Chapter 1

      After a long day of traveling, an exhausted Dr. Felicia Blake, wearing blue jeans and a white T-shirt, her long, curly hair up in a messy bun, made her way through the busy Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport. As the third-born of the beautiful, highly accomplished Blake triplets and heir to her family’s billion-dollar international security firm, Felicia was one of the brilliant physicians working for the CIA as a medical research scientist specializing in biochemistry.

      Felicia often found herself traveling the world, chasing down many different types of deadly diseases to learn their origin. While Felicia loved the time she spent working in South Korea, she was happy to be back in the United States.

      Felicia had just cleared customs and was waiting to collect her bag when she overheard two young women talking. The taller of the two said, “Girl, I’m telling you he’s got to be.”

      “How do you know he’s a celebrity?” her friend replied, giving her the side-eye.

      “Celebrities love coming to the ATL,” she said, snapping her fingers twice in the air. “Look at the way he’s dressed. Anyway, he’s too fine not to be famous.”

      Both women laughed.

      Felicia’s natural curiosity got the best of the good doctor. She raised her head and scanned the area where the two women were staring. Felicia’s eyes collided with a uniquely stunning but very familiar set of gray eyes. “Griffin,” she murmured. Felicia stood staring at the only man that had ever touched her heart but never knew it. He’d challenged Felicia to go beyond her own perceived limits, while making the shy young woman feel safe enough to open up and let others get to know her. Griffin had taught Felicia how to manage different types of relationships, and that growth had helped her become a better doctor. Felicia hadn’t realized just how much she’d missed their friendship until now. Felicia’s mind flashed back to the first moment they’d met...

      * * *

      Thinking she was running late to her first medical school lecture, Felicia ran down the hall and into the room only to find the most handsome, bronze-skinned man she’d ever seen. He was sitting in the front row, slouched in a theater-style chair, long legs stretched out before him, his eyes closed. His finely trimmed beard, short hair and perfect physique reminded her of someone that belonged in the pages of GQ magazine instead of a classroom for those who aspired to become doctors.

      “Excuse me, I don’t mean to disturb you, but is this Dr. Jacobson’s microbiology class?”

      “Yes,” he responded without moving or opening his eyes.

      “Then where is everyone?” Felicia asked, scanning the empty room, wondering if she’d missed something.

      The gorgeous man sighed deeply, tilted his head toward her and slowly opened his eyes. Felicia offered what she hoped was a friendly smile.

      The man sat up slowly as his gaze roamed her body while still not bothering to answer the question.

      “This is Dr. Jacobson’s Tuesday microbiology class, right?” Felicia asked again, checking the schedule she held. His open stare caused her to look down at her outfit to ensure she hadn’t worn the wrong color scrubs or wonder if her messy, high ponytail might have been too much so.

      He nodded and Felicia shifted her weight from one leg to the other and bit her bottom lip, a habit she was trying to break. “The class got pushed back by forty-five minutes. Didn’t you get the text?”

      Felicia rummaged in her backpack, came up empty, shook her head. “I left my phone in my room.”

      “I’m Griffin Kaile, by the way,” he said, standing and walking slowly toward her. “Third year.”

      Felicia’s breath caught and her heart skipped several beats with each step he took. “I—I’m...I’m Felicia Blake, first year,” she replied, offering her hand and staring up into a beautiful set of gray eyes. “Pleased to meet you.”

      “Trust me, the pleasure is all mine,” he said, holding her gaze as he took her hand and gave it a small shake.

      The moment he touched her, a charge went through Felicia’s body unlike anything she’d ever felt before...

      * * *

      The women’s laughter brought Felicia back to the present, where she stood and stared at the gorgeous figure from her past. A dazzlingly handsome blend of his African-American and Chinese-American heritages, he was the only man who would have been capable of making Felicia reconsider where she would be starting her career after medical school.

      * * *

      Dr. Griffin Kaile Jr., a tall, athletically built, outstandingly gifted cardiovascular surgeon and sole heir to his family’s billion-dollar multimedia conglomerates, stood with his arms folded across his chest in front of the baggage carousel, wearing a black suit that was cut perfectly for his frame, when his cell phone rang. He reached into his jacket pocket, retrieved the phone and read the screen.

      “Kaile,” Griffin answered.

      “Kaile, it’s Mel. You back in town?”

      “Just. What’s up?” Griffin asked.

      “You headed home?” Mel inquired.

      “After I stop by the hospital.”

      “Cool,