Their Most Forbidden Fling

MELANIE MILBURNE

Forbidden but not forgotten…As Molly Drummond’s new boss, Lucas Banning poses a challenge – he’s brooding, demanding, and far too good-looking. He’s also a living, breathing reminder of the greatest tragedy in Molly’s life – so what does it mean that her heart skips a beat every time she sees him?Before long these star-crossed lovers are caught up in a whirlwind fling that is as scorching as it is forbidden. But can their passion burn brightly enough to forge a new future…together?

His eyes moved over her face, as if he was committing her features to memory.

The silence throbbed with a backbeat of electric tension. She felt it echoing in her blood and wondered if he could feel it too. His eyes dropped to her mouth, pausing there for an infinitesimal moment.

‘In another life I would’ve kissed you the other night,’ he said in a gravel-rough tone. ‘I probably would’ve taken you to bed as well.’

Molly looked at his mouth. She could see the tiny vertical lines of his lower lip and the slight dryness that she knew would cling to her softer one like sandpaper on silk. ‘Why not in this life?’ she asked softly.

He reached out and brushed her lower lip with the pad of his index finger. His touch was as light as a moth’s wing but it set off a thousand bubbly, tingly sensations beneath her skin.

‘I think you know why not,’ he said, and stepped back from her.

Molly felt as if the floor of her stomach had dropped right out of her as he turned and left the room. She put her hand to her mouth, touching where his finger had so briefly been …

Dear Reader

Every day the news is full of stories of tragic events—bad things happening to good people. I often wonder what happens to those other victims. The ones left behind to cope in whatever way they can with what happened.

That is the essence of Lucas and Molly’s story. Lucas is a man in need of redemption. He has spent seventeen years paying for the accidental death of Matt Drummond, Molly’s older brother and his best mate since childhood. A workaholic who has virtually no private life, Lucas is locked down emotionally and deeply lonely and isolated—although he would never admit that to anyone!

When Molly turns up at his London hospital for a short-term appointment he is determined to keep her at arm’s length. But when Molly’s landlord threatens to evict her after she rescues a stray cat, Lucas steps in and offers to share his big old empty house with her. While Lucas is confident he can remain professional and distant with her at work, living under the same roof as Molly soon stirs up a blistering passion between them!

But the past is a wound that has never quite healed. Lucas is still struggling to come to terms with his role in the accident that took his best friend’s life. How can he be with Molly when he is the person responsible for causing her and her family such heartache?

Lucas and Molly are two of my favourite characters. Yes, I know—I say that about every hero and heroine. Molly is caring and kind, compassionate and giving—the perfect partner for a man who has taught himself not to love.

Their story is one of redemption and the healing power of love. I hope you enjoy following them on their journey to the happy-ever-after they both deserve so much.

Warmest wishes

Melanie Milburne

About the Author

From as soon as MELANIE MILBURNE could pick up a pen she knew she wanted to write. It was when she picked up her first Harlequin Mills & Boon at seventeen that she realised she wanted to write romance. Distracted for a few years by meeting and marrying her own handsome hero, surgeon husband Steve, and having their two boys, plus completing a Masters of Education and becoming a nationally ranked athlete (masters swimming) she decided to write. Five submissions later she sold her first book and is now a multi-published, award-winning USA TODAY bestselling author. In 2008 she won the Australian Readers Association’s most popular category/series romance, and in 2011 she won the prestigious Romance Writers of Australia R*BY award.