Hot Silver Nights: Silver Fox Romance Collection Read online

  Table of Contents

  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 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 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 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

  Epilogue

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Prologue

  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

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  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

  Hot Silver Nights

  Violet Vaughn

  Ainsley Booth

  Sadie Haller

  Kate Willoughby

  Lily Zante

  Kerianne McKenna

  Lori Whyte

  Jennifer Lewis

  Natasha Moore

  Sugarloaf Press

  Contents

  Introduction

  The Billionaire's Blind Date - Violet Vaughn

  Foreword

  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

  About the Author

  Crazy for Cole - Kate Willoughby

  Foreword

  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

  Acknowledgments

  About the Author

  Silver Wings ~ A Second Chance to Soar - Keriann McKenna

  Foreword

  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

  About the Author

  The Princess and the Player - Jennifer Lewis

  Foreword

  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

  Epilogue

  Lucky Me - Natasha Moore

  Foreword

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  About the Author

  Retrosexual - Ainsley Booth & Sadie Haller

  Foreword

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  An Ordinary Hero - Lily Zante

  Foreword

  Prologue

  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

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Acknowledgments

  About the Author

  Promise Me - Lori Whyte

  Foreword

  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

  About the Author

  Introduction

  Where are the romance books about older people like me? They’re right here! Join us in the celebration of love later on in life. We won’t let the fine lines of time interfere with the joy and happiness romance can bring, so sit back and relax with stories from NY Times and USA Today bestselling authors in the Hot Silver Nights collection.

  The Billionaire's Blind Date - Violet Vaughn

  Copyright © 2017 by Violet. Vaughn

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  Cover by Llewellen Designs

  Editing by Jodi Henley, Red Adept Publishing and Angie Ramey

  Don’t miss a book from Violet Vaughn. Sign up for her newsletter.

  Foreword

  Diana Russo thought retiring early from her billion-dollar cosmetics company would give her time to find the love and happiness she’d set aside during the years she’d spent striving to be a corporate giant. But months after she’d handed Bellae off to her daughters, she was lonely … until Charlie Pierce stormed into her life. With a mischievous twinkle in his eye, he swept her off her feet for a whirlwind romance full of adventure.

  Charlie Pierce came from humble beginnings before he launched a successful online cooking network that propelled him into a life of luxuries he’d always desired. Unfortunately while his business flourished under his care, finding the kind of woman he wanted to spend his riches with seemed out of his grasp. The country club set of divorcees he encountered were more interested in cocktail parties and redecorating than experiencing the pleasure of sailing on the ocean or finding the best Korean barbeque New York City had to offer. When he discovered Diana, he knew he’d found the woman he wanted. All he had to do was convince her to take the chance.

  Diana thought Charlie was the perfect partner. He was attentive to her needs and sensitive to her insecurities, while exposing her to new pleasures in life. She was sure he was the man with whom she’d spend the next phase of her life. But when Charlie reveals a secret he’s kept from her, her perfect world is shattered, and she has to determine if she can forgive the deception.

  d was shattered, and she had to determine if she could forgive the deception.

  Chapter 1

  I pick up my cell and click on the cooking forum I frequent to see if I have a message from Chef P. A message icon pops up, and a rush of happiness fills me. I struck up a friendship with a cook who works for an online culinary network when he walked me through a technique, and over the past few months, we’ve gotten close enough to share our fears, hopes, and dreams as two middle-aged single people searching for love. I told him about my blind date today and how I was sure it was going to be another flop.

  I click on the message and find he wrote:

  “Relax and enjoy the conversation. You’re an engaging woman who’s easy to talk to. Love happens one step at a time.”

  Chef P. is so sweet online, and I wonder if he’s the same in person. A while back, he offered the chance for us to meet, but I avoided the question. He’s been such a great friend, I was afraid to ruin it by taking a chance we wouldn’t get along in real life. I don’t have many friends and have been so lonely since I stopped working that I would hate to lose the best pal I’ve got.

  I notice he’s not online, but I smile as I reply anyway.

  “Thank you for the words of encouragement. You always know what to say.”

  My phone thumps when I set it back down on the table, and I tap the clock icon on my phone for the time. He’s late. Christopher Pierce, that’s strike one against you. Not that I expected my blind date with a man my lawyer set me up with to go well, anyway.

  A tiny plastic sword clinks on my martini glass as I swirl my olives. In all the years I’ve been drinking martinis, I’ve yet to finish one. I lift the cocktail and take a sip. The overwhelming flavor of what I imagine a juniper bush tastes like fills my mouth.

  I let out a sigh as I wonder why I keep doing this to myself. Do I really want to spend another meal with a man who would rather be with someone half my age? And even though I’ve done my best with makeup and the right clothes, I can’t hide the fact I’m no longer the beautiful woman I once was. Age does that to a person.

  For the past two decades, I dedicated myself to my makeup company, Bellae. I created a billion-dollar business but at the price of having no personal life. I decided to retire before I became a lonely old woman, and I handed off Bellae to my two daughters last fall. At first, I reveled in the free time I had to take the trips I’d dreamed of and spent my hard-earned money on frivolous items. But now I’m bored. Other than attempting to learn to cook like a master and picking up golf, I haven’t got much else. So I decided to date and try to find a man to spend time with. I had no idea how scary that would actually be at my age, which is why I’m sitting in the Piper Sands Country Club dining room, waiting for a blind date to come sweep me off my feet. Even though the reality will likely be that I’ll want to sweep myself out of here the moment he starts talking about his tennis game while his eye wanders toward the young waitress.

  I gaze out at the ocean, and my heart skips a beat as I wish I were on a sailboat instead. Anything to take me away from the life I’ve somehow created for myself. I notice a man walk through the door from the deck that leads down to where boats can dock for short periods of time, and as he comes my way, I take in his appearance. He’s more muscular than the usual club patron, and I allow myself a moment to appreciate the way his polo shirt sleeves hug his biceps. He walks with the gait of a man who has a purpose, and when I gaze at his face, I notice his more-salt-than-pepper hair and blue eyes that sparkle. He’s one silver fox, and I discover he’s looking at me too. Dare I hope he’s my date? Because he’d be a pleasant surprise.

  He stops at my table and glances around quickly before he sits down and leans forward to whisper, “Name’s Charlie. Please pretend you know me.”

  I catch a spicy scent that isn’t cologne, and I attribute it to his soap as I say, “Ah. Sure.”

  “Bitsy Wellington is after me.”

  “Oh.” I smile because Bitsy is a tenacious woman and spends most of her time coercing people into volunteering their time for her most recent charitable cause. I’ve been sucked in a time or two, myself. I notice Bitsy come in through the same deck door Charlie used, and she scans the room. The moment she sees us, she scurries her tiny, size-zero body our way. I hiss, “Phone.”

  Charlie nods before he pulls out his cell and puts it to his ear. When Bitsy gets to our table, she huffs in annoyance. “Diana,” she says by way of a quick greeting to me before she glares at Charlie. He holds up his hand as he frowns with concern.

  I whisper to Bitsy, “Family emergency of some sort. Now isn’t a good time.”

  “Fine.” She glares at Charlie. “But don’t think I’m done with you.”

  He waves her off as he turns away and covers his bare ear. After Bitsy leaves, Charlie lets out a whoosh of air before he says, “Thank you.” He glances over my shoulder and asks, “Do you mind if I sit here for a little while? Just until she leaves?”

  I’m not a fool, and I certainly won’t sh
oo away a man this attractive, so I say, “Of course not. My companion is late, anyway.”

  He stiffens. “Uh-oh.”

  When Charlie stands up, I see Bitsy’s made a U-turn and is on her way back. He grabs my drink and my phone as he says, “Come with me.”