Kathleen Pickering - Desert Heat

This situation is heating up

Women are disappearing in Adobe Creek, Arizona, and it’s up to Detective Meg Flores to stop it. But when New York detective Tico Butler is called in to take over the case, Meg feels threatened. Will he also take over her job? She’s prepared to hate him—but she’s not prepared for the intense chemistry between them!

From the moment Tico arrives, Meg is struck by his bad-boy good looks and his smooth-talking charm. She may not have wanted him here, but he’s proving hard to resist. And when they go undercover together, the desert isn’t the only thing getting hotter….

Tico lay with his eyes closed, trying to catch the breath that had been knocked out of him.

Meg Flores’s laughter mingled with her teammates’, penetrating his mind like a double shot of whiskey. If she spoke the same way she laughed, the woman had one sexy voice.

His senses homed in on the sound of footsteps coming toward him. A cowboy boot stride with attitude. He’d bet a month’s pay he knew who the boots belonged to. Wondering if she’d act the part of rescuer, he kept his eyes shut. All hope was dashed when, still chuckling, she whispered to his horse, “Good job for throwing this bozo, fella.”

He opened his eyes in time to see the sole of a cowboy boot press down on his chest. The curious stare of one Meg Flores flattened him more than he already was. Damn, she was smoking-hot! The reins dangled from her right hand. Diablo glared at him from over her shoulder.

Traitor horse.

“Can I get you a taxi back to New York, Detective?”

Dear Reader Dear Reader Title Page ABOUT THE AUTHOR Dedication 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 CHAPTER FOURTEEN CHAPTER FIFTEEN CHAPTER SIXTEEN CHAPTER SEVENTEEN CHAPTER EIGHTEEN CHAPTER NINETEEN Extract Copyright ,

As many of you know, I find inspiration for my stories from real-life people and situations. Desert Heat grew from my unbounded admiration for my niece and her spouse, two California detectives who face danger practically every day to fight crime against two elements: gangs and drugs.

Amanda and Nic are only two people, but they work from a mind-set that it only takes one person to make a difference. These two professionals train and work tirelessly to be as skilled as possible to keep the streets safe. They have been targets of the criminal element, had bounties on their heads, and still go to work eager to make a change for good.

After I listened to Nic and Amanda’s stories, Tico Butler and Meg Flores came to life in an Arizona border town and took action against two of the most notorious crime elements: drugs and human trafficking. While hunting the bad guys, Tico, a former gang leader turned cop, clashes with the one woman sworn to run him off her turf: Adobe Creek detective team leader Meg Flores. Heat rises in more ways than one while these two battle danger from the criminal element and their own emotions to get the job done.

I hope you enjoy Desert Heat…it is hot in so many ways!

All the best,

Kathleen Pickering

Desert Heat

Kathleen Pickering

www.millsandboon.co.uk

ABOUT THE AUTHOR ABOUT THE AUTHOR Dedication 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 CHAPTER FOURTEEN CHAPTER FIFTEEN CHAPTER SIXTEEN CHAPTER SEVENTEEN CHAPTER EIGHTEEN CHAPTER NINETEEN Extract Copyright

KATHLEEN PICKERINGis an author whose goal is to touch readers’ hearts by creating worlds of adventure, love and intrigue. Given her upbringing with a strict Irish-Catholic mother and a gregarious German-Protestant father, coupled with a family tree about which one tends to only whisper, Kathleen is convinced she’s living proof that life is stranger than fiction. She brands herself as the author with more than just a story to tell and draws her characters and stories from real-life situations. She loves to travel and finds traveling to research her work an added perk. Just be aware, if Kathleen meets you, you may very well end up in one of her stories.

Dedicated to Amanda and Nic…and every law enforcement agent who refuses to let danger destroy the power of love.

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text This situation is heating up Women are disappearing in Adobe Creek, Arizona, and it’s up to Detective Meg Flores to stop it. But when New York detective Tico Butler is called in to take over the case, Meg feels threatened. Will he also take over her job? She’s prepared to hate him—but she’s not prepared for the intense chemistry between them! From the moment Tico arrives, Meg is struck by his bad-boy good looks and his smooth-talking charm. She may not have wanted him here, but he’s proving hard to resist. And when they go undercover together, the desert isn’t the only thing getting hotter….

Introduction Tico lay with his eyes closed, trying to catch the breath that had been knocked out of him. Meg Flores’s laughter mingled with her teammates’, penetrating his mind like a double shot of whiskey. If she spoke the same way she laughed, the woman had one sexy voice. His senses homed in on the sound of footsteps coming toward him. A cowboy boot stride with attitude. He’d bet a month’s pay he knew who the boots belonged to. Wondering if she’d act the part of rescuer, he kept his eyes shut. All hope was dashed when, still chuckling, she whispered to his horse, “Good job for throwing this bozo, fella.” He opened his eyes in time to see the sole of a cowboy boot press down on his chest. The curious stare of one Meg Flores flattened him more than he already was. Damn, she was smoking-hot! The reins dangled from her right hand. Diablo glared at him from over her shoulder. Traitor horse. “Can I get you a taxi back to New York, Detective?”

Dear Reader Dear Reader Dear Reader Title Page ABOUT THE AUTHOR Dedication 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 CHAPTER FOURTEEN CHAPTER FIFTEEN CHAPTER SIXTEEN CHAPTER SEVENTEEN CHAPTER EIGHTEEN CHAPTER NINETEEN Extract Copyright , As many of you know, I find inspiration for my stories from real-life people and situations. Desert Heat grew from my unbounded admiration for my niece and her spouse, two California detectives who face danger practically every day to fight crime against two elements: gangs and drugs. Amanda and Nic are only two people, but they work from a mind-set that it only takes one person to make a difference. These two professionals train and work tirelessly to be as skilled as possible to keep the streets safe. They have been targets of the criminal element, had bounties on their heads, and still go to work eager to make a change for good. After I listened to Nic and Amanda’s stories, Tico Butler and Meg Flores came to life in an Arizona border town and took action against two of the most notorious crime elements: drugs and human trafficking. While hunting the bad guys, Tico, a former gang leader turned cop, clashes with the one woman sworn to run him off her turf: Adobe Creek detective team leader Meg Flores. Heat rises in more ways than one while these two battle danger from the criminal element and their own emotions to get the job done. I hope you enjoy Desert Heat…it is hot in so many ways! All the best, Kathleen Pickering

Title Page Desert Heat Kathleen Pickering www.millsandboon.co.uk

ABOUT THE AUTHOR ABOUT THE AUTHOR ABOUT THE AUTHOR Dedication 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 CHAPTER FOURTEEN CHAPTER FIFTEEN CHAPTER SIXTEEN CHAPTER SEVENTEEN CHAPTER EIGHTEEN CHAPTER NINETEEN Extract Copyright KATHLEEN PICKERING is an author whose goal is to touch readers’ hearts by creating worlds of adventure, love and intrigue. Given her upbringing with a strict Irish-Catholic mother and a gregarious German-Protestant father, coupled with a family tree about which one tends to only whisper, Kathleen is convinced she’s living proof that life is stranger than fiction. She brands herself as the author with more than just a story to tell and draws her characters and stories from real-life situations. She loves to travel and finds traveling to research her work an added perk. Just be aware, if Kathleen meets you, you may very well end up in one of her stories.