(Alternate cover edition of ASIN B09NLGDRNJ.) TAMING THE BEAST? —NEVER GOING TO HAPPEN. Not when the beast is Major Crimes Detective Jake MacNamara. Sparks fly between them whenever they meet—never in a good way. And it is all his fault. The man has an attitude where she is concerned—an attitude the reserved Shelby Jacobson has never understood. And she just doesn't have time to deal with him. Especially now. He is just getting in Shelby’s way as she finally fights to keep a promise made long ago. One that will—hopefully—keep her from living her life in fear any longer. HE LIVES FOR THE JOB. The TSP and being a cop is so deeply entrenched in his soul Jake doesn’t know where the Texas State Police ends and he begins. But… he has always wanted Shelby. And sometimes the woman who had inherited millions just gets too close. Tempts him too much. That makes him a bit surly where the sweetly shy lady is concerned. He knows he has been an ass to her, but it’s the only real defense he has against her. Jake is made for work boots and cotton T-shirts—not donning tuxedos and attending charity benefits with a woman like her. He'll just keep his distance so he doesn't do anything stupid. She’d be better off without him screwing things up for her, anyway. BUT... Shelby has a secret so dark and dangerous people will kill to keep it hidden. Jake and the TSP might not be enough to keep her safe now… STAND NEXT TO ME takes place one year after the events of the Finley Disaster trilogy, and is a complete, 540-page stand-alone romantic suspense novel. The Finley Creek series contains multiple scenes of violence, adventure, dark criminal behavior, cursing by heroes, heroines and villains, a few mild-to-moderate love scenes, and references to subject matter that may distress some readers, including pregnancy loss, abductions, mass shootings, child abuse and other dark themes.