Hidden Desires

When Sage Ralston takes a job at Boylston Electronics, she soon finds out that her job is more than she bargained for. Under the guise of assistant to the company's owner Charles Boylston, she has actually been hired to spy on her fellow employees. As Sage tries to determine who is sabotaging the company, all evidence points to Connor Michaels who works in the research lab. After getting to know Connor, Sage has her doubts that Connor is the person leaking information about the company and joins forces with the woman to find out who the real culprit is.


Excerpt

Charles drew the curtains in his study, shutting out the brilliant sunlight spilling into the room. His mood was dark and he intended to keep it that way...at least for a little while. Sage Ralston unsettled him. Had he made the right decision by threatening her when she mentioned quitting? Since the conversation, she'd grown distant. She completed the tasks set before her, but he sensed he didn't have her full loyalty.

He sat in the large leather chair next to his fireplace. He loved this room and it was where he spent the majority of his time when he wasn't holed up in his office. Most of the rooms went unused. The only time they were entered, was when his housekeeper and cook Wanda Miller cleaned. He only used her culinary expertise when he entertained, but he paid her well to be at his beck and call.

He'd purchased this house the same day he bought the building for his company. He'd gotten both at a fraction of their true value. Working long hours with the top designers and architects had restored the mansion and office complex to their original beauty. Buffalo had proven to be the opportune city to settle down in and offered him almost everything he wanted at a much reduced price. He loved the city and had spent hours visiting the art galleries and museums, but most of all Niagara Falls. Connor loved the theater district and they'd spent many enjoyable nights having dinner and seeing the latest plays.

He inhaled sharply at the memory of Connor and him returning here after a night on the town, tearing one another's clothes off as they rushed to his bedroom, where they'd made love for hours. He'd loved the lingerie Connor wore and how she'd seductively run her hands up her stocking-clad legs, teasing and tantalizing him with her bedroom eyes and sultry voice. He'd nuzzled her neck, loving the light scent of her perfume as he'd tied her wrists to the bedposts. With her lying there spread eagle, innocent and trusting, he'd become the master of her body and he'd come alive with the power he'd lorded over her. 

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Cabin Fever

When Kayla North's car is run off the road during a blizzard, she begins walking down an unfamiliar desolate back country road hoping to find shelter from the worsening storm. Later she awakens naked in a strange bed wondering how she got there. The door slowly opens and Kayla sees a handsome stranger looking at her. Something about him seems oddly familiar, but she is certain she's never met him before.

Excerpt

Kayla slowly opened her eyes. She was warm. She wiggled her toes, relieved that she could feel them again. Where was she and how did she get here? The last thing she remembered was being out in the storm and falling. And being colder than she had ever been before. She glanced around the cozy room. A fire was crackling merrily in a fireplace, a heavy comforter was tucked around her, and a fluffy pillow placed under her head. She breathed a sigh of relief, thankful that she hadn't frozen to death, and thankful to whomever had rescued her and brought her here. She tried to pull herself to a sitting position, but a jabbing pain between her eyes forced her to settle back against the pillow. 

"Hello," she called.

Seconds later a tall muscular form appeared in the door-way. He hurried to the bed.

"How are you feeling?"

"You found me?"

He nodded. "I was worried about you. You'd lost consciousness."

"Why didn't you take me to a hospital?" 

He laughed. "We're snowed in, and besides, the nearest hospital is about forty-five minutes away in good weather. Thank God you weren't seriously injured or I don't know what I would have done. It could be days before the roads here are plowed. I'm just grateful that I found you when I did."

"Days?" 

"Maybe weeks, but don't worry, I've got plenty of fire-wood and food."

Kayla raised an eyebrow. "I've got to get out of here. You managed to find me so you can get me to town...it's only a few miles from where I went into the ditch."

He laughed again. "There's already over three feet of snow and more coming. We're in the middle of a full-blown blizzard. We'll be snowed in here for a while so you may as well get used to it. It could be worse. At least I have heat and plenty of food."

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Hearts On Fire

When Brianna Jackson pays a long overdue visit to her Aunt Emily to heal from her broken engagement, the last thing she expects is to fall in love with her Aunt's new sexy gardener Chandler Russell. As the passion heats up between Brianna and Chandler, her Aunt fears Brianna's reaction if she finds out about Chandler and her beloved 'adopted' Aunt Jo's past steamy love affair.

Excerpt

"Hello, Chandler," a soft sultry voice greeted him.

He stood up, turning in the direction of the voice. Josephine Winslow sat temptingly in a chair under a huge umbrella topped table. She looked like a southern belle holding a fan with her long, slender fingers. She delicately moved the fan back and forth in front of her face. She'd once told him that she'd been born and raised near New Orleans, but her late husband had brought her to the East Coast and she'd fallen in love with the change in climate and especially the snow.

He smiled. "I'm surprised to see you out here this time of day with the heat and all. It feels like a hundred." 

She coyly batted her heavily made-up eyes at him as she seductively ran her fingertips down the side of the tall iced tea glass. "I hear it's even going to get hotter." She touched her moist fingertips to her lips as she continued to fan herself.

"That's what I hear."


She crossed her long slender legs, giving him an ample view of her thigh. "Why don't you have a nice cool drink?"

"Thanks. Maybe later."

"Suit yourself." She stood up. "You're welcome to come inside and take a nice long shower to cool off when you're finished."

Chandler nodded, pushing his damp, curly, dark brown hair from his brow. "I believe I just might take you up on your offer."

"By the way, the flowers look beautiful. You have quite a magic touch."

"Thank you," he said, ignoring her obvious innuendo. 

"See you inside later then." She flashed a radiant smile.

He intended to give her what she really wanted. She was one hot woman. She must have been something in her day, he thought. He licked his lips. She looked more than twenty years younger than her true age of fifty, with her firm trim figure and a beautiful face that showed no signs of aging. Nothing was taboo with her when it involved sex, and aside from her physical beauty, that was another of her finest assets--at least in his eyes. She expected nothing more from him and had made it perfectly clear from the beginning that theirs was only a sexual relationship with no ties or commitments.


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The Cats-Kill

When Matt Rogers brings his young wife Peggy home to his New England hometown, no one suspects the tortured past she is escaping from ... not even Matt. After a series of murders, the local sheriff and a Boston investigator scrutinize the brutal crimes targeting the Rogers family. Although the evidence points to Peggy, Matt refuses to believe she's responsible.

Excerpt

Matt Rogers sat at his kitchen table, sipping a cup of coffee and watching a breeze gently lift the red and white checkered curtains on the window. It was an unusually warm evening for early May. He stood up and set his coffee cup in the sink when an explosion rattled the pictures on the wall. Sirens sounded in the distance. 

"What the hell was that?" he asked, turning toward his wife.

"Probably kids setting off firecrackers," Peggy replied. She glanced at her wristwatch. It was exactly nine o'clock.

"It didn't sound like firecrackers to me. Something exploded," he said.

She shrugged her shoulders. "Don't worry, honey. At least we're safe." She washed the coffee cup, then set it on the drainer. "Would you like to watch TV or go to a movie? There's a good mystery playing this week. It doesn't start until ten. We could get a sitter," she asked hopefully.

"Peggy, I'm too tired tonight. Besides I don't like to do things on the spur of the moment. You know that."


"I'm sorry. I just thought that maybe for once in your life you might want to do something spontaneous instead of mapping your life out minute by minute. Next time I'll ask you a month in advance so you can pencil it into your schedule."

Matt laughed at her sarcasm. "I'm sorry, honey." He put an arm around her slim waist. "We'll do something special tomorrow night. I already have it penciled in."

Peggy turned around and nestled her face against his broad chest. The ringing of the phone invaded the privacy of their moment.

"I'll get it," Matt said.

Peggy finished straightening the kitchen, ignoring her husband's phone conversation. She heard him hang up and turned to him. He was ashen-faced, trembling.

"Matt ... what's wrong?" she asked anxiously.

"It's Mom," he choked. "Her house just blew up. That's the explosion we heard. Neal was on the phone. She'd been to his house for dinner and he had just taken her home." He shook his head in disbelief. "Neal left only half an hour ago. He said he didn't notice anything unusual." Matt blinked hard. "I've got to get over there," he said hoarsely.

"No, honey," she said grabbing his arm. "There's nothing you can do."


He stared into her eyes. "My mother has just been killed. Do you understand that?" He took his jacket from the coat rack. "I'll be back when I can."

Peggy hugged him. "I'm so sorry," she whispered. She suppressed the smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. "I'll wait up for you."

He nodded and walked out of the house.

Peggy watched him leave, then walked upstairs and into her daughter's bedroom. She gently caressed her sleeping child's cheek and tucked a blanket around her. Yesterday Amanda Sue celebrated her first birthday. Peggy smiled as she bent and kissed Amanda Sue's warm face. "I love you, baby. Have pleasant dreams," she said softly.

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Silent Dreams

Blaine Kirsten unwittingly gets pulled into a prostitution ring when her best friend, Kami Matthews, introduces her to Josh Barnes. When Blaine refuses to become a part of his operation, she faces brutal consequences.

Detectives Jane Adams and Casey Jorgan are assigned to the case. Almost immediately, Casey finds herself unable to separate her personal emotions from this case, which jeopardizes her career.


Excerpt

Kami Matthews gazed out of the grimy window watching the day slowly fade into dusk. She turned her blonde head and glanced at the clock on the stained wall. "Wow!" she exclaimed. "I didn't realize it was so late! I've got to get out of here." She gave her friend a quick hug. "Don't worry," she said brightly. "Everything will work out. You'll see. Be thankful that nothing worse happened."

"I guess so," Blaine Kirsten mumbled, staring down at her faded jeans. "I wish you could stay a little longer, though." She raised her eyes to Kami's "Please?" she pleaded. "I ... I don't want to be alone. I'm scared, Kami. Please stay for just another hour." She twisted her hands together.

Kami's eyes clouded. "I'm sorry, Blaine, but I really do have to go. I'll see you tomorrow, I promise," she said, moving to the door. She laid her hand on the doorknob, and then turned to Blaine. "It'll be all right. You worry too much." She patted Blaine's shoulder. "Try to get some rest now and I'll bet that things won't look so bad tomorrow."

"I hope so, but I doubt it," Blaine slowly answered as Kami opened the door then slipped into the darkened hallway. "I'm scared," she repeated.


"You need some sleep. Lock up behind me." She looked into her friend's frightened eyes, guilt washing over her. "I'll give you a call later. I promise."

Blaine nodded then silently closed the door.

Kami leaned against the closed door for a few seconds debating whether she should go back inside to comfort Blaine. She hated leaving her in the emotional state she was in, but she had to get home as soon as possible. She'd already been gone longer than she should have. "Damn you, Josh," she mumbled under her breath.
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The Stalker

Jeremy Talbot is a lonely, troubled young man whose only friends are the demon voices he hears in his mind. His obsession with a young woman named Rebecca Walker leads him on a murderous rampage as he tries in vain to win her love and prove that the demons are wrong when they taunt him, declaring that she doesn't care for him.

Excerpt

He watched from the window, the same streaked window from which he watched every morning. He'd been watching her for ten long years. He licked his lips in anticipation; his heart thudded irregularly in his chest just like it did every time he knew he would be seeing her. He moved the curtain slightly to get a better view.

She was coming, and his heart raced. She bounded out of her door, hands tightly gripping those of her ruddy-cheeked, carrot topped twin boys. He wished he could hear what she was saying, just as he wished it were he whom she was smiling at and talking to. The children continued looking at her, laughter in their bright eyes as their cherub faces smiled while she talked.

How he longed to hear her voice speaking to him again, but it was only etched in his memory forever. He watched as her boys scurried onto their school bus. She smiled and waved even long after the bus was out of view. How he ached for her all these seemingly endless, lonely years. Being apart from her angered him and brought the demons closer to the surface, forcing him to lurk even further in the shadows. The shadows were his only solace, where he could watch her with no one telling him it was wrong or that he was a freak. Time was passing quickly, much too quickly. He had to make a move. The time was nearing for him to come out of the shadows and finally claim her for his own. 

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Over The Edge

Maggie Allen's world of corporate money and power comes crashing down after she is taken in by a man who is only out to use her for his own gain.  When she is released from a short stint in prison, she refuses to give up even though no one will give her a second chance.  She loses everything she's worked for and is forced to move to the other side of town where she is determined to make a new life for herself.  Her life would be perfect if it wasn't for Brant Evans, a corrupt police officer, who makes it a point to constantly remind her about her past and all that she has lost.  She can't understand his vendetta against her, but she refuses to be intimidated by him and is not afraid to stand up to him no matter the consequences. 

Excerpt

Maggie Allen stood behind the counter eyeing the customers beginning to fill the booths. She grabbed her order pad and a pencil. A familiar couple seated themselves in her station. Inwardly, she seethed with anger as she watched them, but outwardly, she was bright and cheerful. She hated having to put on a false front, but knew it was a requisite of the job to treat all of her customers with friendliness, even those she couldn't stomach. 

"Hi, Brant. Janna," she said in the cheeriest voice she could muster. She flipped the order pad to a clean page. "What can I get you two?"

"Coffee. Hon?" The man nodded toward the beautiful petite blond at his side.

"The same." She smiled at Maggie. "Did you hear about our new house?"

Maggie looked into her sparkling baby blue eyes. "Yes, I hear it's quite a showplace." She forced a tight smile. She'd give anything to be called away from their table instead of enduring their phony attempts at friendliness. They were up to something. That she was sure of.

"You and Chris should come over some night for dinner and we'll give you the grand tour," Janna gushed, dramatically throwing her arms up in a flamboyant gesture. "It's like a palace!" She gripped Brant's arm. "We never dreamed it would be so beautiful! Did we, honey?"

Brant smiled keeping his eyes glued on Maggie, but Maggie knew he was hoping for some reaction from her.

"Promise me that you'll visit very soon," Janna continued.


"Thanks, Janna," Maggie said with the same tight smile. Now she was certain that the invitation was given only for Brant's satisfaction. There had to be an ulterior motive behind it. Any gesture of kindness from those two usually came with a high price.

She looked at Brant, but his finely chiseled face gave her no clue as his steely gray eyes peered back at her with a rigid and pretentious smile on his lips. He reminded her of a Drill Sergeant.

"I'll get your coffee," she said, breaking Brant's penetrating gaze. She returned a couple of minutes later with their beverages. She set the cups on the table, and then made a hasty departure.

As she waited on customers, she occasionally stole glances at Janna and Brant. They had no intention of following up on the invitation; it was just another slap in the face to let her know that they had money, success, and power. Their new house was one more bitter reminder to her of all that she had lost. They infuriated her and their only purpose for ever stopping in the diner was to rub her nose in it. She looked disgustedly at them in their designer clothes amid the regulars who were usually clad in jeans and tee shirts.

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