Tiffany Reisz - One Hot December

Hard as steel...and hotter still!

Never mess with a woman who carries a blowtorch in her backpack. Welder and artist Veronica “Flash” Redding’s playful sense of evil sometimes gets the better of her. Like when her insanely handsome, wealthy, suited-up boss gave her the most sensuously wicked night of her life...then dumped her. Yep, revenge is a dish best served hot.

Only Ian Asher isn’t letting Flash get away quite so easily. He’s not ready to forget the intensity between them. The searing heat when they touch. And the deliciously demanding control Ian wields in the bedroom. Now he has only the holidays to convince Flash that they belong together...and that even the most exquisite, broken things can be welded back together.

It was rough and wild, hungry and desperate...

Flash loved it. She loved it as much as she loved Ian, and the only thing she hated was that she was too scared to tell him that. He made her feel too much.

They stood by the wall, their bodies still joined as Ian rested his forehead on her shoulder.

“I’m never like this with anyone but you,” he said as he caught his breath. She loved hearing him out of breath. “You bring out the worst in me. Or the best. Can’t tell sometimes.”

“I bring out the you in you.”

“You like me like this, don’t you?”

She loved him like this. But she couldn’t say that. It was on the tip of her tongue, but she couldn’t quite get it out.

“More than you know, Ian.”

Maybe more than he’d ever know.

Dear Reader Dear Reader Title Page About the Author Dedication Acknowledgments Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Chapter 10 Chapter 11 Chapter 12 Extract Copyright ,

If you’re anything like me, you love the ’80s movie Flashdance but always thought it was missing a little something—namely a holiday romance, right? As soon as I started writing One Hot December and I made my heroine a welder, I knew I had to name her Flash in honor of Flashdance. And, of course, I had to work in the word maniac in the story just once, because I am a child of the ’80s and always will be.

The actual inspiration for One Hot December came from a writer friend of mine who is Jewish and married to a Christian. They celebrate both Hanukkah and Christmas, as many interfaith couples do. She said it’s nearly impossible to find a romance novel that includes both holidays. So here ya go, Sara. This book’s for you. And of course, it’s for all my readers who celebrate Hanukkah and Christmas. I hope you enjoy the story of Flash and Ian and their romance that will last long after their hot December together.

Happy Hanukkah! Merry Christmas! All my best holiday wishes to one and all, no matter what you celebrate. Even if you celebrate neither holiday, we can certainly celebrate love and romance together, and we can do it all year long.

Tiffany Reisz

One Hot December

Tiffany Reisz

www.millsandboon.co.uk

TIFFANY REISZ is a multi-award-winning and bestselling author. She lives on Mount Hood in Oregon in her secret volcanic lair with her husband, author Andrew Shaffer, two cats and twenty sock monkeys named Gerald. Find her online at tiffanyreisz.com.

Dedicated to...

Sara and Sara and Flash

Acknowledgments Acknowledgments Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Chapter 10 Chapter 11 Chapter 12 Extract Copyright

Writing the Men at Work holiday trilogy for Harlequin Blaze has been the writing highlight of my year. I’ve had so much fun writing these books. I can only hope my readers have half as much fun reading them as I’ve had writing them.

A huge thank you to my editor Kathleen Scheibling for her enthusiasm about the books. Working with you has been a true pleasure, Kathleen. I knew when I saw you collected sock monkeys, too, that we would get along just fine. Thank you to the entire Harlequin Blaze team for all their work on the edits and cover and marketing.

Thank you to my agent, Sara Megibow, for not only encouraging me to write the books, but for helping me get all the Hanukkah stuff right in One Hot December. I couldn’t have done it without you.

Thank you to my beta readers, Jennifer Rosen and Robin Becht, for your great notes.

And thank you, of course, to my husband, author Andrew Shaffer, who makes it very easy for me to write happy-ever-afters.

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text Hard as steel...and hotter still! Never mess with a woman who carries a blowtorch in her backpack. Welder and artist Veronica “Flash” Redding’s playful sense of evil sometimes gets the better of her. Like when her insanely handsome, wealthy, suited-up boss gave her the most sensuously wicked night of her life...then dumped her. Yep, revenge is a dish best served hot. Only Ian Asher isn’t letting Flash get away quite so easily. He’s not ready to forget the intensity between them. The searing heat when they touch. And the deliciously demanding control Ian wields in the bedroom. Now he has only the holidays to convince Flash that they belong together...and that even the most exquisite, broken things can be welded back together.

Introduction It was rough and wild, hungry and desperate... Flash loved it. She loved it as much as she loved Ian, and the only thing she hated was that she was too scared to tell him that. He made her feel too much. They stood by the wall, their bodies still joined as Ian rested his forehead on her shoulder. “I’m never like this with anyone but you,” he said as he caught his breath. She loved hearing him out of breath. “You bring out the worst in me. Or the best. Can’t tell sometimes.” “I bring out the you in you.” “You like me like this, don’t you?” She loved him like this. But she couldn’t say that. It was on the tip of her tongue, but she couldn’t quite get it out. “More than you know, Ian.” Maybe more than he’d ever know.

Dear Reader Dear Reader Dear Reader Title Page About the Author Dedication Acknowledgments Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Chapter 10 Chapter 11 Chapter 12 Extract Copyright , If you’re anything like me, you love the ’80s movie Flashdance but always thought it was missing a little something—namely a holiday romance, right? As soon as I started writing One Hot December and I made my heroine a welder, I knew I had to name her Flash in honor of Flashdance. And, of course, I had to work in the word maniac in the story just once, because I am a child of the ’80s and always will be. The actual inspiration for One Hot December came from a writer friend of mine who is Jewish and married to a Christian. They celebrate both Hanukkah and Christmas, as many interfaith couples do. She said it’s nearly impossible to find a romance novel that includes both holidays. So here ya go, Sara. This book’s for you. And of course, it’s for all my readers who celebrate Hanukkah and Christmas. I hope you enjoy the story of Flash and Ian and their romance that will last long after their hot December together. Happy Hanukkah! Merry Christmas! All my best holiday wishes to one and all, no matter what you celebrate. Even if you celebrate neither holiday, we can certainly celebrate love and romance together, and we can do it all year long. Tiffany Reisz

Title Page One Hot December Tiffany Reisz www.millsandboon.co.uk

About the Author TIFFANY REISZ is a multi-award-winning and bestselling author. She lives on Mount Hood in Oregon in her secret volcanic lair with her husband, author Andrew Shaffer, two cats and twenty sock monkeys named Gerald. Find her online at tiffanyreisz.com .