His Eternal Flame Read online

  His Eternal Flame

  Layla Valentine

  Contents

  Layla Valentine

  His Eternal Flame

  Prologue

  1. Samantha

  2. Samantha

  3. Dustin

  4. Samantha

  5. Samantha

  6. Dustin

  7. Samantha

  8. Dustin

  9. Samantha

  10. Dustin

  11. Samantha

  12. Dustin

  13. Samantha

  14. Dustin

  15. Samantha

  16. Dustin

  17. Samantha

  18. Samantha

  19. Dustin

  20. Samantha

  21. Dustin

  22. Samantha

  23. Dustin

  24. Samantha

  25. Dustin

  26. Samantha

  27. Dustin

  28. Dustin

  29. Samantha

  Epilogue

  Layla Valentine

  STEAL ME

  Introduction

  1. Owen

  2. Emily

  3. Emily

  4. Owen

  5. Emily

  6. Owen

  7. Owen

  8. Owen

  9. Emily

  10. Emily

  11. Emily

  12. Owen

  13. Emily

  14. Owen

  15. Emily

  16. Owen

  17. Emily

  18. Emily

  19. Emily

  20. Owen

  21. Owen

  22. Emily

  23. Emily

  24. Emily

  Ana Sparks & Layla Valentine

  Baby Bet

  Introduction

  Prologue

  1. Sean

  2. Violet

  3. Sean

  4. Violet

  5. Sean

  6. Violet

  7. Violet

  8. Frank

  9. Sean

  10. Violet

  11. Frank

  12. Frank

  13. Violet

  14. Violet

  15. Sean

  16. Violet

  17. Sean

  18. Violet

  19. Sean

  20. Violet

  21. Sean

  22. Violet

  23. Violet

  24. Violet

  25. Sean

  Epilogue

  Layla Valentine & Ana Sparks

  Theirs To Share

  Introduction

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Layla Valentine & Ana Sparks

  Wanna Puck?

  Introduction

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Epilogue

  Ana Sparks & Layla Valentine

  Triplets For The Billionaire

  Introduction

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Epilogue

  His Eternal Flame

  Layla Valentine

  Copyright 2018 by Layla Valentine

  All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilization of this work in whole or in part by any means, now known or hereafter invented, including xerography, photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, is forbidden without the explicit written permission of the author.

  All characters depicted in this fictional work are consenting adults, of at least eighteen years of age. Any resemblance to persons living or deceased, particular businesses, events, or exact locations are entirely coincidental.

  Prologue

  SAMANTHA

  A blind date. Really? I mean, I knew I hadn’t dated much recently, but did I look that desperate? I was only 23. Pretty, I’d been told. There was still plenty of time for me to find a man.

  Besides, I had too much work to do. I was just at the beginning of my career. I didn’t have time to date. That just wasted too much of my energy on games, and I was far too serious to play any of them.

  But my friends Zoe and Maria had been insistent about setting me up, and hadn’t taken no for an answer.

  “He’s hot!” Maria had chimed.

  “So hot,” Zoe had added.

  “And how do you know him?” I’d asked with an eye roll.

  “Oh, I don’t,” Maria had replied breezily. “But he’s a friend of my friend Casey, and she says he’s the hottest guy in her department at G.H. Tech.”

  “So, what’s hot tech guy’s name again?” I’d asked with a sigh.

  Maria and Zoe had turned and given each other a high-five.

  “Told you we’d get her to agree,” Maria had chuckled.

  “It’s James,” Zoe had supplied. “You two are the perfect fit. I just know it.”

  They’d been absolutely tickled I’d agreed, thinking I’d been on my own too much. So what if I was single and had been for a long time? Some people were serial daters or serial monogamists. What if I happened to be a serial single gal?

  In the end, however, I’d agreed, if only to get Maria and Zoe off my back.

  I was a big planner, so a blind date wasn’t really my style. Plus, my idea of ‘hot’ was pretty different from theirs. But here I was, wishing I’d worn lower heels as I trekked downtown to a popular bar. I had zero expectations, but I found myself hoping that the evening wouldn’t be a total waste.

  When I arrived at the venue, Du Monde, I straightened my back and walked inside as confidently as I could. I was a tad early, so I sat down at the bar slightly facing the door. This James guy was supposed to be tall, muscular, and wearing a dark green button-down shirt with jeans.

  I looked down at my own attire—charcoal grey pants, matching bolero jacket, white silk blouse, and red stilettos. Was I too dressy? Well, it was too late to change, so I was stuck.

  Surprisingly, at precisely the appointed hour, he walked in. I did enjoy someone who was on time. As planned, he wore a green button-down shirt which looked great on his tall, muscular frame. Then, he turned to fully face my direction. My heart dropped.

  He was gorgeous.

/>   Suddenly, the night was looking up.

  * * *

  DUSTIN

  I probably should’ve stayed home. But despite the grueling twelve-hour shift I’d just finished, I was still pretty amped up. My station captain said it was because I was young, and that I’d change my mind after another decade of firefighting. But he didn’t really understand how much the work invigorated me.

  For every emergency, every life-saving move, I felt stronger. Every confrontation with danger only served to enhance my need to feel that rush, to feel alive. It was exactly what I’d dreamed of as a kid, and I was glad I had enrolled in the local Philly training program right out of high school, flying through every course and test.

  Now, at 25, I already had years of experience under my belt, though I was still the youngest guy on our force. I was a bit cocky, but I’d settled into the work routine fairly easily. Despite the lack of consistent sleep, my body never felt out of sorts and I remained focused while on shift. Sometimes, even after a tough stint out, my body still buzzed with energy.

  Which is why, after taking a refreshing shower at the station, I decided to head downtown and unwind with a few drinks, maybe pick up a cute girl. Would be a great way to end the day.

  On my way out, I waved to a couple of the guys who were also done for the day.

  “Hey, Jack, Mercer—you guys wanna go grab a beer?”

  Mercer shook his head.

  “You’re a trip, Dustin. Nobody else has your kind of pep.”

  “Oh, come on. I’m not that bad.”

  “Yeah, you are,” Jack piped up. “I get tired just watching you.”

  We all laughed at that, since everyone was a bit worn out at the end of a long shift.

  “All right, but don’t say I never ask to hang out,” I told them.

  “Hey, but the whole station is getting together in a few, right? To celebrate?” Jack asked.

  “Yeah, that’s true. Guess I’m going solo tonight.”

  Mercer snickered. He knew me too well.

  “Right. You have fun with that,” Jack finished.

  I shook my head and waved goodbye before hopping onto a trolley that was heading downtown. I didn’t have much of a plan in mind, so I decided to walk around until a bar caught my eye.

  Half an hour later, I stepped into Du Monde. The place had opened up a few months before, but I’d not yet had a chance to check it out. I figured it was as good a night as any to see what all the buzz was about.

  As I passed my gaze over to the bar, a girl waved at me. Curious, I walked towards her, surprised by her welcoming smile. It was almost as if she’d been expecting me. Had I made a date and forgotten about it? No, I was pretty sure I would’ve at least remembered this one.

  She was pretty, with dark brown hair and hazel eyes that contrasted nicely with her creamy skin. Since she was acting like she knew me and I was always up for meeting pretty girls, I waved and smiled back.

  When I reached the bar, she stood up and held out her hand. Bemused, I accepted it.

  “Hi. I was starting to think you weren’t going to make it.”

  “Oh?” I replied simply, distracted by the unexpectedly lush curves of her body.

  “Well, it’s Friday and I know how it is after a long week at work,” she answered as she sat back down.

  I nodded, thinking back on the past week. Four fires, three rescues, and six home health emergencies. Yeah, it had been pretty busy.

  “So, Maria tells me you’re Casey’s friend. I’ve gotta say, she was right. You’re not the stereotypical tech guy. I’m sure you’re pretty popular at work.”

  I barely kept my mouth from dropping open. Who exactly did she think I was?

  “Uh, thanks,” I said.

  She smiled, but then fell quiet.

  “What was your name again? Uh, Casey told me, but it was a few days ago,” I asked, offering her my best sheepish smile.

  She laughed, and I noticed the dimples crinkling her cheeks. Definitely pretty.

  “Yeah, well, it’s a blind date. You’re forgiven for forgetting. Well, it’s lovely to officially meet you, James. I’m Samantha.”

  Her voice lowered into an almost purr. I chuckled.

  “You remembered, I see,” I replied, going with it.

  “I did.”

  She smiled again, her eyes flirty, and I decided, why the hell not? This was turning out to be kind of fun. I might as well play along.

  * * *

  SAMANTHA

  Boy, he was hot. Sizzling, even. In fact, he might’ve been the hunkiest guy I’d ever met—definitely in our field of work. Surprised and gratified, I made a mental note to text Maria and Zoe with a huge thank-you at the end of the night.

  In addition to his muscles, he had curly black hair and golden brown skin that hinted at hours in the sun.

  “How do you do it?” I asked.

  “Do what?”

  “Oh,” I replied stupidly, remembering he couldn’t read my mind—thank goodness. “I meant, that tan. Even with the breaks at my firm, I barely get any sun, and half the year, I don’t even leave until it’s dark out.”

  “Why don’t we get some drinks and I’ll tell you all about it.”

  He grinned at me, his gaze teasing. I couldn’t help myself. I grinned back and nodded, knowing I probably looked like an idiot.

  “What’ll it be?” he asked me, raising two fingers to the bartender.

  “A Cosmo, please,” I told him.

  He raised an eyebrow at me.

  “What? I like girly drinks.” I shrugged, completely unapologetic.

  “Nothing wrong with that,” he answered. He turned to look at the bartender. “A Cosmo and a pint of your local brew, please.”

  The bartender went off to get our drinks.

  “So, what exactly do you do at G.H. Tech?” I asked.

  He turned and blinked down at me. His lashes were black, long, and thick. Very distracting.

  “Why don’t you first tell me about your job?” he asked, lifting one side of his mouth into a flirty half-smile.

  “Oh, well, I’m mostly focused on small electronics, like smartphones, tablets, interlinked systems.”

  “So…programming?”

  I laughed.

  “No, I mostly stick to the hardware. I leave the coding to the programmers.”

  “Ah, so we’d make a pretty good team, then.”

  “You’re a programmer, I take it?”

  Our drinks arrived. He passed me mine and I took a sip while he tipped his head back and slugged half the glass. No, he definitely wasn’t like the guys at my work.

  “Yeah,” he replied as he put the beer down.

  “Wow. I mean, I like coding, but it’s so…”

  “Intense?” he asked.

  “Right. There are just layers and layers. Most programmers I know are pretty obsessive about it. They never leave themselves much time for, uh, tanning.”

  He flashed his teeth at me, the white gleam a perfect contrast to his skin.

  “I thought you liked that I was different.”

  I blushed. “I do.”

  “You’re cute when you get all red,” he observed.

  To my dismay, I felt my blush deepen.

  “So, tell me, is it all wiring and microchips for you?”

  I giggled at his rather non-technical description of my work.

  “No, not really. Actually, I’m not really a big fan of my job.”

  His eyes widened in surprise.

  “Why do it, then?”

  I found myself shrugging again.

  “I guess I just wanted something reliable.”

  “You like reliable?”

  “I like comfortable. And paying bills and all that makes life a lot less stressful.”

  “So, that’s all there is to it?” he teased.

  “Well, it’s not like I have to be passionate about my work. But I suppose you are?”

  He smiled, a lazy grin that shot right through me and seemed to
warm up my whole body.

  “As a matter of fact, I am.”

  “And why is that?” I was surprised to hear how breathy I sounded.

  He leaned in until his face was only inches away from mine.

  “Let’s just say it’s a good way to give me an adrenaline rush.”

  “Writing code?” I asked, leaning even closer, not paying much attention to what I was saying, distracted by the lines of his face.

  He smiled and leaned back. “Another drink?”

  I blinked and leaned back as well.

  “Yes, thank you.” I knew my face was still flushed.

  He signaled to the bartender for two more before looking back at me.

  “So, Samantha. What do you do for fun, then?”

  “Fun? Uh, I like dancing,” I offered.

  “You don’t strike me as a dancing girl,” he drawled, slowly looking me up and down.

  “Well, it has been a while,” I admitted. “I like going to parks, too, and hang out with my friends, maybe shop once in a while. I’m also a big reader. Book stores are my favorite place to be.”

  I stopped, realizing exactly how non-sexy I sounded. But he kept smiling at me, so I decided to get him talking.

  “What about you?”

  “Oh, I like trying new things. Hiking, biking, foreign foods, swimming—”

  “That explains it,” I blurted. He looked at me, eyebrows raised. “Your tan. You like being outdoors.”

  He scooted closer and winked. Jesus, he was sexy.

  “Oh, there’s plenty I like to do indoors, too. Trust me.”

  “Well, maybe we should…uh, try one…sometime.”

  He leaned down.

  “I’d like that,” he whispered in my ear.

  The shock of his warm breath so close to me sent a jolt of longing straight to my core. It had been a long time since I’d been involved with anyone, and I was starting to see why my friends were worried about me. Who wouldn’t want someone like James in her life?

  And, for once, I found myself not worrying in the slightest if he was interested, because I knew I felt a definite spark building between us. I also found that I really, truly wanted to kiss him.

  “Would you excuse me?” I asked. I definitely needed a breather.

  He leaned back, surprised.

  “I just need to run to the bathroom.”

  “I’ll be here,” he answered.