TOO HOT TO HANDLEFormer Miami Dolphin Zack Chasteen had a short pro career, but he's got a long memory. When his old gridiron pal Monk DeVane asks him to help beef up security at Libido, an X-rated Jamaican resort, Zack agrees. But he soon regrets it when he finds the resort owner quite literally on the hot seat--sitting on a bomb that will detonate if he so much as twitches a muscle…Things get even more explosive at the adult playground of Libido, where tourists indulge in sun and plenty of bawdy fun. From Montego Bay to the island's back country, Zack Chasteen descends into Jamaica's heart of darkness and its bloody political scene, bringing along his inscrutable sidekick Boggy, a Taino Indian shaman. With bullets flying and people dying, Zack must seek out the truth and settle some scores before his own life goes boom."Advertised as a year-round summer read, this is exactly that, thanks to smart, polished prose; an affable narrator; swift, straightforward plotting in bite-size chapters; and a fun, exotic setting." --*Booklist*From Publishers WeeklyMorris's zany sophomore effort features another Jamaican-set crime drama narrated by former Miami linebacker Zack Chasteen, last seen in Bahamarama, the author's rollicking debut. A football halftime party to which Zack has been invited by old Miami Dolphins teammate Monk DeVane is marred by a bomb scare targeted at Monk's white Jamaican boss, Darcy Whitehall, a tycoon of adult-themed resorts. Whitehall thinks that his personal security might improve with Zack on the Libido Resorts payroll, so Zack temporarily bids adieu to British girlfriend Barbara and heads to Jamaica to play bodyguard. Upon his arrival, a violent explosion kills Monk, and it's up to Zack to wade through a bevy of suspects, most of whom are dueling political factions, because in Jamaica "everything is politics." Could the guilty party be Whitehall's slimy, money-laundering associate, Freddie Arzghanian, or possibly Nanny's People United, an aggressive political action group bent on keeping Whitehall's son, Alan, a proponent of shady land developments, from getting elected in a local parliamentary election? Blame shifts and the mystery smoothly unravels itself while both Zack and Barbara (in Berlin with a "Trumpish" entertainment entrepreneur) wrestle with temptation but remain refreshingly monogamous. The tropical backdrop and Zack's wisecracking commentary make for another crackling whodunit for Morris. Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. From BooklistFormer Miami Dolphin Zack Chasteen returns in Morris' enjoyable follow-up to Bahamarama (2004). After Jamaican playboy hotelier Darcy Whitehall's near miss with a chair bomb at a Florida Gators game, Zack heads down to the aptly named Libido resort to help out his old pal Monk with security, only to watch helplessly as Monk disappears in a massive explosion in the airport parking lot. Zack weaves through political unrest, shady land deals, and hot-to-trot tourists to find out whose thumb is on the detonator. Despite some quirky trappings (the sex-sodden setting, Zack's inscrutable sidekick Boggy, who purports to be the last representative of the long-extinct Taino Indians), Morris plays it fairly straight, with an easygoing sense of humor that runs less to the gonzo satire of Hiaasen or Shames than to Westlakean drolleries such as, "he looked shaken but hadn't stirred." Advertised as a year-round summer read, this is exactly that, thanks to smart, polished prose; an affable narrator; swift, straightforward plotting in bite-size chapters; and a fun, exotic setting. David WrightCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Feeling lucky? Games of skill and games of chance are rife with sexual possibilities. The back-and-forth pull of competition, the clever feint that lets your opponent think he’s got the upper hand, the thrill of risking everything on a sudden, bold gambit, the visceral charge of raking in a pile of chips, and then, of course, there’s something to be said for cheating… From light-hearted party games to devilishly simple competitions, here are stories for readers who love to play.

Jacob learns of a lie Leila told he fires her, not knowing she did so to protect him. But Leila will not give up on their relationship without a fight...

An overzealous mother-in-law. A jaded ex with Leila's personal and professional life in her crosshairs. Paparazzi determined to snap a picture of the modern day Cinderella.

What could be sexier or more seductive than bare, sun-warmed skin? Bestselling erotica author Alison Tyler gathers explicit stories of summer sex bursting with the sweet eroticism of swimsuits, sprinklers, and ripe strawberries. Raise your temperature with Matthew I. Jackson's "Spectators," in which a couple taking lunch on their veranda are serenaded by an unknown woman's cries of passion. Get steamy with Tom Piccirilli's palm-dampening "Double-Click to Enter," the story of a work-at-home writer who confirms his suspicions about what his blonde neighbor does with her web cam. And Simone Harlowe's "Bikini" brings a flush to your face with its tale of a businesswoman who nervously shops for swimwear and finds a tall, insistent stranger at her dressing room door. The very definition of hot erotica, Heat Wave calls for an icy drink, fresh towels, and a fan in an open window.

Melinda is sensitive about her curves. She's big and busty, but after breaking up with her boyfriend, she's also alone. She longs for a strong man to dominate her, but it's beginning to seem like she'll never find one. In comes her boss, billionaire Remington Blackwell. Blackwell sees Melinda as more than just a maid...he sees her as a sexy, mature woman. This alpha male is ready to dominate her, and Melinda is more than ready to submit!Warning: This 3100 word story contains BDSM, domination and submission, and steamy sex. EXCERPT:She continued to scrub the floor, sighing out loud when she realized just how much more she had to do today. Then, all of a sudden, she heard someone coming down the staircase. Mortified, she struggled to pull herself together, straightening her apron, wiping her face. Remington Blackwell strolled into the kitchen, tall and immaculate in his custom-fit suit, looking like something out of GQ. Melinda saw him, and in her pathetic state, she felt even worse. He was too handsome and perfect. She couldn't match his gaze. “Melinda,” Blackwell said, in his deep voice. “Is everything all right?” “Fine, fine,” she said, wiping the last few tears from her eyes. “Just allergies I guess.” Blackwell nodded, rubbing his chin. He motioned to the ceiling.“I don't know if you're aware, but I have cameras all over this place. It's not that I don't trust you, it's just that...well, when you've got money, people try to take advantage. I swear I wasn't trying to spy on you or anything of that nature, but I couldn't help notice that you seemed very upset.” “I just, uh...” Melinda started. “Well, I broke up with my boyfriend last night. I guess that has me pretty upset. Actually, scratch that. He dumped me. He's an unemployed lout, and he dumped me.” She had no idea why she was telling him all this, but it felt strangely cathartic. Blackwell listened to her sympathetically, nodding as she told her sob story. “It sounds like you dodged a bullet there,” Blackwell said. “You know, when I was first starting out, founding my own business, I had to deal with a lot of assholes and negative people. After a while you learn to tune out all the excess noise. And besides, your physique is great. You look just like a real woman should.” Melinda stared at him. “Are you being serious right now?” “Of course,” Blackwell said, smiling, his chiseled features betraying no hint of dishonesty. “Real women have curves. If I wasn't too busy all the time to date, I'd prefer to have a wife or girlfriend who looked just like you.” “Like me?” “That's right.” Melinda studied the billionaire, wondering if she was being put on. But there was nothing deceitful in his gaze or in his voice. She felt a little thrill come over her, and decided to speak boldly.“Well...if you want someone just like me...why not me?”“What do you mean, Melinda?” “Look,” she said, setting aside her rags on the kitchen table. “It's been a long time since I've had a good man. Fred didn't know how to please a woman. But I get the feeling you do. I'm going to let you do whatever you want to me. All you have to give me in return is a nice, hard screw. That's all I want. I'll do anything you say, give you your every desire. What do you think? Interested?”Blackwell grinned, putting his arms over her shoulders. “Most definitely,” he said. “I thought you'd never ask. Let's head over to my study.”

It's official: billionaire Jackson Colt has fallen in love. After spending his life avoiding that four letter word, pretending he didn't want to be seen, he realizes that love is worth the risk. But does Sadie feel the same?In her darkest hour, face to face with her demons, Sadie McLeod should be doing the thing she does best--pushing away everyone.Her heart is on the line. Will she lose everything if she lets herself fall, or will Jackson catch her?Irreplaceable is the final installment in the Underneath It All series.

Action movie star Cade Wallace knows better than anyone that being a public figure means that all eyes are on you, magnifying every success--and every failure. After a string of box office duds, he signs on as a client to Whitmore and Creighton, a PR firm, determined to make a comeback. He can't get the feisty redhead that he met at a premiere out of his head. Their chemistry is electric, but it will take more than money and fame to win her heart. He'll have to face his demons, and a past he's trying hard to forget... Megan Scott can't seem to avoid douchebags. As a teacher in an underfunded inner city school, she deals with coworkers that make no secret of the fact they're only there for a paycheck. In her love life, she keeps picking men intent on finding new ways to break her heart. When she meets Cade Wallace, she knows he'd be more of the same. Devastatingly handsome? Check. An inflated ego? Double check. But their attraction is undeniable. Can she trust him with her heart, or will he be another mistake? Before You Go is a spin-off from the best-selling His Submissive series.

Close your eyes and make a wish — Alison Tyler has a sexy present for grown-up birthday girls and boys.Forget the French perfume and the boxes of candy, the Hallmark cards and the gift certificates. The birthdays in this collection are observed in more carnal ways, with suitably sexy presents for all. In Simone Harlow’s “Happy Birthday,” a tough policewoman gets the tables turned when “naked Nick” arrives to tame her. In Marilyn Jaye Lewis’s “The Birthday Party,” an unexpected ménage a trois in the dark proves the perfect gift. And in Kate Laurie’s “Her Birthday Suit,” two women give their skeptical girlfriend a stud who insists, “A promise is a promise. I can’t leave you until you are absolutely satisfied.”

He was her every fantasy brought to life. Life was looking pretty good. Then Tilly gets a phone call that flips her world upside down. Now there’s a gang breathing down her neck; she’s relying on a mob boss for help and she’s in a whole world of trouble. Dylan would do whatever was necessary to protect her, no matter what secrets in his past he had to confront or what lines he had to cross.