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

Originally it had been just a fairly large farmhouse, but Great-great-granddad had torn it down, replacing it with a three-story edifice that sprawled over half an acre and was more than twenty-two thousand square feet. It had housed his enormous family as well as an army of servants, although most of the rooms were closed now.


Years ago, before I was born, something had caused a rift on that side of the family. My mother had two sisters and a brother, but my aunts had gone with their husbands and my uncle was in the army somewhere; I’d never met them.


Granddad had talked of donating Silver Birch to the town as a museum, and I’d be sad to see it leave the family. Still, it was his home, his choice, and if his offspring didn’t care…


Were they even aware of how ill he was? Should I ask Beauchamp for their phone numbers—he’d definitely have them—and call them?


Hyde joined me at the door and slipped an arm around my waist. “Are you?”


Chapter 46