Especially when you're Maggie MacKay and tasked with chaperoning the local high school Valentine's dance. Join Maggie and Killian on a holiday, short story adventure. Sometimes you wrestle with demons. And sometimes they just want to cuddle...A part of the Maggie MacKay: Holiday Special short story series. This stands independently from the main Magical Tracker series and can be read at any time and in any order.

    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.

    He’s spent the last two years roaming free, exploring the world and escaping the dark place his pack had become after betrayal and murder tore them apart. Sure life has changed at home, but Jake’s having way too much fun to return. Riding the waves in Monterrey, and living out of a van…it’s the perfect life, one he never wants to give up no matter how many calls he’s fielding from his big brother…then he catches her scent.Mimi Chase wanted one perfect year. One year away from pack politics and her mother’s matchmaking efforts. Ever since her big brother settled into mating with a healer, Mimi’s mom seems to have gone into overtime in throwing her at every eligible male in the pack. Choosing to roam seemed the best option, and California an ideal location to get away from everything pack related. Her plans for art classes, yoga on the beach, maybe a cooking lesson or two while living a hippy dippy lifestyle are all she cares about…until another wolf buts into her every activity—doesn’t he know the rules? Lone Wolves aren’t supposed to form relationships, so why doesn’t he catch a hint? Worse, why isn’t she working harder to make sure he does?

    Ten years later, they’re all billionaires, but they’re still alone. Follow the three men through their journeys to find true love as they each find their perfect bride.Steven: When the younger sister of a woman he used to date shows up at his house with a child she claims is his, he convinces her they’d be better off living with him than simply taking child support from him. He finds himself wildly attracted to the new “nanny” and sets out to win her heart.Justin: When a relatively new employee comes to his office to talk about some trouble in the Human Resources department, Justin feels such a strong physical attraction to her, he’s ready to throw all his beliefs about dating a subordinate out the window. Sarah takes one look at Justin, and knows she wants nothing more than to be his. Will they be able to get past the fact they work closely together and make the relationship work?Cody: After being rear-ended by a beautiful woman on his way home from the Super Bowl, Cody realizes he’s found the only woman in the world who is just right for him. How could he possibly have fallen for the only woman in the world so independent that his billions are a liability?

    On his way home to Texas and their family’s cattle ranch, he stops to investigate a single-vehicle accident. The driver is missing, the SUV abandoned and a search into nearby woods brings him closer to a woman he tried to forget. Are you ready for more exciting suspense featuring Aiden of the Quinn family from USA TODAY Bestselling Author Barb Han?

    Or does it?I’ve been keeping a secret. One that could change a lot of lives, including my own. I came to Cross Creek to find my father. He’s the difference between life and death for me. During my search, I found love, only sexy builder Ethan Lockhart isn’t having any of it. I’ve done my best to make him mine, but he’s more slippery than a fish in a brook. I built my life here on a lie, but my feelings for this man are true. Will the secrets I keep destroy what Ethan and I creating?I’m not the guy anyone picks first, so when Angie Sutton started flirting with my brother, I wasn’t surprised—that is until I found out she was doing it to get my attention. But this time, I’m determined not to give my heart away—not until I know who she really is. Letting someone get too close too fast is a blueprint for disaster. No matter how deeply I’m drawn to her, I know she’s hiding something, and until she can be honest with me, we don’t have a future.Find out if the truth can really set you free in Guarded Hart, book three in the Cross Creek Series.

    Catrina Gordon has managed to keep her abilities quiet, and that's just how she likes it. When journalist/writer Ridge Gibson shows up at the Rose Circle Coven meeting, he's immediately got three strikes against him: He's a reporter. He's arrogant. He wants a 'show' of her abilities. Catrina has seen the damage anyone from the press can do. When Catrina finds herself in serious danger--Ridge Gibson is the one determined to keep her safe. Whether she likes it or not. What's a witch to do?Witches of Karma: Rose Covenis a sister series to Karma's Witches. Book 1, Life's a Witch is Amber's story. Book 3 Karma's a Witch is Topaz's story, and Book 3Love's a Witch is Amethyst's story. While this story has different central characters, a sister or two may visit this story, so we consider it book 3.5 of the Karma's Witches Series, though it can be read as a stand-alone novel. Book 4, Haunting Karma and Book 5, Healing Karma are also available now. Scroll up and grab a copy today.

    Dating is the last thing on Maddie’s mind since she walked away from her first and only love. Her life is just the way she thinks she likes it until her sister is kidnapped. When she meets with the detective on the case, she’s surprised to come face to face with the only man who’d ever held her heart. Former Special Forces soldier, Derek Lewis, gave up Army life to raise his son as a single dad. He returned to his hometown, joined the police force and became a detective. Since he’d walked away from the only woman he’d ever loved, he never considered marrying, and now that he has a son, he puts all his energy into making a home for the boy. Until he’s called in to investigate the case of a missing woman, the sister of the girl he let get away. Together, Derek and Maddie work to find her sister and, in the process, they might have a shot at a second chance with love. Note: This book was previously published through Amazon Kindle World.

    Loretta Drennan learns about her stepfather’s plot to sicken her mother and take over the family business in Chicago. Letty flees to Montana in search of her brother, Johnny, to seek his help. Traveling alone, she meets Paul Slater who claims to own a ranch with Johnny as his partner. He offers to escort her on the two-day journey to their ranch in Morgan’s Crossing. Hoping to out-run a looming snowstorm, they instead get stranded in a cabin. Days later they finally reach their destination. Reunited with her brother she pleads her case for him to return home. Johnny wants to help but his share of stocks will not give him the needed votes to gain control of the family company. Letty can only get her shares when she turns twenty-five or by marrying. Paul steps in to help by offering to wed his friend’s sister. They plan a wedding, in name-only, but there are real underlying feelings. When left alone at the ranch house the truth begins to come out. But the honeymoon is interrupted when a stranger shows up and kidnaps the bride. Can Paul save the woman he’s fallen in love with before it’s too late?

    A haunted mansion. A haunted woman. Three unforgettable tales of terror. THE HARROWINGFive troubled college students left alone on their isolated campus over the long Thanksgiving break confront their own demons and a mysterious presence... that may or may not be real.Nominated for Bram Stoker and Anthony Awards for Best First Novel"Poltergeist meets The Breakfast Club as five college students tangle with an ancient evil presence." - Kirkus Reviews"Absolutely gripping... it is easy to imagine this as a film. Once started, you won't want to stop reading." - The London TimesTHE UNSEEN"A creepy haunted house, reports of a 40-year-old poltergeist investigation, and a young researcher trying to rebuild her life take the "publish or perish" initiative for college professors to a terrifying new level in this spine-tingling story that has every indication of becoming a horror classic. Based on the famous Rhine ESP experiments at the Duke University parapsychology department that collapsed in the 1960s, this is a chillingly dark look into the unknown." —Romantic Times Book ReviewBOOK OF SHADOWSA cynical Boston homicide detective and a mysterious witch from Salem must join forces in a race to solve a series of satanic killings."A wonderfully dark thriller with amazing 'Is-it-isn't-it?' suspense throughout." — Lee Child-----------------------------------------

     THE SUMMER HIDEAWAY Private nurse and protected witness Claire Turner never gets attached, but her heart starts to soften when she begins caring for the elderly George Bellamy—and meets his grandson, Ross. In the face of wrenching loss, amid the enchantment of Willow Lake, Ross and Claire dare to risk everything for love. MARRYING DAISY BELLAMY Daisy Bellamy struggled for years to choose between two men—one honorable and steady, one wild and untethered. And then, one fateful day, the decision is made for her…until the man once lost to her reappears. Now the choice Daisy thought was behind her is the hardest one she'll ever face… The pressure is on for Sam to find Sinclair's killer, but a new lead in her father's unsolved shooting puts her in unexpected danger. When long-buried secrets threaten to derail her relationship with Nick, Sam realizes that while justice is blind, mixing romance with politics has the potential to be fatal… RETURN TO WILLOW LAKE Lieutenant Sam Holland is back on the job. A woman has been found brutally murdered and evidence points to Henry Lightfeather, a senator and close friend of Nick's. While Sam investigates, Nick stands by his friend—complicating his own bid for reelection, and causing tension between the couple. As Sam's investigation reveals a scandal that rocks the capital, Nick and Sam discover that the biggest threat to their future might be someone from her past…

    She likes to keep the quiet sleepy mountain town drama free. Which means, shifter free. So when a large squad of ex-con bear shifters show up out of the blue and move onto the Vega Ranch, she has a big problem with it. Especially with the huge sexy one, Stetson Evans, who keeps haunting her dreams with those vexing green eyes.Stetson is not mate material. He's destined to be the grumpy bear of The Clawed Squad. Broken. Tormented. Alone. That's how it has always been and that's how it will always be. Until he meets Kylee, the tough talking Sheriff of his new town. She brings out a new side of him that is both exciting and terrifying. Will the meanest shifter in The Clawed Squad be able to convince the beautiful curvy Sheriff that all shifters aren't bad?But Stetson is not just up against Kylee's long held prejudices. They're both up against a dangerous secret that could destroy the two of them and will have them both asking a very important question: Can you change fate?Book 2: The Clawed Squad: RoyalGrizzly bear shifter, Royal, needs a princess. Unfortunately the tiny mountain town of Colwood, Montana is fresh out of them. Every bear shifter in the Clawed Squad must find a mate, and soon, and the pressure on Royal to drop his dream of marrying a princess is starting to get intense. It's too bad there's no way in hell that he's ever going to drop it.Camilla Hill is a master con artist. She gets in way over her head during a con when she pretends to be a princess in need and catches the eye of a sexy bear shifter. He's hot, dangerous, and has a thing for princesses. Can she tell him the truth before things quickly spin out of control?Love is in the air, but so is deception, lies, and betrayal. Will the prince get his princess or just get royally screwed?Book 3: The Clawed Squad: The TwinsLayla Winters is out of shape, out of breath, and out of luck. After a series of strange circumstances, she finds herself hanging from Montana's highest cliff without a hope to survive. That is until two identical twin bear shifters come racing up the mountain to save her.Slate and Karl Ember are two bear shifter twins looking for a mate. Karl wants to complete the triad which is any twin bear shifter's destiny but his brother Slate has a problem with sharing, and there's no way that Slate is going to share a mate. But when the curvy and quick witted, Layla, literally falls into their muscular arms, all bets are off.Layla is perfect for Slate, but she's also perfect for his brother, Karl. Can the two brothers learn to share a mate or will they both go down fighting?Book 4: The Clawed Squad: TylerSkin shifter, Tyler Jones, hasn't been home in almost a decade. Why would he? His community of skin shifters excommunicated him, Jacob, the ruler who happens to be his older brother, is a psychopath, and the girl who he spent his whole youth loving broke his heart when she turned him away. So yeah, he's just fine staying on Clawed Ranch.Skin shifter, Isabelle Lexington, is desperate. Years ago, out of fear, she chose Jacob to be her husband over the true love of her life, Tyler. It was the biggest mistake of her life and now she’s paying the terrible consequences. If only she could turn back time, but she just may be able to; If she can only make Tyler see… After taking one look at Isabelle, Tyler is doing something that he vowed never to do: return home. But things have changed since he left. His brother Jacob is more powerful than ever; a rare master skin shifter. Tyler is hopelessly outmatched but hopelessly in love. A dangerous combination that will launch both Isabelle and Tyler into the true face of evil.Book 5: The Clawed Squad: ThornThe Clawed Squad's alpha, Thorn Conway, is the last of the squad left to get married. Only problem is, his mate died a decade ago.The hurt is still real, the pain is still raw. Will he be able to move past her looming memory to find the happiness that he doesn't feel like he deserves? Or will he give into the darkness and let down his whole squad?Fate can be cruel, but fate can also hold a few tricks up her sleeve...Join the Clawed Squad for one last adventure with a lot of action, steam, and of course, a lot of laughs.

    Joe's never forgotten the girl who broke his heart, so he proposes an outrageous plan—for every day she survives his family camping trip, Keri can ask one question. Will a little blackmail, a whole lot of family and some sizzling interludes make Keri reconsider the old dream of Keri & Joe 2gether 4ever?Undeniably Yours (Book Two of The Kowalskis)Bar owner Kevin Kowalski is used to women throwing their phone numbers at him, but he's more interested in finding Mrs. Right than Miss Right Now. Enter Beth Hansen. They may have started out all wrong, but Kevin knows there's more to their relationship than a one-night stand. Especially when Beth winds up pregnant…Yours to Keep (Book Three of The Kowalskis)Emma Shaw needs a husband, stat! Grandma Shaw is coming to town, and she'll have nonstop questions about Emma's (stagnant) love life. A little pretend kissing with recruited fake fiancé Sean Kowalski won't hurt anyone—but when innocent kisses lead to very real sparks, Emma and Sean discover that their big ruse might just lead to happily-ever-after…

    Unwelcome newcomers to Still Creek, Minnesota, she and her troubled teenage son are treated with suspicion by the locals, including the sheriff. Yet nothing will stop her from digging beneath the town's placid surface for the truth - except the killer.Night Sins (Engineer: Jill Sovis): A peaceful Minnesota town, where crime is something that just doesn't happen, is about to face its worst nightmare. A young boy disappears. There are no witnesses, no clues - only a note, cleverly taunting, casually cruel. Has a cold-blooded kidnapper struck? Or is this a reawakening of a long-quiet serial killer?Guilty as Sin (Engineer: Melissa Coates): A cold-blooded kidnapper has been playing a twisted game with a terrified Minnesota town. Now a respected member of the community stands accused of a chilling act of evil. But when a second boy disappears, a frightened public demands to know: Have the police caught the wrong man? Is the nightmare continuing . . . Or just beginning?