Relentless Pursuit

Relentless Pursuit
Sara Orwig

“I’ll be forever grateful to the school principal who gave me your name,” Will told her.

He stood close, his hands on her arms. At the moment she was no longer thinking of him as Caroline’s uncle, with a problem that needed her help. Instead, she could only see the handsome, sexy man who was inches away. She wanted to wrap her arms around him to kiss him. Her desire shocked her.

“I think you’re bringing me back into the world and I’m not certain I’m ready,” she whispered.

“You’re ready,” he said in a husky voice.

The moment she felt his lips, she closed her eyes. Her heart thudded. She had not been kissed by a man in six long years. His mouth settled possessively on hers, hard, demanding, no longer light and tentative.

“Will,” she said, trying to get some firmness into her breathless voice. “You need to go.”

Desire blazed in his dark eyes, making her racing heart pound faster. He wrapped his fingers in her hair. He wasn’t going anywhere.

Dear Reader,

This story focuses on families—a theme that runs through many of my books because families are fascinating to me. Families are wonderful, unique, diverse, sometimes dysfunctional, but always interesting. Relentless Pursuit deals with different facets of love—that of an uncle devoted to his preschool niece whose scarred psyche developed after losing her single parent. The story also celebrates the love of a man and woman meeting, their excitement when falling in love and then their coping with seemingly insurmountable obstacles. Handsome Texas billionaire Will Delaney is too accustomed to getting his way to give up on what he wants.

Even though sandy-haired Ava Barton finds Will irresistible, she struggles to keep her distance because Will can derail all her dreams and well-laid plans for her future. For the first time in his life, Will has met his match in the beautiful educator. Also, the patriarch of the Delaney family, Argus Delaney, has recently passed away and the reading of his will brings new shocks to the Delaney family and changes lives with the legacies he bequeathed.

The story is set against a favorite backdrop—Texas. Larger-than-life in many aspects, the Texas romance plays out in Dallas and Austin settings.

The endless aspects in a relationship, its give-and-take as two people come to the realization they have found true love and struggle to overcome obstacles to a blossoming love, is what this story celebrates.

Thank you for selecting this book.

With best wishes,

Sara Orwig

About the Author

SARA ORWIG lives in Oklahoma. She has a patient husband who will take her on research trips anywhere from big cities to old forts. She is an avid collector of Western history books. With a master’s degree in English, Sara has written historical romance, mainstream fiction and contemporary romance. Books are beloved treasures that take Sara to magical worlds, and she loves both reading and writing them.

Relentless Pursuit

Sara Orwig

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

With thanks to Stacy Boyd and Maureen Walters.

With love to my family.

One

William Delaney gazed into thickly lashed big brown eyes. While he loved his five-year-old niece with all his heart, this was the first time in his life he had had a problem with a female. Ever. From his earliest memories until now they always had given him smiles and laughter. He loved females and they loved him. Caroline’s solemn gaze broke his heart.

He knelt to be level with the girl. Would he ever get accustomed to taking care of her? The responsibility weighed heavily and he was at a total loss—another first in his life.

“Here is a little present for you, Caroline. Just because you’re a sweet girl.” William watched her tiny hands tug free pink silk ribbon and silver paper to reveal a book.

She hugged the book, focusing on him. “Thank you,” she whispered.

His heart skipped a beat with her simple thanks because he didn’t always get that much response from her. “If you like it, I’ll read it to you tonight. For now, after you have lunch, Miss Rosalyn will read your new book to you.”

Caroline opened the book.

“I’ve got to go,” William said, lightly embracing his niece, thinking as he always did how frail she seemed. “As soon as I get home tonight, I’ll come see you,” he added, releasing her. His heart thumped when big brown eyes stared at him. “Miss Rosalyn has your breakfast ready.”

The nanny smiled at the girl and took her hand. “We have oatmeal plus one of your favorites—strawberries,” she said brightly.

As Will left, he hoped Caroline would eat something. Too many times in the year since he’d become her guardian, she would take only a few bites and then sit politely while he finished.

He drove his black sports car through the gated area in Dallas where he lived and headed for his private jet.

At half past eleven, he walked through the doors of an Austin restaurant where he was meeting a teacher. She had been recommended as a superb educator and one who could suggest excellent tutors for Caroline.

One more effort to find help for his niece. Since his brother’s death in a plane crash the previous summer, Will had spent the past school year talking to Caroline’s prekindergarten teacher, her tutors, her counselors, the child psychiatrists and the pediatricians. None had helped bring Caroline out of the shell she had retreated into with the loss of her parent. The death of her dad, plus her mother walking out of the marriage when Caroline was a baby, had been too much.

Will had never met Ava Barton. All he knew, aside from her great reputation, was that she was widowed. He had formed an image in his mind of someone who resembled one of his own elementary school teachers. When he entered the waiting area, he expected to see spectacles, graying hair and a smiling face.

The lobby was already becoming crowded. As he looked around, his attention was caught by a gorgeous sandy-haired blonde who met his gaze. Distracted, he momentarily forgot the teacher while he glanced swiftly from straight, silky hair that cascaded below her shoulders down to a tiny waist. Her short tan skirt revealed her knees, long legs and dainty feet in high heels.

His gaze traveled back to lock on her wide eyes, so green he could only stare and forget the purpose of his appointment.

Seemingly as captured in the moment as he was, she stared back at him. While seconds ticked past, her eyes widened a fraction. When she walked toward him, images of any teachers he had ever had vanished. The realization that he might actually be facing Ava Barton shook him. He should have a professional relationship with a teacher, but the relationship he wanted with the woman walking toward him was strictly that of a man attracted to a gorgeous woman. The tension that rocked him made him want to know her better, and his desire had nothing to do with her job.

He regained his wits. “Ava Barton?”

“Yes,” she replied, offering her hand.

Her dazzling smile heated his insides. Her hand was warm, delicate, soft. He regretted having to let go the sizzling contact.

Fighting to keep his focus on her face and not yield to the temptation to look her over again from head to toe, he released her hand. “I’m William Delaney, Caroline’s uncle and guardian,” he explained. His secretary had arranged this appointment, and now he regretted not giving more time and attention to Ava Barton’s background beyond teaching.

“I’ll get the maître d’.”

Within minutes they were seated in a quiet area near a splashing fountain.

“You’re not what I expected,” he admitted as soon as they were alone. She had a smattering of freckles across her nose, but otherwise her skin was smooth, pale with rosy cheeks. Her lips were full, enticing and as he focused on her mouth, he wondered what it would be like to kiss her. Another unprofessional curiosity. He was going to have to make a choice in dealing with her: keep it strictly business, or do what he wanted and get to know her as a woman. When he looked into her big green eyes, the decision seemed clear to follow his heart. He shrugged away a swift surge of guilt because he usually could follow a professional course with ease. But when he looked at her, he knew there was no way he could stay businesslike.

“Teachers come in all sizes and shapes,” she said. “You’re what I expected, but then I’ve seen your pictures in the newspapers and Texas magazines.”

“You don’t look like any teachers I ever had. I might have been more enthused about school if I’d had you for a teacher.”

“I doubt it,” she said, giving him another dazzling smile.