Rayne is a mercenary, six feet of blonde bombshell. As clean-up gal for diamond privateers, she's seen her fair share of ugly deals and violence. And her latest mission promises to be the same. Yet the price of her choices is getting higher. All her life she's wanted to find a good, strong man, one who would know how to touch her, quench the all-consuming fire and match her sexual energy. Now that she's finally found him, she has to hide her true self, lie and cheat. Former special ops soldier Ripley Knight is everything she wants, all that she craves. His demanding hands conquer all her defenses and his mouth-that wicked thing-denudes her every secret. No pleasure is beyond his skill and no decadence too great. In exchange, all Rip wants is the one thing she can't give. Truth. Amidst the torrid Floridian wilderness and carnival season, with dangers coming at her from every quarter, Rayne will learn that only Rip can help her. Only he can douse the inferno.