LITMIR.BIZ

      “Shacking up is not my thing,” Thalia insisted.

      “When I move in with a guy,” she continued implacably, “it’ll be after I get a ring on this finger.” She pointed to the third finger of her left hand. “I’m in no hurry, you understand.”

      Luke winced. “Shacking up, huh.” That one stopped him even colder than the reference to marriage. “That means living together. Does it also cover a little messing around?”

      Thalia drew in a deep, forceful breath. “If it did…would I be here, Mr. Dalton?”

      It took an instant for that to sink in. “Does that mean what I think it means—damn, what I hope it means?”

      Her mysterious smile rocked him. “What do you think…hope…it means?”

      “You and me…happily horizontal and all that.”

      She laughed. “Oh, Luke,” she murmured, “just shut up and kiss me.”

      Dear Reader,

      I was having a great time writing my first Double Duets, but about halfway through I suddenly realized I was making life very hard for myself. I had named my fictitious animals all wrong! The Border collie was Jack, the calico was Missy and the black cat was Jet.

      As it happens, I have a Border collie, but the name is Reckless. Not too surprisingly, I also have a calico named Patches and a black cat named Rosie. It was tough keeping the names straight.

      So I went back to my computer and now the animals you’ll be reading about are all my own, right up to and including their names and their adventures. Sure made my life easier!

      There’s another dog in here that I don’t own in real life and that’s Dog. I have had my share of strays, but the newest member of the family is a tiny Maltese named Spike. She weighs something like five pounds and has the heart of a lion. In the future I think there’ll probably be a story that includes Spike….

      Anyway, here’s hoping you enjoy my Animal Passions. Old animal lover me sure had fun in the writing.

      Best wishes!

      Ruth Jean Dale

      Books by Ruth Jean Dale

      HARLEQUIN DUETS

      4—ONE IN A MILLION

      HARLEQUIN TEMPTATION

      774—THE WRANGLER’S WOMAN

      778—ALMOST A COWBOY

      782—THE COWGIRL’S MAN

      My Animal Passions books are for Aunt Patty the Cat Lady, who likes anything if it has enough dogs and cats in it. Put one on the cover and she’s in hog heaven. Love ya!