The Worse Thing About The Storm Was Knowing He Had To Spend The Rest Of The Day⦠And Nightâ¦Alone With Annie.
She got under his skin and he didnât like it one bit. He was a one-woman man and his woman had been violently taken from him. Other women, no matter how inviting, were distractions he just didnât need.
He needed to remain frozen and apart. Distance let him maintain his emotional balance. Cold hearts didnât feel guilt. Being numb meant keeping the pain at bay.
Nick had spent two long years keeping his distance from life, and damned if Annie didnât bring that tempting heat right on to the island with her.
Heat and wanting.
Dear Reader,
Welcome to another fabulous month of novels from Silhouette Desire. Our DYNASTIES: THE ASHTONS continuity continues with Kristi Goldâs Mistaken for a Mistress. Ford Ashton sets out to find the truth about who really murdered his grandfather and believes the answers may lie with the manâs mistressâbut who is Kerry Roarke really? USA TODAY bestselling author Jennifer Greene is back with a stellar novel, Hot to the Touch. Youâll love this wounded veteran hero and the feisty female whose special touch heals him.
TEXAS CATTLEMANâS CLUB: THE SECRET DIARY presents its second installment with Less-than-Innocent Invitation by Shirley Rogers. It seems this millionaire rancher has to keep tabs on his ex-girlfriend by putting her up at his Texas spread. Oh, poor girlâ¦trapped with a sexyâwealthyâcowboy! Thereâs a brand-new KING OF HEARTS book by Katherine Garbera as the mysterious El Reyâs matchmaking attempts continue in Rock Me All Night. Linda Conrad begins a compelling new miniseries called THE GYPSY INHERITANCE, the first of which is Seduction by the Book. Look for the remaining two novels to follow in September and October. And finally, Laura Wright winds up her royal series with Her Royal Bed. Thereâs lots of revenge, royalty and romance to be enjoyed.
Thanks for choosing Silhouette Desire. In the coming months be sure to look for titles by authors Peggy Moreland, Annette Broadrick and the incomparable Diana Palmer.
Happy reading!
Melissa Jeglinski
Senior Editor
Silhouette Desire
Award-winning author Linda Conrad was first inspired by her mother, who gave her a deep love of storytelling. âActually, Mom told me I was the best liar she ever knew. And thatâs saying something for a woman with an Irish-storytellerâs background,â Linda says. In her past life Linda was a stockbroker and certified financial planner, but she has been writing contemporary romances for six years now. Lindaâs passions are her husband, her cat named Sam and finding time to read cozy mysteries and emotional love stories. She says, âLiving with passion makes everything worthwhile.â Visit Lindaâs Web site at www.LindaConrad.com or write to her at P.O. Box 9269, Tavernier, FL 33070.
For Captain Jeremy Steele-Perkins,
thanks for the long-distance sailing lessons! If there are still mistakes in the terms, itâs my fault! And my most sincere appreciation to his wife, my dear agent Pattie, for her ultimate assistance with this Gypsy series. She knows why.
Also, a big thanks to the great women
at the e-Harlequin Desireables monthly chats, especially Marilyn, Bren and Emilie for all their wonderful suggestions of Gypsy titles. Thanks again, guys!
Prologue
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Epilogue
The smells of French pastry, boiled crayfish and scented table candles filled the sultry air. Paper lanterns, laughing couples strolling wide sidewalks and twinkling lights all made for a merry party atmosphere.
But none of it made a difference to Passionata Chagari. It was her duty to be here in the French Quarter this evening. Her duty to fulfill her fatherâs dying wishes.
She swung the multicolored shawl around her shoulders to protect against the crisp December night and looked down under the table to be sure the old treasure chest was safe and unseen. Her father, the late king of the gypsies, had left a chest full of bequests of magic to the young men of the prominent Steele family. Young men the king had never met. He had also directed Passionata from his grave to see the gifts delivered and used to their proper purpose.
And that she would do gladly. After all, she too owed much to the late Lucille Steele. So Lucilleâs blood descendants were about to receive a boon, in payment for the ultimate act of kindness.
From Passionataâs position, sitting at the white-draped table with her crystal ball directly in front of her, she could see the approach of her current targetâ Nicholas Scoville, great nephew of Lucilleâas he used a cane and limped in her direction.
A tall and quite handsome young man dressed in a dark gray European suit, Nicholas was strong of heart yet currently weak of body and soul. His old knee injury was acting up tonight, she knew. But what Passionata had in mind for him would eventually take away all his pain.