Infatuation, sure. Lust, absolutely. But true love? Please. That’s strictly fiction, folks.Unfortunately, I haven’t convinced my best friend and business partner of that. The guy’s still a believer in happily-ever-after, despite having met—and lost—“the one” more times than I can count. And that’s pretty damn high, since I’m the numbers guy behind our hot new startup.Tonight, I wish I had my buddy’s technical skillset. If I did, I’d be back at our twentieth-floor office, solving our system crash. Instead, I’m taking his place at yet another pointless speed-dating meetup, so he doesn’t tick off the organizer by bailing. I’m tempted to no-show and get him booted from the group, but he wouldn’t see it as the favor it is.So I’ll go and fake it for a couple hours. Maybe score a hookup. Probably rack up some good stories. One thing I won’t do at tonight’s “Desperates Anonymous” event…meet the woman of my dreams. Because she doesn’t exist. Dating is fun and games. Love is for suckers.* A love-at-first-sight, instalove romance novella *

    

    Is she? She’s mother of one of my students and should be off limits. But I can’t seem to stay away from her. Even if we have to keep it a secret at first, our chemistry needs to be explored and under the mistletoe seems the perfect place to do just that.But when things start to get real, I’ve got my work cut out for me proving to Abby and her daughter that this Christmas, we might all get the gift of love.

    Ever since that tragic night. Now I finally have my chance to meet him for real. Up close and personal. I've been hired to plan a Halloween party for his software firm, but I can barely keep myself from getting tongue tied in his intense presence. Byron has sworn off happiness or pleasure of any kind and his quiet suffering only draws me closer, turning up the dial on my obsession. But I never expected Byron's obsession to rival my own. For him to command me in ways I never realized I needed. When he finds out who I really am and where I was during that terrible evening two years ago, however, will our passionate inferno continue to build sky high? Or be doused by betrayal?