Young pro bull rider Chase Reese learns a lesson about women the hard way, but makes a friend in the process in this high energy, action packed, hot short story.

    Then Bridget McCloud walked into his life and made him believe in second chances. Bridget was sure the rugged single dad was perfect for her ad campaign AND herself. But Josh didn't think a single girl would be happy on a ranch a million miles from nowhere. What does it take to convince a man that all you need is a Wild Mustang Man, his lively five-year-old son and you could live happily ever after? Read a Sample: "I want to be left alone by city slickers combing the countryside for male models," he told her. "I'm not looking for a male model," Bridget protested, "I'm looking for a real man. A man with real muscles. A man who does real work. I want you for my ad campaign. When you come to your senses, give me a call." "Don't hold your breath," he said. "I can't be bought. Nothing you say will make me change my mind." :"But you'll make more money as the Wild Mustang Man than you've ever dreamed of." "How do you know what I've dreamed of?" he demanded. "Now if you're finished here I'll see you out."

    Helping us get through the day with a wag of the tail and a tilt of the head, they let us know that someone is on our side-no matter what. They also have an amazing ability to break down barriers between people; bringing families and loved ones closer, and giving strangers an excuse to strike up a conversation. In Tails of Love, each writer draws from her own unique perspective on our loyal friends--exploring the many mysterious ways they bring love into our lives.Featuring stories from New York Times bestselling authors Lori Foster and Stella Cameron, and Ann Christopher, Kate Angell, Marcia James, Dianne Castell, Donna MacMeans, Sarah McCarty, Patricia Sargeant, and Sue-Ellen Welfonder.A PORTION OF THE PROCEEDS FROM TAILS OF LOVE GOES TO THE ANIMAL ADOPTION FOUNDATION OF OHIO“Man’s Best Friend” by Lori Foster“A Knotty Tail” by Stella Cameron“Norah’s Arc” by Kate Angell “The Pursuit of Happiness” by Dianne Castell “Atticus Saves Lisa” by Ann Christopher “Rescue Me” by Marcia James “Lord Hairy” by Donna MacMeans “Danny’s Dog” by Sarah McCarty “Scaredy Cat” by Patricia Sargeant “A Man, a Woman, and Haggis” by Sue-Ellen Welfonder

    A Bright Red Ribbon Fern MichaelsBeing dumped by your boyfriend on Christmas Eve has got to be the worst. Still, Morgan Ames promised she'd wait two Christmases for his return -- tonight -- and she always keeps her promises. But a sudden snowstorm has other ideas, including a romantic turn Morgan never imagined... The 24 Days of Christmas Linda Lael MillerA matchbox advent calendar first brought Frank Rayner and Addie Hutton together. But that was years ago. There's no way the miracles of Christmas -- and the magic of true love -- could possibly be hidden under one of its tiny flaps. Or could they? Santa Unwrapped Theresa AlanWhen Aimee Lachaussee offers to drive three volunteer Santas to a children's hospital, she finds herself stranded in a bar with two really obnoxious playboys -- and the quiet, hunky, wheelchair-bound Ryan, who's about to show Aimee that the very best presents come in unexpected packages... Maybe This Christmas Jane BlackwoodLaura Randall thinks life has passed her by, until a Christmas angel grants her wish to live one, important, destiny-shaping Christmas over. Now that she's got her second chance, can she manage this time to hold on to the love that got away...? While the weather outside is frightful, unwrap a gift of your own, and delight in these sparkling stories of holiday romance!

    Enjoy a boot-stomping good time with these captivating couples:What a Texas Girl Wants: The last thing Jackson Taylor wants in his life is a down-to-earth girl like Kathleen Witte, so why did he just wake up next to her on a Mexican beach with a ring on his finger? Once they’re back in Texas though, this all-business marriage might just turn into an all-consuming love.What a Texas Girl Needs: Matias Barnes knows all about society women like Vanessa Witte. It’s part of the reason he left his wealthy family behind and took a job on a ranch. But while Mat knows she’s so not right for him, can he resist her charms long enough to really let her go?What a Texas Girl Dreams: They are opposites in so many ways, but the more veterinarian Trickett Samuels gets to know footloose and fancy free Monica Witte, the more he wonders if he can convince this Texas girl that having roots will only help her soar higher.

    Republished titles.

    First she's kidnapped by Santa, and now she's camping out in an abandoned lighthouse with the most infuriatingly intoxicating cop she's ever met. Is she sleeping with the enemy...or the man destined to make her Mrs. Claus?Meanwhile Jean is abducted to a remote ranch, stuck teaching a handsome Texas Ranger how to enjoy a little sensual Christmas cheer.And Molly? Her nuptials are shot up and her fianc�'s a no-show, but when she arrives at a supposedly private Australian hideaway to recoup, she's not alone... and the heat is enough to melt the mere memory of a white Christmas.Three women, connected by friendship and fate, are taking cover...with men sexy enough to unwrap!

    But would wealthy bachelor Trace Franklin become the perfect groom-to-be by Christmastime? Previously published in 2002 in anthology So This Is Christmas.

    Now savor the magic of love everlasting with five new tales of romance and intrigue from your favorite writers. Let: Jayne Ann Krentz, Linda Lael Miller, Linda Howard, Kasey Michaels and Carla Neggers sweep you away...to modern-day Washington, where treachery ignites an unlikely affair of the heart...to 1880's Montana, where an abandoned bride searches for a love she thought forever lost...to a bewitching country lake, where dreams lure a woman into a dangerous embrace...to an English Regency manor, where a time-traveling film star discovers the role, and the passion, of a lifetime...to the California coastline, where a handsome attorney inherits a haunted house and a beautiful, seductive ghost...to places far and near, exotic and familiar, where love is timeless...and always everlasting.Contents:"Connecting Rooms" / Jayne Ann Krentz"Resurrection" / Linda Lael Miller"Lake of Dreams" / Linda Howard"Role of a Lifetime" / Kasey Michaels"Tricks of Fate" / Carla Neggers

    And now that the family business has expanded to include a popular resort, he’s working harder than ever. Silver Creek is his legacy and his life, which is fine for the ruggedly sexy ladies’ man and committed bachelor. Love and trust don’t come easily for Ward since he lost his heart to a gold digger—until he meets a shy, unpretentious beauty whose sweet grace is about to turn his jaded heart into a hungry one.   Tess Casari has found sanctuary at Silver Creek, working as an assistant to Ward’s mother, Adele. Grateful for her busy new life running the ranch’s spa and resort, Tess can escape the heartbreak, humiliation, and secret shame of her failed marriage. The last thing she needs is temptation—especially from a man who reminds her so much of the husband who shattered her faith in love. But passion and destiny are about to change the rules for two people who have stopped believing in the healing power of love.Praise for Once Tempted  “[Laura] Moore’s first in her new Silver Creek series is packed with plenty of great, realistic dialogue and features two main characters whose actions and choices are easy to sympathize with. The glimpses of the hero’s two siblings will leave readers eager for their stories.”—RT Book Reviews  “When I read [Moore’s] books, I'm transported to the peaceful countryside with ranch homes and barns dotting the landscape. Once Tempted has all that and more.”—USA Today  “Ward is the perfect cowboy hero for a twenty-first century romance.”—Heroes and Heartbreakers   “Moore is a fantastic storyteller ensnaring your interest from the first page.”—Fresh Fiction   “Once Tempted is a sexy new read by author Laura Moore that not only gives us a tantalizing tale of undeniable love but also is a great start to a new series that's sure to speak to contemporary romance lovers everywhere.”—The Romance Reviews

    A few bottles of wine help lower her inhibition and go a long way to giving her the courage to try to heal her broken heart. After all, Taylor reasons, what is the worst thing that can happen – the superstition of finding her true love might come true?   Sheriff Ryan Jones is used to getting calls about the odd dancing around the downtown fountain. When you live in Cupid, Texas, there were always some residents who believed if you dance naked around the fountain, you were guaranteed to find your true love. What he doesn’t expect is to find the lovely, but spirited Taylor Braxton confronting him at midnight – sans clothing. Unfortunately, a long-held promise and his badge stand between him and what he wants – Taylor.   Will the Cupid Superstition help Taylor and Ryan overcome the past and take a chance on love again? Or will a promise he made to her best friend, and his career, deflect Cupid’s arrow?

    Summer Killian falls fast and hard when Charlie arrives in Paradise Village. But the heat turns all the way up when she learns Charlie is also with Hatch - the man she loved three years before. While she's not sure she's cut out for a triad, neither man is going to give her up.Take a ROCKY RIDE with New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author Vivian Arend as she leads you back to the Six Pack Ranch. Anna Coleman might be the law around Rocky Mountain House, but bad boy Mitch Thompson knows that under the stiff RCMP uniform is a woman with a passion for speed and pleasure that matches his own, and he’s not giving up until she’s his.Kit Rocha returns to Sector Four in BEYOND TEMPTATION. A promise to a dying friend backfires when Noah Lennox finds that the girl he was supposed to rescue is all grown up--and wearing O'Kane ink. He wants to protect her from the secrets of their past, but she wants him. And an O'Kane woman always gets what she wants.

    The five dedicated women selected as this year's recipients of Harlequin's More Than Words award have done just that, by discovering a seed of compassion, and nurturing it to effect real change in their communities. To celebrate their accomplishments, five bestselling authors have honored the winners by writing short stories inspired by these real-life heroines.We hope "More Than Words" inspires you to look into your heart and find the heroine who lives within.

    They are an Elite Navy SEAL Team who will take your breath away. HER STEADFAST HERO: Captain David Sloane is an Army Captain serving with he Black Dawn SEAL team on the small island of Las Flores. He is thrown a curve ball when the woman he’s never forgotten arrives as a nurse with Doctor Without Borders to help in the aftermath of the devastating earthquake. David and his team is intent on stopping the a bunch of escaped prisoners, but he is also determined to grab hold of the second chance that the universe has provided him with Sarah Kyle. Through all the turmoil, will David and Sarah be able to finally make a future for themselves, or will the situation spiral out of control, ending not just their love, but their lives as well? HER DEVOTED HERO: Dex Evans, a Navy SEAL is pranked by his buddies, when they set up a dating profile on-line for him. After politely turning down hundreds of unsolicited e-mails, Dex is awed by a woman who is funny, gorgeous, compassionate, but skittish as hell. Single mother Kenna Wright has spent years putting her child’s needs first, and immediately regrets the e-mail she sent to SailorBoy69. When she ends up working with Dex on a project in person, all of her defenses go up. He can’t seriously be interested in her, can he? Can Dex prove to Kenna that good guys exist? HER PASSIONATE HERO: Navy SEAL Hunter Diaz has scraped and fought his way out of the gangs of East LA to serve honorably as a SEAL in the United States Navy. He has become one of the most dangerous men on the planet. When his adopted grandmother tells him his childhood sweetheart is in trouble back home, he returns to the place he vowed to leave firmly in the past. Aliana Novak spent most of her school years being bullied. Her only refuge, was Hunter Diaz, until the day he graduated and left her to deal with the tormentors herself. Those horrific experiences molded her into what she is today and made her the perfect candidate for Vice Principal of one of the toughest schools in East LA. As she fights for her students to live the best lives they can, she is targeted by one of the most dangerous gangs in the city. Hunter Expects to find the same awkward and fragile girl he once knew, instead he finds a beautiful and strong woman who is willing to risk everything for the children under her care. As Hunter tries to rekindle the deep feelings they once had for one another, Aliana withdraws further into herself. What happened to her while he was gone? Can Hunter break down her walls and prove to her he is still her knight in shining armor before she ends up dead?

    Instead she's shocked at how deliciously wicked the velvet mask and Mrs.-Claus-as-dominatrix outfit feel. Nick is determined to find out who robbed his friend at the club. Visions of revenge vanish faster than a flying sleigh when he encounters Mistress Christmas, a leggy brunette with a lush mouth made for mistletoe--and a wish for a night of anonymous sexual pleasure. Miss Firecracker One year ago Willow accidentally won the Miss Firecracker title. Celebrating her freedom from the crown didn't include waking up in a sexy stranger's bed. Nor agreeing to work off the damage she caused to his bar--or go to jail. Normally, Blake could say no to a drunken, horny, naked beauty queen. But there's something about her that makes him want to blow his Mr. Nice Guy persona all to hell...