This time out, I have the anthology Men Out of Uniform (Heat, purchased), with stories by Maya Banks, Karin Tabke, and Sylvia Day, all centered around men who work in law enforcement and the women they want. Maya Banks's "Soul Possession" kicks things off with Jessie Callahan indulging in a sexy night with detectives Rick and Truitt after having an incredibly lousy last night at her bartending job. Then her ex-boss is murdered, and Jessie is the main suspect, and Rick and Tru will have to keep her safe from a killer while keeping her in their bed. Then Karin Tabke's "Wanted" has Sophia Gilletti in need of protection from Colin Daniels. She had one intense encounter with Colin when they were teenagers, but now she's on the run from her mobster husband who's determined to kill her and anyone who helps her to escape. Colin intends to do his job and keep Sophia alive, and along the way, he may just indulge in another intensely sexy encounter with the woman he never forgot and may never let go again. "Taking the Heat" by Sylvia Day sends federal marshall Brian Simmons to escort witness Layla Creed to a court date across the country. Brian and Layla had a tangled relationship once, a long time ago, and their short, tense trip puts them into closer proximity than either can resist, even though they'll never see one another again after she testifies and returns to witness protection. Unless Layla can discover that they might be ready to stay together. I didn't love the first story in this one, but for me, that's a plot issue. I'm not a fan of Tabke's storytelling, and Colin is a little too arrogant. I liked Day's story better, with its romantic couple making up for lost time while a killer stalks them, though the reason for their long-ago break-up lacks believability. I'm borrowing only two and a half of Cupid's five arrows for this one.
Until next time, happy reading!
