About BLOOD ON THE BAYOU: A Cafferty & Quinn Novella From New York Times bestseller Heather Graham... It's winter and a chill has settled over New Orleans, binding a stream of blood that leads a tourist to a dead man, face down in the bayou. The man has been done in by a vicious beating, so violent that his skull has been crashed in. It's barely a day before a second victim is found . . . once again so badly thrashed that the water runs red. The city becomes riddled with fear. An old family friend comes to Danni Cafferty, telling her that he's terrified, he's certain that he's received a message from the Blood Bayou killer--It's your turn to pay, blood on the bayou. The two quickly become involved, and--as they all begin to realize that a gruesome local history is being repeated--they find themselves in a fight to save not just a friend, but, perhaps, their very own lives. an old house in the French quarter of New Orleans

an old house in the French quarter of New Orleans

Excerpt:

When Quinn entered the room, he found that Danni had laid a trail of her clothing from the doorway to the shower.

He smiled.

And he followed.

The curtain was drawn. Steam filled the bathroom. She stood in the shower. He couldn’t help thinking that she could have been a mermaid, or a siren, smiling with the kind of light in her eyes that was sure to drive a man mad. He allowed his gaze to fall upon her.

“Did you need a written invitation?” she asked.

He stripped, stepped into the shower, and drew her into his arms. Warm water beats pulsated on his skin. The surge of steam was both relaxing and invigorating, the feel of her body crushing against his overwhelming. He would never tire of feeling her against him. The wonder in her eyes always seemed so fresh, her smiles evocative. The taste of her lips part of a fantasy, and every time he kissed her he felt a rush of arousal.

Her fingers slid down his back, then moved to his chest.

He reached behind her, cupping her buttocks, and lifting her to him, their every point of contact now an erogenous zone.

He kissed her again.

This time more passionate.

“Shampoo in the tub,” she whispered to him.

The words made no sense.

“Slip, fall, break body parts,” Danni whispered. “Not as much fun.”

Now he understood, and he lifted her over the rim of the tub, following her out quickly himself. Not to lose the moment, he kissed her again, and they became engaged in twined lips and stroking hands.

“Towel rack,” Quinn said.

“What?”

“Towel rack. Big bruise on the back, maybe your head against the wall. A concussion. Not as much fun.”

They both laughed.

Danni threw open the bedroom door and they made a beeline for the sheets, shivering.

“It’s cold out here,” she said.

Quinn landed on the bed at her side. “Not to add more bad and trite lines to the wonderful foreplay I’ve initiated,” he kissed her shoulder. “But give me a chance and I’ll warm you up.”

Safe from falling, tripping, or breaking bones, he wrapped his arms around her, covered her with the length of his body, and eased himself slowly down.

About Heather Graham: New York Times and USA Today best-selling author Heather Graham majored in theater arts at the University of South Florida. After a stint of several years in dinner theater, back-up vocals, and bartending, she stayed home after the birth of her third child and began to write, working on short horror stories and romances. After some trial and error, she sold her first book, WHEN NEXT WE LOVE, in 1982 and since then, she has written over one hundred novels and novellas including category, romantic suspense, historical romance, vampire fiction, time travel, occult, and Christmas holiday fare. She wrote the launch books for the Dell’s Ecstasy Supreme line, Silhouette’s Shadows, and for Harlequin’s mainstream fiction imprint, Mira Books. Heather was a founding member of the Florida Romance Writers chapter of RWA and, since 1999, has hosted the Romantic Times Vampire Ball, with all revenues going directly to children’s charity. She is pleased to have been published in approximately twenty languages, and to have been honored with awards from Waldenbooks. B. Dalton, Georgia Romance Writers, Affaire de Coeur, Romantic Times, and more. She has had books selected for the Doubleday Book Club and the Literary Guild, and has been quoted, interviewed, or featured in such publications as The Nation, Redbook, People, and USA Today and appeared on many newscasts including local television and Entertainment Tonight.