Sold on You
Authors: Sophia Knightly
Sold on You
Tropical Heat Series
Book Two
by
Sophia Knightly
Previously written as Victoria Marquez
Published by:
ePublishing Works!
ISBN: 978-1-61417-157-7
Formerly published as
Holiday Heaven
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Please Note
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are 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.
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Copyright 2001, 2011 by Victoria Koch
Cover and eBook design by eBook Prep
www.ebookprep.com
Cover Art: Shutterstock, RomanceNovelCovers
Thank You.
For Paul, my husband and soul mate, who makes every day a holiday. And for our daughters, Genevieve and Jacqueline, who sparkle like moonbeams.
Chapter 1
Hovering behind the heavy velvet curtain, Gabriela smoothed her shaky hands down the slinky red halter gown and wished it wasn't slit so high on her thigh. She needed courage to face the room full of men, but how could she, when she looked like Jessica Rabbit in this dress?
"You're on next," Sabrina reminded her. Standing directly behind Gabriela, she whispered in her ear, "Knock 'em dead."
Gabriela turned anxious eyes toward her coworker and friend, who was also the fashion show/charity auction chairwoman. "I can't do this! I'm a social worker not a model," she said, ready to take flight.
Sabrina smiled. "So what? Remember the money goes to your favorite charity."
"I know, but this dress. It's so... so..." Gabriela faltered.
"Hot, revealing?" Sabrina asked with a mischievous giggle.
"Yes, I wish you hadn't picked it. I feel naked!" Gabriela turned to give her an exasperated look. "What will my co-workers say?"
"That you look simply gorgeous."
"They'll say I moonlight as a stripper." Gabriela grabbed Sabrina's shoulders and pinned her with suspicious eyes. "Are you sure Ruben Ball is planning to outbid everyone?"
Sabrina disengaged herself from Gabriela's tight grip. "That's what he said. Now quit stalling and get out there. The natives are restless."
Before Gabriela could stop her, Sabrina reached up and pulled out the large rhinestone clasp holding Gabriela's hair. With growing unease, Gabriela felt her friend's hands fluff out her tumbling curls. Then giving her a firm nudge, Sabrina thrust her forward into the blinding lights of the grand ballroom stage.
A thunderous burst of enthusiastic applause met her arrival onstage.
"Oh, God," Gabriela moaned inwardly, brushing back the mantle of wild black hair flowing midway down her back and over her bare shoulders.
She blinked a few times to adjust her vision to the bright lights, only to meet the approving gaze of several men in the audience. Thrusting her head up, she concentrated on making it across the stage in her red satin stiletto sandals.
"Gabriela Morales is North Collier Hospital's finest social worker. When she's not at work helping an unwed mother or a migrant family, Gabriela can be found at the beach. She loves sailing, cooking, dancing, and concerts and plays..." the auctioneer said.
"Deep breaths... one step at a time,"
Gabriela silently coaxed herself, trying not to listen to the descriptive accolades Sabrina had sent in about her. She was doing this for a cause dear to her heart. Otherwise she would have given in to the overwhelming impulse to bolt off the stage and run out of the Naples Ritz-Carlton to the safe oasis of her beachside apartment.
If she could get through this moment, she could do
anything.
Practically hyperventilating, she somehow got a hold of her nerves and thrust her chin up and shoulders back as she teetered across the stage while the auctioneer talked about her.
* * *
Dr. Marcos Calderon leaned forward and watched, fascinated by the dark-haired knockout strolling onto the stage.
Gabriela Morales?
Not in a million years! He couldn't believe his ears when the auctioneer confirmed that she was the conservative social worker at the hospital where he worked. Just this morning, they'd locked horns at the board meeting.