Rave reviews for the novels of
Carly Phillips
CROSS MY HEART
Who doesnt 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 seasons beach bag.
www.FreshFiction.com
SUMMER LOVIN
Phillipss 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
Whats steamier than a New York City summer? Carly Phillipss Hot series!
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 Harlequins 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 years 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 familieswhat 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
Carly Phillips
SIMPLY Scandalous
SIMPLY Scandalous
CONTENTS
CHAPTER ONE
CHAPTER TWO
CHAPTER THREE
CHAPTER FOUR
CHAPTER FIVE
CHAPTER SIX
CHAPTER SEVEN
CHAPTER EIGHT
CHAPTER NINE
CHAPTER TEN
CHAPTER ELEVEN
CHAPTER TWELVE
EPILOGUE
CHAPTER ONE
TARGET AT ONE OCLOCK.
Logan Montgomery listened to his eighty-year-old grandmother and groaned. Youve been watching James Bond again, Gran.
Just Sean Connery. That Pierce Brosnan is too new and the other one is a pansy. He wouldnt know how to please a real woman if she bit him on the
Gran! Startled, Logan shot a glance at his grandmother.
An impish gleam lit her knowing gaze. Shed learned to use shock value to her advantage, he thought wryly. I think thats enough.
You never used to be a prude.
He stifled a laugh and chose to warn the irrepressible older woman instead. And you never used to go so far. Better watch yourself.
The white-haired woman gave an unrefined, unladylike snort. If you arent careful youll end up a stuffed shirt like your father.
With your influence? Not a chance. He drank from a glass of hundred-dollar cham pagne, tasting bubbles and little else. Damn waste of money. A cold beer would taste a hell of a lot better, especially on such an unusually hot and balmy May afternoon. So tell me why you summoned me to the annual Garden Gala.
Hed hoped he could ignore the formal invitation, hand-delivered to his house, as it had been hand-delivered to dozens of others. Although the Garden Gala was as much a part of Montgomery tradition as baseball was a part of spring, Logan didnt feel the same sense of anticipation for this event. His grandmother, Emma, was a different story. He adored her.
Because of her. His grandmother waved a wrinkled finger in front of his eyes. Over there by the Dogwood tree. She catered this whole party herself. Talent personified.
Logan narrowed his gaze. He couldnt see much besides the overwhelming sea of floral prints on the female guests and the stark black-and-white uniforms worn by the help. All I see is a bunch of penguins, Logan muttered.
I believe waiter or waitress is the politically correct term, Emma said.
Couldnt you get the judge to relax the dress code for Gods sake? These poor people look like theyre attending a formal wedding, not serving cocktails on a spring day.
He liked parties as much as the next guy but this uptight excuse for a gathering wasnt the way hed choose to spend a Saturday afternoon.
Your father has his standards, Emma said in her haughtiest voice, in imitation of her son, Judge Montgomery. He believes the help should dress as such. Ridiculous, she muttered. The man ought to come into the twenty-first century. Anyway, enough about Edgar for now. Look around. What else do you see?
Logan took two steps to the right so he could see around a ridiculous-looking parasol held by one of his mothers friends, to protect her skin from the nonexistent sun and impending rain.
Well? A bony elbow nudged Logan in the ribs.
He looked once more and was rewarded by what he saw at the elaborate bar set up in front of the pool house, on the perfectly manicured lawna delectable-looking creature in uniform. She stepped around the bar and into full view. The clouds had begun rolling in but this woman radiated pure sunshine. Not even the standard waitress uniform looked ordinary on her supple curves.
She reached over to clean the bar of used glasses, and Logan was treated to a backside view that was just as enticing. Black running shoes, obviously worn for comfort, and black tights with a vertical seam ran up the length of her well-toned legs. As she reached forward to sweep the top of the bar with a damp rag, the hem on her black miniskirt inched higher. He stepped closer in time to catch a hint of lace peeking beneath the black hem. Interest replaced curiosity and the temperature outside hitched up a notch. So did strategic body parts. He stuck one finger inside the constricting collar of his white shirt, giving himself some breathing room.
She rose to her full height, which wasnt much. Petite, with blond hair pinned on top of her head, she couldnt have been more than five foot three. Considering he had one sister who had traipsed more friends through the house than he could count on both hands, Logan considered himself an expert on all things female.
And this female intrigued him. His gaze traveled over her form-fitting white blouse, which was buttoned to her chin but failed to hide well-rounded breasts, lingered on the belt cinched over a small waist and settled on the white socks pulled over the sheer stockings. She wasnt a typical waitress by any means.
Didnt matter if he looked from the bottom up, or the top down, he liked what he saw. A smile edged the corners of his mouth.
Quit drooling and tell me what you see.
A damn sexy penguin, he muttered.
Call her what you want, Emma said, resigned. Shes the solution to your problems.
Didnt know I had any. Another glance as she swung back around the bar and he grinned. If he had a problem, he sure wouldnt mind this woman being his solution.
Do you want to put an end to Montgomery expectations or do you want your parents and their big-money friends to keep hounding you to run for public office? No peace, no quiet. And bye-bye low profile job at the public defenders office. Once next Saturday is over, your life will be out of your hands.
You dont have to sound like youre enjoying this, Logan muttered. But instinct told him his grandmother wasnt just trying to shock him now. Emma lived in this mausoleum along with both of Logans parents. She was privy to details Logan wasnt and shared that information willingly. He turned his attention back to the older woman.
You can keep telling them no thank you. She patted her perfect bun into place as she spoke. Not even the humidity touched Emmas coiffure. But your daddys been stubborn as a mule and insistent on having his own way since he was in dirty diapers.
He stifled the urge to laugh again. She didnt need an audience. Youve really got to watch your mouth.
Nonsense. Age gives me the right to say and do whatever youth prevented me from saying or doing. The expression is young and stupid, not old and stupid.
Logan grinned. I know now why Dad wants you in a home. He gazed at the outspoken woman who had given him and his sister their only source of love and affection growing up. In their best interests, shed undermined his parents efforts at making their children clones of their own public-perfect selves. Shed accomplished her goal with his sister.
But with Logan, the only son, things had been more difficult. Though hed traveled his own path, many of his choicescollege, law school and his stint as district attorneyhad paralleled his fathers.
No one believed he intended to chart his own destiny. Not even the past two years spent working on the wrong side of the tracks, at the public defenders office, swayed his familys beliefs. To all the Montgomerys, Logan was the next generation, destined to follow in past footsteps.
Except to his beloved grandmother. To Emma, Logan was the grandson shed raised, a man with his own beliefs. He turned his attention back to what shed said minutes earlier. Okay, let me have it. Whats happening on Saturday? he asked.
I thought youd never ask. She nudged Logan, urging him to walk with her. Resigned, he followed the sound of the crinkling taffeta of her long day-dress until she reached her destination. Emma gestured across the patio to where his father was holding court. In one week your father and his conservative cronies plan on announcing your candidacy for mayor of our fair city. Hampshire needs some young blood and youve been handpicked. Perfect son of the esteemed Montgomery family on his first stepping-stone to even higher office.
Never happen, he said.
Thats right and Ill tell you why. Were going to publicly disgrace you. Free you to live life outside the realm.
He drew a deep breath and forcibly stopped himself from rolling his eyes at her theatrics. I dont need scandal to free myself from the family. They can talk politics until doomsday, but without a willing candidate, theyve got nothing. And Logan was completely unwilling.
You drove all the way out to Hampshire, so at least hear me out.
As usual, the older woman had a point. Besides, he had no place else to be and the view from this angle was good.
Logan folded his arms over his chest. You mentioned a plan, he prodded. So how can she save me? He pointed to the blonde across the way.
Emma nodded. You need a public trashing and who better to ruin your reputation than a woman born into poverty with a family history of prostitution behind her?
He choked on champagne bubbles. Youre exaggerating. He glanced at Emmas target.
Shed left the covering of the bar and now tread with a light step, gliding among the guests, talking quietly with the help serving hors doeuvres. Her air of authority set her apart from the other hired help. So did the miniskirt she wore in place of the black pants favored by the rest of the waitresses. A black bow tie nestled below her chin, accentuating her heart-shaped face. How had he missed that before?
She owns Pot Luck, the caterers. She doesnt attend every event her company caters, but I insisted she run this one.
Of course you did, he muttered.
Shes a woman after my own heart. Remember the charm school the cops closed down last year?
Vaguely. I was out of state. Hed graduated from Columbia Law School and snagged a job at the Manhattan district attorneys office, working there until Emmas mild heart attack this past year brought him home. He wanted more time with his family. Other than his sister, Grace, with whom hed bunked in Manhattan, Emma was the only family who counted.
Well, she and her sister, Emma said, pointing to the caterer, inherited that business. Turns out the previous owner, her uncle, was operating a call-girl service in disguise.
But she wasnt involved.
Well, no, but its family scandal. And to make things even better, she used to work for them when she was in college. His grandmother clapped her hands in growing excitement.
She was a prostitute?
Bite your slandering tongue. She taught classes for the testosterone impaired. All on the up-and-up. But think of your parents reaction if you brought home a woman whose family had dabbled in prostitution. A woman who instructed the single man on how to score.
Certain she had done no such thing, Logan refused to touch that outrageous comment. I dont bring women home, he said instead.
Why should he? His parents would take it as a sign the prodigal son was ready to settle down. Logan couldnt say he wasnt itching for steady companionship. He was. He couldnt say he didnt long for someone to come home to at the end of the day. He wanted that, too. But hed yet to meet a woman who interested him enough to forsake all others, let alone one he could imagine looking at across the dinner table each and every night for the rest of his natural life.
You would if you met the right one, his grandmother said, with a gleam in her eyes that alarmed him.
The old lady had an agenda. Logan only wished he knew more. Just because Emma was admitting her scheme aloud didnt mean she was revealing all.