“Jesus,” Lips said. “Look, I’m running a little late here. I promise to shovel you another parking place tonight. Just get out of my way. Please?”
Obviously he wasn’t used to begging. Gorgeous guys didn’t beg. He had smooth, tea-with-milk brown skin, curly black hair, and bitter-chocolate eyes, framed by lush girly eyelashes. Except the girly eyelashes helped emphasize the hard masculine edges of his face. In fact, the only soft things on his face were the eyelashes and his lips of sin. Deep lines bracketed those lips, framing the cynical corners and the little indent on the bottom lip that made a woman wonder what, exactly, the man could do with that mouth.
Perfect.
He was perfectly perfect in his masculine beauty, and Zoey had hated him on sight. Gorgeous guys were always so damn full of themselves. They strutted around like they were God’s gift to women. Please. Add to that the fact that the man was always dressed for corporate raiding in suit and tie and black leather trench coat, and he just was not her type.
Lips was getting out of the car now, looking pretty pissed, his black trench coat swirling dramatically around his legs.
Zoey leaned forward, about to give him what-for, when the front doors to their apartment building burst open and a middle-aged guy in a red puffy jacket came running out. He had a baby under his left arm like a football. Zoey froze, her heart paralyzed at the sight. In his right fist was a gun. His bald head swiveled as he caught sight of them, and his gun hand swiveled with it. Zoey’s eyes widened, and then a ton of bricks hit her from the side. She went down into the frozen gray slush on the street, and the ton of bricks landed on top of her. An expensive black leather sleeve shielded her face.
BANG!
The shot sounded like it was right in her ear. Zoey contracted her body in animal reaction, trying to make herself smaller beneath the heavy bulk of the man on top of her.
“Get behind the car,” Lips breathed in her ear, and she had the incongruous thought that his breath smelled like fresh mint.
Then a flurry of shots rang out, one right after the other, in a wall of sound that scared her witless. The weight lifted from her body, and she felt Lips grab the back of her jacket and haul. She was on hands and knees, but she barely touched the ground before she was behind the Beemer on the driver’s side. She looked up and saw Lips crouched over her, a black gun in his hand.
“Don’t shoot,” she gasped. “He’s got the baby!”
“I know.” His gaze was fixed over the roof of the car. “Shit.”
The word was drowned out by the sound of a revving engine. Zoey looked around in time to see the yellow Hummer accelerate away from the curb, the bald man at the wheel.
“Come on!” She grabbed the door handle of the Beemer and pulled, scrambling ungracefully inside. There was a moment when she thought she might be seriously tangled in the console between the seats, and then she was on the other side, pulling out the passenger-side seat belt. She looked back, and Lips was still standing outside the car, staring at her. “What’re you waiting for? We’ll lose him.”
He narrowed his eyes at her but thankfully didn’t argue. Instead he threw back his coat and suit jacket, holstered his gun in a graceful movement Jack Bauer would’ve envied, and got in the car. He released the emergency brake and shifted into first.
He glanced at her once assessingly and said, “Hold on.”
The force of his acceleration slammed her against the Beemer’s lush leather seat. Then they were flying, the car eerily quiet as they sped through Evanston.
“Do you think he’s a pedophile?” She clutched at the car armrest anxiously.
“No.”
The yellow Hummer had turned at the corner onto a medium-sized boulevard lined with small businesses and shops. Zoey was afraid they would’ve already lost him by now, but two stoplights ahead, the Hummer idled at a red light.
She leaned forward. “There he is. Up ahead at the stoplight.”
“I see him.” The words were quiet, but they had an edge.
Well, too bad. “Can’t you go any faster?”
He sped past a forest green minivan.
“The light changed. He’s moving again.” Zoey bit her lip, trying to still the panic in her chest. “We can’t lose him. We just can’t. You need to go faster.”
Lips glanced at her. He didn’t say anything, but Zoey heard a kind of scraping sound, like he was grinding his teeth. She rolled her eyes. Men had such delicate egos. She hauled her cell out of her jacket pocket and began punching numbers.
“What’re you doing?” he asked. The Beemer swerved around a Volkswagen Beetle in the left lane, briefly jumping the concrete divider before thumping down again in front of the Beetle.
Zoey righted herself from where she’d slid against the passenger door. “Calling 911.”
He grunted, and she wasn’t sure whether that was an approving sound or not. Not that it mattered.
There was a click in her ear and a bored voice said, “911. What is the nature of your emergency?”
The Hummer had turned right at the light onto Dempster. Lips steered the Beemer into the turn going maybe forty mph. The Beemer’s tires screeched but didn’t skid. Points to BMW engineering.
“A baby’s been kidnapped,” Zoey said to the 911 operator. “We’re chasing the kidnapper.”
The operator’s voice perked up. “Where are you now?”
“On Dempster, near uh…” She craned her neck just as Lips swerved again, nearly sending her nose into the passenger-side window. “Shit.”
“I beg your pardon,” the operator said, sounding offended.
“Not you. I know we’ve passed Skokie Boulevard—”
“We’re on Dempster and Le Claire,” Lips said tightly.
Zoey repeated the information.
“Tell 911 that it’s a yellow Hummer,” Lips said as he accelerated around a postal truck, imperiling the paint on the Beemer’s side. “The license plate’s obscured by mud, but there’s a dent in the back left panel over the wheel.”
The Hummer suddenly swerved into the right lane and took a ramp onto the Edens Expressway.
Zoey gasped in the middle of her recitation. “He’s gotten onto the Edens going north.”
The Beemer barreled up the ramp and abruptly slowed. In either direction on the freeway, as far as the eye could see, was a four-lane-wide trail of cars.
“Shit,” Zoey muttered.
“I beg your pardon,” the operator said again. Must get sworn at a lot in her job.
“Not you,” Zoey replied and then said to no one in particular, “This is why I never take the Edens after three. They’ve been doing road construction for, like, ten years here.”
“I’ll be sure and tell the guy that when we catch up with him,” Lips ground out.
If they caught up with him, Zoey thought and bit her bottom lip. The Hummer was already several cars ahead and moving, whereas their part of the traffic jam was stopped dead. There was a good possibility that they’d lose the Hummer in the traffic. She kept her eyes firmly fixed on the massive lump of yellow steel. She wasn’t letting it out of her sight. That truck contained a kidnapper with a gun and a very important little piece of humanity. ’Cause the kidnapper hadn’t taken just any baby.
He’d taken Pete.
TITLES BY ELIZABETH HOYT WRITING AS JULIA HARPER
Hot
For the Love of Pete
TITLES BY ELIZABETH HOYT
The Raven Prince
The Serpent Prince
The Ice Princess
To Taste Temptation
To Beguile a Beast
To Seduce a Sinner
To Desire a Devil
Wicked Intentions
Notorious Pleasures
Scandalous Desires
Thief of Shadows
Lord of Darkness
Duke of Midnight
Darling Beast
ACCLAIM FOR
THE NOVELS OF
&nbs
p; ELIZABETH HOYT WRITING
AS JULIA HARPER
Hot
“A refreshing, funny, tug-your-heartstrings read that deserves a Perfect 10… If you like Hot stories, this is just the book you need.”
—RomRevToday.com
“A fabulous story!… A truly exciting and intriguing book, this was one that could not be put down until the end.”
—TheRomanceReadersConnection.com
“[A] delightful crime caper… the story line is fast-paced and jocular… Filled with terrific twists, fans will appreciate Julia Harper’s Hot thriller.”
—Midwest Book Review
“A fantastically written story filled with suspense, adventure, and—as the title suggests—steamy scenes. Julia Harper… has a flair for creating lovable and interesting characters who are hard to forget.”
—BookLoons.com
“One of those books that is so good that it, unfortunately, is over long before the reader wants it to be… with unforgettable characters, slick dialogue, and a story that is both romantic and suspenseful. Julia Harper writes hot, sexy characters in fast-moving situations with searing realism.”
—RomanceReaderatHeart.com
“A rousing romantic adventure that is certain to bring Julia Harper a large fan base. Wonderfully witty dialogue, vivid sense of time and place, a hero and heroine like no other; all of these add up to a stellar debut.”
—SingleTitles.com
“A funny, romantic comedy with a bit of action-adventure thrown in… will appeal to fans of Janet Evanovich.”
—Parkersburg News and Sentinel (WV)
“This one is cute with a likeable heroine.”
—BellaOnline.com
“A creative and even suspenseful story and a cast of quirky, small-town characters, Hot makes for a light and entertaining read.”
—NightsandWeekends.com
For the Love of Pete
“Hilarious… keeps the laughs coming.”
—Publishers Weekly
“Reads like Janet Evanovich crossed with The Sopranos… you will be giggling as you cruise through the plot twists.”
—RT Book Reviews
“Madcap to say the least, For the Love of Pete is flamboyantly off-the-wall… [It] is a guaranteed good read, and will definitely put Julia Harper on more than one must-read list.”
—TheRomanceReader.com
“It’s one of those books where you actually laugh out loud, it’s so funny… I liked everything about this book.”
—BookBinge.com
“A very enjoyable and fast-paced zany caper that doesn’t disappoint from start to finish… Offering nonstop wacky fun and some adorable romance to boot, For the Love of Pete gets my love and a two-thumbs-up gesture.”
—MrsGiggles.com
“Once again, Julia Harper delights the reader with a screwball comedy… For the Love of Pete captured my heart from the moment I began to read.”
—SingleTitles.com
“Funny… great dialogue and quirky characters… [Dante and Zoey’s] love story is the ultimate road romance.”
—FreshFiction.com
Fall in Love with Forever Romance
SOULBOUND
by Kristen Callihan
After centuries of searching, Adam finally found his soul mate, only to be rejected when she desires her freedom. But when Eliza discovers she’s being hunted by someone far more dangerous, she turns to the one man who can keep her safe—even if he endangers her heart…
WHAT A DEVILISH DUKE DESIRES
by Vicky Dreiling
Fans of New York Times bestselling authors Julia Quinn, Sarah MacLean, and Madeline Hunter will love the third book in Vicky Dreiling’s charming, sexy, and utterly irresistible Sinful Scoundrels trilogy about a highborn man who never wanted to inherit his uncle’s title or settle down… until a beautiful, brilliant, delightfully tempting maid makes him rethink his position.
SECRET HARBOR
by Anna Sullivan
Fans of New York Times bestselling authors JoAnn Ross, Jill Shalvis, and Bella Andre will love the last book in Anna Sullivan’s witty contemporary romance trilogy about a young woman who left her beloved home in Maine to become an actress in Hollywood. Now a star, and beset by scandal, she wants nothing more than to surround herself with old friends… until she meets an infuriating—and sexy—stranger.
MEET ME AT THE BEACH
by V. K. Sykes
Gorgeous Lily Doyle was the only thing Aiden Flynn missed after he escaped from Seashell Bay to play pro baseball. Now that he’s back on the island, memories rush in about the night of passion they shared long ago, and everything else washes right out to sea—everything except the desire that still burns between them.
HOT
by Elizabeth Hoyt writing as Julia Harper
For Turner Hastings, being held at gunpoint during a back robbery is an opportunity in disguise. After seeing her little heist on tape, FBI Special Agent John MacKinnon knows it’s going to be an interesting case. But he doesn’t expect to develop feelings for Turner, and when bullets start flying in her direction, John finds he’ll do anything to save her.
FOR THE LOVE OF PETE
by Elizabeth Hoyt writing as Julia Harper
Dodging bullets with a loopy redhead in the passenger seat is not how Special Agent Dante Torelli imagined his day going. But Zoey Addler is determined to get her baby niece back, and no one—not even a henpecked hit man, cooking-obsessed matrons, or a relentless killer—will stand in her way.
ONCE AND ALWAYS
by Elizabeth Hoyt writing as Julia Harper
The newest contemporary from New York Times bestselling author Elizabeth Hoyt writing as Julia Harper! Small-town cop Sam West certainly doesn’t mind a routine traffic stop. But Maisa Bradley is like nothing he has ever seen, and she’s about to take Sam on the ride of his life!
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Contents
Cover
Title Page
Welcome
Dedication
Acknowledgments
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
Chapter Twenty-Five
Chapter Twenty-Six
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Chapter Thirty
Chapter Thirty-One
Chapter Thirty-Two
Chapter Thirty-Three
Chapter Thirty-Four
Chapter Thirty-Five
Chapter Thirty-Six
Chapter Thirty-Seven
Chapter Thirty-Eight
Chapter Thirty-Nine
Chapter Forty
Chapter Forty-One
Chapter Forty-Two
Chapter Forty-Three
Chapter Forty-Four
Chapter Forty-Five
Chapter Forty-Six
Chapter Forty-Seven
Chapter Forty-Eight
Chapter Forty-Nine
Chapter Fifty
Chapter Fifty-One
Chapter Fifty-Two
Chapter Fifty-Three
A Preview of Hot
A Preview of For the Love of Pete
Titles by Elizabeth Hoyt writing as Julia Harper
Acclaim for the Novels of Elizabeth Hoyt writing as Julia Harper
Fall in Love with Forever Romance
Newsletters
Copyright
Copyright
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is coincidental.
Copyright © 2015 by Nancy M. Finney
Excerpt from Hot copyright © 2008 by Nancy M. Finney
Excerpt from For the Love of Pete copyright © 2009 by Nancy M. Finney
All rights reserved. In accordance with the U.S. Copyright Act of 1976, the scanning, uploading, and electronic sharing of any part of this book without the permission of the publisher constitute unlawful piracy and theft of the author’s intellectual property. If you would like to use material from the book (other than for review purposes), prior written permission must be obtained by contacting the publisher at permissions@hbgusa.com. Thank you for your support of the author’s rights.
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