A stolen art collection. A life on the line. A desperate man... The job is finished and the paintings are safe, but Frank is set on revenge. If I don't get the art collection restored and delivered in six weeks' time, I may never see my father again.I'll go to the woman's studio, convince her to do the work, and pay whatever I have to ensure my father's safety.Only the restoration specialist is not what I expected. Her studio is immaculate, her work exemplary, but she's frazzled and vulnerable and oh so tempting.She's slow to trust, but somehow I have to convince this lovely creature to work for me.She needs the money to save her studio. I'll need the work done at my home. She can never find out the truth.A grieving woman... My brother chose to give up but I have to move forward. He was my closest friend, my business partner, only the books are in shambles.If I don't get an art restoration job soon, I'm going to have to close my studio. The anonymous patron who purchases my paintings are all that's keeping me solvent. Still it's not enough.Only today, despite the locked door, a man appeared and offered me a chance to turn my life around. Should I work for him? Trust him? His smile is a thing of beauty, his gaze is fire bright, but I've been burned before.Maybe just a talk over dinner...*****Stroke is Book 1 in the Gate Series, set in the beautiful San Francisco Bay area.Marie Booth is a bestselling author of these The Gate Stroke, Simmer, Split M FSanta Cruz Shifter Flying Hard, Hard Landing, Falling Hard (releasing Dec 2020) M MSanta Cruz Vamp Vamps Suck (releasing Jan 2021) M MSteamy Bites Dying for a Bite M M FTheta Playing with Passion, Yielding to Pleasure M F