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Just for the Night is a witty, sensual contemporary romance that will have you quickly turning the pages to see what happens next.
Romance Junkies
Just for the Night is a terrific character-driven romance, well worth a spot on your must read list.
Eye On Romance
Tawny Webers newest release, Breaking the Rules, is a thrilling story that will have readers laughing out loud at the surprising situations that arise throughout the story.
Romance Junkies
If youre looking for a great read that will warm
you up on a cold night look no further!
Night Owl Reviews on Breaking the Rules
A Babe in Toyland delivers a stunning performance that completely satisfies.
Noveltalk
A Babe in Toyland is absolutely hysterical sexy fun! I was giggling the whole time.
Joyfully Reviewed
Great characters, an excellent story and heat enough
to ignite the senses makes Riding the Waves an excellent read to lead us into September. Another fantastic tale from Tawny Weber!
CataRomance
Dear Reader,
I recognise a lot of myself in my heroine Maya Black. Shes stubborn, unflinchingly loyal and a total daddys girl. And like myself, she found her perfect guy. Simon is not only sexy, but hes clever enough to keep her guessing and smart enough to accept herfamily and all.
Sex, Lies and Midnight also features another character whos very close to my heartDottie the cat, who lives at the Furry Friends Animal Shelter. You can check out Dottie, and all the other Blaze® Authors Pet Project pets, on the Blaze® Authors blog: http://blazeauthors. com. Please, come by and say hi! And if youre on the web, be sure to drop by my website at www.TawnyWeber.com. While youre there, check out my members-only section with its special contests, excerpts and other fun.
Happy reading!
Tawny Weber
About the Author
TAWNY WEBER is usually found dreaming up stories in her California home, surrounded by dogs, cats and kids. When shes not writing hot, spicy stories for the Blaze® line, shes shopping for the perfect pair of shoes or drooling over Johnny Depp pictures (when her husband isnt looking, of course). Come by and visit her on the web at www.tawnyweber.com or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/TawnyWeber. RomanceAuthor.
Sex, Lies and
Midnight
Tawny Weber
www.millsandboon.co.uk
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To my first ever hero. Thank you for your
acceptance, your encouragement and for being
such a wonderful example for me.
Youre amazing. I love you, Dad.
Prologue
YOU MUST BE PLEASED with yourself.
Definitely pleased, Tobias Black agreed with the caller. And a little surprised that our own sheriff turned out to be the dealer of sex drugs.
The drug ring is broken but it doesnt end with him. Someone higher was pulling strings. Any idea who?
Taking the phone off Speaker, Tobias lifted the handset to his ear, then stared at the glowing tip of his cigar and considered the question. A month ago, hed chosen to bring the FBI in to help bust the drug ring specializing in a new-fangled form of Ecstasy thatd been blazing through his small town. His eldest son, Caleb, had helped the FBI bust that ring.
Hed brought the FBI in knowing than someone had more in mind that peddling sex drugs. Someone with a grudge against him. But as far as he was concerned, the FBI could butt out now. Tobias preferred to figure out who was trying to knife him in the spine himself. He was funny that way.
No idea who was issuing Kendalls orders, but Im not worried, Tobias lied smoothly. Its nothing I cant handle.
Even with the new sheriff in your corner, this time you just might be in over your head. My resources have uncovered yet more criminal activity and quite a few rumblings of something big coming soon.
Shit. He didnt need this. In his mind, the FBI had had a single purpose. To use their connections to bring his son home. That plan had worked, Caleb was now the acting sheriff, engaged to a pretty little thing in town, and slowly allowing Tobias to rebuild a bridge between them.
Right now, Tobias was busy setting into action goal number two. Better known as luring his daughter, Maya, back home. He didnt have time to keep playing these cop games.
He stared through the smoke at the awkwardly shaped ceramic bowl, glazed a brilliant red with fingerprints all along the edges. Every once in a while, he wondered if he was still smoking his daily cigar just for the joy of using the ashtray his five-year-old daughter had made. A dynamic, controlled man, he didnt consider overt sentiment a weakness. But he did consider not having more to be sentimental about a waste.
Im sure your associates at the FBI are looking at Kendalls associates and havent given up on discovering whos behind it all, Tobias said. No longer having the taste for a relaxing cigar, he stubbed it out and stood to pace. In the meantime, well handle things here in Black Oak. Caleb has years of experience with the DEA, and hell make a fine sheriff. Theres nothing to worry about here.
Thats not what Im hearing, the man on the phone reminded him. Someone is gunning for you. And instead of dealing with that, youre busy playing footsie with a woman young enough to be your daughter.
Tobias gave a wicked grin. You make me sound like a dirty old lech, saying it that way.
What else should you sound like?
A clever man who knows just which buttons to push?
Eight years ago, Tobias had made a vital mistake. After years of pulling cons on his own, of only working, occasionally, with his children, hed taken on a partner.
Greta von Lautner.
Itd been the last straw for his volatile children.
Caleb had left to join the DEA, tired of his fathers life of crime. Gabriel had accused his father of thinking with his penis, and walked out vowing to prove himself a better con than his old man had ever been.
And Maya? Tobiass sweet little angel had been heartbroken, not only at the change in dynamics, but at what she saw as being ousted from her place in her fathers life. Shed tried to stick around, though. Then Greta had blown the con they were in the middle of; shed left Maya vulnerable. Tobias had worked fast to clear the evidence and spring Maya from jail, but itd been too late.
Shed walked out of that police department and his life in the same hour. Now, seven years later, it was time to reel her back.
Those buttons youre pushing are trouble. Give me a good crime to solve any day over anything that involves women.
Tobias sighed, knowing he was treading a dangerous line.
Theres no other way. I want Maya home, and the only way shes going to return is if she thinks shes saving me from repeating a huge mistake.
Youre playing a dangerous game. You want to con your kids, do it after weve figured out who is trying to set you up.
No game worth playing doesnt carry an element of danger, Tobias returned with a wicked laugh. And the ball is already rolling. I cant stop it now.
But you didnt plan for these stakes when you started. You just wanted your kids home. Now youre fighting for your reputation, your freedom and possibly your life.
Tobias looked out the window at the holiday lights twinkling merrily, making the view of Black Oak almost magical.
If it reunites my family, even those stakes are worthwhile, he declared.
Youd just better hope they arent reuniting for your sentencing hearing. There was a pause, then a deep sigh. Or if the rumblings Im hearing are correct, at your funeral.
1
THERE WAS NOTHING like a short, glittery skirt, long legs encased in smoky stockings and spiked do-me heels to make a man sit up and take notice.
And Simon Barton considered it his duty to watch this particular woman currently shimmying her hips rhythmically on the dance floor. The investment firms holiday party was in full swing, complete with barely dressed women, many soon-to-be-regretted-when-sober PDAs, an open bar and a lush buffet.
For a people watcher, this party was better than the circus, juggling clowns andSimon noted one guy slipping his hand down the dress of the sloshed woman draped over his lapa porno flick, all rolled into a single package.
But he only had eyes for one woman.
Not because she was gorgeous. Although she was.
Long black hair fell in curls almost to the tiny waist of a vivid green dress that had as much sparkle as her hips had personality. The fabric hugged a body made to bring grown men to their knees, long sleeves and a high neck giving the illusion of modesty at odds with the sexy placemat that passed for a skirt. Legs way too long for such a petite body were encased in smoke black stockings leading all the way down to a pair of strappy sandals so high, Simon could only wince.
The woman was fascinating.
Not because she seemed to have this knack for making herself invisible, despite her striking looks. Although she did. Every time one of, from what Simon could tell were the high muckety-mucks wandered past, she shifted. Unobtrusively placing another dancer, diner or chit-chatter between her and the higher-ups.
And not because she was a puzzle. Although, oh yeah, she was. One he was sure hed solve. Sooner or later.
Because she was the key to his future.
He felt, rather than heard, his cell phone ring in the pocket of his slacks.
His gaze still locked on the overblown beauty on the dance floor, Simon pulled out his phone. He glanced at the readout, grimaced, then stepped into a quiet corner where his view was unimpeded, but the sound was muted.
Barton.
I thought you were on assignment.
I wrapped it up. Now Im on personal time.
Watching Maya Black is a personal thing for you?
Christ. Did Hunter have eyes everywhere? Simon gave an infinitesimal wince, his eyes still on those lush hips encased in holiday green. A man would have to be three-times dead not to have a personal reaction to watching a woman like her.
Howd you find her?
Im a trained FBI agent, Simon said sardonically. An assumed name is a piece of cake.
You hacked her file? Hunters words were matter-of-fact.
Simon shifted his eyes off the sweetly swaying hips to inspect his fingernails. Would I do that?
In a heartbeat.
Simon grinned.
Whether he knew it or not, Hunter was Simons mentor. The man whose career hed used as a template for his own. Simon wanted nothing more than to climb the same ladders and spark the same attention. The Deputy Director was considered the elite of the elite. A man with a reputation for making the rules work for him, even as he worked around them. Assignment to Hunters department was Simons Holy Grail. There hed rise through the ranks at least twice as fast as anywhere else. But Hunters team was so exclusive, he only brought in major players. Agents whod made huge busts.
Busts like the Black case. Simons gaze wandered back to the tempting sway of Maya Blacks hips. Since it was totally inappropriate to lust after a suspect, he tried to convince his body that the surge of energy he felt at the sight of her was because she was his ticket to a major promotion.
Why are you watching her? he challenged, tossing the ball back in Hunters court.
Who says I am? I might be watching you.
Simons laugh garnered more than one appreciative female glance. Not unusual. He got a lot of looks from ladies. Sometimes he used the advantages his tall, well-built golden-boy looks offered. Other times he ignored them.
This time, he nodded at a couple of them, but shifted his weight, making it clear he wasnt looking for more. He might not be on the job, per se, but this was all business.
Maya Black isnt a person of interest. Youre out of bounds.
Simon shrugged that off. He figured boundaries were a fluid thing. He only paid attention to the ones that served him.
Shes got a record, he pointed out.
Ar rest, no conviction.
She was guilty.
We dont know that. No, Hunter interrupted before Simon could haul out his well-worn argument, we dont. We have conjecture, speculation and a whole lot of circumstantial supposition.
What they had were sloppy agents who had obviously been incompetent. Maya Black had been busted for computer invasion, breaking into the files of a well-placed businessman with a bad reputation. The case should have been open and shut, but the arresting officers had neglected to confiscate all of the computers on site when theyd brought her in. Within hours, the evidence had disappeared, the arrest compromised. Maya Black released.