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

Even though I’d been in the hospital for less than twenty-four hours, I was glad to walk through the doors and out into the May sunshine. Hyde insisted on carrying my duffel, and he tossed it onto the backseat.


We got in the SUV, and I put the backpack on the floor by my feet. After buckling up, I sat fiddling with the radio—if he was taking me for better or worse, he’d have to take me for changing the radio station as well. There was a slight grin on his face as he eased out of the parking lot and onto the road that would take us to Silver Birch.


He was quiet for some time, and finally I said, “So, we’re really getting married on Sunday?”


“Yes. You don’t have to do a thing. Armitage is taking care of it all. She’s very competent.”


“All right. But what ‘all’ is she taking care of?”


Chapter 45