More Than Crave You Read online

  MORE THAN CRAVE YOU

  More Than Words, Book 4

  Written by Shayla Black

  This book is an original publication by Shayla Black.

  Copyright © 2018 Shelley Bradley LLC

  Kobo Edition

  Cover Design by: Rachel Connolly

  Photographer: Sara Eirew Photographer

  Edited by: Amy Knupp of Blue Otter

  ISBN: 978-1-936596-49-2

  The characters and events portrayed in this book are fictional. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental and not intended by the author. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form by an electronic or mechanical means—except for brief quotations embedded in critical articles or reviews—without express written permission.

  eBooks are not transferable. They cannot be sold, shared, or given away, as it is illegal and an infringement on the copyright of this work.

  All rights reserved.

  ABOUT SHAYLA BLACK

  Shayla Black is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of more than sixty novels. For twenty years, she’s written contemporary, erotic, paranormal, and historical romances via traditional, independent, foreign, and audio publishers. Her books have sold millions of copies and been published in a dozen languages.

  Raised an only child, Shayla occupied herself with lots of daydreaming, much to the chagrin of her teachers. In college, she found her love for reading and realized that she could have a career publishing the stories spinning in her imagination. Though she graduated with a degree in Marketing/Advertising and embarked on a stint in corporate America to pay the bills, her heart has always been with her characters. She’s thrilled that she’s been living her dream as a full-time author for the past nine years.

  Shayla currently lives in North Texas with her wonderfully supportive husband, her daughter, and two spoiled tabbies. In her “free” time, she enjoys reality TV, reading, and listening to an eclectic blend of music.

  Connect with me online:

  Website

  VIP Reader Newsletter

  Facebook Author Page

  Facebook Book Beauties Chat Group

  Instagram

  Twitter

  Google +

  BookBub

  Goodreads

  YouTube

  If you enjoyed this book, please review it or recommend it to others so they can find it, too.

  Keep in touch by engaging with me through one of the links above. Subscribe to my VIP Readers newsletter for exclusive excerpts and hang out in my Facebook Book Beauties group for live weekly video chats and other fun stuff. I love interacting with readers!

  SERIES BY SHAYLA BLACK

  For more info, visit ShaylaBlack.com

  MORE THAN WORDS

  Contemporary romances that depict a love so complete, it can’t be expressed with mere words.

  DEVOTED LOVERS

  Steamy, character-driven romantic suspenses about heroes who will do anything to love and protect the women bold enough to be theirs. Begins where Wicked Lovers ended.

  WICKED LOVERS

  Dark, dangerous, beyond-sexy romantic suspenses about high-octane men and the daring women they risk all for, even their hearts.

  PERFECT GENTLEMEN

  Suspenseful contemporary romances about the “Perfect Gentlemen” of Creighton Academy. Privileged, wealthy, and powerful friends—with a wild side.

  MASTERS OF MÉNAGE

  Very sexy romances about men of power and danger who share a kink—and a special woman. Though she’s inexperienced, she isn’t afraid to embrace all she desires.

  SEXY CAPERS

  Sassy, sinful contemporary romances with a pinch of suspense that show both the fun and angst of falling in love while snaring bad guys.

  DOMS OF HER LIFE: RAINE FALLING

  Super-sexy serialized contemporary romances about one tempestuous woman thoroughly in love with two friends and their battle to see who will ultimately win her heart.

  DOMS OF HER LIFE: HEAVENLY RISING

  Super-sexy serialized contemporary romances about one innocent and the two frenemies desperate to her touch, protect, and claim her as their own.

  MISADVENTURES

  Fun, sexy, rompy standalone contemporary romances with a fun premise, fast pace, and high heat.

  STANDALONES

  Romances published independent of a series, some sexy, some sweet, all with a happy ending that’s finished and complete.

  HISTORICALS

  Sexy stories about the bold rakes and audacious beauties of lush eras gone by.

  PARANORMAL

  Magic, ancient myth, and human emotions blend in this passionate, good-versus-evil series set in contemporary London.

  PRAISE FOR MORE THAN WANT YOU

  “Highly recommend! Shayla Black delivers once again with this passionate and sexy novel… A beautiful love story with a twist that you’ll never see coming!”

  —Meredith Wild, #1 New York Times Bestselling Author

  “Amazing! Everything I didn’t even know I needed or wanted in a romance novel. Hot. Spicy. Addicting.”

  —Rachel Van Dyken, #1 New York Times Bestselling Author

  “Sexy, passionate and oh-so-clever! An intriguing love story!”

  —Lauren Blakely, #1 New York Times Bestselling Author

  “You’ll hate him and then you’ll love him! A sexy read with a surprising twist.”

  —Carly Phillips, New York Times Bestselling Author

  “I’ll play house with the hot real estate mogul Maxon Reed any time! Shayla Black’s fans are gonna love this new series!”

  —Lorelei James, New York Times Bestselling author of the Need You series

  PRAISE FOR MORE THAN NEED YOU

  5 Stars! “I adore Shayla Black! She masterfully delivers story after story full of passion, love, heartbreak, and redemption.”

  —Chasing Away Reality

  5 Stars! “I love this book!!! It has all the elements that takes you on an emotional rollercoaster.”

  —Romance Between The Sheets

  “So real and so raw! Be prepared to fall in love, have your heart broken, and then carefully mended back together by a master.”

  —Shayna Renee’s Spicy Reads

  5 Stars! “Ms. Shayla Black has once again reached inside my chest and shaken my heart with this emotional story…”

  —Amuse Me Books

  PRAISE FOR MORE THAN LOVE YOU

  5 Stars! “The perfect blend of romance, lust, love and standing in your own way. I love the story.”

  —Alpha Book Club

  5 Stars! “I loved this story and Harlow and Noah were the perfect couple. They were funny, had the faults and fears and in the end, their story was great.”

  —Wicked Reads

  5 Stars! “One of the best books I’ve read in months! I love this book!”

  —Magic Beyond The Covers Book Blog

  5 Stars! “HOT and Sexy!”

  —Tasty Wordgasms

  ABOUT MORE THAN CRAVE YOU

  I’m Evan Cook—billionaire tech entrepreneur and widower. Professionally, I’ve got it all. But since my wife died, my personal life has fallen apart. Remarrying seems like the obvious answer, so I place an ad. I’m not asking for much. The ideal woman only needs to be smart, organized, pretty, and helpful—both in and out of bed—without expecting romance. I never thought to look right in front of me…but it turns out that Nia Wright, my sexy, sassy assistant, just might be the perfect candidate.

  After an unexpectedly hot night together, I’m ready to stop interviewing strangers and simply marry her. On paper, she ticks every box on my list. Best of all, she’s far too sensible to fall for me. I didn’t see the
flaw in my logic until it was too late. I never thought I’d lose my heart for the first time. And I definitely never imagined Nia could consume me. But she’s harboring a secret that could tear us apart. Can I prove I more than crave her before it’s too late?

  There are infinite ways to tell someone you love them. Some of the most powerful don’t require words at all. This was the truth rolling through my head when I first conceived of this series, writing about a love so complete that mere letters strung together to make sentences weren’t an adequate communicator of those feelings. Instead, for this series, music was my go-to choice.

  I love music. I’m always immersed in it and spend hours a day with my ear buds plugged in. I write to music. I think to music. I even sleep to music. I was thrilled to incorporate songs into the story I felt were meaningful to the journey. I think of it this way: a movie has a soundtrack. Why shouldn’t a book?

  So I created one.

  Some of the songs I’ve selected will be familiar. Some are old. Some are newer. Some popular. Some obscure. They all just fit (in my opinion) and came straight from the heart. I listened to many of these songs as I wrote the book.

  For maximum understanding (and feels), I seriously recommend becoming familiar with these songs and either playing them or rolling them around in your head as you read. Due to copyright laws, I can’t use exact lyrics, but I tried to give you the gist of those most meaningful to Nia and Evan’s story. I’ve also made it simple for you to give these songs a listen by creating a Spotify playlist. Click here for all the enjoyment.

  Hugs and happy reading!

  FIRST DATE – Blink 182

  FALLINGFORYOU – The 1975

  YOU AND ME – Lifehouse

  KISS ME – Sixpence None the Richer

  GOD ONLY KNOWS – Beach Boys

  THANK YOU – Dido

  TRULY – Lionel Richie

  BOO’D UP – Ella Mai

  A COUPLE OF FOREVERS – Chrisette Michele

  GOODBYE – Natalie Imbruglia

  BREATHE AGAIN – Sara Bareilles

  FALL BACK IN – Plumb

  IT’S NOT OVER – Daughtry

  WHATEVER IT TAKES – Lifehouse

  IF – Bread

  TABLE OF CONTENTS

  Cover

  Title Page

  Copyright Page

  About Shayla Black

  Series by Shayla Black

  Praise for More Than Want You

  Praise for More Than Need You

  Praise for More Than Love You

  About the Book

  Foreword

  Dedication

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  More Than Words Series

  Love has no color.

  CHAPTER ONE

  Evan

  Seattle, Washington

  Thursday, November 2

  Successful young entrepreneur seeks wife, business hostess, and sexual partner. Ideal candidate is between twenty-two and thirty, polished, intelligent, organized, educated, and attractive. No children or romance. Sense of humor optional. Must relocate to Hawaii.

  As I read the words I printed moments ago, I make my way to my assistant’s desk. “What do you think?”

  When I hand Nia Wright the page, she scans it, then scowls at me with incredulous dark eyes. “A personal ad? This is how you’re going to replace Becca?”

  I pluck the paper from her grasp, jaw clenched. “No one can replace her.”

  My wife and unborn child were killed in a car accident just over six months ago. Since I turned sixteen, Becca was my constant. Without her, the penthouse we shared feels too quiet. I have no one to talk to. My sex drive is raging. I’m empty.

  I’m lost.

  “So why would you try with a stranger?” Nia shakes her head.

  She asks a fair question, and I’m forced to reexamine my original conclusion. But no. The answer still seems obvious.

  “Training one woman to fulfill my corporate and personal needs, then compensating her with money and job security seems far more logical than paying a handful of contractors who aren’t invested in our business relationship.”

  I could do that, of course. At almost twenty-seven, I helm a growing company that’s worth over a billion dollars, so money isn’t the problem. But hiring five people to do what one can seems inefficient and wasteful. Illogical. Imbecilic. And while I don’t have a moral problem paying a professional and see little difference between engaging a chef or a prostitute for their services, Becca would have seen it very differently. Yes, she would want me to move on. Until now, I haven’t. But I would never intentionally disgrace or dishonor my wife.

  “Do you think having a stranger beside you will really improve your quality of life?” Nia asks pointedly.

  It’s a calculated risk, but one I’m prepared to take. “I don’t think it can be worse.”

  She scoffs at me like I’m an idiot. From any other employee I wouldn’t abide the insubordination. Nia is different. She’s repeatedly proven she’s both loyal and levelheaded—two qualities I require. I value her opinion; it’s the reason she’s my right hand in all things related to Stratus Solutions, the tech infrastructure powerhouse I started six years ago with nothing but twenty-five hundred dollars, a little hardware, my coding skills, and serious grit.

  “Then you haven’t thought this through. And your ad is a lie.”

  It’s my turn to scowl. “What? Every word is true.”

  With a sigh, she stands and snatches the page from my hand once more. “What this should say is: Brilliant workaholic seeks June Cleaver in the living room and Lolita in the bedroom. Ideal candidate is a supermodel who’s mute until I require her to serve guests or service me. No risk of emotional entanglements. Must be at my beck and call.”

  Okay, maybe there’s a smidgeon of truth to her version of the ad. “Somehow, I suspect that would bring in far fewer responses.”

  “You think?” She rolls her eyes. “The whole idea is inane. The way this reads, I don’t know whether to post it on eHarmony or LinkedIn.”

  “If I want the right woman for the job, I have to outline all the duties I expect her to perform so I can find the most qualified candidate.”

  Nia huffs at me. “You’re talking about marriage, not a middle manager. Why not take someone you know on a date? See if you like them. Spend a few months together, figure out if you’re suited for a deeper relationship. Use the time to get over Becca. Why are you shaking your head at me?”

  “I intend to be married before Christmas. Everything in my non-work life is a disaster, and I’m too busy preparing for the move to Maui and fending off this hostile buyout to clean it up.” Best leave tidying my mess at home to a professional. “So I want you to place this ad everywhere you can think of today, screen all the replies, then give me a slate of the most qualified applicants by next Friday.”

  She braces her hands on her hips, which are covered by a snug charcoal skirt. “You want me to help you pick this wife?”

  I’m confused by her question—and her obvious displeasure. “It makes sense. You know me well, and you’re an excellent judge of character.”

  “Have you ever been on a dating site?”

  “Of course not.” Until Becca’s death, I was happily married.

  “Do you have any idea how many crazies and gold-diggers an ad like this is going to attract?”

  “I’m socially awkward, not naive. Of course I do. Tha
t’s why I’m lucky to have a savvy woman like you.”

  Nia sits stiffly. “Fine. I’ll get it done. But really, have you at least thought about trying to date someone in your social circle? Someone you know isn’t crazy?”

  “Who would that be? You’re the only single female I know who meets my list of qualifications. And you’re dating”—I snap my fingers, trying to remember the name of her latest boyfriend—“Brett?”

  “Brick,” she corrects.

  As in dumber than? I haven’t met him; she didn’t bring him to the company picnic this summer. But he sounds like a douchebag.

  “Him. Sorry. I can never remember who you’re seeing.” It changes so quickly.

  “I broke up with him in June.”

  That explains why she didn’t mind working more hours over the summer. “I’m surprised. You said he was smart, ambitious, and well-employed.”

  “He is. But he was a lot of talk and not much action.”

  I frown. “He didn’t follow through on his promises?”

  “Do I have to spell it out?” She sighs. “Brick sucked in bed.”

  “Oh.” I clear my throat, trying to imagine Nia naked with this guy. I can’t. She’s pretty, I guess. Exotic. Her skin is a pleasing cocoa shade. She’s got the kind of curves often photographed for the purpose of rousing a man’s libido. I’ve simply never thought about my assistant like that. It’s unprofessional. I won’t start now. “Next time, remind me not to ask about things that are none of my business.”

  Workplace harassment is such a hot-button topic. I’d rather not be sued for discussing inappropriate things in the office. But I also value Nia as an assistant and a human being, too. I don’t want her to think I’m not listening if she has something to say.

  “No.” She waves my words away. “I got too personal. Sorry. I haven’t had anyone to talk to and…” She sighs. “I wish I understood men. Since I never had one to figure out growing up, I feel like I’m forever confused.”