Something Just Like This: A Stay Novella Read online

  Something Just Like This

  A Stay Novella

  By Jennifer Probst

  1001 Dark Nights

  Something Just Like This

  A Stay Novella

  By Jennifer Probst

  1001 Dark Nights

  Copyright 2019 Triple J Publishing Inc

  ISBN: 978-1-970077-19-3

  Foreword: Copyright 2014 M. J. Rose

  Published by Evil Eye Concepts, Incorporated

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author’s rights.

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

  Book Description

  Something Just Like This

  A Stay Novella

  By Jennifer Probst

  From New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Jennifer Probst comes a new story in her Stay series.

  Jonathan Lake is the beloved NYC mayor who’s making a run for Governor. His widowed status and close relationship with his daughter casts him as the darling of the press, and the candidate to beat, but behind the flash of the cameras, things are spinning out of control. It all has to do with his strait laced, ruthlessly organized assistant. Her skills and reserved demeanor are perfect to run his campaign, but her brilliant brain has become a temptation he’s been fighting for too long. Can he convince her to take a chance on a long-term campaign for love or will his efforts end up in scandal?

  Alyssa Block has admired the NYC mayor for a long time, but her secret crush is kept ruthlessly buried under a mountain of work. Besides, she’s not his type, and office scandals is not in her job position. But when they retreat to an upstate horse farm for a secluded weekend, the spark between them catches flame, and Jonathan sets those stinging blue-eyes on winning her. Can she convince him to focus on the upcoming election, or will she succumb to the sweet promise of a different future?

  **Every 1001 Dark Nights novella is a standalone story. For new readers, it’s an introduction to an author’s world. And for fans, it’s a bonus book in the author’s series. We hope you'll enjoy each one as much as we do.**

  About Jennifer Probst

  Jennifer Probst wrote her first book at twelve years old. She bound it in a folder, read it to her classmates, and hasn’t stopped writing since. She holds a masters in English Literature and lives in the beautiful Hudson Valley in upstate New York. Her family keeps her active, stressed, joyous, and sad her house will never be truly clean. Her passions include horse racing, Scrabble, rescue dogs, Italian food, and wine—not necessarily in that order.

  She is the New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of sexy and erotic contemporary romance. She was thrilled her book, The Marriage Bargain, spent 26 weeks on the New York Times. Her work has been translated in over a dozen countries, sold over a million copies, and was dubbed a “romance phenom” by Kirkus Reviews. She is also a proud three-time RITA finalist.

  She loves hearing from readers. Visit her website for updates on new releases and her street team at www.jenniferprobst.com.

  Also From Jennifer Probst

  Click to purchase

  The Stay Series

  The Start of Something Good

  A Brand New Ending

  All Roads Lead to You

  The Billionaire Builders

  Everywhere and Every Way

  Any Time, Any Place

  All Or Nothing At All

  Somehow, Some Way

  Searching for Series:

  Searching for Someday

  Searching for Perfect

  Searching for Beautiful

  Searching for Always

  Searching for You

  Searching For Mine

  The Marriage to a Billionaire series:

  The Marriage Bargain

  The Marriage Trap

  The Marriage Mistake

  The Marriage Merger

  The Marriage Arrangement

  The Books of Spells

  Executive Seduction

  All the Way

  The Sex on the Beach Series:

  Beyond Me

  Chasing Me

  The Hot in the Hamptons Series:

  Summer Sins

  The Steele Brother Series:

  Catch Me

  Play Me

  Dare Me

  Beg Me

  Reveal Me

  Dante's Fire

  The Grinch of Starlight Bend

  Acknowledgments from the Author

  Thank you to Liz Berry, M.J. Rose, and Jillian Stein for allowing me to be part of this special 1001 Dark Nights family. I treasure every book.

  Discover 1001 Dark Nights

  Click here to explore

  COLLECTION ONE

  FOREVER WICKED by Shayla Black

  CRIMSON TWILIGHT by Heather Graham

  CAPTURED IN SURRENDER by Liliana Hart

  SILENT BITE: A SCANGUARDS WEDDING by Tina Folsom

  DUNGEON GAMES by Lexi Blake

  AZAGOTH by Larissa Ione

  NEED YOU NOW by Lisa Renee Jones

  SHOW ME, BABY by Cherise Sinclair

  ROPED IN by Lorelei James

  TEMPTED BY MIDNIGHT by Lara Adrian

  THE FLAME by Christopher Rice

  CARESS OF DARKNESS by Julie Kenner

  COLLECTION TWO

  WICKED WOLF by Carrie Ann Ryan

  WHEN IRISH EYES ARE HAUNTING by Heather Graham

  EASY WITH YOU by Kristen Proby

  MASTER OF FREEDOM by Cherise Sinclair

  CARESS OF PLEASURE by Julie Kenner

  ADORED by Lexi Blake

  HADES by Larissa Ione

  RAVAGED by Elisabeth Naughton

  DREAM OF YOU by Jennifer L. Armentrout

  STRIPPED DOWN by Lorelei James

  RAGE/KILLIAN by Alexandra Ivy/Laura Wright

  DRAGON KING by Donna Grant

  PURE WICKED by Shayla Black

  HARD AS STEEL by Laura Kaye

  STROKE OF MIDNIGHT by Lara Adrian

  ALL HALLOWS EVE by Heather Graham

  KISS THE FLAME by Christopher Rice

  DARING HER LOVE by Melissa Foster

  TEASED by Rebecca Zanetti

  THE PROMISE OF SURRENDER by Liliana Hart

  COLLECTION THREE

  HIDDEN INK by Carrie Ann Ryan

  BLOOD ON THE BAYOU by Heather Graham

  SEARCHING FOR MINE by Jennifer Probst

  DANCE OF DESIRE by Christopher Rice

  ROUGH RHYTHM by Tessa Bailey

  DEVOTED by Lexi Blake

  Z by Larissa Ione

  FALLING UNDER YOU by Laurelin Paige

  EASY FOR KEEPS by Kristen Proby

  UNCHAINED by Elisabeth Naughton

  HARD TO SERVE by Laura Kaye

  DRAGON FEVER by Donna Grant

  KAYDEN/SIMON by Alexandra Ivy/Laura Wright

  STRUNG UP by Lorelei James

  MIDNIGHT UNTAMED by Lara Adrian

  TRICKED by Rebecca Zanetti

  DIRTY WICKED by Shayla Black

  THE ONLY ONE by Lauren Blakely

  SWEET SURRENDER by Liliana Hart

  COLLECTION FOUR

  ROCK CHICK REAWAKENING by Kristen Ashley

  ADORING INK by Carrie Ann Ryan

  SWEET RIVALRY by K. Bromberg

  SHADE'S LADY by Joanna Wylde

  RAZR by Larissa Ione

  ARRANGED by Lexi Blake

  TANGLED by Rebecca Zanetti

  HOLD ME by J. Kenner

  SOMEHOW, SOME WAY by Jennifer Probst

  TOO CLOSE TO CALL by Tessa Bailey

  HUNTED by Elisabeth Naughton

  EYES ON YOU by Laura Kaye

  BLADE by Alexandra Ivy/Laura Wright

  DRAGON BURN by Donna Grant

  TRIPPED OUT by Lorelei James

  STUD FINDER by Lauren Blakely

  MIDNIGHT UNLEASHED by Lara Adrian

  HALLOW BE THE HAUNT by Heather Graham

  DIRTY FILTHY FIX by Laurelin Paige

  THE BED MATE by Kendall Ryan

  NIGHT GAMES by CD Reiss

  NO RESERVATIONS by Kristen Proby

  DAWN OF SURRENDER by Liliana Hart

  COLLECTION FIVE

  BLAZE ERUPTING by Rebecca Zanetti

  ROUGH RIDE by Kristen Ashley

  HAWKYN by Larissa Ione

  RIDE DIRTY by Laura Kaye

  ROME’S CHANCE by Joanna Wylde

  THE MARRIAGE ARRANGEMENT by Jennifer Probst

  SURRENDER by Elisabeth Naughton

  INKED NIGHTS by Carrie Ann Ryan

  ENVY by Rachel Van Dyken

  PROTECTED by Lexi Blake

  THE PRINCE by Jennifer L. Armentrout

  PLEASE ME by J. Kenner

  WOUND TIGHT by Lorelei James

  STRONG by Kylie Scott

  DRAGON NIGHT by Donna Grant

  TEMPTING BROOKE by Kristen Proby

  HAUNTED BE THE HOLIDAYS by Heather Graham

  CONTROL by K. Bromberg

  HUNKY HEARTBREAKER by Kendall Ryan

  THE DARKEST CAPTIVE by Gena Showalter

  Also from 1001 Dark Nights:

  TAME ME by J. Kenner

  THE SURRENDER GATE By Christopher Rice

  SERVICING THE TARGET By Cherise Sinclair

  TEMPT ME by J. Kenner

  Sign up for the 1001 Dark Nights Newsletter

  and be entered to win a Tiffany Key necklace.

  There's a contest every month!

  Click here to subscribe.

  As a bonus, all subscribers can download FIVE FREE exclusive books!

  Table of Contents

  Book Description

  About Jennifer Probst

  Also from Jennifer Probst

  Acknowledgments from the Author

  Discover 1001 Dark Nights

  Foreword

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Epilogue

  Discover 1001 Dark Nights Collection Six

  Discover More Jennifer Probst

  Discover the World of 1001 Dark Nights

  Special Thanks

  One Thousand and One Dark Nights

  Once upon a time, in the future…

  I was a student fascinated with stories and learning.

  I studied philosophy, poetry, history, the occult, and

  the art and science of love and magic. I had a vast

  library at my father’s home and collected thousands

  of volumes of fantastic tales.

  I learned all about ancient races and bygone

  times. About myths and legends and dreams of all

  people through the millennium. And the more I read

  the stronger my imagination grew until I discovered

  that I was able to travel into the stories... to actually

  become part of them.

  I wish I could say that I listened to my teacher

  and respected my gift, as I ought to have. If I had, I

  would not be telling you this tale now.

  But I was foolhardy and confused, showing off

  with bravery.

  One afternoon, curious about the myth of the

  Arabian Nights, I traveled back to ancient Persia to

  see for myself if it was true that every day Shahryar

  (Persian: شهريار, “king”) married a new virgin, and then

  sent yesterday's wife to be beheaded. It was written

  and I had read, that by the time he met Scheherazade,

  the vizier's daughter, he’d killed one thousand

  women.

  Something went wrong with my efforts. I arrived

  in the midst of the story and somehow exchanged

  places with Scheherazade – a phenomena that had

  never occurred before and that still to this day, I

  cannot explain.

  Now I am trapped in that ancient past. I have

  taken on Scheherazade’s life and the only way I can

  protect myself and stay alive is to do what she did to

  protect herself and stay alive.

  Every night the King calls for me and listens as I spin tales.

  And when the evening ends and dawn breaks, I stop at a

  point that leaves him breathless and yearning for more.

  And so the King spares my life for one more day, so that

  he might hear the rest of my dark tale.

  As soon as I finish a story... I begin a new

  one... like the one that you, dear reader, have before

  you now.

  Chapter One

  “I want you to run for governor.”

  Jonathan Lake stared down at his clasped hands as the fateful words echoed in his head. Less than an hour ago, he’d had a closed-door meeting with the current governor, who informed him he was not seeking re-election. It’d be a shock to the party, but they’d already focused in on the candidate they believed had a solid shot at winning.

  Him.

  Oh, the shit was about to hit the proverbial fan. Once the story got out, it’d be a shark-feeding frenzy with him smack in the middle of the red waters. Did he really want this? He’d only been mayor for one term and was just beginning to settle into the job. New York City was a dirty bastard, but he loved every grimy, fierce, beautiful inch of it, from the concrete to the skyscrapers. Was he even ready to move on and take on the entire state?

  His late wife’s voice whispered in his ear, even after all these years.

  This is what you were meant for.

  Pushing his fingers through his hair, he got up from his chair and began to pace his office. Thoughts whirled in his head, making him feel as if he’d overindulged in martinis at lunch. So much to think about. He’d call his daughter Chloe and get her feedback. And, of course, Mia, who handled his PR. He’d tell Bob, his campaign manager, in the morning. The former marine would be working his ass off nonstop for the next year—might as well give him one last evening free. But there was one woman on his mind. One who not only ran his schedule but also his entire life. The woman he trusted as fiercely as he did Chloe and Mia.

  He strode over to the desk and hit the button. “Can you come in here, please?”

  The clipped, cool voice echoed in the air. “Of course.”

  He counted down the eight seconds it always took her to move from her desk to his office, and the door opened on cue. She entered with the smooth, assured stride he’d memorized and slid into her chair opposite his desk, her tablet held between tapered fingers with short, naked nails. She wore her usual black pantsuit and low-heeled black pumps. Once he’d joked if she had seven identical pantsuits in her closet for each day of the week.

  She’d said they were all black, but not identical because they were different designers and fabric, and she kept an eighth outfit available for emergencies. She didn’t understand jokes very well. Her sense of humor was Spock-like, and it had taken him a while to get used to it.

  He stared at the nape of her neck, exposed from the ruthless topknot she kept her ash-blond hair tied in, her gaze trained on the screen in front of her. He knew the gaze well. Big, brown eyes hidden behind smart, tortoiseshell-framed glasses. Razor-focused. Ruthlessly composed. Sharply intelligent. A bit distant.

  And endlessly fascinating.

  “No notes,” he clipped out, resuming his pacing. “I need to discuss something with you.”

  “He wants you to run for governor.”

  He jerked, then wondered why he was surprised. Her IQ wasn’t just off the charts on paper, but she could also read people. The combination made her the best damn right-hand person he’d ever employed in his life. It also made her completely irreplaceable—and she knew it.

  “Yes. He’s decided not to run for re-election and thinks I can win.”

  She never tried to turn her head to gaze at him, allowing him to pace his office like the cage it sometimes was. Her aura seeped a calmness that already soothed the wild chatter in his mind. She was almost witchlike in her ability to give him whatever he needed. Maybe that was why he’d begun thinking of her as much more than his assistant and advisor.

  Or maybe he was finally starting to break under his long-imposed years of celibacy.

  “You can win,” she said. “Statistically, you’re the best choice. Your approval ratings are top-rated. You’re coming off a victory of reducing the amount of homelessness in the city, and your political views are balanced so the liberals and conservatives will both be satisfied. You’re a dream candidate, Mr. Mayor, and our governor has never been stupid. He endorses you, steps out of the spotlight, and gives you a clear path to victory.”

  “Stop calling me that,” he barked, irritation prickling his skin. “We’re alone. I told you this before.”

  She inclined her head with grace. “Sorry, Jonathan.”

  His name on her tongue calmed the beast. He dropped into his leather chair and drummed his fingers on the table, staring at her. She stared back, unblinking, waiting patiently for whatever he wanted to throw at her.