Sam pulled Serena closer to his lean, hard body….

      She didn’t respond this way to other men.

      “There’s something about you,” he said after a long moment, “that makes me forget every promise I made to myself. Something that completely destroys my willpower.”

      “Trust me,” she said after moistening her tender lips. “I know the feeling.”

      “There’s something I need to talk to you about,” he said, lifting his head.

      This was definitely not the time to talk about anything important. She could barely speak, much less think clearly. Still, she was curious. She studied his face. That lost look was in his eyes again—the one that sneaked behind the few defenses she had left against him. There was a sadness in Sam she didn’t understand and didn’t know how to alleviate.

      Realizing she was still standing in his arms, their bodies still intimately pressed together, she eased away from him. “We’ll talk tomorrow….”

      Dear Reader,

      Many people read romance novels for the unforgettable heroes that capture our hearts and stay with us long after the last page is read. But to give all the credit for the success of this genre to these handsome hunks is to underestimate the value of the heart of a romance: the heroine.

      “Heroes are fantasy material, but for me, the heroines are much more grounded in real life,” says Susan Mallery, bestselling author of this month’s Shelter in a Soldier’s Arms. “For me, the heroine is at the center of the story. I want to write and read about women who are intelligent, funny and determined.”

      Gina Wilkins’s The Stranger in Room 205 features a beautiful newspaper proprietor who discovers an amnesiac in her backyard and finds herself in an adventure of a lifetime! And don’t miss The M.D. Meets His Match in Hades, Alaska, where Marie Ferrarella’s snowbound heroine unexpectedly finds romance that is sure to heat up the bitter cold….

      Peggy Webb delivers an Invitation to a Wedding; when the heroine is rescued from marrying the wrong man, could a long-lost friend end up being Mr. Right? Sparks fly in Lisette Belisle’s novel when the heroine, raising Her Sister’s Secret Son, meets a mysterious man who claims to be the boy’s father! And in Patricia McLinn’s Almost a Bride, a rancher desperate to save her ranch enters into a marriage of convenience, but with temptation as her bed partner, life becomes a minefield of desire.

      Special Edition is proud to publish novels featuring strong, admirable heroines struggling to balance life, love and family and making dreams come true. Enjoy! And look inside for details about our Silhouette Makes You a Star contest.

      Best,

      Karen Taylor Richman, Senior Editor

      The Stranger in Room 205

      Gina Wilkins

      Books by Gina Wilkins

      Silhouette Special Edition

      The Father Next Door #1082

      It Could Happen To You #1119

      Valentine Baby #1153

       † Her Very Own Family #1243

       † That First Special Kiss #1269

      Surprise Partners #1318

       ^** The Stranger in Room 205 #1399

      Previously published as Gina Ferris

      Silhouette Special Edition

      Healing Sympathy #496

      Lady Beware #549

      In from the Rain #677

      Prodigal Father #711

       § Full of Grace #793

       § Hardworking Man #806

       § Fair and Wise #819

       § Far To Go #862

       § Loving and Giving #879

      Babies on Board #913

      Previously published as Gina Ferris Wilkins

      Silhouette Special Edition

       ‡ A Man for Mom #955

       ‡ A Match for Celia #967

       ‡ A Home for Adam #980

       ‡ Cody’s Fiancée #1006

      Silhouette Books

      Mother’s Day Collection 1995

      Three Mothers and a Cradle “Beginnings”

       GINA WILKINS

      is a bestselling and award-winning author who has written more than fifty books for Harlequin and Silhouette Books. She credits her successful career in romance to her long, happy marriage and her three “extraordinary” children.

      A lifelong resident of central Arkansas, Ms. Wilkins sold her first book to Harlequin in 1987 and has been writing full-time since. She has appeared on the Waldenbooks, B. Dalton and USA Today bestseller lists. She is a three-time recipient of the Maggie Award for Excellence, sponsored by Georgia Romance Writers, and has won several awards from the reviewers of Romantic Times Magazine.

      Contents

      Chapter One

      Chapter Two

      Chapter Three

      Chapter Four

      Chapter Five

      Chapter Six

      Chapter Seven

      Chapter Eight

      Chapter Nine

      Chapter Ten

      Chapter Eleven

      Chapter Twelve

      Chapter Thirteen

      Chapter Fourteen

      Chapter Fifteen

      Epilogue

       Chapter One

       “S ir? Are you awake? Can you hear me?”

      The woman’s voice was nice, but muffled, and there was a funny buzzing noise underlying it. Like static, he thought without opening his eyes. The darkness was intense, cocooning him like a warm, heavy comforter. He wanted to wrap it more tightly around himself and drift back into oblivion, but the voice intruded again.

      “I know you’re in pain, but you really should try to open your eyes,” the woman advised him. “You need to let us know you’re awake.”

      He wanted to tell her to leave him alone. He was tired. He would appreciate