Cover Me

Cover Me
Stephanie Bond

I remember the day when my life began to spin out of control…Without going into too much detail, it was the day that a birthday cake, a very naughty gift, an incredible one-night stand and a "cover curse" at the magazine I work for all came together….Now I'm heading to Nowheresville, U.S.A., to man-sit Sam Long, the hunky veterinarian I slept with last night, all under the cover of a job assignment! How I'm supposed to maintain a professional distance at this point is totally beyond me! But my career (and his safety) depend upon it. Since I've never left New York City, I guess I should look at this as an adventure. I can only hope that while I'm out covering my job (and my boss's behind), someone will cover me. And if I play my cards right, that person might just be Sam….

“My name’s Sam. And you are?”

“Just leaving,” I said with a tight smile. It was for my own good. My friends had told me to make a play for the sandy-haired hunk, but it just wasn’t in me to pick up a man in a bar. The girls had bought me a drink for my birthday, given me a ridiculous gift and now it was time to follow their example and head home.

Even though Sam’s shiny brown bedroom eyes made the moisture evaporate from my mouth.

He seemed disappointed by my response, but accepting. “Well, nice almost meeting you.”

I gathered up my present and had turned to go when he called, “Hey. You forgot something.”

I turned back and, to my horror, saw him bending to retrieve the pink sheet of paper containing directions for my present, the “Make Your Own Dildo” kit. The subhead “The Only Set That Lets You Cast It from the Real Thing” seemed to jump off the page. I lunged for the paper, but Sam was too quick. When he lifted his gaze from the sheet, a mischievous smile curved his mouth and his eyes danced. “Looks like fun.”

Hmm. On second thought, maybe I did have one more birthday present coming to me.

Dear Reader,

It’s Harlequin Temptation’s twentieth birthday and we’re ready to do some celebrating. After all, we’re young, we’re legal (well, almost) and we’re old enough to get into trouble! Who could resist?

We’ve been publishing outstanding novels for the past twenty years, and there are many more where those came from. Don’t miss upcoming books by your favorite authors: Vicki Lewis Thompson, Kate Hoffmann, Kristine Rolofson, Jill Shalvis and Leslie Kelly. And Harlequin Temptation has always offered talented new authors to add to your collection. In the next few months look for stories from some of these exciting new finds: Emily McKay, Tanya Michaels, Cami Dalton and Mara Fox.

To celebrate our birthday, we’re bringing back one of our most popular miniseries, Editor’s Choice. Whenever we have a book that’s new, innovative, extraordinary, look for the Editor’s Choice flash. And the first one’s out this month! In Cover Me, talented Stephanie Bond tells the hilarious tale of a native New Yorker who finds herself out of her element and loving it. Written totally in the first person, Cover Me is a real treat. And don’t miss the rest of this month’s irresistible offerings—a naughty Wrong Bed book by Jill Shalvis, another installment of the True Blue Calhouns by Julie Kistler and a delightful Valentine tale by Kate Hoffmann.

So, come be a part of the next generation of Harlequin Temptation. We might be a little wild, but we’re having a whole lot of fun. And who knows—some of the thrill might rub off….

Enjoy,

Brenda Chin

Associate Senior Editor

Harlequin Temptation

Cover Me

Stephanie Bond

www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)

A NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR…

I love “fish out of water” stories. There’s no better way to see the kind of stuff a person is made of than to plunk them into a situation where everything they believe to be true not only can’t help them, but sometimes can even get them into more trouble!

Meet Kenzie Mansfield, a label-conscious, career-minded city girl who has to temporarily relocate to a small town to thwart a magazine “cover curse.” Kenzie can handle just about anything—or so she thinks!

I hope you enjoy this story, written from Kenzie’s point of view as she deals with rural mishaps and tries to maintain a professional distance from the handsome veterinarian she is sent to keep an eye on. Too late, Kenzie realizes this cover assignment might leave her caught between her job and her heart!

Happy reading, and don’t forget to tell your friends about the wonderful romantic stories between the pages of Harlequin novels. Visit me at www.stephaniebond.com.

Much love and laughter,

Stephanie Bond

For Brenda Chin, a fearless editor who keeps raising the bar

Contents

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20