“You two ready? Opening dance is in five minutes,” Ariel said as she placed a hand on my back and then moved on to the next table before we answered.

Taking one last sip of water before being forced to face my fears of being in Carter’s arms and losing my heart, I wiped my mouth and then stood. I turned to the sound of chatter from Lorenzo, Pandora, and Juliet plus their winning dates.

“Showtime,” Pandora said.

“You okay, pet?” Lorenzo asked almost intimately, whispering against my ear. “You don’t look as if you’re having fun.”

“I’m fine, just tired.” Carter was next to me, and I hadn’t known that his arm could hold me any tighter until that moment when he squeezed me closer to him, effectively moving me a few inches away from Lorenzo.

The first notes strummed through the air as we walked on to the floor to Enrique Iglesias’s “Hero,” which was the perfect song in so many ways. Deputies were heroes and put their lives on the line every day.

Carter kept his right hand around my waist and spun me into his chest, sliding his left hand up to cup my face. I was afraid to meet his eyes, scared that I would see everything I was feeling mirrored back in his icy blue depths.

I couldn’t breathe, my head spun, my heart tightened as if it were going to stop beating at any moment. I had no clue how I’d go on after tonight, once this dinner and dance were over and Carter and I went our separate ways, he’d return to whoever warmed his bed and I’d return to my solitary life.

I jerked up at the sound of Carter’s voice as he sang the words to the song. He was as lost in his own thoughts as I had just been—I didn’t think he even realized that he was singing out loud.

The song ended, and the DJ opened the floor to everyone else. When the next song began, I knew it was time that I broke the gloominess that surrounded us.

“How long have you been with Orange County?”

“Eight years.”

“Do you like being in motors?”

“I love it. I don’t think I’d like going back to driving around in a cage car. Plus, I used to like my sergeant.” Carter pointed to Kayson, who’d come up behind me just as one song ended and another began. Fully aware that Kayson overheard him.

“We’ll talk later,” Kayson said teasing Carter in return. “Care if I cut in?” Carter stepped back then swooped Ariel into an exaggerated spin as my cousin took his place in front of me.

“So, what’s up? You okay?” Kayson asked. “You look so intense tonight.”

“Oh God, yes. I’m just overwhelmed. Ariel really did a stellar job. This place is beautiful.”

Kayson’s hand lifted my chin and forced me to give him my full attention.

“Yeah, not buying it but kudos for trying to divert the topic. Are you mad that Carter won the bid? He’s a good guy, you don’t need to worry about him.”

“Yeah, he seems like a decent guy,” I said as casually as I could. “I’m not mad at all, I promise.”

“Well, I’m glad you’re here. You were gone a long time, Sophie, and you missed out on a lot. There are a ton of people I want you to meet.”

He was right, ten years was a long time and while I had been suffering in California, I had left a lot of people suffering back here. We twirled around in silence after that, his piercing brown eyes, the same as mine, trying to intimidate me into telling him something.

“What happened? Why did you leave and cut us out of your life?”

“I’m just not ready to talk yet. Truthfully, I need to talk with Carter first.”

“Carter? Why would you need to talk with Carter first, we’re your family? You know that my pop is only going to give you so much time before he is knocking down your front door, right?” Kayson’s voice was a mix of concern and anger at being left out.

“Yeah, I know. I promise, soon.”

The song ended, and I leaned up and kissed Kayson on the cheek. “I promise, I will explain everything, I’ll make everything right.”

Satisfied with my answer for now, Kayson released my hand, and Carter cut back in, wrapping me in his arms to keep anyone else from cutting in.

“Did you have fun dancing with Ariel?”

“She’s as bad as my sister.”

Carter placed both of his hands on my hips and pulled me against him as we swayed to the music.

“How is that?” I didn’t see any similarities between Stella and Ariel.

“She believes that I’m hiding something from her, and she’s determined to figure it out.”

“Like what? What does she think you’re hiding?” A fluttering in my stomach had me leaning into him so I didn’t have to meet his eyes just in case he said that Ariel was suspicious of us. I had tried so hard to hide my feelings.

Carter didn’t answer me at first. Instead, he slid his hands from my waist so that he could slide his fingers up my neck and through my hair.

“Sophie, tell me I’m not the only crazy one? We were kids when we met, right?”

My heart raced, but I nodded at Carter’s whispered words that seemed like a weird question. “No, you’re not crazy.”

“Why haven’t I gotten over you? Jesus Christ, I mean, we fooled around, but we didn’t even . . .”

One of his large hands moved back to my waist, as if he was going to dip me in front of everyone.

“Did you mean it when you said you would do anything to make this right between us?” His voice was a cross between a purr and a growl, it was seductive.

“I did.”

“Well, I know what it is, it’s what I need, what I’ve always needed.”

“What?” Goose bumps trailed along my arms, and a little tremor quivered in my voice.

“I need our one night. I need to know you in every way possible. I’ve needed it for ten years.”

I froze at his words, stopped swaying to the rhythm of the song, and took a step back. Holy fuck. That? Of all the things . . . that is what he asked for? Could I give him that and still walk away, let him be with other women? He deserved someone else. Carter Lang was a good man. He would make an amazing father and an even greater husband . . . for someone, not me.

“Sophia.”

I glanced up, meeting his eyes again at his use of my real name, no nickname.

“Princess, I need this, I want this. I’ve wanted you, dreamed of you for ten years.” He pulled me back in, holding me flush against him, and his thick hard shaft was rigid and pressing against me, proof that he definitely wanted me. “What do you want?”

That was a loaded question, what did I want? I wanted to be eighteen again and have a different life. I wanted a night with him. I wanted to be a wife, a mom, a lover . . . his lover.

“I want you, one night.” But how could I keep him from seeing? Curling my shoulders forward, I caught myself going into my natural protective mode. It’s what took the focus off my chest and put it more on the rest of my body. It was as close to a ball that I could make myself.

“Soph, look at me. Are you sure?”

I nodded. I could do one night. I walked away once, I could do it again, right?

He bent and lightly nibbled on my ear. “I have a room.”

My body uncurled and extended as shivers raced down my spine and every hair raised. I was on the verge of losing control. I had to remind myself of things that normally came naturally. Breathe in, breathe out, deep breaths. I kept telling myself that I could do this, I could so do this.

Carter’s soft tug on my hand had me following him out of the ballroom and to the bank of elevators. We walked in and the doors closed. Watching as he pressed number seven, then a second later, the doors slid open. The whole way up neither of us said anything, and I spent the time wondering just how horrible and stupid of a decision this was. He opened his hotel room door and held it while I walked under his arm. Before the door slammed shut, his hands were on my hips, and he turned me to face him. This was it, the moment of truth, the failsafe line.

“Carter.” His name escaped my lips in a drawn-out, raspy breath. I drank in his woodsy scent as he urged me deeper into the room. When the backs of my legs hit the mattress, I collapsed onto the edge of the bed as he dropped to his knees in front of me. Captivated, I sank into the feel of his fingers lightly scratching his way up my thighs. His calloused hands tickled as he trailed along my skin. He continued his upward movement until he reached my face and cupped my cheeks. I didn't dare blink and risk missing a single moment.

“Sophie, you have no clue how much I’ve thought about you. You’re here, and you’re so fucking beautiful.” He leaned in and pressed his lips to the curve of my neck, and then with tiny kisses, he traced his way up to my ear and back around to my lips. His kiss was soft at first, almost as if he were asking me for permission. He tasted of sugar and blueberries and Carter, just this overwhelming taste of everything that was wonderful in the world. I leaned into him just a bit, and the slide of his tongue against mine was everything I remembered it to be. The tingling sensations made my toes curl when our tongues twirled and danced. Moving his hands down and over my body, the heat radiated through my clothes but when his fingers crossed my bare back, it was a fire pressing me tightly against him.

“Carter, I never forgot about you,” I whispered against his lips, relishing in the way his lips smiled against mine before he deepened the kiss again.

When he released his hold, and slid his hands from my back to the hem of my shirt, panic flooded me, and I shoved his hands away. I tried to right my overreaction by glancing down and concentrating on steadying my hands while I unbuttoned his uniform shirt. I hadn’t even noticed that he’d already removed his boots until he stood, bringing me up with him. His fingers moved to my jeans and I mimicked his movements, unsnapping his pants. Wrapping my fingers into his waistband, it hit me, I was touching Carter. My God. I yanked his shirt free and slid my fingers across his skin before I lowered his pants and took in the sight. He was wearing black boxer briefs, which left no room to my imagination.

Carter returned the gesture, slipping my jeans off and helping me step out of them as I unfastened my necklace and earrings.

Breaking away, I stuffed my jewelry in my purse and took a deep breath before I returned to him. He was sitting on the bed and had removed his shirt, I crawled up the bed with the first inklings of doubt slowly creeping in.

He leaned forward and cupped me under my chin, pulling my lips to his. My fingers grazed his perfect abs, their tightly sculpted muscles flexing as I slowly worked down to brush my hand across his hard, throbbing erection. I took a deep swallow, my mind filled with images. He was much more defined than when we were young, all the lingering traces of boy were gone.

Curving my hand to rest around the imprint of his cock, I squeezed and he pulsated beneath my touch. It sent a thrill through me that I controlled him at that moment . . . well, until his fingers wrapped around my arm and pulled me down. He rolled on top of me, pressing me into the billowy covers. Straddling my legs, he braced himself over me and peered down, and I couldn’t help but notice the wet mark on the front of his boxers. That mark might as well have been a bucket of water at that moment because everything right down to my marrow froze. If we went any further, he’d want my shirt off, and his words, “I’m not ready to hear excuses,” echoed in my brain. With jerky movements, I shook my head and pressed my palms to his chest.

“Carter, I’m sorry—” He slid off me and threw himself onto the bed.

“Don’t. Let’s not go there tonight, okay?”

I raised my head and looked in his eyes, seeing ten years’ worth of hurt he had kept buried deep reflecting all the dreams I had secretly stored away. It was that one look that sealed the deal—or rather, unsealed the deal—for us. I couldn’t stay. “I’m sorry, Carter, I can’t. I can’t be a one-night stand.” I crawled off the bed and ran over to put my jeans on before picking up my shoes and slinging my purse over my shoulder.

“Wait, Sophie. We don’t have to do anything. I just want to get to know you.”

“No, you don’t. You want your one night. It’s a ten-year-old debt, and you came tonight to collect. I get it, I do. But you won’t let me explain. You want to pick and choose which parts of me that you want to know.” Opening the door, I raced out into the hall, his voice calling my name trailing behind me all the way to the elevator.

Repeatedly, my thumb smashed against the button, impatient. Okay, I knew it wasn’t going to bring the elevator faster, but it sure as fuck made me feel better. I expected to see him any moment, but he didn’t appear. When the elevator dinged, I let out a sigh of relief. Stepping in, I pressed lobby and then slipped my shoes on while the elevator descended. I thought about what had almost happened. God, I had been so stupid to think I would have been able to go through with it. I was still berating myself as I stepped off the elevator and headed to the double doors that led outside and handed the valet my ticket.

While I waited, I moved to the shadows just in case Carter decided to come out and look for me and pulled out a few bills to tip the valet. When my car pulled to a stop at the curb, I traded the cash for my keys and slid behind the wheel.

Carter Lang didn’t chase.

* * *

I threw a pillow over my head and burrowed deeper into my covers, trying to ignore whoever was leaning on my doorbell. When the intruder to my sleep didn’t go away and added knocking to the god-awful ringing, I snagged my phone to check the time. It was almost ten in the morning. Fuck, I hadn’t slept this late since, well . . . it had been years. Tossing back the covers, I got out of bed and slowly walked downstairs, prepared to give whichever one of my family members woke me a verbal lashing.

Unfortunately, when I swung the door open, I was face to face with Carter. He lowered his aviators and lifted his lips into a smirk. “Morning, sunshine. I brought Krispy Kreme.” He held out the box of heavenly sent goodness, which I ripped from his hands before turning to slam the door in his face. I was absolutely ready to eat the entire dozen glaze-smothered, light, and fluffy donuts myself. But my door didn’t latch because asshole had his foot in the way.

“Mind moving your shoe?” I opened the box and pulled out a donut, which was still warm, and took a bite before mumbling, “I didn’t ask for the wake-up call.”

“Are you always so grumpy in the morning?”

“Mm-hmm, when I have uninvited guests that don’t text first, yes.” I took another bite and headed to my kitchen to make coffee. I looked at him as he dropped his keys and sunglasses on my counter and settled onto a barstool. “I guess this means you’re staying. Just know that the first cup is mine.” I grabbed a K-cup and tossed it into the Keurig before I stuffed the rest of the donut into my mouth and moved to the fridge to grab the creamer. Catching my reflection in the glass of my microwave almost made me cringe. My hair was sticking up in several different directions, and I wasn’t dressed. Well, I was, but it was my pajamas. I hadn’t removed last night’s makeup either, so it was smeared in dark smudges under my eyes.

Pulling back my shoulders, I turned to face him, he was right fucking behind me. “What do you want? Oh wait, let me go grab my purse, and I’ll write you a check to reimburse you for the seven hundred fifty dollars that you’re out.”

“Stop it, Soph, fucking stop this, will you? I want to talk to you. I went to that auction for one reason.”

“I know, you told me, but I can’t give it to you. I can’t do one-night stands.”

“If you really think that’s all I’m after, you need to re-evaluate things. I haven’t been able to get you out of my mind. There is something between us, and you can’t tell me that you didn’t feel it last night. I’m not asking for anything definite. I’m just asking you to give me a chance. Let’s go out. Let’s spend some time together. We may find out that we still have the same feelings that we did ten years ago.”

“And you may find out that I’m not the same person I was ten years ago. You have no fucking clue who I was back then. Hell, I had no clue. I was a naïve teenager and thought that I was a motherfucking princess, you were Prince Charming, and we were going to live happily fucking ever after.” I turned to add Stevia and cream to my coffee then put a fresh K-cup in the maker for Carter before grabbing my cup and heading for my room.

“If you’re a motherfucking princess, then I’m going to Prince Charm the fuck out of you,” he hollered after me as I moved to my stairs.

I let out a laugh. “I’m going to go change. Make yourself at home. I’ll be right back.” If he only knew. I was more like Harry Fucking Houdini than I was a princess. I didn’t think anyone’s dreams could disappear quicker than mine had. I was restrained and drowning, and there was no key and no way to escape.