Victory Read online

  “I love blue dresses. What’s your name?”

  At that moment, she wasn’t sure. She blinked twice and let his voice just sink into her. “Audrey. Audrey Walker.”

  “Gregory Bishop,” he said holding out his hand.

  “I know. I mean everyone knows. Right?”

  “Bethany Waterbury didn’t know who I was when they cast me. We even worked together,” he said.

  “Bethany is my sister.”

  She saw the whites of his eyes as they widened, then the grin and sparkle of his teeth in the dark. “You’re Bethany Waterbury’s sister?”

  “Yes.”

  “You’re not a Waterbury?”

  “She’s a Walker. She kept her mother’s last name, as she wasn’t married to my father. And because of the movie industry. Violet Waterbury, her mother, was well known.”

  He nodded slowly. “It’s amazing who you meet on the street.”

  Didn’t she know it. Who would have thought she’d run into the world’s sexiest man, and he’d touch her, talk to her, offer to buy her Jimmy Choo shoes.

  “Ms. Walker, since you’re Bethany Waterbury—forgive me—Bethany Black’s sister, would you know where your brother-in-law Kent might be?”

  She let out a steady breath. “We’re having a dance in the reception hall.”

  “Not a wedding?”

  “No, just a dance. A formal dance. A ball.”

  “And you are the belle of that ball?”

  “Do you talk to all women like this?”

  He ran a finger down her cheek. “Only the beautiful ones.”

  Oh, he was full of crap. So why was she enjoying it so much?

  “Come with me. I’ll find him,” she said hiking up the dress again.

  “I said I’d buy you the dress,” he reminded her as he followed. “You don’t have to hold it and tip toe.”

  “I appreciate the offer. This is better.”

  A moment later she felt the world slip out from under her as he scooped her up into his very muscular arms. Instinct had her wrapping her arms around his neck to hold on, and her cheek was pressed to his.

  Gregory let out a chuckle. “This suits me better anyway.”

  “You don’t need to carry me.”

  “I want you to wear the dress again. Maybe I could take you out somewhere nice, and you could wear it.”

  “I’ll wear it to weddings. I have a cousin and a brother getting married.”

  “Then you can wear it three more times. I’ll be here for three months. Where can I find you tomorrow at seven?” he asked as he walked into the reception hall, but hadn’t yet let her down.

  Audrey knew she was just staring at him, but she couldn’t help it. Would it be horribly wrong to kiss the man? He probably had some Secret Service watching him. Wait, that was for the President. But wasn’t the sexiest man in the world equally as important?

  Slowly he set her on her feet, but his hands remained around her waist.

  “You haven’t given me an answer yet,” he prodded.

  “I’m sure I’m not your type. Thank you for the lift. I’ll find Kent.” But she couldn’t move. His hands were still on her waist, and his eyes, oh those steel blue eyes she could see now, were locked with hers. She licked her lips and watched as he bit down on his lip.

  “I’ll pick you up at seven. Where will I find you?”

  Her mind was running in a million different directions. She was stupid to consider this. But it was Gregory Bishop. She’d be only a notch on his bed post, but wouldn’t that be the story to tell for the rest of her life? Nothing else in her life had ever worked out. What was one night with a famous movie star going to hurt?

  “Alexander Hotel. Captain’s Quarters. It’s an elegant restaurant inside the hotel lobby. You’ll need a suit coat.”

  He smiled from one side of his mouth, and God was it sexy. “You want me to meet you there?”

  “I don’t know you.”

  Again, running his finger down her jaw, he nodded. “I’ll meet you there. Wear the dress.”

  She wasn’t sure what else to say, so she turned to find Kent. When she crossed the dance floor, she turned to see him staring after her. She was going to have to ask Pearl to extend the loan on the dress. The price tag was out of her league, but looking at the man across the room, his body sculpted by the gods, and a touch that would melt butter, she knew she wasn’t going to be wearing the dress after their date—with any luck it would be in shreds on the floor of her bedroom.

  MEET THE AUTHOR

  Bestselling Author Bernadette Marie is known for building families readers want to be part of. Her series The Keller Family has graced bestseller charts since its release in 2011, along with her other series and single title books. The married mother of five sons promises Happily Ever After always…and says she can write it, because she lives it.

  When not writing, Bernadette Marie is shuffling her sons to their many events—mostly hockey—and enjoying the beautiful views of the Colorado Rocky Mountains from her front step. She is also an accomplished martial artist with a second degree black belt in Tang Soo Do.

  A chronic entrepreneur, Bernadette Marie opened her own publishing house in 2011, 5 Prince Publishing, so that she could publish the books she liked to write and help make the dreams of other aspiring authors come true too. Bernadette Marie is also the CEO of Illumination Author Events.

  Other Titles from 5 Prince Publishing

  www.5princebooks.com

  Victory Bernadette Marie

  Chasing Her Heart J.L.Peterson

  Alone M.J. Kane

  The DejaVu House Doug Simpson

  We Are From Atlantis Doug Simpson

  Prez Lissa Jay

  The Train Robbers James P. Hanley

  Walker Revenge Bernadette Marie

  Lest We Aren’t Forgiven Railyn Stone

  Broken Hearts M.O. Kenyan

  Goodnight Kisses Wilhelmina Stolen

  The Three Stones of Bethany April Marcom

  Wanderlust Bernadette Marie

  Holiday Past Jessica Dall

  Christmas Blitz Amy Gale

  A Christmas for Chloe Susan Lohrer

  Restored Hearts Railyn Stone

  Last Christmas Lisa J. Hobman

  A Romance for Christmas Bernadette Marie

  The Fall of Undal Katrina Sisowath

  Saving Sarah May S.J. Reisner

  Walker Pride Bernadette Marie

  Abandoned Soul Doug Simpson

  Copper Lake Ann Swann

  Grace After the Storm Sandy Sinnett

  Throne of Jelzicar/Warriors of Gravenlea S.D. Galloway

  Fatal Desire Christina OW