âYouâre Crowding Me.â
âThereâs always that between us, isnât there?â Mikhail asked.
âI donât know what you mean.â He was standing too close, and whatever pulsed hot and alive between them burned Ellieâs skin. Her senses tingled. âIf you werenât so afraidââ
The world stilled around them. âOf what am I afraid?â he asked very slowly.
âYouâre afraid to get involved. Anyone can see that.â
âCan they?â he asked darkly, studying her with that close, burning intensity that seemed to make the sand shiver beneath her shoes. The waves seemed to slow and stop, the fog stilling and intimate, and Ellie could only hear the sound of her quickening heartbeat.
Then, with a rough, reluctant sigh, he tugged her to him and took her mouth with enough heat to make her forget everything but taking as he was takingâ¦.
Everything that she had sensed hidden beneath Mikhailâs cold exterior was just beneath the surface, hot and real, and it was hers at last.
âSo now it has begun,â he whispered.
Dear Reader,
Spring into the new season with six fresh passionate, powerful and provocative love stories from Silhouette Desire.
Experience first love with a young nurse and the arrogant surgeon who stole her innocence, in USA TODAY bestselling author Elizabeth Bevarlyâs Taming the Beastly MD (#1501), the latest title in the riveting DYNASTIES: THE BARONES continuity series. Another USA TODAY bestselling author, Cait London, offers a second title in her HEARTBREAKERS miniseriesâInstinctive Male (#1502) is the story of a vulnerable heiress who finds love in the arms of an autocratic tycoon.
And donât miss RITA>® Award winner Marie Ferrarellaâs A Bachelor and a Baby (#1503), the second book of Silhouetteâs crossline series THE MOM SQUAD, featuring single mothers who find true love. In Tycoon for Auction (#1504) by Katherine Garbera, a lady executive wins the services of a commitment-shy bachelor. A playboy falls in love with his secretary in Billionaire Boss (#1505) by Meagan McKinney, the latest MATCHED IN MONTANA title. And a Native American heroâs fling with a summer-school teacher produces unexpected complications in Warrior in Her Bed (#1506) by Cathleen Galitz.
This April, shower yourself with all six of these moving and sensual new love stories from Silhouette Desire.
Enjoy!
Joan Marlow Golan
Senior Editor, Silhouette Desire
is an avid reader and an artist who plays with computers and maintains her Web site, http://caitlondon.com. Her books reflect her many interests, including herbs, driving cross-country and photography. A national bestselling and award-winning author of category romance and romantic suspense, Cait has also written historical romances under another pseudonym. Three is her lucky number; she has three daughters, and her life events have been in threes. Cait says, âOne of the best perks about this hard work is the thrilling reader response.â
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Epilogue
M ikhail Stepanov was the one man Ellie Lathrop did not want to ask for anything.
At eight oâclock on a late February night, fog curled seductively around the Washington State coastal road; it was treacherous with curves and damp with the drizzling rain that had been falling all day. Ellie tightened her hands on the mini-station wagonâs steering wheel and glanced at the sleeping child in the back seat, nestled amid her favorite blanket and toys.
The drive from Albuquerque was draining, requiring stops at rest areas for Tanya to play. A few hours at night were spent sleeping in the well-lit parking lots of restaurants because motels would have taken the last of Ellieâs money. In the last six months, she had spent most of her reserves in traveling from place to place, always moving, keeping Tanya safe. Ellie drove skillfully, carefully, more so than if she had been traveling by herselfâbecause nothing could happen to her legally adopted, precious child.
Her sisterâs biological childâ¦and now Hillary wanted Tanya back, to use as a pawn in her marriage game.
Ellie ran her hand through her hair and realized she was shaking, running on coffee, nerves and fear.
Just over four years ago, she had cruised down this same twisting road, determined to irritate stern man of steel Mikhail Stepanov. Ellieâs father owned the chain of Mignon International Resorts, to which Mikhailâs Amoteh Resort belonged; as the bossâs daughter, she often stayed at the various resorts free of charge. She had driven a sleek custom-ordered red sports car then, and fresh from a luxurious European spa, she had been up to battling Mikhailâone of her most enjoyable diversions, pricking at his meticulous businessman exterior, trying to find the man beneath. Back then, she didnât care what he thought of her, and it was all a game.
One tilt of that arrogant head, one slash of those green eyes, and her instincts told her to cut the Ice Man down a notch. Maybe back then sheâd had to make him pay for being so like her father, focused on business, untouchable in his emotions.