Ella’s life turns from boring to exciting when she meets Adam, the gorgeous Italian from Brazil.

Adam is drawn to her – determined to release the passion she holds inside.

Ella is ordinary in her eyes, but when Adam tells see her beauty, the light turns on in her life. He’s a romantic Italian on vacation, surfing at Ella’s beach. But the gorgeous billionaire has secrets. Ella feels like she’s known him forever, but fears she will lose him. Can you meet your soul mate, only to lose him in the same instant?

˃˃˃ Adam shouldn’t involve Ella in the evil he must face in Brazil. But will he stay away from her?

Ella Walker, still suffering from issues of mental abuse, turns twenty-one and meets the man of her dreams. Can she break the bonds of her emotional prison and be the woman he desires? As an aspiring romance author, Ella struggles to find passion in her work. When Adam Bianci, the gorgeous Italian billionaire appears in her life, he lights up her drab existence. She’s determined not to let him slip through her grasp. But will his secrets and the tangled web of his own abuse keep them apart?

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CAPTIVATED

Chapter 1

The first time Adam saw Ella, she looked tiny on her surfboard, gliding inside the curl of a wave. Swells were good that time of year, and he had to admire her skill in manipulating her board, considering her size. The white tip of the roaring wave curled over her head, threatening to swallow her.

She slid down the smooth underside cutting a path toward shore, shooting through the ferocity of the ride. He stood at the water’s edge, unable to take his eyes away from her. The power in her small form was spellbinding. It seemed the wave, many stories high, would swallow her. Yet it didn’t.

The early morning sun of spring peeked above the horizon, giving the scene a pale orange glow. His toes curled into the warm sand and the ocean lapped at his feet. Ready to paddle out and catch the best waves of the morning, he held his board, looking out. But he didn’t see the swells, or the surfers dotted over the blue expanse—only Ella. She was a slender, feminine figure, commanding the immense power of the enormous wave. One hand tightened on his board and the other clenched into a fist, his breathing shallow and his heart pounding. She was a sight to behold.

Crouched, knees perfectly bent, arms out for balance, Ella propelled at high speed; her light form like a feather in the wind. Yet there was something about her, something indefinable. She was small, but the ferocity with which she clung to the board and the determined stance she took—controlling the board, the wave, and everything around her—said it. She was a force to reckon with, and the ocean knew it, allowing her to take her ride as she would. Her fall through the wave was a slow-motion dance, every moment of her fly down the wall of water seeming to take an eternity.

Then the wave came crashing down and swooshed to shore, the elegant performance over. Not thinking, only reacting, Adam let go of his board and ran knee deep into the water. Not stopping, he dove into the surf and swam as hard as he could, adrenaline taking over.

********

Ella had come to the beach early wanting to catch the best waves at this Newport Beach break before the crowds flooded her beloved ocean. She loved the early morning air and the soft glow of the beach just before the sun came up. Most mornings before work, just like this morning, she rolled out of bed and threw on her suit. Grabbing some coffee, drowning it in cream, and chugging it, she snagged a sweatshirt and her beach shoes and was out the door.

Kaiyla Montgomery, her friend for life and roommate, would usually still be sleeping, but the past few mornings she’d had been up early, already dressed and ready to go to the beach. She was on a new workout program that included running in the sand early in the morning, which was fine with Ella because that meant Kaiyla had the coffee ready when Ella staggered out to the kitchen.

Living near the beach was non-negotiable for Ella. She’d walked to the beach early in the morning since she was a kid living in Laguna. She couldn’t imagine a life without the smell of the ocean right outside her door. Surfing was not a hobby—it was life itself. The problems of life didn’t exist when the thrill of surfing a wave invigorated her body. The winter season had offered sizable swells, and she hoped today would be no different.

“Hurry, Kaiyla,” she said, striding down the uneven sidewalk, her board under one arm, her towel over her shoulder.

“I’m not awake,” Kaiyla complained, shuffling behind and trying to keep up.

“You’re the one who’s on this new program. If you wait until later, the beach will be too crowded, so hustle up.”

Ella’s life so far, at the ripe age of twenty-one, had been rougher than she could easily deal with. One bright spot in the mess was her best friend. Originally from Texas, Kaiyla retained the friendly attitude and even a bit of the accent, although she’d been in California since junior high school. That was when Ella met her, and they’d become instant friends. In many ways, they were different. Ella considered herself plain, whereas Kaiyla was a beauty. No one could question that.

They were about the same size and traded clothes as the opportunity or need arose. Ella’s wardrobe was woefully inadequate, so it was more that she borrowed from her roommate’s closet as need inspired her. It was unlikely that the favor would ever be returned, since her wardrobe consisted mostly of beachwear, and faded beachwear at that.

However, Kaiyla understood her and knew what she’d been through. No one else did—at least, up until now. Nor did Ella have anyone else who cared about her, or who would be the least bit interested in her story.

Hitting the beach, Kaiyla flopped onto the sand, wrapped her arms around her legs, and yawned.

“That’s some workout,” Ella said, laughing, peeling her sweatshirt off and tossing it at her friend.

She scanned the waves, noting it would be another good day for surfing. The good swells had lasted way past the normal winter season. That must be a good sign. Grabbing her board, she jogged out into the cool water up to her knees. Throwing her board in front of her, she leapt on top and began to paddle out. The salty smell of the ocean comforted her. She was safe, away from life, from other people. One with the ocean.

When she was out far enough, she sat on her board and looked around, bouncing up and over the waves. Her new board was just perfect for her. Some time ago, she’d saved up to get one that was ideal for her body weight and skill level. Although she’d had it for a while, it had proven itself over the summer, and she felt excitement over riding it again today.

She leaned down and paddled into a wave, then turned her board around to wait for one to catch. She didn’t have to wait long. The wave she spotted cresting toward her would be a wild ride from the looks of it, but she was up for it. Grabbing the wave rolling over her, she jumped onto her board and navigated to a secure perch, deep inside the swirl.

A thrill ran through her. The exhilaration of riding a wave was a familiar feeling, one she never tired of. Her soaked hair clung to her back and her feet gripped the waxed surface of her board. She soared from the peak, spray from the ocean showering her. The power of the ocean could engulf her in a second, so quick she’d have no time to react, yet fear was not part of the equation. Fear caused hesitation and hesitation made the worst fears come true. With confidence, she skimmed through the rolling water.

For no reason she could name, someone on shore caught her eye. Even from a distance, he exuded a command of the environment that pinned her eyes to him. He was muscled and lean like surfers she saw every day. Yet he was somehow different. There was something about him.

Captivated the instant she spotted him, she couldn’t get enough and gazed toward the shore a moment longer than was wise. Taking in his presence, nothing else existed for that fleeting second in time—not the ocean, not the wave that crashed forward, not her board, not her body, just him.

In the next second, a heavy wall of water gulped her down. Too late, she realized her inattentiveness had caused her to be pulled down by the heavy-handed wave. She was under before she knew what hit her. Worse, she’d swallowed water on the way under.

Floundering against the impossible pressure all around her, she didn’t have time to even consider what had happened, only that she needed to surface. And fast. Her body switched to emergency mode and she tried not to panic—a nearly impossible task in a prison of water weighing more tons than she cared to think.

Maybe this was it: the end. She couldn’t say she’d be too sorry about that. Her life was dull at best. The only thing she’d miss would be surfing—and Kaiyla, of course. The thought of Kaiyla seeing her tumble flashed through her mind, but the fight for survival took over, and dull life or not, she struggled in what she hoped was the right direction, water already tickling into her lungs.

There was no hope, just a solid mass of water in every direction. Whether she looked up toward the surface or down deeper, it all looked the same: just dark and solid. Disoriented, panic overtook her senses despite her best intentions. It was a reflex and all she could do was wildly kick her feet and plow through the angry depths with her arms. The heavy, pounding, roiling water showed no mercy, and she doubted her strength against it.

Pitted against the force of nature for what seemed like long, tortuous minutes, the reality that it had been only seconds was beyond her. On the edge of losing hope, and consumed with the irrational feeling to just give up and die, she felt a new pressure against her—an arm, a strong arm, around her waist.

Before she could consider how that could be possible, she was moving in a steady motion, in one direction, which she hoped was toward air. Consciousness threatened to leave her, but now revitalized, if only slightly, she began to fight toward the surface again.

The strong arm, and the hard body she’d become aware of, pressed against her back and refused to let her go. She gave in to the guidance with relief, although not knowing for sure if whoever had her was a friend or foe. She had to believe it was a friend. Who else would attempt such a feat as to jump into the frightening undertow to save her? She hoped.

Air, as sweet as life, assaulted her senses and she gasped and coughed. Flailing her arms to stay above the surface, she wiggled and kicked her feet, still in the throes of panic. Soft words soothed her.

“You’re okay. I’ve got you.”

It was him. She knew it was. She could feel it, but he was behind her, and it wasn’t until he turned her around that she had affirmation. Water, unwelcome in her lungs, produced a round of deep coughing. He held her around the waist and lifted her higher to get more air.

The coughing fit was shorter than she would have expected, and she looked at him, seeing his face up close for the first time. At the sight of him, she stopped breathing, but only for a second, before she gasped for air again like she couldn’t get enough.

He was keeping them both afloat somehow. Turning and pulling her onto his back, he said, “Hold on. I’ll take you to shore.”

She was farther out than she’d thought, and it was a challenge to get them both back to shore in the crazy waves. Once they passed the swells, it got easier. Ella should have been anxious to get out of the water, but now that he had her, she knew she’d be okay.

The trip back to shore gave her time to drink in this unfamiliar man. He was hard as a rock. His sun drenched skin a golden color. Even half drowned, out in the waves, he was handsome as sin.

Regret washed over her when he stood knee deep in the water and reached behind to slip her off his back. She wanted to keep holding on to him, a man she didn’t even know, and felt awkward. Thankfully, he didn’t let her go entirely. With his arm around her shoulders, he guided her to the beach. His touch, his strength, warmed her skin, and she flushed.

She’d almost put the trauma of nearly drowning behind her when she saw Kaiyla jumping up and down. The instant Ella’s feet hit the sand her friend ran over and threw her arms around her.

“Oh my God, what happened out there?” She gasped. “You scared me to death.”

Missing his touch already, Ella was disappointed that her friend had rushed to her so fast, cutting the stranger’s assistance short. Yet there was no way she could admonish her for it. Obviously, from shore it must have looked like Ella was plunging to her demise. Kaiyla was clearly grateful that she’d been delivered safely to shore. Never releasing her, she walked her to further safety, grabbing the towel and wrapping it around Ella’s shoulders.

“I thought you were going to die,” she breathed, distress showing in her pretty face.

“Not yet, it seems,” Ella replied, and took a huge breath, still oxygen deficient.

The adrenaline which had sustained her, faded, her strength along with it. Her knees folded and she fell to the sand involuntarily. Ella rolled to her back and lay there listless, eyes to the sky. Her lungs hurt, and her skin was cold.

“You’re trembling,” said Kaiyla, alarm resonating in her voice.

The sun was blocked by a form standing over her, and Ella felt disappointed to see it was Robert, the lifeguard.

“You took your time,” Kaiyla accused, unable to hide her annoyance. “She could have drowned. Where were you?”

“Hey, I just came over to see if she’s all right. I saw some dude saved her. Seems he had the situation under control,” Robert offered.

“Yes, you would want to wash off your sunscreen before diving in after someone. Heaven forbid you would rescue them from drowning, which is what you’re here for.”

Robert just shrugged and knelt down to check out how Ella was doing. He lifted a wrist to take her pulse. Another surfer placed her surfboard on the sand beside her, having retrieved it from the ocean as a friendly gesture. Robert nodded at him.

The ensuing argument between Robert and Kaiyla was droning noise to Ella. She neither heard nor cared. Shocked to alertness, she realized that her rescuer was not saying anything. She bolted upright, looking all around. Squinting, she looked out over the water dotted with surfers. He wasn’t there. Nor was he on the beach.

She leaned around her friend and stared toward the parking lot. Her heart leapt at the sight of him, board under his arm, walking toward the lot. An impulse to run after him shot through her, and she even lurched in that direction, but she didn’t even know him.

Of course, she wanted to thank him. He’d saved her life. That would be reasonable, wouldn’t it? To run after him to thank him? Her body rebelled and refused to rise. All her muscles felt like jelly, and she was dizzy and lightheaded. She tried forcing her muscles into action and started to stand, but just collapsed back onto the towel.

Then he was gone, out of sight. Ella just sat there, stunned, suffering from the loss of him, a man whose name she didn’t even know. He may never come back to the beach. She may never see him again. That thought distressed her, more than any discomforts from her near-death experience.

Death be damned. Only he mattered, and the fact that she’d had to risk her life for him to appear was just fine with her. Her dull, boring life had just taken a new blush. She felt alive, really alive, and it hurt. The pain of never seeing him again was more than she could bear.

Chapter 2

Adam was attracted to the wisp of a woman he’d just saved. One minute he’d been enjoying the early beauty of the beach, ready to surf the morning away. The next, he’d been glued to the sight of her flying gracefully over a wave before plummeting into the sea.

Instinctively, he dove in to rescue her. Yes, instinct—that was all. Saving a woman’s life, or anyone’s for that matter, formed a brief attachment, a bonding of sorts. That had to be it. Come on, she wasn’t even his type. He liked his women a bit voluptuous, like the women he knew in Brazil and some in college.

This one was slender, almost frail. Yet he shook his head thinking about her controlling the wave. That was, until she fell off. She had no business being out in today’s swell. The vision of her on the surfboard aroused him. Ridiculous. Unable to decipher the hold she had on him, he shook his head. Best to just leave. Yes, that would take care of it. Go on with his day and just forget about her.

The trouble was he knew that wasn’t going to happen. Stowing his board on the roof and sliding into the driver’s seat of his car, he was already feeling her pressed against his back, the way her belly flattened against his lower back and her feminine arms wrapped around his shoulders as he towed her in. The rescue had turned into a sensual encounter. And that annoyed him. He didn’t need this. He really didn’t.

********

All day, Ella thought about him, too, even though she was not able to fathom that he would give her a second thought. She’d always considered herself plain, and being half drowned couldn’t have helped.

At Kaiyla’s insistence, she called in sick to work. Although once the water got out of her lungs, she felt better, at least physically. The bookstore wouldn’t miss her. Surely they’d get coverage. How important could one clerk be, after all?

“Ella, are you okay?” Kaiyla was hovering. “You worry me. It’s like you’re miles away.”

Slouched in the one armchair they owned, Ella leaned her head against the seat and draped one leg over the arm.

“Sure, I’m fine now. Just a little worn out.”

“Well, you don’t look fine. I still think you should have gone to the hospital to be checked out.”

“Nope. No hospital. Really, I’m telling you, I’m okay. I just need to rest.”

“Who was the hero? That guy who rescued you?”

“No idea. He was just there, so fast. I still don’t know how he reached me, but he was so strong. I don’t know what would have happened if he hadn’t seen me.”

“I can’t think about it. I saw you on the board and then I looked back and didn’t see you at all. I panicked. It was like I was glued to the spot. I shouted ‘help,’ but it was useless. No way had Robert heard me. He probably had his iPod on with the earphones. You’d have to slap him to get his attention.”

“One minute I was buried in water and the next he, whoever he is, had his strong arm around me, pulling me up,” Ella said, reliving the encounter.

“What happened out there? You’re a good surfer, Ella. I’ve never seen you fall like that.”

Ella’s cheeks warmed, and she wondered if how she felt about the mysterious man who rescued her was obvious. Her friend didn’t miss much and knew her better than anyone. It was hard to hide her feelings. Kaiyla was sharp and could see through a bluff.

“I, ah…was. I guess it was just a moment of inattention.”

“Well, don’t get distracted out there. Stay focused. It’s dangerous in those waves.”

Ella had been focused, very focused—just not on surfing in the moment before her fall. Her skin warmed at the thought of him, the way he looked standing at the edge of the shore. There was something special about him. That was for sure.

With her purse over her shoulder, standing at the door, Kaiyla still hesitated.

“Go ahead, go to work. Your customers wouldn’t appreciate having to reschedule their hair appointments. Don’t worry about me. I’ll just rest. I’ll be here when you get back. I’ll be fine.”

With a sigh, her friend opened the door to leave, calling out, “Okay, but call if you need me.”

The door shut, and Ella was alone. Alone with her thoughts, and she wasn’t sure she liked where they were taking her. She had to be realistic. This was a man she may never see again. She had been at the beach every day, and he’d never been there before. Guaranteed, she would not have missed him. No way. So, if he hadn’t been there before, chances were good that he wouldn’t be back. What a depressing thought.

Ella looked at their small apartment. Rent didn’t come cheap in a classy neighborhood like Newport Beach, and it was all they could afford, so Ella slept on the sofa bed in the main room and Kaiyla got the bedroom. It seemed fair since she had a boyfriend, just in case he wanted to stay over, and Ella had no one. Not a cheery thought.

It was not that men didn’t ask her out. Once in a while, they did. But she didn’t see the point of dating someone she didn’t like all that much. She’d rather be by herself and spend time writing. Someday she might get published.

Actually, she had been published, but only a few articles in some magazines. Surfing was a subject she knew, and she’d managed to write a few helpful articles on the subject—but it wasn’t a living, and that wasn’t the direction that she wanted to take her career. She aspired to write fiction. Unfortunately, her stories lacked verve, just like her life. “Drab and boring” was a perfect description of her life. Throw in “lonely” and you’d have the whole picture.

Grabbing her tablet and placing both feet on the floor, she started to write. Her muscles ached from the strain of earlier, and her head was pounding, but inspiration hit her. Typing away, her fingers small enough for the keyboard, words began to flow:

This day was like any other. The sun was bright orange, the sand like beige velvet, and the waves high. All I’ve ever loved is surfing. Out in the water, it’s exciting. I feel in control. Out of the water, I am nothing. My dream is to someday find that perfect wave, the one to remember, and the one I’ll never forget. Every day I think “maybe today.” Yes, just like any other day. Until…there he was. Like that perfect wave you find only once, he was there. Coming from nowhere, he stood at the shoreline, and I knew there would never be another like him. Yet he’s someone I can never have. I know he’s a vision, one that disappears as soon as it arrives.

I’ve never been lucky in my life and see no reason to hope that I might be now. You, my dear diary, know me better than anyone. In my solitude, I’ve always confided in you, and we both know that I’m plain and I’m boring, and he’s just the opposite. The sight of him brought me to life. Even though my interaction with him was oh so brief, I’m changed. Even my drab apartment looks brighter. I almost like it. Almost.

Life holds interest to me, like it never did before. If only because there’s a chance—a slim one, I admit—that I’ll see him again. If I could just see him again, just once more, I might be satisfied for life. Fate has not smiled on me often. In all fairness, I’m not asking that much. I just want to see him once more. You understand, don’t you, dear diary?

Weariness won out, and Ella put aside her writing, intending to lay her head on the pillow for a few minutes. The next thing she knew, keys were jingling in the lock of the apartment door, and she opened her eyes with a start. She’d slept so long it was dark in the room. She felt stiff and rubbed her arms to get some life back in them.

“Hey, Ella, you been sleeping?”

“Guess so.”

“I’m starved…wanna go out? There’s no food here. One of us needs to shop.”

Having lived in California since junior high, Kaiyla’s Texas accent was barely perceptible; yet every once in a while, Ella could still pick it up. It was how she said certain words, like “I’m” sounded like “Ah’m.” The intonations matched her friendly personality.

“Sure, let me change.”

Ella forced her feet to the floor and staggered to the bathroom to clean up. It would be good to get out, get away from her thoughts. She knew it would be a long night. Insomnia was an issue for her, and she was sure sleeping during the day would make it worse.

Eating out with Kaiyla would be a welcome distraction. Her friend was fun and outgoing, the opposite of Ella, who could be painfully shy at best and horribly dull at the very least—or so she thought of herself. Anything to take her thoughts away from him, her unforgettable rescuer, was welcome.

Dinner was hamburgers at their favorite place, the grill down the street that had changed owners so many times they no longer called it by name, just “the place down the street.” Ella didn’t have much of an appetite and ended up nibbling at her fries and wrapping the burger to go. Leftovers were a frequent solution to meals, if there was food in the refrigerator. A hamburger on the second day was a doubtful prospect, but she carried it home anyway.

As she expected, sleep eluded her until early in the morning. She spent the first few hours tossing and turning. The aches in her body didn’t help, and the ibuprofen only muted the discomfort a little. Giving up just after midnight, she turned on the light and flipped open her tablet.

Of late, writing fiction was elusive. Bored with every story she attempted, clearly her readers—if she had any—would be, too. But tonight was different. A story welled up inside her, and she poured it out, letting the words flow. Her fingers flew with renewed excitement, and she’d written for a couple of hours before stopping to look at the clock.

Sleep did come, but not before three. Even staying up until the wee hours of the morning did not stop her from waking up early, like she always did. Excitement had her wide awake. The night was finally over, and she could go to the beach.

She slipped out of bed, not even taking time for coffee. She tiptoed across the carpet and was out the door within minutes, picking up her surfboard on the way. No need to wake Kaiyla. It was her day off. Certainly, she didn’t plan to run on a day when she could sleep in. Plus, Ella wanted to go alone today. She had her reasons.

It was still dark at the beach. Pale white light glowed in the sky, promising a new sunrise. Looking around, she could see she was alone. Carefully, she placed her board on the sand and spread out her towel to sit on.

Always enjoying the early hours before others arrived, it was Ella’s pattern to sit on the sand and soak in the scenery before it was light enough to surf. The lap of the waves against the shore, the blue sky, and the warm sand relaxed her. But not today. She was antsy. Looking all around, she spotted just one other person, an older man at the beach for an early morning swim. Not even Robert, the lifeguard, was on duty yet.

She hoped as hard as she could hope that her mystery man would return. She promised she wouldn’t ask for anything else if she could just see him again. So she waited. And waited.

The sun edged over the horizon, glowing hot orange as she’d come to expect. More swimmers, surfers, and sunbathers arrived, chatting and laughing. The beach began to get crowded, but not one person went unnoticed by her.

Constantly on the alert, determined not to miss him if he showed up, Ella took in every motion, every activity on her favorite beach. She’d always been happy sitting on the shore. Never, until today, had she been unhappy witnessing the beach coming to life. Today, she was miserable. Gloom settled around her.

When the sun was bright in the sky, she was convinced he wasn’t coming. By the looks of him, he was a good surfer, and he’d know the best waves were early. If he returned to the beach, it would be early. He wasn’t coming. Not today.

Discouraged, Ella left. Having lost interest in surfing, she trudged home to dress for work. Riding the bus took extra time anyway. Might as well get there early. The day at the small bookstore on Balboa Island seemed to last forever.

Even the customers she usually enjoyed seeing did nothing to lift her spirits. Zoe Preston, her boss, kept asking if she was okay. It was hard to reassure her that she was when she kept spacing out, gazing into space at who knows what. All she could do was endure, until the next morning when she could go to the beach again, to wait.

Ella’s life turns from boring to exciting when she meets Adam, the gorgeous Italian from Brazil.

Adam is drawn to her – determined to release the passion she holds inside.

Ella is ordinary in her eyes, but when Adam tells see her beauty, the light turns on in her life. He’s a romantic Italian on vacation, surfing at Ella’s beach. But the gorgeous billionaire has secrets. Ella feels like she’s known him forever, but fears she will lose him. Can you meet your soul mate, only to lose him in the same instant?

˃˃˃ Adam shouldn’t involve Ella in the evil he must face in Brazil. But will he stay away from her?

Ella Walker, still suffering from issues of mental abuse, turns twenty-one and meets the man of her dreams. Can she break the bonds of her emotional prison and be the woman he desires? As an aspiring romance author, Ella struggles to find passion in her work. When Adam Bianci, the gorgeous Italian billionaire appears in her life, he lights up her drab existence. She’s determined not to let him slip through her grasp. But will his secrets and the tangled web of his own abuse keep them apart?

Don’t Miss These Titles in The Adam & Ella Series: