The idea of Virgin for Sale came to me at Dallas RWA 2004. It was here during the signing for literacy event that my editors from the Richmond office of Harlequin Mills and Boon first mentioned their idea for a new Presents miniseries. The UnCut promise they explained was, ‘More passion for your reading pleasure…’

During a visit to Richmond UK shortly afterwards we talked about what readers wanted to find in a Presents UnCut novel. By this time I already had the germ of an idea as well as my two main protagonists… Lisa Bond, a successful woman hiding a whole world of secrets, and Tino Zagorakis, a hard Greek billionaire who’d had to drag himself out of the slums before building an empire.

My idea was to find something they both wanted, in this case Lisa’s company, and set them against each other. After that all I had to do was light the blue touch paper and stand well back!

Passions flared as Lisa and Tino rise to the challenge… For example, when Lisa is expecting a luxury trip on Tino’s fabulous yacht…

He takes her out on his fishing boat…

And when Tino tries to buy Lisa’s cooperation with a selection of fabulous clothes and these gorgeous amethyst earrings…

She refuses to be bought…

But Lisa is falling in love with Tino. When she tries to make a romantic gesture it all goes horribly wrong, but Lisa’s gift to Tino, the man who has everything, is both lovely and unusual. Having chosen some wonderful flowers from Tino’s garden Lisa creates a stunning floral arrangement for him…

Tino ups the stakes, buying Lisa fabulous emerald earrings, which she wears in a most unexpected way!

But still the path to true love is fraught with problems and finally they part. Lisa returns home, and when Tino comes after her she offers him a glass of champagne out of a fabulous Lalique glass goblet just like this one…

It seems that Tino and Lisa will never reconcile their problems, but as in every Harlequin Presents UnCut romance, love will find a way…

Let’s talk! One winner from each discussion topic will receive a signed copy of Virgin for Sale.