MINEFIELD by K.H. Bixby

MINEFIELD

Deadly Gambit, book 2
by K.H. Bixby

Genre: Thriller

Complications mount when Sam Turan agrees to work part-time for Heidelberg Bank and dedicate the rest of his time to rebuilding his homeland in the Middle East. Conspiracies and plots threaten his relationship with the Adler heiress and attempts to blow him up escalates the danger level. Sam can only trust a handful of friends. With the ground shifting beneath him, is anyone what they claim to be?

Speaking in a casual tone Sami said. “Face me as if we were just chatting.” Amanj moved and watched his friend’s face, studying every nuance that flickered across it. “What did you see?” “A flash of light in the higher foothills. Yesterday that meant binoculars. I wanted to see if it is repeated.”

He paused as he scanned the hills, looking over his friend’s shoulder. “Yes, there it is again. We need to join the others. We’re being watched. I’ll keep talking to you in that direction.”

“Sami, it could be something else. No point in being subtle.” He stopped and scanned the skies, then finally pointed. “There.” A small dark speck was silhouetted against the sky, coming toward them from the far end of the town. He began running toward the older men.

“DRONE! SCATTER!”

Sami sprinted right beside his friend, trying to watch his footing on the uneven ground and the sky at the same time. The drone’s buzzing was getting louder. The older men broke into a run, too, each heading in a slightly different direction.

As the two got to a cypress tree on the outskirts of the town, Amanj ducked into its shadows. Instantly he slipped the large rifle from his shoulder and pointed it at the swiftly enlarging black dot in the air. Now the buzzing was like standing next to a hornet’s nest. They watched as the drone dropped in altitude a little and changed course.

“You have the range?”

“I will in less than a minute. It won’t be able to see clearly what I’m doing from the shadow of the tree and neither will our watcher. Come on. Just a little bit closer you evil wasp!”

The drone was over where the three men had been and was still flying. Amanj let out his breath and gently squeezed the trigger. Less than a heartbeat later the drone exploded. Light flashed and a fiery blossom exploded in the sky. A puff of smoke and black bits rained down.

“That devil was armed. Otherwise it wouldn’t have exploded like that.”

“Shit. The fun just continues.” Sami looked over at his friend, a little rattled but trying to be calm. “Im-press-ive!

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Shell Game

Uprooted from the violence of his homeland, Sami Turan leads a sheltered existence in New York until an explosive encounter with a family member brings back to the surface all he’d lost. On a mission to right a wrong in the best way he can think of, he discovers monsters wear many masks.

Trying to correct his ill-conceived actions, he inadvertently nudges out of balance the first domino of an overlooked international conflict.

Will his actions help his homeland or will he end up starting the next world war? At what price? And will the monsters he exposes in the process be obliterated?

As a person who views news and politics with the fascination of watching a train-wreck, Bixby is driven to extract what IS discussed and twist it into the light of what ISN’T.

Writing fiction, but keeping it within parameters of the believable and possible, K.H.’s thrillers grab the reader, causing them to wonder … is the story real?

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TEMPTED BY MR. WRONG by Jacquie Biggar

TEMPTED BY MR. WRONG

by Jacquie Biggar

Genre: Contemporary Step-Brother Romance

How can something so wrong, feel so right?

Falling for her step-brother is a mistake T.J. doesn't want to repeat, but one look into those sapphire blue eyes and she's ready to give him whatever he wants.

Tammy-Jo Hawthorne's marriage was floundering, but she never expected her husband to make her the laughing stock of Magnolia.

And she definitely didn't expect to trip over him in their front yard after he'd been murdered.

Jason McIntyre was forced out of his home and the love of his life by the man who'd haunted his nightmares for ten long years.

Now Jason's back--and he wants revenge.

Tammy-Jo Hawthorne limped down the side of the highway, broken shoe in hand, and cursed everything from the gravel cutting into her bare foot, to the drizzling rain making her mascara run. But most of all, she cursed fate for ever introducing her to her no-good, dirty, rotten scumbag of an ex-husband—Timothy Hawthorne the third, and don’t you forget it.

Her cheeks flamed again even as goosebumps of embarrassed anger chased themselves over her flesh. They’d escorted her out; she still couldn’t believe it. Not one person had stood to defend her either. Ten years she’d belonged to that stupid high-falutin club, and no one had supported her in her time of need. Well, screw them.

A semi-trailer flew past, and a sheet of water drenched her to the bone.

“Ooh.” She raised her shoe in the air and shook it at the fading taillights. “Thanks for nothing.”

Disheartened, she dropped her Louboutin in the grass, careful to keep it off the scratchy gravel, and wrung out the hem of her shirt. Tim had a lot to answer for; not least of which was the fact her Jaguar had been towed away while she’d been inside the country club. It was becoming clear that this had been a well-choreographed plan on his part. He’d thought of everything too. When she’d tried to call for a cab, she found her phone had been cut off. She’d stomped over to a nearby gas station to use the payphone, and found her bank and credit cards had been cancelled as well. He’d taken her love and stomped it beneath his wingtips and now he wanted her pride too.

Well, he couldn’t have it, damn him.

If she had to walk the entire twenty miles to home, she would.

And then she was going to sue that bastard for every red cent he owned.

The traffic snaked by in a never-ending ribbon of color, the noise a match to the static in her head. She thought about doing like she’d seen on television and lift her thumb to catch a ride, but fear held her back. Those were the same shows where the unlucky traveler was never seen again. She didn’t plan on giving her soon-to-be ex that easy of an out.

The rain was falling harder now, coating everything in sight with a silvery glow. If she wasn’t so cold—a combination of nerves and early spring weather—it would be pretty. Okay, maybe that was a stretch. There was nothing remotely pretty about being stranded in the middle of nowheresville thanks to the man you’d promised to love and honor until death did you part. The last of which was looking tempting right now.

If only she knew a hitman.

A throaty engine gearing down set her heart to leap-frogging in her chest—he’d changed his mind and returned her car. She swung around, a relieved smile tipping her scowl upside down, but instead of her beautiful silver Jag, a black-as-sin Mustang idled behind her in the parking lane, its driving lights blinding her with their brightness.

Now her heart pounded for an entirely different reason. She glanced into the ditch, but the forest seemed impossibly far away and the traffic never even hesitated, unaware and uncaring that her life could be in danger.

T.J. shaded her eyes, but she couldn’t see the driver. She clutched her handbag. It wasn’t much, but the soft lambskin purse held the keys to her house and her car—once she got it back—her identification, all the odds and ends a woman deemed necessary, and the proof that her husband was the reason she was in this predicament. She wouldn’t give it up without a fight.

She picked up the only weapon at her disposal, her shoe, and inched backward, dismayed when the car stalked after her. Panic overrode decorum and she turned to run, but the ditch was slippery with the mud and rain and she lost her footing, careening down the steep embankment with a little screech. She landed hard on her butt and sat there for a minute, stunned. How the mighty had fallen. The Hawthorne couple were the envy of Magnolia, South Carolina. Everyone wanted to be them, have the same kind of loving relationship they had. What a joke.

And it was all on her.

A car door opened and a few ominous seconds later, T.J. heard footsteps on the gravel meridian. Even through the rain and early evening light, her white shirt practically glowed a neon here I am signal to anyone looking. And of course, someone was. She hunched over, doing her best to become one with the mud, and prayed like she’d never prayed before. Not hard, since she’d never followed any religious beliefs, but she promised anyone who was listening that she’d change. Just don’t let her die.

“Tammy-Jo Hawthorne?” scary stranger dude called down the hill, his voice filled with amused aggravation.

What did he have to be aggravated about? She was the one sitting in a cold, wet ditch while a stalker… well, stalked her.

“Go away,” she yelled, fed up with men and life in general. She swiped at a clump of ooey-gooey crap clinging to her leg below the silk pencil skirt she’d no doubt have to throw in the trash after this episode. Just one more reason to shoot Tim.

“I was at the club today,” he said, and the sympathy in his voice made her squirm. “I heard about your car, thought you could use a lift.”

She threw back her head and let the rain wash over her face. The humiliations just kept coming. The moment he’d mentioned the club she’d known who her dubious savior was; her evil step-brother.

Jason McIntyre.

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JACQUIE BIGGAR is a USA Today bestselling author of Romantic Suspense who loves to write about tough, alpha males who know what they want, that is until they're gob-smacked by heroines who are strong, contemporary women willing to show them what they really need is love. She is the author of the popular Wounded Hearts series and has just started a new series in paranormal suspense, Mended Souls.

She has been blessed with a long, happy marriage and enjoys writing romance novels that end with happily-ever-afters.

Jacquie lives in paradise along the west coast of Canada with her family and loves reading, writing, and flower gardening. She swears she can't function without coffee, preferably at the beach with her sweetheart. 🙂

Free reads, excerpts, author news, and contests can be found on her website. You can follow her on Facebook, Twitter or email her via her web site.

Jacquie lives on Vancouver Island with her husband and loves to hear from readers all over the world! You can join her street team on Facebook, her exclusive Review Crew or sign up for her newsletter.

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Second Chance COWBOY by Joanne Rock

SECOND CHANCE COWBOY

Road to Romance, book 2
by Joanne Rock

Genre: Contemporary Romance - Sexy

Dancer Larissa Martine is ready to start over and Las Vegas seems like the perfect city for a shiny new beginning. But first, to honor her pact with her girlfriends, she wants to make a quick stop in Cheyenne, WY to make amends with her first love, the guy she left to chase her dreams of Broadway fame. Except rancher Matt Briggs isn’t nearly as interested in her regrets as he is in keeping her in town for his sister's wedding. It’s a request she can’t deny when his family takes up the cause to make her stay for just one more week, but it’s difficult to maintain her friends-only boundaries with a man who attracts her as much as ever.

After losing his father and inheriting the family ranch in addition to the one he’d bought on his own, Matt’s life is all about obligations. But Larissa’s unexpected arrival during the wedding mayhem is a bright spot he won’t ignore, even if that means tempting her into far more than just a dance. He figures one night with her will bring them both some peace with their past, which is all she said she wanted. But one night leaves Matt wanting a whole lot more and this time, he’s willing to gamble everything to make her stay.

He’d never imagined how much his father’s passing would divide his life into “before” and “after.” It’s like everything had stopped in his world when he got the call that EMS was on their way to the Briggs Ranch. Trying to shrug off the memory, he put the truck in Park and switched off the engine.

“Are you taking questions about your relationship experiences since you left Wyoming?” he asked her pointedly. When she shook her head fast, he grinned. “You see? We understand each other perfectly.”

She was quiet for so long he wondered what she was thinking. Finally, she pulled a single key on a red ribbon out from her jeans pocket. He recognized the ribbon from the rack of keys at his mother’s house.

“I’m staying for the wedding because Hattie implied I’d broken my friendship with your family and that I should repair it.” Larissa’s face was pale in the moonlight that filtered in through the front window.

Wind raced past the truck windows, creating a screechy sound.

“It’s kind of you to do that.” He wanted to know if he figured into the picture at all. Would she admit it even if he did?

“I’m doing it for me as much as for them.” She wound the ribbon around her finger while they sat in the truck cab. Close but not touching. “I came here to smooth over the way I left last time, and I realize that means making amends with your family as much as with you.”

“Good.” He was tempted to test that theory right now. To see if she was truly here to hang out with his family or if she’d been as intrigued by the chemistry between the two of them as he was. “Then you’re already making headway since Callie wants you to teach her how to dance before the wedding.”

“I hope so.” She nodded.

And made no move to retreat into the house.

The air in the cab crackled with awareness. His. Hers.

It was too soon to act on it, he knew. If he set foot in that house tonight with her, things would get out of hand in a hurry. The last thing he wanted was to share something incredible with her only to spook her and send her running in the morning. Better to let it build.

“I’m looking forward to dancing with you again.” He reached across the bench seat to brush his knuckles along her cheek.

He liked the way her eyelids fluttered once. Slowly.

Her breath caught before her words tumbled out. “It’s been a long time. Are you sure you even remember the steps?”

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Last Chance Christmas

Book 1

Fashion buyer Shea Walker had a fast track lifestyle until a car accident sidelines her to a painful recovery. Seeking quiet for the holidays, Shea returns to the snowy mountains where she grew up to make peace with her past and spend time with her estranged family. She never expected J.C. Royce—now a hockey star—would return to their hometown, too. Determined to avoid that particular sexy mistake, she’s caught off guard when her first night in town brings them face to face.

J.C. never misses a chance to come home to Cloud Spin, Vermont, and this Christmas, he’s back home for some enforced downtime. But in all those trips, he’d never caught a glimpse of Shea, the childhood friend he once thought would become a whole lot more. Before she’d left town, she’d made sure he knew that would never happen, so seeing her practically fall at his feet outside a local pub is gratifying. Until he realizes his proud former friend is truly hurt—and in more ways than she lets on. Lucky for her, he’s got a big house just sitting empty, a tree ready to decorate and Shea is in no shape to stay by herself. But he’s got bad boy arrogance down to an art form after eight years in the NHL, so he’s more than a match for feisty Shea. Especially when it comes to her outrageous claim that there was never any chemistry between them...

But when it comes to convincing her to stick around town until the New Year, he just might need a Christmas miracle.

A Chance This Christmas

Book 3 - Oct 5 release

Growing up in the Christmas-crazed theme town of Yuletide was fun for fashion designer Rachel Chambers until a family scandal made her unwelcome. Eight years later, she’s home for a friend’s wedding and trying to go incognito… until her old flame spots her.

Snowboarder Gavin Blake wants to make things right with Rachel, and smoothing her way back in Yuletide seems like the best way to do just that. Making Rachel his date for a week of pre-wedding parties is sure to bring them closer. Except he underestimated how long a small town can carry a grudge—or how much the memory of a long-ago kiss could tempt him all over again.

As the wedding approaches, Rachel remembers all she loved about her close-knit, Christmas-loving neighbors. But even if she can win over the town again, will she be able to convince her footloose, mogul-shredding wedding date that they can find happiness beyond the holidays?

Four-time RITA nominee Joanne Rock has never met a romance sub-genre she didn't like. The author of over eighty books enjoys writing a wide range of stories, most recently focusing on sexy contemporaries and small town family sagas. An optimist by nature and perpetual seeker of silver linings, Joanne finds romance fits her life outlook perfectly--love is worth fighting for. A frequent speaker at regional and national writing conferences she enjoys giving back to the writing community that nurtured and inspired her early career. She has a Masters degree in Literature from the University of Louisville but credits her fiction writing skills to her intensive study with friend and fellow author Catherine Mann. When she's not writing, Joanne enjoys travel, especially to see her favorite sports teams play with her former sports editor husband and three athletic-minded sons.

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SUNSETS AT SEASIDE by Addison Cole

SUNSETS AT SEASIDE

Sweet with Heat: Seaside Summers Book 4

by Addison Cole

SUN STORM by Marlow Kelly

SUN STORM

The Gathering Storm, book 1
by Marlow Kelly

Genre: Romantic Suspense

Dr. Marie Wilson is a scientist on the verge of a breakthrough. She has come to Montana on the eve of a blizzard to prove her small, portable solar panel can generate electricity even in the harshest environment. But when four men invade her remote cabin with plans to kill her, she knows she’s in trouble.

Ex-Special Forces soldier, David Quinn, has had enough of danger and death. All he wants is to be left alone on his Montana acreage to pursue his dream of being a beekeeper. But when his old mentor convinces him to help retrieve a stolen solar panel, he thinks it will be a simple job. But the moment he sets eyes on Marie, he knows their assignment is all kinds of wrong.

Together, they escape. Chased by a businessman with unlimited resources, a gunman and a corrupt police force, they are thrust into the frozen Montana landscape. Can a cynical soldier and a naive scientist learn about love and trust in order to survive?

A crack of splintering wood and the door crashed open. Marie jumped to her feet, her heart pounding. A scream lodged in her throat as four men burst in, filling the tiny space. She raced to the fireplace and grabbed the poker.

A handsome blond-haired man led the way. He was so good looking he could be an actor. He had a square jaw and wore a well-tailored leather jacket. Even his fair hair was perfectly trimmed. Two burly men followed, both with dark, short-cropped hair. They could be twins. Their thick bodies and the way they swung their arms reminded her of a pair of gorillas. They also had the same flattened nose and malicious, small, dark eyes. They moved to the back of the room near the sink. The last man had unkempt, long, sandy-colored hair. He wore a crumpled, hooded camouflage jacket and baggy gray pants. A long scar ran across one side of his face, starting at his ear and running through his beard, parting it with a jagged white line. He didn’t say a word. He simply nodded at the poker in her hand and shook his head, silently telling her to drop her weapon.

Sensing that any attempt to fight him would be futile, she let it fall to the ground. “You can take the money. I don’t have—”

“Shut up,” the handsome blond barked. A vein on his forehead bulged as he scowled.

Her heart hammered against her ribs. She prayed they would take what they wanted and leave.

Handsome stepped in front of her and placed the barrel of his handgun between her eyes. “Tell us where it is.”

“What are you doing?” The man with the scar strolled over and stood next to her. In her peripheral vision, she could make out his intense, pale, lifeless eyes.

He leaned close to her face so his warm breath touched her cheek. “This is all wrong.”

A small squeal emanated from her throat. He was too close. Too scary. Killer. The word rang through her mind. The scar, those dead eyes, and his demeanor gave the impression of a lethal, terrifying man.

“What do you mean? Our intel is good.” The vein on Handsome’s forehead throbbed to life.

With one finger, Killer nudged the pistol away from her head. “First, how can she tell us where it is when she’s too frightened to talk?”

Handsome shrugged, revealing a smile with perfect white teeth.

Marie released a huge breath. She needed to do something, but couldn’t focus, couldn’t form a coherent thought.

“Second,” Killer continued, “what do we really know about this situation?”

Handsome sneered. “You were in the army. You know how it is. We don’t make the decisions. We follow orders.”

“And what exactly are our orders?” Killer asked, his voice low and calm.

“We’re to retrieve what was stolen and eliminate the girl.”

There had to be a misunderstanding. She was a scientist, not someone who needed to be eliminated.

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After being thrown out of England for refusing to drink tea, Marlow Kelly made her way to Canada where she found love, a home and a pug named Max. She also discovered her love of storytelling. Encouraged by her husband, children and let’s not forget Max, she started putting her ideas to paper. Her need to write about strong women in crisis drives her stories.

She is an award-winning author, and a member of the Romance Writers of America.

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romance between the pages PODCAST author Julie Kenner

Ever wondered about the personalities behind your favorite books? Victoria Danann's new podcast with Riley J. Ford has an incredible lineup of authors booked through the spring. No question is out of bounds. Check it out!

THIS WEEK'S BEST SELLING AUTHOR...

JULIE KENNER!

J. Kenner (aka Julie Kenner) is the New York Times, USA Today, Publishers Weekly, Wall Street Journal and #1 International bestselling author of over seventy novels, novellas and short stories in a variety of genres.

Though known primarily for her award-winning and international bestselling erotic romances (including the Stark and Most Wanted series) that have reached as high as #2 on the New York Times bestseller list, JK has been writing full time for over a decade in a variety of genres including paranormal and contemporary romance, “chicklit” suspense, urban fantasy, and paranormal mommy lit.

JK has been praised by Publishers Weekly as an author with a “flair for dialogue and eccentric characterizations” and by RT Bookclub for having “cornered the market on sinfully attractive, dominant antiheroes and the women who swoon for them.” A five time finalist for Romance Writers of America’s prestigious RITA award, JK took home the first RITA trophy awarded in the category of erotic romance in 2014 for her novel, Claim Me (book 2 of her Stark Trilogy). Her Demon Hunting Soccer Mom series (as Julie Kenner) is currently in development with AwesomenessTV/Awestruck.

Her books have sold over three million copies and are published in over twenty languages.

In her previous career as an attorney, JK worked as a clerk on the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, and practiced primarily civil, entertainment and First Amendment litigation in Los Angeles and Irvine, California, as well as in Austin, Texas. She currently lives in Central Texas, with her husband, two daughters, and two rather spastic cats.

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SHADOW GAME by Kay Maree

SHADOW GAME

by Kay Maree

Genre: Romantic Suspense

Have you ever been scared of your own Shadow?

A broken relationship.

A past best forgotten.

A chance meeting.

Who is threatening her? What do they want with her?

Can the tall, dark and sexy Detective save her from her Shadows, or will they both be caught up in her nightmare?

Leia

"Hello?" I hold the phone to my ear with a shoulder while I sit on the edge of my bed trying to pull on a pair of black jeans. Cursing myself for buying the tightest fucken jeans ever made, grrr.

"Leia"

"Oh, hi Ryan." I'm breathless, thanks to the wrestling match with my pants, and a little confused as to why he's ringing me. I glance at the clock on my nightstand wondering if I'm running late for our date.

"Leia, we need to talk."

Fuck, that doesn't sound good. I stop struggling with my jeans, reach up and grab my phone. I inhale and exhale slowly, wondering where this conversation is going. But, in all honesty, I knew it was coming.

"What's up?" I hope my voice sounds void of any, and all, emotion.

He chuckles nervously before he goes on, "how do you make those two words sound like a business discussion?" he mumbles lowly.

I sit up a little straighter when I hear his words. I don't think he meant for me to hear him, but I did, and it kind of hurt. He makes me sound so cold. He keeps speaking so I don't get a chance to say anything.

"I'm just going to cut to the chase, I don't think this thing we have going on is working."

I nod as he keeps speaking even though he can't see me. "I would really like to use that old saying of ‘It's not you, it's me,' but I won't lie to you - it is definitely you. I didn't say that to hurt your feelings, and you're a nice girl, but I just don't see this going anywhere."

He hurriedly speaks the last words, and I wipe away the single tear which has slipped down my cheek, determined not to let him know his words hurt. I take another small breath in and out, slowly release it so my voice doesn't break when I speak. "Okay."

"Okay?" He sounds puzzled.

"Well, what would you like me to say? You have obviously made up your mind so, there is no point arguing with you." I note the edge to my voice.

"You must have known this was coming, Leia. You're so unresponsive and closed off. How the hell am I supposed to get to know you when you block me at every turn?"

"Well, I guess it's not your issue anymore, Ryan. You can…"

He cuts me off before I can finish the sentence. I feel anger slide up and down my spine wondering why the fuck I put up with this prick for the last four months.

"Look I'm sorry, okay. Fuck, I didn't ring to upset you I just thought…"

I cut him right back the fuck off. Fuck him, and fuck this conversation, or whatever the fuck it is.

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I live in Newcastle, on the New South Wales coast of Australia with my husband and three beautiful children.

Between being a taxi for my children, and working full-time, I somehow find the time to write. It’s something I love with a passion and with the encouragement of my very supportive husband, I have accomplished one of my dreams – releasing my first novel.

I hope you fall in love with my characters as much as I have.

I love reading and getting lost in a good book when I manage to snatch five minutes to myself.

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A DANCE WITH SEDUCTION by Alyssa Alexander

A DANCE WITH SEDUCTION

A Spy in the Ton
by Alyssa Alexander

Genre: Historical Romantic Suspense

She was the only code he couldn't break...

Vivienne La Fleur is one of London’s most sought after opera dancers and one of England’s best weapons: the spy known as the Flower. When a French agent pressures her to change allegiance by abducting her sister, Vivienne is forced to seek the help of the only man in London who doesn’t want her.

Maximilian Westwood, retired code breaker, doesn't like surprises or mysteries and the Flower is both. When she sneaks into his study in the middle of the night with a coded message, he’s ready to push her out whatever window she arrived through. Except Maximilian is unable to turn away a woman in trouble. Determined to rescue Vivienne’s sister, they engage in a game of cat and mouse with French spies that requires all of Vivienne’s training and Maximilian’s abilities. Bound together by secrecy, they discover there is more between them than politics and hidden codes, but love has no place among the secrets of espionage...

She paced the circumference of the room like a trapped mare. Or a dancer constrained to a space smaller than a stage. “If a deal was negotiated by the king, we cannot interfere.”

Dark curls settled around her face as she returned to his side. Lips curving in a triumphant smile, she sat on the edge of the desktop so that she faced his chair, legs extending out to cross at the ankles. But her breeches. He gripped the carved edge of the desk, unsure what else to do with his hands. Her clothing had never affected him this way before.

“I don’t think ladies should wear breeches. They are too tight on your legs.” As soon as he said the words, he wished he could pluck them back out of the air. Most inappropriate. A gentleman never remarked on a lady’s body. At the very least, he should have said limbs instead of legs.

“I agree.” She was laughing at him again, her smile broadening with good humor. “Though I am not a lady, as you may have noticed, monsieur. I’m an opera dancer with a protector.”

“Of course you’re a lady. Your gender, I mean. Not you. Ah. That is to say—”

A laugh tumbled from her lips to bound through the room and lodge somewhere in his middle. “I do not pretend to be anything more than I am.”

Pausing, listening to the meaning behind her words, he held her gaze. “I know you are a man’s mistress, Flower, but never forget you are more than that.”

“Are you sure?” Deep words to match her unfathomable eyes.

“You are a lady of many layers, and every one of them is lovely.” Maximilian meant every word and more than he said.

“If I were a lady, I would not be a spy, would I?” Her lips were still bowed up as she straightened, but he saw the dark pain in her gaze. “You are sweet, monsieur, to call me a lady.”

She leaned down to look at the document, then turned her head to face him. Her mouth was there. Just there. Lips parted as though she planned to ask a question, though she didn’t. She only looked at him, eyes slowly becoming serious and powerful. They were a beautiful shade, dark brown deepening to black in the center. Her lashes swept down to cover those eyes as her gaze fell to his mouth for a moment, before flicking back up.

Suddenly he could not think beyond her lips. Beyond her face and the fresh scent enveloping him. 

He leaned forward, desperate for a taste, afraid she would bolt, afraid she would not.

And kissed her.

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The Smuggler Wore Silk

(Spy in the Ton series Book 1)

"He went looking for a traitor. He found a wife."

A thrilling, seductive adventure from award-winning author Alyssa Alexander…

After he is betrayed by one of his own, British spy Julian Travers, Earl of Langford, refuses to retire without a fight, vowing to find the traitor. But when the trail leads to his childhood home, Julian is forced to return to a place he swore he’d never see again, and meet a woman who may be his quarry—in more ways than one.

Though she may appear a poor young woman dependant on charity, Grace Hannah’s private life is far more interesting. By night, she finds friendship and freedom as a member of a smuggling ring. But when the handsome Julian arrives, she finds her façade slipping, and she is soon compromised, as well as intrigued.

As she and Julian continue the hunt, Grace finds herself falling in love with the man behind the spy. Yet Julian’s past holds a dark secret. And when he must make a choice between love and espionage, that secret may tear them apart.

In Bed with a Spy

(Spy in the Ton series Book 2)

THE BREATHTAKING NEW 'SPY IN THE TON' NOVEL OF REGENCY SUSPENSE FROM THE AUTHOR OF THE SMUGGLER WORE SILK

Revenge has never been so seductive.

When her husband is killed at Waterloo, Lilias Fairchild takes up his cavalry sword and boldly storms the front, earning herself the nickname Angel of Vengeance. But there is another angel on the battlefield who is just as single-minded, and just as ruthless…

Alastair Whitmore, the Marquess of Angelstone, is a British spy. Code name: Angel. Still haunted by a first love felled by assassins, his mission draws him to Waterloo, where he is captivated by a beautiful and mysterious woman fighting amongst the men—a woman who becomes his most intoxicating memory of war.

Passion has never been so dangerous.

Two years later, Lilias and Angelstone lock eyes in a crowded ballroom and the memory returns in an exhilarating rush. The history they share, and hide from the world, is as impossible to ignore as the heat of their attraction. But it’s that very connection that spells doom for their scandalous affair. When someone from the shadows of their past proves a dire threat to their lives, passion might not be enough to save them.

Despite being a native Michigander, Alyssa Alexander is pretty certain she belongs somewhere sunny. And tropical. Where drinks are served with little paper umbrellas. But until she moves to those white sandy beaches, she survives the cold Michigan winters by penning romance novels that always include a bit of adventure. She lives with her own set of heroes, aka an ever-patient husband who doesn’t mind using a laundry basket for a closet, and a small boy who wears a knight in a shining armor costume for such tasks as scrubbing potatoes.

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