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  “You think?”

  “I think. Because I trust you.” He lifted his head for just that moment, so she could see his eyes. So he could see hers.

  And then he sank inside her, wrapping her legs tightly around his waist. Sunlight blazed through the skylight, shining gold on his shoulders, on his forehead. The water glistened on his skin like magic crystals. Night would have offered more concealment, more privacy, but this, Phoebe thought—she knew—was how she wanted to be with him. Naked, physically and emotionally. Her soul as bared as his.

  Her risks as great as his.

  “Take me,” she whispered. “Higher. Hotter. Every which way, my love.”

  “No,” he whispered. “You take me. All the way.”

  Needs spiraled the more she clung to him. Tension built the more he teased and stroked. She twisted in the water, claiming him. He swirled her beneath him, claiming her. The doorbell rang. The dogs barked. Her cell phone beeped. He sank under the water once, stealing a kiss that way…but by then their playfulness had turned serious. Heart serious. Future serious.

  For so long, Phoebe had felt unsure of herself. Not as a person. Not as a worker. But as a woman.

  Fox didn’t give her that confidence back. But for him, she found that steel-strong well inside of the woman she wanted to be. The woman she could be. With a man who challenged her to reach for it all.

  When it was over, he sank back against the tile, gasping, pulling her with him, both semi-floating in the warm water until they caught their breath. His cheek nuzzled her cheek. “Are you going to kill me if I tell you you’re the most beautiful woman alive?”

  “No.”

  “What if I told you you’re the brightest, the most creative, the most generous and wonderful woman in the universe?”

  “I guess I’ll survive if you told me that, too.” She sighed, knowing where his teasing was leading up to, because she knew him so well. “Go ahead. It’s okay. You can say it.”

  “I don’t want to tick you off. Especially right before I discuss something serious with you.”

  “You won’t tick me off.”

  And out it came. “You’re the sexiest woman in the galaxy, red. You’re my dream of a mate. You make me proud to be a man, because of how you respond to me. With me.”

  “All right,” she said warningly. “Now you’ve done it—”

  When she reached for him, determined to mete out the punishment he deserved—and earned—he stopped her. “Wait, wait. I really do need to ask you something serious first. And before that, there’s something I have to see.”

  “What?”

  He insisted they get out of the water, and then he chased her upstairs. His excuse was that they were both more wrinkled than prunes and needed to get out of the water, but she figured out pretty quickly that he’d built up a humorous curiosity about her bedroom.

  In the upstairs bathroom, they toweled off and then sprinted for her bed, diving under her down comforter until they warmed up again. Then he leaned back against the pillows, pulling her onto his chest, while he looked around.

  “That’s what I couldn’t wait to find out. What color your bedroom would be, because of all the colors you used downstairs.” He shook his head in surprise.

  “I didn’t have a lot of money to decorate when I moved here. And what money I did have, I needed to use on the downstairs where clients could see—”

  “And that’s why you chose white up here?”

  She looked around at the familiar furnishings—the down comforter and rug, the painted dresser and giant wicker rocker and antique bench. “I didn’t want virgin white,” she said honestly. “Or bridal white. But when I came here, I kind of wanted blank-slate white. Because that’s what I was trying to do when I moved here. Start over. Figure out who I was all over again. Start with a blank slate, if I could.”

  He scooched down, so they were face-to-face on the same pillow. “Would you consider putting a marriage date down on that slate, red?”

  Her heart stopped, then came damn close to bursting.

  “Don’t say no,” he insisted. “Hear me out. I want to build that home for us. For us—and for any kids we might want to add along the way. I know I’m unemployed and don’t look like such a great bet right now. But I’ve got a good slug of savings put away. And I’ll start some real-work teaching next fall.”

  Damn the man, but if he didn’t force her to kiss him again. Softly. On the temple and cheek and chin. She had to kiss him. Softly. On the temple and cheek. “I’m glad,” she whispered.

  “You knew I’d go back to teaching.”

  “I know you adore kids. But I didn’t know if you’d realized you were healing.”

  “I wasn’t. Until I met you. You healed me, Phoebe. But it scared the hell out of me when I realized you were hurting, too. And I had no idea how to be the healer for you.”

  “Fox.”

  “What?”

  “Love’s what heals.” Since she’d kissed his one cheek, she had to kiss the other. Beneath the covers, he was starting to perk up again. Oh, this man was going to be trouble for a long, long time. “Love’s what’s always going to heal,” she whispered.

  “Does that mean—”

  “It means, yes, I love you. From my heart. With my heart.”

  “And does it mean—”

  “Yes. Yes. Yes.”

  He stopped asking questions. That seemed to cover it all.

  COMING NEXT MONTH

  Be enthralled, moved, thrilled, delighted…and satisfied by exceptional reads from outstanding authors and well-loved series.

  Come back every two weeks for newly released selections in eight varied categories offering stories that appeal to every taste and mood.

  Have a great time!

  AVAILABLE NOW

  Showcase

  Enthralling stories by the brightest stars in women’s fiction—from MIRA Books, and big romances that sweep you away—from HQN Books

  KILLER TAKES ALL by Erica Spindler, MIRA (psychological thriller)

  BEFORE SUNRISE by Diana Palmer (contemporary romance)

  DARK SKY by Carla Neggers, MIRA (romantic suspense)

  50 HARBOR STREET by Debbie Macomber, MIRA (women’s fiction)

  GHOST WALK by Heather Graham, MIRA (paranormal mystery)

  Sexy Reads

  Powerful, provocative tales full of heat and passion—from Harlequin Blaze, Silhouette Desire and Harlequin Presents

  THE ITALIAN’S STOLEN BRIDE by Emma Darcy, Harlequin Presents

  UNCONTROLLABLE by Susan Kearney, Harlequin Blaze

  WHATEVER RILEY WANTS by Maureen Child, Silhouette Desire

  SEXY ALL OVER by Jamie Sobrato, Harlequin Blaze

  HOT TO THE TOUCH by Jennifer Greene, Silhouette Desire

  TALKING ABOUT SEX…by Vicki Lewis Thompson, Harlequin Blaze

  Romantic Suspense

  Danger…romance…adventure…suspense! Stories that will take your breath away—from Harlequin Intrigue and Silhouette Intimate Moments

  MAN OF HER DREAMS by Debra Webb, Harlequin Intrigue

  LOVING THE LONE WOLF by Ingrid Weaver, Silhouette Intimate Moments

  GHOST HORSE by Patricia Rosemoor, Harlequin Intrigue

  SUSPICIOUS by Heather Graham, Silhouette Intimate Moments

  RIDER ON FIRE by Sharon Sala, Silhouette Intimate Moments

  Inspirational

  Stories of faith, hope and love that warm the heart and nourish the soul—from Steeple Hill Love Inspired and compelling suspense—from Love Inspired Suspense

  LOVING FEELINGS by Gail Gaymer Martin, Steeple Hill Love Inspired

  FOR THE TWINS’ SAKE by Jillian Hart, Steeple Hill Love Inspired

  NOTE OF PERIL by Hannah Alexander, Steeple Hill Love Inspired Suspense

  UNDER COVER OF DARKNESS by Elizabeth White, Steeple Hill Love Inspired Suspense

  BLACK HILLS BRIDE by Deb Kastner, Steeple Hill Love Inspired

  WINDINGO TWILIGHT by Colleen Rhoads, Steeple Hill L
ove Inspired Suspense

  MILLION DOLLAR DILEMMA by Judy Baer, Steeple Hill Café

  STORM CLOUDS by Cheryl Wolverton, Steeple Hill Love Inspired Suspense

  Women’s Fiction

  Books that celebrate the “next” stage of women’s lives…because every life has a second chapter! From Harlequin Next

  THERE’S ALWAYS PLAN B by Susan Mallery, Harlequin Next

  RIGGS PARK by Ellyn Bache, Harlequin, Next

  CUTTING THROUGH by Joan Hohl, Harlequin Next

  THE ME I USED TO BE by Jennifer Archer, Harlequin Next

  Women’s Action Adventure

  Strong, sexy, savvy heroines who save the day…and always get their man. From Silhouette Bombshell

  ONCE A THIEF by Michele Hauf, Silhouette Bombshell

  HOT PURSUIT by Kathryn Jensen, Silhouette Bombshell

  DEVIL’S BARGAIN by Rachel Caine, Silhouette Bombshell

  THE GOLDEN GIRL by Erica Orloff, Silhouette Bombshell

  Chick Lit

  Women’s fiction with attitude, these humorous, edgy, hip stories celebrate life’s little curves…From Red Dress Ink

  WITH OR WITHOUT YOU by Carole Matthews, Red Dress Ink

  KILLER SUMMER by Lynda Curnyn, Red Dress Ink

  DO THEY WEAR HIGH HEELS IN HEAVEN? By Erica Orloff, Red Dress Ink

  Fantasy/Science Fiction

  Powerful, magical tales, vivid characters and richly imagined worlds from the first imprint solely dedicated to female focused fantasy—Luna Books

  THE DESTINED QUEEN by Deborah Hale, LUNA

  URBAN SHAMAN by C.E. Murphy, LUNA

  POISON STUDY by Maria V. Snyder, LUNA

  ON SALE OCTOBER 1ST

  Showcase

  Enthralling stories by the brightest stars in women’s fiction—from MIRA Books, and big romances that sweep you away—from HQN Books

  MASQUERADE by Brenda Joyce, HQN Books (historical romance)

  Romantic Suspense

  Danger…romance…adventure…suspense! Stories that will take your breath away—from Harlequin Intrigue and Silhouette Intimate Moments

  SECURITY MEASURES by Joanna Wayne, Harlequin Intrigue

  Inspirational

  Stories of faith, hope and love that warm the heart and nourish the soul—from Steeple Hill Love Inspired and compelling suspense—from Love Inspired Suspense

  DIE BEFORE NIGHTFALL by Shirlee McCoy, Steeple Hill Love Inspired Suspense

  Women’s Fiction

  Books that celebrate the “next” stage of women’s lives…because every life has a second chapter! From Harlequin Next

  PELICAN BAY by Charlotte Douglas, Harlequin Next

  Fantasy/Science Fiction

  Powerful, magical tales, vivid characters and richly imagined worlds from the first imprint solely dedicated to female focused fantasy—Luna Books

  IN STONE’S CLASP by Christie Golden, LUNA

  ON SALE OCTOBER 15TH

  Sexy Reads

  Powerful, provocative tales full of heat and passion—from Harlequin Blaze, Silhouette Desire and Harlequin Presents

  THE TYCOON’S TROPHY WIFE by Miranda Lee, Harlequin Presents

  Inspirational

  Stories of faith, hope and love that warm the heart and nourish the soul—from Steeple Hill Love Inspired and compelling suspense—from Love Inspired Suspense

  DECK THE HALLS by Arlene James, Steeple Hill Love Inspired

  Women’s Action Adventure

  Strong, sexy, savvy heroines who save the day…and always get their man. From Silhouette Bombshell

  FLAWLESS by Michele Hauf, Silhouette Bombshell

  Chic Lit

  Women’s fiction with attitude, these humorous, edgy, hip stories celebrate life’s little curves…From Red Dress Ink

  THE NIGHT I GOT LUCKY by Laura Caldwell, Red Dress Ink