Skinny-Dipping

When Liana awoke to the scent of freshly mown alfalfa hay, the beauty of a country morning came rushing back to her. She was glad to _ be back in the big white farmhouse that had belonged to her family for more than a century. During the past few months in New York, she'd run herself ragged, trying to establish herself in the competitive world of interior design. A summer of home-cooked meals, sun-drenched afternoons, and dips in the local pond was just the cure Liana needed.

She didn't think the new owner of the neigh-boring farm was in town. The last she'd heard, he was a wealthy tycoon in New York City -- most likely an old fuddy-duddy. As Liana slipped into the pond, she was unaware of the turquoise eyes noting her every move.

Nate Harden didn't know what to make of the trespasser skinny-dipping in his pond. With her silvery blond hair and sapphire eyes, she reminded him of a fairy nymph, a vexing creature of legend. But when Liana Banner emerged from the water, there was no hiding the fact that she was a woman -- proud, lovely, and defiant. And in that moment, he vowed to make her his own.