.
Reviewers love New York Times and USA TODAY
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 dialogue.”
—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
“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
Ava’s Taco Soup
1 lb ground turkey
1 onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 large bag frozen mixed veggies (cook’s choice)
2 cans diced tomatoes & green chilies (such as RoTel)
2 cans diced tomatoes
1 can black beans
1 can white beans
2 packages taco seasoning or ½ cup Costco taco seasoning
1 cup red wine
1 cup/can chicken or vegetable broth
Brown turkey, onions and peppers and toss in a large Crock-Pot. Add rest of the ingredients and simmer all day long. Leftovers can be frozen in ziplock baggies for on-the-go individual servings.
Playing Dirty
Susan Andersen
MILLS & BOON
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This is dedicated to my little corner
of the immense Facebook community—
especially the ladies (and occasional gent)
of the SusanAndersenFanPage. You make me laugh,
make me think and—I gotta tell ya—make me
feel much more important than I actually am.
Your collective willingness to open up pieces of your lives
to my voracious curiosity just knocks my socks off.
You all rock.
—Susan
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
I owe a huge debt of gratitude to Virginia Bogert of
Laughing Dog Productions for the fabulous information
and peeks into the world of a working documentary
producer. I so appreciate all the time you gave me,
your wonderful ideas and your patience
with my many questions.
I hope I did your information justice,
but if any inaccuracies arise, they are solely mine.
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
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
EPILOGUE
PROLOGUE
Dear Diary,
I didn’t know you could feel such pain and still live.
Country Day School, Upper School building
Thirteen years ago
AVA SPENCER DANCED down the hallway toward the cafeteria, her hips slowly swiveling and her plump shoulders grooving to the Goo Goo Dolls’ rendition of “Iris” playing in her head. She supposed she could’ve picked something faster, but hey. She was in the moment, feeling good.
Really, really good.
“Ava! Wait up!”
Glancing behind her, she saw her two best friends hustling around a group of stragglers who, like her, were running late for second lunch. The music in her head shut down as she waited for them to catch