DARK SECRETS JAN BOWLES Copyright © 2010 Chapter One Sam Marshall looked down at the patchwork quilt that was Oxfordshire. This wasn’t a trip that he’d wanted to make, but sometimes life altered over night. Duty. He brought the helicopter skilfully in to land at the small airfield, grabbed his bag, and walked over to the gleaming black Bentley Continental. He tossed the bag in the back, removed his jacket, and then fired the car into life. Duty, the only thought that drove him along the narrow country roads to Oxley, in Oxfordshire. Oxley a village he had vowed never to return to ten years earlier, when he’d been just twenty-two. He had a duty to his best friend, Major Tom Lawrence. To see him laid to rest with full military honours, since his untimely death on deployment in Afghanistan. Duty. What else? He rubbed a hand across his jaw, as he began to approach the village. Ten years was a long time. He had changed. He wondered if Tom’s sister, Megan, had changed. Megan had been the one who had caused a whole sorry chain of events, with her false accusation. He rounded a bend, and swept into the…

LOVE LESSONS WITH THE TEXAS BILLIONAIRE JAN BOWLES Copyright © 2010 Chapter One Late again, damn that alarm clock! Eva ran all the way from Marble Arch tube station to Park Lane. With her bag slung over her shoulder, her long, black, wavy hair flew about her face as she quickly made her way to the hotel. With hardly time to draw breath, she swept through the lobby, checked in, and hurriedly followed the signs to the Albermarle Suite, where the press conference was being held. The Grosvenor House Hotel in London’s exclusive Mayfair, was the perfect setting for the prestigious event. Her boss, editor of New Dawn, the forward-thinking and glossy magazine she wrote for, had sent her to cover The Global Energy Summit. Their readers were interested in all things ecological and environmental as well as the celebrity lifestyle of the people featured. The appetite for large corporate companies and billionaire lifestyles was phenomenal, with readership growing monthly. Because New Dawn’s unique selling point was the green agenda, not all companies or celebrities featured well. Those who did had their status enhanced, their company profits boosted, and their share prices raised. Outside the room she composed herself. She…

THE RETURN JAN BOWLES Copyright © 2009 Chapter One Standing on the observation deck, Marielle Stevens watched the plane in the distance—just a speck of light, against a backdrop of midnight sky. Gradually, the speck grew closer until finally she heard the roar of jet engines and saw the red light flashing on its underbelly. She craned her neck for a better view as the wheels of the plane touched down and screeched to a halt further down the runway. With her forehead pressed against the cool glass, she breathed in a sigh of relief. Thank God he’s back. There would be a lot of explaining to do, but—he’s safe now at last. She watched, as would a curious observer, the commotion caused by the press and media as they jostled for the best vantage point around the perimeter of the airfield. Flashes of light rippled from their cameras like a giant fireworks display, lighting up the rain soaked buildings of the RAF base all around them. “We’d better make our way to the room,” James said quietly behind her. Lost in her thoughts, Marielle swung around. “Sorry? Oh, yes. Of course.” Her mind still focused on the occupant of…

TAMED BY THE DOM Guilty Pleasures 3 JAN BOWLES Copyright © 2011 Chapter One Colt Donahue eased the SUV from his private estate and onto the trunk road. Today he was in a particularly good frame of mind. He’d just taken a call from some potential clients. If they joined, that would make twenty extra this month alone. Business was looking up. Now, at the age of thirty-seven, he finally felt like he was getting somewhere. He’d tapped into a market that had the potential to make him a very wealthy man. That’s if the people of Fairfax didn’t raise any more objections. The smile on his face faded. He felt pretty sure they’d find something to complain about. They always did. Up ahead, Colt could see a Jaguar career around the bend. The driver had little or no regard for anyone else on the road.  “That’s right, prick, take my half of the road, too.”  Well, he wasn’t going to move, that’s for sure. He had right of way. The sleek silver car kept coming, a huge cloud of dust in its wake.  “What the fuck?” He only just managed to avoid a collision by turning his SUV into…

IN DEBT TO THE DOM Guilty Pleasures 1 JAN BOWLES Copyright © 2010 Chapter One Keaton Rivers settled back in his executive chair and stared at the slowly darkening skyline. From his top floor office at Goldstein Rivers, he had an uninterrupted view. At this time of day with the lights just starting to come on, the city of Chicago looked stunning. He chewed on his pencil and idly flicked through the personnel files once more. One of the managing directors was leaving in little more than a month’s time, and, as CEO, he always liked to have a hand in their replacement. So far, he’d narrowed the field down to three candidates. All holding senior positions within the company, they could all bring their own personal skills to the job. He needed to wrap this up before he took his annual month-long vacation. He flicked a switch on his intercom and spoke. “Leanne, please arrange working lunches with the following—Robert Kincade, Martin Scott, Joe Magnusson, and Maddie James.” “Yes, Mr. Rivers. Anything else?” “No. I’m gonna call it a night. You, too, Leanne.” He turned to the bank of windows and stared once more into the night, seeing without…

SHACKLED BY THE COWBOY DRIFTER Cowboy Bad Boys JAN BOWLES Copyright © 2010 Chapter One Zack tensed his muscles. Something didn’t feel right. Those footsteps had been following him down this dark street for a few minutes now, and they were getting too close. Just as he was about to turn around and confront whomever it was, he felt a rush of air. A heavy blow smashed across his temple. He crashed to the ground, the left side of his face making painful contact with the pavement. With barely a moment to think, a crushing pain slammed into his ribs and he doubled up. He reached inside his jacket and pulled out the Smith and Wesson. In some discomfort he hissed through clenched teeth. “You can stop right there, amigo.” Luckily his breath began to fill his lungs once more. He edged to a nearby wall and braced his back against it. He eyed the dark, swarthy man warily. Caught in the process of stealing his bag, his assailant stood frozen to the spot, like some cartoon character with one arm reaching forward. When Zack wiped his free hand across his mouth, blood stained his fingers. Yep, this asshole had…