That Thing Called Love. Susan Andersen

      

      He’s the last man on earth she should want...

      For a guy she’s fantasized about throttling, Jake Bradshaw sure is easy on the eyes. In fact, he seriously tempts inn manager Jenny Salazar to put her hands to better use. Except this is the guy who left Razor Bay—and his young son, Austin, whom Jenny adores like her own—to become a globe-trotting photojournalist. He can’t just waltz back and claim Austin now.

      Jake was little more than a kid himself when he became a dad. Sure, he’d dreamed of escaping the resort town, but he’d also truly believed that Austin was better off with his grandparents. Now he wants—no, needs—to make up for his mistake. He intends to stay in Razor Bay only until he can convince Austin to return with him to New York. Trouble is, with sexy, protective, utterly irresistible Jenny in his life, and his bed, he may never want to leave....

      Reviewers love New York Times bestselling author

      SUSAN ANDERSEN

      “A smart, arousing, spirited escapade

      that is graced with a gentle mystery, a vulnerable,

      resilient heroine, and a worthy, wounded hero

      and served up with empathy and a humorous flair.”

      —Library Journal on Burning Up

      “[A] fast-paced, charming romance

      with plenty of heat and cool dialog.”

      —RT Book Reviews on Burning Up

      “A sexy, feel-good contemporary romance....

      Palpable escalating sexual tension between the pair,

      a dangerous criminal on the loose and a cast of

      well-developed secondary characters make this a winner.”

      —Publishers Weekly on Bending the Rules

      “This start of Andersen’s new series has fun and interesting characters, solid action and a hot and sexy romance.”

      —RT Book Reviews on Cutting Loose

      “Snappy and sexy.... Upbeat and fun, with a touch of danger and passion, this is a great summer read.”

      —RT Book Reviews on Coming Undone

      “Lovers of romance, passion and laughs

      should go all in for this one.”

      —Publishers Weekly on Just for Kicks

      “Andersen again injects magic into a story that would be clichéd in another’s hands, delivering warm, vulnerable characters in a touching yet suspenseful read.”

      —Publishers Weekly on Skintight, starred review

      “A classic plot line receives a fresh, fun treatment....

      Well-developed secondary characters add depth to this zesty novel, placing it a level beyond most of its competition.”

      —Publishers Weekly on Hot & Bothered

      That Thing Called Love

      Susan Andersen

       www.millsandboon.co.uk

      Dear Reader,

      I am so excited about my new series. This first Razor Bay book stars Jake Bradshaw, a man who’s made a lot of mistakes, and Jenny Salazar, the take-no-crap woman who holds his full attention. And I got to plunk the fictional resort town down on Hood Canal, an area that holds a lifetime of memories for me.

      Most people hear the word canal and picture man-made waterways. This canal is actually a natural sixty-five-mile saltwater fjord in western Washington. I was just a baby when my folks discovered it. Every summer for two weeks, I ran wild with my brothers and cousins, swimming in icy, superbuoyant water until my fingers and toes were pruney, playing until the sun sank behind the soaring Olympic Mountains, roasting marshmallows and hot dogs over blazing bonfires. When I was nine, my folks bought land on the beach and built a little cabin on it. This, to me, is the most beautiful, peaceful spot on earth.

      It’s likely a no-brainer to tell you I consider Razor Bay a character in its own right. So trust me when I tell you it’s my dearest wish that you enjoy it, too, alongside Jake and Jenny and the folks of Razor Bay.

      ~Susan

      This is dedicated, with love, to my friends in the industry, both old and new.

       To

       Jen Heaton, who, despite a crazy busy life, always carves out time to brainstorm with me, to haul me back on track and make my work better, and is just an all-around really good friend

       To

       The M&Ms—Meg Ruley and Margo Lipschultz— my wonderful, marvelous, world’s best agent and editor

       To

       Robyn Carr, Kristan Higgins and Jill Shalvis, for daily posts, a host of laughs and shared tears

       And to

       all you readers, without whom I’d be writing this stuff just for myself. Thank you for your loyalty, lovely emails and Facebook friendships

       Plus a special thanks

       to

       the brilliant Robin Franzen, R.N., who allowed me to have my chicken pox and excuse it, too.

      Contents

       PROLOGUE

       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

       CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

       CHAPTER NINETEEN

       CHAPTER TWENTY