Diana Palmer, renowned for her emotionally vivid and sensuous stories, sets hearts on fire with her exquisite new novel.
Judd Dunn, a hard-edged Texas Ranger, had taken it upon himself to put Christabel Gaines's father behind bars — where he belonged. But Judd's involvement in Crissy's life was far from over. With their jointly owned ranch on the verge of bankruptcy, Judd wed her in name only, vowing to ignore the sexual tension between them. An innocent woman like Crissy was off limits for a man with his blemished past. Especially someone who risked his life for a living and had little regard for matters of the heart.
Now, five years later, just when they should be breaking free of their sham of a marriage, their futures become further intertwined when threats of murder and sabotage turn their lives upside down. A man in Judd Dunn's line of work is bound to make his share of enemies, but he is blindsided by this bloodthirsty foe who is setting the stage for unspeakable evil and preying on Judd's greatest weakness?his wife. No longer a starry-eyed schoolgirl, Crissy's a smart, fearless woman with unfulfilled desires. And she will do anything in the name of love?including taking a bullet for her husband. Before long, with their very lives at stake, Crissy and Judd must confront their darkest demons, their new rivals and their deepest desires-and face up to a mutual destiny they cannot outrun.

"Nobody does it better." (New York Times bestselling author Linda Howard)

"Nobody tops Diana Palmer . . . I love her stories." (New York Times bestselling author Jayne Ann Krentz)

"Diana Palmer makes a reader want to find a Texan of her own to love!" (Affaire de Coeur)

"Diana Palmer is a mesmerizing storyteller who captures the essence of what a romance should be." (Affaire de Coeur)

Following the phenomenal success of her hardcover debut, "Desperado, New York Times" bestselling author Palmer takes her fans back to the place she knows best: Texas.

Texas Ranger Judd Dunn married 16 year-old Christabel Gaines after putting her abusive father in prison - but only to save their shared ranch from falling into bankruptcy. Over the years, Christabel has grown into a beautiful woman and now their platonic marriage has given way to passionate yearnings that neither knows how to handle.

Diana Palmer is a prolific writer who got her start as a newspaper reporter. As one of the top ten romance writers in America, she has a gift for telling the most sensual tales with charm and humor. Diana lives with her family in Cornelia, Georgia.