"Emma!" Astrid's voice rang out in the night, shattering the moment. "Are you out here?"
Harlan broke the kiss, but he didn't move away, keeping his lips against hers. One of his hands was tangled lightly in her hair, the other was locked around her waist. Somehow, he'd pulled them close, until her breasts were against his chest, their bodies melted together. It felt so right, but at the same time, a familiar anxiety began to build inside Emma at the intimacy.
"Do not fear me, sweet Emma," Harlan whispered against her lips. "I would only treasure what you give."
His voice was so soft and tender that her throat tightened. How she'd yearned for so many years, for a lifetime, for someone to speak to her like that…until she'd finally become smart enough to relinquish that dream. And now, here it was, in the form of a man who would disappear from her life in forty-eight hours, maybe never to return. Which was why it was okay, because she didn't have to worry that he would want more than she could give, or that she would give him more than she could afford. Maybe she didn't belong in the room of couples and families, but for this brief moment, she belonged out in the night, with a man who lived the same existence that she did.
"Emma?" Astrid's footsteps sounded on the deck, and Harlan released her.
"Don't tell her I was here," he said. "I'll come by Wright's in the morning. Now is not the time." Then, without a sound, he faded into the darkness, vanishing so quickly she almost wondered whether she'd imagined him.
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Select List of Other Books by Stephanie Rowe
(For a complete book list, please visit www.stephanierowe.com)
PARANORMAL ROMANCE
The Heart of the Shifter Series
Dark Wolf Rising (12/15/15)
The Shadow Guardian Series
Leopard's Kiss (Early 2016)
The NightHunter Series
Not Quite Dead
The Order of the Blade Series
Darkness Awakened
Darkness Seduced
Darkness Surrendered
Forever in Darkness
Darkness Reborn
Darkness Arisen
Darkness Unleashed
Darkness Possessed
Shadows of Darkness
Hunt the Darkness (2016)
Order of the Blade Box Set Books 1 - 3
The Soulfire Series
Kiss at Your Own Risk
Touch if You Dare
Hold Me if You Can
The Immortally Sexy Series
Date Me Baby, One More Time
Must Love Dragons
He Loves Me, He Loves Me Hot
Sex & the Immortal Bad Boy
CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE
The Wyoming Rebels Series
A Real Cowboy Never Says No
A Real Cowboy Knows How to Kiss
A Real Cowboy Rides a Motorcycle
The Ever After Series
No Knight Needed
Fairy Tale Not Required
Prince Charming Can Wait
The Knight Who Brought Chocolate (Coming Soon!)
Jingle This!
ROMANTIC SUSPENSE
The Alaska Heat Series
Ice
Chill
Ghost
NONFICTION
The Feel Good Life
FOR TEENS
A Girlfriend's Guide to Boys Series
Putting Boys on the Ledge
Studying Boys
Who Needs Boys?
Smart Boys & Fast Girls
Stand Alone Novels
The Fake Boyfriend Experiment
FOR PRE-TEENS
The Forgotten Series
Penelope Moonswoggle, The Girl Who Could Not Ride a Dragon
Penelope Moonswoggle & the Accidental Doppelganger
Release Date TBD
Collections
Box Sets
Alphas Unwrapped (12/1/15)
Mischief Under the Mistletoe (11/17/15)
Alpha Immortals
Last Hero Standing
Romacing the Paranormal
Stephanie Rowe Bio
USA Today bestselling author Stephanie Rowe is the author of more than 40 novels, including her popular Order of the Blade and NightHunter paranormal romance series. Stephanie is a four-time nominee of the RITA® Award, the highest award in romance fiction. She has won many awards for her novels, including the prestigious Golden Heart® Award. She has received coveted starred reviews from Booklist, and Publishers Weekly has called her work "[a] genre-twister that will make readers...rabid for more." Stephanie also writes a thrilling romantic suspense series set in Alaska. Publisher's Weekly praised the series debut, ICE, as a "thrilling entry into romantic suspense," and Fresh Fiction called ICE an "edgy, sexy and gripping thriller." Equally as intense and sexy are Stephanie's contemporary romance novels, set in the fictional town of Birch Crossing, Maine. All of Stephanie’s books, regardless of the genre, deliver the same intense, passionate, and emotional experience that has delighted so many readers.
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Acknowledgements
Special thanks to my beta readers, who always work incredibly hard under tight deadlines to get my books read. I appreciate so much your willingness to tell me when something doesn't work! I treasure your help, and I couldn't do this without you. Hugs to you all!
There are so many to thank by name, more than I could count, but here are those who I want to called out specially for all they did to help this book come to life: Leslie Barnes, Kayla Bartley, Alencia Bates Salters, Alyssa Bird, Jean Bowden, Shell Bryce, Kelley Daley Curry, Holly Collins, Ashley Cuesta, Denise Fluhr, Sandi Foss, Valerie Glass, Christina Hernandez, Heidi Hoffman, Jeanne Stone, Rebecca Johnson, Dottie Jones, Janet Juengling-Snell, Deb Julienne, Bridget Koan, Felicia Low, Phyllis Marshall, Suzanne Mayer, Erin McRae, Jodi Moore, Ashlee Murphy, Judi Pflughoeft, Carol Pretorius, Kasey Richardson, Karen Roma, Caryn Santee, Summer Steelman, Regina Thomas, and Linda Watson.
Special thanks to Michael James Canalas at MJC Imageworks for a wonderful cover. Mom, you're the best. It means so much that you believe in me. I love you. Special thanks also to my amazing, beautiful, special daughter, who I love more than words could ever express. You are my world, sweet girl, in all ways.
Dedication
This book is dedicated to Deborah Berman, who is the most amazing human being I have ever met.