Lost In France (Firebird Trilogy) Read online

  Firebird Trilogy

  Lost In France

  Book 1

  Adult Contemporary Romance Novel

  Recommended: 18 +

  Jani Kay

  FIREBIRD TRILOGY

  LOST IN FRANCE

  Book 1

  Jani Kay

  ISBN: 978-0-9923090-1-5

  Copyright 2013 JANI KAY

  All Rights Reserved.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  Cover Artist: Cover It! Designs, Dress Your Books. by Ari

  www.coveritdesigns.net

  Edited by: Marion Archer [Marion Making Manuscripts]

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be distributed for commercial or non-commercial purposes, copied, or reproduced electronically or in print without written permission, except for brief quotations embodied for reviews.

  This book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This eBook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return it and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

  Dedication

  To ALL my loved ones – family and friends –

  who deeply touch my heart and my soul.

  I love you.

  More than you will ever know.

  Thank you for your support and believing in me.

  It means the world to me.

  And yes, something of you is probably in this book.

  *******

  Thank YOU!

  Thank you for purchasing and reading my books.

  Without You, the reader, writers wouldn’t have

  an audience for their stories.

  *******

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  Firebird Series:

  Lost in France (Book 1)

  Lost In France is an erotic contemporary romance novel set in Paris, the city of Love and Romance.

  Offered a thrilling new job, Rebecca flees her tormented past, putting as much distance between herself and her ex-lover, wanting a fresh beginning in a foreign city.

  On the airplane she meets Alain, a dangerously handsome Frenchman, winemaker and jetsetter, who doesn’t waste time introducing her to the Mile High Club and seducing her with his French accent and charming ass-slapping ways. Sizzling chemistry with her sexy tour guide leads to a panty melting romance on the Cote de Azure and Alain’s chateau in Bordeaux. Can Rebecca find the love she is yearning for with her Frenchman?

  Alain is perfect. Or so it seems.

  What is his secret?

  What is he hiding?

  Rebecca loves her new job. It’s just her alpha male boss, super arrogant CEO, Maxwell Grant, she dislikes. And Maxwell f*cking Grant doesn't like her entanglement with the Frenchman.

  No, he wants Rebecca to himself...

  Is Rebecca jumping from one hotter-than-hell fire into another? And will she finally find what she is looking for?

  The semi-cliffhanger will leave you breathless, screaming for book 2. Guaranteed.

  Book 1 of 3 in the Firebird Trilogy.

  What readers think of ‘Lost in France’:

  Katrina ~ 5 STARS

  it is definitely an R18, it contains all the things we women look for in a book, explicit nature, delicious guys, fancy things, glamorous lifestyles, expensive cars... It is pure unadulterated passion, in the form of an anonymous lover who stalks you till you give in, you think he is one person, but really when you find out who he is, it’s like Oh My God. He is so possessive, he is so utterly desirable, he makes me go weak at the knees, and he will not tolerate any attention shown to me by another male, in any way shape or form.

  Lisa ~ 5 STARS

  Jani Kay wastes no time in getting to the good parts as the sexy sizzle between Rebecca and Alain starts when they meet on the plane from Australia to France. This is the first book of the trilogy, and Jani is off to a great start. There are plenty of erotic romance and hot, sexy, steamy scenes. The descriptions of the different sites in Paris definitely whet my appetite to visit there.

  Unfortunately for Rebecca, she gets offers that she needs to refuse. She wants to have a man to call her own and who puts her first. It seems like Alain will fill her need, until the surprise twist. I'm looking forward to where the next novel in the series will go... I want more Rebecca, Alain, and Maxwell!

  Amanda ~ 5 STARS

  I want to start by saying WOW... I started this book having NO idea what I was getting into and honestly I don't think It would have mattered...THIS BOOK WAS AWESOME!!

  This book has it all...Really HOT sex, love, scandal, heartache, and very hard decisions....I am seriously suffering from a book hangover after reading this book....Thank you Author Jani Kay for such great story that I could fall in love with.

  Di D ~ 5 STARS

  I was gutted when I had finished the book, for two reasons. The main one being that the book had ended. The second one was because the book went in a direction I had not anticipated and as soon as the leaky eye syndrome came to an end, I emailed Jani Kay to let her know how devastated I was at the end and prayed I didn’t have long to wait until the next book came out. Thankfully it’s not too long (YAY!)

  Chapter 1

  “Be happy for me, Sis.” I swallowed the lump in my throat and smiled at a blurry Chloe. Her shimmering eyes caught mine for a moment as we said our goodbyes. Any more of this and I might just reconsider leaving. But I couldn’t. I had to go.

  “I am. Now that you’ve landed a fancy job with a ridiculous salary…but I’m going to miss you.” She blinked a few times and smiled back. “At least Lily and I get to stay in your cool apartment while you are gone.”

  “Yeah, so count your blessings, chicken.” I laughed at her excitement, even though my stomach dropped. I loved my apartment. It had been my home for close to a decade and it held everything I treasured in it. It was roomy by Melbourne standards, and extremely well located, so I was sure my two younger sisters would have a ball living there for the eight months I was away.

  Eight months.

  Lily stepped into my embrace. “Take care of yourself, Becca. I know you’re going to be a huge success. You deserve it.” Of the three of us, my baby sister was the eternal optimist—she always saw the glass half full.

  “I hope so, sweetheart,” I said, as I hugged her tight. Of everything I was leaving behind, it was leaving my sisters that was the hardest. OK, that’s not quite true. There was someone I would miss even more, but he was the exact reason I was doing this. My heart squeezed as I glanced at my watch—I was already running fifteen minutes late. He hadn’t come. It had to be a sign. I sighed and turned away so that Chloe and Lily couldn’t see the tears well up in my eyes.

  “Mom’s already waiting in the car. Gotta run.” I didn’t wait for the elevator; I had to leave before my courage left me.

  Halfway down the stairs, the shrill ringing of a phone brought me to a stop. I couldn’t breathe. Was it Julian? No. Why would he phone and not be here in person? Of course, it was just wishful thinking on my part. If
Julian really wanted to stop me from leaving he would be here, wouldn’t he? Without looking back, I pushed through the door and scrambled into the waiting car.

  “Everything OK, Rebecca?” Mom had that look in her eyes that said she thought I was making a huge mistake. The biggest mistake of my life, she’d said last night. But we’d had the discussion and she knew I was determined as ever to do this. It was the opportunity of a lifetime—I’d assured myself of that over and over. Why wouldn’t I grab it with both hands?

  “Yip. I'm ready.” My voice sounded hollow even to myself, I just hoped I could bluff my way through this until I was finally on the plane taking me as far away from Julian as I could. I put on my brave face, especially for my mother, yet I knew by the way her mouth was set in a thin line that she wasn’t buying my story.

  “I still don’t understand why you have to go to another country to get away. There are plenty of jobs right here in Australia. You can still be close to us and be at another firm to where Julian is working.” Luckily she had to concentrate on the traffic, so she didn’t see the way I rolled my eyes.

  “Melbourne is a small place when you work in the same industry. There is every chance I will bump into him at work and client functions. And I just…can’t.”

  Hell, now that I’ve made up my mind, I won’t. Never again if I can help it. It’s over.

  She swerved for a taxi and cursed loudly, refusing to give way. I was used to that by now; we were similar in so many ways. I inherited my flaming red hair and my fiery temperament from my mother. Absolutely no doubt about that. Throw in the fact that we were both ruled by the planet Mars, and most people tried to avoid locking horns with us. Luckily we were the only the two Rams in the family.

  Once we made up our minds about something, there was little that could persuade us otherwise. Mom knew there was no way she was going to convince me to stay. Yet, remarkably, she still tried.

  “Anyway, imagine the fun I’ll have working in Paris? It’s every career woman’s dream after landing her PHD with honors. Besides, it’s only a flight away, you can visit when you miss me.” I joked, trying to lighten the mood.

  She smiled as she patted my hand. “I miss you already and you haven’t even boarded the plane. Since Dad died you have been my rock, helping me with your sisters—”

  My throat tightened. I didn’t want to start bawling my eyes out, so I stared out of the window, even though everything was blurry. “You know why I have to go. I need to get away from Julian. Or else, it may not end well. And I can’t let that happen, I don’t want it on my conscience.”

  “Becca, he loves you…no amount of running away is going to change that.”

  I shook my head. “I'm not running away, I'm merely starting my new career with a killer job in the most glamorous city in the world. What’s wrong with that?” I said brightly, trying my best to hide the sudden anxiety that gripped my insides.

  “All a mother ever wants is for her kids to be happy. I'm not sure hiding halfway around the world is going to help you find happiness.”

  Fortunately we had pulled up outside the departures gate. I leaned in and kissed her cheek. I sucked at goodbyes. Before she could say another word, I’d jumped out and rapped my knuckles on the boot for her to open. I quickly grabbed my suitcases and made my way toward the sliding doors. She stared at me with her mouth half open as I turned to blow her a kiss.

  Large tears were splashing on the lapel of my suit jacket. Sniffing, I wiped them with my shirtsleeves. Suck it up Rebecca. This isn’t how the new Director of Marketing of Grant Global Industries should behave.

  A cocktail of emotions ran through me. Guilt. Apprehension. Excitement.

  Chapter 2

  Cursed. From the day I was born, thirteen days late. Twenty-nine years later, regardless of how hard I tried to break the spell, nothing had changed. I was still always late. And usually running. In heels.

  That’s why the announcement didn’t surprise me. “This is the final boarding call for passenger Rebecca Clarke. Please make your way to gate eleven immediately.”

  Gate eleven. Finally I’d made it. “Just in time, Ms. Clarke,” the air-hostess hissed, a false smile plastered on her face. “We’re just about to shut the gate.” She scanned my documents and shoved them back into my hands with a look of disdain.

  Not waiting to hear if she had any other snide remarks, I rushed toward the aircraft, breathless. The bounce of the air bridge echoed my heartbeat: thump, thump, thump.

  Once on board, I scanned the luxurious cabin, there were three rows, with four seats in each row. The single seats were located next to the windows on both sides. My seat was in the middle section. Damn. I really wanted a window seat. I wasn’t in the mood for chitchat with a curious stranger.

  A tall and typically elegant air-hostess placed my cabin bag into the overhead compartment. “Welcome on board Air France, Ms. Clarke. My name is Candice, and I will be looking after you for the entire flight. So, please relax while I get you a drink. Champagne?”

  I nodded. Bring it on.

  Slowly I sank into my seat. Soft calf’s leather engulfed me. Bliss. The luxurious seat felt too big for one person. I strapped myself in, pulling the buckle tight. The lights dimmed and exhilaration surged through me as the massive aircraft gathered speed on the runway. The wheels popped, then we were in the air. This was really happening. Finally I was leaving Julian Palmer behind.

  I really needed to get away from it all: from the crazy rat race, from years of studies and research; but mostly from him.

  Exhausted, I closed my eyes. The shocked expression on his handsome face when I told him I was leaving still haunted me. It was the most difficult thing I’d ever done. A familiar shooting pain twisted in my heart. Julian had been a part of my life since high school. How was I going to survive for nearly a year without seeing his beloved face?

  Tears spilled from my eyes, rolling down my cheeks unchecked. My heart ached, I was acutely aware of its squeezing heaviness in my chest, stealing my breath. There was no point in pretending any longer, it was impossible to suppress my sobs; I allowed the sorrow to flow from me, my eyes pressed shut tightly.

  Fuck, I needed to get over the only man I’d loved all my life. I’d known this would be hard but I also knew with absolute clarity what I had to do—I needed to break all contact and brutally exorcise Julian from my mind and my heart. And, my treacherous body. The only way was to put distance between us.

  After what felt like an eternity, I opened my eyes. Pulling a tissue from my jacket pocket, I blew my nose hard and in a quite unladylike manner. Then I let out a deep sigh that reverberated through every cell in my body.

  Get a grip, Becca.

  We were up in the air; I was flying away—starting fresh. And there was nothing I could do about it now, no turning back. I had to learn to let go, to try to relax and enjoy the journey. I planned to savor every moment, see new places, meet new people. Let my hair down for once and simply enjoy my life, unencumbered. This time I was determined to follow through on my decision.

  Get Julian Palmer out of my system.

  Candice returned with a smile and a silver tray to present me with a crisp white napkin and a flute of ice-cold champagne. I let out a shudder along with a long sigh, letting all my worries go as I put the glass to my lips and sipped the crisp sparkly liquid, enjoying the feeling as it made its way down my throat. For the first time since I started preparing for this journey, the tension slowly seeped from my entire body.

  Consciousness of my surroundings crept back to me. I glanced over at the seat next to mine. My heart went into free fall for a split second as I gazed directly into arctic-blue eyes, that were studying me pensively. His generous lips, as if carved perfectly by a sculptor, curled into a panty-wetting smile.

  Lord, have mercy on my soul.

  How could I not have noticed him before now?

  Chapter 3

  Alain

  Finally she noticed me: the hot redhead with th
e tight skirt and awesome rack.

  I hated running behind schedule. I’d cursed under my breath, blaming her for the delay. She’d stumbled her way toward me on precarious heels that accentuated her shapely legs, her cheeks flushed. Hauling her hand-luggage behind her, she’d impatiently blown a strand of unruly hair out of her pretty face.

  Completely ignoring me, she practically shoved her perfect round ass in my face before taking her seat and strapping in. She hadn’t even acknowledged my presence with as much as a sideways glance. I was used to women noticing and reacting to me in all sorts of strange but good ways. Yet, to the redhead I was invisible. If anything, it intrigued me.

  After her first sip, I watched her virtually down the rest of the glass of champagne in one gulp. My eyes widened as she held her glass out to Candice for a refill.

  The second glass of champagne went the same way as the first—swilled down her throat. Fast. She hadn’t bothered to sip it slowly, giving it the socially accepted reverence one should to an expensive tipple. Then she switched to wine. That’s when I knew that this flight wasn’t going to be boring as hell after all.

  I wanted to get to know her. Everything about her was different.

  And now she was staring into my eyes.