Firming her resolve, Tarn sneaks into the party venue. Her mark is Caz Brandon, CEO of an international publishing company. He's an atrocious playboy who drove Tarn's foster sister to attempt suicide after he cast her aside following their engagement. She can never forgive him! Tarn swears that she'll get revenge on him and make him pay for his sins. She's going to show him what it's like to fall madly in love and be thrown away. Caz invites her to dinner and she continues with her plan. But as their dates pile up, his behavior is nothing but gentlemanly. He seems like any woman's dream man and Tarn is unexpectedly drawn in by his charms...!
After years of illness and suffering, Carolyn's mother is going to be remarried...and her husband is secretly having a gorgeous mansion built for her as a present! He asks Carolyn to make sure the interior design goes off without a hitch before the honeymoon is over, but when she hears the name of the architect in charge of the project, her breath catches. It's Bahn Slater, a well-known architect...and the man who broke her mother's heart ten years ago! He was to blame for Carolyn's mother's nervous breakdown in the first place. Carolyn can't let her mother see him, no matter what. There's just one problem... As soon as she lays eyes on Bahn, Carolyn finds herself falling for him!
When Lucy, the heiress of the wealthy Carey family, loses her antique ring, the only memento of her late mother, her spirits sink. But one day, at an extravagant charity function, she spots it...on the finger of Carol, a beautiful woman she's never seen before! Carol's the date of a man named Jud. When Lucy finds Jud and tells him the ring is all she has left of her mother, he makes a shocking offer. He'll give her the ring...but only by slipping it on her left ring finger and making her his fiancee! The Careys are aristocrats in name only, and Lucy has mere pennies to her name, so she has no choice but to accept his proposal.
Marty, an obstetrician, has been going above and beyond the call of duty in caring for a certain infant who lost her mother to an accident. The father, a surgeon from Spain named Carlos, learns about his daughter for the first time when he shows up at her hospital. Faced with a dilemma, he ends up asking Marty to act as the baby's mother. Marty isn't sure about getting married solely for the child's sake, but it's an attractive proposition. After all, it would allow her to realize her dream of being a mother, which she thought would be impossible!
Deanna, an art student, has taken a job as a live-in nanny so she can pay her tuition, and she's falling hard for her boss. His name is Jay Masters, and he's the president of a security firm in addition to being a single father to two little girls. Deanna finds his love for his family very attractive, but he still can't get over his dead wife. What's more, Deanna doesn't think anyone will ever want to marry her. She has her reasons... She tries to work out her feelings in her sketchbook, but one day before he leaves for a business trip, she and Jay share a passionate kiss!
Lily Ford, who owns a small PR company, has successfully signed a contract to represent a major resort development company. The CEO of the company, whose name is Gage, is a playboy who always dominates gossip magazines. At first, Lily finds it hard to work with him, but when she sees how talented he is, she becomes attracted to Gage. However, she's somehow able to keep her composure and concentrate on her job. Gage, on the other hand, becomes interested in Lily, who reacts totally differently from his ex-girlfriends, so he makes her a surprising offer...
She's boarded a flight from London and back into her past... High above the Atlantic Ocean, Pippa thinks back on the passionate days she spent with Luke eleven years ago, when neither of them could be true to their feelings. Today he's a household name-a famous TV chef living in Los Angeles. Pippa worries about dropping in unannounced, but as soon as Luke lays eyes on their daughter, Josie, he's overcome with joy...and Pippa's heart is thrown into turmoil. She didn't come to LA just to revisit her past. There's something she wants to tell Luke... Something she needs to tell him, no matter what.
If Elle could just get an interview with the Greek multimillionaire Alexei Drakos, her project would be accepted, so she tracked him down on the island where he lives. But when he found out she was a reporter, it looked like he was going to kick her out! It seems he misunderstood and thought she was a paparazzo. There are rumors that he's a coldhearted tyrant, but he looks at the islanders with such kindness. The truth about him is surely on the island, if only she can find it.
One day a suspicious man shows up in Venus's bar with shocking news: she might be the long-lost granddaughter of a very rich man. Venus, however, has made it through life on her own so far and doesn't feel like she would fit into the stiff world of the upper class. When the man offers her money to accompany him to Atlanta, though, she decides to go along for the ride. There, she meets the perfect man, Troy, who also happens to be the vice president of the company her newly found grandfather owns. But even as the sparks of romance start to fly between them, Troy demands to know if she's only come for the money.
Theo, a count and a businessman, knew he liked what he saw as soon as he met waitress Carrie. But their relationship had one important rule: don't bring love into it. Carrie sees him as a Prince Charming, though, and falls in love anyway. She's desperate to hide this from him, but when she lets it slip one day, he abandons her on the spot. And not long after, she's shocked to learn that she's pregnant. A year later, Theo insists that Carrie pay a visit to his castle in France, and she introduces him to their son. Who else but Theo would have the temerity to suggest that their child is her revenge?
In addition to being the oldest of four beautiful brothers, Sawyer is the only doctor in Buckhorn, Kentucky. One day a woman named Honey drives her car through his fence and into the lake. He finds her unconscious, but when she wakes up, she doesn't seem to want his help. She appears to be afraid of something, but what that might be is a mystery. Sparks begin to fly as Sawyer nurses her back to health. Will an irresistible magnetism draw these two closer together?
For years, Andreas Xenakis had a single-minded determination to find Siena DePiero and exact his revenge on her for ruining his life. Siena, once a rich socialite, now works as a waitress to make ends meet after her father's company went into bankruptcy. The two meet once again and the attraction they felt all those years ago comes rushing back. Andreas is determined not to let his desire for Siena get in the way of his revenge, and Siena is overcome with the guilt of what she did to him. So when Andreas makes Siena an offer that is too tempting to turn down, what will they do? Will Andreas's anger overcome his desire for Siena? Will Siena summon the courage to tell him the truth?
While enduring life with her drunk father, VJ, who's always dreamed of leaving her small town someday to fall in love, meets a famous film director. Kris is urbane and looks like a Greek god. Concerned about VJ's circumstances, he takes her out of town to show her a dreamy, romantic time. VJ realizes her strong feelings for Kris, but she also knows his engagement to the star in his next movie will soon be announced. Must their magic end so soon?
Tending to her sick grandmother while trapped under the weighty debts of her deceased father, Kyra Symington works endlessly at a real-estate company during the day and a restaurant at night. One day James Redman, a talented young colleague at her company, chooses her as his project assistant. It's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, but without much flexibility in her work hours, Kyra is forced to make the heartbreaking decision to decline the offer. James, however, won't give up that easily-he's determined to have her on his team. And with him gazing into her eyes, his handsome face so close to hers, Kyra can't control her thumping heart!
Peachy had been saving herself for love, but after a near-death experience she decided not to hold back any longer. And if she was going to lose her virginity, Peachy felt that there was only one man she could give it to-Luc Devereaux, a devilishly handsome apartment building owner and her neighbor. Luc was hesitant to accept Peachy's proposal because he didn't want her to have any regrets. Luc tries to delay the event for as long as he can in order to give Peachy time to rethink her decision, but he is finding it more and more difficult not to follow through with her proposal...
Kate awakens in a hotel suite and finds herself naked. Coming out of the shower is Michalis Theodakis, the heir to a global hotel chain. She remembers him saving her from men with ill intentions the evening before, but she never would have imagined that her savior would take advantage of her! When he becomes aware of what she's thinking, Michalis is thoroughly offended-if he had shared a bed with her, he assures her, she would certainly remember it. Kate apologizes when she realizes he didn't have any predatory intentions...but that doesn't mean he doesn't have any intentions at all...
Three days before Gisele's wedding, she is caught up in an unfounded scandal and her fiance, Emilio, who is misled by the rumors, abandons her like a used dish towel. Two years later, Emilio learns the truth and appears again in Gisele's life with his eyes full of the confidence and pride of a man who's used to being in control. But Gisele, who's already received her education in high society from him, knows he was never interested in love, just a perfect wife. Now, in an effort to get Gisele back, Emilio is offering her two million dollars to spend one month with him!
Ten years ago, Gabe left Emily in the middle of their honeymoon, abandoning her for a new job. Now, just when Emily has finally started to forget about him, a letter from Gabe arrives at her office without warning! She refuses to meet with him at first, but when he gets involved with her work, she has no choice. Upon learning that Emily is fed up with marriage but still wants a child and is looking for a sperm donor, Gabe comes up with an unbelievable suggestion...and asks Emily to have his baby!
Seri gets a call from her Aunt Tildy, who says that her most precious necklace has been stolen. Her aunt is eccentric, but Seri loves her all the same, so she promises to help her find it. Once she reaches her aunt's home, she meets a man named Carch. He claims to be Tildy's friend, but Seri can't hide her suspicions. Even as she questions his identity, she feels a strange sensation every time he touches her and an intense attraction, too. Can she trust this man?
Sarah, who works in the editorial department of a magazine, has been hiding her royal heritage-her family once ruled a kingdom that no longer exists. One day she's visited by Devon Hunter, the millionaire chosen as number three in the magazine's "Top Ten Sexiest Single Males" ranking. But he has something to tell her and it isn't about magazine business. He claims that her sister has stolen a priceless artifact from his home! But Sarah knows her sister wouldn't do anything to hurt their family name. In return for not taking this matter to the police, and with her grandmother the grand duchess's approval, Sarah must now go with him on a business trip to Paris as his fiancee!
Sienna attended the funeral for the wealthy Guido Ferrante, in whose mansion her mother used to work as a maid, but just when she's about to go home, a lawyer informs her that her presence is requested at the reading of Mr. Ferrante's last will and testament! Why would she need to be there? It turns out that in order for Mr. Ferrante's son, Andreas, to receive his inheritance, he must first marry Sienna. There's no way Sienna will agree to marry Andreas-he arrogantly dismissed her as a lowly employee when she was young and dared tell him how she felt about him. And yet, the threads of fate leave no room for choice as the two of them are pulled closer together...
After losing her father, Genevieve was raised by Blaine, who is eight years her senior. She loves Blaine, but agreed to marry another man. The reason? To spite Blaine. But she begins to regret her decision as time wears on. On the day of the wedding, Blaine offers his congratulations, the complexity of his emotions apparent in his eyes. Despite her misgivings, the ceremony begins, but when Genevieve must kiss the groom, the unthinkable happens!
A man shows up not long after Marlene's mother and Paolo, her mother's wealthy, married lover, die. The man says he's a friend of Paolo's and that he wants to discuss Paolo's will with her. But then she overhears a cruel plot against her: "Seduce that low-class harlot who's looking for a sugar daddy and leave her without a single penny." Because Marlene, her mother and Paolo lived together as a family, the man has mistaken Marlene for Paolo's mistress...and decided to punish her!
Simone swore her love in front of a sacred altar. That love was a lie. Her marriage is just to put her grandfather at ease because he doesn't have much longer to live. She wanted to let her grandfather believe that the vineyard Simone's struggling family lost had been regained. With that in mind, she proposed the idea of a contract marriage to Alesander, the heir to the Esquivel family, which has been feuding with Simone's family for over a hundred years. Little does Simone realize that Alesander expects her to fulfill all her wifely duties!
Princess Isabella was betrothed from a very young age to the king of Umarah, a desert country. Before getting married, she yearns for one last taste of freedom. She wants to go shopping, see the Eiffel Tower and do things that regular twenty-one-year-olds do... So she escapes...only to be promptly found in her beloved Paris. She has been trailed by Adham, a tall, dark-skinned man with scars and a dangerous aura. Isabella seizes a chance to evade her pursuer, and Adham relentlessly chases after her...but when he catches up to her, he steals a kiss!
On the day of her wedding, Shaan is told by her groom-to-be, Piers, that he loves another woman before he abandons her at the altar. Piers's brother Rafe suddenly appears and takes Shaan as his own wife. Shaan can hardly believe that the handsome billionaire would marry her, the ex-fiancee of his younger brother. But Rafe is determined to cover up Piers's mistake and save his family's honor, even if that means entering into a loveless marriage. For her part, Shaan doesn't want to be known as the throwaway bride, so she agrees to go along with Rafe's plan.
After her parents pass away, Jane's distant relative, Lord Barnaby Sulby, takes her under his wing. But as soon as she arrives at his mansion, his wife, Lady Sulby, puts her to work as if she were a servant. Years later, there's a party at the Sulby mansion and Jane catches the eye of the Duke of Stourbridge, the guest of honor. Before he realizes it, he's offered to be her escort for the evening, placing himself in a difficult situation. Convinced Jane was seducing the duke, Lady Sulby accuses her of being just like her adulteress mother! Shocked, Jane flees, hiding herself amid the luggage in the duke's carriage just as it leaves for London!
Jane has run away from her cruel relatives, who took her in after her parents passed away, and made her way to the mansion of Hawk St. Claire, the Duke of Stourbridge, an aristocrat among aristocrats and the head of the notorious St. Claire family. Before she realizes it, she's in love with him. But since Jane and the duke live in different worlds, she resolves to give up on him...until he draws her in for a sudden kiss, plunging her into turmoil. But as soon as he's kissed her, Hawk apologizes for his transgression. As her guardian, he swears never to make the same mistake again...but when Count Whitney, a notorious libertine, approaches Jane, the envy on Hawk's face is plain to see. What is Jane to do?
Catherine has been asked out every day by millionaire Richard, a recent divorce. No matter how many times she rejects him, he comes back with a smile on his face as if it's a matter of time before she says yes. And despite her determination to avoid this playboy, Catherine is finding it harder and harder to ignore him. She doesn't believe he's serious about her, but she can't help wondering what kissing this gorgeous man would be like. (A second story, A Seasonal Secret, is included in this volume.)
While visiting the Middle Eastern country of Beharrain, Sara's coworker is killed in an ambush by an unknown group of people. Sara and Tariq, who has a handsome face and piercing eyes, survive the ordeal. They escape to an oasis and spend the night together. He risked his life to save hers and she can't help but be attracted by his bravery. However, as time passes, she begins to realize that she's been swept into a plot to steal the throne and she must ask herself who Tariq really is...
Anthropologist Evonne has strange powers-she can't actually see the dead, but she can communicate with them. One day, she obtains a vial that is rumored to have special properties. It's said that the vial has the ability to enhance the paranormal powers of its owner. And her paranormal powers do indeed get stronger-to the point that she brings forth a spirit from the vial! The spirit is none other than the gypsy king, Viktor, whom she's been studying! But why does Viktor appear at night and seduce her?
Aislinn has a secret she doesn't want anyone to know. The truth is that she has supernatural powers. When she touches another person's hand, she can read their minds! Although she tries very hard to hide her ability, when she carelessly shakes hands with a man one day, she sees a deep, repressed memory of his-a memory of two boys in a river, one trying to stay afloat and the other desperately hanging on... And Aislinn has seen this exact memory before...in another man!
While working as a maid at the royal palace and hurrying up the stairs on her first day, Carmelina bumps into a handsome man, making her late for work. The man is Roberto, an old friend of her brother's. He has returned to his home country after vowing to make his fortune and become a shining success. What should she say to him now that he's a celebrity so far out of her reach? Her family is poor and their statuses are completely different now... This story (The Italian Billionaire's Bride) takes place in the Principality of Montvelatte, an island kingdom in the Mediterranean Sea. Also included in this volume is the story A Latin Passion.
One night Josey's husband demands that she divorce him. He has taken a lover and wants to leave. But Josey is pregnant! She runs out of the house and drives away. Struggling with her emotions and a sharp curve in the nighttime road, she winds up in a ditch. When Josey regains consciousness, she is being cared for by Tom, a handsome vet. He can be a bit abrupt but he's also sweet... Josey finds herself growing attracted to him, but this second chance for love has some tricky curves ahead!
Tracey has been a wild party girl for the past several years-nobody would guess that she has been living in fear of her grandfather's ab*se. When her grandfather dies, she becomes his successor. She wants the board members of his company to take her seriously, so she goes to see her old friend Nikos, a successful businessman, to ask for advice. But when they reunite, he acts coldly toward Tracey. He still believes her to be an unserious and shallow woman who enjoys the company of too many men, just like the gossip magazines say.
Rebecca works for an airline that caters to wealthy clients ranging from Hollywood stars and royalty to tycoons. Fraternizing with the airline's clients is strictly forbidden, and she's always followed the company rule. But when she meets Alexandros, a world-renowned architect, she succumbs to his overwhelming charm and passion and spends a night with him. Though she enjoys their secret affair, she's also in constant fear of the end of the relationship. He's a well-known playboy who keeps a girlfriend everywhere he goes. How long can she continue this secret life where all she does is long for his next visit?
Grace, a lawyer, is surprised when Michael, her ex-boyfriend from three years ago, calls her out of the blue. He says he needs her, asks her to come immediately. Unable to flatly refuse his pleas over the phone, Grace goes to meet him. Grace had once dreamed of marrying the man she loved and building a warm home with him. But when Michael, the heir of an oil magnate, proposed, she turned him down. She didn't have a choice back then, and he must still resent her now...so why would he reach out to her for help?
Her unrequited love, the man she's always longed for, has offered to buy her for a night! Emilio Rios is a Spanish businessman known for his ruthless business practices and splashy affairs with women. He's her brother's good friend, and Megan had been secretly in love with him since she was young. Right up until two years ago when he accused her of being a loose woman who preys on men's baser instincts! After that she hadn't wanted to ever see him again, but cruel fate brought her and Emilio together again at the airport in Madrid. And now he's bound her to him with an unfair contract!
Lori may be plain, but she's also a skilled nurse who's been hired by former baseball player and celebrity Reid Buchanon. He needs her to be the home-care nurse for his grandmother Gloria. Gloria is a finicky old woman who's difficult to handle, but that's only natural. Because, despite the Buchanons' great wealth, her grandchildren almost never come to visit her. When Lori finally meets Reid, he's just managed to escape from the media following a sex scandal. But he hasn't escaped rebuke altogether-Lori's about to give him a piece of her mind!
Nurse Lori has summoned her courage and fallen in love with Reid. The press claims he's a huge womanizer, but they don't know his true honest and giving personality. Wanting Reid to desire her as a woman, she has stopped hiding her beauty and attracted his notice...but their happiness is short-lived. When Lori's ill sister, Madeline, takes a turn for the worse, Lori can't leave her alone to face death... And so Lori rejects love and leaves Reid-after all how can she pursue her own joy while Madeline suffers?