Channing, page 1
Channing
She’s determined to make him see her…
A sexy BBW romance by Katie Dowe of BWWM Club.
Plus size business owner MacKinsey Yancey loves her life, and between her company and her role as a loving aunt and daughter, she thought she had no room for romance.
Well, she thought wrong!
Multi-billionaire shipping magnate, Channing Finn Holt was all about business…
His childhood and most of his adult life had been fraught with sickness and tragedy and the only thing he knew how to do to move on was to focus solely on his work…
So when MacKinsey meets the brooding dark haired man, he poses the ultimate challenge!
Channing is closed off and doesn’t trust anyone… until he meets the vivacious MacKinsey.
Even though he admits being smitten by her, old habits die hard, and his troubled past makes him revert to his old self…
Will MacKinsey break through Channing’s hard shell and prove that it’s okay to fall in love?
Or will Channing push her away for good?
Find out in this emotional yet sexy romance by Katie Dowe of BWWM Club.
Suitable for over 18s only due to smoking hot sex scenes!
Tip: Search BWWM Club on Amazon to see more of our great books.
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Contents
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
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Chapter 1
Channing felt the nightmare enveloping him and could do nothing about it. He felt like he was drowning in the murky water that covered his head and threatened to drag him under. It was always the same—as he reached the brink of going under, he would wake up just in time.
He woke up, his heart pounding. His dense dark hair clung to his forehead, and he could feel the sweat pooling beneath his armpits and onto his bare chest.
Leaning back against the headboard, he closed his eyes and gulped some much-needed air into his lungs. He despised the shaking of his limbs and the air of desperation clinging to him.
I should be over this by now, he thought angrily.
He had spent thousands on therapy but had been told that a lifetime of going through hell could not be fixed in a few short years.
He dragged trembling fingers through his damp hair and gusted out a breath. The t-shirt was clinging to his chest. The AC, which had been turned on full, made him shiver. He had fallen asleep on top of the covers as usual.
With an impatient grunt, he swung his legs off the bed and headed to the bathroom to relieve himself. Flushing the toilet, he went to the double sink to wash his hands, studiously avoiding his reflection. Cupping his hands under the tap, he bent his head to drink thirstily before turning around and heading back into his bedroom.
He knew from experience that he wouldn’t be getting any more sleep now. With an impatient sigh, he redirected his steps and went into his den. A glance at the clock showed that it was almost four in the morning.
Rounding his desk, he sat down heavily and turned the lamp on, booting up his computer at the same time. He had some contracts to go over. Several meetings had been scheduled for later that day, and he needed to be prepared.
But instead of concentrating on the document on the screen, he could not help the memories from stirring. He knew why the nightmares were coming every night. It was the anniversary of his grandmother's death, and as much as he did not want to think about her and what she had put him through, he could not help himself.
A harsh sigh escaped him as he stared at the screen sightlessly. Gretchen Holt had ruled his life with an iron rod. She had lost her only son, and what was worse, she had blamed Channing's mother for that loss. She had taken it out on her only grandchild every single day.
Shaking his head and firming his lips, he focused on the document in front of him. He was stronger than this.
And he had managed to beat the odds and turned a struggling shipping company into a multi-billion-dollar business. And he had his grandmother to thank for that, as well as a lousy childhood. He had channeled his frustrations into the company.
Reaching for his glasses, he slid them on and began to read, making the necessary changes. A frown touched his brow as he came to a paragraph. He would have his lawyers re-do the document as soon as he went to the office today.
Magnum Shipping Line was acquiring a charter company, and the details needed to be tidied up by the end of May, which was the next month. They had invested millions in the company, and there should be no margin for error.
Picking up the phone, he dialed a number, knowing that no matter the hour, the phone would be picked up.
“I would like you to schedule a meeting with the lawyers first thing this morning,” he said without preamble.
His very capable and super-efficient assistant did not expect a greeting or exchange of pleasantries. Neither was she surprised by the very early phone call. Lillieth Weatherby was very well compensated to bother about little things like phone calls in the wee hours of the morning, and she was always prepared.
“Push back my luncheon meeting to one. I have to fly to New York right after meeting with the lawyers,” he added, frowning at the document as he made several more changes. “That's all for now.” He hung up without saying goodbye. He finished perusing the contract and making the changes.
After saving it and attaching it to an email to the lawyers, he sat back and gazed up at the plain ceiling. He would take something for the persistent headache and perhaps go down to the kitchen to make a pot of coffee.
He lived simply. For someone of his wealth and status, his apartment was one stark aesthetic elegance. It had been designed to be functional, and he had insisted on a lack of flair and frivolity.
The furnishings were expensive and solid. He loved order and insisted on it. He had a housekeeper who had been in his employ since he had moved out of the mausoleum, where he had spent most of his life with his grandmother.
As soon as he had left college, he had secured the apartment, ignoring the biting comments from the spiteful woman who had told him that he was going to run her son's company into the ground. Perhaps those words, that lack of support from his only living relative, had spurred him to make the company successful.
He had found different, innovative ways to move the company forward. When other shipping lines had sunk into bankruptcy because people had stopped traveling, he had introduced the 'Yacht Parties' and had weathered the storm.
He had offered incentives to travelers, daring them to get on board. Shaking himself out of his reverie, he pushed away from the desk and resisted the temptation to go and pour himself a drink from the well-stocked cabinet in the corner of the room. He needed a clear mind to start the day.
*****
MacKinsey stared at the spreadsheet in front of her, idly sipping the glass of Chardonnay as she studied the figures. “I cannot make head or tail of this,” she finally admitted.
“That’s because I am the brain behind this very lucrative venture,” her brother, Michael, said airily as he joined her by sitting on the edge of the desk. “We are raking in the profit from the dating cruise you planned for the beginning of spring.”
“So, you are basically saying that I am the heart and soul of this venture?”
“Something like that.” He grinned at her and stole her glass, taking a sip as he perused the sheet. His expression sobered as he stared at her. “I am very grateful you came up with the idea in the first place. You did not listen when the banks told us that travel agencies were things of the past.”
She shrugged. “It takes vision and determination. How is Carlie?”
Sliding off the desk, he went to stand at the window, broad shoulders squared. His wife had been going through chemo since January. There had been a scare last year when it had been touch and go when she was diagnosed with breast cancer.
“She is getting depressed.” He turned to face his sister, a stark look of despair on his handsome face. “She is pretending that everything is okay, trying to shield me from what is really going on.”
“She loves you.” A whimsical smile touched her lips. “You guys have been together forever. You were childhood sweethearts, and I have to tell you, honey, that is something I find incredibly amazing! And to think you have been through so much together. The miscarriages earlier in the marriage—”
“The affair that almost destroyed everything we hold dear,” he added grimly.
“I wanted to strangle you for making that mistake,” she said darkly. “But I understand how you could have been enticed by that bitch. She wormed her way into the company and into our lives…”
“I cannot put all the blame on her, sis. I went into that torrid affair with my eyes wide open and almost lost my family. My wife, my girls…” He shook his head. “It took something like that to make me fully realize how blessed I am.” He dragged his hands over his face. “Now she is going through this…this thing…and I feel so helpless.”
“What about the girls?” MacKinsey loved her four nieces and would do anything for them. Michael had been married for the past fifteen years, and he and his wife had produced those four beautiful girls, aged fifteen, twelve, ten, and eight.
They were beautiful children and well-mannered because her brother and his wife were excellent parents.
Even when they had been going through their trial separation, they had made sure the girls were not affected by it. MacKinsey admired them and their relationship, which had gotten stronger with each trial.
An indulgent smile touched his lips. “Getting ready for spring break.” He sent her a look. “I am not certain I should let them go on that trip.”
“You and Carlie need the time alone,” she told him firmly. “And the package is a great one. They will be heavily supervised. We know the parents who will be chauffeuring and will take very good care of them.”
She gave him a fond look, admiring the immaculately tailored suit, which had not wrinkled even though they had been at the office for the past twelve hours.
Michael was a very attractive man with an impressive height of six foot three. He was a foot taller than she was, but whereas she was a size twenty with voluptuous curves, he was all lean muscles. They looked very much alike, though—with similar cocoa brown complexion and chocolate brown eyes.
“You are right, of course.” He looked at the expensive timepiece on his wrist. “I have to go. I promised Carlie that I would try to make it home to go over the things the girls need to take on their trip. Will you be leaving soon?”
“Right behind you. Tomorrow is Friday, and I need to go over some things before Jeremy comes in. And we have that luncheon meeting tomorrow.”
“And the picnic mom and dad planned for Saturday,” Michael reminded her with a smile.
“Even though I told them that Saturday is our busiest day,” his sister said wryly.
“When has that ever deterred them?” He kissed her on the cheek before shrugging into his suit jacket. “Don’t stay here all night.”
“I just might,” she told him with a laugh, watching as he exited the room.
Her cell phone rang just then, and she rolled her eyes as she reached for it. She knew who it was without looking at the screen. “You are still at the office.”
“I am.” She smiled and leaned back in the chair. “You know me, honey, I practically live here.”
“And that needs to change,” her best friend told her firmly. “I’m at Muse’s.”
“I have work— “
“Girl, get your curvy ass here before I come and find you. I need to talk and bitch…”
“And you want to do it at an exclusive place like Muse’s?” MacKinsey asked her skeptically.
“I have to keep up appearances. As the actress in a long running soap opera, I am supposed to be seen in places like these. I am giving you fifteen minutes.”
“Twenty— “
“Bitch—”
“I have to finish what I am doing. Jeremy gets on my case if I give him things last minute. You know what a diva he is.”
“Okay, fifteen, and I am ordering the drinks.”
“And paying for them. You are worth millions.”
“So are you. Hurry up.”
MacKinsey hung up from her, the smile still on her lips.
*****
“Hey.”
“Hey, you.” Michael tugged her into his arms as soon as he walked into their bedroom. She had left the lights on the outside for him as well as in the living room. He had peeped in on the girls, admonishing his fifteen-year-old for chatting on the phone while playing her music.
Moira had waved at him distractedly before returning to her phone call. The others were piled on twelve-year-old Danielle’s bed, watching a movie, and had barely acknowledged him when he went into the room.
“The girls’ are ignoring me,” he complained as he led her to the plush sofa in the room.
His wife laughed softly at that. “Don’t take it personally, darling. They persuaded me to order a pizza, and after that, I was of no use to them anymore.” She searched his face curiously. “You look tired. Everything okay at work?”
“I am more worried about you.” He tugged her onto his lap. “You are keeping things from me.”
“Like?” She snuggled into his arms and closed her eyes. He had cheated on her with that awful bitch, and she had sworn never to forgive him, but he had refused to give up.
It still pained her a little to know that he had been with someone else, but she loved him and always will. When she was diagnosed with breast cancer, the first thought was that he would cheat on her again, but his support had been unwavering.
“Not telling me your feelings. The support group encourages that, Carlie.” He rubbed her back absently.
“I don’t want to burden you…” Her eyes flew open when he lifted her head from his chest. His dark brown eyes were narrowed, and he was genuinely upset.
“What do you think I am here for? Is that what you believe? That you are a burden to me?” There was a hurt look on his face. “I love you, darling, and I know I did something stupid in the past, but I am here, and I am all in.”
“I know.” She cradled his face between her hands, and her expression softened. “But you have the company to run, and then there was the scare of your dad’s heart attack—”
