But when her perfect husband turns out to be a lying, cheating slimeball - and bad in bed to boot - Savannah kicks the jerk to the curb and embarks on life on her own terms. With a new apartment, a new career, and a brand new outlook on life, she's all set to take the world by storm. If only the world would stop throwing her curveballs... CLOSE TO HOME - book #4 Savannah's late. The kind of late that comes with midnight feedings and the pitter-patter of little feet. And while it's a circumstance that should make everyone happy - now she can finally settle down and marry Todd Satterfield, the way everyone's been hoping and praying! - it isn't Todd's baby. And Rafe, whose baby it is, didn't sign on for fatherhood. Add in the murder of Savannah's sister-in-law Sheila, the trial of Sheila's friend Marley, and the disappearance of Rafe's twelve year old son David - the kid he never knew he had! - and things get complicated fast. And there is worse to come: When Rafe comes back to Nashville to help look for David, and learns that Savannah's pregnant, things do not work out the way Savannah had hoped. In the end, she's left with nothing she wanted and a whole lot of trouble she didn't, and for once, Rafe's not there to save the day. A DONE DEAL - book #5 Silver bells, silver bells... It's Christmas time in Nashville, and all Savannah wants to unwrap on Christmas morning is Rafe Collier. Unfortunately, things don't look so good. He's back in town, but not alone: on his arm is a stunning brunette, just the kind of woman Savannah always suspected was his type. When Alexandra Puckett asks her help in figuring out a way to stop Maybelle Driscoll from marrying Alex's father Steven, Savannah jumps on the chance. It'll give her something to think about other than Rafe and the mysterious Carmen, and anyway, she doesn't like Maybelle much herself. Between investigating Maybelle's past, helping her clients Aislynn and Kylie buy a house, and stalking Carmen and Rafe, Savannah soon has her hands full. And that's before someone starts gunning for her. Suddenly it's not a question of unwrapping anything on Christmas morning anymore; it's a question of whether she'll even survive to see another Christmas. CHANGE OF HEART - book #6 It’s late February, just two months after Savannah Martin and Rafael Collier finally worked things out between them, and Rafe is already sneaking out of bed in the wee hours. Catching fellow realtor Tim Briggs rinsing blood from his hands in the office sink makes for a welcome distraction, and when Tim disappears just as one of his clients is found dead in a nearby park, Savannah throws herself into the investigation with abandon. But even the murder mystery taking place right under her nose can’t completely distract her from worrying about personal problems. Has Rafe changed his mind about their relationship, or is something else going on? And what are the chances of Savannah coming out of this latest debacle with her life – and her heart – intact? *** Contains an excerpt of Savannah Martin Mystery #7, Kickout Clause ***

    The stunning conclusion to MIDNIGHT’S CAPTIVE from New York Times bestselling author, Donna Grant!There is no escaping anymore for Laura and Charon.  They are soul mates, bonded forever.  But now, Charon must fight the deadliest foe he’s ever known if he’s to keep the love of his life.  But when Laura is captured by his nemesis, he must choose between winning the battle of good versus evil—or losing the woman he loves forever…

    She had the love of her life, her high school sweetheart, and a bright future ahead of her. That is, until one day he just disappeared, leaving a note as his only goodbye. With her heart shattered and broken, Shayne did the only thing she could. She left her small town on the shores of Lake Michigan to start her life over, needing to distance herself from the memories she and Luke had made. At that time, she vowed to herself that she would never return to her hometown again. Seven years later, Shayne realizes that fate is not on her side as she returns home for her aunt’s funeral, bringing back the one secret she swore to protect. Luke Schavone has regretted every day that he had to leave Shayne behind. Though he didn’t have a choice, his heart still bore the scars from the impact. After five years, Luke returned only to find that Shayne was gone. His best friend was the only lifeline he had to find her, but Adam wasn’t talking. When the one thing Luke has wanted every day for the past seven years runs right into him one night, he becomes determined to make sure he doesn’t lose her again. At first, Shayne is hesitant. She wouldn’t be able to survive losing him again, but the pull toward him is so fierce, she can’t deny herself the chance. With the decision to start over, Luke and Shayne must admit truths and come to terms with the events that forced them apart in the first place. When secrets are revealed and old threats come to pass, will Luke be able to shelter Shayne from the destruction, or will she become lost to him forever? Rescue Me Erin McIntyre is a survivor. Four years ago she bundled up her six-year-old daughter and set sail into uncharted waters with nothing more than the will to survive. When offered a place to stay and a new job by her best friend's cousin, Adam, she simply cannot refuse...but he quickly becomes more than a friend. Afraid to love again, Erin remains steadfast, certain the only person she can trust is herself. But when her past comes knocking, threatening to tear her carefully constructed world apart, the support of a man who believes in her more than she does herself will be the one thing that can keep her head above water. Will old habits prove too hard to break and leave Erin drowning in a sea of self-doubt, or can she let go of her fears and learn to love once more? Adam Payne never thought he would find love; he wasn’t even looking for it. However, after Erin McIntyre walks into his life he finds himself falling hard and fast for her. Determined to show Erin that she is worthy of not only his love but of herself, he will stop at nothing to make this woman his. But when Erin’s past comes back to haunt them all, will Adam be able to rescue her from her worst fear? Keep Me Four months ago Shelby Morris left Michigan with bitter words to Antonio Schavone. Words that cut him deep. Made him re-think every aspect of his life. Even when she left he didn’t give up. He’s changed, and he wants her. And now she’s coming back! She has her reasons for why she said what she did. A secret she has carried with her since she was a teenager. The reason why she has never let herself get close to a man. The reason why she lives only for her job. The reason why she doesn’t feel like a complete woman. Her sister Erin doesn’t even know why she has never had a relationship. Will he be able to break through her strong-willed ways? Make her realize he doesn’t care what her secret is and show her she is definitely the one he wants.

     When one man's death exposes a complex web of lies, three couples discover the true meaning of love, loss and redemption. Hailey What do you do when you find out your whole life was a lie? That your husband really wasn't your husband but someone else's. That the vows you made to each other were simply empty promises. You pick up and move to the country to start fresh. When life hands you limes, you make sure you have tequila because your life is about to get stirred up. Jensen Married to my high school sweetheart, the best thing she gave me was my baby girl. But we weren't enough for her. I wasn't enough for her. The last thing I expected on my birthday was a Dear John letter, but that's what I got when she upped and left. Now, it's just me and my girl against the world till the new girl moves in next door. Is there such a thing as a perfect love story? UNEXPECTED LOVE STORY Crystal I was the strong one, they said, until two words brought me to my knees. It was a secret I didn't share with anyone. A secret that made me promise I'd never fall in love. I no longer wanted that white picket fence of every woman's dreams. Until the unthinkable happened. Gabe I thought I had it all with the best medical practice in the state and the woman of my dreams. I wore a smile on my face every single day. I couldn't wait to watch her walk down the aisle and start our forever, except she never did. My runaway bride made me realize love isn't worth it. What happens when your dreams unexpectedly come true? This is the story of unexpected love. BROKEN LOVE STORY Samantha I had the perfect life; a husband who loved me, and two kids who were my world. Until someone else answered his phone and my perfect life shattered. When he died, I was left with answers he couldn't give me and a box full of lies. He left me broken. Blake I fell in love when I was fifteen, knowing she was the one. For five years, she was my everything—my every breath, every heartbeat, every thought. She made me promise to move on, promise to find love again, but I broke those promises because I can't move on. Two broken souls brought together by tragedy and heartbreak. Can a broken love story be fixed?

    If you read them there, you do not need to re-purchase as they are the same stories. A Princess for Cale by Susan Stoker Katelin Kriss comes from nothing—literally. A lifetime in foster care has ensured she’s used to little notice. So when she develops a crush on a real-life prince, she expects him to remain her favorite fantasy. After all, what can she possibly offer a man who has everything? Prince Cale Alexander and his twin brother, Cain, noticed Katelin and her best friend weeks ago, in a local bar, and both have been wanting from afar ever since. Before Cale can approach his shy beauty, the women are caught in a dangerous situation that thrusts Katelin first into his arms…and then into his bed. Cale will never be king, but he still wants the fairy tale…with his princess, Katelin. A Princess for Cain by Becca Jameson As a royal prince, Cain Alexander has everything he could possibly want at his disposal. But he and his twin brother have always felt something was lacking. After spending their childhood under the watchful eye of the royal court, the two of them break the mold and head to America where dreams are made. Shayla Peters had a rough start in life. Raised primarily in foster care, she and her closest friend have aged out of the system, gotten jobs, found an apartment, and forged a life. What neither Cain and his brother nor Shayla and her friend can easily control is finding the right person to spend their lives with. They come from different worlds. They have incomparable backgrounds. But love doesn’t care. It worms its way into the soul without invitation. Is it enough though? The probability of two such different people coming together in a parallel path is slim. Do Cain and Shayla have what it takes to defy the odds? Warning: This pair of books is over-the-top dirty. If you like your romance with possessive alphas who have very bossy mouths, then this book is for you! Susan steps outside her usual romantic suspense genre to try her hand at writing baby-making smut while Becca sticks to what she does best...hot, intense relationships with a bit of drama thrown in for good measure.

     A Texas Ranger, relegated to deskwork due to past recklessness, petitions to regain custody of his five-year-old daughter, and his case is assigned to a family court judge who is as attractive as she is ambitious. When a masked gunman barges in during the custody hearing with his sights on the judge, the Ranger reacts instinctually and goes after him. But authorities apprehend the wrong man, and the real gunman remains unknown, at large, and a threat. Will this take-charge lawman jeopardize his chances of custody by going after the would-be assassin? And will this unlikely pair be able to deny the forbidden attraction building between them?

    YOU GET *FIVE* CRIME THRILLERS FULL OF TWISTS AND EDGE OF YOUR SEAT TENSION.What readers are saying about STEVE PARKER“A must read for all crime thriller fans.” Viv“A really good thriller to keep you on the edge of your seat.” Barbara“I was up until 2am as I couldn’t read it quick enough.” Carole“The differences between the two detectives works so well ... they are so much alike ... but yet are miles apart in others” Linda Strong“I couldn't turn the pages fast enough. I was hooked right from the start.” Sue“A fast-moving action-packed thriller which will keep you enthralled from page one.”“Another gripping, fast-paced and twisted caper for the most unorthodox police duo in UK fiction.” Donna“Loved the book, Clocks makes me laugh out loud.” AileenDO YOU LOVE EXPLOSIVE UNPUTDOWNABLE CRIME FICTION? THEN MEET DETECTIVES PATERSON AND CLOCKS. THIS DUO ARE IRREVERENT, IMPULSIVE, AND ALWAYS FULL OF SURPRISES.IN THIS FIVE-BOOK BOX SETBOOK 1: THEIR LAST WORDSA young woman is found dead on the streets of London. Her throat slashed, her body mutilated, and one word carved into her flesh: “DON’T.” Detective Superintendent Ray Paterson is assigned to the case. Young, handsome, and from a wealthy background, he’s tipped for the top. He joins a team based out of Bermondsey, South London. It’s meant to be a steppingstone to his next promotion, but this case will threaten to bring down his career and everything he thought he knew about policing.BOOK 2: DEADLY CRIMESAn elderly African man is found dead in the street, shot through the head. The killing has the hallmarks of a professional assassin. Dumped in a waste bin next to the dead man is the dismembered torso of a child. On his first day back at work, disgraced Detective Superintendent Ray Paterson finds himself teamed up again with newly promoted Detective Inspector Johnny Clocks.BOOK 3: THE BURNING MENA man is burnt at the stake in a London park. His smouldering corpse is a message of the most violent kind. The victim is Davey Caine. He is the heir to the criminal empire created by his father, William ‘Billy’ Caine. Billy is a notorious and violent gangster who controls South East London. But he’s not the man he used to be and the sharks smell blood in the water.BOOK 4: YOU CAN’T HIDEAlbert Tanner, vicious psychopath and burner of men, is in the USA with unfinished business. Only Detectives Ray Paterson and Johnny Clocks can stop him. Their task is straightforward: hunt Tanner down and bring him home. But a few explosions, an assassin and a dead child change everything.BOOK 5: THEIR DYING BREATHA severed head washes up on the banks of the Thames, a star carved into the forehead. The next day the airwaves are hacked. A live-stream shows a man imprisoned in a box. He also has a star cut into his head. Then the man is drowned. Two more men are murdered on live TV, two more will die within hours. Detectives Paterson and Clocks race against time to ensure their next breath isn’t their last. But this enemy is far more deadly than any they’ve encountered before.THE DETECTIVESDetective Superintendent Ray Paterson is a young and (thanks to family money) wealthy womaniser, separated from his model wife and tipped to be the youngest ever commissioner of police. Detective Inspector Johnny Clocks is a foul-mouthed, working-class officer. He grew up surrounded by rogues and villains but became a first-class thief taker.THE AUTHORSteve Parker is a retired police officer who served for 20 years in numerous high-profiles squads.Don’t miss out on this action-packed series! YOU GET ALL FIVE OF THE ABOVE BOOKS IN THIS EDITION

    . . what's not to love about a military man? Meet these seven irresistible heroes who fight just as passionately for true love as they do for their country. Healing Beau: USA Today best-selling author Alicia Hunter Pace spins a poignant small-town story of healing and homecoming. After recklessly destroying his military career, Ranger Sergeant Beau Beauford retreats home to Beauford Bend . . . only to promptly impregnate his best and oldest friend. Christian Hambrick is made of guts, steel, and plain good sense, except for that lifelong torch she's held for Beau. When old secrets resurface, she'll wage full-scale war on Beau's past to preserve their future.Her Soldier's Touch by J.M. Stewart: When U.S. Army Sergeant First Class Colten Taylor returns briefly to Phoenix to bury his brother, he's shocked to see Rachel Madison waiting for him at the airport. He regrets the morning he walked away from her; coming from an abusive home taught Colt to put limits on all his relationships. But now that she has his son in tow, will he keep running?California Homecoming by Casey Dawes: After returning from duty in the Middle East wounded in both body and spirit, Hunter Evans volunteers to help Sarah Ladina fix up a run-down Victorian in the beach town of Costanoa. Can they get beyond their painful past and complicated present to find the love and respect they need?Island Pursuits by Heather Rodney-Diaz: Former U.S. Marine Adrian Mendez returns to his homeland of Trinidad and Tobago only to run into a feisty island goddess with one flaw - she has no love of anything military.Angel Without Wings by Mari Manning: After resigning from a promising army career to help his mother and wounded brother, Jesse McCormick struggles to save the family farm. Only one plan will earn him enough money to get his family out of debt - a dangerous assignment with a paramilitary group. But he's slowly losing his heart to Linnea Reyes, a war widow helping to save the farm. Can he give up her love just when he's found it?The Cormorant Club by Anji Nolan: When they're reunited by chance, Holly and Scott's attraction is as undeniable as when they met in a MASH unit in Vietnam. But when a murder-for-hire group starts targeting their war contacts, will they lose their second chance at love?Enlisted by Love by Jenny Jacobs: Ex-army officer Matthew Blake is eager to start a new career, until he comes up against the most challenging obstacle he's ever encountered: Greta Ferguson, the interior designer who challenges his every order.Sensuality Level: Sensual

    Literally. A woman on the run from a minor Egyptian Demon? Um…what?With his father ailing, normally Jasper would pass on this one, but then he gets a look at her. How can he resist the owner of those flashing blue eyes?Carolina Moore is in danger, but who can she trust when an ancient Egyptian Demon has decided she is his property and will stop at nothing to claim her?Recently divorced, she’d just returned from a trip to Egypt where she’d spent time on an archeological dig with a student group as a guest lecturer with an unfortunate souvenir, mainly a Demon who wants her for his own.Luckily, she is friends with Jennifer Dylluan who assigns her a guard from the Wyvern Protection Unit. But what happens when her protector poses more of a threat to her than the person she was running from?

     Rookie Bear Puma shifter Stephanie Page can’t find a mate. Tired of waiting, Stephanie takes a Christmas cruise to the Caribbean. Meeting Stephanie interrupts Max’s mission and changes everything for the shell shocked shifter. Can Max save the girl, save the day, and learn to let himself be loved? Fly Bear Fly Bear, Rider Hendrix, is a decorated military pilot working with the Justice Squad. As dare devil and risk taker, Rider never thought he wanted a mate. Then a close call changes everything. Darcy Lane worked her way up from nothing to head chef at a top Denver restaurant. No matter how far she’s come, the insecurities of her past run deeper than her freckled skin. will Darcy ever come to understand that the beauty Rider wants to see is what shines so brightly from within? Bodyguard Bear Titus Sawyer has a secret. He's lived his whole life building a tough guy facade, but underneath the bulging muscles, he couldn't be more different. Arabella Fernandez built her career as a pop star on sexy, sultry songs, but the truth behind the mask is far more innocent than anyone could imagine. Will Titus and Arabella find their happily ever after, or will their secrets keep them apart as danger looms from every side. C.O. Bear Colonel Hawk Barlow has been waiting many years for his mate. But when he goes undercover on the most important mission of his career, he can't let anything distract him. Elena has no illusions about what her mobster father does, but she is ready to move on with her life, find a man, settle down to start a family. Will Hawk be able to protect her from the looming threat, or will Elena's doubt be disastrous for them all? Brainy Bear Sampson Reed is on a mission: take down the hacker who is the last stand between the Justice Squad and the remaining hyena terrorists. But Sampson is in for a surprise when a social worker knocks at his door with a two-year-old boy she claims is his nephew. Megan Moore is on a mission of her own: take down the man who destroyed her sister. Will Sampson complete his mission and claim his mate, or will Megan's need for vengeance keep them apart and destroy their chance at happiness? Builder Bear Jamison Stone has been waiting for his mate for ten long years. With the Justice Squad on down time, he will have to occupy himself with a new real estate project. Romance author Ruby Wilson never expected to be left at the altar. But the most humiliating moment of her life might turn out to be a blessing in disguise. Jamison and Ruby are both surprised to find the person they've been matched with on a shifter dating app show up at the same property at the same moment. But Ruby wants nothing to do with the handsome real estate developer who could take her farmhouse from her. Will Jamison be able to prove to Ruby he is the man she really wants, or will the pain of her past prove too big a hurdle for even the spirit of Christmas to overcome? Sly Bear Zander Shaw isn’t expecting murder for New Year's, but as a consultant for law enforcement, that's exactly what he gets. Running scared and chased by a killer, Emma falls down a cliff only to wake without memory of who she is or how she got there. Will Emma recover her memories so that she and Zander can find their happily ever after? Or will the killer find her first?

    Zach Forsythe, billionaire resort owner, was the man she’d had a week-long affair with. Why had Zach lied about his name and left her without a word?Valente’s Baby Maxine Sullivan For Matthew Valente, paternity trumped everything. Never mind that his ex-employee Lana had kept his baby a secret for nearly a year or that he considered her a liar and a thief. Their child would bear the Valente name…and so would she!

    But he knows there are some things money can’t buy, like Kendra Shepherd’s heart. Can a rough-and-tumble cowboy and a ladylike divorcée find lasting love? Crazier dreams have come true under the vast Montana sky. Bad News Cowboy by Maisey Yates If Kate Garrett could choose her dream man, he wouldn’t be her older brother’s best friend, Jack Monaghan. Sexy and shameless, Jack is the kind of trouble you don’t tangle with unless you want your heart broken. But when Kate lassoes him into giving her some flirting tips, the two of them get caught up in the kind of trouble he’s spent his life avoiding. Can Kate convince Jack that love is the best risk of all?

     By Your Side- Jake Miller likes his life. It’s simple and quiet. Solitary. He’s taking the last thing his mother truly cared about before she died, the properties she owned, and making them his purpose. His time in the Army hadn’t allowed him to be there for her before, but this is something he can do now. Just him and his dog. Exactly how he wants it. Until her, his first tenant. With her innate openness and blinding smiles, the opposite of everything he thought he could possibly want. Casey Steadman has less to show for her twenty-nine years than she’d hoped. No white picket fence. No 2.5 kids. And definitely no loving husband. Just a few lukewarm relationships, an exceedingly crappy apartment, and a fabulous shoe collection (and the credit card debt to prove it). Moving into her new place is one big, high heeled step towards a new life. The stable, make-boring-mature-decisions kind of life that she needs to be able to prove to her family that she can live. What she wasn’t planning on was her hotter-than-Hades new landlord. Sparks are a-flying, and they’re the kind that can only come from a stiletto-loving, dog-hating, budget-repelling, relentlessly optimistic, youngest of five becoming the tenant and next door neighbor to a stoically silent, slightly pessimistic, ‘my only friend is my dog’, only child and former Army Ranger. Casey and Jake are total opposites. But when they come together, it just might be true love. Light Me Up- For Rachel Hennessy, it’s been an interesting six months. Boyfriend? Cheated on her. Job? She totally just got fired. Starting her own wedding planning business sounds exciting … in theory. In reality, it’s completely terrifying. And on top of all that, the freaking cherry right on top? She just had an ill-timed, alcohol-instigated one-night stand with her bff Casey’s brother, Tate. Yeah, that Tate. The one that she’s had a teensy, inconvenient crush on for years. But nothing about it is ill-timed or inconvenient for Tate Steadman. Because he finally feels free. Free of the oppressive relationship he’d been in for the past six years. Free to pursue Rachel, because one alcohol-fueled night was not even close to enough for him. He just wished she saw it that way. Because she makes him want more than he ever knew he was capable of. When their one night has unexpected consequences, Rachel has no clue how to trust that he’s not just trying to be ‘the good guy’ who wants to do ‘the right thing’. And even though the chemistry between them practically burns down an entire city block when they’re together, she doesn’t know how to let down the concrete wall she’s built up around herself. The ‘mistake’ of one evening can change the trajectory of two lives, but maybe a mistake is all they really need to push them right into true love. Tell Them Lies- Liz Peters hasn’t exactly gotten the happily-ever-after she’s read about in her Jane Austen books. ‘Always a bridesmaid’ is more fitting to the way life has been passing this good girl by. About to go postal from loneliness, she meets a man who doesn’t seem to fit any of her requirements for a book-worthy hero. Kieran Carter would do just about anything to put a smile on his terminally ill mother’s face. When he meets a woman in the ice cream aisle at the grocery store, Kieran finally has opportunity to do just that. If he needs to lie in order to give his mom a little hope? Not a freakin problem.

    Includes:SUMMER RENTALEllis, Julia, and Dorie. Friends since Catholic grade school, they now find themselves, in their mid-thirties, at the crossroads of life and love. A month in North Carolina's Outer Banks is just what each of them needs. Ty Bazemore is their landlord. After an inauspicious first meeting with Ellis, the two find themselves disturbingly attracted to one another, even as Ty is about to lose everything he's ever cared about. Maryn Shackleford is a stranger on the run who needs just a few things: no questions, a good hiding place, and a new identity. Ellis, Julia, and Dorie can provide what Maryn wants; can they also provide what she needs?SPRING FEVERAnnajane Hudgens truly believes she is over her ex-husband, Mason Bayless. They've been divorced for four years, she's engaged to a new, terrific guy, and she's ready to leave the small town where she and Mason had so much history. She is so over Mason that she has absolutely no problem attending his wedding to the beautiful, intelligent, delightful Celia. But when fate intervenes and the wedding is called to a halt as the bride is literally walking down the aisle, Annajane begins to realize that maybe she's been given a second chance. Maybe everything happens for a reason. And maybe, just maybe, she wants Mason back. But there are secrets afoot in this small Southern town and Annajane discovers that change can bring out the worst in people and uncover family scandals. And even though there are people determined to keep Annajane from getting what she wants, happiness could be hers for the taking, and the life she once had with Mason in this sleepy little lake town could be in her future. That is, if she can find out what she's really made of and what really matters most to her.LADIES' NIGHTGrace Stanton's life as a rising media star and beloved lifestyle blogger takes a surprising turn when she catches her husband cheating and torpedoes his pricey sports car straight into the family swimming pool. Grace suddenly finds herself locked out of her palatial home, checking account, and even the blog she has worked so hard to develop in her signature style. Moving in with her widowed mother, who owns and lives above a rundown beach bar called The Sandbox, is less than ideal. So is attending court-mandated weekly "divorce recovery" therapy sessions with three other women and one man for whom betrayal seems to be the only commonality. When their "divorce coach" starts to act suspiciously, they decide to start having their own Wednesday "Ladies' Night" sessions at The Sandbox, and the unanticipated bonds that develop lead the members of the group to try and find closure in ways they never imagined. Can Grace figure out a new way home and discover how strong she needs to be to get there?

    All stories can be read on their own. This collection contains the following A Real Man books: Blacksmith, Brutal, and Kilt Me. BLACKSMITH: Steel isn’t the only thing that’s hard. MADDIE Deacon was older than me, but I wanted him regardless. He had this raw edge to him, this primal aura surrounding him that made me feel wholly feminine. He was the epitome of a man…a real man. Even his profession was masculine: a blacksmith. I had no doubt he knew how to work for his hands over a woman, how to use them to make her feel the soft and hard sides of him. What I wanted was for him to be my first…my only. DEACON She thought I didn’t see her watching me, that I didn’t know she wanted me. I knew, and I wanted her with a fierceness that rivaled anything else. What Maddie didn’t know was I’d already claimed her. There was no other woman for me but her. I was a possessive bastard, territorial when it came to her. The time had finally come to make her mine. I’d show her how primal I really was, how rough I liked it, how much I wanted to make her scream my name. I’d show her how a man took care of his woman in all the ways that counted. She’d be mine. Only mine. BRUTAL: He’s loved her his entire life. AXEL She’s my best friend, my everything. She’s been the girl I’ve loved since I knew what that meant. I box—fight bloody—for a living, and at every fight she’s there, cheering me on, being mine whether she knows it or not. I’ve never been with a woman because for me she’s it. Roxie is the only one I’ll ever want. Enough time has passed. It’s time I told Roxie how I feel, because there’s no way I can hold in my feelings any longer. ROXIE I want to think the looks, the possessiveness that comes from him means he wants me the same way I want him. He’s been in my life for longer than I can remember, and I never want that to change. I’ll be with him until the end. My love for him runs so deep, so strong I can’t breathe at times. I watch as he pushes other girls away, his gaze locked on mine as if he’s trying to tell me there isn’t anyone else for him. But I’m afraid to turn our relationship from friends to lovers. I’m afraid of crossing that line that could ruin what we have. KILT ME: He’ll show her exactly what’s under his kilt. MOLLY The first time I saw Mr. McGowan, he was walking into our class wearing a kilt. Our substitute professor, was big and brooding, masculine, and had a sexy Scottish brogue going on. Maybe I didn’t need that extra tutoring, but I sure as hell wanted it. ALASTAIR I noticed Molly the moment I stepped into the classroom. She was the wee lass with the fire-colored hair, the intense green eyes, and a body that had me burning alive. I didn’t want to look away from her because I knew she was mine. Maybe there was a rule about staff not fraternizing with students. But given that I’m just the substitute professor, and that I wanted her like a fiend, I was about to cross some lines and break some rules.