ManofHerDreams Read online

  Written by Paige Warren

  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

  No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, without the prior permission in writing of the publisher, nor be otherwise circulated in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without a similar condition including this condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser.

  Publisher’s Note:

  This is a work of fiction. All characters, places, businesses, and incidents are from the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual places, people, or events is purely coincidental. The image of the building on the cover was derived from a photo found at freedigitalphotos.net and is in no way the property of the publisher.

  Any trademarks mentioned herein aren't authorized by the trademark owners and do not in any way mean the work is sponsored by or associated with the trademark owners. Any trademarks used are specifically in a descriptive capacity.

  © 2009, Paige Warren

  First Edition

  Wild Horse Press

  www.wildhorsepress.webs.com

  Chapter One

  Sienna sat in her window seat enjoying the view. It was a beautiful day in Southern California and she had a perfect view of the beach. If she opened her window, she would be able to smell the salt in the air and hear the ocean waves as they crashed upon the sand. As she watched the gulls dive and swoop through the air, a figure on the beach caught her eye.

  Logan was walking along the beach, bare-chested and dripping with salt water. Fresh from a swim in the ocean, the man was mouthwatering. Sienna felt her heart kick into over-drive. She knew better than to feel this way. Logan Drake was notorious for breaking women’s hearts. It was best to admire him from afar; an easy task since they’d never been introduced. She didn’t exactly travel in his social circle.

  Sienna Blake was five feet five inches tall with a somewhat pudgy figure. Her hair was currently cut into a chin length bob and the red strands were always tickling her nose. Her green eyes were her best feature. Although it was a toss up on what her worst feature was – her freckles or her weight. Regardless of the diets she had tried, the gym memberships she had gone through, and any gimmicks she had found along the way, Sienna just could not lose weight. As a small child she had once tried spot remover to get rid of her freckles. Needless to say it hadn’t worked and they were there to stay.

  Sighing, she tore her gaze from Logan’s fine figure. It was a shame that men like that didn’t fall for women like her. Then again, why would a hunky guy look at her? Logan had it all – a successful career, the face of a god --- not to mention the body to go with it, and usually had a model on his arm, or at least a woman who could be a model. It was ridiculous to even dream of being with a man like that, and yet dream she did.

  Deciding to cure her sudden case of self-pity the usual way, Sienna headed into the kitchen. Opening the freezer she dug out her half gallon of chocolate ice cream. Forgoing the bowl, she grabbed a spoon out of the drawer and dug in. Regardless of what her doctor thought, chocolate really did cure whatever ailed you. At least that was Sienna’s philosophy and she was sticking to it! Okay, so if she stopped her chocolate addiction in its tracks she could probably lose a few pounds. Sienna didn’t think that life without chocolate was worth a few pounds. Now if she could lose about thirty pounds by not eating chocolate, she might seriously consider it… maybe.

  Plopping onto the couch, she drug out her favorite romance novel and sat down to read. Sienna scooped spoonfuls of the heavenly chocolate into her mouth as she read the well-worn copy of A Love for All Time. She practically had the book memorized, but she loved it each and every time.

  Before she knew it, the sun was setting and the ice cream was gone. Sienna sighed as she put her bookmark inside her book and set it down on the couch. After putting her empty ice cream carton in the trash and her spoon in the sink, she went into her bedroom to change clothes. Maybe a nice moonlit walk on the beach would cheer her up.

  By the time Sienna had figured out what she wanted to wear and had made it out of her house, the moon and stars were shining brightly. As she stepped onto the beach, the cool sand covered her toes. There was a light breeze that lifted the strands of hair away from her face. Sienna turned her face into the wind and inhaled deeply. There was nothing she loved more than the feel of the sand under her feet, the salty air on her face, and hearing the sound of the ocean. No matter what mood she was in, a walk on the beach always made her feel better. Well, as long as a bathing suit wasn’t required. Just the thought of having to wear one made her shiver.

  Setting off down the beach, Sienna walked near the water. The waves gently lapped at her feet as she slowly meandered down the shore. Pretty much everyone had gone home for the night so she had the beach to herself. Or so she thought… No sooner had Sienna thought she was alone than she saw a figure heading her way. As the person drew nearer, she could see that it was a man… and not just any man, but the man – Logan Drake!

  Sienna’s heart jumped into her throat. What would she say? What should she do? What if he spoke to her? Her mind was in a whirlwind, her pulse beat erratically, and her breath was coming out quick and shallow. First things first, she closed her eyes and tried to take some calming breaths. Otherwise, she was going to faint from a lack of oxygen. Once her nerves felt a little more settled, she opened her eyes. Logan was only a few yards away. Deciding to act as nonchalant as possible, she continued her leisurely stroll down the beach. What she really wanted to do was turn and run the other way!

  As Logan approached, Sienna gave him a hesitant smile.

  “Hello,” she said, half way hoping he would just nod and continue on his way, but the other half wanted him to talk to her, the insane part of her obviously.

  Logan looked at the woman who had spoken to him. She wasn’t his usual type, but she was pretty. “Hello. Enjoying your evening?”

  Sienna mutely nodded. Mentally she cringed. Here was her opportunity to speak to the man and she was blowing it!

  Logan smiled, figuring she was shy. “I’m Logan, Logan Drake.”

  “I’m Sienna Blake.”

  “It’s nice to meet you, Sienna. Do you live nearby or did you drive over for your nightly stroll?”

  “Oh, um, I live down the beach a ways,” she said quietly, gesturing towards the homes behind her.

  Logan nodded. “I prefer a home on the beach myself. I find that a walk on the beach, especially at night, is a good way to clear my thoughts; living nearby just makes it that much easier to do.”

  Sienna mutely nodded her head in agreement, unable to untangle her tongue long enough to speak to the man.

  Logan gave her a gentle smile. “Well, it was nice meeting you, Sienna. Maybe we’ll run into each other again sometime soon.”

  “It was nice to meet you too,” she murmured, a slight blush staining her cheeks.

  Logan nodded and continued on his way down the beach. He had found Sienna’s shyness to be refreshing and sincerely hoped he would see her again. He briefly wondered how many chance encounters he would need before asking her out on a date. It was obvious that she was nervous around him. The thought of going out to dinner on a date would probably terrify the woman. He knew he had a reputation, but it hadn’t been deserved. Well, not all of it had anyway.

  Sienna looked over her shoulder and watched Logan walk away. She felt like such an idiot! When she talked to her neighbor and good friend, Robert, he was definitely going to give her a hard time. All it had taken was a smile from a gorgeous guy and she’d gone mute!

  Sighing, Sienna continued down the beach. Her thoughts were chaotic after running into Logan. He had not only been nice, but had seemed genuinely
interested in her. Oh, not in a romantic way! Sienna wasn’t foolish enough to consider the notion. But there had definitely been some sort of interest showing in his eyes. She only hoped that if she ran into him again, she would be able to put together a coherent sentence or two. Otherwise, he was going to question her intelligence. It was bad enough that she was starting to question her sanity.

  ***

  Later that night, tucked into her warm bed, Sienna still couldn’t get Logan Drake off her mind. It had obviously been way too long since her last date for such a brief conversation to merit this much thought. Then again, it had been even longer since she’d had sex. She wasn’t sure which one was to blame for her stupid brain having stupid thoughts about Logan, the lack of a date or the lack of sex. Then again, they were probably both to blame since one generally had to go on a date in order for sex to be involved. Well, unless you were getting paid for sex and Sienna certainly wasn’t getting paid. If anything, she might have to look into paying someone to have sex with her if she didn’t get a date soon; there was only so much a woman could do on her own.

  After an inordinate amount of tossing and turning, Sienna finally fell asleep. Her dreams were pleasant, but not sweet. Instead of acting like a simpleton when she had met Logan, the Sienna in her dreams was brave and bold. She flirted and smiled. Logan took her into his arms and kissed her, running his hands to her hips and pulling her tightly against his body. Sienna felt his erection pressing against her and leaned further into him, wanting to imprint him against her skin.

  The dream was just starting to get good when Sienna jerked awake to the sound of the phone ringing. Glancing around her room, she felt disoriented. What had just happened? With a groan, she realized that she had been dreaming.

  Hearing the phone ring incessantly, she climbed out of bed and answered it.

  “Someone had better be dead,” she grumbled, glancing at the clock that read six o’clock in the morning.

  On the other end, Robert laughed. “Did I wake you up Cinderella?”

  Sienna groaned. “Robert, do you know what time it is? You know I don’t get up before eight o’clock.”

  “Yes, I know sleepy head. But I thought you might want to know that Logan Drake will be at the grand opening of his newest bookstore. The opening starts at eight o’clock, which gives you two hours to get ready and get over there.”

  “Robert, what are you talking about?”

  “Logan Drake… you know, the man you’ve been crushing on since you moved into that house? Come on Sienna. It’s now or never. It’s time to stop hiding and go meet the man.”

  Sienna bit her lip. Should she tell him? “I, ah, kind of already met him.”

  “You what?”

  “I already met him. I went for a walk on the beach last night and he stopped and introduced himself.”

  “And?” Robert felt like he was pulling teeth trying to get Sienna to part with the details. She’d been his best friend for several years now. While she was cute and totally date worthy, he had decided that being friends with her was much better.

  “And nothing. My tongue got all tangled and I looked like an idiot. End of story.”

  Robert sighed. “Look, I’ll give you thirty minutes to shower and throw on some clothes. I’m coming over and if I have to I’m going to drag you to the damn opening!”

  Sienna knew he would do it too! “Alright, you win. Can I at least have fifteen minutes to get some coffee?”

  “No, go shower! I’m on my way over.”

  Hanging up the phone, Sienna sighed. She knew it had been a mistake to give Robert the key to her place. A smile crossed her face. Then again, he was a really good friend. It wasn’t often a woman could have a straight guy for a best friend; even if he was a pain in the ass at times.

  Heading into the bathroom, she started the shower. She took her time washing her hair and her body, shaving, and just standing under the water, letting the hot streams run down her body, relaxing her. When she turned off the water, she could hear Robert rummaging around in her kitchen. Grabbing her large bath sheet, because let’s face it, a towel just doesn’t go around a large chest and a pudgy body, she wrapped it around herself and went to investigate.

  Cracking open the bedroom door, she peered into her living room. She could see part of the kitchen, but couldn’t see Robert. If he was dressed casual, that meant he was going to trust her to go solo to the opening. If he was dressed in business casual, it meant he was going with her just as he had threatened and she was sunk.

  The door jerked out of her grasp and she gasped, stumbling backwards. Robert stood in the doorway, hands on his hips, glaring at her. “What are you doing?”

  Sienna lifted her chin a notch, giving him a stubborn look. “I was just making sure it was you in the house and not a thief.”

  Drat the man, he had on khaki’s and a polo shirt, which meant she couldn’t duck out of the opening. She was going whether she wanted to or not. Life was just so not fair sometimes!

  “Uh-huh. Tell it to someone who believes you.” Robert’s gaze travelled over her wet dripping hair to the arms she had crossed under her heaving chest down to her toes with pink polish. Why the woman thought she was unattractive was beyond him. If he didn’t value her friendship so much, he’d have dated her long ago – and most definitely would have slept with her!

  Sienna grumbled under her breath, closed the door in his face and went in search of a decent outfit to wear. As was typical of summer weather in California, it was hot outside. The breeze from the ocean was nice, but it was definitely sundress and sandal weather. It was a good thing she’d had a pedicure recently, she thought as she dug through her shoes searching for just the right pair.

  Pulling out a pale green sundress and tan high heeled sandals, she quickly threw on her clothes. Going back into the bathroom, she put some straightening gel in her hair and dried the short strands. After putting on some light makeup, she checked her reflection. Sighing to herself, she realized that it wasn’t going to get any better. She didn’t feel like the Cinderella that Robert always called her. She felt like the pumpkin.

  As she stepped into the living room, Robert stopped and checked her out. He nodded his approval. “Not bad, not bad at all.”

  Sienna rolled her eyes. “Gee, thanks Robert.”

  He laughed and held his hand out to her. Grasping his hand, she followed him to the front door. Grabbing her purse and keys, she locked up and walked with Robert to his car. While there was nothing wrong with Sienna’s car, whenever the two friends went out on the town they always took Robert’s convertible. Although, Sienna noticed the top was up for a change. It was obvious that Robert was trying to play matchmaker and didn’t want her to arrive at the opening looking mussed.

  Chapter Two

  Robert pulled into a parking space not far from the bookstore. They were a little early, but it was better to be early and have a place to park than be on time and park five blocks away. Unfastening his seat belt, he glanced over at Sienna. He knew she was scared to death.

  Reaching over, he took her hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. “It’s going to be fine, Sienna. Just breathe. Logan Drake is just a man like any other.”

  Sienna gave Robert her “are you insane?!” look. Logan Drake just a man? He owned several bookstores in the area and several more across the US. He had opened his first one in Brea, California about ten years ago and the business had taken off. The man had a knack for creating a unique atmosphere that welcomed in people of all types.

  His first bookstore had been designed with a Turkish theme. The ceiling and walls had been decorated to make you feel as if you were inside a silk tent. Lights had been arranged so that the ceiling looked like it was filled with stars. Special lighting had lit the room enough to shop for books, but at the same time it wasn’t garishly bright like it would have been with fluorescent lighting. The bookcases had all been hand-painted to depict desert scenes. Everyone was talking about it the first week the store was open fo
r business and it had made national news.

  Each of Logan’s stores were different. Not only were no two alike, but they were also unlike any other bookstore in the country. The man had gone from being an every day nobody to being a multimillionaire almost over night. It wasn’t long before people started seeing him with starlets and models at every event he attended.

  Sienna sighed. “Robert, Logan Drake ceased being ‘just a man’ when he made his first million. Now he’s sought after by every woman on the planet. And I’d imagine that more than just a few have actually caught him once or twice.”

  “So what’s bothering you the most? His wealth or the fact that he’s been with so many women?”

  She fidgeted in her seat. “Both, I think. And it isn’t the number of women he’s been with so much as the type of women he’s been with.”

  Robert gave her a blank look.

  Rolling her eyes, Sienna decided to spell it out for him. “He’s always with thin women. Do I look thin to you?”