Showing results by author "Natasha Madison" in All Categories

I was left for dead when I was eighteen. Coming to Mustang Creek Ranch gave me something to live for. My boss is grumpy and reclusive. But I’m secretly in love with him, even though he’s made it known he’ll never settle down. Even though he’s made it clear, he’ll never be mine—or anyone’s.

I did the last thing I ever expected to do. I bought a boat. A beautiful boat that was all mine to spend the summer on. The only thing I was looking forward to was the calm being on the water brought me. A place where I wasn’t a hockey dynasty princess or the only single girl of the family. What I wasn’t looking forward to was the broody man in the boat next to me.

It was time to celebrate. After all my hard work, I was graduating at the top of my class. Our family vacation was the perfect chance to relax. Until I saw him get on the plane and my plans went out the window. Tristan's everything I've always wanted but can never have. One night was all we had together. Now, I’m staring at the two pink lines wondering if I should even tell him.

Never fall in love with a sports star. That's what my stepfather always said. He told me athletes are complicated and moody - that the higher their paycheck, the lower their morals. As public relations for the New York Stingers, I know exactly what he means, but I can’t seem to say no to a friendship with one beautiful, damaged man. What started out as hate turned into something else. We tried to stay away, to keep our distance, but the pull was too strong.

It wasn’t hard for me to walk away from my family without looking back—the time had come for me to live for myself. New city. New job. My new boss? He’s gorgeous. It’s too bad that handsome face is wasted on such a condescending prick. He hates me, and the feeling is mutual. The only reason he may not be the literal devil is because he’s a devoted single dad, making it clear Caine is, in fact, capable of human emotion.

They called me the pretty boy on and off the ice. Hockey’s most eligible bachelor. When my teammate asked me to donate one date to his charity, I figured why not. Worst case, I’d spend the night with a fan. Best-case scenario, she would be hot. What I wasn’t expecting was for my dream girl to be the highest bidder. For years, she brushed me off, and now, I finally had a chance to take her out and show her who I really was. With only one shot at this, I really hoped I didn’t mess it up.

When I first met him, I got butterflies in my stomach. I thought it was silly and pushed it aside. Avoided him. Besides, I was taken—unavailable. Or so I thought. That was before he hired me to take over his company’s PR. Now that we were working with each other, that meant he was completely off-limits. Until one night in Vegas.

The day I picked out my wedding dress is the day I found out my fiancé was cheating on me. After that, I needed an escape. A distraction to take my mind off what a mess my life was. It was supposed to be a one-night thing. Then it turned into more. We knew going in that it was for two weeks. Then, two pink lines changed everything.

My dreams came true when I was adopted at ten. I was the best on the ice. Living the life every kid dreams of. We’ve been best friends since then. Even when she was the annoying little sister following us around. I would do anything for her. It is another family vacation, except this time it feels different. Everything feels different.

When you grow up surrounded by hockey players you know one thing for sure: you should never settle down with one. And I was never going to. Heck, I didn’t even know what icing was. I was too busy climbing the corporate ladder, becoming one of the most successful realtors in New York City. I wasn’t interested in dating or anything that got in my way. First, he was my client, and then he became my friend.

A blonde, a brunette, a redhead...he can have his pick of them all on any given night and he knows it. They wait, hoping he looks up and gives them his signature smirk, choosing them over the others because that’s his game. Except now he's signed the contract of a lifetime, one with a pesky little clause that says his zipper must stay up and his playboy image has got to tamp down.

CrystalI was the strong one, they said, until two words brought me to my knees. It was a secret I didn't share with anyone, a secret that made me promise I'd never fall in love. I no longer wanted that white picket fence of every woman's dreams. But then the unthinkable happened. GabeI thought I had it all with the best medical practice in the state and the woman of my dreams. I wore a smile on my face every single day. I couldn't wait to watch her walk down the aisle and start our forever, except she never did. My runaway bride made me realize love isn't worth it.

Moving to LA was my dream since I was 13. By the time I was 20, I was sought out by some of the most beautiful people in the world to take their pictures. No one cared that I came from a hockey dynasty. Everything was perfect.

One night changed my whole life. After the truth about that night came out, I knew I had to leave. Taking my broken heart with me. I had no choice but to go back. I knew it would slice me back open again. But sometimes, the root of the flower you planted starts to grow again, no matter how many times you’ve cut them down. He was my everything, and then he was my nothing.

When I inherited the Dallas Oilers from my father, I became one of the youngest owners in hockey history. Even though the team was at the bottom of the hockey standings, I had big plans to change that and bring the Cup to Dallas. Falling in love was something I never believed would happen to me. You’d think I was getting everything I ever wanted with the girl and the winning record, but I still have a promise to fulfill to my childhood best friend.

I had one thing on my mind and that was never going to change: The game. The only goal I had was beating the records set by my family. I didn’t have time for anything else. Until she walked in the room. The earth shifted, just like the stories said it would. I said it wouldn’t happen—not to me. I didn’t have the time, but now she was the only thing on my mind. I knew it was her. Now I had to convince her.

Coming back home was supposed to be normal - not that my life had ever been normal, but it was getting there. Then I opened the door and found a man, broken, bloodied, and fighting for his life. I don’t know why, but I said I would take care of him. I had to - needed to. He was a mystery, showing up from out of nowhere. But he might have already stolen my heart.  

I'm the one who broke up the golden couple - the woman people still whisper about, point at, and give dirty looks to. Did I sleep with the prom king? No. Did I sleep with the town's golden boy on vacation from college? Yes. Did I believe that he was going to marry me? Wholeheartedly. Did he? Not even close. He got engaged right in front of me, and then his father threw $200 at me and told me to take the trash out.

I never thought I would see him again. Especially while I was planning someone else’s wedding—yet there he was, holding hands with his girlfriend. Our one night was wild and passionate. I could never forget him because it changed my life. Now he’s here—and the result of our one night is twirling in a princess dress at our feet.

It was supposed to be a regular day out. Three couples celebrating the last days of summer. When tragedy struck. I thought I was going to marry her. Instead, I was burying her. I blamed the world for my pain. I buried it all. I became a man I didn’t even recognize.