"Ye are a vain man, to be sure." She took a drumstick from the platter as she spoke, and Alex realized he hadn't taken a bite himself since she sat down.

"It's just that I know women," Alex explained, as he took a slab of roasted mutton with his knife. "So I can tell the ones that would welcome a pinch."

She pointed her drumstick at him. "Ye pinched me, and I didn't want ye to."

"Pinching your padding doesn't count," Alex said. "You'd wink if I pinched ye, Mistress Glynis. Ye may not know it yet, but I can tell."

Instead of laughing and calling him vain again, as he'd hoped, her expression was tense. "I don't like the way my father looks."

"How does he look to ye?" Alex asked.

"Hopeful."

Alex and Duncan slept on the floor of the hall with a score of snoring MacNeils. At dawn, Alex awoke to the sound of soft footfalls crossing the hall. He rolled to the side and leaped to his feet, leaving his host kicking into air where Alex had been lying.

"You're quick," the MacNeil said, with an approving nod. "I only meant to wake ye."

"That could have gotten ye killed," Alex said, as he slipped his dirk back into his belt. "And then I'd have no end of trouble leaving your fine home."

Duncan was feigning sleep, but his hand was on the hilt of his dagger. If Alex gave the signal, Duncan would slit their host's throat, and the two of them would be halfway to their boat before anyone else in the hall knew what had happened.

"Come for a stroll with me," the MacNeil said. "I've something to show ye."

"I could use some fresh air after all the whiskey ye gave me last night."

It was difficult to discover a man's intentions when he was sober, so Alex had matched the MacNeil drink for drink far into the night. No doubt the MacNeil chieftain had attempted to drink him under the table with the same goal in mind. Neither had succeeded.

"No one forced it down your throat," the MacNeil said, as they left the hall.

"Ah, but ye knew I am a MacDonald," Alex said. "We don't like to lose, whether it be drinking games or battles."

The MacNeil c.o.c.ked an eyebrow. "Or women?"

Alex didn't take the bait. His problem had never been losing women, but finding a graceful way to end it when the time came-which it always did.

Alex followed the MacNeil out the gate and onto the narrow causeway that connected the castle to the main island.

The MacNeil halted and pointed down the beach. "My daughter Glynis is there."

Alex's gaze was riveted to the slender figure walking barefoot along the sh.o.r.e with her back to them. Her long hair was blowing in the wind, and every few feet she stopped and leaned over to pick up something from the beach. Ach, she made a lovely sight. Alex had a weakness for a woman who liked to get her feet wet.

"Ye strike me as a curious man," the MacNeil said. "Don't ye want to know what she truly looks like?"

Alex did want to know. He narrowed his eyes at the MacNeil. He was more accustomed to having fathers hide their daughters from him. "Are ye not fond of your daughter?"

"Glynis is my only child by my first wife. She's very much like her mother, as difficult a woman as was ever born." The MacNeil sighed. "G.o.d, how I loved her.

"The other girls are sweet, biddable la.s.ses who will tell their husbands they are wise and clever and always in the right, whether they are or no. But not Glynis."

The younger sisters sounded too dull by half.

"I didn't raise Glynis any different, she just is," the chieftain said. "If we were attacked and I was killed, the other girls would weep and wail, helpless creatures that they are. But Glynis would pick up a sword and fight like a she-wolf to protect the others."

"So why are ye so anxious to see Glynis wed?" Alex asked. She seemed the only one worth keeping to him.

"She and her stepmother are like dry kindling and a lit torch. Glynis needs her own home. She doesn't like being under the thumb of another woman."

"Or a man's," Alex said. "Judging from what I heard she did to her former husband."

"Ach, he was a fool to tell the tale," the MacNeil said with a wave of his hand. "What man with any pride would admit his wife got her blade into his hip? Ye know what she was aiming for, of course."

Alex winced. He'd had women weep and occasionally toss things at him, but none had ever tried to cut off his manly parts.

But then, Alex had never married.

THE DISH.

Where authors give you the inside scoop!.

From the desk of Margaret Mallory.

Dear Reader, I was a late bloomer.

There, I've said it. That single fact defined my adolescence.

When I entered high school at thirteen-going-on-fourteen, I looked like a sixth grader. Was it the braces? The gla.s.ses? The flat chest? The short stature? Red hair and freckles did not lend sophistication to this deadly combination. I have a vivid memory of one of my mother's friends looking at me that summer before high school and blurting out, "What a funny-looking kid."

To my enormous relief, I entered tenth grade with b.r.e.a.s.t.s, contact lenses, and no braces. Boys looked at me differently, girls quit ridiculing me, and adults ceased to speak to me as if I were eleven. And older guys-who had utterly failed to notice my "inner beauty" before-appeared out of nowhere Although it took my self-esteem years to recover, suffering is never wasted on a writer. With THE GUARDIAN, I wanted to write a story with a heroine who goes through this awkward stage-along with several dangerous adventures-and eventually comes out the other side as a confident, mature woman who feels loved and valued for her beauty inside and out.

Of course, I had to give Sileas, my ugly-duckling heroine, a hero to die for. Ian MacDonald is the handsome young Highlander she has adored since she could walk.

Sileas is an awkward, funny-looking thirteen-year-old when Ian rescues her from her latest round of trouble. Ian is not exactly pleased when, as a result of his good deed, he is forced to wed her. Although Sileas lives in the Scottish Highlands in the year 1513, I knew exactly how she felt when she overheard Ian shouting at his father, "Have ye taken a good look at her, da?"

When Ian returns years later, Sileas is so beautiful she knocks his socks off. Not surprisingly, Ian finds that he is now willing to consummate the marriage. But as Sileas's self-confidence grows, she knows she deserves a man who loves and respects her.

Our handsome hero has his hands full trying to win his bride while also saving his clan. Eventually, Ian realizes he wants Sileas's heart as much as he wants her in his bed. I admit that I found it most gratifying to make this handsome Highland warrior suffer until he proves himself worthy of Sileas. But I had faith in Ian. He always did have a hero's heart.

I hope you enjoyed Ian and Sileas's love story. THE GUARDIAN is the first book in my Return of the Highlanders series about four warriors who return home from fighting in France to find their clan in danger. Each brave warrior must do his part to save the clan in the troubled times ahead-and to win the Highland la.s.s who captures his heart.

Happy Reading!.

www.margaretmallory.com.

From the desk of Roxanne St. Claire.

Dear Reader, Character notes? Character notes! Where did I put my character notes for Vivi Angelino? Oh, that's right. I never had any. She wrote herself.

I have never subscribed to the theory that "a character tells her own story," despite the number of times I've heard writers discuss that phenomenon. Sure, certain characters are vivid in the writer's head and have personality traits that, for whatever reason, make them standouts on the page. They're fun people to write, but letting them take over the book? Come on! Who is the boss here? Whose fingertips are on the keyboard? Whose imagination is at work? A good author should be able to control their character.

And then along came Vivina Angelino. From the first book in the Guardian Angelinos series, Vivi was not only vivid and three-dimensional to me, she seemed to liven up every scene. (Make that "take over" every scene.) When I could finally give her free rein as the heroine of FACE OF DANGER, I did what any writer would do. I buckled up and hung on for the ride. There were daily surprises with Vivi, including her back story, which she revealed to me as slowly and carefully as she does to the reader, and the hero.

The interesting thing about Vivi is that she is one of those people-or appears to be on the surface-who knows exactly who she is and doesn't give a flying saucer what other people think. I think we all kind of envy that bone-deep confidence. I know I do! She scoots around Boston on a skateboard (and, yes, this is possible, because this is precisely how my stepson transports himself from home to work in downtown Boston), wears her hair short and spiky, and has a tiny diamond in her nose... not because she's making a statement, but because she likes it. She's a woman, but she's not particularly feminine and she has little regard for fashion, makeup, and the "girlier" things in life. I wanted to know why.

About five years ago, long before I "met" Vivi, I read an article about a woman who looked so much like Demi Moore that she worked as a "celebrity look-alike" at trade shows and special events. Of course, the suspense writer in me instantly asked the "what-if" question that is at the heart of every book. What if that look-alike was truly mistaken for the actress by someone with nefarious intentions? What if the look-alike was brave enough to take the job to intentionally attract and trap that threatening person?

I held on to that thread of a story, waiting for the right character. I wanted a heroine who is so comfortable in her own skin that a.s.suming someone else's ident.i.ty would be a little excruciating. Kind of like kicking off sneakers and sliding into stilettos-fun until you try to walk, and near impossible when you have to run for your life. When Vivi Angelino showed up on the scene, I knew I had my girl.

No surprise, Vivi told this story her way. Of course, she chafed at the hair extensions and false eyelashes, but that was only on the surface. Wearing another woman's ident.i.ty forced this character to understand herself better and to do that, she had to face her past. More importantly, to find the love she so richly deserves, she had to shed the skin she clung to so steadfastly, and discover why she was uncomfortable with the feminine things in life. When she did, well, like everything about Vivi, she surprised me.

She pulled it off, though, and now she's FBI Agent Colton Lang's problem. I hope he can control her better than I could.

Enjoy!.

www.roxannestclaire.com.

From the desk of Isobel Carr.

Dear Reader, Do you ever wonder what happens to all the mistresses who are given up by n.o.ble heroes so they can have their monogamous happily-ever-after with their virginal brides? Or how all those "spares" get on after they've been made redundant when their elder brother produces an heir? I most certainly do!

In fact, I've always been intrigued by people who take charge, go out on a limb, and make lemonade when the universe keeps handing them lemons. So it comes as little surprise that my series-The League of Second Sons-is about younger sons of the n.o.bility, the untraditional women they fall in love with, and what it takes for two people who aren't going to inherit everything to make a life for themselves.

The League of Second Sons is a secret club for younger sons who've banded together to help one another seize whatever life offers them and make the most of it. These are the men who actually run England. They're elected to the House of Commons, they run their family estates, they're the traditional family sacrifice to the military (the Duke of Wellington and Lord Nelson were both younger sons). They work-in a gentlemanly manner-for what they've got and what they want. They're hungry, in a way that an eldest son, destined for fortune and t.i.tle, never can be.

Leonidas Vaughn, the hero of the first book, RIPE FOR PLEASURE, is just such a younger son. His father may be a duke, but Leonidas not going to inherit much beyond the small estate his grandfather bequeathed him.

My heroine, Viola Whedon, took a chance on young love that worked out very badly indeed. Since then, she's been level-headed and practical. A rough life in the workhouse or a posh life as a mistress was an easy decision, and keeping her heart out of it was never a problem... until now. Brash seduction at the hands of a handsome man who promises to put her desires first sweeps her off her feet and off her guard.

I hope you'll enjoy letting Leo show you what it means to be RIPE FOR PLEASURE.

www.isobelcarr.com.

From the desk of Katie Lane.

Dear Reader, When I was little I used to love watching The Andy Griffith Show reruns. I loved everything about Mayberry-from Floyd's barbershop, where all the town gossip took place, to the tree-lined lake where Andy took his son fishing. I would daydream for hours about living in Mayberry, eating Aunt Bea's home cooking, tagging after Barney to listen to his latest harebrained scheme, or just hanging out with Opie. And even though my life remained in a larger city, these daydreams stuck with me over the years. So much so that I ended up snagging a redheaded, freckle-faced Opie of my own... with one tiny difference.

My Opie came from Texas.

Welcome to Bramble! Mayberry on Texas peyote.

You won't find Andy, Barney, or Aunt Bea in town. But you will find a sheriff who enjoys grand theft auto, a matchmaking mayor, a hairdresser whose "exes" fill half of Texas, and a bunch of meddling townsfolk. And let's not forget the pretty imposter, the smoking-hot cowboy, the feisty actress, and the very naughty bad boy.

So I hope you'll stop by because the folks of Bramble, Texas, are just itchin' to show y'all a knee-slappin' good time. GOING COWBOY CRAZY, my first romance set in Bramble, is out now.

Much Love and Laughter, www.katielanebooks.com.

ALSO BY MARGARET MALLORY.

Knight of Desire.

Knight of Pleasure.

Knight of Pa.s.sion.

Praise for the novels of.

Margaret Mallory.

KNIGHT OF Pa.s.sION.

"Top Pick! As in the previous book in her All the King's Men series, Mallory brings history to life, creating dramatic and gut-wrenching stories. Her characters are incredibly alive and readers will feel and believe their sensual and pa.s.sionate adventures. Mallory raises the genre to new levels."

-RT Book Reviews "A story full of revenge, love, hope, and pain... Beautifully written. Mallory is extremely talented... [She] has obviously done a great deal of research for this trilogy-it certainly paid off! And if you're addicted to historical romance, you're going to want to get your hands on this book."

-RexRobotReviews.com "Another hit for this wonderful series!"

-TheMysticCastle.com "I really enjoyed this story... Very intense... Fans of medieval historicals will especially love this one."

-CoffeeTimeRomance.com "Intriguing and enjoyable... truly a great romance that you won't be able to put down!"

-RomanceJunkiesReviews.com "An amazing story... a series that readers won't want to miss... Filled with hot romance as well as adventure with a fascinating historical background."

-RomRevToday.com KNIGHT OF PLEASURE.

"4 Stars! A riveting story... Such depth and sensuality are a rare treat."

-RT Book Reviews "Fascinating... An excellent historical romance. Ms. Mallory gives us amazingly vivid details of the characters, romance, and intrigue of England. You're not just reading a novel, you are stepping into the story and feeling all the emotions of each character... Knight of Pleasure is amazing and I highly recommend it."

-TheRomanceReadersConnection.com "An absolute delight... captivating... Combining a luscious romantic story with a fascinating look at an intriguing time in history, Mallory captures her readers' attention."

-FreshFiction.com "If you like heated romance sprinkled liberally with royal politics, you can't miss this book."

-RomanceJunkiesReviews.com "Thrilling, romantic, and just plain good reading... an enjoyable, historically accurate, and very well written novel."

-RomRevToday.com "A beautifully written tale, allowing us to spend a night or two of pleasure engrossed in the story of Isobel and Stephen... Their romance is extremely satisfying for us to experience while the historical background makes the tale so much richer. A fantastic job."

-Singlet.i.tles.com "Lovely... your own heart weeps with all the issues that are keeping [Isobel and Stephen] apart."

-HistoricalRomanceSociety.com KNIGHT OF DESIRE.