Carly Phillips - Simply Sensual

CROSS MY HEART

“Who doesn’t love a reunion of long-lost loves? Add a diabolical villain, as Carly Phillips does, and you have everything you need for a beach read.”

—Columbus Dispatch

“Smart, engrossing and totally addictive! Cross My Heart is a definite must-have in this season’s beach bag.”

—www.FreshFiction.com

SUMMER LOVIN’

“Phillips’s light touch assures a happy ending to this diverting beach read.”

—Publishers Weekly

“A funny and touching family drama.”

—Romantic Times BOOKreviews

“A fun, yet emotional story. A story that will keep you hooked with its kooky, yet charming characters.”

—Romance Reviews Today

HOT ITEM

“Saving her best for last, Phillips wraps up her jocular Hot Zone trilogy….”

—Publishers Weekly

“Phillips has penned a charming, fast-paced contemporary romp-through-the-sheets.”

—Booklist

“Hot Item is a winner.”

—Romance Reviews Today

HOT NUMBER

“A veteran romance author who climbed to star status in Harlequin’s Temptation line, Phillips is certain to capture a new bank of fans with the fresh venue and stylish dialogue featured in this perky series.”

—Publishers Weekly

“Hot Number is a fun, sexy read. For everyone who has ever wished to turn the head of a guy, this book definitely allows you that fantasy while giving you a satisfying love story. Ms. Phillips has proven herself more than capable of delivering stories that touch your heart and your funnybone.”

—In the Library Reviews

“In the follow-up to last year’s Hot Stuff, Phillips once again dives into the high pressure world of sports. Micki and Damian each have quite a few issues to resolve, which adds spice to an already volatile mixture.”

—Jill M. Smith, Romantic Times BOOKreviews (4 stars)

“Carly Phillips hits a home run with the fun, yet touching Hot Number.”

—Jennifer Bishop, Romance Reviews Today

HOT STUFF

“This breezy book will likely score a touchdown with readers looking for sexy thrills and instant gratification.”

—Publishers Weekly

“This first book in The Hot Zone trilogy shines with Phillips’ trademark sizzle and sensuality. She delivers strong, appealing characters while exploring the dynamics of families—what brings them together and what draws them apart. The ending emotionally satisfies and gives readers a tantalizing peek at the romantic quandaries awaiting the rest of the family.”

—Romantic Times BOOKreviews (4 stars)

“Hot Stuff is a surefire hit.”

—Jennifer Bishop, Romance Reviews Today

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

EPILOGUE

BEN CALLAHAN FROWNED at the bone china cup on the sterling serving tray in front of him. Unable to fit one of his large fingers through the handle, he tried instead to hold the delicate cup with his whole hand. He’d have chucked the idea of attempting to grasp the cup, if not for his elderly hostess. Emma Montgomery had declared it was teatime, and from what Ben had seen, he wouldn’t be getting any information out of her until he’d shared in her daily ritual.

He’d never understand the wealthy, nor did he care to try. He’d had a good deal of experience with the breed, none of it leaving a positive impression. His mother had scrubbed floors for a living and he’d seen firsthand how poorly the help was treated. He’d whisked his mother away from menial labor and verbal abuse as soon as he was old enough to support them both.

It was ironic, really. Most of the clients he’d accumulated as a private investigator had money to burn. Ben didn’t mind taking their cash. It paid not only his bills, but the extra money covered the cost of the independent living community where he’d placed his mother. He considered it payback for her years of service.

The elderly woman seated across from him was a potential client. She’d been referred to him by an acquaintance in her social set, one he remembered from the time he’d worked for her last year. So far Emma Montgomery, his hostess, had been refreshing, both charming and persistent at the same time.

While other clients tried to whittle away at his expenses and final take, despite their ability to afford his reasonable fee, Emma Montgomery had paid his airfare and expenses from New York City to Hampshire, Massachusetts, to discuss her reasons for wanting to hire him. As further enticement, she’d named a hefty sum he’d never seen before on a single case, and promised him free rein with expenses, no questions asked. All before she’d explained why she needed his services.

Ben was not only intrigued, but inclined to accept. The money she’d promised would enable him to have his mother moved from independent living to assisted care. With her eyesight rapidly deteriorating, she couldn’t live alone and this case might make the upgraded care possible. If it meant putting up with idiosyncrasies like teatime, he’d force himself to endure.

He met his hostess’s gaze. Piercing brown eyes regarded him from over the rim of her cup. I’m waiting, she seemed to be saying. There was nothing he could do but raise the cup and take a sip.

The minute the hot liquid passed his lips, she said, “My granddaughter needs a sitter. Do you have any interest in the job?”

He swallowed fast, burning his tongue and nearly losing his precarious hold on the fine china. No way he’d heard her correctly. She was offering all that good money for him to play baby-sitter? He shook his head. “Excuse me?”

“Perhaps I didn’t phrase that quite right. I think maybe keeper is the correct word.” She tapped the side of her head, without messing the perfect bun in her gray hair. “Yes, that’s right. My granddaughter is in the process of finding herself and she needs a keeper.”

He placed the cup onto the saucer before he could do serious damage. “I think you’ve been misinformed, Mrs. Montgomery.” Good money or not, Ben drew the line at baby-sitting.

“Call me Emma.” Her smile grew wider.

“Emma. I’m a private investigator. I don’t baby-sit wayward children. Just how old is your granddaughter anyway?”

Emma reached onto the table beside the couch, holding a photo in her hand. She turned the picture toward him.

The woman staring back at him was no child. Honey-blond hair, warm brown eyes and a face as delicate as the china he’d recently held stared back at him. A rush of desire hit Ben hard and a shot of adrenaline jump-started his heart.

“She’s almost thirty and quite a beauty, isn’t she?” Emma asked, pride lilting her voice.

He met the older woman’s gaze and shifted uncomfortably in his chair. “She’s…something all right.” A golden princess.

In his profession Ben was used to observing people and photographs. He was used to forming opinions and going with gut instinct. He was rarely mistaken in his impressions and never blindsided by a pretty face. And he’d always been able to remain detached. Until now.