She vowed she’d never speak to him again. And she hasn’t.Until he shows up with Staff Sergeant Thor, a German shepherd who had been injured in the same battle in which his handler—Marcus’s best friend-- was killed. Thor has a bad case of PTSD, and Marcus knows only Jessie can save the dog. But can Jessie bear the close contact with the man who broke her heart? And can even she heal a dog so desperately wounded? A tale of trust, second chances and respecting people for who they are. ORIGINALY PUBLISHED IN SEAL of My Dreams anthology

    Will Summer Daize be able to help Steele, or will her secrets make matters worse?

     HIGHLANDER IN HER BED: American tour guide Mara McDougall visits a London antique shop and spots perhaps the handsomest bed ever. Then she bumps into the most gorgeous man ever - an irresistible Highlander she can't forget. Not even when she learns that she's inherited a Scottish castle. Sir Alexander Douglas has hated Clan MacDougall since he was a medieval knight and they tricked him into a curse-the curse of forever haunting the bed (the very one that Mara now owns) that was once intended for his would-be bride. But Mara makes him feel what no other MacDougall has-a passion that he never knew he'd missed. Red-hot chemistry ignites from the moment Sir Alex and Mara meet.” ~ A Romance Review HIGHLANDER IN HER DREAMS: After stepping through a magical gateway, Kira Bedwell finds herself in fourteenth century Scotland, face-to-face with Aidan MacDonald, the irresistible Highlander who has visited her in dreams. Now that their romance transcends dreams to reality, they find themselves under attack by Aidan’s enemies. It will take all of their courage and will for their love to survive beyond time itself… Aidan is a Romantic Times K.I.S.S of the Month Hero! “Highlander in Her Dreams is a fun, sexy story. HOT.” ~ Romantic Times Magazine TALL, DARK, and KILTED: Cilla Swanner has been jilted by her lover, and she is struggling with a jewelry business that’s far from sparkling. She needs a getaway someplace quiet and remote. Someplace like Dunroamin Castle in Scotland. But what she finds there may be more than she can handle. Centuries ago, the roguish Scots knight known as Hardwick was renowned for his swordmanship, both on and off the battlefield. But a traveling bard cursed him to wander the world forever, pleasing a different woman each night with no hope of fulfillment or true love. Then Hardwick meets Cilla, who may be his only chance for salvation. “Tall, Dark, and Kilted is outlandishly funny one minute and seductively sensual the next.” ~ Wild on Books SOME LIKE IT KILTED: Mindy Menlove lives in a castle that was transported stone by stone from Scotland to Pennsylvania. When she must sell the estate, her plans soon unravel. She's bound for the Hebrides, a place she'd hoped to avoid. Once there, she's confronted by the castle's original builder, who happens to be maddeningly irresistible and seven hundred years young. Bran of Barra was a legendary Highland chieftain. Since his demise he's enjoyed his ghostly pleasures - until a feisty female from across the Atlantic claims that she's come to Scotland to restore his ancestral home. It's a task she hasn't accepted willingly, and if the roguish Bran doesn't change Mindy's mind about his bonnie homeland - and him - neither of them will ever find any peace. But unexpected passion can be the most powerful... "Bran of Barra is one of the most compelling heroes I've read. I wouldn't mind having him show up in my bedroom to carry me back in time to his castle." ~ Love Romances & More Enjoy these tales filled with Highland magic and the beauty of Scotland!

    . . What will Mack Stafford do for the money?Part of the Storycuts series, this short story was previously published in the collection Ford County.

    When a shifter baby is abandoned at Bear Bluff Hospital, it is Suzie’s job to ensure she is properly cared for. When Suzie arrives at the hospital, she finds the baby in the safe hands of Kit Malvern. Who tells her he is her mate. She knows she must resist temptation and focus on her job. However, resisting the good doctor is going to be the biggest challenge of her life. Dr. Kit Malvern loves kids and has fostered many shifter children for years, as a way of keeping his longing in check. So when a possible shifter baby is abandoned, he is more than willing to take her home and offer her his love and protection. Then he meets the woman tasked with making sure the baby is well cared for, Suzie McLeish, and his world is changed forever. She is his mate. And he intends to make sure she knows it. But when a cougar shifter comes sniffing around, Kit and Suzie must work together to uncover the secrets that led to a mother abandoning a child. Is it possible to reunite mother and child and lead them to their own happy ever after? With help from the dragons, they might just find a way. Talking of dragons—maybe there is another baby about to make an appearance in Bear Creek. Bad Boy Bear I’ve found my mate. Those are the words rattling around in Louise’s head when her car breaks down on the side of the road. Stranded, she accepts help from a motorbike riding guy in tight leather pants. Not that she is interested in tight leather pants and the kind of men who wear them—oh no, she’s been there, done that, and got the baby to prove it. It doesn’t matter that he is the perfect man for her. It’s obvious she’s not his mate, and there is no way she’s going to fall in unrequited love again—she’s been there, done that, and got the broken heart to prove it. Zak has been around the world, trying to figure out who he is, and escape the man he almost was. He’s a bad boy turned good. But when he meets Louise, he wants to be all kind of bad, in bed at least. Yet there’s something about her that makes him hold back. Something that stops Zak from telling Louise that she is his true mate, the one who will love and protect her for the rest of her life. However, they have more in common than either of them could guess. And when Louise’s past threatens her future happiness, Zak will do whatever it takes to keep her safe. Even if it means becoming a bad boy once more. Silverback Bear Bear shifter, Dean, has almost given up on finding a mate. Instead, he’s carved out a fulfilling role as a foster parent to older kids. Then she walks into his life, the most beautiful woman he’s ever seen. His mate. His life will never be the same again. A birthmark on her face has haunted Elizabeth her whole life. She has always struggled to meet new people and visit new places. But now the one person in her life she truly loves, her daughter Suzie, is getting married. Elizabeth needs to find the strength to overcome her fears and be there for her daughter. An encounter with a bear shifter, who tells her she is his mate, helps change her world, opening up new possibilities she’d never dared dream would be hers. Can she grab hold of her dreams, and not let go? Despite her fears, can she open her heart to a man who promises to love her forever? Ranger Bear Police officer,

    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-----------------------------------------

    She was going to LA to become a superstar. And she was never coming back. Now, nearly ten years later, Letty returns to Red Springs with one last hope: Chase Brown. Chase never left Red Springs—his ties to the land are what kept him from following Letty. So when she returns home with a bruised ego, a young daughter and a hopeful smile, wary Chase needs to ask himself a tough question: Is he just the backup plan—or is he finally on the threshold of happily-ever-after? A Cold Creek Reunion by New York Times bestselling author RaeAnne Thayne Fire chief Taft Bowman knows all about rescues. So when his wounded ex-fiancée returns home with her kids, he's ready to answer the call—if only she'll trust him again.

    With one convenient proposal, he could have the Southern beauty in his bed and her birthright in his hands. That's only if Bella says yes… FEELING THE HEAT Their long-ago affair ended too abruptly. And Dr. Micah Westmoreland knows Kalina Daniels hasn't forgiven him. But now that they're working side by side, he can't ignore the heat that still burns between them. This time, there will be no question about his motive—he plans to make her his.

    Dating him was a mistake. Watching him become a drug addict put me through hell. Running was my only option. *** I'm running from my demons and when I find out she's trying to escape her past, I know what I have to do. One broken cop. One woman fighting for her life. A fragile love. Sinister secrets that threaten to tear them apart. They've been to hell. The hard part will be finding their way back together. Pieces Of Heaven Marissa I didn’t want this life. But sometimes you’re forced to make the best of the crappy hand you’ve been dealt. I wanted to teach my daughter that. No matter what happens you face your problems head-on.  Never cower. Never give up.  Then someone took her and I had to put my faith in a system that had failed me, and my hope in a man I didn’t know.  Mick Serve. Honor. Protect, are the only things I’ve ever cared about until her case was dropped on my desk. As we searched for her missing daughter, the last woman I thought I’d fall in love with became my reason for living.  Then the world came crashing down around us. One secret would change everything, but I had one more hand to be dealt. And if I played my cards right, maybe, just maybe we’d get our piece of heaven.

    Fall in love with our Unforgettable Heroes and fantasize about them for months. They don’t come along very often, but when they do, they can turn your world upside down and rip the heart out of every woman who dares to love them. The variety of stories we’ve chosen to add to this collection are meant to entertain you. We present the Unforgettable Heroes... Eight romances by eight award-winning authors with heroes who will live in your heart forever. Donna Fasano guides you on how to 'Take Love in Stride,' Patrice Wilton cooks up a 'Catered Affair,' Mona Risk shares what a wonder it is to get 'Babies in the Bargain,' Mimi Barbour asks you to help her 'Find Me a Home,' Traci Hall gives a lesson on love in 'Dancing By the Sea,' Susan Jean Ricci tempts everyone with 'Dinosaurs and Cherry Stems,' Nikki Lynn Barrett crowns the 'Queen of My Heart,' and Leanne Banks instructs readers how to become ‘The Five-Minute Bride’.

     Sweet Cowboy Kisses by Stephanie Berget Can two wounded souls find a sweet future together? Bucked Off for Love by Lacey Wolfe What happens when a bull rider seeks physical therapy from the one woman who brings his body to life? Heart Rush by Lisa Huffman When two hearts collide, can anything happen? A Cowboy to Love by D’Ann Lindun Can a women dreaming of a family and a cowboy who is sterile find a way to build a life together?

    Recently widowed, Darci Cunningham swims against popular current that she should take her time and heal after the sudden death of her husband. But in a bold turn, she decides to follow a dream set aside and moves to Mackinac Island to pursue her dream of writing.But as she prepares for her first winter on the island, she is unaware of the dangers that have washed ashore--one that may steal her heart, while the other may steal her life(*available in ebook and soon in paperback)

     SEALs OF HONOR: MASON, Dale Mayer—Kill or be Killed. Part of an elite SEAL team, Mason takes on the dangerous jobs no one else wants to do – or can do. When he’s on a mission, he’s focused and dedicated. When he’s not, he plays as hard as he fights. Until he meets a woman he can’t have but can’t forget. FINDING HOPE, Lois Winston (writing as Emma Carlyle)—When Hope lands her dream job, she doesn’t expect to fall for her married boss and keeps her feelings to herself, even after his wife walks out on him and their triplets. Ben finds himself developing feelings for Hope he knows better than to act on, given past mistakes. But three very determined tykes are out to find everyone a happy ending. NEVER LET ME GO, Donna Marie Rogers—Hannah Porter’s had a crush on Sheriff Chase Lowell since she was a kid, which seems to be the problem—he thinks of her more as a little sister than a romantic interest. But something changes following a robbery at the diner where she works. When Chase makes her safety his personal mission, Hannah makes it her mission to get him to see her in a different light. STRANDED WITH THE SEAL, Amy Gamet— Former Navy SEAL Trevor “Hawk” Hawkins is on an unsanctioned mission to take down the man who killed his teammate. But when his car careens into another on a snowy mountain road, he finds himself stranded with a beautiful woman who has no memory of her life. The storm outside worsens and passion flares between them, but the woman's true identity has the power to destroy them both. AUTUMN WISH, Stacey Joy Netzel—secret baby with a twist...Confirmed bachelor Sam Mallin hasn’t the first clue how to care for the baby girl dropped on his doorstep. When his beautiful neighbor Nikki offers to help, he finds himself falling for both females. Is it possible Nikki’s falling for him, too, or is he just the convenient, ready-made family she so desperately wishes for?   TRUTH ABOUT LOVE & MURDER (Love & Murder Book 1), Edie Ramer—The truth is that life is uncertain. Meg Quinn is co-guardian of her dying best friend’s son along with her friend’s brother, a former Marine. As the couple search for a missing veteran, they find out the truth about life and love … and murder.   SPLIT DECISION, Wendy Ely— Sports reporter Grace Avery is up for a promotion, but only if she gets an interview with the notoriously private, heavy weight champion, Rally Brewer. Grace discovers who Rally is beyond the boxing ring. Little does anyone know, as Grace gets Rally to open up, a two-year-old secret is in jeopardy. Is revealing his secret worth gaining Grace’s love? LILY AND THE GAMBLER, Linda McLaughlin—Respectability is in the eye of the beholder, or so Lily hopes. After her lover’s death she pretends to be his widow and travels to California to marry a mine owner. Then she meets King Callaway, a charming gambler. King knows he’s found his Queen of Hearts. But can he convince her to take a chance on a foot-loose card sharp? Only Lady Luck knows for sure...   EDGE OF MIDNIGHT, Ava Bradley—A wounded cop, a frightened woman, a desperate race to save a child in danger….Two people adrift in their own personal tragedies join together to save an innocent child from a power-hungry geneticist intent on creating a superior race. A Golden Heart award winner.

    And when Jamal Watts hears the stunning songbird, he’s ready to sign her to his label. The love-burned producer isn’t prepared for the passion Regina unleashes in him. Suddenly they’re both hitting all the right notes. But Regina isn’t ready to trust her heart—unless this gorgeous, caring man can show her how, together, they can make the most beautiful music of all…. Holiday Heat For Eve Clark, winter usually means long cold nights spent alone, until she’s persuaded to attend a masked ball. Abandoning her inhibitions, she shares a blissful tryst with a mysterious partner. Though she runs from their hotel room the next morning, Leyton Palmer is determined to track Eve down and show her that the night neither can forget was only the start of something sensational…. I’ll Be Home for Christmas Three years ago, Broadway star Dina Caldwell and celebrity chef Morgan Caldwell were passionately in love. Now America’s onetime favorite couple are about to be reunited in Morgan’s Detroit hometown for the holidays. Is this the season for forgiving and forgetting? With sizzling kisses under the mistletoe, Morgan vows to make this a Christmas Dina will never forget! Hawaii Magic Workaholic attorney Anita Hunt is on the job 24/7. She’s looking to make partner, not party. While on a forced vacation in Hawaii, she meets gorgeous pilot Steve Blair. When engine trouble forces them to make a crash landing, the seductive airman shows her a side of the exotic island and herself she never expected—and a passion that could make them partners in paradise forever.… Overtime Love Drew Davis’s goal is to buy the semipro football team where he is general manager. But the owner’s grandaughter, Tasha Bloom, unexpectedly inherits it first. Still, Drew’s not brokenhearted, since their mutual passion for football runs second only to their attraction to each other. But can the team and their budding romance make it to the New Year’s Day championship?