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

“But Uncle Hyde, how are we going to see?” Blake, Geoff’s oldest son, asked. A little younger than Beth, he was a good kid but as serious as his father.


“Candles!” Della squeaked and clapped her hands.


I could picture the cabin going up in flames, and I shuddered. “No, sweet pea. We’ll use flashlights.”


“But Papa—” She thrust out her lower lip.


“Didn’t we get some of those battery-powered candles?” Hyde mentioned. “You can use those.”


That pleased the girls and calmed all the children enough to disregard the storm going on around us.


Because we had a propane stove, I was able to make hot chocolate for everyone while Hyde got out the imitation candles, and after everyone had their hot chocolate, he turned on the candles and gave one to each of the kids.


The children shouted and scattered, and my husband joined me by the kitchen counter.


“How long will that keep them occupied?” he asked.


Chapter 118