Always a Marine Books

Fulfilling a favor and executing a business plan, Luke Dexter arrives at Dallas’ Sybarite Club for a one-night stand. He never imagined he’d come face to face with the woman he left behind a decade earlier. Rebecca Rainier fell in love with Luke Dexter in high school and was crushed when he dumped her to join the Marines after 9/11. Set up on a 1Night Stand by her business partner, nothing could prepare Rebecca for who her date is. Can Luke and Rebecca bridge the pain of a decade-long abandonment, in one cold Texas night?

She's one of the few… Jazz has been one of the guys for over a decade, serving her country with distinction, but she longs to explore her femininity, to be desired as a woman, to flirt, cavort and fulfill every sexual desire. When her mother of all people, signs her up for a 1Night Stand, she's not sure whether to be exhilarated or pissed. Flying to Las Vegas on the promise of a total escape, Jazz plans to be Jasmine for just one night, because tomorrow, she plans to re-up for another five years. They're two of the proud… Logan Cavanaugh grew up across the street from his best friend and brother-in-arms, Zach Evans. Inseparable, the two have shared everything, including women, until the year before when an IED attack during combat injured both of them. Zach suffered a concussion, but Logan's injuries were far more extensive. After a year of physical therapy, he can walk, but he'll never run or love a woman again, or so he fears. He’s ready to accept his impotence, but Zach has other ideas. He hopes a 1Night Stand date with the perfect woman will heal Logan's confidence and masculinity. They're all Marines… They’ll share each other, but will one night be enough?

PFC James Westwood isn’t a typical Marine. As a clinical psychologist, he recognizes his band of brothers needs a helping hand after their return home from the war. When his boss, Captain Dexter, encourages him to sign up for the 1Night Stand dating service, Westwood committed himself. What did he have to lose? The last thing he expected was a date with screen goddess Lauren Kincaid. Movie star Lauren Kincaid grew up splitting her time between the cold reality of the Hollywood scene and her family home in Plano, Texas. After two decades surrounded by artificial friendships and inflated egos, her greatest desire is to meet a real man, not a Hollywood talking head. When her agent suggests a 1Night Stand date, the only expectations Lauren allows herself to have are discretion and exclusivity. What she didn’t expect was having a gorgeous psychologist with rapier wit blow her away. Everyone needs someone to hear them. James and Lauren share an unmistakable connection, but when one of James’ patients suffers a crisis, Lauren more than proves her mettle. Can one night turn into happily ever after for this Marine and his movie star?

Damon Sinclair is a simple Marine with simple needs and after five years of active duty in the sandbox, he’s ready to settle down and feed people’s souls. But when the rest of his Brothers sign up with the 1Night Stand dating service, the opening night of his new restaurant includes a date with Madame Evangeline’s hand picked choice. Helena Blake has focused her entire life on her education and legal career. But, there must be more to life than legal briefs and the Styrofoam take-out palace decorating the interior of her refrigerator. And finally, a year after signing up for the 1Night Stand service, Eve has found her a date. Wine is poured, incredible food is served, and sparks fly creating a total seduction of the senses as Damon prepares a birthday celebration that Helena will never forget.

Shannon Fabray is a sculpture artist and her love of the pure masculine body is demonstrated in every work of aesthetic art she creates. But her passion for the body doesn't extend into her personal life after a hellish experience in college left her with nowhere to turn but her work. After several criticisms about the lack of passion in her sculptures, Shannon is determined to face her fears and take desire by the balls. A one-night stand should do the trick. 2nd Lt. Brody Essex is an active duty Marine with one goal: come home, get rested, go back. Brody isn’t interested in a date arranged through Madame Eve’s 1Night Stand service like the rest of his friends from the Corps have had, but he doesn’t hesitate to fill in for a Brother who can’t go on his own. The last thing either Shannon or Brody expect is a wondrous, soul deep connection, but is the spark of lust enough to bring the two loners in from the cold?

Fall in love with Jazz, Logan and Zach in Retreat Hell, She Just Got Here. Madame Eve's 1Night Stand service introduces Gunnery Sergeant Jasmine "Jazz" Winters to best friends and retired Marines, Logan Cavanaugh, and Zach Evans. At the end of their night of frenzied passion in Las Vegas, Jazz walks away from the only two men who ever made her feel like a woman. Logan and Zach let her go, but only if she swears all of her future leaves to them. These three Marines shared everything, but will one night be enough? Live happily ever after with them in No Regrets, No Surrender Waiting fourteen excruciatingly long months, visiting Jazz when they can, is harder on the guys than they like to admit. But their work at Mike's Place, a veteran's rehabilitative facility, only lets Zach and Logan go one at a time. Jazz fears their unconventional relationship can’t last a lifetime. The stress of years of military service in hot zones, combined with life-threatening injuries pushes her to the edge. But when she comes home a wounded warrior, not the woman she believes they want, Zach and Logan are right there to help her, even when she resists. She’s not alone. And whether she chooses one man or both, they have no regrets and they won’t surrender.

Turning down a billet at Mike's Place in Dallas, Sergeant A.J. Turner left Iraq for Freewill, Wyoming with one goal in mind—to forget the last five years. Trading his MARPATS for jeans and his cover for a cowboy hat, he plans to work his ranch and pray the green grass, tall trees, and sweet mountains can wash away the taste of the desert. The last thing he expected was a reminder of a promise made to his buddies: one night to help them all start again. Sheri Vaughn quit her corporate job, sold her house and moved to Freewill on a whim. Six months after her divorce, she's hardly ready to put her toe in the dating waters again. One bottle of wine later, however, she signs up for Madame Eve's exclusive 1Night Stand service and lists a very particular set of qualities she wants in a man; he must be honorable, courageous, forthright, single, have served as Marine, but be a cowboy at heart. If she wants to dream, at least she can dream big. But when local hero A.J. Turner arrives home, Madame Eve comes through, and Sheri has to find the courage to make her dream a reality… Can one night, even a night arranged by Madame Eve, fulfill both a promise and a dream?

Roger Michael Easton IV, better known as Rowdy, flouted the family's Naval tradition to enlist in the Marines—not as an officer, but a ground pounding grunt. He never expected to see as much combat or valor as he did in the field, but every engagement furthered his commitment to his brothers in arms. Now, with an early offer on the table to end his contract, Rowdy has to take a long look at the life he left behind, the life he's built, and the future he longs to have. Rowdy also wants a woman who gets him. Inactive Marine, Kim Wakefield, continues to serve her country as a Naval Criminal Investigator. She's hard on the grunts and sailors because she is one of them—and they didn't sign up for easy. Tired of the seedier side of military life—picking up drunk Marines, AWOL sailors, busting drug running operations, or worse, sending drug addicted servicemen to court marshal and treatment, she longs to have her faith in her fellow Marines restored. Kim wants a man who knows what she needs. Thrown together by chance on a 1Night Stand, the jarheads have a combustible chemistry—but do they have what it takes to give each other what they want?

Lieutenant Brenden Fitzpatrick is a dedicated Marine, loyal son, and devoted uncle, but he's lonely. When he went Marine, the rule was don't ask, don't tell. His brothers-in-arms pretty much didn't ask and didn't care. Watching so many friends settle into long-term relationships highlighted the absence of someone to come home to in his life. When his unit encourages him to give the 1Night Stand service a try, he asks for the impossible—a night with the one man he almost gave up the Marines for in the first place. A man he called best friend but let time and distance carry away. Liam Gardiner grew up on the same Boston block as his best friend, Brenden. Unlike Brenden, Liam always accepted that he was gay—a fact he didn't mind flaunting to all the bullies and naysayers in school. It got his ass kicked more than once, but Brenden always had his back, rescuing him time and time again, until the day Brenden left for the Marines. He missed his buddy—the crush he never confessed, lest it cost him the precious friendship—so when Madame Eve's invitation to meet Brenden arrived, Liam faces uncertainty for the first time. Life made them best friends, can Madame Eve help them become so much more?

Have you ever woken up every day afraid of everything? For single mom and widow Melody Carter, six months passed since an IED ripped her life apart. Everyone is sympathetic and offers platitudes of comfort and support. Everyone thinks they know why she’s grieving, but Melody isn’t mourning her broken heart. She’s ashamed to be grateful her abusive husband won’t hurt her anymore and scared for her child. Born with a mild heart defect, her daughter needs lifesaving surgery and with her funds tight and her emotional scars tighter, she’s running out of options. When she receives an offer for assistance from Mike’s Place, can Melody put her faith in the men her husband called friend? Have you ever woken up, day after day, to discover your body’s betrayal? Marine Captain, Joe Anderson Cooper, received the Silver Star for Valor when he led his unit through heavy fire to rescue fellow Marines. Despite numerous injuries, the Captain refused medical aid, insisting that the medics attend others. A broken back and shattered bones put Captain Cooper in a wheelchair and every day is a battle to keep his recovery on track and his sanity intact. When a single mom moves in to the apartment next door to his and he recognizes kindred—damaged—soul, can he overcome her fear and be the man she’s always needed? Can these two lonely souls rise to the challenge or will their scars trap them forever?

The high school beauty queen… The face of baby food, the darling of surfing commercials, and the exotic stunner who walked away with the Miss California title at eighteen, Mary Phillips has heard “you’re so beautiful” from childhood on. Tired of being her mother’s personal Barbie, she traded in her tiara and a lucrative modeling contract for combat boots and life as a Marine. She's lost good friends and seen more walking wounded than she cares to admit, but this Marine wouldn't trade her assignment for all the Manolo Blahniks in the world. What does it matter she has no one waiting at home? The class nerd… Kyle Stewart heard every variation as he went through school: nerd, geek, four-eyes, weirdo—and he rolled with it. He could count on one hand the number of girls who ever deigned to talk to him about something other than tutoring. But as the only self-made millionaire from his graduating class, he has the last laugh. A high school reunion… Despite the invitation, Mary didn't plan to attend the ten-year reunion. The last thing she wanted to hear was—"you could have been so much, what happened?" But running into Kyle at the local coffee shop reminds her that not everyone judges by appearance. Kyle once swore to rub his former tormentors noses in his success, but when the reunion rolls around, he’s reluctant to go. Seeing Mary again encourages him to confront his one lingering regret, and the millionaire dares to reach for happiness. Can Combat Barbie and her nerd overcome the past to love another day?

Matt McCall’s struggles to reintegrate into civilian life have been an ongoing battle for the better part of two years. Daily group sessions and weekly one-on-ones have only allowed him to grow so far. Twice he’s returned to his home state of Indiana and twice, he retreated to Mike’s Place. Uncertain of where he belongs in the world, he silently battles depression. The unexpected gift of Jethro, a black Labrador Retriever, perks his spirit…and a chance meeting in the park gives him a precious gift… Aspiring country singer, Naomi Sparks, comes from a long line of Marines, so she knows all about sacrifice and struggle. When her Congressman brother asks her to visit Mike’s Place on his behalf, she discovers a real opportunity to make a difference. And meeting former Marine Matt McCall inspires her with the real challenge of discovering love and daring heroes who take risks. Writing music has never been so sweet…. Can one woman who believes in him really heal the wounds in this Marine’s heart?

Secret lovers for years, Commander Rick McConnell and Colonel Elijah Masters have nurtured their very private relationship with planned vacations and leaves, always meeting somewhere different—always escaping off the grid. It worked for them—career officers with a desire to serve their country and a passion for each other. The repeal of the military’s policy, Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, provides them with the tremendous opportunity to come out to their friends and loved ones. Rick wants to seize the day, but Eli isn’t so certain. His hesitation leads to a fight, an ultimatum, and a breakup. Rather than confront their issues, Eli takes a foreign assignment. A year’s separation changes both of them. The last person Eli expects to see when he steps off the plane is Rick, but the physician wants another chance with the only man he’s ever loved, and he has a plan. Will bitterness, recriminations, and loss keep them apart or can these two officers rediscover the faith and loyalty that bound them for so long?

Marine Paul Torres is used to women who enjoy the pleasure of the moment and whom he can bed with a wink and a smile. But with so many of his friends settling down, he’s turned on by the allure of finding the right partner as well. Even more so when he meets Lillianna Hansen while attending a wedding. After a passionate night, Paul wakes to find her gone and though he wants more than a one-night stand with the alluring Lily, his limited leave is up and he’s forced to return to active duty. All Lillianna thought she wanted was a good time. But Paul’s attention—even from thousands of miles away—is hard to resist, and while she tells herself repeatedly she doesn’t want a relationship with a Marine, she can’t deny the consequences of their passionate night. When she finds out she’s pregnant, she’s forced to reach out to Paul. But is she ready to let the father of her child be her Marine Ever After….

Freewill bound… Greg Rainwater lost a piece of himself in the deserts of Iraq, a piece his Shaman great-grandfather would call his soul. Heading to Freewill, Wyoming, the retired Marine hopes to find what he’s looking for. After one meeting with the beautiful Georgia Crane, he thinks he has found the missing piece. She has other ideas. Under her skin… Georgia gave up her dreams to look after her stubborn, ailing grandfather in small-town Freewill. Newcomer Greg isn’t helping by enabling the old man to break her careful rules every chance he gets. That doesn’t stop her from lusting after the hot Marine—she simply refuses to give into the desire. Sexual healing… Paired together by Madame Eve’s 1Night Stand dating service, Georgia is mortified, while Greg can’t believe his good luck. Distrust turns to attraction and irritation to desire, but can they bridge their differences and find what they’re missing—each other?

She’s his best friend’s sister… From cradle to grave, Derek and Keith grew up together, enlisted, served, and rose through the ranks together. When Keith died in the field, the last thing he asked was for Derek to keep watch over his sister. But every time Derek is around Kara, he wants to touch her. A promise stands between them and he refuses to seduce his best friend’s baby sister. Determined to get her out of his mind, he signs up for a one-night stand. He’s the one she wants… Ever since Kara ran into a shirtless Derek, she’s known he was the one. He promised to bring her brother home and he was there for her at his funeral. But he remains unattainable, no matter their chemistry. Frustrated, she takes a girlfriend’s advice and signs up for a one-night stand. The last person they expected… Dressed to kill, Kara doesn’t know whether to scream or cry when Derek turns out to be her date. He’s furious that she’d sign up for a night of sex with a perfect stranger, but together their reunion is combustible and neither can deny the power of their attraction. He may have been her brother’s best friend, but she wants him to be her Marine with Benefits.

Serving overseas is a lonely duty… Captain Charlie Sparks faces an impossible task—assigned to a security detail for the sister of a fallen Marine. The last thing Charlie wants is this beautiful woman in the middle of a base in Afghanistan no matter what holiday she plans to help them celebrate. But no one asked for his opinion, and worse, she’s everything he adores in a woman and more… Mourning what might have been is a terrible burden… Jana Grimaldi had a plan—a plan to help her brother when he came home, but his death in Afghanistan left a hole in her heart and a desperate desire to do something. With the help of Congressman Sparks, she heads to Afghanistan to bring Thanksgiving to the men and women who served with her brother. Nervous and uneasy, she finds an unexpected—and familiar ally in Captain Sparks… Not all wounds heal… Charlie was one of the first people to reach out to Jana, communicating via email when her brother died—but coming face to face in the lonely desolation of the holiday connects these two wounded souls… Can Charlie and Jana find hope amidst the heartbreak this Thanksgiving?

Tormented by the question of 'what if...' Home for Hanukkah, Sergeant Isaac Janko has never forgotten the baby his girlfriend gave up for adoption years ago. But he didn’t realize how angry he still was.... More than time separates them.... A chance meeting at Temple brings Zehava Elbaz face-to-face with the first and only man she's ever loved. She sees a deep and hidden pain in him, one she blames herself for... An invitation to Hanukkah brings them together.... The two must confront their pain and loss. They have only eight days to face their past, and win each other's trust, but it is a time for healing, reconciliation and miracles….

He used to believe in magic… Kaiden Nelson looked like every other Marine, only most of his guys didn’t grow up in a family of nudists, celebrating the wheel of the year and the lunar cycles. His buddies wouldn’t name him a witch, either. But after more than a decade at war, Kaiden isn’t sure he can—or even wants to lay claim to that calling anymore. He’s got too much blood on his hands and he’s tired…tired of war, tired of fighting. Some days…he’s tired of living. When he’s sent on leave for the holidays, he’s unsure if he can ever really go home again. She’s a candle in the night… Rowan Harper lives in two worlds, the mundane where she handles tech issues for a major corporation and the pagan where she celebrates the sabbats and esbats with her coven. Like so many in the region, she keeps her beliefs private. It makes life more bearable from others who would judge, and she likes nothing better than the great sabbat retreats the coven takes to the sprawling Lake House. It’s a time where she sheds the shackles of everyday life and embraces the divine. The wheel turns… When Kaiden turns up at the coven Yule, his Circle of family and friends are eager to welcome him. He feels unworthy of the open warmth and shies away to the darkness, but Rowan refuses to leave him in the shadows. Can the inexorable pull of one woman help him face down his demons as they hold vigil against the longest night of the year?

Rebel with a holiday… Ryan Edward Brun—Rebel to his friends—has always loved Christmas. Whether raising money for Toys for Tots, delivering presents dressed up like Santa Claus or driving his platoon crazy with Christmas ‘surprises,’ he never lacked for Christmas spirit—until he lost his legs to an IED. Operation Good Cheer… Noël Torres has watched over Rebel for months, holding his hand when he wanted to give up, and bullying him when he got lazy. But with Christmas right around the corner and decorations filling every room in their wing of Mike’s Place, the barren oasis Rebel surrounds himself with breaks her heart. He won’t call his family, he’s not sending out cards, he won’t pull any pranks—she decides to get this Marine back into the holiday action. An elf on a mission… With the help of some kids, a few good Marines, and Santa Claus, Noël is determined to give Rebel a very Marine Christmas…

She never stopped grieving… It’s New Year’s Eve, and thirty years since Brenda Connors buried the only man she ever loved. Every year on the anniversary of his death, she rings in the New Year, alone and grieving. But this year…this year she wants to ring it in much differently, takes the advice of her best friend, and signs up for a 1Night Stand. Maybe it’s ridiculous, just a year shy of her fiftieth birthday, for her to try and seek happiness she’s long since given up on. He doesn’t know what the future holds… Married to his career and facing forced retirement, Lt. Col. Tom Baxter doesn’t see much of a future for himself in civilian life. A poker game with the son of an old friend earns him some unwanted advice, but he can’t get it out of his head. Maybe signing up for a 1Night Stand date will help him discover what life on the outside might have to offer. The last thing he expects is an elegant soul with a streak of mischief…. Ringing in a new beginning… Can Tom and Brenda make every second of their countdown to midnight count, lest old Marines be forgot?

"Heather Long's Marines are a luscious treat that will leave readers breathless and clamoring for more." ~Melissa Schroeder, USA Today bestselling author Someone is watching her… Shannon Fabray’s career in the art world is on the rise thanks in no small part to her signature sculpture Her Marine. But with fame, comes fans and some like to get closer than others. Coping with the notoriety, Shannon doesn’t let the constant contact get under her skin until one night, it goes to far and to Shannon’s horror, one of them is making it very clear he wants the artist for himself and sees her as a possession that should be added to his collection. He’s coming home… After a dozen years in service to his country, Lieutenant Brody Essex has lost count of the missions he’s run, the hours he’s spent in the field and the number of days he’s been out of the country. Budgetary issues freeze his promotion, and his unit is left on the ground in Afghanistan, but he makes it work because the only countdown that matters to him is the one that will bring him home. Home to the artist that carved a niche in his heart. When bureaucratic snafus hold up his paperwork, he sucks it up until a phone call alerts him that Shannon’s loft has been broken into, and she was nearly kidnapped. Breaking all the rules… Now Brody will break the rules and go AWOL, heading home without permission because his girl is in danger and she needs her Marine bodyguard…