifetimes, Harper has to ask herself what Will Franconi could possibly want from a woman like her. She's learned the hard way that rich men always get what they want no matter the cost. If it were only herself she had to worry about, Harper would manage, but she's guardian to her younger brother, who depends on her for everything. After he nearly lost his life in a car crash, she's vowed never to let anyone hurt him ever again.
Still, sometimes Harper can't help but long to change her story from that of the always cautious woman to an adventurous tale of a heroine who's wild and free...especially when Will's kisses and caresses make her utterly breathless. And as he begins to reveal his story to her, she discovers that he's so much more than just another wealthy, privileged man. He's kind and giving, and he fills up all the spaces inside her heart that have been empty for so long. Together, can they rewrite their stories into a happily ever after that neither of them would have believed possible?
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Harper was utterly gorgeous, the sun sparkling in her wind-tossed hair, ecstasy glowing on her face. She didn't shout or cheer--but she did hold up her arms. And she smiled.
The most beautiful smile Will had ever seen.
He wasn't even near freeway speed, yet the shriek of the motor, the rumble of the pipes, and the open sky above them made it seem as if the car were flying at over a hundred miles an hour.
