âYour men are watching us.â
Brett angled himself to shield Ginny from his crewâs prying eyes. âMaybe weâd better kiss instead. Make this charade look real.â
âNo.â
âNo? Weâre supposed to seal an engagement, not a traffic citation.â
Her deep, fortifying breath matched his own. âI hate it when youâre right.â
She pressed her lips together, zeroing in on his mouth.
Brett caught her chin in his palm and stroked his thumb across her lips. âRelax. Iâll meet you halfway.â
Ginny sank back as he lowered his head and replaced his thumb with his mouth. The lower arc of her sweet lips trembled. Drawn to the tiny flutter of movement, Brett pressed the generous curve between his own lips.
Her lips barely moved.
Her hands were another story altogether.
Her fingers dug into his chest, then crept up to his shoulders, holding herself steady or holding him close, Brett couldnât tell. He wondered if she even knew.
Julie Miller attributed her passion for writing romance to all those fairy tales she read growing up, and to shyness. Encouragement from her family to write down all those feelings she couldnât express became a love for the written word. She gets continued support from her fellow members of the Prairieland Romance Writers, where she serves as the resident âgrammar goddess.â This award-winning author and teacher has published several paranormal romances. Inspired by the likes of Agatha Christie and Encyclopedia Brown, Ms. Miller believes the only thing better than a good mystery is a good romance.
Born and raised in Missouri, she now lives in Nebraska with her husband, son and smiling guard dog, Maxie. Write to Julie at P.O. Box 5162, Grand Island, NE 68802-5162.
Sid and Martha Taylor:
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butcher and homemakerages 63 and 62 respectively
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Brett Taylor:
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contractorage 38 the protector
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Mac Taylor:
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forensic specialistage 37 the professor
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Gideon Taylor:
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firefighter/arson investigatorage 35 the crusader
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Cole Taylor:
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the mysterious brother (the familyâs not quite sure what kind of work he doesâundercover)age 30 the lost soul
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Jessie Taylor:
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the lone daughter antiques dealer/buyer/restorerage 2 the survivor
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Josh Taylor:
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police officerage 27 at 6'3", heâs still the baby of the family the charmer
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Mitch Taylor:
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Sidâs nephewâraised like a son police captainage 39 the chief
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Detective Ginny RaffertyâAs a rule, this headstrong cop works alone. So temporarily joining forces with her potently sexy âfiancéâ is bound to wreak havoc on her steely self-controlâand on her heart.
Brett TaylorâThis neighborhood hero would do anything to protect his family or a friend. And he never forgets a promise, especially when it is made in the heat of passion to the woman he canât resist.
Sophie BishopâShe survived a treacherous past. But will she survive her future?
Eric ChamberlainâAttorney-at-law. Brettâs high-school rival still wants to be #1.
Pearl and Ruby JenkinsâThis mother and daughter have their sights set on Brett.
Dennis FitzgeraldâGinnyâs attentive neighbor knows a lot more about her murder investigation than heâs letting on.
Detective Merle BanningâIs Ginnyâs true-blue partner jealous of the new man in her life?
ZekeâJust another homeless guy. Or does his occasionally lucid mind hold a decade-old secret?
Amy Rafferty and Mark BishopâThese star-crossed lovers paid dearly for their dreams.
Alvin BishopâThe neighborhood bully finally got what he deserved. But who put him out of his misery?
Iâd like to thank my two ace research assistants, who possess a lifetime of expertise on Kansas City, Missouri, and its historyâaka Mom and Dad!
This book is for the Momâs Group, especially my friends Linda Whitely and Lee Carterâbecause I promised.
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
âBrett. Over here.â
Brett Taylor ducked beneath the yellow tape that marked off the condemned building as a crime scene. He took the concrete steps two at a time and joined his younger brother at the top.
Mac Taylor adjusted the wire-rimmed frames of his glasses, pulled off his plastic gloves and extended his hand to greet him. âI said Iâd call you when I knew something. What are you doing here?â
Brett shook hands, then splayed his fingers on either side of his denim-clad hips. He looked down a couple of inches at his tall, fair-haired brother. âIâm saving the world. What does it look like?â He surveyed the team of men and women in black Kansas City Police Department jackets, who were swarming in and out of crumbling doorways and kicking up dust from the disintegrating brickwork. The old Ludlow Arms apartment building was an accident waiting to happen. Apparently one already had. âYour people know to watch their step, donât they?â