Just when she thinks the nightmare can’t get any worse, her father is charged with the crime. Rachel will do anything to prove his innocence, but her loyalty is tested to the limits when she crosses paths with Nicholas Hunter, the ruthless prosecutor bent on sending her father to prison… Nick Hunter is thirsty for justice, a man made cynical by the horrors he experienced in childhood. He shows mercy to no one…until he encounters Rachel Calloway, the first woman ever to make him question his convictions. From the moment they meet, a forbidden attraction sizzles between them that neither can ignore.As danger lurks in the shadows, Rachel soon finds herself in the biggest fight for her heart…and her life.Ghosts of Fire is a 97,000 word romantic suspense novel that was originally published in 2002.Praise for the Romantic Suspense Novels of Maureen Smith“…a haunting, suspenseful story that documents Maureen Smith as a writer of considerable promise and ability” — Midwest Book Review on Ghosts of Fire “Few authors pen work that is so thoroughly engrossing the characters leave a lasting impression” — Romantic Times on With Every Breath“…keeps you guessing and hoping that these two will get together and find the perpetrators responsible…one of the best romantic suspense stories I’ve read in a long time” — The Romance Readers Connection on A Heartbeat Away“With a deft touch and solid cast of characters, Smith gives equal credence to spicy romance and nail-biting suspense on her way to an explosive conclusion” — Publishers Weekly on Whisper My Name“Smith weaves a captivating tale of mayhem and murder…a romantic suspense thriller that will stay with you long after you turn the final page” — San Antonio Express-News on Whisper My Name“…a tense page-turner that will further enhance Smith’s reputation in the romantic suspense genre—a reputation that is well deserved” — Romantic Times on Like No One Else

    Cuffed by Candlelight is four erotic tales of women bound to uphold the law and obey the rules. But when desire and the rules clash, love and passion ignite with some handcuffs and a little candlelight.

    But now it looks as if they're about to lose Sweet Dreams to the bank. Can Samantha, the oldest daughter and new head of the company, come up with a way to save it? Events seem to be conspiring against her and to make matters worse, the company's fate is in the hands of her archenemy, Blake Preston, the bank manager with the football-hero good looks. It's enough to drive her to chocolate. But Blake's also enough to convince her that there's something even better than chocolate. Merry Ex-Mas Cass Wilkes has been looking forward to her daughter Danielle's Christmas wedding—until Dani announces that she wants her father, Cass's ex, to walk her down the aisle. Seriously? Not only that; he, his trophy wife and their yappy little dog will be staying with Cass… Meanwhile, her friend Charlene Albach arrives at their weekly chick-flick night in shock. She's just seen the ghost of Christmas past: her ex-husband, Richard, who left a year ago when he ran off with the hostess from her restaurant. Now the hostess is history, and he wants to kiss and make up. Hide the mistletoe! And bring out the hot buttered rum, because the holidays aren't easy for Ella O'Brien, either. Ella, newly divorced, is still sharing the house with her ex while they wait for the place to sell. The love is gone. Or is it? Romance on Mountain View Road (Previously published as What She Wants) Jonathan Templar and his poker buddies can't figure women out. When Jonathan stumbles on a romance novel at the Icicle Falls library sale, he knows he's found the love expert he's been seeking — Vanessa Valentine, top-selling romance author. At first his buddies laugh at him for reading romance novels, but soon they, too, realize that these stories are the world's best textbooks on love. Poker night becomes book club night…and when all is read and done, they're going to be the kind of men women want!

    Due to heroism and long distinguished service, he’s elevated to the rank of Lt. Commander when most of his peers have just attained senior lieutenant. His career appears to be going very well.The year is 2263, and the UEDF is in several star systems in a twenty-light year radius from earth, but are expanding even further. He’s assigned to a one year exploratory mission to become accustomed to his new rank, one that will finally culminate in reaching a new star system, 61-Virginis, which is just short of twenty-eight light years away from the Sol system, and he’s excited to be one of the first humans in a new solar system as they finish the race across the void between stars in the scout ship Columbus.There will be challenges he never imagined though, especially not on a simple survey mission. The death of his best friend to a senseless accident is the least of his troubles. Because mankind always thought they were alone in the stars. They’re about to find out they’re wrong, very wrong…Author’s Note: This series will be told in the first person, the reader will discover things as Michael does, there will be no other points of view excepting the prologue. This is also the start of a series, I will avoid cliffhangers as best I can, and believe it can stand as a series of mostly complete stories with overarching plots.

    Four complete standalone novels in one exclusive bundle. The House of Pain, The Professor's Pet, The Audition and The Watcher. No Cliffhangers. HEA Guaranteed. The House of Pain: Good girl Sara White has never acted on her desires for erotic pain. But when she’s invited to act out her darkest needs on stage at the House of Pain, she cautiously accepts. The last person she expects to see is Doug Patterson from her office — who suggests she become his submissive… The Professor's Pet: Emily McNamara hides her desires for submission, choosing to satisfy her needs with an extensive collection of BDSM novels on her Kindle. But when she accidentally swaps e-readers with the man she has a crush on, Professor Jake Ballard, she is drawn into Jake's world of pleasure and pain, dominance and submission. Until her class comes to an end... The Audition: After the death of her mother, Allie Greenwall has spiraled into a deep pit of despair. The only person who can help her is reclusive Russian pianist Nikolai Zhednov. But in Nikolai's dungeon, Allie realizes that his help will come at a high cost, one she’s not sure she can pay. The Watcher: Desperate to become a member of the exclusive Club Phoenix, Kelly Mitchell will do whatever it takes, no matter how dangerous, with only the mysterious Watcher to protect her. But can the Watcher catch her before she loses herself? Will he keep her safe, and Will she even want him to? Author's Note: Each of these stories is a stand-alone BDSM romance with a guaranteed HEA. No cliffhangers.

    Fate has taken away everything former hot-shot Air Force pilot J.D. Rivera ever held dear--his family, his fiancée and his career. Inheriting his crazy aunt's broken down ranch in Los Rios, Arizona, is the last thing he wants. For J.D. the ranch is just another bad memory. But if he doesn't take over the ranch, all the people who work there will lose their jobs. And the one person who'd believed in him would cry in her grave. SHE COULD LOSE EVERYTHING... A traumatic experience caused Madeline Inglewood to withdraw from life, but now she's determined to change all that. Maddy believes her new job teaching English to Spanish speaking workers at the Tripplehorne Ranch is perfect for her new start. But when she arrives, her employer is dead--and the new owner is man with a secret. He's also dark, handsome, and if locals are to be believed--dangerous. And he has no interest in hiring an English teacher. But when sparks fly between J.D. and Maddy, love...redemption...and second chances are theirs for the taking...if they can let down their defenses long enough to trust each other. "Full of surprises. The pages seem to turn themselves. When a story engages my mind as well as my emotions, I know I'm hooked." 5 Stars --The Romance Reader

    For the past three hundred years, since the Star League collapse and the rise of the Five Successor States, these mortal enemies have fought over space, land and politics. But a new threat looms just outside the Inner Sphere. The descendants of an old Star League general, the Clans bred to be the best military force humanity has ever seen have come to take what they believe is rightfully BattleTech: Blood Legacy - Blood of Kerensky Trilogy Book 2 of 3 Blood Legacy continues the saga of the Clan invasion begun in 3030. Jaime Wolf has brought all the key leaders of the Inner Sphere together to put to rest old blood feuds and power struggles. But old hatreds and suspicions die hard. Still, the very survival of the Successor States hinges on battling warriors equipped with BattleMechs far superior to their own and another threat lurking in their very midst ComStar, the sect controlling interstellar communication which is determined to rule all of the Inner Sphere by any means at its disposal... BattleTech: Lost Destiny - Blood of Kerensky Trilogy Book 3 of 3 And so continues the saga of the Clan invasion and the explosive struggle within the Inner Sphere. With secrete aid from ComStar the Terran-based sect that serves as the keeper of the Inner Spheres technological secrets the Clans BattleMech warriors have been incredibly successful in their campaign of invasion. But ComStar has its own reasons for giving aid to the enemy, and if its strategy proves successful, the Inner Sphere worlds will finally be reunited under ComStars rule.

    Exhausted, wounded, and alone, Jay must find the will to push through and rescue his child. Kate, back in control of her own destiny, faces a taste of the reality FEMA has delivered to the major cities of America in the aftermath of the coronal mass ejection. She must pass through the fire to return home, but only if she's ready to sacrifice everything. Leah and the other students left behind become firsthand witnesses to the desperation of man and what violence that can bring. They are forced to dig deep and defend themselves, or risk becoming a footnote in a new, darker history of mankind. In a world where electricity is a thing of the past, can there be any hope for the future? After all, it's not a matter of if a CME will strike the earth, but when.

    

    So he whisks away lovely Poppy O’Brien, determined to convince her to leave him alone. But what he gets is so much more than he ever bargained for…Ultimate CowboyRancher Brody Bloodworth has spent years blaming himself for his brother’s disappearance. If he hadn’t snuck off to be with Julie Whitehead, everything would have been different—and he wouldn’t have pushed her away. Now Julie is back, an FBI agent with a solid lead on his brother. Before long he finds himself unable to keep his hands off her. As he prepares for a showdown with the ruthless kidnappers, Brody knows what’s at stake if he wins. And just how much he’ll lose if he doesn’t….

     Lola’s name and celebrity gossip have always gone hand-in-hand—that’s just the price she pays for being young, beautiful, and famous in Hollywood. But when the paparazzi catches her in a steamy embrace with one half of America’s favorite movie star couple, Lola knows things are about to get bad. If Lola wants to keep working in this town, she’s going to need some major image rehab. According to her publicist, what Lola really needs is an All-American boyfriend to salvage her bad-girl reputation. Sam Medina is the perfect choice to play the part—hard-working, decent, and decidedly not famous. He’s also sexy as hell. And he’s interested in being a lot more than a pretend boyfriend. Lola needs someone to save her career, not fight for her heart. But Sam refuses to follow the script…

    For almost three years, the Federation and the Klingon Empire, allied under the Khitomer Accords, have contended with the nascent coalition on a predominantly cold-war footing. But as Starfleet rebuilds itself, factions within the Typhon Pact grow restive, concerned about their own inability to develop a quantum slipstream drive to match that of the Federation. Will leaders such as UFP President Bacco and RSE Praetor Kamemor bring about a lasting peace across the Alpha and Beta Quadrants, or will the cold war between the two alliances deepen, and perhaps even lead to an all-out shooting war? Raise the Dawn After the disastrous events in the Bajoran system, Captain Benjamin Sisko must confront the consequences of the recent choices he has made in his life. At the same time, the United Federation of Planets and its Khitomer Accords allies have come to the brink of war with the Typhon Pact. While factions within the Pact unsuccessfully used the recent gestures of goodwill—the opening of borders and a joint Federation-Romulan exploratory mission—to develop quantum-slipstream drive, they have not given up their goals. Employing a broad range of assets, from Romulus to Cardassia, from Ab-Tzenketh to Bajor, they embark on a dangerous new plan to acquire the technology they need to take control of the Alpha and Beta Quadrants. While UFP President Bacco and Romulan Praetor Kamemor work feverishly to reestablish peace, Captains Sisko, Jean-Luc Picard, and Ro Laren stand on the front lines of the conflict...even as a new danger threatens the Bajoran wormhole as it once more becomes a flashpoint of galactic history. Brinkmanship The Venette Convention has always remained independent, but it is about to become the flashpoint for a tense military standoff between the two power blocs now dominating interstellar space—the United Federation of Planets and the recently formed Typhon Pact. The Venetan government turns to the Typhon Pact’s Tzenkethi Coalition for protection in the new order, and has agreed to allow three of their supply bases for Tzenkethi use. But these bases—if militarized—would put Tzenkethi weapons unacceptably close to Federation, Cardassian, and Ferengi space. While Captain Ezri Dax and the crew of the U.S.S. Aventine are sent to investigate exactly what is happening at one of the Venette bases, Captain Jean-Luc Picard and the U.S.S. Enterprise are assigned to a diplomatic mission sent to the Venette homeworld in order to broker a mutually acceptable resolution. But the Cardassian delegates don’t seem particularly keen on using diplomacy to resolve the situation, which soon spirals out of control toward all-out war. . .

    She needs a paycheck. But neither expect the heat in their marriage of convenience.No one backs CEO Jack Sutton into a corner, not even his mother... or her will. If he wants his inheritance, he needs to be married, but no one said the marriage had to be anything other than a business arrangement. There are plenty of willing women, and they'll play by the rules: stick to the script and don't fall in love. He only has to find one in time. Too bad he only left himself a few hours.Kelly Bradley made it into the law school of her dreams, but she has no way to pay and the tuition deadline is fast approaching. Marrying a billionaire might be a bit drastic, but spending one year on his arm will make all her problems go away... if she can keep her heart in check. That's never been a problem in the past.It's a business arrangement, but when one thing leads to another will Jack be able to let Kelly go? Or can he find a way to renegotiate the deal of his life?Reuniting with the Billionaire:Two people whose past ensures they can never fully trust again.Jill can play with Andrew Weston. She can have fun with him. She can even have a wild, no-strings-attached rebound fling with him. But she can’t lose my heart to him. Because if they fall in love and that love died the way her ex-husband’s love for her died, she wouldn’t be able to handle it. She can’t go through that again. Not with the sexy billionaire from her past who tempts her at every turn.********He’s falling for Jill Walsh. He knows it’s happening but can’t stop it. But no matter what happens, he can’t let her know how he feels. Sharing feelings makes you vulnerable and he can’t let himself be vulnerable to a woman like that again. So he’ll keep his feelings a secret while he uses his vast fortune to make sure she marries him and never walks away.5-star billionaire romance that will have you turning pages to the very end!Reuniting with the Billionaire was originally published in a shorter version as part of the Sutton Capital Series. It’s a stand-alone book that can be read in any order in the series.The Billionaire Op:Can she ever get over her broken heart?Jennie Evans has known true love, and it died with her husband. But she's found balance in her life: friends and a job she loves at Sutton Capital. And there might be a man that caught her eye, but she'll never give him her heart.Chad Thompson sees what others don't: Jennie's hurting inside and hiding it from the world. Their chemistry may be off the charts, but he vows not to push. Even if true happiness might be within reach.When their meddling friends throw Jennie and Chad together in a plot designed to push them out of their comfort zones, she ends up in more danger than anyone could have imagined. To keep her safe, Chad will have to risk his body and his heart, and no matter how things end, one of them is going to get hurt.The Billionaire Op is a standalone book in the Sutton Billionaires Series. A shorter version of it was previously published as part of the Sutton Capital Series.

    Of course it did fit a pattern of not being able to decide what she wanted to do with her life since grammar school. In college she had tried a variety of subjects, played sports, and partied, excelling at each, but she had graduated as undecided as she had been in grammar school. And the Ad, interview, and current speaker made the training sound like hard work and the job dangerous. But they had dangled two worms in front of her: the chance to see the lives of the rich and powerful up close and to protect important people. And she could quit if she decided it wasn’t what she was looking for—whatever that was. To everyone’s astonishment, can't-make-up-her-mind and party-girl Kate Mathis survives the training, makes agent, enjoys her job, and finds something she loves—outmaneuvering the terrorists.

    It's a ranching town in the Texas hill country�and it's a place with a mysterious past. But Promise has a heart of goodness, and everyone here knows what really matters in life. Love, family, community…Now meet the people of Promise.They call her Dr. Texas. She's Jane Dickinson, a newly graduated physician from California who's working at the Promise clinic. They call him Mr. Grouch. Cal Patterson was left at the altar by his out-of-state fiancée, and he's not over it yet. Too bad Jane reminds him so much of the woman he's trying to forget! Dr. TexasNell Bishop, widowed mother of two children, is turning Twin Canyons into a dude ranch. One of her first guests is Travis Grant, a wannabe cowboy, an Easterner known for his books about the West. Nell's kids are crazy about him, and Nell�she could fall for him herself. Except that it's too soon… Nell's CowboyWade McMillen might be a minister, but he's also a man. Is it as a man that he responds to the lovely young woman who shows up in Promise, pregnant and alone? Or as a man of God? Maybe it's both. Amy Thornton hopes to make a new life for herself and her baby, and she needs Reverend McMillen's help. What she wants is the love of a man named Wade. Lone Star Baby The Heart of Texas. There's no place like it!