by Nancy Gideon
“Technically she’ll be seeing what’s supposed to be me on the arm of my groom setting off for two weeks of sun and sex.”
“Who wants sun and sex when you can be bagging bad guys at Shifter MMA fights.”
“Let me think.” She rolled her eyes.
“It’s only two weeks.”
She slugged him in the arm. Hard.
Everyone would believe Max Savoie and his new bride were off on their glamorous honeymoon, leaving his former squeeze Chili Pepper to fend for herself and make new alliances in their underground world. Alliances she hoped would lead to the one man she would sacrifice two weeks of sun and sex to bring down.
Warren Brady, police commissioner.
Cale and Nica, keeping a rigidly neutral distance from each other, were waiting for them at the car. Cale gave Cee Cee a quizzical stare and finally asked, “What kind of man goes on his honeymoon alone so his wife can work undercover?”
“The best damn man in the world.” Cee Cee smiled, sliding into the car beside him, then added, “My man.”
♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦
The man she missed with all the phantom pains of a severed limb when she rode up in the private elevator to the dark empty suite that waited.
Her head ached from the echoing roars of the crowd. She probably smelled like the auction barn where the night’s gory fights had been held. She didn’t want to think about what might be stuck on the bottom of her new heels.
Who’s that on your shoes? Anyone I know?
The memory of that sultry voice made her smile. Thinking of its absent owner made her lips tremble. She adjusted her answer to Cale’s earlier question of “What kind of woman let’s her husband go on their honeymoon alone so she can work undercover?” At the moment a lonely one who felt like the worst kind of fool.
The evening hadn’t provided all the benefits they’d hoped for, but momentum definitely rolled forward. Had her presence there been necessary? In hindsight, she wondered. Or maybe that was just the throb of her regret whispering to her as she imagined Max Savoie stretched out on a big soft bed somewhere listening to the sound of the ocean alone when they could have been making a host of very different noises together.
What the hell was wrong with her, jumping back into her investigation instead of her marriage bed?
Max had accepted the sacrifice stoically. He would, of course. That’s why they were so perfect for each other. Both of them had a martyr complex a mile wide. And tonight, a thousand miles across.
“Fuck me,” she muttered. The elevator slid to a silent stop at her floor. She sighed. That wasn’t likely to happen anytime soon.
Unless she did something about it.
Her heart rate took a sudden leap. She straightened away from the elevator wall where she’d been slumped and despondent.
Other planes headed for paradise.
She could be on one by daybreak.
Her mind spun feverishly as the doors opened. She’d call Silas and beg another favor. He’d grumble but would more than understand. It’d take her no time at all to pack. It was her honeymoon, after all. What did she need other than a good sunscreen?
Highly motivated, she stepped into the apartment and froze, all her fine-tuned senses tingling.
“I hope you don’t mind. I already opened the champagne.”
He stepped from the shadows as dark as a dangerous fantasy in his rumpled tux, shirt partially undone to reveal a vee of invitingly furred chest, a fluted glass in his hand. His phosphorescent gaze burned into hers like acetylene torches.
Cee Cee took a fractured breath. “How—?”
“Charter flights go two ways, Detective. By the time we’d reached cruising altitude, I discovered I wasn’t fine with spending my honeymoon with spreadsheets, not when there were other things I’d rather be spreading. Don’t worry. I was careful. No one will suspect I’m here. I can work on my tan on the terrace while you’re about your police business, and when you’re off the clock, we’ll be about ours.”
She shook her head, dazed beyond speech. He frowned, mistaking her objection.
“Problem?” he drawled softly.
“Y-yes,” she finally sputtered. “I mean no. I was about to make reservations to join you.”
“Were you?”
He’d come no closer, but suddenly she could feel the heat radiating off him like a nuclear reactor at the point of critical meltdown.
“I mean what kind of woman let’s her husband go on their honeymoon alone so she can work undercover?”
A hint of that mysterious smile. “I believe that would be you, sha.”
“Well, you’d be wrong, Savoie.” She dashed into his arms, and onto his mouth for a long, lengthy affirmation.
“What about your case?” he breathed against the moist part of her lips.
“It’ll be here when I get back.”
He smiled. “I like the way you think, Detective.”
Her eyes gleamed, shimmering with a sudden flash of brilliance within the darkened room. A purely animal grin, then she provoked, “Is that the only thing you like about me, Max?”
“I could name others, but don’t we have a flight to catch?”
She gave a hop up, her wrists locking about the back of his neck and her legs about his waist. The sound vibrating in her throat sounded suspiciously like a growl. “There’ll be another one in the morning.”
He held her tight with one arm while he reached for the magnum of champagne. “That gives us, what? Two hours? Would you like me to read to you to pass the time?”
She smiled, squeezing him between her thighs. “I’d rather we start writing our own happy ending. Just the three of us.”
Nancy Gideon is the award winning author of over 55 romances ranging from historical, regency and series contemporary suspense to paranormal, with a couple of horror screenplays tossed into the mix. She’s also published under the pen names Dana Ransom, Rosalyn West and Lauren Giddings. She works full time as a legal assistant in Southwestern Michigan, and when not at the keyboard, feeds a Netflix addiction along with all things fur, fin and fowl. For more information on the author or the “By Moonlight” series, visit Nancy at http://nancygideon.com or http://nancygideon.blogspot.com.
Other Books in Nancy’s By Moonlight Series
Masked by Moonlight {Book 1}
IN THIS STUNNING FIRST BOOK FROM NANCY GIDEON’S SIZZLING NEW SERIES, A TENACIOUS COP AND HER SHAPE-SHIFTING ENEMY SACRIFICE EVERYTHING FOR FORBIDDEN DESIRE.
ALL SHE WANTS IS REVENGE.
New Orleans homicide detective Charlotte Caissie is dedicated to bringing down the crime boss responsible for her father’s murder. Using Jimmy Legere’s mysterious and irresistible right-hand man is a dangerous gamble, and not only due to his reputation as more monster than man. Because her feelings for Max Savoie are . . . complicated.
THEN HE RISKS HIS LIFE TO SAVE HERS.
Rescued from the swamps as a child, Max exists silently in Legere’s shadow, heeding only his voice—until Charlotte Caissie awakens his emotions and tests his loyalties. Stepping outside his cautious rules threatens more than just his heart. He could expose his darkest secret.
NOW THEY’RE BOTH IN OVER THEIR HEADS.
Testing boundaries they weren’t meant to cross means facing the truth about who and what they are—and what they need from each other. If Max is the murderer she seeks, Charlotte could be his next victim. She can’t afford to trust any man. Good thing Max isn’t one.
Praise for Masked by Moonlight
Great chemistry!, June 21, 2010 By Mrs. L
This review is from: Masked by Moonlight (Mass Market Paperback)
Masked by Moonlight is the first in a hot new trilogy by Nancy Gideon. I killed this book in two days - it was impossible to set down. I was devoured by the main characters as Gideon laced the pages with brilliant chemistry between Max and Charlotte. [Read the Entire Review]
Chased by Moonlight {Book 2}
IN NANCY GIDEON’S SEDUCTIVE NEW
NOVEL, A TOUGH-AS-NAILS NEW ORLEANS COP MUST CHOOSE BETWEEN THE CAREER SHE’S DEDICATED TO AND THE DANGEROUS SHAPE-SHIFTING LOVER SHE CAN’T RESIST.
SHE’S SLEEPING WITH THE ENEMY.
Mixing business with pleasure gets more complicated for Detective Charlotte Caissie when her sexy preternatural lover, Max Savoie, is accused of a high-profile murder. To prove him innocent she must distance herself, but her tangled emotions don’t make it easy for her to stay away from him. And neither does Max.
HE’S DESPERATE TO UNCOVER HIS PAST.
Left in charge of a criminal empire and protector of a clan of shadowy shape-shifters, Max walks a precarious line. Can he believe the cunning stranger who claims he can teach Max the things he needs to know to stay alive? A con man who would betray anyone to make a profit, who may be a ruthless killer?
TOGETHER, THEY’RE TEMPTING FATE.
The harder Cee Cee fights to clear Max’s name, the more he pushes her away. He’s protecting a dark truth that could blow the top off her investigation. And that means hiding his motives and lying to a woman who values truth above all. The woman who can save him . . . if he’ll let her.
Praise for Chased by Moonlight
Intense and Complex Story - My Favorite So Far in 2010 October 9, 2010
Ms Gideon, a talented and very creative author, captivated me from the first page of the first book to the last page of the third. She had stirred up my emotions with her bewitching stories. The plots were non-stop action with twist and turns on each page, which curl my toes many times, full of suspense, romance, and humor.
The characters were passionate, complex, and dynamic. I also loved Moonlight Series because it is about Charlotte and Max, with whom I have fallen in love with. I am desparetly waiting for the rest of the series to come. [Read the Entire Review]
Captured by Moonlight {Book 3}
IN THIS DARK THRILLER FROM NANCY GIDEON’S SULTRY NEW SERIES, SEXY NEW ORLEANS COP CHARLOTTE CAISSIE GOES HEAD-TO-HEAD WITH THE LAST NEMESIS SHE EVER EXPECTED: HER SUPERNATURAL BOYFRIEND.
THEIR LOVE IS JUST BEGINNING.
Detective Charlotte Caissie is growing used to the secrets that come with loving the mysterious leader of a shape-shifter clan. But that doesn’t mean she has to like it. She’s avoided complications of the heart all her life, but when it comes to irresistible Max Savoie, she’ll force the truth out of him if she has to.
HIS TIME IS ALMOST UP.
Hunted by the deadly trackers his nefarious father warned him about, Max is transforming into a preternatural force he can’t explain and Cee Cee will never understand. He’s tempting the dangerous limits of their love, but it’s her curiosity that could get them both killed.
WILL THEY EVER REALLY BE TOGETHER?
When Max discovers the enemy’s true target is someone far more vulnerable than he, he must do the unthinkable to save his own flesh and blood. But he can’t fight this battle alone, and Cee Cee faces the ultimate test of loyalty: the man she’d sacrifice everything for . . . or the laws she swore her life to protect.
Praise for Captured by Moonlight
Loving me some Max and Charlotte!, July 28, 2010
By tudi (usa) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Captured by Moonlight (Mass Market Paperback)
I can't say enough good things about this book. It was every bit as good as the first two. I love Max and Charlotte together. And Max? He is tough, scary, loyal, and oh so vulnerable. I read somewhere, maybe on Ms. Gideon's website, that there are 3 more books to this series. I can't wait.
Bound by Moonlight {Book 4}
POLICE DETECTIVE CHARLOTTE CAISSIE AND HER SHAPE-SHIFTING PARAMOUR MAX SAVOIE THOUGHT THE PAST WAS BEHIND THEM. BUT IN NANCY GIDEON’S IRRESISTIBLE NEW ROMANCE, THEY DISCOVER IT MAY NEVER LET THEM GO. . . .
THEY SWORE THEY’D BE TOGETHER FOREVER.
Detective Charlotte Caissie is suddenly sharing drawer space and making local news with her shape-shifter lover, Max Savoie. He’s determined to be accepted by her peers—so how can she ask him to return to his criminal roots to help her solve a complex case?
BUT THOSE THEY TRUST THE MOST . . .
Working undercover with her partner to find the serial killer who’s kidnapped a colleague’s daughter, Cee Cee is caught between her job and her fiercely possessive lover. And when she calls on Max’s preternatural talents to aid his hated enemy, she crosses a line that strains their relationship to its limit.
. . . WILL DO ANYTHING TO TEAR THEM APART.
With his secret spreading, Max is forced to protect his family and his clan. The only certainty is his love for his human mate . . . unless the loyalties that define them divide them forever.
Praise for Bound by Moonlight
Excellent addition to the series, August 13, 2011
By Ksbaird "KSB" (Central Ohio) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Bound By Moonlight (Kindle Edition)
I will not give a synopsis as others have already done so, but I wanted to give my recommendation to this book because it held my attention non-stop from start to finish. The development of the characters were true to who they were in the previous three books, but you also learn more about their pasts and how those pasts shape their decisions and relationships today (especially between the main two characters). Ms Gideon doesn't pull any punches on the positives and negatives of every character; whether it be how they deal with relationships to how different characters handle the idea of shifters in their midst to the shifter's fear of the Trackers. Please note, I do not believe this is a stand alone book. Readers, in my opinion, would be confused by alot of the story provided without reading the first three books. Still, I believe reading all four books to be worthwhile, and this book was an excellent addition to a wonderful series of books about Max and CeeCee.
Hunter of Shadows {Book 5}
NANCY GIDEON RETURNS TO HER STEAMY NEW ORLEANS PRETERNATURAL WORLD WITH AN IRRESISTIBLE NEW SHAPE-SHIFTER ROMANCE.
The secrets he knows about her could get him killed.
Transferring to the New Orleans Police Department, Detective Silas MacCreedy has a hidden agenda: to secure his clan’s place once again in the Shifter hierarchy. What he didn’t count on was stumbling upon a sexy assassin who could shred his best intentions and lead him into a dangerous dance that threatens to engage his heart.
But the ones he doesn’t know . . .
Monica Fraser knows just how to make a man beg—for his life. But she has no clue how to fight her attraction to the fiercely intense detective who seems determined to get in her way, both professionally and intimately.
. . . could kill them both.
When emotional attachments to the past and an unexpected glimpse of a different future have her questioning her deadly purpose, Nica must discover the truth about her secret abilities in order to free herself from the forces that control her. But that freedom comes with a price—trusting those she’s been ordered to eliminate.
Praise for Hunter of Shadows
great romantic urban fantasy, November 29, 2011
By Harriet Klausner
This review is from: Hunter of Shadows (Mass Market Paperback)
New Orleans Police Detective Silas MacCreedy wants his shapeshifter clan to regain the preeminence his family once had. He investigates the recent rash of Shaper females vanishing without a trace. When he sees a woman under assault in an alley, he races to her rescue. Only shapeshfting Monica Fraser proves capable of taking care of herself.Nica is an assassin in town on a mission. He has no time for a cop, but is attracted to Silas. He wants her as much as she does him. As they team up to look into what is happening to shapeshfting women, Charlotte Caissie and Max Savoie assist them. With their lives in peril, the pairs of couples face their biggest danger: love.
This is a great romantic urban fantasy with links to Nancy Gideon's Moonlight saga (see Masked by Moonlight and Bound by Moonlight). The story line is loaded with twists as the "Good Samaritan" cop seems to always be near
the trained professional killer. Star-crossed as a rival tribe hired her, fans will enjoy the first Shadows of New Orleans due to the kick butt heroine who easily takes the life out of men.
Seeker of Shadows {Book 6}
NANCY GIDEON CONTINUES HER COMPELLING, SENSUAL NEW SERIES WITH A SEDUCTIVE TALE OF FORBIDDEN ALLEGIANCE AND REDISCOVERED LOVE.
His town.
Susanna Duchamps came to New Orleans to settle a debt and to temporarily escape the controlled constraints of her life among the Chosen. What she finds is an opportunity to make miraculous strides with her research into Shifter genetics . . . and an unexpected, but never forgotten, man from her complicated past.
Her rules.
Shifter club owner Jacques LaRoche is fiercely protective of his freedom. Stripped of his memories of a former life, he longs for the mate he lost . . . until the enticingly familiar presence of a mysterious stranger from the north ignites a primal, nearly uncontrollable need to release the untamed beast inside him.
Their last chance.
Susanna dares not tell Jacques it was she who sacrificed his past and her future years ago, to protect him and the secret she carried. But her arrival in New Orleans comes with consequences. When a bloody confrontation erupts between their enemy clans, will she betray her lover once again—or throw her own
Praise for Seeker of Shadows
Another fabulous story, June 21, 2012
By Diane - See all my reviews
This review is from: Seeker of Shadows (Kindle Edition)
Wow. Once again, Nancy Gideon delivers a terrific story with whopping impact. She made me love Jacques and ache for his lost memories. Then, she wrenched my heart with Susanna's secret. I so wanted those two to come together with no secrets between them. I love to read series because of recurring characters. So glad she included Max & CeeCee. Can't wait for the next book in the series.