Orchids of Passion

An element of mystery and danger surrounded him. Michael Rutledge was a loner. Years of "delicate" government work had made him all too familiar with violence and betrayal. Here in Hawaii, Mei Li's life had centered around her big, warm family and her beautiful gardens. She couldn't help but be drawn to Michael, sensing his need for peace ... his desperate need to trust and belong. Yet even as his powerful arms closed around her, she wondered if she could hold him. Would he tire of the islands' quiet grace? Would the dark thread of intrigue that drew them ever closer end it all with a wrenching twist of violence? What chance did their love have to blossom, slowly, like an exquisite orchid of passion?