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Full Surrender
by Joanne Rock
(November 2012)
Uniformly Hot! The Few. The Proud. The Sexy as Hell.
Dear Reader,
This month itâs my pleasure to be part of the Blaze Authorsâ Pet Project, a program where the Blaze>® writers work to draw attention to animals in need and the wonderful shelters that reach out to them. In Full Surrender, heroine Stephanie Rosen is a pet photographer, so this was a perfect time to showcase some real-life adoptable pets as well as one of the organizations that work tirelessly to find forever homes.
The animals Stephanie photographed in my book are allâas of this writingâat Safe Place, a group that cares for pets when a terminally ill owner no longer can. Since the organization was founded by a Hospice nurse in 1996, it has helped over five hundred pets become part of new, loving families in the Pikes Peak region of Colorado, including Colorado Springs. Thank you to Safe Place for giving me such adorable characters. Please consider this shelter if youâre in the market for a pet, or just want to contribute to a very worthy cause.
Now, I hope youâll enjoy the story of my final Murphy brother! Iâve had so much fun with this family. Danny captured my imagination the moment he walked onto the scene, and Iâve been eager to write his story. I hope you enjoy this hero as much as I have, as well as this final peek into the world of the Murphy clan.
Happy reading,
Joanne Rock
JOANNE ROCK is the author of over fifty books for a variety of Mills & Boon>® series. A three-time RITA>® Award nominee and former Golden Heart winner, Joanne is a frequent speaker at writing conferences. Bolstered by the kindness of other authors in the writing community early in her career, Joanne enjoys paying back that generosity by helping aspiring writers today. When sheâs not writing, she is most often found at sporting events cheering on her three athletic sons. Learn more about Joanneâs books by visiting her website, joannerock.com, or Harlequin.com.
THE USS BRADY cruised into Norfolk, Virginia, at 10:00 a.m. EST, right on schedule. The navy destroyer ship had been deployed for six months, but for Stephanie Rosen, the homecoming had taken five long years.
A military marching band played at the front of the pier, near the shipâs ramp. Flags and banners fluttered in the late summer breeze while overexcited kids crowded the gate for a first glimpse of their arriving moms or dads. A refreshment tent overflowed with reuniting couples and families. But Stephanie had yet to spot the man sheâd been waiting for. The man who had no idea sheâd be here today.
âIâve been crying all morning,â a woman next to her confided, dabbing at her eyes with a tissue. Smiling through the tears, the older lady searched for her grown son, a fact Stephanie had discovered during the long wait for the sailors. âItâs crazy to cry, but Iâm so happy I can hardly stand it.â
Touched, Stephanie squeezed the womanâs arm. She felt more comfortable waiting with a mom than with some of the wives who were dressed in their sexy best despite the early hour. It was apparent a lot of the reuniting couples had seduction on their minds.
âHappy tears are the best tears.â There had been a time when Stephanie hadnât been able to cry at all, her emotions closed off after a long, mind-numbing ordeal. These days, she was grateful for the return of her emotions.
Now it was time for the return of her snoozing sensuality, the final phase of her recovery from that dark time five years ago. And there was only one man she trusted with the job. A man whoâd been honorable and courageous well before his navy days.
Daniel Murphy.
âOh, my God, thereâs my son!â the woman next to her shouted, her voice hoarse with emotion as she launched toward a handsome seaman in dress whites.
Leaving the pair to their reunion, Stephanie stepped closer to the front of the pier as the crowd thinned just a little. Sheâd noticed that, while some families lingered to enjoy the festivities, most hastened to their cars to catch up privately at home. She had an exit strategy to combat the traffic just in case she could convince Danny to come home with her.
Nervousness fluttered in her belly at the insane plan. She hadnât spoken with him in years. She wouldnât even have known his status nowâstill single, thank you, Godâexcept that sheâd gathered her courage to call his mom in Cape Cod for an update, begging Colleen Murphyâs discretion about her inquiry. But his mom had been totally gracious, saying she was grateful that someone would be on hand to greet Danny when he docked in Virginia while his family prepared a reunion for him back home in Massachusetts.