The Eligible Suspect

Nothing is as lethal as an Ivy in the winter.

Letting a stranger into her secluded home in the wilderness may be loner Savanna Ivy’s biggest mistake. But tall, sexy Korbin Maguire was stranded in a blizzard, and Savanna can’t resist his charm despite his shady past and secretive manner.

A stunning, independent artist from a famous Hollywood family, Savanna has always fallen for—then been hurt by—bad boys. And Korbin is definitely a bad boy…albeit an innocent one. Framed for two murders, he has a gunman in hot pursuit and a sizzling passion for Savanna. But can she exonerate Korbin before it’s too late?

“You’d be a bad fit for city life,” Korbin said. “You wouldn’t have time for all your interests.”

Savanna shook her head. “No.”

But he sensed she’d rather share it with someone. “Do you ever plan to have kids?”

“I’m too much of a kid myself,” she said. “No. I’m not a kid person.”

He could see that about her. “Me, either.”

Seeing the same in him, her eyes batted and lowered.

Korbin stepped closer. Something deep in him warned to resist this, but desire overruled. When he pulled her to him, she put her hands on his chest and looked up, startled.

He didn’t give her time to react. Didn’t give himself time to think. Just kissed her. Soft at first. Gentle. Warm.

Then the fevered kiss compelled him to wrap both his arms around her. This wasn’t supposed to happen.

Slowly, with unease building, he pulled back. She’d felt exactly the way he’d imagined...and more. So much more that foreboding crept into his unease. This couldn’t be right.

***

Dear Reader,

Welcome to the fourth addition to the Ivy Avengers miniseries. This is Savanna Ivy’s story. I’m really enjoying writing about this family. Savanna is the most reclusive of them all, living near Colorado’s stunning and beautiful Wolf Creek Pass, but trouble finds its way to her door anyway!

I’ve been watching a lot of crime shows on TV. My favorites are the reality shows, the true stories of how people try to get away with murder. We only see the stories about the murders that are solved. Just think about how many killers get away with their crimes. It inspired me to write about a man who is set up for murder. He’s my hero, so naturally we get a happy ending!

Thanks for reading my miniseries. May you enjoy many more.

Jennifer Morey

The Eligible

Suspect

Jennifer Morey

www.millsandboon.co.uk

A 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 par jour, she works for the space systems segment of a satellite imagery and information company. She lives in sunny Denver, Colorado. She can be reached through her website, jennifermorey.com, and on Facebook.

Mom is overdue for another dedication.

For you, Mom! Wish you were here.

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text

Introduction

Dear Reader

Title Page

About the Author

Dedication

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Extract

Copyright

Chapter 1

Each step closer to the Laughing Grass Pizzeria hammered a dark sense of foreboding in deeper. Korbin Maguire took the stairs down to the basement of the old redbrick building, certain his life was about to take a big turn. A man who took charge of his own destiny, he’d steer it in a direction he chose, but there was something else at play, and it would begin to reveal itself here, today, at this restaurant.

Under a high, ornately carved white ceiling, people filled worn wood tables, and conversation echoed in the cavernous room. It smelled like pizza, not marijuana. The latter was reserved for a fee in a private room, since it wasn’t legal to smoke in public. Korbin didn’t smoke the stuff but most of the people he knew did, and this was their favorite hangout.

Spotting Collette Hamilton, he headed over to her. A bleach-blonde with heavy makeup and surgically enhanced breasts, she was borderline trashy but a nice girl nonetheless. It wasn’t her fault she had parents who weren’t around for her and didn’t teach her how to survive anywhere but on the street. She was a woman on the brink of spending her life in and out of the judicial system. And, he’d realized recently, so was he if he didn’t make some drastic changes.

Collette didn’t even smile when he sat across from her. She’d sounded frantic on the phone when she’d asked him to meet her here, which was why he’d come. He had an idea what this was about.

“Where’s Damen?” he asked.

“Not here.” She sounded glad.

Was Damen the reason she’d asked to meet? He wouldn’t be surprised. Damen’s behavior as of late had raised his brow more than once. But why call him?