Hopeless
Authors: Cheryl Douglas
Hopeless
Book
Seven in the Nashville Nights Series
Cheryl Douglas
Copyright
© by Cheryl Douglas
All
rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, including
photocopying, graphic, electronic, mechanical, taping, recording, sharing, or
by any information retrieval system without the express written permission of
the author and / or publisher. Exceptions include brief quotations embodied in
critical articles and reviews.
Persons,
places and other entities represented in this book are deemed to be fictitious.
They are not intended to represent actual places or entities currently or
previously in existence or any person living or dead. This work is the product
of the author’s imagination.
Any
and all inquiries to the author of this book should be directed to
[email protected]
Hopeless
© 2012 Cheryl Douglas
Hopeless – Book Seven
When
Jay Cooper has to hire a black belt instructor for his karate studio, he
doesn’t expect the most promising candidate to come with a huge chip on her
shoulder. He knows there must be a story behind those tortured brown eyes. If
only she would let him get close enough to find out why she seems to determined
to keep her past a secret.
Victoria
Pierce grew up in the foster care system. For her, martial arts was more than a
hobby. It was her best hope of survival. She learned at an early age that the
only person she could count on was herself. She doesn’t let anyone get close
enough to hurt her, not friends, boyfriends, and definitely not her new boss.
She shuts Jay down at every opportunity, so why does he keep coming back for
more?
Dedication
To my grandmother, Betty
Life has dealt you some
difficult blows…
widowed at thirty-nine with
six young children to raise,
and a diagnosis of stage three
ovarian cancer the same year.
You are a survivor and an
inspiration to all who have been
blessed to know you.
I love you
Read What the Reviewers Are Saying About Nashville Nights…
“
Shameless
has wonderfully flawed
characters that have to fight to get back what they lost, but when they get it
right, it is absolutely fantastic.”
Cocktails
and Books
“This
series is very emotional and I can’t wait to pick up a new book after its
release.”
Book
Travels
“I read
the whole series and let me tell you, I love it. I read all four books in two
days. I couldn’t put them down.”
My
Eclectic Bookshelf
“
Shameless
is a sensual story
packed full of passion, temptation, and forbidden love.”
For the
Love of Reading
“
Shameless
drew me in heart and
soul from the very first page to the satisfying conclusion after the final page
was turned. Those wanting an emotional roller coaster ride, climb on board and
add this one to your bookshelf.”
Wow from
the Scarf Princess Blog
“There
were times throughout
Shameless
where I was actually overcome with emotion. It made me cry
and smile, and sometimes gasp or laugh out loud; a piece of art that couldn’t
have come at a better time. Simply a must read. I give this book a solid five
stars!”
Read2Review
“The flow
of this story (
Fearless
)
was perfect. I cannot wait for the 3
rd
installment.”
Insightful
Minds Reviews
“I really
adore all of the characters in this series.”
Autumn
Review
One
Jay Cooper leaned back in his swivel chair
and scraped his hands over his face. He was exhausted physically, mentally, and
emotionally. He was on the verge of opening his fourth karate studio and
desperate to find a suitable manager.
Karen, his administrative assistant, poked
her head in the door. “Just one more interview today, boss.”
He closed his eyes on a groan. “Do I have
to?”
She smiled. “I think you’ll want to see
this one. She’s a second degree black belt…”
Jay knew Karen well enough to know there
was more to come. She was an invaluable part of his team, but if there was one
thing he would change about her, it was her propensity to tell never-ending
stories. “And?”
She scanned the paper she was holding. “She
majored in business, minored in marketing, volunteers in her spare time…”
He reached across the desk to take the paper
she offered. Karen and one of his managers, Linda, had reviewed the resumes and
arranged the interviews. Normally, Jay would only conduct second interviews,
but since this was a managerial position, he wanted to make sure he was
choosing the right candidate for the job.
“Hmmm, this does look promising.” He
glanced at his Tag watch. “Is she here yet?”
Karen grinned. “She was five minutes early.
Oh, and boss, I should warn you, she’s gorgeous.”
He raised an eyebrow. “You know I’m not in
the market for a girlfriend.”
She rolled her eyes. “It’s been months
since that bit—” She smiled sweetly. “Since she dumped you. It’s time to get on
with your life already.”
Jay nurtured a friendly, open environment
in his studios, which often meant his employees felt comfortable crossing the
line, like now. “Even if I was interested in gettin’ involved again, and I’m
not, mixin’ business and pleasure is a bad idea.”
“Oh please, this woman would be perfect for
you. You share a passion for karate; she obviously has a good head for
business…”
Jay smirked. “Is that why attractive,
single women have been paradin’ through my office all day applyin’ for this
position?”
She crossed her arms and frowned. “Linda
and I thought it would be good for you to start dating again. You’re a great
guy, Jay. Just ‘cause that little—”
Jay held his hand up. He already knew how
his employees, friends, and family felt about Lily. Unfortunately, it took him
a year to admit they were right. “I don’t want to hear it.” He sighed. “Listen,
I’ve been datin’. I just don’t have the time for anything serious right now.
I’m overseeing construction on the new studio, takin’ over classes for James
while he’s on his honeymoon, and tryin’ to ensure the other studios are running
smoothly. It’s killin’ me.”
“That’s why you need a new manager, like,
yesterday. I’m telling you, I think this girl would be perfect.”
He was tired of arguing. He just wanted to
get this over with so his assistant would get off his back already. “Okay, send
her in.”
Jay decided to check his email while he
waited for Karen to usher the young woman into his office. He didn’t bother to
look up from his computer screen when he heard her take the seat across from
him. “Just give me a sec. I’ll be right with you.”
“No problem, take your time.”
Her voice was sexy and raspy, prompting him
to look up in the midst of opening an important attachment he’d been waiting on
all day. “Uh, I…” He never got nervous. In fact, his friends claimed he was the
epitome of self-assurance, but the stunning beauty seated across from him made
him feel like a bumbling idiot. “Hi.”
She smiled as she reached across the desk
to offer her hand. “Hi, I’m Victoria Pierce. I attended one of your seminars at
the conference in Cincinnati last year. You were great.”
He barely remembered the conference she was
referring to as he clasped her hand, holding her captive a little longer than
appropriate. Hell, staring into this woman’s jade green eyes, he’d be
hard-pressed to remember his own name, much less social protocol, or a
conference that happened months ago. “Thanks, I’m glad you enjoyed it.”
“I’m always eager to learn more… especially
from someone like you.”
He tipped his chair back and stared into
her eyes. He tried to call on the powerful mantra that dictated every aspect of
his life
: focus your eyes… focus your body… focus your mind.
But it was
pointless. Instead of concentrating on the task at hand, finding a manager, his
wayward thoughts kept drifting to the silky slide of her long, dark hair
teasing her shoulders or the muscular, sun-kissed thighs peeking out beneath
the full skirt of her black, belted dress.
When she shifted in her seat, he realized
his obvious perusal of her assets must be making her uncomfortable. He chuckled,
trying the ease the tension. “I’m sorry. I guess my mind was wanderin’ there
for a minute.” If she knew where it had taken him, she’d likely reach across
the desk and slap him upside the head.
She cleared her throat. “As I was saying, I
know you’re one of the best martial artists in the state, Mr. Cooper. It’s no
secret you and your team routinely place first in all of the big international competitions.
I want to be part of that, if you think I might be a good fit.”
He closed his eyes when he thought about
how well her body would fit his. Even beneath the flowing fabric of her pleated
skirt, he could tell she, like most of the martial artists he knew, was serious
about treating her body like a temple. She was toned, tanned, and… stunning. She
didn’t wear much make-up, and her nails were short and free of polish, her hair
color obviously wasn’t altered, yet even without the enhancements most of the
women he dated seemed to favor, she was the most beautiful woman he’d ever laid
eyes on. The kind of beauty few women were lucky enough to be born with, beauty
that defied the passing of time.