Bound to Happen

Bound to Happen
Alison Kent

A relaxing vacation with the winner of the gIRL-gEAR.com scavenger hunt becomes downright sticky for CEO Sydney Ford when Ray Coffey–her one-time lover–claims the prize! Now she and her fellow gIRL gEAR partners are stuck together with Ray and his friends in this exotic locale for an entire week.For Sydney, the memory of her one steamy night with Ray is distracting her from running her business. He couldn't have been all that, could he? Well, only one way to find out!For Ray, being marooned with Sydney is sheer torture–from seeing her gorgeous body on the beach in her bikini, and out of it in his dreams! He can't understand how that one night–albeit one incredible night–has lingered for so long in his mind. It was only sex, right? One more night with Sydney should be a reality check. But Ray's beginning to worry that once simply won't be enough….

“Since none of us are sleeping together—yet—let’s have a drink and talk about sex.”

Poe cast a wicked look around the table. Sydney could feel the sexual tension hum amongst the group, but particularly between herself and Ray. And so she wasn’t surprised when Poe grinned and said, “Truth or Dare.”

Sydney leveled her gaze at Ray. “I’m game.” From what she could see smoldering in Ray’s eyes as they met hers, he understood her double meaning and was game, as well. For more than Truth or Dare.

Lauren downed a shot of whiskey. “Fine. I’m in, too.”

“All right,” Doug said, clapping his hands together. He high-fived Jess and Anton while Kinsey toasted the other women.

“Then sex it is.” Poe paused for effect. “Sydney. Truth or Dare? I’m curious to know if you orgasmed the first time you had sex.”

Heat began to spread down Sydney’s body at the memory of that long, hot night with Ray so many years ago. This was exactly what she needed to work out of her system—the unbelievable sex they’d had. The kind of sex she was sure they’d have again before they left this island….

Dear Reader,

Writing romance is a dream come true, a fantasy, if you will. Imagine living vicariously through fictional characters—dream jobs…dream vacations…dream lovers. It’s all there.

My gIRL-gEAR series for Harlequin Blaze has also been a dream to write. I have lived with these characters for months, their likenesses hanging on a bulletin board in my bedroom office. They have inhabited every aspect of my life, including a year’s worth of lunch hours. It’s going to be hard to say goodbye. The pictures will be coming down, much to my husband’s relief…but only until the next story’s characters go up to replace them. (Sorry, sweetie!)

And drop me a line at alison@alisonkent.com if the girls of gIRL-gEAR have made their way into your heart—the way best friends should do!

Best,

Alison Kent

P.S. Please stop by www.girl-gear.com and visit. Yes, it really does exist!

Bound to Happen

Alison Kent

www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)

(Alphabetically—because it’s only fair!)

To Vicia Collins, Jennifer Harbour, Annette John,

Carolyn Taflinger. Thanks to your friendship,

I’ve survived the last 13 years….

But PLEASE don’t make me stay for 13 more!

There are so many things I could say, but I’ll only say one.

“I like your hair!”

Contents

Prologue

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Prologue

The gIRLS behind gIRL-gEAR

by Samantha Venus for Urban Attitude Magazine

Here we are once again, dear reader, checking in on our gIRLS. (Excuse me, our women.) It seems your intrepid reporter is inches away from the bottom of what is going on with Lauren Hollister and that sexy Anton Neville. Could it be we are about to learn that love at first sight is a tad overrated?

And speaking of firsts, my sources tell me that gIRL-gEAR’s CEO, Sydney Ford, has spent her summer vacation with the object of her very first schoolgirl crush. (Who’s walking whose plank, anyway?) And isn’t that a romantic blast from the past!

Yes, friends, it would have been just that, had their vacation cruise not turned into a vacation disaster. (Though we here at Urban Attitude do not gET how anyone can call a week on a tropical island with a veritable menu of beefcake disastrous.) Oh, did we neglect to mention they sailed away on the Indiscreet?

Inside this issue you will find the complete scoopage on both Ms. Ford’s and Ms. Hollister’s tropical trysts and treats, as well as tips for the ultimate in nude sunbathing! See an exclusive excerpt available online at www.girlgear.com.

1

IN A PERFECT WORLD, thought Sydney Ford, she would plan the most magnificent summer vacation.

She would make her own travel arrangements. She loved the idea of seeing the country by train. She would book her own accommodations. She liked to be pampered, unapologetically so. She would choose her own traveling companion. She longed to share a relaxing week with one of her very best friends.