Karen Rose - Count to Ten

Mia picked up the photo from her dresser. The infant was wrinkled, but to Mia she was beautiful. Faith Buchanan, Dana's child. She'd be Aunt Mia to this baby, too. But it was okay, because to Jeremy she'd be Mom. He hadn't called her that yet, but it was coming. She wasn't sure what she'd do the first time she heard it. Probably the same thing she did the first time Reed told her he loved her, which was to cry like a baby herself.

"Mia? Are you going to stand there looking in the mirror all day? I need help with my buttons."

She blinked, unaware that her gaze had lifted to her own reflection. Setting the picture back on the dresser, she quickly worked Reed's buttons up to his collar, tied his tie, and secured his tie tack. "How did you manage before me?"

He kissed the tip of her nose. "It took me a lot longer to get dressed. Plus I ate my hot dogs dry and slept alone." He grinned down at her. "My quality of life has drastically improved."

She had to laugh. "So has mine."

RITA Award-winning author Karen Rose has always loved books. Jo Marsh from Little Women and Nancy Drew were close childhood friends. She was introduced to suspense and horror at the tender age of eight when she accidentally read Poe's "The Pit and the Pendulum" and was afraid to go to sleep for years, which explains a lot.

After earning her degree in chemical engineering from the University of Maryland, Karen married her high school sweetheart. She started writing when characters started popping up in her head and simply wouldn't be quiet. Now she enjoys making other people afraid to go to sleep! She lives in sunny Florida with her husband and their daughters.

Karen was honored and totally thrilled to receive the Romance Writers of America's highest award in 2005-the RITA for Best Romantic Suspense for I'm Watching You (Warner Books, 2004).

Visit Karen's Web site at www.karenrosebooks.com for more information on Karen, her books, and upcoming events. She loves to hear from readers, so please contact her at karen karenrosebooks.com.