Linda Johnston - Operation - Reunited

“Damn it, I can’t. You are the sky to me, Alexa. No matter what, you are still my sky.”

She froze.

His words. She recognized them. So long ago—

With a sob, Alexa pulled back as much as she could, with his body still, unyieldingly, on hers. She tried, in the darkness of the boathouse, to see deep into eyes that were both familiar and unfamiliar.

“Oh, my Lord,” she whispered hoarsely, tears cascading down her cheeks. “You are Cole.”

Dear Harlequin Intrigue Reader,

Harlequin Intrigue has four new stories to blast you out of the winter doldrums. Look what we’ve got heating up for you this month.

Sylvie Kurtz brings you the first in her two-book miniseries FLESH AND BLOOD. Fifteen years ago, a burst of anger by the banks of the raging Red Thunder River changed the lives of two brothers forever. In Remembering Red Thunder, Sheriff Chance Conover struggles to regain the memory of his life, his wife and their unborn baby before a man out for revenge silences him permanently.

You can also look for the second book in the four-book continuity series MORIAH’S LANDING—Howling in the Darkness by B.J. Daniels. Jonah Ries has always sensed something was wrong in Moriah’s Landing, but when he accidentally crashes Kat Ridgemont’s online blind date, he realizes the tough yet fragile beauty has more to fear than even the town’s superstitions.

In Operation: Reunited by Linda O. Johnston, Alexa Kenner is on the verge of marriage when she meets John O’Rourke, a man who eerily resembles her dead lover, Cole Rappaport, who died in a terrible explosion. Could they be one and the same?

And finally this month, one by one government witnesses who put away a mob associate have been killed, with only Tara Ford remaining. U.S. Deputy Marshal Brad Harrison vows to protect Tara by placing her In His Safekeeping—by Shawna Delacorte.

We hope you enjoy these books, and remember to come back next month for more selections from MORIAH’S LANDING and FLESH AND BLOOD!

Sincerely,

Denise O’Sullivan

Associate Senior Editor

Harlequin Intrigue

www.millsandboon.co.uk

To my agent Paige Wheeler, because of her excellence,

her guidance and her friendship. To my editor

Allison Lyons, because of her thoroughness and

thoughtfulness, and because it’s fun to work with her.

To Marcy Elias Rothman, because of her kindness,

her friendship and her helpful suggestions.

And to Fred, just because.

Linda O. Johnston’s first published fiction appeared in Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine and won the Robert L. Fish Memorial Award for “Best First Mystery Short Story of the Year.” Now, several published short stories and novels later, Linda is recognized for her outstanding work in the romance genre.

A practicing attorney, Linda juggles her busy schedule between mornings of writing briefs, contracts and other legalese, and afternoons of creating memorable tales of paranormal, time travel, mystery, contemporary and romantic suspense. Armed with an undergraduate degree in journalism with an advertising emphasis from Pennsylvania State University, Linda began her versatile writing career running a small newspaper, then working in advertising and public relations, and later obtaining her J.D. degree from Duquesne University School of Law in Pittsburgh.

Linda belongs to Sisters in Crime and is actively involved with Romance Writers of America, participating in the Los Angeles, Orange County and Western Pennsylvania chapters. She lives near Universal Studios, Hollywood, with her husband, two sons and two cavalier King Charles spaniels.

Alexa Kenner—She became engaged to her business partner out of gratitude for his support after she lost the only man she ever loved. But has fear of her fiancé and his terrorist plot made her delusional…or is the handsome new guest at her inn really her dead lover?

Cole Rappaport—Saved after a bomb blast two years earlier, he was determined to remain out of Alexa’s life to protect her. But has she been involved in the terrorist plot all along? He can only find out by paying her a visit…incognito. Enter John O’Rourke, home improvements salesman extraordinaire.

Vane Walters—A protégé of Cole’s father, Vane had been like a brother to him. A very deadly brother…who is now engaged to the woman Cole loves.

Minos Flaherty—Vane’s subordinate and handyman has an agenda of his own.

Forbes Bowman—Cole’s gruff superior officer and friend, who saved his life.

Ed and Jill Fuller—Vane’s guests at the inn claim to be from Bolivia, but their accents suggest somewhere farther away, and a lot less friendly.

Jessie Bradford—An officer in Cole’s counterterrorist unit; his backup is necessary…and potentially lethal.

Allen Maygran—Jessie’s equally deadly partner.

Dear Reader,

Books take a long time to write, longer yet to edit and publish.

Operation: Reunited was in process before the terrible events of September 11, 2001. When I began it, the idea of terrorist infiltration of the United States was unthinkable, a figment of my own imagination.

Now I know my imaginings were not so wild.

Operation: Reunited is a story of good overcoming evil and love conquering all—platitudes, yes, but ones that provide hope. We all know romances have happy endings despite the muddle in the middle. And we all need happy endings now and then.

I hope you enjoy Operation: Reunited for what it is intended to be—a romance, a respite and, hopefully, an enjoyable read.

Please visit me at my Web site: www.LindaO.Johnston.net.

Regards,

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

As Alexa Kenner picked up the glass container of Chapultapec red cayenne pepper, she glanced down the aisle toward the front of the gourmet food store. A dark-haired man in a deep green shirt strode by. He had the limber, confident gait of someone with no doubt about the world’s need for what he would lend it. A familiar stride. A familiar man?

“Cole,” Alexa whispered as her heartbeat accelerated. The pepper dropped from her shaking fingers, hitting the tile floor with a crash. Instantly, a fine crimson dust erupted everywhere, coating the aisle. Alexa felt it float into her sandals and between her toes. Her nose tickled, but she refused to sneeze.

Tears welled in her eyes that had nothing to do with the spilled spice.

They had everything to do with sorrow. Loss.

Desperation.

“Are you all right, miss? I’ll have someone clean this up in a jiffy, don’t you worry.”

The words sounded distorted to Alexa, as if they had been murmured down a long tube. She didn’t even turn to see if the person talking was male or female, an employee or a customer. Instead, she hurried down the aisle toward where she had seen the man.

Of course he hadn’t been Cole. But she nevertheless felt drawn, as if entangled by a rope caught in a pulley. She had to take another look, just to show her jangled senses that there was no resemblance at all.