Kipp Llewellyn, the proverbial poor little rich boy, can have whatever he wants, except the one thing he wants most: his father’s love. When the opportunity arises to obtain it, Kipp jumps at the chance, even though it means breaking a date with “Ham,” the man he’s sure he’s falling in love with. However, the opportunity turns out to be an arranged marriage with his father’s biggest competitor. Even worse, Kipp discovers his proposed groom is Hyde Wyndham, the man of his dreams. Having lived in a gilded cage his entire twenty-one years, Kipp refuses to settle for anything less than love and walks away from both his father and his future husband. Hyde didn’t achieve his position in the financial world by taking no for an answer, however, and he’ll do whatever it takes to make Kipp realize he’s wanted for himself, including wooing the young man he intends to marry, prenuptial agreements be damned. He’s certain he’s succeeded, until Kipp learns something that puts an insurmountable barrier between them. Will Hyde be able to overcome Kipp’s doubts, and will Kipp realize that some things are worth the sacrifice?

Two Lips, Indifferent Red

I stripped down to my boxer briefs, hung up my suit in readiness for the morning, and got into bed.


My last night at Charles T. Armand University. It had been a good three years, in spite of the stress of having to come up with scholarships to avoid being asked to leave.


I pulled the covers over my shoulders and closed my eyes.


Of course going to sleep was another matter entirely.


I never overslept, but I did the next morning; as a result, I only just managed to grab a bite for breakfast and make it to the bus depot. The driver didn’t give me a hard time, which I appreciated. He stowed my duffel in the storage compartment and told me to find a seat.


The air conditioning was out, so I opened the window next to my seat. I had my laptop with me, but there was nothing I needed to do; I didn’t feel like reading the e-books I’d saved to my hard drive, and I didn’t want to waste my battery playing solitaire or Mahjong Titans.


Chapter 13