The dark shadow still looms over the area…

Michaela (Micki) Schroeder hasn’t been home since she left for college. At fourteen she was one of the innocents raped by powerful men whose identity was concealed. Last year the former sheriff was arrested and convicted of killing the few girls who reported it, and the county prayed the nightmare was over. Now she’s back for the celebration of her father’s sixtieth birthday, right on the heels of the latest killing, long after the sheriff has been imprisoned. Once again the peaceful Crazy Mountains are invaded by savagery. Then her father is poisoned and once again Micki is sucked into a nightmare.

He thought being the sheriff of a quiet Montana county would be a break from the stress of combat…

Alex Rossi has retired from the SEALs after eight years and is looking to settle into peaceful civilian life. He thinks he’s found it when Scot Nolan introduces him to Hank Patterson, head of Brotherhood Protectors, who convinces him to take the newly open job of county sheriff. But he never expected his military training would be necessary to root out an evil still poisoning the county. First he finds the body of a young teenager, just like the young girls killed over the past two decades. A girl who had reported being raped just like the others. Then Micki Schroeder’s father drops dead at his birthday party and the coroner tells him the man was poisoned. At the same time he works hard to fight the intense attraction that has exploded between the two of them, especially when she has been afraid of sex all these years.

They were sure they’d gotten away with it all…

The former sheriff had kept his mouth shut when his cohorts threatened to harm his family, and taken the blame for everything. But with a new rape and murder, all the dark secrets are in danger of coming out. Is that why Bill Schroeder was killed? Can the men responsible commit two such high profile crimes and still keep their secret? As Micki and Alex search for answers, the intense attraction between them explodes. Will she take that first step to happiness?

When Alex Rossi agreed to take on the job of Sheriff in the small town in the Crazy Mountains he inherited a cold case that is both horrible and shocking in that it’s never been solved. Of course the former Sheriff was in on it but there are many who were never identified. Fate has supplied him with a victim and now he’s determined to solve this cold case once and for all.

Michaela (Micki) Schroeder hasn’t been home since she left for college. She’s only here because it’s her father’s sixtieth birthday and if she didn’t show there would be too many questions she doesn’t want to answer. She had been one of the victims at the age of fourteen and coming home is stirring up unwanted memories. She’s never said a word but her brother can see right through her and her anxiety is such that she hopes she can make it through the week without giving something away.

Alex is invited to the birthday gala and he meets Micki and her family beforehand. However it’s Hank that clues him into the fact she may have been a victim and this party could trigger dangerous memories for her.

The aftermath of Micki’s father collapsing at the party starts and even more in depth investigation and some interesting things come up in Alex’s conversation with Micki.

This is a favorite scene.

“Alex.” He said his name in a soft voice. “Please. Call me Alex. And yes, I see what you mean. It smacks of the arrogance of men who believe they can get away with anything. And I’m not saying your father was one of them, but, like you, my senses tell me there’s some kind of connection.”

She folded and unfolded the hem of her T-shirt, nearly undone by the look of caring in his eyes. She didn’t remember anyone ever looking at her like that. She’d seen pity. Sympathy. Disappointment, as if the few people who knew what happened thought it was somehow her fault. Sadness. But not that look of compassion she saw in Alex Rossi. It was nearly her undoing. For the first time in sixteen years, she felt tears clog the back of her throat and had to swallow hard against them.

“Are you okay to continue?” He started to reach for her hand then stopped , as if not sure it was okay to touch her.

Funny, because for the first time since she was fourteen, she actually wanted a man to touch her. Make skin-to-skin contact, and what was up with that? Was this man from another planet? To keep herself from reaching out for him, she began pleating the hem of her shirt again. Maybe once she got through this, the urge would go away, and she could return to the comfortable barrier of her fear regarding men.

“Micki?” he urged again.

She wet her lips. “Yes. I’m fine. I haven’t…said anything about this for a lot of years, and I don’t know if it has anything to do with my father’s death, but…” She forced herself to look at him. “But I guess it’s time to get it all out, in case it does. I mean, in case it somehow connects to me.” She drew in a deep breath and let it out slowly. “This is hard for me, Sheriff.”

“Take your time. I’m in no hurry.”

She knew that had to be a lie, with everything going on outside. But his assurance and the deep, mellow tone of his voice, helped her move forward. In halting sentences, she described for the first time what had happened all those years ago right in this house. In the very bedroom she was staying in right now.

She kept her eyes on her hands while she spoke, unable to look at Alex Rossi, afraid of what she’d see on his face. When she finally got it all out, with the feel of a burden being lifted at long last, she let out another breath and dared to look at him. She had expected pity, or even disgust, or … she didn’t know what. But the look in his eyes of caring and understanding stunned her. And something else. He looked at her as a woman, not a freak show like the men in her failed relationships had. A woman who had been through a terrible ordeal.

And behind all that was unexpected anger.

“You’re right. The fact we have two out-of-the-ordinary deaths so close together in a place that seldom sees anything like this would make anyone look for a connection. And let me say this.” His voice was like warm molasses flowing over her skin. “One way or another, I am going to find every man involved in this abominable little group and methodically destroy them. You can count on that.”

“First, you have to find out who they are,” she pointed out, her voice still a little shaky. “See if they’re part of his inner circle, if any of them killed my father, and why.”

He leaned forward, elbows on his thighs, and this time he did reach for one of her hands and enfold it in his.

“Micki, I’m not sure if you know this, but I was a SEAL for ten years. SEALs are the baddest of the bad special forces. We can find out things even hidden from God.”

He smiled as he said it, but she had no doubt he spoke the truth. Maybe that was why he was the first man in sixteen years who didn’t frighten or panic her. Who in fact made her insides tremble and not with fear. And wasn’t that a shock in the middle of all this.

Alex gave her hand a gentle squeeze before sitting back.

“So.” He paused. “Do you think Holly Martino’s murder was in some way the catalyst for what happened tonight?”

Micki shrugged. “I don’t know. All I can say is the two things happening so close together… I mean, it’s not as if things like this happen around here on a regular basis.” Then she shook her head. “But I’ve been thinking all these years there must be many other girls this happened to who didn’t tell anyone. They were too terrified, like I was. Especially after the courageous ones who gathered themselves to report what happened despite the threats to them. And then ended up dead.”

“What makes you think they’d come forward now? Especially after what happened to Holly.”

Micki looked directly at him. “Because I have the sick feeling my father’s ‘“death”‘ is tied to it in some way, and I think we’ve all been frightened long enough. And because a man who comes with Hank Patterson’s recommendation and who is a decorated SEAL knows how to keep us safe.”

She realized she meant every word of it. For the first time since she’d been thrown down on her bed and violated, she wasn’t afraid. Not that the danger wasn’t still out there, but Alex Rossi, despite being just one man, wore the aura of someone who, as he said, could handle it all.

“But how does that help you with tonight?” she asked. “What happened to me is old history. And where does my father fit into the picture? Did Holly Martino’s death ignite this? And why?”

“Not sure yet. Right now, I’m collecting information. It seems strange, though, that the only murder in this county in a year is a young girl who it turns out is the most recent victim in a string of heinous crimes going back years. And suddenly, while I’m investigating it, your father drops dead at a party.”

“You think my father was involved?”

Oh, please, god, no.

But Alex shrugged. “I’m not ruling anything out right now. Like I said, right now I’m gathering information.”

“I don’t know if anything I said helped or not”

“Everything helps,” he assured her. “I just have to figure out how.” He pushed himself up from his seat. “I need to get back outside and see where we are. What my detectives have come up with. All those people are probably ready to lynch me for making them hang around.”

“They’ll survive.”

He gave a soft laugh. “You don’t have much use for them, do you.”

She shook her head. “Why should I? These people are all so self-centered and focused on their money and power. I’m sure my parents love me—and Jason—but my father’s business and political worlds always came first, and my mother lives her life by what other people think of her. But I do want to know how he died. And if someone killed him, why? If that was the reason.” She looked up at Alex, who had such compassion in his eyes she wanted to cry. “Do you think he found out about me and was driven to expose everyone because of it?”

He shrugged. “It’s a definite possibility. But wouldn’t he have approached you first? Maybe be devastated that his little game, if he was part of it, had hit too close to home? I’m guessing, but I’d expect there was an unwritten rule they never touched each other’s families.”

She felt ill, nausea gripping her at the thought her father not only might have known who her rapist was, but himself been part of their evil little game. She swallowed hard, hoping she ’wouldn’t vomit in front of Alex Cross

“It frightens me to even think that,” she told him, “but I guess with what happened tonight, we have to look at everything.”

“I wish that wasn’t so, but it’s highly unlikely that two murders so close together, in a place that almost never sees them, would be unrelated. I need to figure out the connection. Anyway, thanks for talking to me.” He took her hand and pressed a business card into it. “I’m sure you have the number of my office, but this has my personal cell on it. Call me anytime. For anything.”

“I— Thank you, Sheriff. I appreciate this.”

“Alex. Please call me Alex.” She managed a tiny smile. “Okay, Alex. I expect we’ll be seeing each other again.”

“Count on it.” The look he gave her was equal parts of compassion and understanding with a healthy dose of heat thrown in. And for the first time in her life, it didn’t frighten her.

Holy shit!
Holt, Desiree; Protectors World, Brotherhood. Unmasking Evil: Brotherhood Protectors World. Kindle Locations (759-824). Twisted Page Press LLC. Kindle Edition.

The investigation is as convoluted as it is intriguing as several leads come to the fore.

Micki becomes a focal point even though she tries to keep a low profile. The attraction between her and Alex is palpable as they get to know each other.

There’s plenty of suspense, intrigue and heat as Alex and Micki find love and home in each other.

I have the rest of this series on my TBR pile, stay tuned for more soon.

5 Contented Purrs for Desiree!

Desiree Holt

USA Today Bestselling and award winning author Desiree Holt writes everything from romantic suspense and paranormal to erotic, a genre in which she is the oldest living author.

She has been referred to by USA Today as the Nora Roberts of erotic romance, and is a winner of the EPIC E-Book Award, the Holt Medallion and a Romantic Times Reviewers Choice nominee.

She has been featured on CBS Sunday Morning and in The Village Voice, The Daily Beast, USA Today, The (London) Daily Mail, The New Delhi Times and numerous other national and international publications.

“Desiree Holt is the most amazing erotica author of our time and each story is more fulfilling then the last.” (Romance Junkies)

Jenna Donovan grew up in a world of great wealth and privilege. Powerful men and women from all over the country attended the lavish parties that her stepfather hosted on their Montana ranch. But the night of one party, one of those men crept into her bedroom, blindfolded her and viciously raped her, threatening to kill her if she spoke out. Years of therapy have helped her deal with it but she still freezes at the thought of an intimate relationship. Now she’s a true crime writer specializing in unsolved rape cases, determined to find others similar to hers and track down the rapist. When she uncovers several committed over the past fifteen years, she knows she must return to Montana to find her answers.

Medically discharged after twelve years in the SEALs, Scott Nolan doesn’t know what to do with himself. There’s not much in civilian life for a former sniper. Then a friend puts him in touch with Hank Patterson who heads Brotherhood Protectors and he feels as if he’s found a home again. He’s just finished his first assignment when Hank receives a call from Grey Holden, head of The Omega Team in Tampa, who asks him to have someone keep an eye on Jenna. Good thing, too, because she’s hardly settled into her rental cabin before someone leaves a threatening note under her windshield followed up by a dead skunk on her doorstep with another note.

Good thing the cabin has two bedrooms because Hank insists Scott move in with Jenna so he can monitor her twenty-four/seven. As Jenna gets closer to finding her answers, the attempts on her life increase. But is she in more danger from the unknown person or from Scott, himself a tortured soul but who wakens feelings she is afraid to face may be the only one who can get past her emotional fear and teach her how to love?

I started this series at the end not the beginning, so I decided to go to the very beginning. This is the first of two prequels to the Heroes Rising series written by Desiree Holt in the Brotherhood Protectors World.

This book opens a whole can of worms as Jenna Donovan realizes she has to go back to Montana and flush out the evil there. The emails she received brought back memories better left buried. She couldn’t in good conscience ignore them. After a flashback to the trauma she experienced that had her fleeing when she turned eighteen discusses what she’s going to do with her friend Gray Holden. Head of the Omega Team he arranges for Brotherhood Protectors to provide a bodyguard for her, Scott Nolan will pretend to be her boyfriend. Although Jenna protests, Gray is adamant that she needs the protection as going there would probably make her a target.

The closer Jenna gets to her hometown in the Crazy Mountains of Montana the worse the flashbacks become. She manages to get the panic under control before she pulls into the area of the cabin she’s rented. There she gets the first look at Scott.

This is a favorite scene.

She was a client. His protectee. Despite the fact that other members of the agency had connected that way, it violated his own personal code of conduct.

But damn! At first contact there was something about Jenna Donovan that flipped a switch that had been in the Off position for a very long time. As he took in the nicely rounded ass, the compact body, and the determined set of her shoulders, he told himself he was just assessing her to see how fast she could move in an emergency.

Yeah. Right. Bullshit.

But he wasn’t going there. He had a job to do here, and he had to treat it just like a sniper assignment. No distractions. Use that famous personal discipline.

Uh huh.

Tell that to the sudden invisible connection that popped up. And worse, to unexpectedly swollen cock and aching balls.

Swallowing a sigh, he hefted her two pieces of luggage. “There are two setups for sleeping. A full bedroom downstairs and a loft upstairs. I’m putting your stuff upstairs. I’ll be using the bedroom downstairs.”

He waited for the argument that she wanted the downstairs bedroom. Of course.

“Wait. What?” She glared at him, hands on hips, irritation lining every inch of her body.

Yeah, there it was. And damn again. Instead of annoying him, all he could think of was how cute she looked when she was aggravated.

Of all the fucking luck. The woman he’d been waiting for walks into his life and she might as well have a big Hands Off sign plastered across her chest.

A body I don’t need to think of except as an object to be protected. Object. Protect. Right. Still getting that bodyguard thing fixed in my mind.

He just looked back at her and forced what Hank Patterson called his iron wall stare.

“I won’t be much protection if someone breaks in and they can get to you before I even get downstairs. You could be dead by the time I reach you.”

Her skin turned pale as she absorbed his words.

“You think whoever this is would do that? I haven’t even started digging into anything here yet. How would he even know?”

“I always prepare for trouble,” he told her. “Hope for the best, expect the worst.” He paused. “If it’s a problem for you to sleep up there, then go ahead and take the bedroom down here.” He waved a hand at the two leather couches facing a rock fireplace. “I’ll bunk out on one of those.”

He watched the play of emotions across her face as she struggled with her options. She glanced up the open stairway, and he knew she was bothered by the openness of the sleeping setup there. He wanted to tell her she could prance around naked and it wouldn’t bother him. He’d lost any interest in sex except with his hand ever since—

Quit thinking about it.

He waited for her to say something, but she just stood there, studying him as if he were an unwanted guest. Well, Hank did say someone else had made the arrangements for her. A boyfriend? A significant other? Great. Just fucking great.

“I’m concerned with your safety,” he pointed out.
“Just let me know what works for you.”

The sigh said it all.

“Fine. I’ll sleep in the loft.” Her mouth curved in a tiny grin. “But no peeking.”

“Trust me,” he snorted. “That’s at the bottom of my list. I’ll get your stuff upstairs. Then we need to go over your schedule and some ground rules.”

“Ground rules?”

“Yeah. There’s one of those single-serving coffee makers on the counter. Go ahead and fix yourself a cup if you want.”

“There are pods here?” Had the landlord provided them or Scot? Somehow she couldn’t see him ambling trough a minimart laying in supplies.

“Hank’s wife shopped for supplies so you wouldn’t have to worry about it. If she got anything wrong, or there’s something we don’t have that you want, I’ll be happy to take you to get it.

“Groceries?” She sounded like a parrot. His boss’s wife had grocery shopped for her?

“Yeah. She figured after the long trip you might not be in the mood. Like I said, we can always get anything that’s not here. So go ahead and get your coffee while I take care of your luggage.

He plunked her suitcases next to the bed, along with her messenger bag then took the stairway down two steps at a time. He saw that she’d taken him up on his suggestion and fixed a mug of coffee for herself. She stood by the big window looking out into the woods, sipping from the mug and staring out at the wilderness.

He was struck again by the electric energy that seemed to zing from her body.

Forget it, idiot. This is a job, not a date.

“You can stand there and look at me all day,” she said without turning around. “But I won’t change how I look. I’m still going to be a little too short, a little too chunky, and not very warm and fuzzy.”

He didn’t know whether to be shocked or just burst out laughing. There was nothing wrong with either her height or her body, but he didn’t feel comfortable telling her that.

“First of all, I wasn’t sizing you up. Second, whoever the hell told you that needs to have their eyes examined.”
Holt, Desiree; Protectors World, Brotherhood. Guarding Jenna: Brotherhood Protectors World. Kindle Locations (286-325). Twisted Page Press, LLC. Kindle Edition.

They gain attention from the start by going into town, Jenna’s recognized by a woman she believes may have written the email that got her here.From a very uncooperative sheriff, to a group of women who like her hadn’t reported the rape and threats to them years ago, the suspense ramps up quickly.

Jenna does indeed become a target, but Scott isn’t going to let anything happen to her. His attraction to her and hers to him heats up gradually but intensely.

I’m already reading the second prequel before I continue with the rest.

5 Contented Purrs for Desiree!

Desiree Holt

USA Today Bestselling and award winning author Desiree Holt writes everything from romantic suspense and paranormal to erotic, a genre in which she is the oldest living author.

She has been referred to by USA Today as the Nora Roberts of erotic romance, and is a winner of the EPIC E-Book Award, the Holt Medallion and a Romantic Times Reviewers Choice nominee.

She has been featured on CBS Sunday Morning and in The Village Voice, The Daily Beast, USA Today, The (London) Daily Mail, The New Delhi Times and numerous other national and international publications.

“Desiree Holt is the most amazing erotica author of our time and each story is more fulfilling then the last.” (Romance Junkies)

He needs to find his place in society again…

When Brantford “Wolf” Makalski and his SEAL Team’s dog are both medically discharged after a mission gone wrong, he’s not quite sure what they’ll do with themselves. Checking out an offer from former SEAL and now Sheriff Alex Rossi might provide some answers. The last thing he expects to find in Montana’s Crazy Mountains is a crashed Jeep with a woman inside bleeding from a gunshot wound.

She’s desperate…

Lacey Cooper, a wildlife photographer, is desperate to find her sister, camping in the Crazies with her fiancé. The couple has been out of touch for a week and no one seems unduly disturbed. Then Wolf and Rossi discover that in the past ten years more than a dozen campers have been reported missing and not found. They could be anywhere. The Crazies stretch more than six hundred miles.

What they find is worse than they expected…

While Wolf guards the wounded Lacey, Rossi heads a massive Search and Rescue effort. What they find is worse than they could ever have imagined.

Lacey Cooper has been traveling around the Crazy Mountains searching for her sister Heather and her fiancé Trace, folks aren’t being helpful only saying people disappear all the time in the Crazies.

Brantford ‘Wolf’ Makalski and his MWD Bailey have isolated themselves from the world. Wolf realizes he needs to find something to do and finally takes another look at an invitation from another former SEAL he’d gone through BUDs with, Zane Halstead. Decision made he heads to Montana to meet with Sheriff Alex Rossi and hopes he’ll be a good fit.

Lacey has an appointment with Sheriff Rossi, he’s the first to even entertain her concerns. Hopefully he’ll help her find her sister. Unfortunately she never gets to that appointment, but fortunately her crashed vehicle is spotted by Wolf as he is heading into town.

From that very first moment Wolf knows he has to protect this woman. They couldn’t be certain, whoever shot her and caused the crash wouldn’t come back to finish the job. Alex is concerned as well, since he recognized that she was his appointment. Now he’s even more determined to find the missing couple.

This is a favorite scene.

That arm needs to be checked regularly for swelling. If there is any, ice is the best remedy. And we also want to make sure there’s no infection.”

“Got it covered,” Wolf assured.

He did? Would he be changing her dressing and giving her the medication? She hardly knew him, yet… yet… there was a feeling that with this man she’d be safe no matter what. Does the sheriff know I was shot?” she asked him then shook her head. “Of course he does. That’s how I got here. Does he have any idea who did it? And why? And does it have something to do with Heather and Trace?”

“Yes, but he doesn’t have specific answers to either question yet. He thinks, though, it might have something to do with your sister’s disappearance.”

“Really? He actually took me seriously?” She stared up at him.

“Oh, he took you very seriously,” he assured her.

“I’ve been trying for two weeks to get someone to do more than pay lip service to it. Are you telling me he thinks it’s more than them just getting lost?” She couldn’t believe he wasn’t brushing her off with platitudes like almost everyone else had done.

Wolf nodded. “He does. And even though he and I just met, so I don’t yet know him well, I’d bet everything on him finding the answer. SEALs never give up.”

“I’ve heard.” She had to smile. “I’m guessing you were a SEAL, too.”

He nodded, and, for a moment, a look somewhere between bitterness and anger flashed across his face. Then the faint smile returned.

“You don’t mind going to this house with me, wherever it is? Being my babysitter?”

“He’ll be more than a babysitter,” a deep male voice answered. “I needed someone trained in protection and dealing with enemies until we find your sister and her fiancé and catch whoever is behind this.”

Lacey looked at the man in a sheriff’s uniform who walked in. It could have been any deputy, but she was sure this was Alex Rossi himself. Wolf confirmed it when he greeted him.

“Morning, Sheriff. Checking on our patient?”

“Absolutely. Lacey, I’m Alex Rossi. How are you doing this morning?”

“Um, not too bad.” She managed a smile. “Thank you for coming by. I didn’t expect to have our meeting in a hospital.”

“Neither did I. How are you feeling?”

She wanted to tell him her arm felt like someone stuck an arrow into it and left it there, but she hated complaining. Besides, she was pretty sure a former SEAL and current sheriff had experienced much more serious wounds. Instead, she somehow managed a smile.

“Everyone keeps asking. My arm hurts, and my head aches, but I’m alive so that’s good, right?”

“It is for sure. Listen, I called the hospital director this morning. He said they’ll be releasing you as soon as the doctor has checked you one more time. You—”

“To the house Wolf told me about? Is it expensive? I have credit cards—”

She forced herself to draw a breath. The pain in her arm had abated somewhat, as long as she didn’t move it around much. The pain pill was doing its job and the nurse had told her they’d give her a prescription when she was discharged. For the moment, she could somewhat unscramble her brains.

Alex Rossi exchanged a look with Wolf.

“Yes, we’ve got you set up in a nice place. Nothing fancy, but you’ll be comfortable. There’s no charge. It’s part of my wife’s contribution to my SEAL recruitment and, before you say anything, she can afford it.” He grinned. “I married an heiress.”

“Oh.”

Then his face sobered and, for a moment, a bitter look flashed in his eyes. But it was gone so fast, she wondered if she’d imagined it. He looked at Wolf again then back at her.

“You’ve obviously poked someone hard enough with your questions that they wanted to scare you off. And until we find out what happened with your sister and her fiancé, you’ll have full-time protection. Wolf will be staying there with you.”

“He told me.”

If she wasn’t so emotionally on edge because of Heather and Trace, and riding the edge of pain because of her arm and her head, she might have actually been a little excited. Who wouldn’t want to be locked away with a very sexy former SEAL?

Plus, it would be stupid to object. She had no other lodging, and she certainly couldn’t protect herself. But locked away with Wolf Makalski? It unsettled her that in her current physical state, plus the crisis with Heather and Trace, she could be wildly attracted to this man she’d just met. How improper was that?

“I had your car towed,” Alex continued. “The front end was smashed pretty good, but the garage we use will do a good job fixing it. I’ll text you a copy of the accident report for your insurance company.”

“Thank you.” Something else to hassle with. How much worse could things get? Oh, wait. They might never find Heather and Trace. That would be much worse.

“I’ve also got all your stuff from the campground. I locked everything but your clothes in my office. The clothes I took to the house where you’ll be staying, and my wife put them away.”

She was stunned. “I— I don’t know what to say.”

“You don’t need to say anything. The doctor should be by to see you pretty soon,” he went on. “I’m going to drive the two of you to the house you’ll be using. Kujo is meeting us there with your truck, Alex, and with Bailey.”

“Bailey?” Lacey looked from one to the other. “Who’s Bailey.”

Wolf sighed. “Bailey’s my dog. A beautiful Belgian Malinois. He got his medical discharge when I did.” He paused and looked at her. “You’re not afraid of dogs, are you? Or allergic to them?”

She stared from one man to the other then just shrugged.

“No, I love dogs.” What else could she say. “I feel like I’m living someone else’s life. And what about Heather and Trace? Have you found any indications at all about what might have happened to them?”

“Not yet, but I’ve only been on it since yesterday. Believe me. We’ll talk about it when we get to the house. I want to know every single thing you can tell me.”

“I’ll tell you whatever I know. Everything I found out. It isn’t much though.”

“Whatever you can tell me will help.”

And Wolf would be there. With her. How is it possible she felt a connection with this man she hadn’t even known twenty-four hours ago? Was it the danger of the situation? The— The what? She hoped her instincts where Wolf was concerned weren’t malfunctioning because she felt safe with him, and she knew safety was something she was going to need in large doses.

Before anyone could say anything else, the doctor walked in to check Lacey’s arm and her head. And then she was getting her discharge papers, she was being wheeled out to the patient exit, and Wolf was helping her into his fancy truck. She had a deep-down feeling her life was about to change drastically in many, many ways.
Desiree Holt. The Hunt: Brotherhood Protectors World (Kindle Locations 1033-1089). Twisted Page Press, LLC.

The Brotherhood Protectors have already been pulled in with Kujo and his wife taking care of Bailey while Wolf is watching over Lacey in the hospital. Now everyone will be going to the house Alex’s wife found for Wolf. No one would be getting near Lacey until they figured everything out.

In spite of the almost hair raising tension, there’s some things to make you giggle. The dream sequences are sizzling hot in spite of them being just dreams. The scenes with Heather and Trace are tense and touching as I found myself wanting the teams to hurry up and find them. The relationship between Wolf and Lacey is a simmer to sizzle that is perfect in every way.

I now have to go back and read the prequel books Guarding Jenna and Unmasking Evil, I have them both. I also want to read the rest of this series. I guess I have some serious reading to do.

5 Contented Purrs for Desiree!

Desiree Holt

USA Today Bestselling and award winning author Desiree Holt writes everything from romantic suspense and paranormal to erotic, a genre in which she is the oldest living author.

She has been referred to by USA Today as the Nora Roberts of erotic romance, and is a winner of the EPIC E-Book Award, the Holt Medallion and a Romantic Times Reviewers Choice nominee.

She has been featured on CBS Sunday Morning and in The Village Voice, The Daily Beast, USA Today, The (London) Daily Mail, The New Delhi Times and numerous other national and international publications.

“Desiree Holt is the most amazing erotica author of our time and each story is more fulfilling then the last.” (Romance Junkies)

He couldn’t forget her.

In a supernova, a star implodes when it exceeds its magnificence. That’s Mallory Kane’s situation right now, and only Galaxy can get her to safety.

She has haunted John ‘Rocket’ Hardin’s dreams ever since their hot celebration of her rescue five years ago. Now her sister, Senator Alicia Kane, books a flight to nowhere on Galaxy’s plane because Mallory is again caught in a hot spot and needs help.

Trapped in the clutches of the Santa Marita cartel, she has no way off the island except for Rocket and Galaxy. The mission turns out to be more complicated than the last one. The vicious leader General Felix Barrera is determined to find Mallory and kill her, meaning Galaxy will need a lot of ingenuity to get her out of there.

The moment Rocket and Mallory reconnect, the passion between them is stronger than they expected. Now Galaxy has to sneak her off the island, which includes a four-hour trek through a jungle and barely escaping death at the top of a very steep cliff.

If she and Rocket can survive all that, how can they not give in to the passion that flares hotter than ever?

Reader advisory: This book contains scenes of violence, death and murder. There are mention of drug trafficking, and of women being drugged and raped.

The first time John ‘Rocket’ Hardin met Mallory Kane it wasn’t a social situation. His SEAL team had been sent in to rescue a journalist from the Taliban. When things went slightly FUBAR Rocket and Mallory ended up spending some time holed up waiting for extraction. Let’s just say they really got to know each other.

It’s five years later and neither Rocket or Mallory have even tried to reach the other. Now Mallory’s sister, Senator Allison Kane, is reaching out to the elite private group Rocket now works for. It seems Mallory, in spite of or maybe because of her bestselling books, is in trouble once again. This time it’s a bit more complicated than the desert.

Mallory’s friend Inez called to ask if she would come to the island she and her parents call home. The island of Santa Marita once a peaceful, agricultural place has been taken over by a drug cartel, it’s boss having taken over completely. The only way to expose it would be through Mallory’s expertise in writing. Although she traveled under a different name she’s roused suspicion and is now in hiding. Her only hope is the man who rescued her years ago, the man she can’t forget no matter how hard she tries.

Alicia calls Mallory to let her know Galaxy has taken on the case and to let her know someone would be calling.

This is a favorite scene.

She was about to slide the phone back into her pocket when it vibrated again. She looked and saw a text on the screen.

It’s Rocket. I’m calling now. It’s okay to answer this number.

She was glad he had sense enough to warn her, knowing she’d be leery of answering an unknown number. It a moment it vibrated again and she pressed Accept.

“Rocket?”

“Hello, Mallory.”

The moment she heard his voice, the deep timbre of it so reassuring, her jittery nerves she’d been working so hard to control began to settle, and every muscle in her body tightened. She hadn’t heard it for five years, yet it had hung around in her brain all this time, as familiar as if she’d just heard it yesterday. Time disappeared and she was back in that cave, writhing beneath that hard masculine body. And just seconds ago, she’d been immersed in an erotic dream about him, so hot she’d unconsciously been trying to bring herself to orgasm.

She’d been metaphorically holding her breath to see if Alicia had connected with him and if he’d agree to help her. Five years was a long time and anything could have happened. Was he calling to tell her he was sorry he couldn’t do this? Maybe he’d even married and his wife wouldn’t be too happy about him going off to rescue an old… Friend? Hookup? Mission target? How would she even describe herself? No, apparently not, since he’d taken the assignment from Alicia and was already on his way.

She clutched the cell phone so hard she was afraid she’d crack the case.

“Rocket?” She whispered the word.

“It’s me.” His voice still had that very sexy, rough edge to it, deep, the kind she felt in every molecule of her body. “Seems like you got yourself in a tight spot again.”

Suddenly she knew everything would be okay. Whatever happened between them afterwards, he was going to get her out of here.

She swallowed. “Apparently I have a talent for it.”

“Don’t worry. We got you out once. We can do it again.”

“You really are? Going to come here for me?”

“Could I do anything else?”

“Thank you.” She blew out a breath of relief. “Thank you for calling and for agreeing to do this.”

God. If he’d said no, she had no other options.

“There’s no way I’d say no,” he assured her.

“Even after all this time?” She kept her voice at a whisper. “I mean…”

“And that’s my fault, not yours. I’ve kicked myself for it a hundred times. But we can talk about that when we get you out of there. Now listen. I need to ask some things.”

“Okay.” She relaxed a little, or as much as she could under the circumstances. “But let me just say thank you again.”

“Plenty of time for that after we get you out. First. Are you in a safe place where you can stay for a couple more days? Your sister said you’re with your friend Inez. Are you okay there?”

“Sort of.” She was still lying flat on the roof and she didn’t hear anything from the house below her. She had no idea if anyone had discovered her hiding place. She knew nothing. She’d been indulging herself in erotic dreams instead of protecting herself. She had to believe Inez would have found a way to warn her if there was trouble.

“What do you mean?” His voice sharpened.

“Now she’s hiding me in the attic since I came to the attention of Barrera’s thugs.” She lowered her voice until she was nearly whispering. “And Inez told me that Ruben Vidal, Barrera’s top lieutenant, has twice this week had a car full of his so-called soldiers actually drag someone out of their house to arrest them. At least they said arrest, but who knows.”

“Damn. Mallory, I—”

“It’s okay. You wouldn’t believe how hard it would be to find where I’m hiding. The panels are exceptionally well concealed.”

Rocket was silent for a moment. “You can keep your cell charged, right? I promise you my partners and I will have a plan together to get you out of there, but I want to be able to keep in touch with you so you know what’s going on.”

“So you’re really going to try to get me out of this?” she asked again. And didn’t she just sound stupid.

“No, we’re actually going to get you out of this.”

Relief surged through her like a tidal wave. “Thank you, I—”

“You can thank me when you’re away from Santa Marita. Like I said, find a way to keep your cell charged because that’s our only way to contact you.”

“I will. I definitely will.”

“Text me Inez’s address and anything other details you think we need to put this together.”

“I’ll do that as soon as we hang up.”

“Good. Okay, hang tight. I’ll get back to you as soon as I have details for you.” There was an infinitesimal pause. “That’s a promise.”

The call ended and Mallory lay there, her mind whirling. First of all, brutal killers were looking for her and she’d just been lying on the roof having an erotic dream and pleasuring herself? She really was losing her mind. And she was still shocked that John ‘Rocket’ Hardin had actually said yes to Alicia’s request.
Desiree Holt. Supernova (Kindle Locations 880-923). Totally Bound Publishing.

Fortunately for Rocket, one of his team has a friend with many needed connections and much knowledge of the island. Plans are made and lets just say things get a bit hair-raising.

Rocket and Mallory still have that sizzling attraction that is kindle melting in spite of the danger around them.

From the planning each page holds something to cause you to hold your breath as this adventure winds it’s way through a maze of complications.

I have to say Supernova is a very accurate title as this book contains some white hot scenes as only Desiree Holt can write them.

I have to go back now and read the other two books in this series.

5 Contented Purrs for Desiree!

Desiree Holt

USA Today Bestselling and award winning author Desiree Holt writes everything from romantic suspense and paranormal to erotic, a genre in which she is the oldest living author.

She has been referred to by USA Today as the Nora Roberts of erotic romance, and is a winner of the EPIC E-Book Award, the Holt Medallion and a Romantic Times Reviewers Choice nominee.

She has been featured on CBS Sunday Morning and in The Village Voice, The Daily Beast, USA Today, The (London) Daily Mail, The New Delhi Times and numerous other national and international publications.

“Desiree Holt is the most amazing erotica author of our time and each story is more fulfilling then the last.” (Romance Junkies)

Stacy Halligan has spent her adult life focusing on her career, choosing men with far less care than she does her professional path. That’s probably the reason all of her relationships end in disaster. Now, she’s senior editor of the magazine where she works, and she was so sure this latest hunk would be the one. When he dumps her just before Valentine’s Day, who does she complain to? As always, her next door neighbor and friend, backup quarterback Max Sullivan. She sees Max as her best friend. Comfortable. Easy to be with.

Max doesn’t mind hanging out with Stacy, but in the three years they’ve lived next door to each other, he’s hoped for a lot more. Now, he sees his opening. When he offers to put on a blitz leading up to Valentine’s Day to make the guy jealous, he has an ulterior motive. He wants to show her he’s the one she should pick because he wants Stacy for himself. His campaign includes chocolate, flowers, little gifts, and hopefully, really hot sex. Because he’s been dying forever to get her into his bed and keep her there.

Will this work? He only has until Valentine’s Day to find out.

Stacy and Mac are best friends and he often hangs with her and commiserates with her when she breaks up with a boyfriend. This book opens with such a scene and Mac comes up with a different kind of solution for her. One that he hopes will lead them where he wants this relationship to go.

Romancing Stacy won’t be a hardship for him, it’s something he’s wanted from the day he met her. However breaking down her barriers might take a while. He intends to make the most of the two weeks she’s giving him.

This is a favorite scene.

She gave an unsteady chuckle. “I’m stunned you would make such an offer. For me. Like this.”

“Hey.” He tried to smooth his features. “That’s what friends are for, right?”

“Don’t you have your own women to romance? Do all the romance crap with? I’d hate for some jealous female to show up and scratch my eyes out.”

“No.” He shrugged. “No one special.”

“And what about all the stuff the Warriors always do over holidays? For instance, I happen to know the owner and his wife have a huge party every year. Remember, we did a story about it last year?”

“One night. Big deal. When’s your shindig?”

“On Valentine’s Day itself. A week from Saturday.”

“Well, there you are.” He leaned back and took a calming sip of his beer. “The Warriors party is on Friday night. No conflict. Anyway, all I have to do is put in an appearance there then split.” His eyes lit up. “Hey! Why don’t you come with?”

Stacy frowned. “Get real. I don’t fit in with that crowd. I refuse to wear a barely-there cocktail dress, flaunt my boobs, and trowel on enough makeup to pave a sidewalk.”

Max laughed. “I should be insulted, you know. Don’t you think I have better taste than that? Besides, there are a lot of really nice women at these parties. Wives, fiancées. Like that. So does that mean you won’t be my date?”

“I think Saturday night will be enough obligatory duty for you. Thanks anyway, though.”

“You know I mean the invitation,” he insisted.

“And I appreciate it.” She chewed her thumbnail again. “You know this will get in the papers. The starting quarterback has been hurt so often, you’ve played in a bunch of games the past season. It certainly elevated your profile. The media will sniff out what’s happening and be all over it like white on rice.”

He laughed. “I’ll have a hotshot writer on my arm. And a gorgeous one at that. Besides, it will be a big improvement over the women they usually pair me up with.”

“Hah!” she snorted. “As if.”

“Whatever.” How could he tell her no woman measured up to her in his mind? She’d never believe him. At least, not right now. “We’ll put on a good show and have some fun doing it, right?” He waited another heartbeat. “So, what’s the answer? Shall we do it?”

“Uh, well, okay. If you’re positive you want to.” She grinned at him. “There’s going to be gossip for sure. Everyone will be stunned that a handsome stud like you has scooped me up.”

“Stacy.” His voice sobered. “You sell yourself way too short in that department. I keep telling you, you’re—”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah,” she spat. “All those things you said. So, how do we go about it? When do we start?”

“Tomorrow’s good for me, if it works for you. It’s Monday, and we have almost two full weeks until Valentine’s Day. By then, we’ll have the jerk begging you to take him back. How about if I pick you up for lunch?” He held up a hand when she opened her mouth, objection written all over her face. “No, you’re not meeting me at the restaurant. The plan only works if we do it where everyone can see us. Right?”

“Uh, right. Okay. Wow!” She took a sip of beer. “This will be an eye opener for everyone.”

“Which is exactly what it’s supposed to be.” He set his empty bottle aside and stood up. “I should probably let you get to sleep so you can be bright-eyed and sharp tomorrow.”

“So I can play my part.” She nodded.

“Absolutely.” But I won’t be playing at all. For me, it will be real.

“Thanks again, Max,” she told him as she walked him to the door.

“My pleasure, sweet lady.” He turned and put his hands on her shoulders. “I probably will kiss you when I come to get you tomorrow, so maybe we should have a couple of practice ones. You know, so we can get it right.”

“K-kiss?” She swallowed hard. “P-Practice?”

”Sure.” He grinned. “It’s easy. Let me show you.”
Holt, Desiree. Quarterback Sneak (A Red Hot Valentine Book 2). Desiree Holt. Kindle Locations (171-204). Kindle Edition.

Lots of fun, as he shocks her co-workers and Stacy too with his plans and romancing.

A few surprises some very good, some not so much, and plenty of sizzling heat.

5 Contented Purrs for Desiree!

Desiree Holt

USA Today Bestselling and award winning author Desiree Holt writes everything from romantic suspense and paranormal to erotic, a genre in which she is the oldest living author.

She has been referred to by USA Today as the Nora Roberts of erotic romance, and is a winner of the EPIC E-Book Award, the Holt Medallion and a Romantic Times Reviewers Choice nominee.

She has been featured on CBS Sunday Morning and in The Village Voice, The Daily Beast, USA Today, The (London) Daily Mail, The New Delhi Times and numerous other national and international publications.

“Desiree Holt is the most amazing erotica author of our time and each story is more fulfilling then the last.” (Romance Junkies)

She thought her past was firmly behind her…

Amy Ressler was a vivacious, outgoing person, looking forward to her first job after graduating college. Until the night her stepbrother slaughtered her entire family, and thought she was dead, too. For ten years she’d been living under an assumed name in a house in Tampa with security guards and a security system. Her agoraphobia keeps her a prisoner in the house where she designs sought after video games.

Quinn McCoy couldn’t seem to find a place for himself when he left the SEALS…

Quinn McCoy has been part of the teams for eighteen years and suddenly an injury left him with no place to go, except to visit his friends Melody and Tex Keenan. Where they introduce him online to KitCat, Amy in her online disguise, a terrified woman who needs a bodyguard.

The killer is loose…

When Matthew Baker escapes from jail the hunt is on, led by the US Marshals. But with Amy helpless in her self-imposed prison, Quinn accepts the job as her personal bodyguard, and they discover that what starts online can explode n the bedroom. As long as he can keep her alive.

Amy has been through a lot in her young life. Almost killed by her step-brother, she was given a new identity as they buried her old identity in an empty casket, for her protection. Fortunately for her, the attorney in charge of the estate was a friend of her mother’s and has helped her find a level of security. Amy designs video games and is quite successful, but she also doesn’t leave her home.

Quinn was a SEAL medically discharged, now facing the challenge of what to do with his life now that he’s not military. He still had nightmares of the incident that caused his injuries and took the lives of two of his team. Tex and Melody have opened their home to him, giving him a place to ‘get his head together’ and not be totally alone.

If anyone gets that it’s Tex. It’s quite the coincidence that Amy has communicated with Tex on the dark web. She frequently finds answers to coding problems she’s having there. Tex has become a friend and Melody has chatted with her as well. With the new game she’s developing she has questions about SEALs and while Tex could answer them, he thinks Quinn would be the perfect person to do so.

This is a favorite scene as Quinn and Amy ‘chat’ for the first time.

KitCat: Very nice to “talk” to you again, Melody. I want to tell you again what a great guy Tex is. He’s helped me so much with my coding.

So she was just going to ignore the subject, Quinn thought. He could relate to that. But suddenly he had an urge to know exactly what was fucking up her life and if they could help. If he could help. And that shocked the hell out of him. What happened to his vow to be a hermit and stay the hell out of other people’s lives?

While he was thinking, Melody pulled her keyboard closer to herself and began to type.

Melody: There was a time he felt a lot more comfortable with strangers than anyone he knew. Don’t tell him I said so, but you’re right about him being a good guy. *wink* And here’s another good guy we want you to meet. The one we told you about. Our friend, Quinn Molloy, was a SEAL, just like Tex. They don’t come any better, take it from me.

KitCat: I guess I have to take you at your word.

Melody: I promise you my word is good. She stopped typing and gnawed at her bottom lip. My husband says you have a lot of questions about SEALs for the game you’re designing. Quinn can answer them for you. He can give you the information Tex says you’re looking for.

Pause. Everyone waited for KitCat to make her next move. If she signed off, that was that. Then another message popped up.

KitCat: Okay. I guess I can give it a try.

Tex: Trust me. I wouldn’t put anyone online with you that I didn’t vet myself. He’s definitely solid.

“Just answering questions,” Quinn told them. “No personal shit.”

He watched Tex and Melody smile at each other, and again he was tempted to call the whole thing off. He didn’t want anyone thinking they could fix him. But KitCat’s next message popped right up.

KitCat: Is he there now?

Tex began typing again.

Tex: He sure is. Say hey, Quinn.

okay. Maybe it would be better than wrestling with the dark thoughts that plagued him every night. He flexed his fingers and began to type.

Quinn: Hey, KitCat. This Quinn.

Now it was his turn to wait, wondering if she’d actually answer or just sign out. It was crazy, but he had this weird thought he could actually feel her through the Internet. Not her so much but her fear. Quinn knew about fear, but as a SEAL he was trained to face it and deal with it. He had a sense that with KitCat this went way beyond that. He was about to hand the extra keyboard back to Tex and forget the whole thing when words scrolled across the screen.

KitCat: Hey, Quinn. Nice to meet you.

Quinn let out a slow breath.

Quinn: Hi there, KitCat. I’d love to chat with you awhile. You good with that?

Another long pause.

KitCat: Sure. If Tex trusts you, I guess I can.

Tex pushed back his chair and stood, grinned at Quinn. “You’re good here. I think I’ll go have a drink with my wife. Come on, Mel. Let’s get some grown-up time while the kids play.

Despite his teasing tone of voice, he squeezed Quinn’s shoulder, a gesture that told his friend he was there if needed.

Quinn slid into the chair where Tex had been sitting, shifted his keyboard, and flexed his fingers. Okay, then.

Quinn: So what is it you do all day? Or night?

KitCat: Didn’t Tex tell you? I design video games.

Although he had basic knowledge of computers, Quinn had never used them as a way of socializing. Truth be told, lately he rarely even used his laptop. He almost never sent email anymore, to the dismay of his friends and what little family he kept in touch with. Mostly he texted, and he did that from his phone. Short texts. Very short. He’d never been a touchy-feely kind of person and, with his life taking a sudden, abrupt turn, he was even less so. But now, odd as it was, at this moment, he found himself relaxing as he and KitCat rolled into their cyber conversation.

Maybe that’s what his life was about to become, totally lived in cyberspace. Safer that way.

But don’t forget. That’s how Tex and Melody got together.
Desiree Holt. Protecting Amy (Special Forces: Operation Alpha) (Kindle Locations 369-405). Ace Press, LLC.

As this online relationship develops so do concerns for Amy’s safety. Quinn suspects that the job he’s been asked to consider is actually protecting the woman he knows as KitCat.

Suspenseful, Intriguing, and Romantic with just the right amount of sizzle.

5 Contented Purrs for Desiree!

Desiree Holt

USA Today Bestselling and award winning author Desiree Holt writes everything from romantic suspense and paranormal to erotic, a genre in which she is the oldest living author.

She has been referred to by USA Today as the Nora Roberts of erotic romance, and is a winner of the EPIC E-Book Award, the Holt Medallion and a Romantic Times Reviewers Choice nominee.

She has been featured on CBS Sunday Morning and in The Village Voice, The Daily Beast, USA Today, The (London) Daily Mail, The New Delhi Times and numerous other national and international publications.

“Desiree Holt is the most amazing erotica author of our time and each story is more fulfilling then the last.” (Romance Junkies)

Max DiSalvo gave his entire life to the SEALs. He would have married—he certainly enjoyed women—but he never could find one who understood his dedication to the Teams, even though many of his team members married happily. It takes a certain caliber of woman to be a SEAL wife and Max just never found one that fit with him. Now, at 48, he is out of the SEALs, running his own commercial fishing company in Maine where he grew up, and waiting for his assignments from DHS.

Regan Shaw, a SEAL widow, is an Intelligence Operations Specialist with DHS, and a woman who Max is drawn to from first sight. Part of her job is analyzing information to assess threats and she’s discovered a doozy—there is a secret group of very wealthy people who, in partnership with a powerful cartel, are using the border with Mexico to smuggle terrorists from the Middle East into the country. And word has come down that a high level member of the government is clearing the way with them for everything.

The group is about to have one of its executive meetings at an exclusive resort in Texas and that’s where DHS is sending the two of them. Credentials have been arranged that would make him attractive to the group. A story has been set and there is backup for him should he need it. Regan, who has all the information on this operation, will go with him as his wife.

As they uncover more and more of the operation, they realize just how dangerous this group really is. When someone betrays them, and Regan is kidnapped, Max goes into war mode, because in Regan Shaw he’s found the woman he’s waited for all his life and he doesn’t intend to lose her now. But he will need every bit of the skills that he learned as a SEAL to rescue her and bring down this very dirty conspiracy.

Some coincidences cannot be ignored and the fact that former SEAL Commander Max Di Salvo looks just like the brother and partner of recently arrested arms dealer is just one. When Silas Branson visits Max, he presents him with a mission he can’t turn down.

Regan Shaw has been assigned to DHS as an intelligence analyst. It’s a job she’s been doing for the Navy but she found something that had Silas ‘stealing’ her away. But another coincidence, she looks just like the wife of said arms dealer’s brother.

With the looks down Silas also couldn’t ignore the fact that these two also share first names with the bad guys. It was a perfect way to infiltrate and stop the heinous attack that was in the works.

Max and Regan meet at a highly secure mansion outside of DC with Silas and the rest of their team. The introduction was quite amusing.

This is a favorite scene.

He guessed her height to be about five foot six. The dark-green sweater and beige slacks she wore, although not tight or clinging, still did little to disguise her lusciously rounded body, hitting her breasts and hips at just the right angle. Auburn hair fell in soft waves to her shoulders, framing a heart-shaped face with creamy skin. This was no office nerd or timid techno geek. This was a woman, with a capital W.

His mouth watered just at the sight of her. Instead of worrying about how he was going to pass her off as his wife, he was more concerned with being able to keep his hands to himself. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d reacted to a woman this way. It was…well…okay, never. He’d had many women that made him hot and horny. But none had ever caused a full body reaction like this one.

Si bent his head to whisper in his ear. “Put your tongue back in your mouth, Max. Better men than you have lusted after her. No deal.”

“I’m not—”

But that was as far as he got. The woman came toward him, smiling warmly and holding out her hand.

“Regan Shaw,” she told him. “I’m happy to meet you. I understand we’re going to be married?”

Max nearly swallowed his tongue while Si just laughed out loud.

“Your wife’s not shy,” he joked.

“I see that.” Max held her hand perhaps a shade longer than he should. It was firm, and there was strength in her grip, but the skin was soft. Enticing.

Jesus, Max. Get a grip, and not on her hand. Or any other part of her body.

He released it and took a step back, just as the front door opened again and two more men entered the house.

“We having a party?” he asked Si under his breath.

“If only. Come on. Let me introduce you to the rest of the crew.”
Desiree Holt. SEAL Undercover (Kindle Locations 417-421). Kindle Edition.

In spite of Max almost swallowing his tongue, they manage to go over the mission and what intel they have on all the players.

The vetting process with one of the chief players is intense and everywhere they turn is bugged.

I couldn’t put this book down, as tensions rise between all the players. The attraction between Regan and Max is explosive to say the least, it was fun watching them try to control themselves until they don’t.

Lots going on in this book as Max, Regan and their team work to shut down this massive plan.

Entertaining, suspenseful with hold your breath scenes and plenty of simmer to sizzle.

5 Contented Purrs for Desiree!

Desiree Holt

USA Today Bestselling and award winning author Desiree Holt writes everything from romantic suspense and paranormal to erotic, a genre in which she is the oldest living author.

She has been referred to by USA Today as the Nora Roberts of erotic romance, and is a winner of the EPIC E-Book Award, the Holt Medallion and a Romantic Times Reviewers Choice nominee.

She has been featured on CBS Sunday Morning and in The Village Voice, The Daily Beast, USA Today, The (London) Daily Mail, The New Delhi Times and numerous other national and international publications.

“Desiree Holt is the most amazing erotica author of our time and each story is more fulfilling then the last.” (Romance Junkies)

No one could tell who was telling the truth…

For Liam Benedict, the merging of Software By Design into the Arroyo mega-conglomerate is a dream come true—until someone on his staff screws with critical software and put the company and its future in grave jeopardy.

Suddenly life is not so euphoric for Liam. His contract with a defence contractor is in jeopardy, he doesn’t know who to trust on his staff and there is a distinct possibility a foreign power is behind the whole thing.

When forensic data analyst Eric Braun discovers who it is and how they did it, he is killed before he can tell Liam he’s discovered the mole. Framed by the killer, Liam is arrested for the murder.

It will take the combined resources of beautiful criminal defence attorney Sydney Alfiore, the woman he loves, and the huge Arroyo Corporation to solve the riddle, but can they do it in time?

It’s exciting times for Software By Design, founder Liam Benedict. He is about to close a deal with Arroyo Enterprises which will open them up to more growth and bigger contracts. He’s also close to delivering a major defense contract. Hack-proof security software is his company’s forte and their hard work is about to pay off, in more contracts, better office space and more developers.

Sydney Alfiore is a high-power criminal defense attorney, when we first see her she is in the middle of a complicated case. When she literally runs into Liam as he is rushing to his meeting with the Cantrells, they agree to have a drink if they finish early enough.

This is a favorite scene.

They were having dinner in the restaurant. Surely they’d be finished by now, right? He was about to turn and head in that direction to check, when someone called his name. He turned to see the woman herself walking toward him. His body responded at once.

Cock, behave yourself.

Thank the lord he was wearing a dark suit where the bulge in his fly wouldn’t be quite as obvious.

“Oh, good.” She hurried over to hm. “You’re still here.”

The warm, familiar female voice wrapped itself around him like melting chocolate. She smiled at him, looking sexier than ever. He looked around but didn’t see anyone with her.

“I was just about to come looking for you. What did you do with your dinner companions?”

“Sent them off to bed. They’ve got a big day tomorrow, doing trial prep. They need all the rest they can get.”

Liam hitched an eyebrow. “Should I ask what your client did to need your excellent services?”

Sydney laughed. “I’m his attorney. He didn’t do anything.”

“Oh, right.” Liam winked. “Of course not. Well, do you have time for a drink, then? I imagine you’ll be up early tomorrow, too.”

Say yes.

“I will, but we have such a hard time getting together, let’s take advantage of it.”

“I agree.” His mouth twisted in a wry smile. “Yeah, our schedules aren’t exactly the kind that make for any kind of relationship. We should probably consider what’s left of this evening a gift and make use of it.”

Sydney nodded. “Absolutely. Besides, you look to be bursting at the seams about something, so let me buy tonight. Come on.”

The bar in the hotel was designed for intimacy. No bright lights, just soft coach lamps on the walls and at each booth. The carpeting on the floor was thick enough to absorb sound, so the conversations were muted. It was a place to entice a woman to bed or put together a secret business deal. And perfect for intimate conversation.

Liam followed Sydney into the bar, nudging her toward a booth in the far corner that a couple was just vacating.

Conversation around them was little more than a low hum, people engrossed in each other, some serious, some smiling. A low-key, nonthreatening situation. So why, Liam asked himself, did a tiny chill suddenly skitter its way down his spine?

As casually as he could, he glanced around, trying to spot anyone who might be fixated on him. Watching him. But no one seemed to be paying him attention. Still, the feeling was there and he could not seem to get rid of it. When they reached the booth, he slid into the bench seat that backed up to the wall.

Sydney stared at him, one eyebrow lifted. “Are you okay? Would you rather not do this now?”

He shook his head. “No. Not at all. I mean, I’m fine and I want to do this.” He was determined not to waste this unexpected opportunity. “Have a drink with you.”

“Okay.” She studied him for a moment. “If you’re sure.”

Liam forced himself to relax. Having a drink with Sydney was the perfect ending to a day when his life had taken an extraordinary turn. Who better to share it with than the woman he couldn’t get out of his head? The woman he wanted to strip naked and tumble in his bed so he could do all sorts of wild things with her. If he weren’t aware of how crass it would sound, he’d ask her to have that drink with him at his townhouse in South Tampa.

No. Not this way. At least let her think you have some class.

“This is nice.” He studied Sydney for a moment. “It seems as though life keeps conspiring to keep us apart, so this is an unexpected pleasure.”

She nodded. “For me, too. Sometimes I wish…”

“Wish what?” That we could get together more often, like now, as I do?

“Maybe that there were more than twenty-four hours in a day.” She shrugged. “No matter. Here we are.”

“Yes.” He winked. “A very unexpected pleasure. It’s great that we both ended up in the same place tonight, even if it’s just for a short while.”

“I agree. Tell me how your dinner went tonight? I want to hear all about what’s going on with you. Whatever it is sounds very exciting.”

“I’m not sure I have any personal business to mention, if you want to know the truth,” he joked.

Even as he spoke, he was scanning the room for anything that might be the source of his uneasiness. Sydney reached across the table and touched his hand.

“Liam, are you okay? Is something wrong?”

He gave himself a mental shake and did his best to knock it out of his mind and into a corner. He was probably just being paranoid, anyway, and for what reason? Damn it, he wasn’t going to waste this unexpected opportunity worrying about some figment of his imagination.

“I’m fine.” He grinned at her. “This has been an exciting few days for me, Syd. I’m probably still just wound up about everything.”

“Must be something big. Did your dinner go well? Can I ask who it was with?”

He nodded, then waited until the waitress served their drinks before answering. “Are you familiar with the Arroyo Corporation?”

Sydney gave a ladylike snort. “Of course. Who isn’t? I think they own the world.”

He leaned forward a little, blocking out the rest of the bar. “As of tomorrow, Software By Design will be part of the Arroyo family.”

“Liam!” Sydney reached for his hands and gave them a squeeze. “But that’s fantastic. Truly. A major step forward for you. Think of all the doors it will open. The type of clients you’ll attract.”

“No kidding. I can hardly believe it myself.” He took a swallow of his bourbon, savoring its taste. “I’m thirty-five years old and I feel like a kid at Christmas.”

“As well you should.” She smiled at him. “That’s quite a coup. How did you pull it off?”

He chuckled. “In the most unlikely way. Someone knew someone who knew someone.”

He told her about John Martino and Optimus and Martino’s dinner with the Cantrells.

Sydney cocked an eyebrow. “Yes, John certainly knows all the right people.”

“That is just the damn truth,” Liam agreed. He touched his glass to Sydney’s. “A toast to people who know people.”

“Amen to that.” She took a long sip of her wine. “I’m excited for you, Liam.”
Desiree Holt. Double Deception (Kindle Locations 378-431). Totally Bound Publishing.

Unfortunately things don’t all go smoothly. We get peaks at the traitor within Liam’s company, but only a few clues as to who it is.

When a secret alarm goes off that someone is trying to breach the new installation, Liam’s world gets turned upside down. A forensic data analyst, Eric Braun is called in and when he makes the discovery he ends up dead before he can let anyone know. Now Liam is fighting for his freedom and his company’s integrity. 

Intertwined with some very sensual and steamy scenes, a page-turning , nail-biting mystery unfolds. You won’t want to put this one down.

5 Contented Purrs for Desiree!

Desiree Holt

USA Today Bestselling and award winning author Desiree Holt writes everything from romantic suspense and paranormal to erotic, a genre in which she is the oldest living author.

She has been referred to by USA Today as the Nora Roberts of erotic romance, and is a winner of the EPIC E-Book Award, the Holt Medallion and a Romantic Times Reviewers Choice nominee.

She has been featured on CBS Sunday Morning and in The Village Voice, The Daily Beast, USA Today, The (London) Daily Mail, The New Delhi Times and numerous other national and international publications.

“Desiree Holt is the most amazing erotica author of our time and each story is more fulfilling then the last.” (Romance Junkies)

Book one in the Corporate Heat series – newly edited version!

Taylor’s suddenly thrown into the dangers of the corporate world and her only protector is her hot, anonymous one-night stand.

Taylor Scott thought she had it all—a good life and a great job. No relationship? No problem. But her world is turned upside down when the father she never knew she had first refuses to acknowledge her, then makes her the sole heir to the major conglomerate he owned. It’s the last thing she wants, but circumstances leave her no choice. She steps into a world of corporate greed and treachery where no one is what they seem.

And the only person to guide her through the treacherous waters? The man with whom she had the hottest one-night stand ever, Noah Cantrell. Noah isn’t what he seemed at first, either, but now he’s the only one Taylor can trust.

As danger stalks her at every turn, she must rely on him for everything. The man who makes her scream with pleasure is the only one who can tell her where the danger hides.

Warning: This book contains sexually explicit content which is only suitable for mature readers.

I started this series as I have so many, at the latest book and not the first. I became intrigued by Taylor and Noah and mentions of overcoming much to get Arroyo Enterprises straightened out. This is their story.

Taylor was fuming mad, her grandmother left her a letter about her parentage and it was not anything she was led to believe. After being thrown out of her father’s building, she heads to the bar in her hotel and proceeds to try Jack Daniels Black for the first time. Anyone whose ever tried anything straight like that knows the reaction.

This is a favorite scene.

She picked up the glass with both hands and took a healthy swallow. The first splash of the liquor on her tongue was a sharp bite of smoky flavor, a burning sensation she was unprepared for that brought tears to her eyes and made her cough.

“I wouldn’t chug that like lemonade if I were you. Here.”

The voice was so deep and rich it sent fingers of heat skittering along her spine and tiny pulses throbbing at the heart of her sex. A strong masculine hand held out a snow-white handkerchief which she grabbed without thinking. She blotted her eyes then picked up her glass of water and drained half of it. Then she looked up to see who’d come to her rescue.

Predator. That was the first word that came to mind. An unfamiliar thrill of forbidden temptation shot through her body at the sight of the man sitting at an angle to her right. Broad shoulders and hands with long, slim fingers. A face full of sharp planes and angles with a straight nose and sensuous lips but a totally unreadable look. Eyes blacker than coal under lashes thicker than hers. Black hair worn long and tied back with a thin strip of leather.

There was something feral about him. Wild. Untamed. Dangerous. Powerful energy radiated from him and battered against her body, all of it barely tamed beneath the civilized cloak of a custom-tailored suit and silk dress shirt. An unbidden image flashed in her mind of him naked, his dark hair loose, the muscles of his bronzed body rippling in the sunshine. A panther, that was what he reminded her of. And for a brief moment she wanted to lose herself in the jungle.
Desiree Holt. Where Danger Hides (Kindle Locations 69-78). Kindle Edition.

Now we don’t find out who this mysterious man is until he confronts her after her ‘father’ dies.

Things not only heat to white hot, but there is something not right with a division of Arroyo Enterprises, the company her father has left her lock stock and barrel. That’s when we learn Noah Cantrell’s name and position as Head of Security for Arroyo and a friend of her late father Josiah Gaines.

We meet many players in this book, the entire security team including pilot Gage, and John Martino a forensic accountant who will be a key player in this series. He’s following the tracks to see who is behind Josiah’s death and now currently trying to get rid of Taylor.

Running a company while someone, most likely the person responsible for her father’s death, is trying to do her in to, is stressful. The mutual attraction between her and Noah, has them doing all sorts of intimate things almost every time they are together.

A great story with so much heat, you will need lots of water and a fan or air-conditioning on high to keep you cool and hydrated.

I can’t wait to read the next book in this series, Double Deception (Link below).

5 Contented Purrs for Desiree!

Desiree Holt

USA Today Bestselling and award winning author Desiree Holt writes everything from romantic suspense and paranormal to erotic, a genre in which she is the oldest living author.

She has been referred to by USA Today as the Nora Roberts of erotic romance, and is a winner of the EPIC E-Book Award, the Holt Medallion and a Romantic Times Reviewers Choice nominee.

She has been featured on CBS Sunday Morning and in The Village Voice, The Daily Beast, USA Today, The (London) Daily Mail, The New Delhi Times and numerous other national and international publications.

“Desiree Holt is the most amazing erotica author of our time and each story is more fulfilling then the last.” (Romance Junkies)