âThe Next Time The Baby Wakes Up, You Can Hold Him. Even If Iâm Up.â
âYou figure weâre going to come to fists over him?â Cassie whispered, a smile in her voice as they both leaned over the crib.
She was barely a foot away. A sliver of light from the hall illuminated her face. He inched closer. Her gaze dropped to his mouth and lingered. He wanted to put his palms along her face, bring her close, touch his lips to hers. Slip his hands under her pajama top, feel her skinâ
She straightened abruptly. âI donâtâ I meanâ¦â
He pulled back. âRight. Yes. Of course.â What the hell was he doing?
âIâll see you later,â she said, then hurried off ahead of him.
When he went to bed a few minutes later, he noticed her bedroom light was still on. He stood outside her door for a few seconds in case she called out to him.
She didnât, and he went into his increasingly lonely bedroom, wondering at all the changes in his life and what would come next. He was ready for the next adventure.
Dear Reader,
This May, Silhouette Desireâs sensational lineup starts with Nalini Singhâs Awaken the Senses. This DYNASTIES: THE ASHTONS title is a tale of sexual awakening starring one seductive Frenchman. (Can you say ooh-la-la?) Also for your enjoyment this month is the launch of Maureen Childâs trilogy. The THREE-WAY WAGER series focuses on the Reilly brothers, triplets who bet each other they can stay celibate for ninety days. But wait until brother number one is reunited with The Tempting Mrs. Reilly.
Susan Crosbyâs BEHIND CLOSED DOORS series continues with Heart of the Raven, a gothic-toned story of a man whose self-imposed seclusion has cut him off from loveâ¦until a sultry woman, and a beautiful baby, open up his heart. Brenda Jackson is back this month with a new Westmoreland story, in Jaredâs Counterfeit Fiancée, the tale of a fake engagement that leads to real passion. Donât miss Cathleen Galitzâs Only Skin Deep, a delightful transformation story in which a shy girl finally falls into bed with the man sheâs always dreamed about. And rounding out the month is Bedroom Secrets by Michelle Celmer, featuring a hero to die for.
Thanks for choosing Silhouette Desire, where we strive to bring you the best in smart, sensual romances. And in the months to come look for a new installment of our TEXAS CATTLEMANâS CLUB continuity and a brand-new TANNERS OF TEXAS title from the incomparable Peggy Moreland.
Happy reading!
Melissa Jeglinski
Senior Editor
Silhouette Books
believes in the value of setting goals, but also in the magic of making wishes. A longtime reader of romance novels, Susan earned a B.A. in English while raising her sons. She lives in the central valley of California, the land of wine grapes, asparagus and almonds. Her checkered past includes jobs as a synchronized swimming instructor, personnel interviewer at a toy factory and trucking company manager, but her current occupation as a writer is her all-time favorite.
Susan enjoys writing about people who take a chance on love, sometimes against all odds. She loves warm, strong heroes; good-hearted, self-reliant heroinesâ¦and happy endings.
Susan loves to hear from readers. You can visit her at her Web site, www.susancrosby.com.
To Linda Pomeroy, a favorite fan and a great lady.
Youâre MY star. And to Robin Burcell, an extraordinary writer and critique partner. Never die!
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Cassie Miranda shivered as she maneuvered her car up a steep, bumpy driveway on Wolfback Ridge. She hunched over the steering wheel to study her surroundings through the windshield. Downright eerie, she thought, slowing to a crawl. What happened to the blue sky and balmy weather that had followed her across the Golden Gate Bridge to Sausalito?
Until a minute ago the gorgeous September day wouldâve had photographers racing around the city to take postcard-perfect pictures and businessmen ditching work for the Giantsâ game. Then, without warning, gloom had blanketed the sky, as if a thundercloud hovered over just this piece of property. She glanced at her rearview mirror. Sure enough, still an azure sky behind her and a slice of San Francisco Bay.
The house came into view, a soaring glass-and-wood structure with a spectacular view of the San Francisco skyline and the worldâs most famous bridgeâif only the view hadnât been blocked by the untended forest surrounding the property. She swore no ray of sunshine could penetrate the foliage. Her new client obviously required an abnormal amount of privacy.
She didnât mind eccentricâto a point. If sheâd wanted everyday-run-of-the-mill all the time, she wouldnât have chosen to be a private investigator.
Cassie parked under a gnarly tree that looked to be a century old. A city girl all her life, she guessed it was an oak, but the only thing she knew about oaks was that acorns grew on them. She didnât see any acorns.