Forbidden Lust Read online

  Giving in to desire

  with her brother’s best friend...

  Next stop, paradise—

  With the man of her forbidden fantasies?

  A secluded island resort is the perfect romantic setting for the night of passionate abandon Allison Randall plans to share with Zane Patterson. Her elder brother’s best friend has always been off-limits...and Zane is determined to keep it that way. But when a storm strands them together, neither can hold back. Everything Allison dreamed of is finally in reach...until unwelcome revelations threaten a rude awakening!

  Seven Sins

  One man’s betrayal can destroy generations.

  Ten years ago, a hedge-fund hotshot vanished

  with billions, leaving the high-powered families

  of Falling Brook changed forever.

  Now seven heirs, shaped by his betrayal,

  must reckon with the sins of the past.

  Passion may be their only path to redemption.

  Experience all Seven Sins!

  * * *

  Ruthless Pride by Naima Simone

  This CEO’s pride led him to give up his dreams

  for his family. Now he’s drawn to the woman

  who threatens everything...

  Forbidden Lust by Karen Booth

  He’s always resisted his lust for his best friend’s sister

  —until they’re stranded together in paradise...

  Insatiable Hunger by Yahrah St. John

  His unbridled appetite for his closest friend is unleashed when he believes she’s fallen for the wrong man...

  Hidden Ambition by Jules Bennett

  Ambition has taken him far, but revenge could

  cost him his one chance at love...

  Reckless Envy by Joss Wood

  When this shark in the boardroom meets the one

  woman he can’t have, envy takes over...

  Untamed Passion by Cat Schield

  Will this black sheep’s self-destructive wrath flame

  out when he’s expecting an heir of his own?

  Slow Burn by Janice Maynard

  If he’s really the idle playboy his family claims,

  will his inaction threaten a reunion with the woman who got away?

  “I want you, Zane. All of you.”

  “I can’t give you that. Not now.”

  “Then when? Later tonight? Tomorrow morning? Please don’t tell me we’re going to leave this island without having sex.” Allison wanted to applaud herself for truly putting it all out there.

  “I’ve thought about it and it’s not a good idea. We’ve already gone too far.”

  She knew what that really meant.

  “Nobody needs to know about this, Zane. Nobody. I don’t kiss and tell. And I certainly wouldn’t kiss and tell about you.”

  Zane turned away. “I would know it had happened. That’s all that matters.”

  * * *

  Forbidden Lust by Karen Booth is part of

  the Dynasties: Seven Sins series.

  Karen Booth

  Forbidden Lust

  Karen Booth is a Midwestern girl transplanted in the South, raised on ’80s music and repeated readings of Forever by Judy Blume. When she takes a break from the art of romance, she’s listening to music with her college-aged kids or sweet-talking her husband into making her a cocktail. Learn more about Karen at karenbooth.net.

  Books by Karen Booth

  Harlequin Desire

  The Eden Empire

  A Christmas Temptation

  A Cinderella Seduction

  A Bet with Benefits

  A Christmas Seduction

  A Christmas Rendezvous

  Dynasties: Secrets of the A-List

  Tempted by Scandal

  Dynasties: Seven Sins

  Forbidden Lust

  Visit her Author Profile page at Harlequin.com, or karenbooth.net, for more titles.

  You can find Karen Booth on Facebook, along with other Harlequin Desire authors, at Facebook.com/harlequindesireauthors!

  Dear Reader,

  Thanks for picking up Forbidden Lust! I loved writing this book because it was yet another chance for me to explore two of my favorite romance tropes—unrequited love and the best friend’s younger sister. Both themes are so much fun!

  Zane and Allison have known each other since Zane’s life fell apart in the aftermath of the Black Crescent scandal. Allison was a few years younger and developed a massive crush on Zane that never quite went away. Even all these years later, her lust for him is still bubbling under the surface. He’s just too sexy and brooding for her to stay away. Zane never dared to think about Allison that way when they were in high school, but now that they’re both grown up, it’s impossible to ignore the beautiful, vibrant woman she has become.

  Enter Allison’s brother, Scott. Zane is indebted to Scott for standing by him during the most difficult time of his life. Scott is incredibly protective of Allison, who went through a scary illness when she was a young girl. Scott doesn’t want Zane and Allison within fifty feet of each other, let alone stuck on a remote Bahamian island together...but sometimes a hurricane rolls in and there’s nothing to do but ride out the storm! I think it made for a sexy, emotional story with lots of ups and downs.

  I sincerely hope you enjoy Dynasties: Seven Sins and continue to read through the series. There are so many fabulous authors to discover. In the meantime, drop me a line anytime at [email protected]. I love hearing from readers!

  Karen

  Contents

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Epilogue

  Excerpt from Upstairs Downstairs Temptation by Janice Maynard

  One

  Zane Patterson’s heart was hammering. His T-shirt was soaked with sweat, clinging to his shoulders. “I need to get out of this town. That’s all there is to it.” He dribbled the basketball with his right hand. Thump. Thump. Thump. Switching to his left, Zane waited for his opening—his chance to drive past his best friend, Scott Randall. Their weekly game of one-on-one was tied. One more point and victory was Zane’s. So very close. He did not like to lose. He hated it.

  “Dude. You’ve been saying that since high school. It’s been fifteen years.” Laser-focused on Zane’s every move, Scott shuffled from side to side, hands high, low and anywhere Zane dared to even think about looking. Scott didn’t allow himself to get distracted by the perspiration raining down from the top of his shiny bald head. He only cared about not giving up the final point. “You either need to leave or get over it.”

  The reason for leaving—Joshua Lowell—popped into Zane’s head. Zane despised him. He had the smuggest smile, like he was perfectly comfortable with the silver spoon firmly lodged in his mouth at birth. The entirety of Falling Brook, New Jersey, put that jerk on a pedestal, even when his father had destroyed lives and families, including Zane’s. Deep down, Zane loved his hometown, but being here was pushing him closer and closer to the edge. Get over it? No way.

  Thump. He palmed the ball. Thump. Left. Thump. Right. Thump. Back left. He dropped his shoulder, slipped around Scott and beelined for the basket. With Scott in hot pursuit but several strides behind him, Zane finger-rolled the ball for a layup. It circled the rim. And popped back out. Scott grabbed the rebound, spun away from Zane and hoisted up a perfect jumper. Nothing but net.

  Dammit.

  “Yes!” Scott darted under the basket and snatched the ball. “Rematch? Best two out of three?”

  Zane bent over, clutching the hem of his basketball shorts and planting the heels of his hands on his knees. “No.” The competitive part of him wanted the win. Needed it. Playing basketball was one of the only activities that had ever made him happy. He’d been at it since he could walk, precisely the reason he had an indoor court installed when his company, Patterson Marketing, took off and they built their own state-of-the-art office building. But he was too exhausted to compete. Or fight. Mentally, more than anything. “I’m done.”

  “This Joshua Lowell thing is really getting to you, isn’t it?” Scott rested the ball on his hip, letting the weight of his forearm hold it in place.

  “I can’t get away from it. The anniversary article was supposed to remind everyone what crooks the Lowells are, how they destroyed lives, how they can never be trusted. Instead, Josh’s engagement to Sophie Armstrong is all anyone is talking about. It’s everywhere. Facebook. Twitter. The Java Hut. My own freaking staff meeting.”

  “It’s a big deal. He’s stepping away from BC. Nobody saw that coming.”

  BC. The initials for Black Crescent were enough to make Zane cringe. The hedge fund, founded by Joshua Lowell’s father, Vernon, had been an ultraexclusive avenue of investment for the superrich. Zane’s family had once breathed the rarefied air of those on the limited client list, and for a time, the world was sunshine and roses. There was no shortage of money, and Zane’s life was golden—king of the school at Falling Brook Prep, captain of the basketball team, parents happily married. Then Vernon disappe ared with millions, Zane’s family was left penniless and his parents’ marriage was destroyed.

  Losing their family fortune meant that Zane had been moved from Prep to the public high school at the age of sixteen. It was another brutal adjustment, especially since the kids at Falling Brook High treated Zane like the rich kid who needed to be taken down a notch or two. They had no idea Zane was already at rock bottom. The only consolation was that he’d met Scott there, and they’d been best friends ever since.

  Scott saved Zane, mostly from himself. Scott didn’t give a damn about the money; he only wanted to help, and he only wanted to be friends. They were solid from day one. When Zane’s mom and dad fought, which was often, Scott’s parents allowed Zane to seek refuge at their house. It was an oasis of calm—the one place happiness seemed possible. One of the best parts of those stays was spending time with Scott’s younger sister, Allison. She was the coolest, smartest and most creative person Zane had ever met. She was supercute, too, but Zane had always looked past that. She was Scott’s sister, and Zane would never, ever go there. Never.

  “Did you see Josh’s press conference? Did you hear what he said? ‘She brought me out of the dark with her love’? ‘Because she loves me, I am worthy’? What a load of crap.” Zane didn’t enjoy being so bitter, but the fifteen years since Vernon Lowell disappeared had done nothing to assuage his pain over his entire life crumbling to dust. As far as Zane was concerned, all Lowells—Vernon; his wife, Eve; and his kids, Joshua, Jake and Oliver—were pure poison. He didn’t want to see any of them happy.

  “You know what they say. Love makes everything better.”

  Zane shot Scott a look. Romantic love was a farce. It rarely, if ever, lasted. Zane’s parents were a classic example. Yes, they’d been tested when Vernon Lowell stole every penny they had, but wasn’t love supposed to conquer all? Not from where Zane was sitting. “Said like a very married man.”

  “Don’t get salty because I’m happy. Last time I checked, there wasn’t a law against it.”

  Zane grumbled under his breath. He didn’t want to continue this part of their conversation.

  The two men wandered over to the corner of the gym to grab the six-pack of microbrew Scott had stashed in the fully stocked beverage fridge. Zane was more of a tequila or mescal guy, but after a game, there was nothing better than knocking back a cold beer. They took it outside to the patio, where employees often enjoyed their lunch or an afternoon meeting if the weather was nice. A warm June night, the air was sweet and a bit heavy with humidity, but there was a pleasant breeze. Zane and Scott sat at a table, and Scott popped open the first two bottles. They clinked them to toast.

  Zane took in a deep breath, washing down his resentment with that first sip of beer, trying to remind himself that he really did love it here. “I never should have gone to Joshua Lowell at the bar and told him I knew about the DNA report because I was the one who gave it to Sophie for the article about Black Crescent. I should have let him wonder who her sources were. I should have let him stew in his own juices. That’s what he deserves.” He took another long draw of his drink. That had been a difficult confrontation. Just seeing Joshua Lowell face-to-face was enough to make him physically ill. “I wanted him to know that he wasn’t as high and mighty as everyone thought. That I knew who he really was.”

  Zane remembered the odd jolt that went through his body when he received the DNA report in the mail, saying that Josh had a daughter and was refusing to take responsibility. It hadn’t occurred to Zane just how peculiar it was for someone to have sent that to him. He hadn’t even thought too hard about why the anonymous sender would pick him as the recipient. He’d only known that it was ammunition to take down a Lowell, and that had been more than enough. “The whole point of talking to Sophie was to finally tell the world that Josh Lowell is not the savior everyone thinks he is. I even gave her personal photos to use, to show her I was a legit source. Somehow that all backfired. The DNA bombshell never made it into the anniversary article, because I picked a reporter with scruples. Now everyone seems to adore him even more than before. Just in time for him to fall in love with a beautiful woman, decide to get married and conveniently step away from Black Crescent, which is the main reason to hate him. He’s getting off without a scratch, just like his dad.”

  Scott shook his head, the corner of his mouth turned up in a pitying smirk. “Maybe you do need a break. Get away.”

  “Or move.”

  Scott set his elbow on the table, pointing at Zane with his beer bottle. “You cannot move. I need you.”

  “You’re drunk.”

  “Half a beer in? I don’t think so. It’s the truth. You’re like a brother to me. And honestly, I think you need me. Who else is going to listen to you bitch about this?”

  Scott wasn’t wrong. He grounded Zane and helped him stay away from his inevitable downward spiral. “Okay. So where do I go? I need a beach, preferably with lots of women.”

  “It does not surprise me that you would say that.”

  Zane let a quiet laugh leave his lips. Yes, he had been with a lot of women over the years. That was his escape. No strings attached, no messy feelings getting in the way. In high school, it had been to numb the effects of his fall from grace. The poor former rich kid proved an easy target for other guys, but the girls didn’t see it that way. His money and status might have been gone, but the body he’d spent hours working on in the gym and his face were still enough to turn a few heads. So he’d taken what he could get.

  “If it’s the beach you want,” Scott said, “you should go down to the Bahamas. My aunt and uncle’s resort off the coast of Eleuthera. I can hook you up.”

  Scott and Zane had talked many times about making that trip. Scott’s mom was Bahamian, but had moved to the US permanently after attending college stateside and meeting Scott’s dad. “Yes. Dudes’ trip. We’ve talked about it a hundred times. It’s perfect.”

  “Sorry, man. You’re on your own. Brittney just got a promotion at work, and her schedule is crazy. It’s June, so the kids are out of school. I can’t just take off. Plus, if you’re picking up women, I think we can both agree that my days of being your wingman are over.”

  Zane didn’t let the disappointment get to him too much. Everything was a downer of one sort or another. He was used to it. “Okay. I guess I’m flying solo. Can you text me the info? I’ll call first thing tomorrow morning.”

  Scott shook his head. “Just give me the dates and I’ll take care of it. It’s on me.”

  “I do not need your charity. This isn’t high school.”

  “Will you just shut up and let me do something nice for you? Plus, I gotta keep you happy. I would be ridiculously bummed out if you moved out of Falling Brook.”

  Zane glanced over at Scott. He didn’t know what he would do without him. He was the thing tethering him to earth. Keeping him from going off the deep end. “I’m not leaving. I might desperately need a few days on that beach to clear my head, but I’m not going anywhere.” He knocked back the last of his beer. “I have to at least stick around long enough to avenge this loss.”

  “Black Crescent?” Scott asked.

  “No. Tonight’s game.”

  * * *

  When Allison Randall saw her ex-boyfriend’s name on the caller ID, she flipped off her phone. Juvenile, but incredibly satisfying.

  “Let me guess. Neil?” Allison’s best friend and business partner, Kianna Lewis, was perched in a chair opposite Allison’s desk, flicking a pen back and forth between her thumb and forefinger. They’d been discussing the state of their corporate recruiting business, which frankly, wasn’t that great.

  “I really don’t want to talk to him. Ever.”

  “Aren’t the movers at his house right now? What if there’s a problem?”

  Kianna was so levelheaded. Allison needed that. She could get tunnel vision. And a little spiteful. “You’re right. I’m just ready for one of these conversations to be our last.” Allison plucked her phone from her desk and spun her chair around to peer out the window of her office, which overlooked nothing more scenic than a sea of expensive cars in a parking lot. Such was LA—asphalt and BMWs. “What’s wrong now?” she asked Neil.