Love Unlocked (24 page)
Authors: Libby Waterford
“Wait, there’s something else you need to know about me. You’re not in love with Eve Caplin.”
“What do you mean?” He looked wary.
She cleared her throat. “My real name is Genevieve Walker. My father was Richmond Walker.”
“Richmond Walker, of R. Walker Investments? With the ads starring the talking dog?” Hudson looked adorably confused.
“I’m afraid so. Also, I turned twenty eight two months ago.”
Hudson’s brow furrows deepened even more. “So?”
“So my inheritance was held in trust until my twenty-eighth birthday. I’m a very wealthy woman.” Her voice was apologetic.
“You own a Cézanne and a Rembrandt. I think I already knew you had money.”
“Those are ill gotten gains. I’m even thinking about donating them to a museum and washing my hands clean. I’m talking about my father’s legacy. I’m a part owner of the business and there are the houses and investments and some other things. I thought I didn’t want the responsibility. I thought I could come here and pretend all of that didn’t exist. Knowing you has shown me I can’t brush it under the rug. If you’ll stay with me, then I know I’ll have the strength to deal with it all. I already have some ideas about how to use the money to endow art scholarships in schools.”
“Sweetheart, you’re a natural. If you’re trying to scare me off, it isn’t going to work. I don’t care what your name is, or who your father was, or how much you’re worth. You’re priceless to me. I’d be proud to stand by you and help you deal with whatever comes your way. In fact, I’d like to be legally bound to do so.”
“What do—oh!”
Hudson was down on one knee, his hands holding hers, the sunset a pink and orange glow behind him, as if the colors of her heart were painting the sky. The air smelled like wet grass and sun-warmed tomatoes and Eve’s chest was near bursting from the welling of emotion inside her.
“Genevieve Walker, aka Eve Caplin, former art thief, future philanthropist, will you allow me to love you forever and will you love me in return? Will you be my wife?”
“I will,” she breathed, and he laughed and pulled her into an embrace, setting her on his knee and capturing her mouth in a kiss that sent a tingle of electricity straight to her heart.
She couldn’t imagine loving a man more than she did at that moment, but each day together would grow and strengthen their love for one another. Life with Hudson was a journey she couldn’t wait to take.
Libby Waterford writes California-set steamy contemporary romances. She lives in Los Angeles with her family and works off her weekly pilgrimage to In-N-Out by swimming and climbing the city’s hidden staircases.
You can visit Libby at:
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- Title page
- 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
- Chapter Twenty
- Chapter Twenty-One
- Chapter Twenty-Two
- Chapter Twenty-Three
- Chapter Twenty-Four
- ~ABOUT THE AUTHOR~