Heaven Inside You
Authors: Mina Snowe
Mina Snowe.
All Rights Reserved
Worldwide.
Kindle Edition
Publisher’s Note
: This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
Book cover design by Ramona Lockwood, romancenovelcenter.com
Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise), without the prior written permission of the copyright owner. This book cannot be resold as a used file, and that purchase and download is a one-time final use of this product.
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Olivia Marsden has enjoyed
a fulfilling job with a top NYC publishing company, until the sacrifice of talent for the "bottom line" starts to take a toll on her. All she has to look forward to is the daily grind and a lonely evening at home with takeout—until one day, three weeks before her self-centered sister Fiona’s big wedding, she receives a strange phone call from the subject of her darkest, most secret fantasies...
Cole Evans is a high powered corporate lawyer with way too much on his plate. Six months
prior to his brother’s tying the knot, he spots the full-figured Olivia Marsden at the engagement party, and from then on, his mind is trained on one thing—possessing the lush temptress who haunts his dreams at night and stokes the flames of his deepest desires.
All it would take i
s a good plan, an unusual proposal, and a touch of trickery to pull off this game of sizzling seduction…
And i
n this game, there could be only one winner...their fierce passion for each other.
Praise for this book:
“Be prepared for some graphic language, hot sex scenes and the need for ice water. This was very well written and gracefully fluid.”
—Romance Junkies, Blue Ribbon Recommended Read
“To say that the scenes were super-hot and erotic might be an understatement. If you are looking for a quick hot love story then [this] is just the one for you.”
—Joyfully Reviewed
“Together Cole and Olivia were scorching hot. … The ending was perfect. … This is an author that I am sure is going to make people sit up and take notice.”
—Long and Short Reviews
“The scenes sizzled. This was a great book…”
—Fallen Angels Reviews
To women of all shapes and sizes, everywhere
.
This book is a slightly revised version of a previously published book under a different pseudonym and publisher—then titled “Mile High to Heaven”.
Any other versions of this book, under this or the old title, are illegal and offered for sale without the author’s consent. Please do not purchase them. Your cooperation and support are appreciated.
“No, no, no! No way in hell, girl! And that thing you call a tiara
has
to go. I’m supposed to look like a princess at my wedding, not the Queen of the carnival floats!” Olivia Marsden’s sister, Fiona, snapped in her native Southern twang. It always sounded more pronounced when she was upset.
Olivia sighed—a loud, pained sigh.
The stylist’s face turned an unflattering blotchy purple, and her naturally bulging eyes looked like they were about to pop out any second.
“And show me those other styles you mentioned last week, will you? I don’t have all damn day. Get a move on, honey!”
The poor girl’s demeanor graduated from scared to terrified. Her hands shook as she removed the zillions of pins from Fiona’s silky dark blonde hair.
Fiona huffed and set her pretty red lips in a pout.
Olivia thought it was time to make an intervention. She knew that look, and she was in no mood to face one of her sister’s legendary tantrums.
“Just be patient, Fi. You’ve only been here a little over an hour. I’m sure Lee will come up with something spectacular. Mrs. Montgomery did tell you she’s the best hair stylist they have at the moment.” Fiona tsked. “And she was accommodating enough to come to your home, after all,” Olivia finished, undeterred.
She shot Lee an apologetic glance, while Fiona flicked a perfectly manicured hand in a gesture of dignified irritation.
“About time. I’m not paying her boss all this money so she can send over girls who can’t make me look better than a cheap ass whore!”
Olivia bit her tongue and failed to comment that Fiona wasn’t paying any money at all. Chad—her ever generous fiancé—was financing the whole wedding, from the magnificent Spanish villa he’d rented for the ceremony and reception to the tiny flowers in the bridesmaids’ hair to the exclusive honeymoon in the Seychelles. He catered to all her whims. Perhaps he’d seen a glimpse of her temper and figured he’d rather be abducted by aliens and submit to extreme torture than be the recipient of her sharp tongued diatribes.
This little scene somewhat reminded
Olivia of what her best friend Lisa had said a few months back after she—with genuine, albeit completely misguided, intentions—offered to change her baby Annabelle’s diaper, which of course resulted in the obvious dramatic effects: “It’s pretty hard to believe that such vile odors could come out of something so dainty and adorable, isn’t it?”
Ditto.
Fiona was usually cool and composed, but when she had her moments…well, nobody wanted to be around her when she did have those moments. Which was probably why people were always trying to make her happy, to give her all she asked for and present it to her on a silver platter. Better to be safe than sorry. Fiona was a spoiled brat with a flair for drama. Annabelle, with all her baby drama, couldn’t hold a candle to her.
“I do love the dress, of course. That was after they had resolved the annoying issue with the beading. I had told them I would only consider Swarovski crystals and couldn’t believe they had the nerve to show me that tawdry combination with the little seed pearls and the ruffle on the sleeve. I had specifically told them to use Spanish lace and crystals. I
—”
“Well, that’s all been fixed, so there’s no need to dwell on it any longer.”
“Liv, I tell you. Thank GOD you’re not the one getting married. There were moments I thought I was positively going to have a nervous breakdown! Sometimes I wish I could do away with men altogether, even my dearest Chad. You’re so lucky you don’t have that problem, you’ll never know.”
Olivia flinched inwardly. Fiona was like that. And she wouldn’t even be aware how much her hurtful words stung.
In the mirror, she caught the image of Lee blushing furiously while she continued working with Fiona’s hair.
“You’ve always been the pretty one, Fi. I suppose you just have to live with it,” she rasped, certain that Fiona wouldn’t catch the sarcasm in her voice.
“Don’t I know it, dear.”
Fiona looked up at the mirror and gave a small startled sound at seeing Lee’s latest creation.
“Well now, that’s more like it.”
Olivia gave silent thanks.
“You look beautiful, Fi. Nobody will be able to take their eyes off you.”
Fiona nodded in agreement but made no comment. She was used to the constant attention and took it for granted. She’d be the star of the show—that was how it always was and how it always would be. Her wedding was no different. She’d sparkle even more, naturally.
“So…your bridesmaid’s dress seems to be all done, too, Liv. That shade of green’s quite flattering on you. I’m happy that the cut makes you look a little slimmer. It wouldn’t do if it didn’t, you know. Not at my wedding. I’ll let you go and pack now. And lay off the chocolate cake, will you? What time is your flight to New York?”
“In four hours,” Olivia replied with a resigned tone, summoning the gods of eternal patience.
“Okay then. I shall see you right before the wedding in four weeks. Don’t be late. You must help me with the dress and dealing with those fools at the catering company. I pray they won’t misplace the
foie gras
this time. I’ll never forget Margerie Heimann’s expression when she found out. And at her daughter’s coming out dinner party, no less! How embarrassing!”
Fiona
was too engrossed in her own reflection in the mirror to notice her sister rolling her eyes.
“Sure, sis. I’ll be seeing you soon.”
Olivia hugged her briefly, threw a bright smile at Lee, drew an inner sigh of relief and went on her merry way.
Four weeks later
…
The moment she saw him walking towards her, eating up the floor in languid but confident strides, would be etched in her memory forever. A raw, powerful body, pure sexuality barely contained in a civilized veneer. He was tall. Very, very tall. Huge. A hunk of a man standing give or take six feet five inches tall, graced with long, muscular limbs, broad shoulders and wide chest, not so much as an ounce of fat. She’d imagined that guy in her daydreams but to date hadn’t laid eyes on the real prototype. Gorgeous. She felt like a dwarf standing next to him, and, at five foot nine, she was no midget.
She was hopelessly entranced. The ruggedly handsome face was set with a swarthy complexion and deep, dark as night, mesmeric eyes that
settled on her with focused interest. His gaze never wavered, as if she were the only woman standing in the middle of JFK with eyes as round as saucers and an odd expression of near disbelief. His lips curled in a half-smile. Perhaps he was a mind reader too, as well as a sorcerer.
She loved that smile. That smile was for her alone. Her insides were tied in a knot so tight
, a seasoned sailor would be proud.
Her lips and throat went completely dry, and she lost the ability to blink. As he came closer, she noticed that his windswept hair was the color of a starless night, cut
quite close to his head and curling slightly at the ends. Those expressive eyes, she could now see, were really pools of a dark stormy blue with flecks of gray.
She found it hard to tear her gaze away from his face, but she finally did. The rest of him was a sight to behold. Strong, muscular thighs and lean hips were snugly encased in a pair of well-worn jeans. A simple black t-shirt and tan suede jacket covered his massive chest and biceps, and his forearms and hands were so beautifully formed and veined that she had no difficulty imagining him on a fantasy battlefield, playing the role of a Viking warrior from days of old.