They weren’t finished.

      A part of Lucas wondered if they’d ever be finished.

      He looked into her eyes and saw the passion-glazed stare of a woman completely undone and should have felt a jolt of satisfaction for a plan that was coming together all too well.

      Instead, all he felt was more want. More need.

      Her blue eyes were shining with every ounce of passion that was flaring inside him. The smoldering fire between them leaped to life like an inferno.

      Heartbeat pounding, he took her mouth again. And then Lucas did the only thing he could. He moved inside her again and heard her groan of satisfaction as his reward.

      This wasn’t seduction anymore.

      This was need. Crashing, burning desperation—and it wouldn’t be denied.

      Dear Reader,

      Writing a continuing family series, like the KINGS OF CALIFORNIA, is as much fun for the writer as it is for the reader. We all love revisiting earlier characters. It’s like having a nice long chat with an old friend you haven’t seen for a while. I especially enjoy writing groups of two or three at a time that are connected by more than just their family name.

      In Ready for King’s Seduction, Lucas King gets his heroine. Not too long ago, he stood on the sidelines, laughing at his brother Rafe as he fell in love with Katie Charles, the Cookie Queen. Now, it’s Rafe’s turn to chuckle.

      Lucas meets Rose Clancy, the younger sister of his ex-friend, and concocts a plan. He’s determined to get back at Rose’s brother for betraying the King brothers.

      Rose Clancy, though, isn’t the wide-eyed innocent that Lucas remembers. she’s had a hard time of it, but she’s survived and rebuilt her life. Now she teaches people how to cook in their own homes. When Lucas hires her, Rose agrees because she can use all the clients she can get.

      But while Rose teaches cooking, Lucas is teaching her passion, and neither of them is prepared for what they find.

      I really hope you enjoy Ready for King’s Seduction! Next up is Sean King’s book, The Temporary Mrs King, and I hope you’ll watch for it! Follow me on Facebook and Twitter and let me know what you think!

      Happy reading,

       Maureen

      About the Author

      MAUREEN CHILD is a California native who loves to travel. Every chance they get, she and her husband are taking off on another research trip. The author of more than sixty books, Maureen loves a happy ending and still swears that she has the best job in the world. She lives in southern California with her husband, two children and a golden retriever with delusions of grandeur. Visit Maureen’s website, www.maureenchild.com.

      Ready for

       King’s Seduction

      Maureen Child

       www.millsandboon.co.uk

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      To my mother-in-law, Mary Ann Child, for years

       of laughter and love and adventures.

      I couldn’t love you more.

      One

      “There’s something you don’t see every day.”

      “What are you talking about?” Lucas King stepped through his front door onto the wide porch and handed his younger brother a beer. Just for a second, he took the time to admire the view of the Pacific Ocean, across the street. The sun was setting, staining the dark blue water deep shades of crimson and gold. He settled into the closest chair and took a sip of his beer.

      Sean grinned and pointed. “That. Look what just pulled up outside your neighbor’s house.”

      Lucas shifted his gaze to Ocean Boulevard and his eyes widened. A dark blue minivan was parked in front of the house next door. Ordinarily, no big deal—except for the giant covered skillet on the roof.

      “What the—”

      “Check out the sign on the side,” Sean said, laughing.

      “‘Home cooking taught at home,’” Lucas recited, shaking his head. “So the sign on the side of the car in bright yellow paint wasn’t enough? They had to stick a pan on top?”

      Sean was still laughing as he took a sip of his beer. “Not exactly aerodynamic.”

      “It looks ridiculous,” Lucas said, wondering what kind of person would have so little pride they’d be willing to drive the thing. “Who the hell runs a business like that, anyway?”

      “Mmm …” Sean’s tone changed as the minivan’s door opened and the driver stepped out into the street. “Whoever she is, she can teach me whatever she wants to.”

      Lucas rolled his eyes even as he shifted his gaze back to the ocean. Big surprise. Sean was always willing and eager for the next woman to roll into his life. Give him five minutes with Pan-on-the-Car Woman, Lucas told himself, and Sean would have a weekend getaway scheduled. Well, Sean was welcome to the stream of women entering and exiting his life. Lucas liked his life a little more orderly.

      Only half listening to Sean’s running commentary, Lucas ignored the woman and the car and focused on the stretch of water sliding toward the horizon. This is what he loved about where he lived. Every night after work, he could come out to the porch, have a beer, stare out at the water and let the world slip away for a while. Usually though, he thought—Sean’s voice an annoying buzz of sound in the background—he was alone.

      Here, he didn’t have to be on top of King Construction. Here, no one was hounding him for a meeting or to fix something gone wrong with permits. There were no needy customers to placate and no hurry to accomplish a damn thing.

      Oh, he liked his work. He and his brothers Rafe and Sean had built King Construction into the biggest firm of its kind on the west coast. But damned if it didn’t feel good to come home and let it all go for a while.

      “Always did like a blonde,” Sean was saying. “And a tall one, too.”

      Lucas snorted. “Blondes, redheads, brunettes. Your problem is you like ‘em all.”

      “Yeah? Your problem is you’re too damn picky. When was the last time you called a woman who wasn’t a customer?” Sean kicked back in his chair, setting his feet on the stone porch-balcony rail in front of them.

      “None of your business,” Lucas muttered.

      “Hell. That long? No wonder you’re such a pain in the ass lately.” Sean took another drink of his beer. “What you need is a little female attention and if you’ve got eyes in your head, one look at this blonde and you’ll be ready to go.”

      Lucas