Genevieve showed up looking effortlessly pretty. Like flowers in a vase. Rowan braced herself for the hug and the dual cheek kiss, awash in the heady scent of roses and a bit of jasmine. “Hello, Rowan.” “Hey, Genevieve. Come through to the kitchen. Dinner is nearly ready.” “Give me a tour first.” That’d give Clive a little longer with his tea to calm and accept reality and it would give Rowan some extra time to gentle Genevieve toward him. David had come up to the main house for the meal and Rowan heard him speaking to Betchamp in the kitchen as she and Genevieve headed away. Some part of her relaxed, knowing everyone was in the house and safe. “I didn’t want to say this on the phone or over text,” Rowan said after the tour of everything but the kitchen and dining room. She and Genevieve remained in Rowan’s office. “I had a visit with Carl today. He told me a bunch of stuff and gave me a dog. Or maybe it’s more like she decided to come live with me and be my keeper. She’s magic. Something like that.” Genevieve’s gaze sharpened. “Carl? The sage who likes stuffed…

“Don’t look right now, but Miller just pulled up next to your car.” My eyes widen. “He did?” “Yes. And I need you to take me home, but I don’t want to make it awkward if he’s wanting to talk to you, so I’m going back inside the school. Text me when it’s safe to come out.” “Okay.” I’m nodding, my stomach full of nerves. “Also, you’re full of it. You are so into him. If you use the word inconsequential one more time in reference to him, I’ll slap you.” “Okay.” Lexie walks back toward the school, and I take a breath. I spin around and walk toward my car, pretending not to notice Miller’s truck until I’m at my driver’s-side door. His windows are up and his truck is running, but he’s just sitting in it, staring ahead with a sucker hanging from his mouth. He’s not even paying attention to me. He probably doesn’t even know he parked next to me, and here I am assuming it was deliberate. I feel stupid. I start to turn around and open my car door but stop short when he unlocks his passenger door. That’s when he lazily turns his…

Drake and Cami have met before as an Enforcer for dragon shifters, it’s his job to put out and hide evidence of fires caused by dragons. In this role, he saved her life but had to wipe her memory of it. What brings them back together is the very thing that will keep them apart. Drake is dying. . . *** “How are you feeling?” she asked. That sultry voice, no longer scratchy with smoke, filled the room, caressing his skin. Drake battled with his body. It would not do to shock her with a raging erection that was sure to be evident given the flimsy sheet covering him. At least he was still in his utility pants and shirt. She doesn’t remember you anyway, asshole. When he didn’t answer she narrowed her eyes. “My name is Camilla Carrillo,” she tried again. “Do you remember anything?” When he didn’t answer again, she lifted a single unimpressed eyebrow, and he couldn’t help a stirring of curiosity. Women tended to run from him, not hold their ground and regard him with a mixture of blasé pseudo-concern. “You yelled at two of the other women who tried to take care of you,” she…

Dear Reader, Red Carpet Redemption is the third book in The Stewart Heirs series. My inspiration came from watching the Jennifer Lopez movie The Backup Plan. What if the heroine used a sperm donor to get pregnant and falls in love with him years later? That notion gets turned on its ear when the donor turns out be A-list actor and America’s Sexiest Man Alive Dane Stewart. The lovable hunk has no idea he’s a father or that his son Jayden is in need of a bone marrow transplant. Navigating fatherhood and falling for his son’s mother, Iris Turner, was never part of the plan, but their first meeting has Dane seeing stars. I hope you enjoy this feel-good love story. Dane’s story was to be the last book, but the series felt unfinished. Expect the fourth and final book in 2020. Visit my website for more details, www.yahrahstjohn.com, or write me: [email protected]. Best Wishes, Yahrah St. John *** Iris was on cloud nine. Earlier today, Dr. Lee had called and informed her there was a match for Jayden. For months, she’d thought it was a pipe dream. She’d gone on television and begged people to register to donate, but…

From Chapter One Halloween. Since becoming a cop six years prior, I’d grown to dread the thirty-first day of October. I could no longer believe the holiday was simply a night of innocent fun. I’d been witness to desecrated graves and smashed pumpkins; violent bar brawls and deadly DUIs. The night gave liberty to all sorts of spooks and ghouls, not only encouraging them to come out and play but practically daring them not to. I was also a parent, though, and slowly learning that Halloween was a night I needed to tolerate, if not someday even embrace. My daughter, Grace, was nearly a year old and already she was captivated by the glowing pumpkins and toddler-size spider webs that adorned front porches and yards all over town. Luckily, because Grace was so young, my fiancé, Brody Sutherland, and I still had full control over what she wore. He wanted to dress her as a witch, while I was leaning toward a cute bunny. After a heated discussion in the back aisle of a costume shop on Colfax in Denver, where the three of us had gone for a quick weekend getaway in late September, we split the difference and…

Bess looked at the handsome physician still standing opposite her. “I assume by the way you just said that there’s an ulterior motive?” He lifted his hands. “I need you to talk them out of something.” Of course he did. His three little girls were known for both their stubbornness and their indefatigable ef­forts to always get their own way. Fortunately, Jack’s fifty-six-year-old housekeeper and nanny was pretty good at getting and keeping them on track. “Can’t Mrs. Deaver back you up?” Jack scrubbed a hand across his face. “She’d prefer not to get involved with this one.” Bess paused, aware that the mystery of whatever was going on in his estrogen-fueled household had already drawn her in. Even though she knew she had to be care­ful not to get too involved in the sexy widower’s prob­lems, given her current emotionally vulnerable state. “Which begs the question, then, Doc. Should I?” she retorted, enjoying the switch back to their usual play­ful banter. The corners of Jack’s eyes crinkled. “Just join us for pizza.” As she had many times in the past when he required an extra hand corralling his girls. She sighed. Why was he so damned hard to resist?…

Dr. Aaron Samuels visits the rainforest to find a cure for heart disease. Never expecting to meet a beautiful mysterious woman, talking to a frog. As an empty-nester, he recognizes a lonely soul when he sees one, but he never expects she’s Mother Nature herself! Pouting on a log in the El Yunque rain forest, Gaia picked up a coqui. Placing him gently on her open palm, she brought the tiny tree frog level with her face. “Why can’t my sisters, paranormals, and humans be more like you, coqui? All you want to do is climb leaves, eat bugs, and chirp your cute little song. Although, granted, when a bunch of you get together, you can make quite a loud racket.” The coqui just stared at her. At least he seemed to be paying attention. “You see? You’re a wonderful listener. That’s all I want. . . just someone to listen. If my sister thinks I’m a bitch, maybe it’s because no one listens to me.” “I’ll listen to you,” a low male voice said. Gaia bolted upright without turning around. “Was that you, coqui?” A chuckle sounded from behind her. “No, I’m not your frog, but maybe I’m your…

Kellan tried to shut out the chatter and noise in the squad room so he could volley his attention be­tween the live feed from the surveillance camera at the Serenity Inn and the medical examiner’s report for Oswald. He’d printed out the report to free up his com­puter so he could use full screen for the surveillance camera. He wanted to see something–in either the report or at the inn. To find something. He wanted a blasted smoking gun that would give them Eric on a silver platter. There sure as heck was nothing in the report or on-screen that would do that. But maybe Maylene would come through for them four hours from now as she’d said. Maybe she could indeed lure Eric there at noon. However, it was just as possible that this was a trap or a wild-goose chase. Still, a trap could yield them Eric if they played this right. Kellan had started the “playing right” by already having three deputies in position near the inn. When it got closer to noon, he’d go out there, as well. Wear­ing Kevlar and armed to the hilt. And if he got lucky, this would all come to an…

In this excerpt, Ty runs into Magda when he’s out jogging, and she’s coming off a long evening of work. The woman stepped out into the light just as Ty was approaching the spot under the street lamps. He’d angled himself off the sidewalk and onto the street and put on a burst of speed to get past her–slowing down would scare her into thinking he was a creep, especially at this time of night. But he’d already sprinted past her when he registered who it was–and that she had already seen him. Magda Ferrer. What the hell was she doing out here in the middle of the night, half limping? Was she hurt? He turned quickly and almost ran smack into her as she came back toward him. “Are you okay? Are you safe? Talk to me.” His eyes scanned her as best they could under the street lamp. He was aware that he wanted to run his hands over her, to check for himself to see if she was whole and healthy. But he didn’t want to scare her more. She seemed unharmed. A little dazed. She was staring at his chest, which he realized belatedly was bare…

“You cook?”  He seemed surprised. She shoved her glasses up on her nose, and hooked her hair back over her ear.  “My grandmother grew up on a farm outside Dallas.  She was a fantastic cook.  She raised me, so yes, I like to cook.”  She smiled.  “I’m really good at it.” A low groan slipped from Jax’s throat.  “What if we stop at the store and pick up whatever you need?” She laughed.  “We don’t have to do that.  I keep a lot of stuff in the pantry.  I can make pasta or something.  Do you like Italian?” “Hell, yes.” She smiled.  “I’ll make a salad to go with it and we’ll be fine.” Except that when Mindy unlocked her front door and Jax shoved it open, thoughts of supper shot right out the window.  The entire apartment looked as if an earthquake or a tornado had totaled the place. *** “Oh, my God!” Jax’s HK.45 slid easily out of its holster.   “Stay here.”  He started forward, the gun gripped in both hands, panning the living room for any sign the intruders might still be there. “Oh, God, Muffin!”  Mindy bolted forward, but Jax’s arm shot out, blocking her way….