A woman’s life and love are compromised in this pulse-pounding thriller from #1 New York Times bestselling author Julie Garwood. Dr. Ellie Sullivan has witnessed the shooting of an FBI agent in pursuit of a ruthless modern-day Bonnie and Clyde. The only person to see the shooter’s face, Ellie is suddenly thrust into the center of a criminal investigation spearheaded by the no-nonsense, by-the-book, and tantalizingly handsome agent Max Daniels. When the couple is captured, she’ll be called to testify. But the Landrys have been caught before, and each time the witnesses are scared into silence—or they disappear. Now Max vows to be Ellie’s shadow, promising never to leave her side until the trial. But that could be dangerous for both of them, and it isn’t long before the sparks—and the bullets—fly. Praise for The Ideal Man “Bestseller Garwood turns out another high-quality romantic thriller…the erotic attraction between these two busy careerists makes for a top-notch contemporary romance effectively leavened by suspense.”— Publishers Weekly “Garwood’s latest polished romantic suspense has all the literary ingredients her readers expect: snappy writing, sharp humor, a fast-paced plot spiced with plenty of danger and suspense and an abundance of sexy chemistry between two perfectly matched protagonists.”— Booklist “Undoubtedly Garwood is a pro—the pacing is taut, the characters are swiftly drawn and she even throws in a few surprises.”— Kirkus Reviews More Praise for #1 New York Times bestselling author Julie Garwood “Whoever thinks romantic suspense is dead should read a Julie Garwood book.”— USA Today “A trusted brand name in romantic suspense.”— People “Julie Garwood creates masterpieces every time she writes a book.”— The Kansas City Star “Undoubtedly Garwood is a pro.”— Kirkus Reviews “If a book has Julie Garwood’s name on it, it’s guaranteed to be a meticulously written...and thoroughly engaging story.”— Sun Journal (ME) Julie Garwood is among the most critically acclaimed—and popular—romance authors around, published in thirty-two languages worldwide with forty million copies of her books in print. She is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of numerous novels including Grace Under Fire , Wired , Fast Track , Hotshot , Sweet Talk , The Ideal Man , Sizzle , Fire and Ice , Shadow Music , and Shadow Dance . She lives in Kansas City. ONE The first time she slit a man’s throat she felt sick to her stomach. The second time? Not so much. After she cut five or six more, the blade in her left hand began to feel like an extension of her body, and she started to take it all in stride. The exhilaration subsided, and so did the nausea. There was no longer a rush of anxiety, no longer a racing heartbeat. Blood didn’t faze her. The thrill was gone, and that, in her line of work, was a very good thing. Dr. Eleanor Kathleen Sullivan, or Ellie as she was called by her family and friends, was just four days shy of completing a grueling surgical fellowship in one of the busiest trauma centers in the Midwest. Since trauma was her specialty, she had certainly seen her share of mangled and brutalized bodies. It was her responsibility to put them back together, and as a senior fellow, she had the added duty of training the first – and second-year residents. St. Vincent’s emergency room had been full since 4:00 A.M. that morning, and Ellie was finishing what she hoped was her last surgery of the day, a repair of a splenic rupture. A teenager, barely old enough to have a driver’s license, had decided to test the limits of the speedometer in his parents’ Camry and had lost control, rolling the car over an embankment and landing upside down in an open field. Lucky for him, he had been wearing a seat belt, and luckier still, a man following some distance behind him had seen the whole thing and was able to call for an ambulance immediately. The boy made it to the emergency room just in time. Ellie was observed by three second-year surgical residents, who hung on her every word. She was a natural teacher and, unlike 90 percent of the surgeons on staff at St. Vincent’s Hospital, didn’t have much of an ego. She was amazingly patient with the medical students and residents. While she worked, she explained—and explained again—until they finally understood what she was doing and why. No question was deemed too insignificant or foolish, which was one of the many reasons they idolized her, and for the male residents, the fact that she was drop-dead gorgeous didn’t hurt. Because she was such a talented surgeon and supportive teacher, all these fledgling doctors fought to sign up for her rotation. Ironically, what they didn’t know was that she was younger than most of them. “You’re off duty this weekend, aren’t you, Ellie?” Ellie glanced over at Dr. Kevin Andrews, the anesthesiologist, who had asked the question. He had joined the staff six months before and, since the day he’d met Ellie, had been hou