916. Eight Men Out: The Black Sox and the 1919 World Series (Eliot Asinof)

1919 Chicago White Sox team photo

Synopsis from Amazon:
The headlines proclaimed the 1919 fix of the World Series and attempted cover-up as "the most gigantic sporting swindle in the history of America!" First published in 1963, Eight Men Out has become a timeless classic. Eliot Asinof has reconstructed the entire scene-by-scene story of the fantastic scandal in which eight Chicago White Sox players arranged with the nation's leading gamblers to throw the Series in Cincinnati. Mr. Asinof vividly describes the tense meetings, the hitches in the conniving, the actual plays in which the Series was thrown, the Grand Jury indictment, and the famous 1921 trial. Moving behind the scenes, he perceptively examines the motives and backgrounds of the players and the conditions that made the improbable fix all too possible. Here, too, is a graphic picture of the American underworld that managed the fix, the deeply shocked newspapermen who uncovered the story, and the war-exhausted nation that turned with relief and pride to the Series, only to be rocked by the scandal. Far more than a superbly told baseball story, this is a compelling slice of American history in the aftermath of World War I and at the cusp of the Roaring Twenties.

My rating: 5 stars

My review: A great description and explanation of the 1919 Black Sox scandal. Very fairly told, with neither the players, the owners, or MLB (or the version back then) being blameless.

915. Improper (Dawn Ryder)

Synopsis from Amazon:

• Improper Pursuits By Dawn Ryder: Victorian Boston is full of proper etiquette, sweet innocence and cold marriage beds. Newly widowed, Lynette Edwardmoore views another round of socially dictated marriage less than appealing. Nigel Spencer is the one man who might just change her mind. On the surface, he is polished and practiced in the gentlemanly arts but there is something lurking in his eyes that tells a much different story. Dark whispers of forbidden pleasures fuel a growing need to escape the strict dictates of her chaperones. It is a dangerous pursuit to discover what happens in those rooms where society loses its hold and nature takes over. In a sensual, highly erotic journey, Nigel opens Lynette's eyes to the pleasures to be found in sharing, where watching your partner receive pleasure at the hands of another is a scintillating pleasure few are brave enough to experience. As his lover, and perhaps as his wife, Nigel will offer Lynette a world full of erotic experiences. He has but one rule: first and last, Lynette will always be his. If she is brave enough to say yes.
• Improper Lessons By Dawn Ryder: Being a schoolmarm in 1886 means looking the part. Evelyn knows that well and has never deviated from the path of the strict and somber. Until she walked into a supply closet and saw her new employer consorting with his lover. But it was hard to condemn the lovers when her heart raced and her body breathed to life like it never had before. Brenton Ashton should have left his little schoolmarm in chaste peace but the innocent curiosity of her sensuous gaze told him she didn't want that. No, burning right there was desire that the right man could unleash and he just couldn't stop thinking about being the man to set her free. All love begins as lust. When human nature is aroused, the fire never dies, it only recedes until the right tinder is applied. When Brenton takes over her "education", Evelyn discovers that the improper lessons are far better than any she has ever received. Behind locked doors, lust mingles with love and only pleasure matters. But more is at stake than either initially realize.

My rating: 3 stars

914. One Wicked Night (Noelle Mack)

Synopsis from Amazon:
Lord Edward Delamar knows the intimate desires of the most sensual and daring women in London -- and his prowess in the bedroom is legendary. Yet he is a man of honor, handsome and discreet, and their secrets are safe with him. But their hearts are not. An invitation from Lord Delamar means only one thing: they must surrender to a masterful lover like no other -- and experience pleasure that goes beyond their wildest dreams. His women always beg for more -- and more ....

My rating: 3 stars

913. Seasons of Seduction III

Synopsis from Amazon:

• A Man of Vision By Kate Willoughby: For Cristoforo, sculpting marble is his life, but the price of creation is a libido that rides him like a demon. When he discovers his sculpting days are numbered, he hires a mistress to satisfy him night and day. Modern-day courtesan Delphine arrives at Cristoforo's villa prepared for the rigors of being on call 24/7. What she isn't prepared for, however, is the intensity of her body's response to Cristoforo. When she learns what is driving him so ruthlessly, she wonders if she can protect her heart...or if it's already too late.
• I Was an Alien's Love Slave By Charlene Teglia: Micki Sloane needs a hero and she needs him now. She's got a deadline, writer's block and no inspiration. What to do? Wish on a star. Keelan Os'tana has been seeking his bondmate, the one woman who is on his wavelength literally. He answers Micki's mental call by beaming her up into erotic adventure beyond her wildest imaginings. Her options? Form the permanent telepathic bond with Keelan or go home and write for the tabloids. "I Was an Alien's Love Slave" is a sure seller, but Keelan tempts her to live the fantasy instead.
• On Her Back By Renee Luke: Simone Harris is experienced when it comes to loss most recently, that of her brother Jerold. But when his best friend Elijah, wounded in the same fray that killed Jerold, returns home, Simone tries to put her pain aside and offer him her support. She wants to give him anything and everything he needs. Elijah Russell survived every night he spent in the desert and, later, in the hospital by invoking fantasies of Simone. On her back. Beneath him. Now, just being near her again is enough to make him forget his pain for a moment. But his heated emotions seem to be mutual, and soon those fantasies might become a reality. Simone and Elijah both need time to heal, but it's a lot easier to wait together.
• Panther's Pleasure By Cathryn Fox: Sash has spent her life coursing through space. She's never gotten sick before. But as they approach planet Lannar, she begins to feel very ill, and when she meets Kade, leader of Lannar, all kinds of things begin happening to her libido. When Kade sets eyes on Sash he knows she's his mate. How it's possible that an Earth woman is the mate for a shape-shifting panther, he's not sure. All he knows is that there is only one way to help ease her pain and make her first transformation easier. Through mating. And once will never be enough.
• Sunshine for a Vampire By N.J. Walters: Sunshine DeMarco is a blonde-haired, blue-eyed vampire who just doesn't fit in with her own people. She doesn't really like the whole vampire lifestyle the opulent surroundings and overindulgence in everything from food to drink to blood. But even she has family and social obligations. While attending a party for a special European dignitary, she finds herself captivated by a tall, dark stranger. One sensual dance between them leads to a passionate tryst in the host's garden. Reality intrudes and Sunshine flees, but she hasn't seen the last of her mystery lover.
• The Pirate and the Pussycat By Lacey Alexander: When Leah gets an invitation to a Halloween bash, she has mixed emotions. At last year's party, she met a man, fell for him hard and...never heard from him again. So this year she'll take a new approach. Screw emotions she's going to find a sexy guy and do the dirty with him, no strings attached. Arriving in her sexy cat costume, she spies a hot pirate and knows instantly that he's the man she's going to seduce. But can she succeed? Or will this naughty little kitty end up heartbroken all over again?

My rating: 4 stars

912. Secret Services (Margrett Dawson)

Synopsis from Amazon:
Take an adventurous virgin, add a handsome spy, and stir with a dash of treachery. Let the mixture bubble in a hothouse atmosphere of sexual dalliance and danger. Lady Gillian Christie considers herself a thoroughly modern young woman in London. She has a job and her own flat in town, but at twenty-two she is still a virgin. A reporting assignment sends her to a country estate for the weekend to find out about a mysterious game -- a perfect opportunity to find a bed partner and delve into the mysteries of love. The game turns out to be more than she expected, and she is soon involved in a bargain with a handsome undercover agent who will trade what he knows about love for her help in foiling German spies.

My rating: 4 stars

911. Cutting Loose (Tara Janzen)

Synopsis from Amazon Canada:
CIA operative Zachary Prade made his name taking out world threats. But now he’s tracking a very different kind of danger and her name is Lily Robbins. Lily holds the key to a valuable encoded file that’s about to fall into the wrong hands. All Zach has to do is retrieve the key and forget the rain-soaked beauty who came to his Central American plantation seeking shelter from more than the weather.

Lily knows him as Alejandro Campos, the seductive drug lord who saved her life. They met when she traveled to El Salvador to film a documentary…and got caught in the middle of a nasty drug-and-guerrilla war. Now, back in the U.S., hunted by spooks and assassins, Lily has to trust Campos again. Except his name isn’t Campos, and he’s arousing a passion so hot it’s criminal. That is, if they can survive long enough to enjoy it ....

My rating: 2 stars

910. Once a Gentleman (Candice Hern)

Synopsis from Amazon:
When two friends are found in a compromising situation, their marriage of convenience turns into something neither was looking for ... and something neither can live without.

Nicholas Parrish wakes one morning to pounding at the front door of his London townhouse. Standing before him is the irate father of Prudence Armitage and several of her scowling brothers. They accuse him of compromising Prudence, and to his astonishment the woman in question walks out of his study, looking as if she's just been roused from her bed! Prudence had a tiring night putting the finishing touches to The Ladies' Fashionable Cabinet, the magazine she and Nicholas, along with his sister Edwina, have been working on.

With Edwina on an extended wedding trip, Prudence had wanted everything to be perfect. But she fell asleep at her desk, and when she walks out of the office and sees her family ready to murder the man she had secretly had a crush on, Prudence is appalled. And when a marriage is forced between them, she is devastated. The damage is done, though, and now she's determined to make things right between herself and her new husband ... by making him fall in love with her.

My rating: 4 stars

Excerpt: [from Chapter 1]

April 1802

"I might have known I'd find you here."

Prudence Armitage looked up at the sound of the familiar voice. The warm smile that greeted her set off the tiniest fluttering in her breast, involuntary and inevitable. She had known Nicholas Parrish over four years, and he could still make her weak in the knees with that smile. Fortunately, she was seated at the moment and in no danger of an embarrassing collapse.

She quickly removed her spectacles and tucked them into the pocket of her skirt.

"You've been working late almost every night," he said. "You ought to go home, Pru, before you wear yourself out. What are you working on?"

She cleared her throat. Shy at the best of times, she was sometimes painfully so with Nicholas. Especially when alone with him, and that had happened all too frequently the last few months. "I am editing Mary Hays's latest essay on illustrious women of history," she said. The essay was intended for the next issue of The Ladies' Fashionable Cabinet, a popular monthly magazine of which Pru was temporarily in charge.

"Now, that's a job I don't envy," Nicholas said, "editing all that flowery prose. Chopping it up, are you?"

Pru smiled. "Only a bit. Edwina warned me that Mary has become very sensitive lately about any changes to her work. Somehow, though, I need to shave off half a column. If not here, then somewhere else."

Nicholas strode into the room and came to stand beside the desk, studying the various articles, letters, and essays strewn about the surface. "Feel free to cut whatever you think necessary from Augusta's article. I promise not to be the least insulted." He flashed a grin, creating little fans of creases around his twinkling dark eyes.

Nicholas wrote historical essays and biographical sketches under the pen name Augusta Historica. But as far as Pru was concerned, his prose, like everything else about him, was near perfect, and she wouldn't dream of modifying it. "Your essay this month is brilliant. I would sooner cut Mary's than yours." She looked away, embarrassed that he might find her words obsequious.

"You put me to the blush, my girl. But I'm sure you'll find a way to make it all work. You always do. That's why Edwina put you in charge during her absence. You're the only one who could possibly keep all this together." He made a sweeping gesture incorporating the entire room that served as an office for The Ladies' Fashionable Cabinet. "But you know you can call upon me for any help you require. I hate to see you putting in such long hours."

"Edwina did as much."

"My sister has been obsessed with the magazine since she took over as editor five years ago. It was her life, until recently. But I think it is a very good sign that she allowed herself to take an extended wedding trip to France, don't you?"

"Oh, yes." Pru had feared her stubborn friend had locked up her heart forever. She had been thrilled when Edwina finally admitted she was in love with Anthony Morehouse and married him.

Nicholas hitched one hip onto the desk and half sat on the edge. The fabric of his knee breeches pulled tight against a long, well-muscled thigh. Pru tore her gaze away. She would die of embarrassment if he realized how easily his nearness could discompose her.

"I must say, I was glad she and Morehouse hared off to Paris the moment travel restrictions were lifted," he said. "I know she hated to be away from the Cabinet for so long, but she needed to break away, to have something more in her life. As do you, my girl."

He reached out and chucked her lightly on the chin. Lord, how she wished he would not do that.

"It's too many nights now," he said, "I have seen the candles burning late down here."

Prudence wondered if he might be concerned with the number of candles she burned to the ends each week. The magazine's offices, such as they were, happened to be located on the ground floor of the town house Nicholas had long shared with his sister. Candles were a minor expense, but she was aware of his circumstances. She ought to have been more considerate. Starting tomorrow, she would bring her own candles.

"I am sorry to be staying so late again," she said, "but I so want to do a good job while Edwina's away. I don't want her to feel she must worry about anything when she should be enjoying herself. Thankfully, she is well organized—"

"To a fault."

"—and so it is easy enough to see what must be done each month. I will try to leave within an hour, and then you may have the house to yourself."

Prudence had often worked late with Edwina, but never as late as she had done since being left in charge. She wondered if her presence in his house was awkward for Nicholas. Though it pained her to consider it, what if he wanted to bring someone—a woman—home with him at night? As a gently bred spinster long on the shelf, she was not supposed to be aware of such things, but she had five brothers and was not a complete fool. As far as Nicholas was concerned, however, she would rather not know about that aspect of his life.

"Don't leave on my account," he said. "I am on my way out for the evening."

She had assumed as much from his dress. He wore satin knee breeches and stockings, and his shirt was frilled and pleated. No matter what he wore, he was one of the handsomest men she'd ever known—dark, almost black hair and eyes; even, white teeth so often on display in a roguish smile; a tall, slender frame that moved with feline grace. She'd foolishly fallen in love with Nicholas the first time she'd laid eyes on him. And like a schoolgirl of seventeen instead of a spinster of seven-and-twenty, she continued to harbor a ridiculous infatuation for him.

Ridiculous because Prudence was not exactly the sort of woman to attract a man like Nicholas Parrish. If they had not worked closely together for so many years, he would never have given her a second glance. Or a first, for that matter. She was small and colorless next to his dark beauty. Like a little gray pony beside a sleek, black stallion. A more mismatched pair could scarcely be imagined.

"And I'll tell you what, Pru." He leaned toward her and gave a conspiratorial wink. "I'm planning on making a full night of it. Good food, good wine, good play, and maybe, just maybe… a good bit of carousing. Oh, dear. You're blushing. I shouldn't say such things to a respectable lady, I know." He straightened and shook out his coat-tails. "But you're a good friend and a good sport, Pru. I know you don't mind."

"No, I don't mind," she lied. She was quite accustomed to his treating her like a sister. Or one of his male cronies. That did not mean she liked it. But it wasn't his fault. Prudence was accustomed to men forgetting she was female. She lived in a house full of men who forgot all the time.

"Well, I'm off then," Nicholas said. "You'll be all right by yourself?"

"Yes, of course."

"Are you certain you wouldn't like to finish up and allow me to escort you home?"

"No, thank you, Nicholas. I do want to continue editing this essay, if you don't mind. And it's always easy to find a hackney near the square, no matter what hour."

"Then I shall leave you to your edits. But don't work too late, my girl. You are looking tired, a bit haggard."

With a flash of white teeth and dark eyes, he was gone.

Prudence dropped her head to rest on her arms. She looked haggard, did she? How mortifying for him to notice. She did not look pretty under the best of circumstances. She must look a fright at the moment, even without her spectacles.

But she was tired. She'd been working long and hard on the magazine. It frankly astonished her how much Edwina had done to keep it running smoothly. But Prudence was determined to prove her friend's trust was not misplaced. Her work on The Ladies' Fashionable Cabinet was just about the only thing Prudence was truly proud of in her life. She was not blessed with a great deal of self-confidence. She was small and plain and shy—a spinster with no prospects. But the trust of Edwina, Nicholas, and the others at the Cabinet stirred a quiet sort of pride within her in a way that nothing else had ever done. She had a keen desire to live up to their faith in her. She was determined to do a good job, an outstanding job, as acting editor-in-chief.

Prudence had first become involved with the Cabinet by occasionally submitting articles. She had been impressed by the quality of the writing in the magazine, and also by its very subtle republican outlook, especially in its attitude toward women. Prudence had discovered the writings of Mary Wollstonecraft as a young girl, and strongly supported her philosophies regarding the role of women, the need for women to take charge of their own lives, to take responsibility for their destinies. When she recognized a hint of those philosophies in a magazine she had once considered no more than frivolous entertainment, she was intrigued.

Her articles were always accepted, and Edwina eventually solicited more from her. Finally, Edwina invited her to come on board in a more formal role as assistant editor, which Prudence had done with great pleasure. She had taken on some of the business aspects of publication and thought she knew all there was to know about publishing a monthly magazine. But she was fast discovering how little she really knew of all that Edwina had done to keep the business running smoothly, especially since their circulation numbers had more than doubled during the past six months.

It was invigorating, though, to actually be in charge. She felt important, valuable. It was a heady experience.

The only drawback was that the offices were in Nicholas's house. It had been Edwina's decision to convert the library into a business office and the dining room into a workroom. Pru had always thought of the town house on Golden Square as • Edwina's house. She had never considered that one day her friend might not be there. With Edwina gone, Pru found it somewhat awkward to work alone in the home of a single gentleman—a gentleman whose smile could turn her knees to jelly.

It was less awkward when Flora Gallagher, the fashion editor, was about. Or even the Crimson Ladies, the street prostitutes Flora had hired for hand-coloring the fashion plates and other engravings in each month's issue. The noise and bustle of their company made for a much more comfortable atmosphere than when Pru was alone in the house with Nicholas.

Any discomfort in this very unconventional household, however, seemed to be hers alone. Nicholas had never indicated any degree of awkwardness. Most likely, he never even noticed her.

No, that was unkind. He was not like her brothers. He was always a gentleman and treated her as a good friend. It was only her own idiotic calf love that brought any awkwardness into the situation. And since she'd never admitted it to a single soul, all the discomfort would remain a private trial.

She was a fool. Instead of squirming within a hopeless and quite childish infatuation, she ought to accept the genuine friendship Nicholas offered and be happy for it. She would have to be the last woman on earth before she could expect anything more from him. If then.

She was overcome by a tremendous yawn that reminded her she had lots of work yet to do. There was no time to spin fantasies a woman of her age had no business spinning. She stretched her arms to the ceiling and out to her sides, working out the kinks in her back and shoulders. Then she replaced her spectacles, bent once again to Mary Hays's essay, and forced all thoughts of Nicholas out of her mind.

909. Satisfaction (Thea Devine)

Synopsis from Barnes and Noble:
They were adventurers and the closest of friends -- until the day Hugo Galliard deserted Edmund Renbrook in South Africa, robbing him forever of his diamonds, his woman, and his future. Now, years later, a son and daughter will meet to settle the score, using every bit of sensual cunning at their disposal ….

Lujan Galliard has cut quite a swath through the gambling dens and whorehouses of London. But at least he's an honest rakehell, unlike his father who masquerades as a gentleman while gazing at Jancie as if she were a ripe piece of fruit for the taking. Not that Lujan believes for a moment that the girl is an innocent come to care for his dying mother. The only way to uncover her scheme -- and thwart his father -- is to seduce and marry her. But a taste of what he hungers for proves more tempting than Lujan can resist…and soon, he wants Jancie body and soul ....

Blinded by vengeance, trapped by uncontrollable passion, two lovers have become pawns in a dangerous game of sin and secrets, and the only way out is to surrender to a love neither is ready to trust ....

My rating: 4 stars

908. All U Can Eat (Emma Holly)

Synopsis from Amazon:
Under suspicion for murder, Frankie Smith joins sexy police chief Jack West on a rollercoaster ride of an investigation. And as the twists and turns unfold, letting go of her inhibitions begins to seem like the most natural thing in the world.

My rating: 3 stars

907. Seduce Me (Carly Phillips)

Synopsis from Amazon:
Sexy divorce attorney Jack Latham is brilliant in court and even better in bed. He has no desire to get off the romance go-round, until a high-profile case assigns him to work with his law firm's resident ice queen, Mallory Sinclair.

For years, Mallory's power suits and cool professionalism have laid down the law for male colleagues. But the lady has a secret. Jack just happens to be the object of her desire. Hiding her lust has been a challenge, but her ambitions demanded the sacrifice.

Now, with Jack so tantalizingly close, it's time to reveal the silk beneath the pinstripe ....

My rating: 4 stars

Excerpt:

“YOU’VE BEEN SUMMONED.”

Mallory Sinclair glanced up from the complicated lease she’d been reading to find her secretary, Paula, standing in the doorway. “Sorry, I didn’t hear you knock.”

“That’s because I didn’t. When the Terminator calls there’s no time to waste. Especially if you want a minute to freshen up before entering his lair.” Paula, Mallory’s young, beautiful and on-the-prowl secretary, wiggled her eyebrows in a suggestive gesture meant to prompt Mallory into primping for this unexpected meeting with the firm’s best-looking partner.

Mallory reached for a legal pad instead of her purse. Though she’d never let her emotions show, for the first time in her eight years with Waldorf, Haynes, Greene, Meyers & Latham, she shook in her no-nonsense pumps. She’d fought for assignments, gone head-to-head with senior partners over issues she believed in, and she’d held on to her job when other female associates had quit, been fired or had moved on to get married or have a family. She was the sole surviving female in a male dominated arena and was only one year away from making partner. She hadn’t gotten this far without confrontation and she’d never backed away from a fight. Never been afraid to work with or take on opposing counsel or partner. Until now.

Because as the top real estate associate, she’d never been summoned by hotshot divorce attorney and partner of the firm, Jack Latham. A man equal parts sexy male and lethal terminator—marriage terminator. That he wanted to see her now meant he had good reason.

“I could say you’re busy and take notes in your place.”

Mallory didn’t miss the hopeful note in her flirtatious secretary’s voice. The other woman envied Mallory’s meeting with Jack Latham. He was an office icon—a man adored by women and respected by men.

If the grapevine was correct, he neither believed in the institution of marriage nor the idea of commitment. But his views weren’t a deterrent to any breathing member of the opposite sex. Every woman in the office thought given the chance, she could change his mind.

“Thanks for the offer but I’m sure I can handle it.” Mallory smiled wryly.

Paula shrugged. “Too bad. I could really use the distraction and give him a meeting he’d never forget.” She hitched her already borderline-trouble skirt hem up another notch.

Mallory stifled a laugh. Good thing for Jack there was a no-office-romance policy, instituted after an employee had filed a sexual harassment suit against an older partner three years ago. The firm had settled quietly, the founding partner had retired, and the no-dating rule had gone into effect. Women like Paula could drool, but they couldn’t put the moves on any of the male attorneys, and vice versa. But rules couldn’t stop the imagination and there wasn’t a woman in the office, from secretary, to paralegal, to the only female associate, who hadn’t fantasized about Jack Latham.

The difference between Mallory and the other women in the office was that she didn’t outwardly show interest. She couldn’t afford to crack her facade. She glanced at Paula who sat twirling a permed blond strand of hair around one finger, a disappointed look on her face.

“If the man knew what I’d saved him from, he’d get down on his hands and knees and thank me,” Mallory said.

“I wish he’d get down on those knees for me.” Paula let out an exaggerated sigh before glancing at her watch. “You’d better get going. He said posthaste or something like that.”

“Thanks.” Pad under her arm, Mallory headed out of her office and down the hall.

She clenched her fists, only to discover she was sweating. Good God, she felt like a teenager in the throes of her first crush and that wouldn’t do. Not when she’d done everything she could think of to join the ranks of this old boys’ network and make partner.

Including outwardly suppressing her femininity. She hid her sexy lace teddies and garters beneath conservative suits, covered her hot-colored pedicures with sensible pumps, showed only unlacquered fingernails, and squashed her sense of humor and warmth beneath a no-nonsense personality. When she looked in the mirror she barely recognized the person staring back.

But next year, she’d reap the benefits of her sacrifice: she’d earn both the first female partnership offered at the firm, and her father’s respect. The man who’d desired a son and gotten Mallory instead, would finally see she was worthy, despite his belief to the contrary.

She inhaled deeply. “I’m nearly there,” she purposely said aloud, to remind herself of how hard she’d worked and how far she’d come. No way would she let a summons from Jack Latham, her secret fantasy, destroy a dream eight years in the making. She let out a long breath. Yes, she could handle Jack Latham.

She paused outside his office to wipe her palms against her skirt and smooth back her hair, then she knocked three times in rapid succession.

“Come on in.” A deep sexy voice rumbled from behind the closed door.

Her stomach curled with a combination of warmth and anticipation. She reached for the doorknob and entered. But not before a last glimpse at her chest to make sure her sea-pearl buttons were closed tight and not a hint of lace or silk would make an unwanted appearance. She stepped into his office and shut the door.

Hands linked behind his back, Jack Latham stood at the window overlooking the scenery below, the Empire State Building, tall and imposing in the background.

His broad shoulders were covered by a navy pinstriped suit. European and designer-made, the jacket accented his powerful frame. He presented as potent a vision as the landscape outside the window. Fog surrounded the city; a New York summer day and the view from the corner office at its finest, Mallory thought.

He didn’t turn when the door creaked behind her. She wasn’t surprised. She knew the game, just as Jack knew who stood at his desk, awaiting his attention. He’d summoned her, after all. But to acknowledge her immediately might shift the balance of power toward equality and he wouldn’t do that with an associate. Especially a female associate. Every time she was assigned a new partner, she underwent the same drill, and often asked herself if Intimidation 101 was a prerequisite for men working in the field of law.

She’d learned not to let it get to her and she’d learned to push back. She cleared her throat. “Excuse me, Mr. Latham, but you asked to see me?”

Silence.

Strange, she thought. But then what did she know of the man? Although he’d been at Waldorf, Haynes longer than she had, the firm boasted over seventy-five attorneys spread out over three floors of a high-rise building. Their paths had rarely crossed on a one-to-one basis. Until now.

One more try and she was out of here. He could come looking for her if he intended to carry this game too far. “Mr. Latham?”

906. Loving Lies (Lora Leigh)

Synopsis from Amazon:
Love will find a way. Slade was Jessie's life, the first love that filled her heart and soul and bound her woman's spirit. Years of waiting culminating in an incredible weekend of sexual abandon-teaching her everything she needed to know to be his woman and branded her as Slade's woman for life. Jessie was certain Slade had to love her. Until he whispered the lie, the ultimate betrayal, and walked away only to wed another woman. Now five years later Slade returns, his soul has withered without Jessie's presence, and now he'll have her, one way or the other. The love for her, the fierce overriding hunger and need consumes his heart and binds his soul. No matter the obstacles, Slade will get her back. Whatever it takes. Whatever he has to do.

My rating: 4 stars

905. Bad Girl (Maya Reynolds)

Synopsis from Amazon:
Being bad can be so good. All it takes is the right man. By day, Sandy Davis is a dedicated social worker. By night, she's found an unlikely pastime: spying on her neighbors' erotic encounters. She tells herself that it's harmless, until one night she finds herself on the receiving end of such a fantasy-and an anonymous phone call from a peeping stranger who calls himself Justice, and whispers, "You've been a bad girl." The arousing predicament turns into a sensual dance between the adventurous pair. But when a third player enters their sexy game, the fun turns to something darker and more dangerous.

My rating: 4 stars

904. Sins and Secrets (P. F. Kozak)

Synopsis from Amazon:
Set in Victorian London, a unique choose-your-own sexual adventure from the author of Passion.

In the London of the 1880s, genteel young women are strictly governed and taught to obey without question. But not Pamela Kingston. Her guardian -- the handsome and masterful Peter Rennard -- indulges her every whim. When Pamela confides her most intimate fantasies to him, he promises to initiate her into a hidden world of desire ... and teach her the infinite pleasure of pure sin ....

My rating: 3 stars

903. As You Desire (Connie Brockway)

Synopsis from Amazon:
He galloped across the midnight-shrouded landscape, racing toward her on his pure white steed. Her destiny ... In her wildest fantasies Desdemona Carlisle could not have conjured a more dashing savior, and this was real. But an unlikelier hero was hard to find. Harry Braxton was a rouge, a scoundrel, and a born opportunist who had already broken her heart once. How could she ever trust a notorious rake who came with a warning: lover, beware ...

With her bronze-gold hair and quicksilver grace, the sloe-eyed beauty was every man's desire and one man's sole passion. But the secret that had made Harry an exile also made it impossible for him to offer Desdemona more that friendship. Until his aristocratic cousin laid siege to Desdemona's heart and Harry, damning the consequences, vowed to do anything, give anything, to claim her for him own ...

My rating: 4 stars

Excerpt:

Above the vast Egyptian desert the midnight sky reflected its own eternal emptiness. This was the High Desert. Its uncharted surface offered convenient oblivion for those who sought to hide in it.

Squatting sullenly at the base of a sand dune, the slave traders' encampment was peopled by such fugitives. It was a small compound: a string of camels, a half-dozen tents set around a fire, a score of lidless crates piled within reach of the campfire's illumination.

Inspecting the contents of these crates were several dozen men. Some were obviously merchants who, having come into the desert from towns miles away, were here to acquire the black market goods being offered. The merchants were Arabs, relative newcomers to Egypt—fourteen centuries being relative in this ancient land. The others—heavily veiled even now, at night—were Tuareks, of Coptic origin, the true descendants of the ancient Egyptians. They were the sellers. And, sitting just beyond the reach of the firelight, was the rarest and most precious offering among merchandise rife with the unique and invaluable: a young, blond Englishwoman.

A slave.

The pale and proud girl faced her captors, making no effort to hide her disdainful glare. When first snatched from the Cairo market four days before, fear had paralyzed her usually agile intelligence, terror had crippled her spirit with the certainty that soon she would become the plaything of some cruel desert sheik.

But now four days had passed and no desert prince had come for her. Indeed, no one came near her at all, and the sweet, tender flower of womanhood found that terror, numbed by the potent drink her captors forced upon her, had given way to… to…

Boredom?

Desdemona Carlisle slouched tipsily against a pile of Persian rugs, gravely considering the word. It seemed too cavalier for her situation, but she couldn't claim she felt exactly terrorized anymore. She stuck a finger under the wretched chadar, the face veil her captors insisted she wear at all times, and scratched.

Impatient? Yes!

The young lady, courageous and valiant, was impatient to confront her fate.

But first, thought Desdemona, the young lady would have another swig of the unique, and not altogether unpalatable, milky beverage that the sullen-looking boy, Rabi, spent most of his free time encouraging her to imbibe.

Indeed, other than sitting about being bored—impatient, penning entries in an imaginary diary, and sipping this stuff—there wasn't much to do. The fake papyrus scroll Rabi had given her as a means of keeping her occupied was fascinating, yes, but a bit too… absorbing… to be studied properly here and now. It was more suitable reading for a private setting.

She was sure she could have found other interesting things in the crates heaped around camp. She had glimpsed glints of shining metal, colored stone, shapes and figurines. But every time she ventured near the crates, her guards barked at her; every time she tried to run away, they fetched her back—with increasing ill grace—and every time she tried to hold a civil conversation, they stared at her in mute contempt.

The most obvious explanation for their aloofness, she concluded, was that her purity was being safeguarded to ensure she would command a greater price on the auction block. She shivered and groped around in the sand for her tin cup.

She found it and looked up. Rabi was staring at her. As soon as he noted the direction of her gaze, he turned and slunk away like a cadaverous Anubis puppy. Wise lad, she thought darkly.

It had been Rabi who'd kidnapped her. One minute she'd been examining a nice, authentic-looking canopic jar and the next she was being gagged with some hideous cloth, her head stuffed in an equally vile sack, and she'd been flung over a bony shoulder. A moment later he'd thrown her atop what— judging from the smell and lumps—could only be a camel.

She'd spent an entire day jolting about in front of him, sweating beneath the heavy sack covering her. Once they'd arrived, he had plopped her on her feet for her unveiling and, his young voice flush with the pride of conquest, hailed the camp. Then, with a spectacular flourish, he'd snapped the sack—and her headdress—off.

Confused, frightened, and seasick from the rocking camel ride, she had squinted into the sudden blinding light, peering at the silent, shadowy faces crowding around her. Someone said something that sounded suspiciously like the Arabic equivalent of "Uh-oh." In a flurry of motion, the men had snatched their burkos in front of their faces. She'd not seen an unveiled man since.

Soon after, they'd taken Rabi aside and given him the thrashing of his young life. She assumed it was because he had attempted to assert his masculine rights of ownership over her. Her mouth twined at the thought. A fifteen-year-old boy-child was not her idea of— What ever was she thinking about?

She lifted her tin cup to her lips and sipped nothing. Drat. It was empty.

"Hey, Rabi!" she called. "I say, I could do with a spot more of that what-have-you!" As if by magic, the sound of her voice cut off all conversation in the camp. Every man, especially the town merchants, turned and stared at her. Within five minutes the Arabs had fled, leaving her alone with her veiled captors. They glared at her, looking decidedly unhappy.

"Well? I'm sorry but they certainly weren't going to buy me. They couldn't even afford your fake faience. Not a sheik in the lot, I'd wager," she said with alcohol-imbued logic. Indeed, the departed men had looked more like middle-age—and none too prosperous—businessmen than proper white slavers. She glanced about, trying to determine where they'd gone and if she could go with. Maybe she had this white slave thing all wrong. Maybe she…

It was then that she saw him.

Wind and darkness coalesced in the distance. A rider so much a part of his steed that he seemed more centaur than man crested the moon-silvered edge of a dune. His cape billowed in the wind like great black wings. Closer he sped, myth embodied, galloping across the midnight-shrouded sands, racing toward her.

Her destiny.

She stood up, swaying. Rabi dropped the goat bladder he'd been filling her cup from and caught her elbow, steadying her.

"Who is he?" she breathed, her gaze riveted on the figure now almost to the camp.

"He came for you," Rabi said.

Her head snapped around in surprise. She'd thought "drink, you drink" the extent of Rabi's English vocabulary. He looked positively jubilant.

"You mean… he's taking me… tonight?"

"Yes, yes," Rabi said, pulling her forward. "Tonight you go with him. Everyone will be happy." He dragged her toward the campfire and she stumbled to her knees.

"Hup, hup, you hup," one of the veiled men grumbled, coming and standing over her.

She tilted her chin haughtily. "Why should I?"

He made a grab for her and she scooted to her feet. She would not give him the satisfaction of swinging her over his shoulder like a sack of grain and dumping her back in that hot, smelly tent—the way most of her previous acts of defiance had been met.

She was an Englishwoman; she had her pride. With a brave toss of her hair, she swept into the bright circle of light.

"Here is Sitt," the man ahead of her mumbled, flicking his hand in her direction and snatching up Rabi's goat bladder as if he needed it. He took a deep swig.

She looked around and found the one unfamiliar figure in the camp. Her heart started racing. Her breath caught in her throat. Without doubt, without reason, unequivocally and absolutely, she knew this man would own her.

He hovered on the periphery of the darkness, licked by shadows, studying her. When he came forward, it was with the soft-sure footfall of the panther. He approached at an oblique angle, his head cocked as he considered her. Somehow she contrived to remain erect beneath that keen and heartless perusal.

He flung back the inky cape suspended from a jeweled clasp on his shoulder and set his gloved fist on his hip. Only his eyes were visible; his expression was obscured by an indigo burkos tucked beneath the edge of his khaftya.

Another Tuarek tribesman, Desdemona thought breathlessly. The most savage of the lawless desert nomads.

Above his veil his eyes narrowed and glittered in the uncertain firelight. Dangerous, sleek, and arrogant, he stalked toward her. She swallowed hard and, her self-possession breaking with his predatory approach, scuttled back from his advance.

He laughed, a cruel, barbaric sound. It stopped her retreat. Generations of British pride steeled her backbone, and she met his gaze defiantly, even courageously. His hand shot out with the deadly speed of a striking cobra and he grabbed her wrist, dragging her to him. She fought fiercely, knowing the slavers would do nothing to intercede, fear replacing her former defiance.

He held her easily, her strength a negligible thing, and called over her head to the muttering slavers in hoarse, guttural Arabic. Why, oh why, she asked herself, could she never learn to speak the dratted language, only read it?

One of the men, a dirty individual in a lopsided turban, flapped his hand toward the tent where she slept. With another low laugh, the stranger snatched her forward and hauled her into its dim interior.

The sudden severity of her situation exploded in upon her, erasing some of the torpor from her drink-befuddled mind. This was no romantic prince of the desert, this was a hard savage, a man who would use her body as casually as an Englishman would soil a napkin and just as casually discard her when he was done.

She screamed. His big hand clamped over her mouth and he spun her about, dragging her against the unyielding wall of his chest. He hissed something in her ear but she couldn't make out the words, her stifled screams reverberated too loudly in her skull. She struggled, kicking and flailing.

"Would you bloody well stop it?" he thundered in her ear.

She froze, her surprise at hearing not only an English accent but that English accent so great she couldn't have moved. He unclamped his hand from her mouth and wheeled her about. In their struggle his burkos had fallen, uncovering his face.

She stared at him, disbelief turning to amazement turning to fury. "Harry Braxton, if you bought me, I'll kill you."

902. Cut to the Quick (Kate Ross)

Synopsis from Amazon:
In 1820s London, Mark Craddock, formerly a stable hand for the ancient, respectable Fontclair family, blackmails Hugh Fontclair into asking for the hand of his only daughter. During a prenuptial house party at the Fontclair estate, gadabout dandy Julian Kestel discovers a murdered woman in his bed, then joins in the subsequent investigation. Likely suspects include Hugh's rakish cousin, evasive uncle, penniless poor relation, and so forth.

My rating: 3 stars

901. A Little Harmless Sex (Melissa Schroeder)

Synopsis from Amazon Canada:
Max has always been Anna's knight in shining armor. But Max has always seen her as a charming, and very sexy, little sister. Until Max's cold fiance dumps him, Anna unloads another of her many conquests and she invites him over for margaritas and Mexican food. Too much tequila, too much flirting, and too many years of fighting the attraction-Max loses control and has mind-blowing sex with Anna on her couch. And in her shower. And in her bed. When the sun rises the next morning, both of them must face that their night together is just the first of many. For Max, he knows he wants Anna forever, but convincing a commitment-phobe like Anna is no easy task. For Anna, she can't believe she has finally slipped beneath Max's steely self-control. He is every woman's dark, wet fantasy come true. But what happens when the Max pushes Anna for more than just A Little Harmless Sex?

My rating: 3 stars

900. His Mistress By Morning (Elizabeth Boyle)

Synopsis from Amazon:
Charlotte Wilmont is hopelessly in love with Sebastian Marlowe, but the handsome nobleman can't even remember her name. Instead, Sebastian seems destined to wed the annoyingly perfect and incredibly wealthy Lavinia Burke. Then one night while wearing a ring she had recently inherited from her great-aunt Ursula, Charlotte falls asleep desperately wishing that she could be the woman Sebastian loves. Much to Charlotte's surprise, when she awakes the next morning, she is in a strange bed with Sebastian, who now seems to be passionately in love with her. Charlotte also discovers that she is no longer shy, spinsterish Charlotte Wilmont but "Lottie Townsend," London's most celebrated courtesan and Sebastian's mistress!

My rating: 3 stars