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      Daniel Pendleton is restless. The eldest of six brothers and one sister, he was forced to grow up quickly after the deaths of their parents. Now, with his siblings all grown up, he finally has time to sow his own wild oats, to escape the role of the responsible, reliable Pendleton, if only temporarily. And there’s just one woman he wants to live out his forbidden fantasies with: Sara Kingston.

      Sara firmly believes she can be nothing but bad news to a good man like Daniel. Her sensible side says she should avoid getting involved, but her sensual side wants nothing more than to give in to his offer of a passionate, no strings affair. And after a few searing kisses, she gives in.

      Daniel thought getting Sara into his bed would get her out of his system. He didn’t count on falling in love. Or that secrets from Sara’s past would cause her to push him away…

      Previously published.

      This book is dedicated to everyone who ever wondered if they were good enough…for love.

      Contents

      Prologue

      Chapter One

      Chapter Two

      Chapter Three

      Chapter Four

      Chapter Five

      Chapter Six

      Chapter Seven

      Chapter Eight

      Chapter Nine

      Chapter Ten

      Chapter Eleven

      Chapter Twelve

      Chapter Thirteen

      Epilogue

      Prologue

      She wore a red silk slip.

      The military would have called that slip a smart weapon because the vibrant undergarment didn’t miss a single one of her lethal feminine curves, from high-thrusting breasts to a slim waist down to inviting hips.

      Daniel’s hands itched to trace those curves, to slide his hands into her long, tousled brown hair and bring her closer so that he could taste her mouth.

      Her hazel eyes glinted gold in the wavering candlelight, and he could read the message in Sara Kingston’s gaze. She wanted him. At last.

      His heart raced as he reached for her. She was soft and warm, everything he’d ever wanted. He pushed the red slip down her shoulders and pulled her closer, catching his breath at the sensation of her breasts nestling against his chest.

      He kissed her, stealing her little gasp. Daniel wasn’t sure who was leading whom in this voyage of pleasure, but at the moment he felt too good to care.

      He lifted one of her hands to his lips and noticed how small it seemed within his larger one.

      “Fragile.”

      Sara’s lips tilted in sultry, mesmerizing invitation. She moved back slightly and slid her fingers down his chest to his abdomen. “Capable.”

      Daniel’s gut tightened. He knew what was coming.

      Sara, with the sweet, sexy smile, wrapped her fragile, yet capable hand around him and stroked.

      He groaned, feeling the breath back up in his chest. He swelled within her hand, the familiar punch of arousal flooding his blood. She brought him so much pleasure, but he felt the slightest edge of panic. She’d touched him before, brought him to the edge time and time again, only to leave him wanting.

      He sensed her resistance to him was something she couldn’t help. It was there shadowing her eyes, the sadness and the wanting. She wanted more, but something stopped her.

      He reached for her shoulders when she began to fade away. “Stop! Don’t go. For God’s sake, don’t leave me this time.”

      Her gaze grew tormented. “I don’t know. I’m just not sure.”

      Daniel kissed her. “Be sure. I want you so much.”

      He saw the dreaded word forming on her mouth and kissed her again.

      “Don’t say no this time.” He’d heard her say it so many times. It was like the lash of a whip across his soul. He needed her. He didn’t understand why, he just knew he did. “Say yes. I’ll take care of you.”

      Flashes of uncertainty came and went in her eyes. “Are you sure?” Her voice was small, almost childlike.

      His heart turned over, and he dragged her closer, his hands caressing her thighs and seeking the treasure of her arousal. “Yes, but I need to hear you say the word. Just one little word, Sara.”

      Tentatively she moved over him, her hair swinging in a soft, fragrant curtain to his shoulders. She licked her lips, seeming to take courage.

      “So close, Sara,” he coaxed, swallowing past the dryness in his throat. “Just say the word.”

      “I want you.”

      “Say it,” he muttered in a rough voice.

      She hovered for a moment, then her eyes lit up. “Yes,” she whispered and eased onto him. “Yesss.”

      Something tight and achy burst free in his chest. His excitement went beyond the physical. Her affirmative answer meant she accepted and trusted him. It meant that her feelings for him were stronger than what lurked in the shadows. They stared at each other, and he laughed at how utterly invincible he felt. He’d never been this excited in his life.

      Daniel didn’t know which sent him running, tumbling over the edge: the way she clasped him inside her or that she’d finally said yes to him. Finally.

      He raced down a track of sensation, a freight train roaring in his head, as he struggled to hold on to Sara. But her image bled away. His heart pounded furiously and his lungs screamed for oxygen. His release was powerful, shattering, propelled by too many nights of wanting and not having.

      Shudders racked his body, his hands clasping and unclasping. But it wasn’t sweet Sara’s skin he touched. It was the cotton sheet on his bed.

      Daniel’s eyes flew open.

      He was so disoriented, it took several deep breaths before he recognized his room. His familiar furniture seemed oddly out of place. Where were the candles? Where was Sara?

      The night air cooled him quickly.

      “Damn,” he muttered, pushing aside the sheet and sitting on the side of the bed. Resting his elbows on his knees, he slid his hands through his hair in complete bewilderment. Another dream, Lord help him.

      He let out a long, heavy sigh and shook his head. Oh, sure, this one had been different. This time she’d said yes, and she’d given him a measure of physical release.

      His body was somewhat appeased, but his spirit wasn’t.

      Wearily he rose from the bed and followed his usual routine. He trudged to the connecting bathroom, stepped into the shower and jerked the cold-water faucet on full force. His body quivered, rebelling in shock. Something had to be done. He couldn’t continue this way.

      At thirty-three, Daniel Pendleton knew himself well. He knew what other people saw when they looked at him—a hardworking, upstanding, responsible citizen. The eldest of seven brothers and one sister, he’d managed the family farm since his father had died years ago. His father’s death had taken away his opportunity to go to college, which still brought a sting of disappointment and regret.