Trust Me
Jayne Ann Krentz
Price: $7.99
Format: Kindle Edition
File Size: 498 KB
Print Length: 368 pages
Publisher: Pocket (February 1, 2004)
Sold by: Simon and Schuster Digital Sales Inc
Language: English
ASIN: B000FC0ZVM
FREE Nationwide 2-Day Shipping (Restrictions*)
Tags
encryption and decryption, decryption software, modern day romance
Subjects
Romance, Western
From Publishers Weekly
Krentz (Grand Passion) sends romance speeding down the new information highway when
struggling young Seattle businesswoman Desdemona Wainwright meets reclusive super-rich
computer genius Sam Stark. Hired to cater Stark's wedding reception, Desdemona is left with the bill
when Stark is left at the altar. The account settled, Desdemona finds herself attracted to the
emotionally aloof Stark, whose ruggedly handsome looks are often obscured by his outfit of
choice-jeans, running shoes and a "nerd pack," a plastic pocket protector for his pens. When
Desdemona backs away from their increasingly intense relationship, Stark responds by hiring her to
cater parties for Stark Security Systems-on the condition that she act as his hostess. During a
swank party at Stark's home, someone tries to make off with ARCANE, his new, top-secret
encryption and decryption software. Stark is certain that Desdemona's jealously overprotective
stepbrother, Tony, is to blame. After Desdemona hires Stark's own company to prove Tony
innocent, matters take some dangerous turns, including murder. Krentz's prose, especially in the
amorous scenes, is high purple ("His mouth came down on hers with the impact of lava on snow"),
and her characters, especially Stark, are two-dimensional, but the pace is brisk and the high-tech
gloss fun if rudimentary (at one point, Desdemona, locked into a freezer by the killer, uses a PDA, or
wireless minicomputer, to e-mail for help). While not likely to appeal to aficionados of sophisticated
high-tech thrillers like Michael Crichton's, this should please Krentz's readership and may even lure
some of her Amanda Quick fans into the 20th century. Major ad/promo; audio rights to Simon &
Schuster Audio.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From Booklist
Krentz composes a modern-day romance complete with megabyte attraction, E-mail messages,
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and typical 1990s prenuptial heartbreak. Stoic Sam Stark, founder of his own computer securities
company, has just been stranded at the altar for the second time. A virtual human computer when it
comes to emotions, Stark shrugs off the event and looks to settle the catering bill with Desdemona
Wainwright. Ironically, she offers to take him to a family theatrical performance on his wedding
night--after all, Stark's fiance{‚} did splurge ordering hors d'oeuvres. A business relationship
based on her catering service is soon forged; however, it quickly blossoms into a love affair. Stark
and Desdemona are in the middle of a heavy romance when family concerns from both sides
interfere, and a murder mystery needs to be solved. Wainwright's intuition says everything will work
out, but Stark may just be bad news. An engaging, non-fairy-tale affair for techno-buffs and
romantics alike. Lisa Orzepowski
Review
Jayne Ann Krentz is one of the most talented authors writing romance fiction today. She has won
about every romance-writing award and honor around. Her fans are both numerous and
enthusiastic. Trust Me is her latest spicy romance novel. A handsome computer genius who is
short-circuited by an emotional and emoting career woman who intends to teach him that there is no
logic to love. Marcia Strassman's dramatic reading brings the written word to life! -- Midwest Book
Review
Product Description
Desdemona Wainwright thinks Sam Stark looks much too calm for a man who has just been left at
the altar. But she was hired to cater his wedding, not to save it. She marches into Stark's den to
demand the much-needed payment for the canceled reception -- and discovers opposites do attract!
Head of a multimillion-dollar company, Sam decides Desdemona would make the perfect
no-strings-attached, stand-in wife, little dreaming how she will drive him crazy with desire. But when
someone breaks into Sam's secret computer files, sinister intrigue swirls around this unlikely pair.
Now they must discover the real appeal of unstoppable passion and unbreakable faith...in TRUST
ME, the wonderful new love story from Jayne Ann Krentz!
About the Author
Jayne Ann Krentz's acclaimed New York Times bestsellers include Light in Shadow, Smoke in
Mirrors, Lost and Found, Soft Focus, Eye of the Beholder, Flash, and Grand Passion. She writes
contemporary romantic suspense novels under her own name, futuristic novels as Jayne Castle
(also available from Pocket Books), and historical romance novels under the pseudonym Amanda
Quick. She lives in Seattle.
Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
Chapter One You're a woman, Miss Wainwright. Give me your honest opinion." Sam Stark paused
briefly to drink from the glass of brandy in his hand. "Do you think it was the prenuptial agreement
that spooked her?" Desdemona Wainwright followed Stark's gaze. His attention was fixed on an
object two floors below his study window. She had an uneasy feeling that he was brooding on the
three large ice swans that were presently melting on the lawn of his austere garden. By now her
staff had probably finished clearing away most of the evidence of the abruptly cancelled wedding
reception. Fifteen pounds of cold tortellini salad, two hundred miniature asparagus tarts, three
platters of herbed goat cheese, and a hundred and fifty spring rolls had no doubt been loaded back
into the Right Touch Catering van. The cake, an elaborate five-tiered affair decorated with palest
mauve and creamy white roses, would have been safely stowed in its special carrying crate. But the
ice swans were a problem. Not only were they extremely heavy, by now they would be getting quite
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slippery The swans would definitely be a write-off. Desdemona had taken an assessing glance at
them as she had hurried to follow Stark into the concrete, steel, and glass fortress he called home.
The swans' beaks had already begun to droop, and their tail feathers were blurred. Even if rushed
immediately back to the Right Touch freezer, they couldn't be salvaged. Desdemona knew there
was no way she could save them to use at the charity event her small business was scheduled to
cater on Tuesday. A dead loss, just like the Stark-Bedford wedding. The easiest thing to do with the
massive ice sculptures was to let them remain where they were until the late spring sun dissolved
them. It wouldn't take long, a couple of days, perhaps. Seattle was enjoying a rare streak of sunny
weather. But Desdemona felt a pang of guilt at the thought of leaving the swans behind in Stark's
coldly elegant garden. It seemed a bit callous to stick the abandoned groom with three such vivid
reminders of the humiliating experience he had endured this afternoon. Especially since she was in
the process of trying to stick him with the tab for the expensive debacle as well. Desdemona set her
jaw determinedly. She must not allow her natural empathy to weaken her resolve. She could not
afford to be swayed by sympathy. There was too much cash at stake. She had gone way out on a
financial limb to handle the Stark-Bedford reception. She struggled to find a diplomatic response to
Stark's question. "I couldn't say whether or not Miss Bedford was concerned about a prenuptial
agreement," Desdemona said gently. She leaned forward until she was sitting on the very edge of
her chair. She kept an eye on Stark's incredibly broad shoulders, making certain that he did not turn
around as she reached across his glass and steel desk. Quickly she edged Pamela Bedford's
apologetic note aside. Then she carefully positioned the catering invoice so that Stark would be sure
to see it when he came back to his chair. "I just wondered," Stark said, his attention still on the
swans. "I've always made it a practice to conduct a detailed failure analysis when things have gone
wrong." "Failure analysis?" "It's standard procedure after a disaster." "Oh. I see." Desdemona
cleared her throat. "Well, it's not really any of my business, Mr. Stark. I'm just the caterer. Now, then,
I believe my invoice is completely self-explanatory. If you'd care to look it over?" "I made it clear right
from the start that there would be one." Stark braced one big hand on the windowsill and continued
to study the swans down below. "A failure analysis?" "A prenuptial agreement. Do you think she
thought I'd change my mind at the last minute?" "I have no idea, Mr. Stark." After a couple of
seconds of further consideration, Desdemona reached across the desk again and flipped Pamela's
short note facedown. "Unfortunately, I'm not going to be able to freeze the tortellini salad. And I don't
have another menu featuring asparagus tarts scheduled for this week. I'm afraid I'm going to have to
charge you for everything that Miss Bedford ordered." "Damn it, what the hell was so unreasonable
about asking her to sign a prenuptial agreement? What did she expect me to do? Did she actually
think I'd trust her to stick around for the next fifty years?" The bleak outrage in Stark's voice made
Desdemona turn to stare, astonished, at his broad back. She realized he was genuinely baffled by
his ex-fiancée's behavior. Amazing. The man was reputed to be brilliant. She had overheard
one of the wedding guests refer to him as a human computer. But apparently he was quite dense
when it came to the important things in life. Even Desdemona, whose only association with Pamela
Bedford had been the series of consultations regarding the reception arrangements, knew very well
how Stark's fiancée had reacted to the notion of a prenuptial agreement. Last month Pamela
had broken down and sobbed in Desdemona's office. They had been in the middle of choosing
between the asparagus tarts and miniature mushroom quiches. "A prenuptial agreement," Pamela
had wailed into a tissue. "Can you believe it? He doesn't love me, I know he doesn't. Isn't that an
awful thing for a bride to discover four weeks before the wedding? What on earth am I going to do?"
"Uh, the asparagus tarts are very popular -- " "No, don't answer that. It's not your. problem, is it? I'm
sorry to burden you with this, Desdemona. It's just that I've got to talk to someone, and I don't want
to worry my parents. They're so happy about this wedding." "Are you thinking of calling it off?"
Desdemona had asked anxiously. "If so, please let me know now. I'll be ordering ingredients and
supplies and hiring extra help soon." "Of course I'm not going to call it off." Pamela had blown her
nose one last time and then wadded up the tissue. She had straightened her shoulders and given
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Desdemona a brave look. Joan of Arc on her way to the stake. "I'll have to go through with the thing,
of course. One doesn't cancel an affair of this magnitude at the last minute, does one? It isn't done.
The family would be horrified." "Perhaps you should go home and think about this," Desdemona had
said. "Marriage is an awfully big step." And it's impossible for me to return fresh asparagus and basil
to my supplier. Pamela had heaved a small, tragic sigh. "He's a nerd, you know. Or maybe an
android would be a more accurate description. He's got the brain of a computer and the body of a
hunk. What a waste." "Miss Bedford, I don't think we should be discussing this. Your fiancé's
body doesn't have a whole lot to do with our menu decisions." "He spent several years with a think
tank in Colorado called the Rosetta Institute, you know. He specialized in applications of chaos
theory. Some of his work was very hush-hush. "I see." Desdemona did not know what she was
supposed to say in response. Her definition of chaos was what happened at Right Touch when a
member of her staff, many of whom were involved in the theater world, was unexpectedly called to
an audition just before an important catering event. "He has absolutely no sense of style. He wears
running shoes, jeans, and an old corduroy jacket to work every day." Pamela blotted her eyes. "And
little round nerdy glasses and, oh, God, a plastic pocket protector full of pens and pencils. It's so
embarrassing." "I guess it works for him." "I've been doing my best to upgrade him, but it's very
difficult. You have no idea of how hard it was for me to get him to buy a tux for the wedding. He
wanted to rent one, can you believe it?" "The mushroom quiches are nice, too, of course, but -- "
"He's utterly bored by social events." Pamela gave Desdemona
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