Not Since You Read online

  Charlotte Southwick always has a plan. Boarding her honeymoon cruise alone and decidedly unmarried wasn’t her intention. Neither was running into her high school love on board. Lexi looks so confident, and so hot, and so irresistible... How could she have let this woman get away?

  Lexi Bronson hasn’t had a permanent address in almost a decade and couldn’t be happier. Life is good bartending for a luxury cruise line—open seas, warm beaches, beautiful women, and no unnecessary anchors—until the woman who broke her heart shows up on her ship, and all those dreams of forever come rushing back.

  When passion flares, will the storm that rages shipwreck them both?

  Praise for Fiona Riley

  Media Darling

  “What an extraordinary story that I wanted to start all over again when it was finished. WOW!…Once again Fiona Riley has blown me away in the bedroom department…or you know, the floor, kitchen or anywhere Emerson and Haley could get their hands on each other. I reckon her sex scenes are getting hotter and hotter with every book. Five Stars.”—Les Reveur

  “{A] sweet romance with the addition of a critique of the media role in their portrayal of celebrities. Both main characters are multi-layered with their personalities well defined. Their chemistry is absolutely off the charts…an entertaining, poignant and romantic story with a side of social critique to celebrity culture and the media. Five stars.”—Lez Review Books

  “I really dig the way Fiona Riley writes contemporary romances because they’re sexy and flirty with a whole lot of feelings, and Media Darling is no exception.”—The Lesbian Review

  “A great mix of characters, some great laughs, and a good romance. A great well written read that was emotional and fun.”—Kat Adams, Bookseller (QBD Books, Australia)

  Media Darling “was well-executed and the sex was well-written. I liked both of the characters and the plot held my interest.”—Katie Pierce, Librarian, Hennepin County Library (Minnesota)

  Room Service

  “The sexual tension between Olivia and Savannah is combustible and I was hoping with every flirtious moment they would jump each other…[A] sexy summer read.”—Les Rêveur

  “Room Service is a slow-burn romance written from the point of view of both main characters. Ms. Riley excels at building their chemistry that slowly grows to sizzling hot.”—Lez Review Books

  “Riley is a natural when it comes to delivering the heat between characters and undeniable chemistry.”—Book-A-Mania

  “Room Service by Fiona Riley is a steamy workplace romance that is all kinds of fabulous…Fiona Riley is so good at writing characters who are extremely likeable, even as they have issues to work through. I was happy to see that the leading ladies in Room Service are no exception! They’re both fun, sweet, funny, and smart, which is a brilliant combo. They also have chemistry that sizzles almost from the get-go, making it especially fun to watch them grow in ways that are good for them as individuals and as a couple.”—The Lesbian Review

  Strike a Match

  “Riley balances romance, wit, and story complexity in this contemporary charmer…Readers of all stripes will enjoy this lyrically phrased, deftly plotted work about opposites attracting.”—Publishers Weekly

  “[A] quick-burning romance, with plenty of sex scenes hot enough to set off the alarms.”—RT Book Reviews

  “Strike a Match is probably one of the hottest and sexiest books I’ve read this year…Fiona Riley is one to watch and I will continue to get extremely excited every time I get one of her books to read.”—Les Rêveur

  “While I recommend all of the books in the Perfect Match series, I especially recommend Strike a Match, and definitely in audio if you’re at all inclined towards listening to books. Fans of the other two installments will be happy to see their leads again, but you don’t have to have read them to pick this one up. It’s sweet, hot, and funny, making it a great way to spend a day when you just want to hide away from the world and immerse yourself in a lovely story.”—Smart Bitches, Trashy Books

  “Strike a Match is Fiona Riley’s best book yet. Whether you’re a fan of the other books in the series or you’ve never read anything by her before, I recommend checking this one out. It’s the perfect remedy to a bad day and a great way to relax on a weekend!”—The Lesbian Review

  “I love this series and Sasha is by far my favourite character yet. I absolutely loved the gritty firefighter details. The romance between Abby and Sasha is perfectly paced and full of wonderful grand gestures, magical dates, and tender, intimate moments.”—Wicked Reads

  “Fiona Riley does a nice job of creating thorny internal and external conflicts for each heroine…I was rooting for Abby and Sasha, not only to be together, but also that both of them would grow and change enough to find a true HEA. The supporting cast of family members, friends, and colleagues is charming and well-portrayed. I’m looking forward to more from Fiona Riley.”—TBQ’s Book Palace

  Unlikely Match

  “The leads have great chemistry and the author’s writing style is very engaging.”—Melina Bickard, Librarian, Waterloo Library (UK)

  “Two strong women that make their way towards each other with a tiny little nudge from some friends, what’s not to like?”—The Reading Penguin’s Reviews

  “Unlikely Match is super easy to read with its great pacing, character work, and dialogue that’s fun and engaging…Whether you’ve read Miss Match or not, Unlikely Match is worth picking up. It was the perfect romance to balance out a tough week at work and I’m looking forward to seeing what Fiona Riley has in store for us next.”—The Lesbian Review

  Miss Match

  “In this sweet, sensual debut, Riley brings together likable characters, setting them against a colorful supporting cast and exploring their relationship through charming interactions and red-hot erotic scenes…Rich in characterization and emotional appeal, this one is sure to please.”—Publishers Weekly

  “Miss Match by Fiona Riley is an adorable romance with a lot of amazing chemistry, steamy sex scenes, and fun dialogue. I can’t believe it’s the author’s first book, even though she assured me on Twitter that it is.”—The Lesbian Review

  “This was a beautiful love story, chock full of love and emotion, and I felt I had a big grin on my face the whole time I was reading it. I adored both main characters as they were strong, independent women with good hearts and were just waiting for the right person to come along and make them whole. I felt I smiled for days after reading this wonderful book.”—Inked Rainbow Reads

  Not Since You

  Brought to you by

  eBooks from Bold Strokes Books, Inc.

  http://www.boldstrokesbooks.com

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

  Please respect the rights of the author and do not file share.

  Not Since You

  © 2019 By Fiona Riley. All Rights Reserved.

  ISBN 13: 978-1-63555-475-5

  This Electronic Original Is Published By

  Bold Strokes Books, Inc.

  P.O. Box 249

  Valley Falls, NY 12185

  First Edition: November 2019

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  This book, or parts thereof, may not be reproduced in any form without permission.

  Credits

  Editor: Ruth Sternglantz

  Production Design: Stacia Seaman

  Cover Design by Tammy Seidick

  By the Author

  Miss Match

&nbsp
; Unlikely Match

  Strike a Match

  Room Service

  Media Darling

  Not Since You

  Acknowledgments

  This whole story idea came about when two wonderful people decided to get married on an island in the Caribbean, and they thought the best way to get there would be by traveling at sea on a giant cruise ship. With all their friends and family. And unlimited booze and food. As one does. Now, I know what some of you might be thinking, and the answer is yes, I had all the fruity cocktails. I ate at all the restaurants, and everything you read about cruising life is totally true—it’s the best people-watching, juicy gossip about the crew is as abundant as the prevalence of hand sanitizer stations at every doorway, and if you can, you should try it, even if just once. Because there is nothing quite like a city at sea. So, thank you Josh and Gailyn for including me on your special day (week), and happy (belated) first wedding anniversary. Lots of love to you both, xo.

  To Brendan Noonan and his helpful family and friends: thank you for giving me the inside scoop on all things cruise related. Thank you for answering all of my annoyingly specific questions without expressing any irritation (to me, at least ;) ). Your insight, technical knowledge, and vast cruising experience were invaluable. You made doing research really, really fun. Plus, you’re a super cool guy to cruise to the Caribbean with. I owe you a frozen cocktail, or six. Thanks again.

  To Ruth Sternglantz, you are the best at everything, but especially helping me map out my timelines and keeping me on target when I start to flail. I am so grateful for you. You need a raise. Let’s talk to someone about that.

  To Kris Bryant, thank you for taking my ranting phone calls and helping me work through my storyline issues. Your enthusiasm for all things romance related is unmatched by anyone I have ever met and it’s infectious, in the best way possible. Thank you for the early, before work phone calls and late-night texts, I’d be lost without you.

  And to the readers, I’d be nowhere without you. I hope you enjoy this second chance romance as much as I enjoyed writing it. Thanks again for your reviews, comments, tweets, and likes. They mean so much to me. Thank you. You’re the greatest.

  For Jenn.

  An adventure at sea with you inspired this novel.

  Truthfully, all my adventures with you inspire novels,

  but that’s because every minute of this crazy life is an adventure. And I wouldn’t change one second of it.

  Thanks for always taking a new adventure with me.

  To my Love, to my ladybug, and to my dream girl:

  thank you for this wonderful life.

  Chapter One

  Cruise Day One: Departing for Vacation

  “I sincerely doubt that overly enthusiastic sign,” Charlotte Southwick muttered as she stepped toward the obnoxiously large, brightly colored banner that read Paradise Awaits, Ladies. Charlotte wasn’t sure paradise was even a thing, let alone a thing that awaited her once she passed under this insultingly cheerful welcome archway made of balloons and the promise of endless possibilities.

  A Barbie lookalike with a broad smile nodded at her and held up a bottle of what looked like hand sanitizer. “Welcome aboard, Mrs.”—she leaned forward, straining to read the tag on the lanyard around Charlotte’s neck—“Mrs. Vallencourt.”

  “Southwick.” Charlotte tried not to growl her reply. “It’s Southwick, and not Mrs. anything, contrary to what the fancy laminated pass says since my ex-fiancée is a lying cheater who only thinks of herself. Can I get this changed? Or better yet, just pitch it into the ocean with the rest of my hopes and dreams.”

  The smile dimmed on the woman’s face. “Um, sure?”

  “Great.” Charlotte yanked the lanyard off her neck and shoved it into her purse with every intention to bury it at sea like the diamond in Titanic as soon as they were far enough from shore for it to feel remotely cathartic. She nodded toward the bottle of gel the woman held in the air. “I interrupted you—that looks important. You were saying?”

  The woman blinked. “Uh, right. Yes.” She shook her head and her plastic grin returned. “Welcome aboard, Miss Southwick. We’re glad to have you with us. Please allow me the opportunity to acquaint you with our sanitizing routine in order to help keep everyone on board healthy and safe.”

  Charlotte extended her hand toward the woman, mirroring her posture, with the intention of retreating to her room as quickly as possible. It was then that she noticed the name tag resting on her unrealistically perky chest. Angela. She looked like an Angela, Charlotte thought.

  Angela squeezed a generous dollop of the clear gel onto her palm and continued her spiel while Charlotte rubbed it in. “We’re here to make sure your every desire is met and fulfilled. We can do that best with clean hands and cheerful smiles. We are at your service, every step of the way.”

  She paused long enough for Charlotte to interject again. “Great. That’s all very clinical and sanitary.” And a little creepy, she thought. “But I get it, thanks.”

  Unfazed, Angela continued. “Right. Well, I can see here that you are a VIP guest, so you’ll be following Enrique over to your stateroom. He’ll make sure you have everything you need.”

  “Fantastic.” Charlotte was glad to leave the perky plastic woman behind and see what awaited her in this stateroom.

  “Right this way, ma’am.” Enrique gave her a nod and reached to take her carry-on bags.

  “Charlotte is fine, thank you.” She handed him her belongings but pulled her laptop bag closer to her body. She had no intention of letting this out of her sight—she had to finish the Davenport Hospital project before they got to Aruba if she had any intention of enjoying her vacation.

  “As you wish.” He gave her a genial smile and raised his arm to gesture toward the back of the monstrous cruise ship. Charlotte didn’t miss the way his shirt strained in an apparent attempt to contain his rippling muscles. Enrique, like Angela, was perfectly fit. Like, perfect. She was feeling a little insecure all of a sudden.

  He led her along the lower deck by the dockside toward the back of the boat. Charlotte tried not to stare at the many lesbian couples looking happy and holding hands, waiting for their turns to board the ship. She was grateful when he took her toward a set of double doors that led into the center of the ship and away from the crowds of people eager to start vacation.

  “Have you cruised with us before?” he asked.

  “No. I’ve never cruised anywhere, actually.” Charlotte tried to contain the bitterness in her voice. It had been Veronica’s idea to book this cruise. She’d raved about these types of cruises throughout their courtship, and she’d been eager to get Charlotte into the cruise ship lifestyle. Charlotte had only agreed under the condition that they did something she’d like as well: nothing. She wanted nothing more than to spend two uninterrupted weeks at a fancy resort on a beach, someplace warm. The compromise was fifty-fifty—Charlotte would get her island time, but they would cruise to that destination. And then really spend their honeymoon soaking up each other’s company. But Veronica liked to cruise…and that included into other people’s beds, it seemed. So here she was, on their honeymoon, alone and unmarried. During Lesbian Week. Because, of course.

  “Wait.” Enrique stopped short and she almost walked into his overly muscular back.

  Charlotte looked around to see if there was something she’d missed to cause him to freeze on the spot. Just a few dozen more lovey-dovey couples. Nothing to see here.

  “You’ve never cruised before?” He looked surprised.

  “Nope. I’m a cruise virgin.” Charlotte shrugged.

  “Well, that changes things.” Enrique puffed out his chest and gave her a sly smile. “Your room won’t be ready for another hour or so. Let’s drop off this bag and I’ll give you the secret behind-the-scenes tour.”

  Charlotte hesitated. She’d told herself she could stomach boarding alone if she could hide in her room and wallow in self-pity for a day or two or six until
the ship reached Aruba, at which point she would disembark and start the part of the vacation she was most looking forward to and skip the last few days of cruise life, since that was Veronica’s preference, not hers. And since that was what she’d talked herself into agreeing to, Enrique’s proposal seemed like a daunting social experiment she wasn’t sure she had the energy for.

  When she didn’t reply, his expression softened and he leaned in a little closer. “Look, I overheard what you said to Angela back there at the ramp. And I can tell from your baggage tags and the paperwork you handed her that you’re VIP and staying in the presidential honeymoon suite, alone. On your first cruise.”

  “You don’t miss a thing, do you?” Charlotte asked, unsure of whether she should be annoyed or ashamed that he’d so easily pegged her.

  “It’s my job to pick up on little details. Well, that, and to deliver cocktails on the main deck to the lounge chairs, in addition to dancing my booty off at the onsite night club six nights a week as a go-go dancer.” He shimmied in front of her and she had to laugh. “Let me ease you into this week, okay? I promise there will be only as much talking as you can handle. I swear.”