Harlequin Blaze

"Only a firefighter can handle this blaze. Madison Reid's engagement is a sham. Her movie-star fiancé is actually her childhood friend ... who's gay. When he decides he can't keep living a lie, Madison ends things by leaking a salacious story about a hot--if fictional--affair. Now surrounded by swarms of news-hungry paparazzi, Madison escapes to the beauty of Costa Rica until things cool down. Firefighter Leo Santori is on his honeymoon. Alone. Still torn up about losing his fiancée to another guy, Leo isn't expecting anything from Costa Rica. That is, until Madison steps into his world, rocks it and then lights it on fire. The heat between them is undeniable--and irresistible. But when Madison's scandalous past catches up with them, will it extinguish the flames ... or will they both end up burned?"--P of cover.

No man, gentleman or otherwise, has ever looked at Lady Edwina Bollash the way the brash, handsome man standing before her is doing now. Edwina has accepted the challenge to transform incorrigible Mich Tremore into a gentleman in just six weeks. And although the linguist is sure she can rise to the task, she isn't at all certain she won't swoon under his frankly sensuous gaze before her job is done. Mick has lived outside of London society long enough to know that appearances can be deceiving. Edwina might look all buttoned up--the perfect English lady--but there is unleashed passion existing just below her placid facade (not to mention a great pair of legs!). And as she prepares him to take his place in society, Mick prepares Edwina to take her place in his heart...and in his bed.

Pastry-shop owner Reilly Chudowski has spent most of her life squelching her secret cravings. But when delicious Ben Kane shows up with an offer she can't refuse, Reilly can't help indulging a little. Only, the more she has, the more she wants. But Ben is known for dating L.A.'s creme de la creme. How can down-to-earth Reilly be anything more than the flavor of the month?The decadent delicacies Reilly creates are irresistible, but the delights she serves up in bed are what Ben hungers for most. How could he have guessed that this subtly sensual woman could make love to him so wildly...and steal his heart so easily? And now all Ben has to do is convince Reilly that she's one dish he'll never stop craving....

Marketing whiz Jessica Howell needs some "arm candy"–a deliciously sexy man by her side to keep her married playboy boss in line. Dan Crawford fits the bill–he's handsome, discreet and available. Definitely the perfect escort for the party circuit and media blitz surrounding Jessica's hot new cosmetics campaign. Helping gorgeous Jess with her dilemma is a treat for Dan–and very tempting. Attend a few parties, exchange heated glances, kiss her senseless...pretend to be in love. Tough job? Except there's no pretense after they share one night of sizzling no-holds-barred sex. Dan doesn't want to be kept at arm's length anymore. But will Jess see their hot fling leading to the real thing?

When Kylie Falls agrees to a last-minute date with one of her sister's clients, she'd never have guessed that a man in need of matchmaking services would be as deliciously hot as Cole Sullivan. Too bad she's soon on her way out of town for a bigger and better career. Of course, she does have a few weeks and he seems more than open to a brief fling.They both agree their insatiable appetite for each other is temporary—the result of too much work and not enough fun. Except that the more time they steal from their schedules to meet between the sheets, the tighter the sexual tension gets. And with Kylie's departure looming, Cole makes her an offer she knows she should refuse...even though she's tempted to accept.

Artist Mia Kerrigan is anything but dull. When you decorate other people's bodies with edible paint, you can't be! But magazine publisher Julian Silk isn't sure Mia's sexy lifestyle is right for him. After all, he's a respected businessman. When Mia dares him to relax and let loose, though, he's intrigued...and more than ready for a taste of the wild side! Sure, Mia's attracted to Julian--who wouldn't be? He's hot, sexy and rich! His only downfall? He knows he's all three. It's going to take a lot for Julian to prove to Mia that she's more than just another fling. After all, he is Bachelor #17 according to one of the country's biggest gossip magazines. Can he show her that she's #1 in his life or only in his bed...?

Conflict has been a critical factor in the making of contemporary Africa, and its study is key to understanding the continent's tumultuous history. Hot Spot: Sub-Saharan Africa analyzes the area's major, post-independence conflicts intense enough to threaten national, regional, or international security. This work defines conflict broadly to encompass political instability and state failure, ethno-religious tensions, government and political corruption, economic mismanagement and poverty, cult violence, and youth gangsterism. Thematically organized chapters examine the origins and development of explosive hot spots-including Sudan, Somalia, Rwanda, and Democratic Republic of Congo-in West Africa, Nigeria, Southern Africa, the Horn of Africa and Central Africa, and the Great Lakes region. The book also explores outside factors that have impacted African conflicts, such as superpower Cold War manipulation and foreign influence and intervention.-- From publisher description.

Jane thinks nothing can make her lose her coolBut the princess of propriety blows a gasket the night she meets the contractor restoring the Wolcott mansion. Devlin Kavanagh's rugged sex appeal may buckle her knees, but the man is out of control! Jane had to deal with theatrics growing up--she won't tolerate them in someone hired to work on the house she and her two best friends have just inherited.Dev could renovate the mansion in his sleep. But ever since the prissy owner spotted him jet-lagged, exhausted and hit hard by a couple of welcome-home drinks, she's been on his case. Yet there's something about her. Jane hides behind conservative clothes and a frosty manner, but her seductive blue eyes and leopard-print heels hint at a woman just dying to cut loose!

She's a woman scorned --Back in high school, Katie Peterson asked Jess Harkins to be her first lover, and he turned her down. She grew up to be a mouthy local DJ and he grew up to be a builder of high-rises. Problem is, Jess is building a sixty-story office building right next to the historic adobe structure that houses Katie's radio station. Katie would hate the building on general principles -- who needs another office building? -- but she especially hates having her sunshine and view blocked, especially by the guy who sabotaged her self-confidence in high school. As the construction rattles her studio windows and she has to drive around street blockades to get to work, her anger builds. On the air, she starts joking about the monstrosity going up next to her station. Then she escalates the campaign, inviting psychological experts to discuss why men feel the need to build skyscrapers and what it says about their sexuality.He's a man ready to explode --Jess used to like listening to Katie on the radio, and had even considered asking her out for old time's sake. He turned her down on the sex because he didn't want a back-seat experience to be the first one for either of them, and he didn't have the money for a hotel. She didn't stay around long enough to hear that explanation, but now he thinks they might be able to rekindle the fire they once had.Instead she's dissing his beloved project. He knows he should just switch off the station, but he's a glutton for punishment. If she were anybody else, he'd laugh. In fact, he's enjoyed her irreverent comments on other occasions. But now she's making fun of his work and that has to stop.The showdown --Jess goes to the station to demand that Katie shut up about his project. She implies that any man driven to build a structure this high is obviously compensating for something. She leaves no doubt what she thinks he's compensating for. And Jess can think of only one way to change her tune . . . .

With one of his top operatives out of commission, undercover agent (and total hotness) Drew Miller will enlist the assistance of interior designer Allie Carpenter--who will pose as her twin sister in order to bring down an arms dealer. Drew is granted clearance to bring Allie in by any means necessary....Their mission, should they accept it, is complete deception...and absolute temptation!

Whether it's exhilarating historical romance or spine-tingling contemporary suspense, #1 New York Times bestselling author Julie Garwood weaves magnificent stories of passion, adventure, and intrigue. Now she raises the heat and spices up the action with a sexy, smart, daring new heroine and a smoldering thriller that's classic Garwood--and pure Sizzle.Lyra Prescott, a Los Angeles film student, is closing in on graduation and facing important decisions about her future. She's already been offered a job at her hometown TV station, an opportunity that could ultimately launch her dream career as a film editor. But heading back home would also mean dealing with her overprotective brothers, social-climbing mother, and eccentric grandmother. Unsure of her future, Lyra dives into work on her final school assignment: a documentary transformed by a twist of fate into a real-life horror film. After she unwittingly captures a shocking crime on camera, a rash of mysterious, treacherous incidents convince Lyra that she's trapped in a sinister scenario headed for a violent ending. Running scared, she turns to her best friend, Sidney Buchanan, whose connections bring dauntless and devilishly handsome FBI agent Sam Kincaid into Lyra's life. As the noose of deadly intrigue tightens and the feelings between them deepen, Lyra and Sam must place their faith in each other's hands--and stand together against the malevolent forces about to break loose.No one mixes life-and-death suspense with feverish desire better than Julie Garwood. In Sizzle she burns hotter and brighter than ever, keeping the action and passion blazing till the incredible, unforgettable end.From the Hardcover edition.

THE RIGHT ROOM... Bride-to-be Janine Murphy is experiencing more than a few jitters when she thinks about her upcoming nuptials. After all, she and her fiance haven't even, well...you know. So, dressed for success, she lets herself into her fiance's hotel room for a wedding night preview. Only, the irresistibly sexy man she ends up in bed with isn't her fiance! THE WRONG GROOM! Best man Derek Stillman might be exhausted, but he's not complaining. The sultry siren who'd slipped under the sheets with him is definitely someone he'd like to know a lot better...until he discovers she's the bride! But when an unexpected quarantine closes the hotel - and confines them to the same room - Derek can't help showing Janine that he's the better man...

Desperate to win back his ex, billionaire playboy Jeb Whitcomb spent a year in self-discipline and (mostly) celibacy. He's a new man. But when she decides to marry someone else, Jeb immediately sets sail. He has only four days to stop the wedding and, worse still, he has a stowaway, the only woman who can make a newly good man behave very, very badly!

New Orleans lounge singer Tally Addison has a problem: her employer at The Blue Note is selling the business, and Tally's desperate to buy the sultry jazz club. But how's she going to land the cash? Simple as black bottom pie.Tally's in possession of an authentic Gabriel Dampier treasure map, penned by the great pirate himself. Or at least she's holding a tattered portion of it. Her brother ripped off most of it by mistake...and now he's missing.The only person Tally trusts to find her brother—and her lucrative map—is sexy P.I. Christien Castille. But can she trust herself when the dark-eyed Cajun heartbreaker is near?

Almost broke...No. Make that completely broke, humiliated and ready to jump at any job that will pay. So when smart-as-a-whip blond bombshell and model Bridget Cole finds out Dr. Matthew Fox needs a CEO for his new textile company, Almost Naked, Inc., she practically jumps at the chance to teach him he can't live without her...well...services.Altogether sizzling...Superserious—and seriously sexy—Matt is harboring very unscientific fantasies about Bridget and her luminous, touchable skin. It doesn't help that it looks so hot in the lingerie she whips up with his Almostnaked wonder fabric. But now her media campaign is destroying his reputation as a serious scientist and he's got to find a way to keep her mouth closed...maybe with his own.

"A Prince of a Guy by Leslie Kelly. Hunky rock-and-roller Rafe is sure it's a case of mistaken identity. After all, he doesn't know Olivia, the gorgeous woman who accosts him outside his club. But he'd sure like to. So when she assumes he's her runaway prince and tells him she intends to take him home with her, he's more than game. Sure, he might not be a true prince. But a few nights in Olivia's bed make him feel like a king! "-- Publisher description. "Goldie and the Three Brothers by Jennifer LaBrecque. Goldie Dawkins works with three sexy brothers. And she's willing to go the extra mile to convince them of her ideas for the business. Too bad that extra mile gets her stranded at their remote cabin, in a storm, all alone. So what's a girl to do but check out the food, the recliners and the bedrooms to discover which one is just right? Only once bad-boy brother Jake Malone shows up, Goldie has no doubt which bed she intends to occupy..."-- Publisher description.

Holly Farraday, owner of Sweet & Sinful gourmet desserts, is thrilled when she learns she's inherited her grandmother's place in small Romeo, Texas. Only, she hadn't counted on a Texas-sized heat wave—or discovering that her grandmother was the local madam! Worse, the townspeople are hoping she'll continue the family business! But Holly gets all the satisfaction she needs from her specialty, the Ultimate Chocolate Orgasm. After all, no man can please the way chocolate can, especially during the hottest summer on record....Then she meets her neighbor—and former one-night stand—gorgeous Josh McGraw. And realizes that the only way to beat the heat is to give in to it....

"I, Denise Cooke, take thee, Redford DeMoss, to be my lawful husband..."No, wait...I did that already-three years ago in a Vegas chapel after one too many Long Island Iced Teas. I married a hunky U.S. Marine I'd met only hours before. (The uniform did it.) The wedding night-week-was spectacular. Then Redford went back to the Gulf. And I went back to my real life as a New York City financial planner...and filed for an annulment.I'm dating Barry the TV producer these days, but I think about Redford...a lot. And now, thanks to an upcoming IRS audit, I'm about to see ex-husband again. So why am I flustered? He's probably married, and I have-um, what's his name. It's not as if Redford plans to take me back...or take me-gulp-to bed. Besides, I'd never make the same mistake twice. Not even my favorite one...

Carol Snow is no Scrooge ... but she'd rather get her heart rate up with a sexy book than a messy, real-life romance. Still, she's tempted to rethink that when rugged coworker Luke Chancellor shows her--in mind-blowing detail--exactly what she's been missing. But when he asks for a real date, Carol runs like hell ... And stumbles back into the exact same day--including out-of-this-world sex with luscious Luke! Talk about no-strings sex. Except ... Carol soon realizes she wants more than multiple one-night stands. She just has to figure out how to wake up with Luke in a new day ... before time--and all that afterglow--runs out.

Kyra Stafford is tired of being overlooked by her best friend -- and local bad boy -- Jesse Chandler. She needs to get him out of her system so that she can move on. And burning up the sheets for a night...or two...should do the trick. Since he's not noticing her subtle seduction, she's getting obvious. Capturing him at a local festival and making him trade sensual favors for his freedom should convince him to get a little wild with her. Jesse may have earned his bad-boy reputation but he's proud of one thing -- he's never seduced Kyra. Then again, she's never abducted him before. When she states the terms for his release, he can't see past her sexy self to resist. By the time their steamy night is over, Jesse just can't let her go. Too bad she's not listening to any talk about commitment. Looks like he's going to have to use a little wicked persuasion....

There has been a mistake!When best friends Becca Mercer and Turner McCloud go to a hypnotherapist, they expect to be cured of their smoking habit. Clearly the treatment hasn't worked, because they're both still smoking. Oh, and now they're having sex. Lots and lots of sex. And it's definitely changing things between them.Lovers come and go, but friends? Is she ready to sacrifice her best bud for the sake of a little—okay, a lot—of seductive satisfaction? And yet, how can she possibly resist such an indecently sensual suggestion?Can men and women have sex and still be friends?

They were polar opposites...Few people take Tessa Nichols seriously. Sure, she has visions and uses tarot cards to make a lot of her decisions, but so far they haven't steered her wrong. When she has a vision of a young woman tied to a bed, Tessa's not sure what to think...until she finds out the girl is missing.Sensible former cop Griffin Knox has never been one for psychics. Cold, hard facts are what he relies on. And working with Tessa is the furthest thing from normal. He doesn't want to believe what she's telling him, but when she describes every spicy, red-hot vision she has to him, separating fantasy from reality becomes harder and harder. But who said sex and sensibility couldn't get along?

He's a special agent who never loses his cool.She's the heat-seeking missle headed straight for his heart.Keeping cool under pressure is the credo C. Smith Rydell lives by. That's why he was handpicked by the Special Defense Forces for a mission few men survive. So why has the ex-DEA superstar been reassigned to Panama City, playing bodyguard to a blond in a black string bikini? Except Honey York isn't your average pampered socialite. She's the woman Rydell caught smuggling cash into El Salvador four months ago. And now she wants him to take her back. All Honey has to do is find the guerrilla camp, deliver the goods, and get the hell out of the jungle--all in forty-eight hours. Only one man is up for the job. But sharing an unforgettable one-night stand was nothing next to being stranded with Rydell on some third world mountaintop. And with bullets flying and all hell breaking loose, now is not the time for passion. As if these two could possibly resist it....From the Paperback edition.

WHEN SCULPTING A NUDE, THE ARTIST MUST...Understand the male bodyChicago sculptor Rey Martinson has always worked with nudes, but she is floored by her new model's male perfection. Cuban-American Marco Flores's body is more than inspiring—it's irresistible.Be good with her handsBecause it turns out that Marco is incredibly talented with his—on Rey! After each wildly arousing modeling session, they find release in intense lovemaking.Have an eye for detailRey can't ignore that there's something suspicious about Marco. He's the first lover she's ever had who sleeps with a gun under his pillow! But for Rey, being with Marco is worth the risk. Because she's never been with a man who stimulates her so strongly—as an artist...or as a woman.

Sex with Tess McClellan is the best experience of Mason Davies' life. He's never met anyone so passionate, so giving. Their time together has a magical touch and he hasn't felt this good in years.Problem is, all her former lovers apparently feel the same way. Every time Mason turns around, he's stumbling over another old flame. It's enough to give a guy a complex—even with all her assurances that those men are just friends. If Mason wasn't so captivated by Tess, he'd walk away.Since leaving is not an option, he's decided to convince her to drop the entourage. With a few sexy moves and some seductive persuasion, he'll prove he's the only man she needs.

Millions of dollars' worth of rare stamps are gone, along with the family business, unless Gwen Chastain follows the thief to a Vegas casino and steals the canceled postage back before anyone finds out. Except that means Gwen'll have to masquerade as Nina, a poker-playing blond bombshell, and get into even deeper trouble with a sharp-eyed reporter who sees right through her bluff.Now Gwen has no option but to trust Del Redmond—and pray that he knows how to play it close to the vest. It's a big risk and the odds are stacked against her, except he's got a few tricks of his own...starting with a truly amazing pair of hands!

Emma Willis never saw herself as a model—especially for a sensual fantasy calendar—until she has to do a photo shoot in her twin sister's place. When Emma puts on barely-there lingerie in front of the photographer, hottie Rafe Delacantro, she feels sexy...and more uninhibited than she's ever been. Before she knows it, she's enticing him to let off a little steam with her!The minute Emma shows up, Rafe knows she's not the model he's expecting. She's too fascinating, too tempting for him to resist. Fine. They'll share a steamy fling that will end when the shoot is finished. But the more time he spends in Emma's seductive presence, the more involved he gets...and the more he wants of her. He now has to convince her that their affair can last after the camera is put away....

SHE GIVES NEW MEANING TO THE WORD UNDERCOVER...The plan was as simple as one, two, three:1. Fly to Stockholm.2. Track down the twisted, obsessed collector who stole her grandfather's priceless Mauritius stamp.3. Try not to get killed in the process.But for feisty Joss Chastain there's only one problem. John "Bax" Baxter is the best private eye—sorry, executive security professional—in the business. And her last chance for getting the multimillion-dollar stamp back. Since confident, capable and "eat-me-with-a-spoon-sexy" Bax knows Joss is trouble with a capital T, there's no way he's going to get roped into the case.That is, until Joss gives him a taste of what investigating a foreign hotel room together might lead to....

When good-girl image consultant Naomi Tyler is given the assignment to make over bad-boy journalist Zane Underwood into the kind of bland everyman the news network thinks America wants, she doesn’t hesitate to take on the task. But she never guesses just how resistant her subject will be.Zane Underwood just wants to find the news and report it. The last thing he needs is an ever-so-proper Southern Belle trying to make him over into a talking head.But it doesn’t take long for him to realize what he’d really like her to do to him -- and it has nothing to do with image consulting.At first Naomi is put off by Zane’s sexual advances, but her own desires soon convince her that maybe she’s been playing it straight for too long. What she needs is a sexual fling to shake up her life and awaken her sensual side, and who better to have one with? Making love to Zane is the first truly daring thing Naomi has ever done, and she feels like she’s unleashed a wild woman inside her that’s been waiting a lifetime to escape. But Zane has been given a tip that America’s most conservative senator, Atchison Tyler, is involved in a political scandal that could end his career, and he intends to doggedly pursue the truth about Senator Tyler no matter the cost. But when he realizes that Naomi is Senator Tyler’s daughter, everything changes.

She has exacting standards, and Theresa Jacobs will settle for nothing but the best. So when tall and sexy Kyle Cameron struts into her tattoo parlor, she knows she's found a man with all the right moves. And the best part? He's as allergic to commitment as she is.But just as their fling approaches sizzling, something changes. In all sorts of little ways Kyle shows her that he knows the way to treat a woman. Suddenly this fling is about more than sex. And the worst part? She's responding! So much for no strings attached. It's not so clear now what Theresa wants...except more on-the-sheets time with him.

Twelve years ago Zoe Ford let Liam Masters break her heart. But now? There's not a chance. Zoe is as tough and wild as they come. So when Liam shows up at her tattoo parlor, she's more than ready to take him on again. That's not going to be a hardship, since he's hotter than he ever was.This time she's staying in charge. And she's not going to consider their score settled until he's hot, bothered and begging for more! Then she'll move on as callously as he left her. Unless all that deliciously bad sex is just too good to give up...

He's everything she despises-a babe magnet with more notches on his belt than a millipede has legs. And he thinks his coworker is wound so tightly she irons her underwear at night.Two people couldn't be further apart.But when Jack Brook and Claire Marsden get stuck in a sweltering elevator one afternoon, it's a different story. By the time they're rescued, Jack and Claire have swapped confidences and oh, they've had the most spectacular sex of their lives!Back in the office they're still butting heads over projects, but now there's a heightened awareness added to the mix. With this kind of tension in the air, how can they resist another round of sexy indulgence?

Is she for real?One look at the mannequin in the Manhattan department-store window and ambitious executive Eric Harmon knows no woman could be that perfect. But the leggy blonde is actually ex-model Dallas Shea. And she's very much alive. When he spies her at a stuffy corporate dinner, he's amazed it's actually her—his flawless beauty. And he's got to find out if the mystery woman feels as authentic as she looks.Good thing Dallas is aroused, too. Being Eric's mystery woman has had her hot 24/7! But there's only one way to keep the embers burning. Reveal nothing about herself, except what she expects from him in the bedroom. Play up the fantasy. And pray he never gets more than a glimpse of the truth.

TV chef Carrie Robbins (aka The Negligee Gourmet) thinks her archrival Philip Mallory is the ultimate food snob, but the network wants them to tape a cooking series together. The stuffy Brit just doesn't get Carrie's take on cuisine: serving up a mouthwatering dish while dressed like one. Well, if he can't take the heat, he can get out of the kitchen!Only, after she and Philip share a stimulating session of beating and whipping—eggs, that is!—Carrie realizes two things. First, that even though the so-called king of cooking is as difficult as a chocolate souffle, he's even more delicious. And second, that one taste isn't going to be nearly enough....

NYPD Police Report Re Messina Case1900 Hrs: Subject Alec Messina (going by the name of Al Perez—no priors under either) detained by Detective Vanessa Torres. Subject alleged to have embezzled funds. Charges possible pending investigation.2100 Hrs: Subject and officer en route to subject's place of residence to examine evidence when assailed by two men DUI. Shots fired; subject and officer sustain non-life-threatening injuries. All-points bulletin out on perps. Subject claims incident proof someone's out to silence him.2300 Hrs: Subject debriefed at length at his place of residence, during which time officer deems him to be impressively armed and very dangerous. Subject ready to deal. Will expose his highly secret activities...but only if Detective Torres agrees to extended undercover ops with him!

Sex is sociology professor Charlene Singer's business. She knows what makes for good sex and understands what it takes to have great sex. Unfortunately for her, she's experienced only bad sex. But that's about to change, she hopes.Charlene has always believed that it's what's on the outside that counts. She even wrote her thesis on it! And that's got her...nowhere. So she's going to change her image—going from cool and conservative to brazen and bold—to see if she gets any luckier. Only, she soon realizes she'll need more than luck to handle her test subject, cowboy Mason McGraw....

A man with a secret power, a man she loathes -- And a man she wants more than her next breath. When FBI operative Amanda Lane goes undercover to find a murderer, she makes a disturbing discovery: Hathaway Balkmandy, her main suspect, can control desire. Through some extraordinary power, he can make any woman want him. And he's set his sights on Amanda. When paramilitary agent Bolt Tanner gets assigned to the case, he finds himself with a smart, gorgeous partner…who's dangerously incapacitated. He has no choice but to come to her rescue -- by satisfying her every sexual need. But they have to discover the source of Hathaway's strange effect fast, because Amanda's urges are becoming uncontrollable. And only Bolt's exquisite -- and constant -- sensual attention is keeping her from succumbing to Hathaway…the man who killed her sister!

For Mariska Stonegate, the gorgeous guy she's now met is everything she's looking for in a man—hot, hot and...oh, right. Hot. And just because every pore of his body screams danger and sex doesn't mean she's getting herself into too much trouble....But Mr. Thomas isn't who he says he is. In fact, his real name is Jackson—no last names, please—and he's a burned CIA agent on the run. And he'll do just about anything to stay alive...including seducing Mariska one hot, steamy night at a time!