Forbidden Lover. Amanda Stevens

      The temptation of being too close

      Erin sat staring into the fire, her features soft and fragile in the flickering light. She reminded Nick of a painting he’d once seen—pale, innocent, with an almost mystical aura. But unmistakably woman.

      Another time, he would have leaned over and kissed her. He would have taken his time, tasting her delicate lips, loosening her hair until it fell wantonly down her back. He would have touched her all over, whispered what he wanted to do to her….

      He let the fantasy spin away with no small regret, and turned his attention back to the darkness outside the cabin. A murderer was out there waiting, and since Nick had been the one to drag Erin into this mess, it was his duty to protect her, not to seduce her.

      But Nick knew that one sometimes led almost inevitably to the other….

      Dear Harlequin Intrigue Reader,

      This month, some of your favorite Harlequin Intrigue authors—and a first-timer—deliver a killer selection of books for you to enjoy.

      Amanda Stevens closes the case in the final installment of her GALLAGHER JUSTICE miniseries with Nick Gallagher’s story, Forbidden Lover (#557). The Gallagher brothers were born to serve and protect, and three more sexy lawmen you’d be hard-pressed to find. If you missed the first two books, be sure to let us know!

      In her twentieth 43 LIGHT STREET title, Ruth Glick writing as Rebecca York scorches some paper with Never Too Late (#558), the steamy story of Scott O’Donnell and Mariana Reyes. Harlequin Intrigue is proud to bring you this terrific ongoing series and we thank you for making it one of our most popular features.

      Also, this month, Patricia Rosemoor—Harlequin Intrigue’s most-published author—launches her very own miniseries, SONS OF SILVER SPRINGS. Sometimes it takes a family tragedy to bring siblings back together. But nothing is thicker than blood. Meet the Quarrels brothers in Heart of a Lawman (#559).

      Finally, newcomer Karen Lawton Barrett contributes her first title to Harlequin Intrigue. We know you’ll love Hers To Remember (#560) for its emotional drama and highly charged suspense. Hang on to your seats when you read this A MEMORY AWAY…story!

      Take home all four books for an exhilarating rush of romance.

      Sincerely,

      Denise O’Sullivan

      Associate Senior Editor

      Harlequin Intrigue

      Forbidden Lover

      Amanda Stevens

       www.millsandboon.co.uk

      ABOUT THE AUTHOR

      Amanda Stevens has written over twenty novels of romantic suspense. Her books have appeared on several bestseller lists, and she has won Reviewer’s Choice and Career Achievement in Romantic/ Mystery awards from Romantic Times Magazine. She resides in Cypress, Texas, with her husband, her son and daughter, and their two cats.

      Books by Amanda Stevens

      HARLEQUIN INTRIGUE

      373—STRANGER IN PARADISE

      388—A BABY’S CRY

      397—A MAN OF SECRETS

      430—THE SECOND MRS. MALONE

      453—THE HERO’S SON*

      458—THE BROTHER’S WIFE*

      462—THE LONG-LOST HEIR*

      489—SOMEBODY’S BABY

      511—LOVER, STRANGER

      549—THE LITTLEST WITNESS**

      553—SECRET ADMIRER**

      557—FORBIDDEN LOVER**

      HARLEQUIN BOOKS

      2-in-1 Harlequin 50th Anniversary Collection

      HER SECRET PAST

      CAST OF CHARACTERS

      Dr. Erin Casey—She’s made a name for herself—but it isn’t the name she was given at birth.

      Nick Gallagher—More than anything, the police detective wants the O’Roarke family to pay for its crimes.

      Clive Avery—Why would a native Chicago policeman take a new job in the middle of nowhere?

      Ed Dawson—The superintendent has never gotten over his stepdaughter’s murder.

      Maggie Gallagher—Her blossoming relationship with Ed causes her family concern.

      Sean Gallagher—Has Nick’s father’s body finally come home to rest?

      Dylan O’Roarke—The attorney claims his client—his cousin—is innocent.

      Dr. Russel Quay—He resents Erin’s appointment as head of the forensic anthropology lab.

      Fisher—Does the shadowy informant know more than he reveals?

      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

       Chapter Thirteen

       Chapter Fourteen

       Chapter Fifteen

      Chapter One

      The bones talked to her while she worked. As Dr. Erin Casey painstakingly examined the human cranium on her worktable, the story of a life began to unfold for her.

      The skull was small and lightweight, which told her the remains were female, and the width of the hipbone concurred. Further examination revealed a small indentation on the pubic bone, indicating that the woman