PROLOGUE

Stacey Carlson paused at the entrance to the ballroom where Deidre Lewis’s parents’ fortieth wedding anniversary party was being held. She and Eli Steele had arrived in Memphis early that morning, so there was no reason for them to be arriving to the party late…other than the fact that Eli never placed a time limit on their lovemaking. She blushed while thinking about all they’d done, typical Eli Steele style.

“Is anything wrong, Stacey?”

She glanced up at Eli and smiled. “No, what could be wrong?”

He shrugged massive shoulders. “Are you trying to prepare for when you see Wallace and Gail together?”

Stacey would admit that she’d thought herself in love with Wallace Flowers, just like she’d thought Gail Taggart had been one of her closest friends. A week before their wedding, Wallace had called it off saying he was in love with Gail, not her. She’d never felt so heartbroken, humiliated and betrayed in her life. But all that was behind her now. In a few weeks, she would be marrying the handsome man standing by her side.

“I don’t have to prepare for that. Trust me, Gail did me a favor. If she hadn’t taken Wallace off my hands, I wouldn’t be marrying you on Christmas day, now would I?”

Eli chuckled. “No, you wouldn’t. But that doesn’t mean I won’t be tempted to knock the hell out of the guy when I see him, just from the humiliation he caused you by breaking your engagement the way he did.”

She eased up close to Eli. “I’d go through it all over again if you could be my reward in the end. Forget about what Wallace did. Just remember that we got the better deal.” She took his hand in hers. “Come on. I can’t wait for you to meet Dee’s parents and her two older brothers, Justice and Lawyer. And Cohen is supposed to be here tonight. I can’t wait to see him again.”

Cohen was the older brother Stacey adored. Recently he’d received a big promotion to Chief of Surgery at a Florida hospital. Not bad for a thirty-five-year-old. But Stacey knew it was most deserving. She was happy for him, although it had meant he’d had to relocate again. The first time, he’d moved from Tennessee to Phoenix. Now he was moving again.

“Justice and Lawyer? Is there a reason for those names?” Eli asked.

Stacey chuckled. “Yes. Like you, both of Dee’s parents are attorneys, and their sons went into the profession as well. So when you meet them, you’ll feel right at home.

With her hand firmly planted in Eli’s, Stacey entered the ballroom and was instantly overwhelmed by all the bright lights and beautiful decorations. She immediately saw Deidre, who had been Stacey’s best friend since high school. The last time they’d seen each other was a few weeks ago, when Deidre, whom everyone fondly called Dee, had come to Phoenix to assist in the planning of Cohen’s going away party.

Stacey knew she and Dee had to talk at some point. She wasn’t sure what had happened between Dee and Cohen the night of Cohen’s going away party, but something had. Although Dee had never told her, Stacey was aware that Dee had loved Cohen since the time they were teens. Stacey had been certain her friend would outgrow her infatuation, but Dee never had.

When Dee saw them, she raced over to give Stacey and Eli a huge hug. “I was beginning to worry about you two,” Dee said, smiling at them.

“Sorry, we sort of got delayed,” Stacey said, grinning over at Eli.

Dee chuckled. “Yeah, I bet. Come on, my family has been waiting for you. They can’t wait to meet Eli.”

Stacey glanced around. “Has Cohen arrived yet?”

“Yes, he’s here.”

Stacey wondered if Eli had noticed the sudden bitterness in Dee’s voice. She definitely had.

A few moments later, Eli had met Dee’s family and Stacey could tell he liked them. She was glad because the Lewis’s had always treated her like a second daughter, and they’d been there for her and Cohen when their parents and aunt had passed away.

Stacey kept glancing around for her brother. She didn’t see him anywhere. Maybe he was outside on the terrace that overlooked Brighton Lake.

Dee had excused herself for a minute and Stacey and Eli were standing near the French doors, enjoying the evening breeze. What a wonderful night.

But her enjoyment was cut short when a couple approached them. While she’d known this meeting was inevitable, she’d still dreaded it. Because the couple was Wallace and Gail.

**

“Stacey, it’s good seeing you again,” the woman said, giving a smile that Eli Steele thought was as phony as a three-dollar bill.

He roamed his gaze over the woman, trying to figure out what in the hell she supposedly had over Stacey. He found nothing. Stacey was better looking in all aspects. And he couldn’t help but notice the way Gail was staring over the rim of her wine glass at him. Female interest. He would recognize it anywhere. She was checking him out, right in front of her fiancé.

“Gail, Wallace. It’s good to see you both,” Stacey said. “I’d like you to meet Eli Steele, my fiancé.”

It took everything within Eli to be a gentleman and offer his hand to them. “So, Gail, I understand you’re the woman I should thank,” he said, pulling Stacey close to his side.

“Thank?” Gail asked, a confused look on her face. “Why should you be thanking me?”

“For taking Wallace off Stacey’s hands. Otherwise, I wouldn’t be marrying her Christmas day.”

“You’re getting married this Christmas, Stacey?” a surprised Wallace asked.

“Yes,” Stacey said, smiling brightly as she looked up at Eli. He smiled back indulgently.

“The two of you really seem to be happy about it,” Wallace said in a mocking tone.

Eli chuckled. “You can’t even imagine. Overjoyed is more like it.” He then lifted Stacey’s hand to his lips. Might as well play this up, while he had the chance.

Gail blinked upon seeing the ring on Stacey’s hand and almost choked on her wine. “That ring. Is it by Zion?”

He’d deliberately lifted Stacey’s hand to kiss it on purpose. Her ring was always an attention grabber and he knew it. “Yes. Zion is a good friend of mine.”

“He is? Wow,” Gail said. “That ring is gorgeous.”

“Only the best,” Eli interjected, “for the best. Stacey is everything I’ve ever wanted in a woman.”

Gail leaned close to him and whispered, “Too bad Wallace didn’t think so.”

Eli felt Stacey flinch and that pushed him to say, “Then maybe I need to rephrase that. She’s everything any real man would want in a woman.”

Wallace stiffened his spine. “What are you implying?”

Eli met the man’s glare. “I didn’t imply. I said it. Just the way you did, by the choice you made. Personally, I’m satisfied that I got the best woman for me. I hope you can say the same. Now if you will excuse us.”

And without another word, Eli went to lead Stacey away. But his woman wasn’t going to let him have all the fun. Before he’d taken a step, Stacey added, “By the way Gail, I love your ring. I must admit that it looks better on your hand than it ever did on mine.”

Then they walked away. Once they’d moved some distance away from the couple, Eli asked, “Do you mean to tell me that she’s wearing your old engagement ring?”

“Yes. He added a couple of small diamonds to give it a new look, but it’s the same. Dee had told me it was, but I didn’t want to believe Wallace would be that cheap…or that Gail would let him. They deserve each other.”

Eli stopped walking and pulled her into his arms. “I’m anxious to get back to our hotel room.”

Stacey gazed up at him, her heart filled with love for the man who wanted to make her his. “I really want to see Cohen before we leave. Dee said he was here but I haven’t seen him anywhere. Let’s look out on the terrace.”

Cohen was indeed out on the patio…but he wasn’t alone. He and Dee were having a heated discussion; one Stacey felt that she and Eli had no business hearing. “I think we need to go back inside before they notice us,” she whispered.

“I agree,” Eli said.

They returned to the ballroom. “Let’s mingle some more and wait until they finish.” Stacey wasn’t sure what Cohen had done to upset Dee, but her best friend was definitely giving him a piece of her mind.

**

Cohen Carlson gazed down at Deidre Lewis. She was a beautiful woman. Almost too beautiful, with her black shoulder-length straight hair, cocoa-colored face, high cheekbones, full lips and eyes as dark as a raven’s wing. They were eyes that could snatch the breath from a man’s body if he stared into them too long. But that was something he wouldn’t do tonight. “Let it go, Dee.”

“Can you look me in the face and tell me that sleeping with me meant absolutely nothing to you?”

He rubbed his hands down his face. No, he couldn’t do that. He’d desired Dee ever since he’d noticed she wasn’t a kid anymore. He, of all men, knew that there was no temptation like Dee Lewis in a pair of stilettos. And her long, gorgeous legs sealed the deal.

Cohen had debated the wisdom of coming to her parents’ anniversary party. He figured she might still be upset about what he’d said to her a couple of weeks ago. However, they were words she’d needed to hear. There could never be anything between them. She deserved a man who would love her with everything he had…but he was not that man. Years ago, he’d fallen in love like that, and the breakup had nearly killed him. It was something he’d swore he’d never go through again.

“Cohen?”

“You want more from me than I can give you. A relationship between us won’t work.”

“Because of our ages.”

It was more than an age thing for him. It was his way of protecting his heart. He’d never told anyone about Amanda Forrestal, how hard he’d fallen for her, Amanda’s subsequent betrayal and the emotional breakdown he’d suffered as a result. He’d almost lost everything and he wasn’t willing to risk going through it ever again.

“Like I said, Dee, let it go. There can never be anything between us.” He glanced at his watch. Stacey and Eli should have arrived by now. As soon as he saw them, he would leave.

He still found it hard to believe that his younger sister was marrying Eli Steele, of the Phoenix Steeles. There were six brothers – Galen, Eli, Tyson, Jonas, Mercury and Gannon. For years, they had been known around Phoenix as the Bad News Steeles because of their womanizing ways. But not anymore. The oldest Steele, Galen, had taken a wife and Eli would be marrying Stacey in a few weeks.

“Fine, Cohen,” Dee said, breaking into his thoughts. “You win.”

He looked at her. “I win? I wasn’t aware this was a contest.”

She glared at him. “I will give you what you want. I won’t throw myself at you again. I’ll do my damnedest to forget you even exist. Goodbye. I hope you have a long and miserable life. You deserve it.”

He watched as she turned on those gorgeous stilettoed heels and left him standing alone on the patio.