Peyton sat at the picnic table down by the lake, her laptop open, staring at the words on the page. The pitiful few words on the page. She was glad she wrote electronically instead of on paper or she would have wasted reams of it by now. She couldn't count the number of times she'd written the damn first chapter, only to delete it and start again. She finally, finally had a concept in her head, but she couldn't seem to make it come out on paper in a way anyone would want to read. Too much of it was still swirling around in her brain.She had truly believed this week would be a turning point. Lord knew it was one of the best weeks of her life. During the day, Dix jogged his gazillion miles then did his long swim in the lake while she sat outside and read. After lunch, they fished or went into town, and she showed him all the places that were still there from when she was a kid. And, at night, they had the most incredible sex she had ever imagined. She couldn't call it making love. That
The afternoon turned into hours of erotic bliss. If she'd thought the nights they spent together were hot, they were nothing compared to this. Dix pulled out all the stops, introducing her to sensuous delights she'd only read about in books. She finally lay snuggled against Dix, every muscle like wet tissue paper, every area of her body sore but satisfied, wondering if she would ever again have sex as good as this.Enjoy what you've got while you've got it.She needed to keep telling herself that."How about a quick swim to cool off," Dix suggested. "Then I'll fix dinner. How does grilled chicken and corn on the cob sound?""Mouthwatering," she told him. "But I'm more than happy to cook. Really."He rolled her on top of him and peppered a row of kisses along her jawline, ending with one on her nose."Nope. It's my turn. But you can make a salad to go with.""Do you think we can go skinny dipping?" She gave him a mischievous grin. "I think I'm too beat to pull my bathing suit on.""Only
"You're good to go, Dix." His CO looked up from the medical report he was reading. "I have to say I wasn't completely convinced you could do it, but the doctor said your thigh is fine. Won't give you any problems.""I wouldn't go out on an op if I thought differently," Dix pointed out."I know that." He met Dix's gaze. "I know how badly you want to lead this op, but I want you to remember two things." He held up one finger. "The screw-up last time wasn't yours. The politician who compromised the information has been dealt with, and the number of people on the need-to-know list for this one has been reduced to the smallest number possible. And no congressmen."Dix blew out a breath. "Good. That's good."The man held up a second finger. "You have nothing to prove, so just focus on the mission itself. I know you can do it.""Thank you, sir. I appreciate that.""One change, though. No target extraction this time. The order is to kill the fuckers dead.""Yes, sir." Dix had to force himself
The Blackhawk had disgorged them at a flat surface on a rock outcropping at a specific point in the Hindu Kush. Dix hated these goddamn mountains. The name Kush meant death, and had probably been given to the mountains because of the dangerous passes between peaks. There was little vegetation, and the icy wind blew constantly. But the mountains provided a perfect hiding place and gathering places for al Qaeda because of the very desolation and the notches in the mountains where the terrorists built their camps and villages.Dix and his team had memorized and then memorized again the terrain where they'd be climbing and the places they'd have to conceal themselves to make the kills. Two snipers, two spotters, four backup, including the team medic and the radio guy. This time he was fucking damn sure nothing would go wrong.They climbed slowly, clinging to the rock face, paying careful attention to everything around them. Carrying all their heavy gear didn't slow them down. They had, aft
Peyton curled up in a corner of the couch, cell phone to her ear, smiling."So you like it?" she asked Grace."Like it?" The woman's voice practically shrieked in her ear. "I love it. My god, Peyton, I think this is going to be the best thing you've ever done. Maybe I should send all my authors for a month at a cabin in the Maine woods."Peyton laughed. "First of all, it was a cottage. Secondly, it was at a lake, not in the woods.""Close enough. Someday, you'll have to tell me what it was that flipped your switch up there."Maybe, maybe not. Dixon Amendola was a memory she would hug close to herself, her thoughts and feelings confined in her own private world. She knew she'd never see him again. He'd made it very plain before their very first kiss that anything permanent was not happening. The SEALs were his life, and although other men had combined the dedication with family, apparently Dix didn't feel he could take the chance.That was okay. She'd taken all her thoughts and feelings
Part One: Runaway BillionaireThe Story BeginsPepper Thornton pulled her SUV into the private parking area at the side of Hibiscus House and, regretfully, turned off the air conditioning. She had hoped to get her errands done before the heavy heat of the day rolled in, but this was Central Florida. Heavy heat was a twenty-four hour occurrence. Still, she was glad to have those few things taken care of. Cilla Denbury, who worked part time at Hibiscus House, had offered to finish the cleanup by herself so Pepper could get out, get done, and get back before the sun broiled her on the sidewalk. Pepper was eternally grateful for the woman who had also become her friend. Cilla was recovering from a divorce that left her bank account flush but her life empty. The B&B filled a real hole for her, and she hung out answering the phone and enjoying the scenery even when she didn't have to.She had moved from New York to recover from the aftereffects of the split and decided to stay because s
"That's right." The man nodded, his mouth curved wide in a smarmy grin."Well, I'm sorry to disappoint, but the paying guests finished the last of the muffins before you got here. I'm fresh out."Maggie twisted her face into a petulant frown. "Oh, no. And here I was telling Judd all about them and your extraordinary pastry skills.""That doesn't matter." He flapped a hand in the air. "I was on my way over here to see you anyway, Pepper.""Isn't that just the best coincidence?" Maggie gushed. "How lucky we ran into each other.""Yeah, right," Pepper grumbled under her breath.Looking at the man made her want to take a bath. It wasn't that he was grimy or anything. In fact, with his curly blond hair and masculine face, he might have even been appealing if not for his attitude. Too bad he had that slick appearance of a snake oil salesman. Even his expensive slacks and button-down shirt couldn't make him into anything but what he was. A hustler, full of himself. In a job his family's
Why am I going to this godforsaken place in Florida again?Kyle Montgomery had been asking himself that question since he'd landed in Tampa the night before. Why couldn't his parents have decided to open a new hotel there, in a metropolitan environment? Tampa had much to recommend it as far as shopping and entertainment venues and a whole selection of tourist activities. He'd also done some research and discovered an abundance of conventions were held at the various hotels each year.Those were the kinds of things he liked to sink his teeth into. Facilities that carried the Montgomery brand, that offered everything to guests and convention planners. He knew his parents had started with a bed-and-breakfast, but holy hell. They had all moved way beyond that. Now he had to waste his time at what was probably some dreary little roadside inn when he had other things to attend to. There was plenty of work waiting for him at the corporate offices in Dallas, and he itched to get back to it.