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Category: Romance
Description: Beyond the gold and glamour, one man holds her heart? For years Annie Wilson has been obsessed with the sensational work of her favorite artist, Devlin McAllister. She jumps on the opportunity coordinate the move of his exhibition from Ireland to New York. As she had always dreamed, she begins to fall in love with him. But Devlin's world of champagne and high-class living soon loses its charm. It's the welcoming, warm side of Dublin she sees on the arm of fun- loving Sean that she's drawn to. As she struggles to maintain the fantasy with Devlin, she realizes all that glitters is not gold.
eBook Publisher: Lyrical Press, Inc., 2012 2012
eBookwise Release Date: January 2012

Available eBook Formats: OEBFF Format (IMP) [197 KB]
Words: 43010
Reading time: 122-172 min.

Chapter 1

Annie shifted uncomfortably in her seat. She hated these cramped flights. Barely enough room for her legs, not enough air conditioning and really, really bad food. It didn't help that this was the last leg of a very long journey. She had left the warm, humid air of New York just over nine hours ago, but it felt like a week. Her plan had been to get some beauty sleep on the long-haul flight to London Heathrow, then spend the short flight to Dublin brushing up on the exhibition brochures. But nerves got the better of her, and now, instead of arriving bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, she'd be red-eyed and ready for bed. Why the hell was she so nervous, anyway? This was an exhibition like any other. Her job had taken her to cities all over the world, and she'd never felt anxious like this before. What was the problem?

"You flying home, love?" The old woman next to her spoke with a soft Irish accent.

"No, actually, I'm from New York," Annie replied. "Just in Dublin on a business trip. It's my first time in Ireland so I'm really looking forward to it."

"Could have fooled me, pet. Thought you were looking a bit peeky there." The old woman's smile showed concern.

"Oh, I'm fine. Just not a good flyer, that's all." Annie gave the brightest smile she could muster and sighed.

Devlin McAllister.

She might as well be honest with herself. It was Devlin McAllister. In all her eight years as a curator of the Sheridan Gallery, she had never been so enamored of an artist's work. She had been hooked after viewing a small selection of his jewelry at the Museum of Modern Art. She poured over brochures and online images of the beautiful pieces and took every opportunity to persuade her head curator and best friend, Piers Britton, to host McAllister's show in New York. Piers had eventually caved.

"And don't think I don't know what you're up to, young lady," he'd said with a sly grin. "I saw his picture in Time magazine too, you know."

Annie had blushed fiercely. "Don't be ridiculous, Piers. I'm only thinking of what's good for the gallery. When have I ever steered you wrong?"

"Never, sweetie. And I don't expect you will. Just hoping his work is everything you say it is."

"I know beauty when I see it."

"I'll say you do." He'd winked and tapped her on the head with a rolled-up magazine. It had dropped into her lap, and flopped open to reveal Devlin McAllister's sensuous eyes and warm smile. She'd blushed again.

Piers would never truly question her motives at work; she was always professional. But he'd certainly hit a nerve with this McAllister thing. She couldn't explain it. She'd read every article she could find on the man and it wasn't enough. She had flicked through that copy of Time more times than she cared to admit. Yes, he was extremely good-looking. Yes, his answers in the interview were brimming with charm. But it all came down to the graceful twists and turns of the bronze and silver sculptures he created. Technically, they were pieces of jewelry. McAllister had begun his career as a jewelrymaker at the tender age of twenty. In the sixteen years since, he had gone from struggling freelance salesman to founder of Serenity Silver, one of the most profitable companies in Europe.

But it wasn't the business-savvy Devlin that interested Annie. With all his success, all his wealth, he had not abandoned the love of his art. Serenity Silver produced his more conservative designs for the general public but, behind the scenes, Devlin himself produced extravagant, exquisite work that was more like sculpture. Each piece flowed like jeweled liquid silver. Necklaces of flattened platinum poured from a model's neck to her waist. Bracelets of amber-encrusted bronze curled up her arms. Each item was stunning in its own unique way. And Annie was intoxicated by their beauty.

She sighed again and pulled the now dog-eared copy of Time from her shoulder bag under the seat in front. He really didn't look like she expected an Irishman to look. His deep brown eyes and olive skin spoke more of the Mediterranean than the cold coast of Ireland. As her eyes scanned the familiar lines of his face, she grinned. He might as well have been from the latest boy band, the way she was carrying on. A silly young girl with a silly crush.

"Ladies and gentlemen, this is your captain speaking. We are now approaching Dublin Airport. Please fasten your seatbelts for landing." The intercom clicked off as Annie gazed out the window at the growing green fields below.