Lawman's Perfect Surrender

He drew his gun, and Gemma let him go in first.

When all was clear, he headed for the stairway. With any luck he’d tell Gemma good night and retire to his guestroom, alone. But when he turned the corner, they collided. She lost her balance with a small, startled sound, flailing her arms. Catching her around the waist, he stepped down two of the stairs to keep them both from falling.

Her hands came against his biceps and her soft brown eyes peered up at his, her lips parted with surprise. She slid her hands up his arm to his shoulders, enough of an invitation for him.

He leaned down to kiss her.

She parted her lips, encouraging him more …

Dear Reader,

What a pleasure contributing to this perfect continuity! Full of action and suspense, each book in the series offers a great getaway to a land of paradise gone awry. I hope you’ll find Lawman’s Perfect Surrender a perfect addition to the series!

My favourite part of writing this story was the main characters. This continuity is full of fascinating people who enrich the town’s elite and bountiful façade. Gemma Johnson has spice for life and newfound optimism after escaping an abusive ex-husband. And Ford McCall is the perfect man for her. Haunted by a tragic past, he’s driven to uphold the law. What’s hard for them both is trusting enough to relax their defences after enduring so much pain.

Writing their characters was a satisfying exploration of courage and the invincible power of love. May you feel the emotion as the two grow together.

Happy reading,

Jennifer Morey

Two-time 2009 RITA^>® Award nominee and a Golden Quill winner for Best First Book for The Secret Soldier, JENNIFER MOREY writes contemporary romance and romantic suspense. Project manager du jour, she works for the space systems segment of a satellite imagery and information company and lives in sunny Denver, Colorado. She can be reached through her website, www.jennifermorey.com, and on Facebook—[email protected].

www.millsandboon.co.uk

To Sandra Long, ex-detective for the Boulder, Colorado Sheriff’s Department, for helping me with crime scene investigations. Her knowledge and advice was invaluable to me when writing this story.

Laura Leonard and Susan LeDoux—the best proofreaders I could ask for!

Jackie, my adorable twin, I wish everyone knew you the way I do.

My homey. Thanks for doing things like watching movies with your daughter in the Jeep while I attend R-rated book readings. No man I’ve ever met compares.

And as always, Mom.

After talking to the fire chief about final plans for this week’s Fourth of July celebration, Ford McCall tucked his cell phone into its holster and looked with dread toward the front doors of Samuel Grayson’s lavish three-story community center. Marble-trimmed, tinted windows and swooping gardens full of color accented the stone monolith. This was Inspiration Central at its finest, cloaked in danger and deception. The whole town was infected with its cultish poison.

Ford sighed and ran his fingers through his windblown blond hair, annoyed that he had to deal with another woman who’d caught Grayson’s fancy. The Chief of Police had assigned him to question a “very special lady.” She was special, all right. Grayson always took an interest in anything that put a ripple in his perfect town, and he used the police chief to take care of the problem. Gemma Johnson had moved here after divorcing her ex-husband, Jed, who hadn’t taken her leaving well and found and beat her. Now she was scared and vulnerable.

She must be vulnerable. Otherwise, Ford would not have found her here, attending one of Grayson’s early-evening, soul-perfecting seminars.

With the summer sun low in a clear blue sky, the doors to the Cold Plains Community Center opened and a throng began to emerge. He spotted her almost immediately. She wore white cropped pants with a dark blue-and-white sleeveless blouse. All he’d seen of her was a picture, but it was enough. She walked slowly beside the taller Lacy Matthews, the owner of the posh and trendy Cold Plains Coffee.

The two must have struck up a friendship, thanks to the seminars. Another bad sign for the newcomer. Lacy was well on her way to no return. Ford wouldn’t be at all surprised if she already had a D for Devotee tattooed on her hip. Grayson liked to brand his truest followers that way. If Gemma wasn’t careful, she’d be drawn into his secret tattoo parlor just like the others.

As the women drew closer, Ford couldn’t help noticing Gemma in a very different light from the one that brought him here. Small-boned, almost fragile, she had a tiny waist, slender hips and breasts a little larger than a handful. Lean and sexy. Though her lower lip and nose were still swollen and the cuts and bruises on her face were still clearly visible, he could see she was a beautiful woman. Silky dark hair waved gently as she moved and she had the softest brown eyes he’d ever seen.