Once again, Lucas didn’t reply. He didn’t have to. How the man could say so much with just one look was beyond her, but it was obvious he knew way too much about her needs.
Lucas let his gaze travel over her body, taking his time as he studied every aspect of her. “You dress conservatively, but you know how to accentuate your strongest features. While you don’t seek to hide the fact that you’re very beautiful, your dress slacks, your simple silk blouse, and the understated jewelry prove that you wish to appear professional, not sexy. I assume that’s something you—as a woman in a male-dominated world—have to be attuned to. You’re every bit as intelligent as your male contemporaries and you are determined to be seen as such.”
She shrugged, still struggling to recover from the needs he’d uncovered with just a few words and heated looks. “You’ve just described pretty much every woman in my profession.”
“Are you daring me to dig deeper, Cait?”
She shivered at the dark tone in his voice that felt almost possessive.
She couldn’t play this game anymore. Couldn’t risk having him expose something she didn’t want to acknowledge, especially to him. “Why are you at this pub?”
“You know why.”
“Say it anyway.”
“I want to buy it.”
January Girl is available NOW.
Dear Readers
When Jayne and I began writing the Compass Brothers series back in late 2010, I’m not sure either of us could have predicted where these books would take us. Northern Exposure released in March 2011, the story prompting our favorite review of all time as a reader wrote that the book was “so dirty, I had to read it in the dark so Jesus couldn’t see me,” and it’s been a true adventure ever since.
So many of my fondest memories as an author are wrapped up in these stories. I can recall the night my editor, Lindsey Faber, called me and simply said, “You hit it.” I didn’t have a clue what she was talking about until she added, “The New York Times. Eastern Ambitions hit the list.” I was halfway up the stairs in my house, and I turned around and sat down, my knees going weak. My husband found me sitting there after I said goodbye to Lindsey. He said, “What’s wrong?” By that point, I was crying tears of joy, only able to choke out the words, “I hit the New York Times bestseller list.” He’s a typical man, so he looked at me as tears streamed down my face, shook his head, amused by my reaction, and said, “Call your mother.”
I did. And then I called Jayne in Ohio, who I decided later was actually in very real shock and probably should have been wrapped in a blanket and taken to the emergency room. We still laugh about her monotone replies during that phone call to my screaming, “Oh my God” and “Do you believe this?!” The shock wore off after an hour or so, and then it was her turn to call me back, screaming and squealing.
I’m happy to say we were much more composed when Western Ties hit the list as well, just a few months later. Okay, I’m lying. We were wrecks that day too!
I remember the exact moment when JD died. I was sitting at my desk, crying so hard, I could barely see to type the words. Once again, my husband walked by, shook his head, and said, “You know these people aren’t real, right?” All I could say was, “To me, they are real.” Once it was finished, I called Jayne, who was scuba diving in some freaking exotic location, having the time of her life. I vowed revenge and got it—four books later—when I made her write the end of Vicky’s story in Falling Softly.
With the closing of Samhain Publishing, the original home of Compass Brothers and Compass Girls, the stories came back to us. Jayne created the beautiful new covers and we decided it was time to tell the boys’ stories. The plan for three four-book series had always been there, but life and other series got in the way, delaying the release of Compass Boys until last year.
I’ll admit I was concerned about trying to dive back into the books after so many years, but that anxiety vanished before I’d finished the first page of the story. The voices, the characters, the world was all still there, and it felt like I’d come home to Compass Ranch after too many years away.
And now, it’s time to say goodbye again. For the last time.
Jayne and I want to thank each and every one of you for taking this journey with us. Eight years, twelve books, one ranch, three deaths, sixteen sexy cowboys, tattoos aplenty, and too many wonderful memories to count…
COMPASS RULES!
All the best,
Mari
The Compass Series
If you haven’t already read the rest of the Compass saga, be sure to go back and read all the original Compass Brothers (Silas, Seth, Sam, and Sawyer) and their daughters, the Compass Girls (Sienna, Hope, Jade, and Sterling).
Find them HERE.
About the Authors
Jayne Rylon and Mari Carr met at a writing conference in June 2009 and instantly became arch enemies. Two authors couldn’t be more opposite. Mari, when free of her librarian-by-day alter ego, enjoys a drink or two or… more. Jayne, allergic to alcohol, lost huge sections her financial-analyst mind to an epic explosion resulting from Mari gloating about her hatred of math. To top it off, they both had works in progress with similar titles and their heroes shared a name. One of them would have to go.
The battle between them for dominance was a bloody, but short one, when they realized they’d be better off combining their forces for good (or smut). With the ink dry on the peace treaty, they emerged as good friends, who have a remarkable amount in common despite their differences, and their writing partnership has flourished. Except for the time Mari attempted to poison Jayne with a bottle of Patron. Accident or retaliation? You decide.
Find Jayne Rylon on the web:
Twitter - @JayneRylon
Facebook - JayneRylon
www.jaynerylon.com
contact@jaynerylon.com
Find Mari Carr on the web at
www.maricarr.com
mari@maricarr.com
Other books by Mari Carr
Compass
Northern Exposure
Southern Comfort
Eastern Ambitions
Western Ties
Winter’s Thaw
Hope Springs
Summer Fling
Falling Softly
Heaven on Earth
Into the Fire
Still Waters
Second Chances:
Fix You
Dare You
Just You
Near You
Reach You
Always You
Sparks in Texas:
Sparks Fly
Waiting for You
Something Sparked
Off Limits
No Other Way
Whiskey Eyes
Trinity Masters:
Elemental Pleasure
Primal Passion
Scorching Desire
Forbidden Legacy
Hidden Devotion
Elegant Seduction
Secret Scandal
Delicate Ties
Beloved Sacrifice
Masterful Truth
Masters’ Admiralty
Treachery’s Devotion
Wild Irish:
Come Monday
Ruby Tuesday
Waiting for Wednesday
Sweet Thursday
Friday I’m in Love
Saturday Night Special
Any Given Sunday
Wild Irish Christmas
Wild Irish Boxed Set
Wilder Irish:
January Girl
February Stars
Guardian Angel
March Wind
Big Easy:
Blank Canvas
Crash Point
Full Position
Rough Draft
Triple Beat
Winner Takes All
Going Too Fast
Boys of Fall:
Free Agent
Red Zone
Wild Card
Clandestine:
Bo
und by the Past
Covert Affairs
Scoring
Mad about Meg
Cocktales
Party Naked
Screwdriver
Bachelor’s Bait
Screaming O
Cowboy Heat
Spitfire
Rekindled
Inflamed
Farpoint Creek
Outback Princess
Outback Cowboy
Outback Master
June Girls:
No Recourse
No Regrets
Just Because:
Because of You
Because You Love Me
Because It’s True
Love Lessons
Slam Dunk
Happy Hour
Madison Girls
Kiss Me Kate
Three Reasons Why
Scoundrels
Black Jack
White Knight
Red Queen
What Women Want
Sugar and Spice
Everything Nice
What Women Want
Individual Titles:
Power Play
Rough Cut
Seducing the Boss
Tequila Truth
Erotic Research
One Daring Night
Assume the Positions
Do Over
Bundles
Cowboy Heat
What Women Want
Wild Irish Boxed Set
Trinity Masters Boxed Set: Volumes 1-4
Also By Jayne Rylon
MEN IN BLUE
Hot Cops Save Women In Danger
Night is Darkest
Razor’s Edge
Mistress’s Master
Spread Your Wings
Wounded Hearts
Bound For You
DIVEMASTERS
Sexy SCUBA Instructors By Day, Doms On A Mega-Yacht By Night
Going Down
Going Deep
Going Hard
POWERTOOLS
Five Guys Who Get It On With Each Other & One Girl. Enough Said?
Kate’s Crew
Morgan’s Surprise
Kayla’s Gift
Devon’s Pair
Nailed to the Wall
Hammer it Home
HOT RODS
Powertools Spin Off. Keep up with the Crew plus…
Seven Guys & One Girl. Enough Said?
Mustang Sally
Super Nova
Rebel on the Run
Swinger Style
Barracuda’s Heart
Touch of Amber
Long Time Coming
STANDALONE
Menage
4-Ever Theirs
Nice & Naughty
Contemporary
Where There’s Smoke
Report For Booty
COMPASS BROTHERS
Modern Western Family Drama Plus Lots Of Steamy Sex
Northern Exposure
Southern Comfort
Eastern Ambitions
Western Ties
COMPASS GIRLS
Daughters Of The Compass Brothers Drive Their Dads Crazy And Fall In Love
Winter’s Thaw
Hope Springs
Summer Fling
Falling Softly
COMPASS BOYS
Sons Of The Compass Brothers (younger brothers of the Compass Girls).
Heaven on Earth
Into the Fire
Still Waters
PLAY DOCTOR
Naughty Sexual Psychology Experiments Anyone?
Dream Machine
Healing Touch
RED LIGHT
A Hooker Who Loves Her Job
Complete Red Light Series Boxset
FREE - Through My Window - FREE
Star
Can’t Buy Love
Free For All
PICK YOUR PLEASURES
Choose Your Own Adventure Romances!
Pick Your Pleasure
Pick Your Pleasure 2
RACING FOR LOVE
MMF Menages With Race-Car Driver Heroes
Complete Series Boxset
Driven
Shifting Gears
PARANORMALS
Vampires, Witches, And A Man Trapped In A Painting
Paranormal Double Pack Boxset
Picture Perfect
Reborn