Sometimes the first step in taking control is surrendering. 
 
Sweet Surrender by Maya Banks
Available from Berkley Heat March 4, 2008

Pre-order at Amazon

Under Faith Malone's deceptively soft exterior lies a woman who knows exactly what she wants. A strong man who'll take without asking--because she's willing to give him everything…

Dallas cop Gray Montgomery is on a mission: find the guy who killed his partner--and bring him to justice. So far, he's found a link between the killer and Faith--and if Gray has to get close to her to catch the killer, so be it. 

Faith is sweet and feminine, everything Gray wants and desires in a woman, but he suspects she's playing games. No way she would allow a man to call the shots in their relationship. Or would she?

Faith sees in Gray the strong, dominant man she needs, but he seems determined to keep her at a distance. So she takes matters into her own hands to prove to him it's no game she's playing. She's willing to surrender to the right man. Gray would like to be that man. But catching his partner's killer has to be his first priority. Until Faith is threatened and Gray realizes he will do anything to protect her.

What reviewers are saying...
 
 "Searingly sexy and highly believable" Romantic Times Magazine, 4 1/2 stars, Top Pick
 
 "This story ran my heart through the wringer more than once." Jennifer Ray--March recommended read for CK2S Kwips and Kritiques
 
 "From page one I was drawn into the story and literally could not stop reading until the last page." Lisa Freeman--The Romance Studio
 
 "Maya Banks's storylines are always full of situations that captivate readers, but it's the emotional pull you experience which brings the stories to life." Chrissy Dionne--Romance Junkies

A little taste of what's inside...
 
 She'd thought about it the entire night. It had actually hit her as she sat in the spa waiting on Nathan, and once the idea had presented itself, she hadn't been able to shove it out of her mind. It had unfolded in exacting detail along with her smug assuredness that it just had to work. It was perfect.
 
 So here she sat, the next day, waiting for everyone to leave the office so she could sneak Pop's spare key to Gray's apartment.
 
 Of course, Connor picked today to host a client meeting in the main conference room. She glanced at her watch, knowing she had limited time if she was going to get into Gray's apartment before he finished up at his current jobsite.
 
 She breathed a huge sigh of relief when she heard the murmur of voices in the hallway. A few seconds later, Connor and the three clients he'd met with walked by her office. She sat fidgeting in her chair until she heard Connor return.
 
 "Hey," he said as he stuck his head in her door. "You didn't have to stay."
 
 She smiled brightly. "Oh, no problem. I have a few things to finish up. I'm planning to leave in a few minutes."
 
 "Want me to wait?" he offered.
 
 She waved him away. "No, you go ahead. Nathan and Micah are waiting for you at Cattleman's."
 
 "See you tomorrow then," he said before he ducked back out.
 
 She waited until she was sure he was gone and then hurried back to Pop's office. She fumbled through the desk drawer where he kept all the spares until she came to the one marked with Gray's apartment number. Triumphantly, she palmed it and walked back to her office to collect her purse.
 
 She dug out her cell phone on her way out and punched in Micah's number.
 
 "Hey, sweet thing," Micah said when he answered the phone.
 
 "Are you with Nathan?" she asked.
 
 "Yeah, why?"
 
 "Don't let him know it's me you're talking to," she hurried to say.
 
 He paused. His tone grew serious. "What's going on?"
 
 "I need a favor," she said. "A no-questions-asked favor."
 
 "Uh, okay."
 
 "Can you ditch Nathan and meet me at Gray's apartment right now?"
 
 "I'll be right over," he said.
 
 She sighed in relief. "Thank you. See you soon."
 
 She closed her phone, grateful he'd done as she'd requested and asked no questions. Not that he wouldn't have plenty when he saw her, but at least he hadn't let on in front of Nathan.
 
 She drove straight home and parked in her spot. She glanced warily down at Gray's empty parking place and hoped he stayed tied up at the job for another half hour like he was supposed to.
 
 She sat in her car, drumming her fingers on the steering wheel until she saw Micah pull in and park a few places down. Gray's key in hand, she got out and hurried over to meet Micah.
 
 "Hey, baby doll, what's going on?" he asked as she approached. His brow was creased in concern.
 
 She grabbed his hand and pulled him toward Gray's door. "I'll tell you when we get inside his apartment."
 
 "Oooh, breaking and entering. You know how to have fun, girl."
 
 She laughed. The nut. She held up the key when they got to the door. "It's not breaking and entering if you have a key."
 
 "Sneaky. Even better."
 
 She hauled her purse strap over her shoulder as she inserted the key into the lock. Seconds later, she and Micah slipped into the darkened interior, and Micah closed and locked the door behind them.
 
 "Okay, doll face, we're in. Now are you going to tell me what I'm risking a jail cell for?"
 
 She swallowed nervously and fidgeted with her purse strap. "I want you to...tie me to Gray's bed. Naked." She tensed, waiting for Micah's response. She didn't have to wait long.

Visit Maya's website to read more: http://www.mayabanks.com/

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