Heart's Secret

Heart's Secret
Adrianne Byrd

Melanie Harte's latest matchmaking assignment comes with a catch. Her client, Jaxon Landon, can never know that his grandmother hired Melanie to find him a woman of substance–someone more interested in making the handsome banker happy than in spending his money.With Melanie's help, Jaxon meets Zora Campbell, a former model whose thriving agency proves she's just as brilliant as she is beautiful. For the first time Jaxon is falling for a woman who is his equal–and their combustible chemistry proves the feeling is mutual. But the hotter their relationship gets, the more Zora worries about what will happen when Jaxon discovers the ploy behind the passion. A simple lie brought them together–but will it also tear them apart?

Heart’s Secret

Heart’s Secret

Adrianne Byrd

www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)

Dear Reader,

We hope you enjoy Heart’s Secret, the first book in Arabesque’s MATCH MADE series. Over the next three months we will introduce you to The Platinum Society, an exclusive matchmaking service run by Melanie Harte—a third-generation matchmaker—for wealthy, high-profile clients.

Discretion is the better part of romance, or so Melanie Harte believes when she sets up the rich and handsome banker Jaxon Landon with Zora Campbell, a former model who runs a successful company. Melanie has promised Jaxon’s grandmother that she will never reveal that she had a hand in getting Jaxon and Zora together. But can love last when it’s based on a little white lie? Let’s hope so.

In the months to come, look for Heart’s Choice by Celeste O. Norfleet and Heart’s Reward by Donna Hill to find out if The Platinum Society can help lovers find their soul mates and create matches made in heaven.

Evette Porter

Editor

Arabesque

Acknowledgments

To my dear and patient editor, Evette Porter. Your encouragement and support are never ending.

Contents

Prologue

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Chapter 25

Prologue

Sag Harbor, New York

“We’re a love matchmaking service, not a sex matchmaking service, Mr. McElroy,” Melanie Harte said testily into the phone. “I don’t care if you have the fifty-thousand-dollar fee. I run a respectable and lawful business here. I’m not interested in becoming your pimp.”

Click.

Melanie jerked the phone from her ear. “How do you like that? Bastard hung up on me.” She placed the handset back into the cradle only to have it to immediately start ringing again. Exasperated, she glanced around the office. “Where in the hell is everybody?”

Riiingg.

“Good morning. Thank you for calling the Platinum Society. How can I help you?” Melanie Harte reached across her desk and picked up a gold pen, ready to jot down a message when she recognized the voice on the other end of the phone. “Ah, Mrs. Landon. How are you today?”

Outside Melanie’s home office, a low buzz of chattering voices pulled her attention away from the caller. She looked up, just in time to see her two beautiful nieces, Jessica and Veronica, laughing as they strolled into the office. Five minutes late.