Or so I told myself. Later, I’d question that, as I would question pretty much everything I knew about me, my relationships, and my desires. It all began when my neighbor thrust a key to a storage unit at me. She’d bought it to make extra money after watching some storage auction show. Now she was on her way to the airport to elope with a man she barely knew, and she needed me to clear out the unit before the lease expired.Soon, I was standing inside a small room that held the intimate details of another woman’s life, feeling uncomfortable, as if I was invading her privacy. Why had she let these items so neatly packed, possessions that she clearly cared about deeply, be lost at an auction? Driven to find out by some unnamed force, I began to dig, to discover this woman’s life, and yes, read her journals—-dark, erotic journals that I had no business reading. Once I started, I couldn’t stop. I read on obsessively, living out fantasies through her words that I’d never dare experience on my own, compelled by the three men in her life, none of whom had names. I read onward until the last terrifying dark entry left me certain that something had happened to this woman. I had to find her and be sure she was okay.Before long, I was taking her job for the summer at the art gallery, living her life, and she was nowhere to be found. I was becoming someone I didn’t know. I was becoming her.The dark, passion it becomes…Now, I am working at a prestigious gallery, where I have always dreamed of being, and I’ve been delivered to the doorstep of several men, all of which I envision as one I’ve read about in the journal. But there is one man that will call to me, that will awaken me in ways I never believed possible. That man is the ruggedly sexy artist, Chris Merit, who wants to paint me. He is rich and famous, and dark in ways I shouldn’t find intriguing, but I do. I so do. I don’t understand why his dark side appeals to me, but the attraction between us is rich with velvety promises of satisfaction. Chris is dark, and so are his desires, but I cannot turn away. He is damaged beneath his confident good looks and need for control, and in some way, I feel he needs me. I need him.All I know for certain is that he knows me like I don’t even know me, and he says I know him. Still, I keep asking myself — do I know him? Did he know her, the journal writer, and where is she? And why doesn’t it seem to matter anymore? There is just him and me, and the burn for more.

    Her trust… When Nate promises to protect his best friend’s little sister from her traitorous uncle, he knows it’s the least he can do to atone for his past sins. And if a marriage of convenience is the most efficient way to guarantee her safety? So be it. He’s ready for anything…except how quickly his lovely new bride would steal his heart… Susannah never intended to marry the man who led her brother to his death. The fact that she once loved him? Irrelevant. She just can’t allow herself to trust him again. But it’s not long before she starts to wonder if there’s more to Nate than meets the eye. What if he’s not the villain she assumed he was? And if that’s the case…can her poor, beleaguered heart survive another inevitable fall? Nate and Susannah have much to overcome if they have any hope of finding their way to happily ever after. But what if trust is simply a luxury neither can afford? Buy His Lady to Protect to read the first in an exciting new series centered around six friends from Eton and set in the infamous Regency period.

     We come from two different worlds. I’m from the streets. She might as well live in an ivory tower. I made my living with my fists. I doubt she could even throw a punch. Our paths never should have crossed. We never should have met. That doesn’t change the facts. I would sell my soul to taste those red lips. Fight the devil himself to hear her laugh. Burn in hell to have a single night. Scarlett Priest shouldn’t even know men like me exist, but sometimes temptation is stronger than will. If this is how I go down, it’ll be worth every second of the fall.

    She chafes at the rules and restrictions that forbid a proper Victorian young lady doing anything fun or dangerous. These strictures were most difficult to endure while growing up in a household with six rowdy brothers, and one might be tempted to forgive Annabelle her penchant for pushing against the arbitrary boundaries set round her gender. Still, Annabelle’s fondness for exploring the outer limitations of propriety does not imply that she has no desire to find someone in her life strong enough to take her in hand when she has gone too far. Willfully jumping onto the wrong train, and then travelling alone with a handsome stranger to a house party is bad enough behaviour to get her into all sorts of trouble with the people who are putatively in charge of her. But when that stranger expertly takes her over his lap for exactly that wrongful behaviour, and gives her the bare-bottomed, erotic spanking she has always craved, Annabelle knows that she is far out of her depth. In such company as this man’s, can Annabelle maintain the image of the demure young lady that society demands? Or will this ruffian in gentleman’s garb, who has a gentleman’s manners but not a gentleman’s mannerisms—at least in one very important respect—turn this young lady into the perfect spanking submissive he has always dreamed of? The Duke of Rothmuir, a member of the infamous Ruttingdon Club, is most determined to find out, and Annabelle must decide for herself just how much of this lewd peer’s lascivious but oh, so welcome attentions to her body and soul she can take.

    Ruined after succumbing to a scoundrel’s excessive charm nearly a decade ago, she’s lucky to obtain a position as a paid companion and committed to behaving with the utmost propriety. She definitely shouldn’t be in the arms of a man capable of utterly destroying what little remains of her reputation... Titus St. John, Duke of Kendal, is known as the Forbidden Duke, a mysterious, intimidating figure who enters Society just once each year at his stepmother’s ball. A decade ago, he was a devil-may-care rake until his idle roguery brought about the ruin of Eleanor Lockhart—and his resulting self-imposed isolation. Now she’s back, and she needs his help. But by “saving” her, he may just ruin her life all over again.

    Pillow comes a tragically beautiful love story that defies perception.When the scandalously independent Isabel Drake refuses to marry the man her parents choose for her, they force her to take lessons on how to become a respectable lady. However, her new tutor makes her feel anything but proper. Although her attraction to Mr. Weston is instantaneous, he resolves to keep her in her place—even as his desires for her become unmistakable.Things are not what they seem at Rothfield Park. With Mr. Weston’s arrival, there comes an abundance of restless spirits who insinuate themselves into her life. Quickly, Isabel loses her grasp on reality, not knowing who’s alive or dead. Time is running out, and Isabel must solve the ghostly mystery of the eerie night mist that surrounds the manor before it comes to claim everyone she holds dear—including her Mr. Weston.Forget Me Not, Re-Edited and Revised 17th Anniversary Edition published November 2020Paranormal Regency Historical Ghost Gothic RomanceFormerly Titled: The Mists of Midnight, Originally Published 2004​

    Celebrate the illicit in this romantic suspense anthology, where handcuffs are used for more than play. These stories are shocking, sexy, and thought-provoking.In New York Times Bestselling Author Skye Warren’s Magnolia Hotel, meet the heroine who pays her brother’s debt to a loan shark—who happens to be her childhood crush. Find out if the jury made the right decision in Acquitted by award-winning author Giselle Renarde. Explore a dark and sensual psychology with New York Times Bestselling Author Pam Godwin in Unlawful Seduction.Ride the edge of desire and see if you can TAKE THE HEAT…Skye Warren – Magnolia HotelCynthia Richards – CaptivatedPam Godwin – Unlawful SeductionSheri Savill – SlipknotShoshanna Evers – This Might Hurt A BitCandy Quinn – The BombshellTamsin Flowers – Playing with FireElizabeth Coldwell – Disposing of DonnieAudrey Lusk – Surprise WitnessTrent Evans – Last DayGiselle Renarde – Acquitted

    1. Learn the most intimate secrets of London’s leading courtesan.2. Pretend to be a courtesan yourself, using the name Juliet Leighton.3. Travel to Venice and locate said husband.4. Seduce husband, conceive an heir, and voilà, your future is secure!For Julia, the Duchess of Colton, such a ruse promises to be foolproof. After all, her husband has not bothered to lay eyes on her in eight years, since their hasty wedding day when she was only sixteen. But what begins as a tempestuous flirtation escalates into full-blown passion—and the feeling is mutual. Could the man the Courtesan Duchess married actually turn out to be the love of her life?

    Wounded and battle weary, he decides that the right wife is all he needs. Selecting the most desirable lady in the ton, Henry turns to her best friend and companion to help him with his suit…Is a Terrible Mistake…Young and beautiful, war widow Frances Whittier is no stranger to social intrigue. She finds Henry Middlebrook courageous and manly, unlike the foppish aristocrats she is used to, and is inspired to exercise her considerable wit on his behalf. But she may be too clever for her own good, and Frances discovers that she has set in motion a complicated train of events that’s only going to break her own heart…

    A family to save. A love that can’t be.When Emma Daniels’ well-to-do family finds itself destitute, she answers an ad for the Gilbert Company seeking young women to be waitresses at hotel restaurants along remote railroad lines out west. The rules for a Gilbert Girl are strict: work hard, act respectably at all times, and no courting allowed. None of them present a problem for Emma, at least until she meets the hotel’s builder, Monroe Hartley. His smile and teasing manner were the last things Emma expected to find on the Colorado frontier. But as intriguing as he is, Emma would be risking her job – and her family’s lives – if she allowed his attentions.Building this hotel for the Gilbert Company is the perfect opportunity for Monroe. Not only will it advance his career, it barely gives him a moment to drown in guilt over his wife’s death. When Emma arrives, he finds himself drawn to her. But he can’t promise her anything, not unless he wants her to end up with the same fate his wife suffered.Giving in to their feelings would mean losing everything, yet they find themselves growing closer as the summer stretches on. When a man who covets Monroe’s job discovers their secret and threatens to reveal it, they must each decide whether their love is worth uprooting everything they’ve worked so hard for.Building Forever is the first book in the new Gilbert Girls series. Like all of Cat's books, this sweet and clean historical romance will warm your heart and fill you with hope.

     *Warning: Dominant alpha hero Blake Roberts will own your nights and forever ruin you for lesser men* CONTROLLING HER PLEASURE Blake Roberts has everything he’s ever wanted—fame, money, and ownership of the hottest chain of tattoo parlors in the country. But he’s haunted by his first love, his former foster sister, Erin. The matching tattoo they share is a constant reminder of who he was before he learned how to control his emotions, his desire, and a woman’s pleasure. He needs to purge her from his heart, and he’ll do whatever it takes to be free. Erin Perry’s been burned by love and she’s not ready to put her body under a man’s control, let alone her heart. But then Blake shows up, the only man she ever truly loved. Blake is ruthlessly handsome, and seething commanding energy that has her aching to submit. To be pleasured, tamed, owned, and put under His control. COMMANDING HER TRUST Blake Roberts is falling hard for his old flame and won’t stop until Erin is his. He doesn’t simply want her body; he wants her submission, her abandon, and the wounded heart she’s trying so hard to hide. He wants all of her and he’s pulling out all the stops—in the bedroom and out—until she surrenders. For Erin, what started as a charade has become all too real. She’s never experienced anything like the savage bliss she’s discovered in Blake’s arms. He tests her, dominates her, and if she doesn’t gain her freedom, soon he’ll own her—body and soul. She has to escape even if running from Blake feels like running from the only home she’s ever known. CLAIMING HER HEART Blake has what he thought he wanted—Erin’s submission, her trust, and the woman he loves back in his bed. But with her submission comes protection of her secrets. Erin is in trouble and an innocent life hangs in the balance. Blake knows he can help her break free of the past, but he doesn’t know if a man like himself belongs in her future. How can he swear to protect her from danger when he has a dark side of his own. Praise for the Under His Command series and Lili Valente: "Lili Valente writes white-hot, grab-your-lover, take-me now sex, and a story that demands the pages be turned." - NYT Bestselling author Lauren Blakely "I am willing to submit to Blake anytime. Lili Valente writes hot, hot, hot!" -NYT Bestselling author Sawyer Bennett "Controlling Her Pleasure will blow your mind! So sizzling hot it'll burn your fingertips!" -NYT Bestselling author Monica Murphy "Wild, hot, intense, and did I mention HOT? Lili Valente writes addictively sexy erotic romance. This book owned me." -Bestselling Erotic author Roxy Sloane "You'll need an extra set of panties and a fan..." -Tracey K. for Smut Book Junkie Reviews

    . . and pure passion. Neither wealth nor beauty will help Lady Francesca Gordon win custody of her young niece Georgina, saving the girl from a cruel stepmother; she needs London’s top solicitor for that. But when Edward de Lacey, son of the powerful Duke of Durham, hires away the one man who can do the job, Francesca decides Edward himself must champion her case . . . if only she can melt the dashing lord’s stony heart. Edward has reason to be guarded, though. London’s tabloids have just exposed a secret that could ruin his entire family. When Francesca offers a unique chance to undo the damage, Edward is forced to agree to a partnership . . . and now, each moment together feeds the flames of his scandalous longing for the passionate widow. But when Georgina disappears, fate will test them both . . . and leave their love hanging in the balance.

    Will a wicked night of passion on a winter's night lead to the greatest love? Or only to betrayal?Wicked Deeds on a Winter Night was previously published in the Seduced under the Mistletoe Anthology.MISCHIEF AND MISTLETOEGood intentions, a devilish viscount, and wicked misdeeds pave the road to matchmaking!Miss Callisto Middleton desires to see her mother happy, and that means using the right amount of mischief to encourage two lovers to see what is right before them!Unfortunately, Graham, Viscount Sherbrooke is just as determined to rescue his father from supposed scheming ladies who wants to marry into his wealthy family!First it started with a kiss, dancing under the stars....and then more kisses! Even knowing the charming rake has no serious intentions Callie finds herself unable to stop thinking about him, or his kisses.Heartbreak is certain if she follows her desires. If only he weren't so irresistible . . .Mischief and Mistletoe was previously published in the 'Once upon a Christmas wedding Anthology'.LETTERS TO EMILYTwo years have passed since Lady Emily’s beloved Maxwell went to fight in the war. With only letters and one hot night of loving to keep her warm on the coldest of nights, she tries to embrace the future after learning of his death at the Third battle of Picardy. One way to forge forward is to marry his twin brother, Marcellus Alexander Wynwood, The Marquis of Blackthorn, a man she does not love, but one who rouses dark needs in her.Marcellus wanted Emily from the first moment he saw her two years ago, but had watched from a distance as his brother Max charmed her into falling hopelessly in love with him. In her state of grief over Max, Marcellus ensures her needs are met, breaking down her barriers, tormenting her with wicked erotic loving as he slowly binds her to him.Despite this, he fears he will lose her once it is revealed that her beloved Maxwell lives. Marcellus prays Emily can surrender to his needs and soul deep desires.

    She sets out to win back Christian's affections, unaware that her brother has already offered him a bribe to break her heart. Christian agrees to the devil's bargain, but soon finds Jessie's innocent passion, trust, and faith undermine his resolve for vengeance.CAPTAIN OF MY HEART by Danelle Harmon - New England, 1778-1779 - A dashing Irish captain, a feisty shipbuilder's daughter, and a cast of outrageous characters combine in this thrilling romantic adventure set at the helm of a New England privateer schooner. By the award-winning author of the internationally bestselling de Monteforte Brothers series.AMBER by Lauren Royal - England and Scotland, 1668 - Although Kendra Chase's brothers have presented her with many wealthy, titled suitors, no man has caught her fancy--until her coach is held up by a dashing, mysterious highwayman. When she and the dangerous man are caught in a compromising embrace and her overprotective brothers insist they wed, Kendra cannot believe it. Are they really desperate enough to match her with an outlaw?BRIGHTER THAN GOLD by Cynthia Wright - Columbia, California and San Francisco, 1864 - Spirited Katie MacKenzie helps her father run a saloon and writes articles for the local newspaper about the Griffin, a Robin Hood-style highwayman who robs the unscrupulous mine owners and gives back to the townspeople. Roguish Jack Adams, an adventurer with a dark secret, rides into the sleepy Sierra town one summer day and changes everything.

    By this time, most of the Kiowa bands have been pushed west by the Lakota, who are on the move southward from the Great Lakes region. These invaders from the north want the game-rich, lush pasture lands of the territory for themselves. However, one small Kiowa band is determined to remain in their early homelands in the region of what will be one day known as eastern South Dakota. These two enemy tribes are brought face-to-face through the vision of a young Kiowa medicine man. Sky Dancer, a beautiful, Kiowa widow, and proud Lakota warrior, Dark Horse, are forced to marry in order to create an alliance between their peoples. Right from the beginning they clash in a test of wills, loathing each other on sight, making a happy marriage seem out of the question. Will the sacrifice that is asked of them save their tribes? Can these two enemies overcome their initial hatred to find love in unlikely place or will distrust keep them from the reward they both crave?