It might have been four years since Detective Daniel Cardenas had last seen Addy Torres, but she'd never been far from his thoughts...or his fantasies. Then, as a vicious stalker's latest target, the stunning recluse needed the relentless protection only Daniel could provide. But the more Addy turned to his strong arms seeking safety, the more he wanted to ease her pain and give her the release they'd both craved for far too long. As he watched and waited for a killer to make his next move, Daniel fought every urge and kept his hands to himself.

Until one fateful night changed everything...

Tracy Montoya is the alter ego of Tracy Fernandez Rysavy, who by day telecommutes from Florida as editor for a crunchy nonprofit in Washington, DC. Her first Harlequin Intrigue title, Maximum Security, won the Beacon, the Golden Quill and the Daphne du Maurier awards for romantic suspense.

She lives with a psychotic cat, a tragically daft Lhasa apso, a husband who's turned their home into the Island of Lost/Broken/Strange Antiques, and their two daughters. A member of the National Association of Hispanic Journalists and the Society of Environmental Journalists, Tracy has written about everything from Booker Prize-winning poet Martin Espada to socially responsible mutual funds to soap opera summits. Her articles have appeared in a variety of publications, including Hope, Utne Reader, Satya, YES!, Audubon, and the National Green Pages. Prior to launching her journalism career, she taught in an under-resourced school in Louisiana through the AmeriCorps Teach for America program.

Tracy holds a master's degree in English literature from Boston College and a B.A. in the same from St. Mary's University. When she's not writing, she likes to scuba dive, forget to go to kickboxing class, wallow in bed with a good book or get out her guitar with a group of friends and pretend she's Suzanne Vega.