“Julian placed her purse in the front seat. "She's got a loaded double-deuce in her purse, Peterson, though I'm not sure she knows how to use it. And be sure to book her on one count of falsifying information on a driver's license while you're at it.""What?" she cried. "You're just making stuff up!"He pulled off his shades, met her gaze, saw the outrage and disbelief in her eyes. "It says you weigh one-fifteen, but i know for a fact you're not a pound under one-twenty."Her cheeks flushed crimson. "Oooh!”

“Her gaze met his, her blue eyes filled with confusion and terror – and love. If Julian hadn’t already been in love with her, that would have done it.”

“Her gaze met his, her green eyes glazed and filled with shadows. "I-Iain?" Iain understood those shadows only too well. She was in shock. She had witnessed the full horror of war. Worse, she had killed a man. Like a young soldier after his first battle, she was struggling to cope. 'Twas an anguish no woman should have to bear.His rage broke like the tide against the shore, and before he could think, he pulled her hard against him, held her, stroked her hair. "You foolish, brave woman! Why do you no' obey me?" "What the bloody hell is he doin'?" Connor asked from somewhere behind them. Morgan answered, "I think he's punishin' her." "If he tries this on the men, they'll mutiny.”

“He opened her door, helped her to the ground, and heldher before him. “You’re cold.”Unable to meet his gaze, Kara spoke without thinking.“N-no, it’s not that.”His brow furrowed for a moment and then he seemed tounderstand. He grinned, a sexy know-it-all grin, and ran afinger down her cheek. “I’m glad I was able to provoke areaction.”Her sexual frustration became irritation. She glowered athim. “How is it you remain so unaffected?”His eyebrows rose, and he gave a snort. “Unaffected?”Without warning, he cupped her bottom, pulled her hardagainst him, and she felt the unmistakable evidence of hisarousal. He was rock-hard, huge.Her inner muscles clenched—hard—and the air rushedout of her lungs. “Oh!”He thrust against her, his eyes dark with obvious malehunger. His voice was deep and husky. “Nothing about youleaves me unaffected, Kara.”

“I'm not like him, Kara. Whoever he is, I'm not like him."She ran a hand over his chest, with its mat of golden curls and teased one flat brown nipple, desire already running hot in her veins. "No. No you're not.”

“She had just pulled her dress coat from it's hanger when Connor came bouncing out of her bedroom and down the hallway with something in his hand."Mommy, what's this jiggle stick?" She looked up to see her son standing not two feet away from Reece with her purple jelly vibrator in his hand. And he was shaking it, making it waggle back and forth.”

“I do not know her as you do, but I have shared each step of this journey with her, watched her fight for her life, and held her each night while she slept. I cannot help but care for her."And suddenly Connor was glad Joseph had chosen to sleep in the loft.”