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Carrie Ward understands dangerous men, and she's got the scars to prove it. These days, the Special Investigations Group detective saves her risk taking for the job. But when she's asked to pursue a high-profile serial killer, she'll have to join forces with the last man she wants to depend on—Jase Tyler, an ace senior detective who's as reckless as she is cautious. And despite her best intentions, the sparks begin to fly.
As Carrie and Jase race to try to save the next victim, the passion that simmers between them ignites. But a cunning killer at the top of his game is challenging Carrie to play to the very end. Now all she can count on are her instincts—and Jase, the one man daring enough to keep her safe….
- Sales Rank: #849305 in eBooks
- Published on: 2012-10-01
- Released on: 2012-10-01
- Format: Kindle eBook
Review
"Sexy, page-turning excitement."
--New York Times bestselling author Lori Foster on Shades of Desire
About the Author
VIRNA DEPAUL was an English major in college who somehow ended up with a law degree. For ten years, she was a criminal prosecutor for the state of CA. Now, she’s thrilled to be writing stories about complex individuals who overcome incredible odds for love. A national bestselling author, Virna’s blessed to write for HQN and Harlequin’s Romantic Suspense line. Virna also writes paranormal romantic suspense. She loves to hear from readers at www.virnadepaul.com.
Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
Special Agent Carrie Ward entered McGill's Bar to break a dry spell, but there was to be no alcohol involved. She'd just closed another difficult case for SIG, the California Department of Justice's Special Investigations Group, a five-member state equivalent of the FBI, and she intended to celebrate by ending five years of celibacy. It didn't matter that she probably wouldn't achieve climax. She rarely did with a man. But pleasure wasn't what she was really after. She just wanted physical contact. Intimacy. To be able to pretend for a few hours that she belonged—on this earth, in this city, maybe even to a man who cared about her and saw her as more than a woman trying day in and day out to get away with doing a so-called "man's" job.
Less than thirty minutes later, Carrie exited McGill's alone. Her chest ached with loneliness far greater than any she'd ever felt before. And it wasn't because she hadn't found a man to seduce but because the one man she truly wanted to seduce—no, the one man she truly wanted to make love to, if there really was such a thing as making love—was getting ready to bed another woman.
She should never have come, she thought. It was a Friday night and she'd known Jase Tyler, a fellow SIG special agent, had a date. But she couldn't have known he'd bring his date to McGill's Bar, a favorite hangout of the San Francisco P.D. She'd seen him there with women before, of course, but they'd been women he'd picked up while he was there. She'd figured he'd take a date someplace swanky and more conducive to seduction.
She'd been wrong.
Her stomach contracted as she recalled her brief conversation with Seth Roberts, an SFPD cop. He'd said something that had made her laugh just before his friend had nudged him and said "Jase Tyler" in an admiring tone. With dread, she'd turned to look. Sure enough, she'd immediately recognized the back of Jase's elegantly dressed frame, his hand pressed against the slim bare back of the woman standing next to him. His date wore a black cocktail dress more appropriate for the opera than McGill's, but who was Carrie to judge? She hadn't even bothered dolling up for her manhunt. Instead, she was still wearing her standard office attire, which made her feel as feminine as usual—which was to say, not at all.
Now, standing outside McGill's, Carrie prayed Seth hadn't noticed the devastation she'd felt upon seeing Jase with his date. The way he'd looked at her, however—with slightly softened features and a hint of pity—told her she was wasting her time. But if he dared say anything to Jase about it, she'd make him sorry. If nothing else, she'd challenge him to another racquetball match and wipe the floor with him just as she'd done the last two times they'd played. Shoving her hands into her wool peacoat, she turned to walk to her car.
"Leaving so soon, Ward?"
She froze at the sound of Jase's voice. For a half second, she wondered if she was hearing things. If she'd made him materialize from sheer desire. The true question, however, was whether he'd appeared alone or with his date.
Slowly, she faced him. He was standing a couple of feet away, hands in his pockets, his ever-present tie loose, his suit jacket left behind. His sandy-brown hair was artfully disheveled, his tall, lean body showcased to full advantage by his tailored clothes. Although Jase would bristle at any suggestion that he was a metrosexual—and making him bristle used to be one of her favorite pastimes before the sexual tension between them had grown too dangerous—even Carrie wouldn't go so far as to label him as one. He cared about how he looked more than the average male. He dressed well. Looked good. Smelled good. But he was too intense and masculine to ever fit within that category.
It was no surprise, then, that Jase liked his women purely feminine. So why was he out here with her rather than inside with his date? She frowned, not because he was alone, but because of how damn relieved that fact made her feel. "What's up, Tyler? Did your date send you out here to retrieve the rest of her outfit? She getting chilly?"
He'd been watching her with a serious expression. Now, he grinned the same grin that always made women go weak-kneed and googly-eyed, her included. Thankfully, her slip with Seth aside, she was really good at hiding it.
"I'm pretty adept at keeping my dates warm," Jase drawled, his deep voice tinged with a hint of Texas twang. "I just saw you leave and wondered why you didn't stop and say hi."
She raised a mocking brow. "Didn't I? Sorry about that. Hi, Jase. How are you? Has anything interesting happened since I last saw you…let's see…" She glanced at her watch, a plain, simple design with a sturdy black strap. It was as fashionable and gender neutral as the rest of her. "Since I last saw you an hour and a half ago at the office?"
She looked back up at him. To her surprise, he'd moved closer and was practically looming over her. He hardly ever stood this close, as if he was trying to intimidate her with his sheer masculine presence. His body heat blasted her with the intensity of a raging fire. His scent, fresh and clean but with a hint of cologne, overpowered her. Desire rushed through her veins, making her dizzy, making her panic. Automatically, she took a step back and barely stopped herself from taking another.
She pushed a wayward strand of hair back over one ear and licked her lips. "Careful, Tyler. Your date might not like it if you stand so close to me. I mean, not that she'd view me as a threat or anything, but you know how silly most women can be."
Jase's fingers flexed. Absently, she noted he'd removed them from his pockets. He had big hands. Long, elegant fingers that belonged on some kind of artist rather than a cop. He had big feet, too. Although he had more than his fair share of height, he lacked the sheer bulk of some of their teammates, especially Liam "Mac" McKenzie and Simon Granger. And while he was handsome, Jase was more pretty boy than ruthless masculinity. It often made people underestimate him, shocking them when he transformed from dazzling charmer to dangerous badass right in front of their eyes. Sometimes even Carrie forgot how ruthless he could be. When that happened, he'd inevitably remind her by apprehending a dangerous suspect or responding to one of her snarky comments with a scathing retort. Tensing, she waited for such a retort now.
It didn't come. Instead, he lifted one of those big hands of his and lightly brushed her cheek with his fingertips. Her heart beat wildly. Immediately, she was tempted to close her eyes and lean in to him. As it was, she recalled the first and only time he'd kissed her, just a week ago, when Mac's girlfriend, Natalie Jones, had been assaulted and ended up in the hospital. Jase's kiss had been one of comfort, a light, brief touching of lips, over too soon. But its effect on her had been as forceful as a blow. Just as his touch was now. She couldn't help it. She trembled, and from the way his eyes heated and narrowed, he didn't miss her reaction.
"Regina should definitely view you as a threat," he said softly.
Her eyes widened. No. Surely she'd misheard him. She tried for a mocking laugh, but it came out breathless instead.
"I want to kiss you again, Carrie," he said before she could respond. "But this time I want to do it right."
The air completely left her lungs. She stared into his eyes, searching for signs that he was drunk but finding none.
His fingers trailed down to her jaw while his thumb lightly pressed against her bottom lip. When she gasped, he gave a shaky sigh and lowered his hand to shove it back in his pockets along with the other.
"The question is, are you going to let me? Or are we going to continue playing the same tiresome game, pretending we don't want to rip each other's clothes off and screw for days?"
His crude choice of words broke the hazy spell she'd been under. Jase was a lady's man. A bona fide charmer. He didn't use words like "screw" with women, at least not outside the bedroom. But she wasn't like the women he dated. She wasn't soft or feminine, and he obviously didn't feel the need to use his normal charm and gallantry with her. Or perhaps he was just being honest. He wanted to fuck her. Why waste his time with pretty words?
He was watching her carefully, with an almost predatory glint in his eye. Over his shoulder, through the windows of McGill's, she saw his date scanning the bar as if searching for him. She was just as beautiful from the front as she had been from the back. More so. So once again Carrie asked herself—what was Jase doing outside with her, pretending a desire that couldn't possibly be real? The only explanation was he was looking for some variety in his endless stream of sex partners, but she'd be damned if she was going to be the one to give it to him.
Deliberately, she softened her expression and bit her lip, hoping it made her look appropriately receptive. "Jase," she said shakily, keeping her gaze down.
Just as she hoped he would, he bent down to bring his face closer to hers.
"What is it, Carrie?" he asked, his voice deep and dark. "Tell me."
She peeked up at him through her lashes and lightly placed her hand on his chest. She could feel his heart thudding, strong and slightly erratic. She had him rattled, and while that should have made her feel triumphant, the ache between her thighs told her to tread carefully lest she be caught in her own trap. Ignoring the inner warning, she cupped the back of his neck and leaned up until her lips touched his earlobe. "Jase," she breathed again.
His hands settled lightly on either side of her waist, then tightened. He was getting ready to pull her against him. To press her body up against his hard, delectable length, and she knew if he did that, she'd be done for. She wasn't sure she'd have the strength to pull away from him. Turning her head, her gaze once more found Jase's date inside. She'd homed in on them, and her posture told Carrie she'd be coming after him any second.
At that exact moment, Jase turned his head and brushed his lips against her jaw. A sizzling tingle shot up her spine before settling in her breasts and every other erogenous zone she possessed. She wanted to rub against him like a cat in heat. Not only that, but the temptation to fight Jase's date for the right to touch him—to love him—blindsided her.
Fool! What was wrong with her? She was teaching the guy a lesson here, not stamping her mark on him.
She kissed his jaw the same way he'd kissed hers. Then she clamped her teeth around his ear and bit him—hard.
"Shit!" Instinctively, he jerked. She immediately released him and took several steps back, this time not caring if it looked like a retreat.
Jase brought a hand up to rub his ear and glared at her. "Damn it, Carrie, what the hell was that for?"
"That," she replied breathlessly even as she continued to back away from him, "was to remind you that I'm no threat to Regina, but the same's not true for you. If you're bored with the bimbos you've been dating, then maybe there's hope for you yet. But don't waste my time by feeding me your bullshit. You don't want me. You want to beat me. Prove that you can make Special Agent Ward another notch on your bedpost. It's never going to happen."
"I don't want to beat you. At least, I didn't until you tried to take a damn chunk of my ear off, but—"
The door to McGill's opened. "Jase," a soft feminine voice called out. Regina held the door open and shot a look at Carrie, her expression one of obvious concern for Jase. "Do you need any help out here?"
Carrie actually snarled. The woman was acting like Carrie had cornered Jase and trapped him; after all, why else would he be bothering to speak with someone like her?
"Give me a second, Regina," Jase said. "I need to finish—"
"Oh, you're finished," Carrie said. She glanced at Regina. "Don't worry, I'm a cop. Jase and I work together. We were having a little disagreement, but he was just telling me how anxious he was to get back to you. So run along now, Jase. Have fun, you two."
"Damn it, Carrie—"
Ignoring him, she whirled around and walked in the opposite direction from her car. She'd come back for it later. After she'd calmed down.
After she remembered why she'd pushed Jase Tyler away rather than done what she'd really wanted to do—throw her arms around him and never let him go.
Most helpful customer reviews
11 of 11 people found the following review helpful.
Smart Characters, Twisty Plot...Proof that Romantic Suspense can be good!
By Anna (Bobs Her Hair)
Grade: B- or 4 stars
San Francisco, California, Present Day
Carrie Ward has been given a case that could boost her career. A serial killer has been embalming women while they are still alive, and he's keeping their eyelids as trophies. Carrie has an impressive closure record in solving cold cases and this is her first high-profile serial case. She has served as an Army MP, a SWAT sniper, and she loves her current job as a special agent for the California Department of Justice's Special Investigations Group. Solving this case is a new challenge. It's a chance to prove mentally redeem herself after having been shot in the field. Carrie understands dangerous men. The panic attacks she's been suffered lately will not interfere with keeping people safe.
Special Agent Jase Tyler had wanted the Embalmer case. He does not feel Carrie is emotionally or physically recovered after witnessing her last panic attack, which she denied having. As a detective, he admires her strength and intelligence; Carrie is an asset to S.I.G. He doesn't deny his need to protect her may be causing him to doubt Carrie's readiness to investigate a sociopathic killer, but she's hiding more from him than the mutual attraction they share. Jase is a player who prefers a softer type of woman, which is why he's baffled by his strong reaction to Carrie. As sparks fly, they will combine their skills and knowledge to stop the Embalmer before another innocent person dies.
Carrie and Jase absolutely sizzled from the start! Their attraction was like an electrical current zapping me from my ereader. Usually romances with this type of attraction have me rolling my eyes... not this one! These two characters have been verbally sparring a long time. It's evident they are ripe for romance. The countdown is loud and clear, yet their attraction is not rushed. In my opinion, it took too long for them to become lovers.
The main characters are not the stereotypical romantic suspense hero and heroine. Jase is not the irrational alpha detective nor is Carrie the strong yet breakable woman. Special Agent Carrie Ward is described as a `warrior woman' and she epitomizes the description. She is not without vulnerability. (One specific trait was often repeated, in my opinion.) Carrie works in a male dominated field. At work, she hides her femininity by wearing androgynous clothing. She feels the need to prove herself as strength and ability to perform a job, but never tries to act like a man either. Carrie's has a couple of hard-to-swallow melodramatic moments, and her character is not a stroke of creative genius; instead it's her combination of traits that are played well. Then there is ace detective Jase. He is described as a player. Don't be fooled and think you have him pegged. This man actually communicates with his heroine, plus he shares his feelings. Gasp! This hero did not grunt, pound his chest, or try to dominate the heroine. As agents, Jase and Carrie are a dream team.
Typically, romantic suspense novels require a healthy dose of suspension of belief. (They are fairly predictable.) This Special Investigations Group story successfully avoids many tropes. The serial killer is introduced at the very beginning. Dr. Bower, a.k.a the Embalmer, is a true sociopath. Virna DePaul shares his disturbing thoughts as he commits his ghoulish and horrifying acts upon his victims. His point of view adds intensity to the story. The diabolical Dr. Bowers embodies evil in an everyday face and functions successfully in society. He is formidable. Then the plot thickens! Just when I thought I had the plot points mapped something unexpected would happen.
The most glaring criticism I can't avoid sharing is the uneven pacing. Shades of Temptation has a sizzling beginning then almost becomes monotonous. My internal rating system started to decline at one point. Luckily, the interesting plot twists grabbed me again and again. One totally unexpected event had me on the edge of my seat until the very end. My heart was actually pounding!
Overall, I would recommend this book to romantic suspense fans. Virna DePaul's former career as a criminal prosecutor is reflected in the terminology, procedures, and characterizations. Her expertise brought to mind the author Pamela Clare, a former reporter, who uses her knowledge in her I-Team series. This book can stand-alone. The hero and heroine from the previous book only make one quick appearance.
Will I read Virna dePaul again? Yes! I'm eager for the next S.I.G. novel, which is in the works. The hero will be Special Agent Simon Granger. I can't wait!
(I read the advanced readers copy in exchange for an honest review.)
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful.
Heart pounding Romantic Suspense
By Under The Covers Book Blog
Reviewed by ANGELA & posted at Under the Covers Book Blog
Shades of Temptation is the second installment of the Special Investigations Group series. Though I thoroughly enjoyed Shades of Desire (SIG #1), this book was so much better.
Agent Carrie Ward was in the Army, Swat, and Sniper Olympian; now she is the only woman member of SIG. With her experience, she is up for taking a more serious case; Serial Killer and/or possible Copy Cat. This murder is definitely more than meets the eye and it was great to see Carrie go through the motions of the investigation. I found myself trying to solve it with her as I read on. I truly enjoy Carrie as the heroine. She is a woman trying to prove herself in a man's world but as you know, that comes with a price and hardships. She was a dichotomy of strength and weakness and it was great to watch her learn the difference and learn to accept help when needed. When she finally succumbed, not only she received the right help, she even found herself a man who will love her for all of who she is.
Agent Jase Tyler is an experience member of SIG, well respected by his peers and well known for his dating background. Not only that women drooled over him, men look at him with envy. This guy is Alpha but not overbearing by the least. I love that about him. He knew when to step back and when to step up when it came to Carrie.
The sexual tension between Jase and Carrie was undeniable and unavoidable since they worked close together. The suspense part was actually interesting to follow. It was like watching a good movie. It was bit gruesome at times as the murder scene descriptions were graphic and the psychopath's thoughts were a bit disturbing. But damn it, I could not stop myself from reading on and cheering for Carrie and Jase to solve it.
Overall, Shades of Temptation is heart pounding Romantic Suspense by Ms. DePaul, a highly recommended book and a very nice author to follow.
*ARC provided by Netgalley
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful.
Enjoyable!
By Nikki B
Virna DePaul once again takes her readers on a journey into the workplace of a group of elite cops known as SIG. Shades of Temptation gave me a strong female lead character, which I happen to love. Carrie is a woman who doesn't accept help easily. She's been on the mend from a recent shooting and though she has been cleared to return, she wars with her own mental capabilities. She has panic attacks and nightmares and coming back to the job seems to be making them worse. To cope she tries to hide behind the new case she's been given. A high profile serial killer case that she is forced to work on with Jace, a man she craves but refuses to let herself have. She doesn't trust him and though he tries, he doesn't believe a woman can possibility do the job better than a man. The old school way of his thinking did rub me the wrong way at times and I could understand why Carrie felt the need to stand her ground and show him up whenever possible. She was out to prove her abilities just as much as she wanted to save the potential victims of the killer.
I wish we would have gotten more from the killers prospective. I like to be able to get into their heads a little bit more than this one gave me the opportunity for. I did enjoy the fast pacing and all the action included in this one. Book one seemed to drag a bit in the middle for me but I'm happy to say I didn't find that issue in this one at all. Jace and Carrie ignited the page. I found myself wanting them to be together more than they were. They worked off each other so well and the sexual tension was so well wrote that when they were apart I missed their interactions. I also enjoyed how the characters from Shades of Desire played small roles in this one but were mostly from a secondary source. Meaning they were there but you didn't hear much from them. There wasn't a ton of one on one interaction with the current characters.
I enjoyed Carries internal struggles. That sounds harsh lol. I thought the way in which her insecurities manifested themselves (panic attacks, nightmares) was completely correct and it made her story more believable. Too often you red cop romances where the cops have to kill someone and don't feel an ounce of remorse at taking a human life...no matter how justified. DePaul does an excellent job at bringing the true emotions to light. Jace with his cocky attitude was just what Carrie needed to shake herself free from her set backs. I love a man with a big gun...and Jace...yeah he carries his big gun well. Total alpha. Total badass. His conflicting emotions for Carrie and his own desire to head the case and keep her safe played well throughout the book. I can appreciate a man wanting to keep a woman safe...but I LOVE it when the woman can keep herself safe, insecurities or not!
I enjoyed Shades of Temptation by Virna DePaul! I give it 4 stars!
Nikki @ Ramblings From A Chaotic Mind
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