Steven Ashton, a billionaire from New York, and Emily Grant, on the run from the law... and when they meet he can’t help falling for her. What he doesn’t know is that interfering in her life will put his own life in danger.
When billionaire Steven Ashton couldn’t stand his high society social life anymore, he left the stress of New York on a vacation for his soul. The need to meet real down to earth people lead him to a small Nebraska town he remembered visiting as a child. He didn’t want to lie about who he was, but he couldn’t exactly tell them the truth.
Emily could have easily fallen in love with Steven, under different circumstances, but her past was catching up with her and she needed a new life. If the authorities found out about her, she could lose the one thing that meant everything, her four year old son.
Excerpt
Chapter One
Steven stalked down the hotel hallway toward his room, gripping his briefcase, glad that no one was around. He needed to get out of his Armani suit before someone recognized him. Not that anyone staying in this run-down hotel would be hanging around his social circles. But someone might recognize him from the news.
Excitement shot through him. He almost felt like a little kid. If he could get away with it, he would be just another regular person by tomorrow.
He heard footsteps coming up the stairs. A young tow-headed boy appeared, followed by his mother. The child ran down the hall sideswiping him, knocking his briefcase out of his hand. Files and papers spilled out onto the floor.
The boy turned around. “Oh, sorry.” He bent down and scooped up some files, while his mother rushed to help as well.
“No problem, I need to sort through these anyway.”
The young woman flashed a smile at him, and then turned to her son. “Connor, you need to be more careful,” she said, getting down on her hands and knees. Her hair was piled on top of her head in a loose bun, with several curly blond strands hanging down. She was quite attractive, despite her frumpy sweat pants and t-shirt. Steven found himself checking out her left hand. No ring. Then he mentally smacked himself. What was he doing? He needed to get away, and have some time for himself. Forget about women. They all wanted the same thing from him. He had six point four billion reasons why any woman would want to be with him. Unfortunately, none of them had anything to do with his personality.
Oh, he was good looking enough. He knew that. His jet black hair and bright blue eyes turned plenty of heads. But he could always tell the moment they recognized him, and the mild interest would be replaced with strong attraction.
The woman handed him a pile of papers, with an apologetic look on her face. “Sorry about that. He’s just been cooped up in the car too long I think.” She stood and brushed some hair from her face.
“It’s no big deal.” He adjusted his overnight bag on his shoulder. “Thank you,” he said, searching her face for any sign of recognition.
“You’re welcome.” She shied away from his blatant staring, looking to the floor, then to her son. “Come on, Connor, we need to get going.”
Steven turned around. She hadn’t recognized him. That was a good thing. His plan might work. Pulling out his key card, he walked to his door while they disappeared into their own room. He made a mental note of the woman’s room number. Maybe he would pay for her bill as well. Her tattered clothes gave him the impression the seventy five dollars a night might be a bit steep for her.
******
Emily opened her hotel door, and followed Connor into the dimly lit room. Richard sat on one of the beds, waiting for her.
“Who were you talking to in the hallway?” he asked, his hair hanging in his face, concealing his dark eyes.
“No one. Just some guy down the hall.” She turned her head away.
“Well, what were you talking about?” He glared at her, and she knew she had better satisfy him.
“Nothing. He dropped some papers, and we helped him pick them up. That was all.” She folded her arms and her eyes flashed at Richard, daring him to keep it up.
He stared back at her for a moment, and then lowering his voice he said, “Well, who is he anyway?”
“I don’t know. Some guy that looks like Steven Ashton.” She reached up to her hair, fiddling with it.
“Yeah, right. Like Steven Ashton would stay in this dump.” Richard kicked off his shoes, letting them land in the middle of the floor. “You and the kid get the bed by the air conditioner. The noise will keep me up all night.”
He stretched out on the bed and turned on the television with the remote. He fell asleep on his back, still in his dingy Iron Maiden t-shirt and jeans. Emily rolled her eyes as his snores filled the room. She dressed Connor in his green dinosaur pajamas, brushed his teeth, and tucked him into bed. She smoothed his long blond hair out of his eyes and kissed his forehead. He desperately needed another haircut. She would have to trim it herself again. Richard would never let her spend the money to get it done at the barber shop.
Emily slipped into her flannel nightgown. Her life was a mess. Connor needed stability, a place to stay and call their own. This constant running needed to stop.
If only she hadn’t killed William, then none of this would have happened.
Book 1 of a Life Changing Love Story Trilogy
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