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Playing with Fire
Gena Showalter
Twenty-four-year-old barista Belle Jamison dreams of a better job and a decent love life.Until a crazy scientist spikes her mocha latte! Suddenly Belle can wield the four elements—earth, wind, fire and water—with only a thought. Coffee too hot? No problem. Hair in need of a blow-dry? Done. Gorgeous government agent Rome Masters has been sent to neutralize Belle.But he's not the only one after her. Together they must outrun the rogue agents on their trail and find a way to control her powers. There's just one problem: the sparks Belle and Rome generate are even hotter than the ones flying from her eyes—and with her future on the line, now is the worst possible time to fall in love….
Praise for the novels of New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author Gena Showalter
The Vampire’s Bride “Thanks to Showalter’s great writing and imagination, this story, reminiscent of a reality show with all-powerful gods pulling everyone’s strings, will really appeal.” —RT Book Reviews, 4 stars
The Darkest Pleasure “Showalter’s darkly dangerous LORDS OF THE UNDERWORLD trilogy, with its tortured characters, comes to a very satisfactory conclusion.” —RT Book Reviews, 4 stars
“Of all the books in this series, this is the most moving
and compelling. The concluding chapters will simply
stun you with the drama of them.”
—Mists and Stars
The Darkest Kiss “Anya is a fascinating blend of spunk, arrogance and vulnerability—a perfect match for the tormented Lucien.” —RT Book Reviews, 4½ stars
“If there is one book you must read this year, pick
up The Darkest Kiss … a Gena Showalter book is the best of the best.” —Romance Junkies
The Darkest Night “A fascinating premise, a sexy hero and non-stop action, The Darkest Night is Showalter at her finest and a fabulous start to an imaginative new series.” —New York Times bestselling author Karen Marie Moning
Catch a Mate “The versatile Showalter … once again shows that she can blend humour and poignancy while keeping readers entertained from start to finish.” —Booklist
The Nymph King “A world of myth, mayhem and love under the sea!” —New York Times bestselling author J. R. Ward
Playing with Fire “Another sizzling page-turner from one of the premier authors of paranormal romance. Gena Showalter delivers an utterly spellbinding story!” —New York Times bestselling author Kresley Cole
Animal Instincts “Bold and witty, sexy and provocative, Gena Showalter’s star is rising fast!” —New York Times bestselling author Carly Phillips
Jewel of Atlantis “Rich in imagery and evocative detail, this book is a sterling example of what makes romance novels so worthwhile.” —A Romance Review, 5 stars
Heart of the Dragon “Lots of danger and sexy passion give lucky readers a spicy taste of adventure and romance.” —RT Book Reviews
The Pleasure Slave “This couple is dynamite and Tristan’s intense sensuality will have you sweating.” —The Romance Studio
The Stone Prince “Sexy, funny and downright magical!” —New York Times bestselling author Katie MacAlister
Dear Reader,
I can’t tell you how excited I am that Playing with Fire is back in stores with a brand-new cover. Belle, Rome and the gang are some of my favourite characters. When they showed up inside my head, talking constantly, demanding I pay them some attention—I’m not crazy, Mom, I promise!—I couldn’t resist. And I’m glad! They made me laugh, they made me cry, they made me want to tear my hair out because they were so determined to tell their own stories, rather than let me lead the way. But that’s part of why I love them. They’re so real to me.
And maybe that’s why I couldn’t let them go when I wrote “The End” of Playing with Fire. I wanted to know what would happen to them after the happily ever after. Would they remain happy forever? Would another Scrim come along and make trouble for them? Would Belle maintain control of her powers? So I sat down and wrote book two of my Tales of an Extraordinary Girl series, Twice As Hot, which promises twice the danger, twice the excitement and twice the passion as Belle navigates her new job at PSI while trying to plan her wedding to Rome. Let’s just say sparks fly—literally. I hope you’ll join Belle on this all-new adventure, in stores soon!
Wishing you all the best,
Gena Showalter
Ordinary—adj [ME ordinaire, fr. L ordinarius, fr. ordin-, ordo order] 1: of a kind to be expected in the normal order of events: ROUTINE, USUAL. 2a: of common quality, rank, or ability. 2b: deficient in quality: POOR, INFERIOR. 2c: lacking in refinement. 3: Belle Jamison.
Résumé of Belle Jamison (First Draft)
OBJECTIVE:
To find an exciting, exhilarating career with the opportunity for advancement and a low rate of employee dismissals
EXPERIENCE:
• Five years Remmie’s Steak House—waitress
• Four and a half years Holiday Escape—maid
• May 18
—May 29
Harrison and Co. Books—dust patrol
• June 2
—June 20
Kimberly Dolls—assembly line (heads)
• June 25
—July 3
Rizzo’sGrocery—cleanup,aisle 5 •July 19
—August 1
Hot House Flowers—funeral arrangement specialist
• August 11
—August 13
Professional clown (independent contractor)
• September 5
—September 30
Cutter’s Gym—towel girl
• October 18
—October 31
Wisteria Elementary School—bus driver
• November 3
—November 9
Donte Aeronautics—nuts and bolts finder
• November 10
—November 12
Jumpin’ Jive Pre-owned Cars—odometer tweaker
• November 22
—December 1
Beauty and Beyond Salon—hair sweeper
• December 14
—February 5
Cybernet Telemarketing —hang-up preventer
• Two month sabbatical Professional loafer
• April 6
—present Utopia Café—coffee wench
EDUCATION:
• Graduate of Wisteria High School
• Head cheerleader for the Fighting Trojans (Go team!)
• Voted best dressed
• One week at Groomers ‘R’ Us
• Four weeks at LaVonda’s Divine School of Cosmetology
INTERESTS:
Long walks on the beach, sunsets, romance novels, cold winter nights, paychecks, fine dining, shopping, naps, playing the lottery, men in kilts/uniforms/calendars, and massages.
REFERENCES:
“If you do not enforce strict ‘attendance’ policies, Miss Jamison is the perfect candidate for your company.”
—Mr. Ron Peaty, Manager of Utopia Café
“Please give my friend a job. Please.”
—Miss Sherridan Smith, best friend
Résumé of Belle Jamison, aka “Wonder Girl” (Final Draft)
OBJECTIVE:
To kick major scrim ass; save the world from parasters; mentor my smart-mouthed sidekick, Tanner; track down the elusive Dr. Roberts; and, um, learn to control the flying dirt balls that keep mysteriously hitting any woman who checks out Rome.
EXPERIENCE:
• Many hours of (hot and heavy) practice with Rome, aka “Cat Man”
• Totally successful elimination of the evil scrim Pretty Boy
• Roasting marshmallows with my bare hands (and eyes) •Watering the flowers at my dad’s assisted living center (without a hose)
• Orchestrating a snowball fight in the middle of summer (Tanner so got his ass kicked!)
EDUCATION:
• The School of Rome
• Awarded straight A’s and aced all “extra credit” assignments
INTERESTS:
Long walks on the beach (with Rome), sunsets (watching them with Rome), romance novels (acting out the love scenes with Rome), cold winter nights (snuggling with Rome), Rome in kilts/uniforms/calendars (or nothing at all), and massages (given by Rome).
REFERENCES:
“If you’re looking for trouble, Belle is the girl for you. PS.—Hurt her and I’ll kill you.”
—Mr. Rome Masters, aka “Cat Man”
“Need a gal who can fry the bad guys but still give your hair the perfect blowout? Wonder Girl’s the one for you!”
—Miss Sherridan Smith, best friend
“You’ll never find a sweeter, harder-working gal than my baby Belle.”
