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IN HER SIZZLING DEBUT, KARIN TABKE SETS THE SCENE WITH HARD-HITTING COPS, A SCANDALOUS CRIME, AND UNINHIBITED PASSION THAT CAN'T BE DENIED....
Straight-laced, by-the-book police officer Philamina Zorn has always lived by the letter of the law — that is, until she is assigned to work with Lieutenant Ty Jamerson, a tough-as-nails, arrogantly handsome cop who knows exactly how to press her buttons. Staking out Klub Kashmir, the Bay Area's hottest gentleman's club, Phil and Ty go undercover to bait the kidnapper of three young women — including two strippers from the club — while trying to keep their clashing personalities at bay. Baring more than just her inhibitions, Phil dons a barely there ensemble, straps on stilettos, and reveals her feisty side as Kat, a seductively sexy cocktail waitress who lets her luscious curves do the talking. Not only is she determined to expose a criminal but she has vowed to show her hot-headed lieutenant, a.k.a. floor manager of Klub Kashmir, that she's no shrinking violet.
As Phil and Ty become more deeply entrenched in the sordid underground world of exotic dancing, where money means everything and passions run wild, flaring tension becomes uncontrollable lust. It's all they can do not to surrender to desire — a hunger that intensifies with each playful encounter. Meanwhile, a cold-blooded criminal is hiding in the shadows — and a devastating secret that, if revealed, could shake Phil to her core.
Three years later
County Task Force HQ, vice squad office
"I ask for one lousy female and I get another grunt dug up out of who the hell knows where!" Lieutenant Ty Jamerson slammed down the file he held on the nearest surface, which happened to be his desk. Glaring at Jase, who'd had the misfortune to hand him the file, Ty grunted in male understanding. He wouldn't kill the messenger. After years of working together, Jase knew it, too. He grinned back good-naturedly.
"Maybe we can dress him in drag," Jase offered. "Get him some falsies and get him up onstage." He laughed heartily. "Now that'll draw every creep outta the woodwork."
Ty ran his fingers through his shoulder-length hair. He'd be glad when this assignment was over. The last three years in vice had taken its toll on him and his team. They needed to come up for air soon, or they'd morph into the seedy underworld counterparts they sought to put away.
"Serious up, Jase," Ty chastised. "We've lost one of our own. It's balls to the walls now." The high energy in the room accelerated.
"She's just missing," Reese said.
Ty glanced across the room at Reese, another brother in blue and his longtime point man.
Ty slammed his hands down on the desk. "Just missing? Just missing for two weeks? What about the other two, the ones who've been missing for months? I'll bet my retirement those ladies are either dead or worse. Shipped off to some third-world sheik for his amusement."
Ty stalked the short space of the stuffy room, his frustration nearly out of control. He spun around and stopped, glaring at both of his men. "I told those brass assholes we needed an experienced officer, not some fresh-faced male rookie six months out of the academy." He looked down at the scattered file on the desk. "Now they can't even bother to read my request form. I need this" — he grabbed the file and looked at the name tab — "Phil Zorn like I need another one of you dickheads."
As he turned away he stopped in his tracks, realization dawning, then grabbed the file and opened it. His eyes scanned the information. "Shit!"
He tossed the file back onto the table, and the door to the small office opened. Three sets of eyes widened, and one set narrowed.
Philamina's heart plummeted to her knees. This was a mistake, she thought. Not even close to what she'd put in for. Two men she did not recognize smiled — no, leered — the other, the one who she hadn't stopped thinking of the past three years, scowled.
She felt like a sacrificial lamb who had just walked into a den of hungry wolves. She swallowed and steeled her nerves. Her last three years in IA hadn't taught her to shrivel up and die. No, she'd learned a few things about survival, even among these beasts.
Phil contemplated Ty's tall muscular frame, his long dark hair, and the severe cut of his short goatee. He looked every bit the hard-ass he'd sold to the grunge underworld of vice. Her heart picked up an unsteady pace. No way was she going to let him see how he affected her. She smiled, exuding confidence. "So, you made lieutenant. I thought for sure you would be hosing down kennels at the pound by now."
"I thought for sure you would be riding a meter cart handing out unwarranted parking tickets." Ty's cock twinged. He admired her tall slender form. Couldn't help it. She still came across prim and proper in a sleek navy pantsuit, but now experience, and no doubt anxiety, gave her soft features some depth. Her eyes, that unusual shade of dark blue, no longer held that hungry, I-want-to-get-the-bad-cop gleam. No, something else replaced that first flush of bravado he'd found so disconcerting three years ago. She'd grown up some, and the new mature lady cop before him unnerved him more than the innocent firebrand.
"What's the rat squad want with vice?" Despite the hum his body produced at her entrance, he wanted her out of his office and out of his life. He had no room in either for a distraction like her.
"Officer Zorn reporting for duty, sir."
Ty swore under his breath. Neither Jase nor Reese wasted a minute in welcoming what Ty had specifically asked for, an experienced female officer to go undercover. In their zeal to welcome her, they bumped into each other.
"Sergeant Reese Bronson at your service."
Ty scowled when Bronson kissed her hand.
"Knock it off, Bronson, she's a cop, not the frickin' queen of England." He moved in and pushed Bronson aside. "You're mistaken, Zorn, your services are no longer required here."
She wasn't having it. She stepped into his space like he had done to her so many years ago. The fire burned hot in her eyes now. He liked it.
"Sorry to disappoint, Lieutenant. You requested an experienced female, and so you've been assigned one."
Ty ignored the soft musky scent of her anger. "I never have and never will work with a rat."
The words hit her hard in the face; he almost felt sorry for her when she blanched.
"I'm not now nor have I ever been a rat, sir. I followed my job to the letter of the law. If you happened to get caught in the crossfire, that's on you."
Ty's fists slowly opened and closed. He'd see about this. "Excuse me."
He flung the door wide and exited the office, his finger punching the sheriff's number on his cell phone.
"Bellicheck."
"Sheriff Bellicheck, Lieutenant Jamerson, sir."
"Make it quick, son, I'm on my way into a meeting."
"One word. Zorn. As in Philamina Zorn, an IA rat!"
"That was more than one word. What's your problem?"
"I requested an experienced X for my undercover operation and I get a letter-of-the-law rat. How the hell am I supposed to work with the Wicked Witch of the West? She'll be writing my guys up for spitting on the sidewalk."
"Look, Jamerson, she's all we could come up with. She's single. No kids, no family to speak of. She's perfect for this operation."
"But, sir, my men can't work knowing she's keeping book."
"She's out of IA. I give you my word, nothing you or your men do will be used to incriminate you, so long as you produce. I want the person responsible for kidnapping Officer Marten and those other two women. Use Zorn, she's no shrinking violet. Now stop your bellyaching and get back to work."
"Sir, I — " The drone of a dead line reverberated in Ty's ear. "Son of a bitch." He slapped his cell closed and prowled back into the office to find his two men gallantly entertaining Officer Zorn. Her eyes shone with excitement and her straight white teeth startled him in their brightness. Shit-fuck-damn!
"It looks like I have no choice but to have you on the team, Officer Zorn." He moved closer and lowered his voice. "But be warned. If it were up to me, we'd be slapping a skirt on Vaughn here and having him shake his ass for dollars."
Phil stepped toward him. Her case against him three years ago fell apart, but she was determined not to let this case get away from her. "Consider me one of the guys, Lieutenant, and I assure you I will produce results."
Ty smiled. "Oh, you'll produce all right. Let me fill you in on the case you'll be working."
Philamina didn't like his tone or the way his dark green eyes glittered. Reese snorted and Jase stood quietly grinning. Why did she feel like the joke was on her?
Copyright © 2006 by Karin Tabke
Anonymous
Posted February 18, 2007
I caught sight of the cover while i was buying other books & i immediately had a feeling i would love the book so i took a chance & bought the book!! i was so enthralled by the book that i finished the book in two days, it was that good!! the book had the perfect balance of suspense, love, sex & the need for closure!! i absolutely loved this book & will be the first in line in april for skin!! after reading this book, i know i won't be disappointed!! anyone who is a lover of suspense/romance would be plesantly rewarded with good girl gone bad!!
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Glad I took a chance on this 'new to me' author. Phil (a female IA cop) first met Ty, a police sergeant 3 years prior. They did not start off well. Years later, Phil is transferred to Ty's (now a lieutenant) under cover team. Phil has past issues that keep her alone, never giving men a chance. Ty has past issues and is a 'love 'em and leave 'em' type. What I loved about this book was the writing style. As these two work together to solve the case, the rapport is touching and very romantic. I found myself smiling and savoring the story. Although I was able to figure out who must be the 'bad guy', that did not distract with the interaction of the main characters. Looks like next in series will focus on a supporting character. I can hardly wait to read next installment. I thoroughly enjoyed this one!
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Okay I have to admit I read these stories out of order but they each stand on their own. This is the first. And I absolutely loved it. Phil is thrust into her first hands on street investigation and she is a cocktail waitress at a high class strip club. There is sexual tension between her and her boss that gets played out when she is thrown into the dancer catagory. She takes on a different personna in order to fulfill her duties and the transformation is astonishing. I loved this story and I would gladly read it again. I've only read the first chapter of Skin but it is Reeses' story and the third is Jaded, which I have read. It is Jase's story. Both Jase and Reese are Phil's backup in this story and you will have a tweak of interest in their lives after reading this so I suggest you go ahead and get Skin and Jaded
2 out of 3 people found this review helpful.
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Posted May 6, 2008
I think this is one of the best books I have ever read. I would put it down because I needed to do other things and I would have to pick it right back up. I loved it and would recommend it to anyone who loves a good book and are not afraid of some steamy chapters...
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
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Posted May 19, 2007
I agree with everyone else - I literally could not put this book down! I started reading this book in the morning and finished by that evening. It had the right amount of suspense, sexy love scenes, and romance. This is definite must-have for anyone's personal collection. Can't wait to read 'Skin'!
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
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Posted January 22, 2007
I really enjoyed this read! I could not put it down! This writer kept me glued! I am an avid reader of books much like this one (namely authored by Jane Green) and I tend to find these books follow a same pattern...but this one was the exception to the rule! Just when I thought I had it all figured out (about half way through the book)I realized that this author threw in many twists and turns! I absolutely, positively recommend this to women (or men) who enjoy erotic, tantalizing, stimulating reads!
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
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Posted September 10, 2006
Police officer Philamina ¿Phil¿ Zorn met then Sgt. Ty Jamerson three years ago when she was working in Internal Affairs, investigating a brutality charge against Ty. Now a Lieutenant, Ty is investigating a string of kidnappings, all happening at Klub Kashmir, a high-end strip club, where Ty is working undercover as floor manager. Phil, with her killer body, is set up as a cocktail waitress, complete with a sexy, skimpy ¿uniform.¿ It isn¿t long before Phil and Ty become intimate, and they soon find it increasingly difficult to maintain cool heads, given the erotic surroundings of their undercover operation.*****Phil is very inhibited due to a strict upbringing under the thumb of a preacher/police officer father, and an unpleasant sexual experience in her teens. While Phil wants to nab the kidnapper and find the missing women, she also wants to find out the facts behind her father¿s alleged suicide, facts that Ty alone can tell her. The problem is that Ty isn¿t a man of many words, preferring to let his actions do the talking, especially when he¿s attempting to help Phil lose some of those pesky inhibitions.*****Phil and Ty literally smoke on the pages. The story behind their history is heavy and deep there is no fluff to be found in this book. Ms. Tabke offers interesting glimpses of the sometimes desperate, often dark, world of erotic dancing, and an eye-opening look at the questionable goings-on behind the police force. I enjoyed this book not just for its eroticism, but for the powerful storytelling. It is obvious that details were well thought-out and researched. Kudos to Karin Tabke!
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
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Posted February 11, 2013
Why is this book over 17 dollars? Is it worth it?
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Posted December 28, 2011
It was a good book, it def. kept me interested. The only thing I didnt really care for is that they fought for most of the book. I get it they are both strong people but they didnt hook up until page 170. At one point I started skimming because the fighting/arguing got redundant.....otherwise it was a nice book
0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Posted August 3, 2010
I Also Recommend:
Congratulations to Mrs. Tabke for having such a great 1st novel! I was up until 2am on a worknight cause I had to get to the part where "KAT" does her first lap-dance. The fact that Jase asked for it though, and had no problem asking to see her 'breasts' bothered me...because Ty likes her and Jase knew it. Plus, that was his co-worker...gross! But, oh well. And how ironic that 3 single, hot, horny men have to go undercover at a Strip Club? The poor things! lol Karin did hold my attention the entire time, and it was fun to watch Phil play 2 kinds of personalities for her job, and the missing girls. I'm sure I'd do the same thing. This story was a fun read and kept me guessing most of the way through as to who the kidnapper was. Now you have to get all 3 stories!!! The writting is similar in each, but not enough that you feel like you keep reading the same story with different names and settings. I have all of Mrs. Tabke's books and look forward to the "Master" series after this one!!
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.couldnt let it go.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted June 4, 2008
The beginnig was good, but then it seemed like the story was all over the place.
0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Posted January 13, 2007
this book is well written, and keeps you on your toes.
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Posted January 15, 2007
This book was soooooo good. i couldn't put the book down. Definitly a must read.
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Posted December 18, 2006
This book was off the wall. It is normally a very hard thing for a book to catch my attention but this one hit me very well. I absolutely loved it and just bought it for my sister for Christmas. At the ending i was jumping up and down like a little kid who just got a pony. I encourage anyone considering to read it, dont hesitate. It was heart pounding and left me speechless.
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Posted December 5, 2006
I bought this book after reading about it in Cosmo magazine and let me tell you I never read books and I could not put it down at all. Finished it in a day and I can not wait to read the rest of hers.
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Posted November 27, 2006
This book was Hott!! i loved it. i borrowed it from a friend and finished it in 2 days i loved it that much. I cant wait for more of her stuff to come out!!
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Posted November 21, 2006
The review in Cosmo caught my eye and after reading the reviews on here I can't wait to go get a copy of this book!
0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Posted November 7, 2006
I must say the blurb of the book that is in COSMO definately caught my eye and now I am going to have to buy it since reading the reviews seems to just say how really good it is.
0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Posted November 4, 2006
I learned about this book from Cosmo magazine and let me tell you they know their books!! I couldn't put it down and read it in one day and can hardly wait to read it again!
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Overview
IN HER SIZZLING DEBUT, KARIN TABKE SETS THE SCENE WITH HARD-HITTING COPS, A SCANDALOUS CRIME, AND UNINHIBITED PASSION THAT CAN'T BE DENIED....
Straight-laced, by-the-book police officer Philamina Zorn has always lived by the letter of the law — that is, until she is assigned to work with Lieutenant Ty Jamerson, a tough-as-nails, arrogantly handsome cop who knows exactly how to press her buttons. Staking out Klub Kashmir, the Bay Area's hottest gentleman's club, Phil and Ty go ...