Day, Sylvia - Bared to You - A Crossfire Novel

Praise for Sylvia Day

“Sylvia Day is the undisputed mistress of tender erotic romance. Her books are a luxury every woman deserves.”

—Teresa Medeiros, New York Times bestsel ing author

“Sylvia Day’s writing is stunningly sensual.”

—Jaci Burton, New York Times bestsel ing author

“Un-put-downable.”

—Lauren Dane, New York Times bestsel ing author

“When it comes to brewing up scorchingly hot sexual chemistry, Day has few literary rivals.”

— Booklist

A Touch of Crimson

“Angels and demons, vampires and lycans, al set against an inventive, intriguing story world that hooked me from the first page. Balancing action and romance, humor and hot sensuality, Sylvia Day’s storytel ing dazzles. A Touch of Crimson is a paranormal romance lover’s feast!”

—Lara Adrian, New York Times bestsel ing author

“ A Touch of Crimson wil rock readers with a stunning new world, a hot-blooded hero, and a strong, kick-ass heroine.

This is Sylvia Day at the top of her game!”

—Larissa Ione, New York Times bestsel ing author

“Sylvia Day spins a gorgeous adventure in A Touch of Crimson that combines gritty, exciting storytel ing with soaring lyricism. This is definitely a book for your keeper shelf.”

—Angela Knight, New York Times bestsel ing author

“ A Touch of Crimson explodes with passion and heat. A hot, sexy angel to die for and a gutsy heroine make for one exciting read!”

—Cheyenne McCray, New York Times bestsel ing author

Pleasures of the Night

“So hot the pages should be on fire!”

—Gena Showalter, New York Times bestsel ing author

“Dreams have never been this hot! Pleasures of the Night sizzles as a romance, enthral s as a paranormal, and captivates with a fantastic cast of characters. I didn’t want the ‘night’ to end!”

—Susan Grant, New York Times bestsel ing author

“Sylvia Day delivers readers to a fantasy world as unique as it is erotic! Ms. Day is an up-and-coming talent in the world of erotic fiction.”

—Toni Blake, award-winning author

Eve of Darkness

“Great characters and terrific storyteling in a hot-blooded adrenaline ride. A keep-you-up-al -night read.”

—Patricia Briggs, #1 New York Times bestsel ing author

“Exhilarating adventure in an edgy world of angels and demons…Dynamic and vibrant, Eve is an impressive protagonist, and her fierce spirit and determination to make the best of her circumstances wil keep readers enthral ed.”

— Publishers Weekly

“ Eve of Darkness is a sizzling, heart-pounding urban fantasy that thril ed and fascinated me from beginning to end. Eve is a smart, spirited heroine I won’t soon forget!”

—Jeri Smith-Ready, award-winning author

“Gripping, nonstop action and one hel of a heroine.”

—Shiloh Walker, national bestsel ing author

In The Flesh

“Lush, evocative, inventive…Fans of Dara Joy wil love this!”

—Shayla Black, New York Times bestsel ing author

This book is a work of fiction. All names, characters, locations, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination, or have been used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, locales, or events is entirely coincidental.

BARED TO YOU: A CROSSFIRE NOVEL

Copyright © 2012 by Sylvia Day.

All rights reserved.

Edited by Hilary Sares.

Copyedited by Martha Trachtenberg.

Cover design by Croco Designs.

Interior design by VMC Art & Design, LLC.

Published by Sylvia Day

23905 Clinton Keith

Suite #114-359

Wildomar, CA 92595

www.sylviaday.com

The uploading, scanning, and distribution of this book in any form or by any means—including but not limited to electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise—without the permission of the copyright holder is illegal and punishable by law. Please purchase only authorized editions of this work, and do not participate in or encourage electronic piracy of copyrighted materials. Your support of the author’s rights is appreciated.

ISBN: 978-0-9828571-9-9

ISBN: 978-0-9851146-0-2 (print)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2012900464

1. Chapter 1

2. Chapter 2

3. Chapter 3

4. Chapter 4

5. Chapter 5

6. Chapter 6

7. Chapter 7

8. Chapter 8

9. Chapter 9

10. Chapter 10

11. Chapter 11

12. Chapter 12

13. Chapter 13

14. Chapter 14

15. Chapter 15

16. Chapter 16

17. Chapter 17

18. Chapter 18

19. Chapter 19

20. Chapter 20

21. Chapter 21

22. Chapter 22

23. Book Club/Readers' Group Guide

24. Acknowledgments

25. About the Author

This one is for Dr. David Allen Goodwin.

My love and gratitude are boundless.

Thank you, Dave. You saved my life.

My deepest gratitude to my editor, Hilary Sares, who real y dug into this story and made me work for it.

Basical y, she kicked my ass. By not pul ing her punches or letting me shortchange the details, she made me work harder and because of that, this story is a much, much better book.

BARED TO YOU wouldn’t be what it is without you, Hilary. Thank you so much!

To Martha Trachtenberg, copy editor extraordinaire.

This book is an important one for me and she treated it that way. Thank you, Martha!

To Victoria Colotta, for al her hard work on the interior design and typesetting. She took my plain text and made it gorgeous. Thank you, Victoria!

To Tera Kleinfelter, who read the first half of Bared to You and told me she loved it. Thank you, Tera!

To al girls who were at Cross Creek at some point in your adolescence: May all your dreams come true.

You deserve it.

And to Alistair and Jessica, from Seven Years to Sin , who inspired me to write Gideon and Eva’s story.

I’m so glad the inspiration struck twice!

“We should head to a bar and celebrate.” I wasn’t surprised by my roommate’s emphatic pronouncement. Cary Taylor found excuses to celebrate, no matter how smal and inconsequential. I’d always considered it part of his charm. “I’m sure drinking the night before starting a new job is a bad idea.”

“Come on, Eva.” Cary sat on our new living room floor amid a half-dozen moving boxes and flashed his winning smile. We’d been unpacking for days, yet he stil looked amazing. Leanly built, dark-haired, and green-eyed, Cary was a man who rarely looked anything less than absolutely gorgeous on any day of his life. I might have resented that if he hadn’t been the dearest person on earth to me.