Chapter 1

Cassie Ross struggled to push her way through the heavy door as the full impact of the night's events began to sink in and overwhelm her. Someone brushed past her in a hurry, not even noticing that she had tears streaming down her face. Actually, that was just fine with Cassie. She hated for anyone to see her cry. Dammit, she hated being weak enough to cry in the first place.

Finally outside in the fresh air, she paused to gather herself, angrily wiping the tears from her face. She took a deep breath and decided what her next move should be. The flashing red lights of a nearby ambulance cast an eerie glow over Cassie's already strained face as she reached into her coat pocket and grabbed her cell phone. She hated to do this - god, how she hated to do this - but she really didn't have much choice.

With a steady hand, she managed to dial her sister's home number. "Cassie? Good lord, Cassie, what time is it?" Heather answered, obviously still half asleep. Then, "What's wrong? Are you OK?"

Squeezing her eyes shut, she admitted, "I'm at the hospital. Can you come pick me up?"

"What? Oh my god, what happened? Are you OK?"

Cassie had to relive everything over again as she explained it all to her younger sister. Getting the frantic phone call from her best friend; Rushing to Andrea's house to find her beaten and bruised so badly she was barely conscious; Calling 911 and the ambulance ride to the hospital; Calling Andi's parents to explain that Pete had finally beaten Andi badly enough to put her in the hospital. Then there was the drama of convincing Andi to press charges against her husband, and finally giving a statement to the police.

Cassie would have stayed the rest of the night with her best friend, but Andi's parents had arrived not too long ago. Mrs. Patterson encouraged Cassie to go home, get some rest and come back tomorrow. It would have been no big deal if she had her car with her, but it was still sitting in front of Andrea's house, with her purse and wallet still inside. She hadn't thought much about it when she pushed herself into the ambulance with a glare at the paramedics and the lie that she was Andrea's sister. Yeah, Heather always accused Cassie of being a bit too impulsive sometimes, and yeah, occasionally Cassie could see her point. Hindsight is a bitch sometimes.

Cassie found a bench near the entrance and waited for her sister to arrive. She buried her face in her hands and tried to not cry again. Poor Andi. They'd been friends since grade school. They'd survived everything together, and now this. The worst part was, Andi still loved the bastard who did it to her. She even thought she deserved it for some reason. He'd been hitting her for months, but never as badly as tonight. Cassie had argued and yelled and cried, but nothing could convince Andi that this wasn't love. If it was, Cassie wanted no part of it, not now, not ever.

"Shit, I'm never getting married," she whispered under her breath, shaking her head and glancing around. How many other women were in this hospital tonight because their husbands had loved them the same way Pete loved Andi? With a scornful laugh, she suspected too many. Way... too... damn... many!

Hell, even Heather and Jake's marriage hadn't been a picnic. Cassie had really believed her little sister's marriage would be the one that proved to her that maybe, just maybe marriage could be a good thing. What had happened? Heather herself fucked things up, that's what. She'd cheated on Jake, but amazingly enough, they'd worked things out and gotten married again a few years ago. Cassie was glad they'd gotten back together, but she wasn't holding her breath it would last. She hoped it would - god, please let it last - but that big ole realist inside her just wouldn't let her totally believe. She supposed she would always be flawed that way.

Still, she couldn't help but smile when she thought of how Heather and Jake found their way back to each other, with the help of a little cupid named Cassie, of course. It was almost out of character for her, but then again, this had been Heather and Jake. The little sister Cassie adored and the brother-in-law she'd come to love like a real brother. After seeing her sister walk around like a shell of her former self, Cassie caved in and called Jake, oh, about a year after the divorce. After much thought and creativity, and with Cassie's help, Jake had decided to put himself up for bid at a charity bachelor auction. After that, it was just a matter of Cassie convincing Heather to go...

The problem was, thinking of that night also meant thinking of Kevin. And thinking of Kevin was a dangerous thing...

"Hey beautiful, need a ride?"

She glanced up, startled out of her daydream. "Jake?"

Her brother-in-law smiled wryly and nodded as he approached in a pair of scruffy old jeans. He'd obviously gotten dressed in a hurry, but he still looked as cute as a button. "We didn't have anyone to watch the kid. We weren't sure what the situation was with Pete, so I insisted on coming alone. You OK?"

She nodded, but seeing the look on her face, he ordered, "Come here, you."

Grateful for a hug, she let herself accept the gesture of comfort - something else she rarely did. Touching was okay if you were naked, hot and horny with the opposite sex, but anything else... hell no. Cassie just wasn't a touchy-feely sorta person.

This, however, was different. Tonight, she really needed it.

"So, how is she?" Jake asked when she pulled away, needing her space again. Cassie shrugged. "A few broken ribs, fractured arm, broken jaw. Doctors say she'll be OK - eventually."

Jake swore under his breath. "Bastard. Where is he? I hope the police have him rotting in a cell already."

"He wasn't there when I got to their house. The police said they're putting out a warrant for him, but if they can't find him tonight, it could be as late as Monday when he shows up for work before they get him," she explained, grateful when they reached his car so she was able to sit down again. Damn, she was tired. She sighed. "I need to go pick up my car. It's at their house."

She saw Jake's jaw clench tightly as he put the key in the ignition. "Then I suppose it's a good thing I came and not Heather. Maybe we'll get lucky. If he's home we can take turns beating the hell out of the creep."

Cassie smiled, liking the idea and liking Jake even more for saying it. Heather really had lucked out, she thought. Too bad Jake didn't have a twin, or an available brother she could sink her hooks into.

Of course, as her conscience reminded her, he did have an eligible best friend - Kevin. At least, last she knew, he was still eligible. For all Cassie really knew, Kevin could be married by now, or living with someone. She had to close her eyes at the sharp little sting that particular thought gave her. She really needed to see a shrink, she told herself. What? She didn't want Kevin, but she didn't want anyone else to have him? What the hell is that all about? Besides, it was a few years since they'd had their little fling. He probably didn't even remember her name by now.

Man, she wished she had a cigarette. She'd given it up a couple of years ago though. Nasty habit. She'd taken up yoga instead. Yeah, as if being able to wrap your legs around your neck could give you the buzz same as nicotine. What the hell had she been thinking, she mused, a tad crankily. Damn Kevin. She always got cranky when she thought about him. Not to mention all the rest of this shit she'd had to deal with tonight.

Laying her head against the window beside her, she closed her eyes and let herself remember, the way she sometimes did when she was feeling down and lonely, exactly what had happened the night she met Kevin Cooper.

"What the--!" Cassie hissed under her breath, momentarily fumbling with the envelope of money in one hand when she got her first look at the "ugly as sin" friend Jake had begged her to put out of his misery. She was to do this by bidding on him during the Valentine's bachelor auction Jake himself was participating in. "'Ugly as sin' my ass," Cassie breathed as she eyed the man on stage.

She listened to the auctioneer boast his assets - " ex-Marine, manages a sporting supply company and sidelines as an adventures tour guide". Cassie took a casual peek to see how much money was in the envelope. Jake had given it to her and said to use it all since it was going to charity. She pursed her lips and blew a silent whistle, estimating there was still close to two thousand left, even after what Heather had taken out to bid on Jake. From the sound of things, Cassie might need that much - if she decided to bid, that is.

As soon as the auctioneer had started the bidding, the women in the audience swarmed the stage like sharks. "Impressive", Cassie thought. Not even five minutes had gone by, and - what was his name, Kevin? - had already surpassed Jake's price. Well, she supposed, he was better looking than Jake in a 'Ken doll' sort of way. His dark hair was close-cropped, military-style, and he had the face of one of those guys you often saw on the cover of romance novels. Nice build. Muscular, but lean, she guessed from her distance. Nice package, sure, but what about the inside? Then again, he obviously had a sense of humor. He was playing up to the crowd, spinning around, lowering his jacket with a teasing look over his shoulder, and doing a little dance across the stage.

The guy was smiling and lapping up the attention and, once or twice, she could have sworn he looked her way. Cassie began to wonder if he and Jake had planned this. Was the poor dear expecting her to jump in with his friend's money and spare him from a fate worse than death, lest he be bought by an old hag with no front teeth? Was it all a setup? Hmmm, yes, she suspected it was, now that she thought about it.

Cassie didn't consider herself beautiful - in fact, there were far more attractive women in this room tonight - but she did consider herself a step above the trashy-looking bleached blonde currently trying so hard to win this ex-Marine. Cassie came here tonight to help get Heather and Jake together, but now that she was here, and having seen so many hot guys up for grabs, she was feeling a bit... well, horny. She hadn't gotten laid in probably a year and she figured she was about due.

Cassie could really have fun with this, she decided, already enjoying watching this Kevin guy sweat a little. She gave only a smile and a friendly little wave in reply to his increasingly desperate looks in her direction. She made a point of tapping the envelope full of cash against her knee so he could see it, yet she made no move to make a bid.

Four hundred and fifty dollars. Five hundred! The bidding continued as Cassie continued her flirtatious will-I-or-won't-I stare down with Jake's handsome friend. Once or twice, she pretended to yawn and look away bored, but every time she returned her gaze his way, he was watching her. He was smiling - he had a great smile, she decided - and looked as if he couldn't wait to get her alone so he could - strangle her? He wiggled his eyebrows at her and she had to laugh. Ah, why the hell not? After bidding got close to eight hundred dollars, Cassie got a real thrill from finally, casually calling out, "Seventeen hundred dollars," in a voice that suggested they could take it or leave it and it wouldn't matter either way to her.

There was a comical hush for about thirty seconds, followed by a few gasps and giggles, but when the auctioneer accepted her bid, no one jumped up to compete. Maybe they were too stunned. Whatever. Cassie turned her back on the stage, grabbed her purse and nonchalantly left her seat, all-the-while she was giggling inside and doing a happy dance in her mind, especially as she heard the auctioneer say behind her, "Going once... going twice... Sold to the lady in red for seventeen hundred dollars, our highest bid tonight!"

Oh the drama! This was better than reruns of Dynasty, Cassie thought, feeling a bit like Alexis Carrington herself as she stepped up to the donation table and filled out a form as if she dropped close to two thousand dollars on a dime every day. She'd have to give Jake a kiss next time she saw him for the once-in-a-lifetime experience of playing rich.

Cassie sensed rather than saw him- Jake's friend, Mr. GQ. With a little sigh, she turned and said, "Seventeen hundred dollars could pay my rent for three months. I do hope you're worth it, Mr. Cooper."

"Oh, I am, Miss Ross," he smiled, reaching for her hand and lifting it so he could press a gentle kiss to the back of her hand, "Believe me, I'm worth even more than that, if I do say so myself."

Damn. She'd always wanted a guy to kiss her hand like that. She sighed and pulled her hand away. Enough with the romance. She wasn't the type to appreciate it anyway. She quirked an eyebrow and gave him a thorough once over, liking what she saw. With a satisfied smile, she asked, "Shall we plan our date now, or would you rather just go somewhere tonight instead of Valentine's Day?"

His chocolate eyes lit up with surprise and interest, and he said, "Or both?"

She raised her eyebrows. "I think we should probably take it one day at a time, hot stuff." She held out her hand. "We should probably start with formal introductions, don't you think? Cassie Ross."

"Cassie," he savored her name like a treat, taking her hand and shaking it. "Kevin Cooper. Pleased to meet you."

"I don't think anyone is home."

Cassie blinked and realized she was riding in the car with Jake. She blinked again and tried to focus on her surroundings, realizing they were parking next to her car in front of Andrea's house.

"Besides," Jake continued, "we passed at least two patrol cars on the way here. They're obviously keeping an eye on the place in case he shows up, if they haven't already got him, of course."

"Great," she said, reaching for her seatbelt. "Thanks, again, Jake. I appreciate this."

Cassie wasn't really afraid of Pete Hendricks - let the bastard come after her - but she didn't want to worry her sister so she agreed to let Jake follow her home. Her phone was ringing off the hook when she got there, and she didn't make it in time to catch whoever was on the other end. Probably Heather, she figured, calling to check to see if she was home yet. She waved Jake off and then closed the door behind her. She moved to pick up the phone and call her little sister when she saw that the message light was blinking on her machine. She hit PLAY as she tossed her keys on the table.

She had three messages. As she listened, she realized Jake had been right about warning her. Pete did know she'd gotten involved tonight, and he did have a grudge. In the first message, his voice was emotional, choked up as he begged her forgiveness and wanted to know if Andi was OK. In the next, it was obvious he'd been drinking. He went from crying one minute to yelling the next, telling Cassie it was her influence on Andrea that had wrecked his marriage and caused this to happen. The last message... the last message was by far the worst. Pete's voice spewed out one angry, filthy curse after another as he called her a bitch and whore for getting Andi to press charges against him. He told her she'd better be careful, because the next time he saw her, he would split her open with his hunting knife and when he was done they'd never find her body.

As she slid down the wall clutching the phone to her ear, Cassie wondered how this day could possibly get any worse. Then, for the second time that night, she made a call she absolutely did not want to make.

"Jake," she greeted in a shaky voice. "If you haven't gotten too far, would you mind coming back and following me to your house? That is, if you guys don't mind if I c-came over for the rest of the night? I, uh, really don't want to be alone after all."

Kevin bounded up the walkway to his best friend's lake house with a smile on his face, hoping he'd planned his surprise visit just in time to get invited to their usual late Sunday morning breakfast. Heather cooked one helluva breakfast any day of the week, but she always seemed to cook an even bigger spread for Sunday brunch.

He glanced toward the lake and wondered if he could talk Jake into going with him and Faith for an afternoon canoe adventure while he was here. Jake's soon-to-be three-year-old had everyone - including her "uncle" Kevin - wrapped around her little finger. He didn't get to spend enough time with the kid and hoped he could squeeze in some today, if Heather and Jake didn't already have plans. He'd just gotten back from a trip hiking the Appalachian trail and hadn't seen the Devlin family for a couple of months.

As he got closer to the house, he spotted Heather at the kitchen window, smiling and talking as she worked in front of the sink. Yep, he smiled, just in time for breakfast. Then the figure of a woman came up behind her, and Kevin lost his footing.

Cassie was here.

Dammit!

As he pulled himself up from where he'd stumbled, Kevin stopped in his tracks and considered his options. No one was expecting him, and Heather hadn't spotted him yet. She was too preoccupied. He could turn around and go back the way he'd come, give Jake a call later, and no one would know any different.

He spun on his heels and realized he could forget that idea fast. "Uncle Kevin!" Faith squealed with joy and launched herself at him. "Mama, Uncle Kevin's here! Can we go swimmin', huh? Can we?"

He picked her up, settled her on his hip, and smiled wryly. "Swimmin'? Last time I took you swimmin', you kept splashin' half the lake on me. Now why would I want to take you swimmin', little girl?"

"I'm not little, I'm gonna be three years old!" she yelled, taking offense. That determined, stubborn glint in her eyes always reminded him of Cassie, and he sometimes wondered how she'd inherited so much of her aunt's temperament when her mama was as sweet as sugar. Then again, it was also probably the biggest reason he loved the kid so much.

"Yep," he agreed, giving her a little squeeze from the side. "And getting bigger and heavier every time I see you! Oh my back! My back!" He pretended she was too heavy to carry and slowly lowered her giggling body to the ground.

She ran straight for the door Heather was now holding open for him. "Hey stranger," Jake's wife greeted. "I didn't know you were back already."

He smiled at Heather as he stepped past her into the house. "Yeah, well, you know me. Full of surprises."

"Mama, I wanna sit beside Uncle Kevin for breakfast," Faith injected, clamping onto his leg and holding on tight. "And I wanna sit by Aunt Cassie too!"

Oh boy.

Heather rolled her eyes, closed the door and sent Kevin a what-are-you-gonna-do smile. "You and her Aunt Cassie both in one day. She probably thinks she won the lottery. Jake is in the den on the phone. He was supposed to be watching Faith, but I see she got outside without any of us noticing."

"Hey, I told you this kid is destined to be a Marine when she grows up," he teased with a grin, trying hard not to glance around and see where her sister had gotten to. Then again, if he knew Cassie, she was trying to avoid him, the same as he was trying to avoid her.

He found his friend pacing in front of the window, looking worried and tired and running a frustrated hand through his hair. "I see," Jake was saying. "So he hasn't been picked up yet?... What about the warrant?... I see."

Jake noticed Kevin with some surprise and nodded in greeting. He gestured toward the sofa and continued his conversation with whoever was on the other end of the phone. Kevin figured it must be pretty important if he was talking about warrants on a Sunday morning. Then Jake really caught Kevin's attention when he asked, "So you're saying it would be best to advise my sister-in-law to try and get a restraining order in the meantime?" He stopped pacing long enough to absorb the answer. It obviously didn't make him happy. With a frown, he said, "I see," and began pacing again.

What the hell was going on? Kevin wondered with a frown. First off, Cassie was here. Second, Jake was talking to somebody about a warrant. And now he was wondering if he should tell Cassie to get a restraining order?

Kevin let out a deep sigh and considered the possibility Cassie had gotten mixed up with the wrong sort of man again. Damn woman wouldn't know what was best for her if it jumped up and bit her on the nose.

He tried to push down the bitter taste that rose in his mouth, thinking about Cassie being with other guys. Why hadn't she been able to see that what she and Kevin had had was special?

Four years ago...

"Tell me some more about yourself," Kevin encouraged. He and Heather's older sister had left the auction to grab some dinner in the hotel restaurant. He'd realized through all the small talk over lasagna and wine that this was a woman who could make mincemeat of him in a heartbeat.

Bold, independent, witty. Cassie Ross was more than he'd expected when he spotted the beautiful brunette across the room and jokingly asked Jake to hook them up. He'd only met Heather a couple of times, but she'd always been such a nice, quiet lady. He wondered how two sisters could be so different. Then again, maybe he just didn't know Heather very well at all.

Walking beside him, Cassie put her hands in the pockets of the jacket he'd let her borrow when they'd decided to take a short stroll through the hotel, and sent him a thoughtful look. "You're friends with Jake. I imagine you already know plenty about me."

"I know some," he admitted. "But not as much as I'd like to."

"I don't like talking about myself," she warned with a cutting glance, then sighed as if she realized she was being rude, and amended, "Since you obviously know more about me than I do about you, I think it's only fair I go first with the questions. Small talk is fun, but it doesn't really tell me anything about you."

"OK."

"You and Jake met in the Marines - you've known each other a long time," she said, having learned that much over their dinner. "So why is this the first I've ever heard of you?"

"Don't know," he shrugged. "Jake got out of the Marines, but I stayed, hoping to make a career of it. We kept in touch, but we never really got to see much of each other. I was supposed to be an usher at his wedding, but I couldn't get leave time. Otherwise, you and I probably would've met back then."

Kevin went on to explain how his father offered him a management position in one of his chain of sporting goods stores. Kevin chose to manage the store in this area because he liked the community and he knew Jake and another good friend both lived here.

"So you left the Marines to do that... ?" Cassie prompted.

His smile faded. "My unit was on leave for the weekend. This drunk driver plowed into my car before I could react. Damn near killed me. I lost all feeling in my left leg, and the doctors weren't sure I'd ever walk again. I was approved for a disability discharge, so I took it."

She stopped and looked at him in something close to awe. Kevin had the feeling not much ever shocked her and was glad he'd managed it, as perverse a feeling as it was. She leaned against the railing in the upstairs lobby and looked him over head to toe. "I'm sorry, but you seem to be walking pretty good to me. I hope you sued your doctors."

He smiled. "What can I say? I love a challenge. Took me a quite while, a helluva lot of pain and therapy, but I can probably walk better today than I used to. It wasn't easy though, but once I decide I really want something I never give up. Truth is, in some ways, I suppose I ended up being one of the lucky ones. My old unit got called up for Baghdad last year. A few of them are dead now."

"Sorry to hear that." She nodded her head and looked thoughtful. "So now you're into extreme sports - rock climbing, that sort of thing? Are you crazy or did you decide you wouldn't mind dying after all?"

He leaned against the railing beside her and thought about the thrill, the fear, the joy he'd felt doing things he'd once never imagined he'd ever do. "When I was in the hospital and thought I'd never walk again, I told myself that if I ever could, I'd never stop living. You should try it sometime. You might even like it."

She scoffed. "Me? No way. The closest I get to active sports is watching the Cubs play on TV every year. Occasionally I'll venture out to a stadium for a local game, but that's it."

"The Cubs? Get outta here. You like the Cubs? They're my favorite team in the whole world."

"I love the Cubs." She made a face as she added, "I'm pissed Kerry had a bad year, but we saw some good stuff from Sosa and Prior last year. They'll pull it together though. You watch and see."

"My God, woman. I love you. Let's get married."

She chuckled at that and regarded him with her sauciest grin and an arched eyebrow. "You know," she said, stepping close and brushing against him, "why are we wasting time talking when there are much more pleasurable activities we could be doing?"

"Such as?"

In a move designed to seduce, Cassie slid her arms around his waist and licked her tongue against his lips. "Such as this," she said catching his lips and kissing the hell out of him. Long, slow, and easy. Then, "Take me to bed, Kevin," she whispered. "We can talk... later."

Oh yeah, he was in trouble with this one, Kevin could tell. He'd only known the woman a few hours, and already he was hard as a rock, thinking about taking her to bed, and joking about marriage. He might have been less picky about his bed partners when he was younger, but these days, he didn't go to bed with a woman just because she was willing. He had to know and like her first. He really didn't know Cassie Ross worth a damn, but he could honestly say he liked her already. Maybe even more than like, if it was possible. He supposed he had just enough Italian in him on his mama's side to believe in love at first sight. He made a strangled sound in his throat when he felt her hand drift over his crotch and search out his cock beneath his trousers.

"Please?" she breathed, kissing him again.

How they made it in one piece to the hotel room he ended up renting, Kevin would never understand. This woman was irresistible, he thought, irresistible, plain and simple. As they struggled to get into the hotel room without loosing bodily contact - his hands in her hair, her lips nibbling at his mouth, his fingers trying their best to rid her of her dress while she tore at his shirt - Kevin thought of a whole slew of words to describe the effect Cassie Ross had on him. He couldn't remember ever feeling this attracted to any woman in such a short time. It was a little scary, but also exciting and... hot.

He shut the door behind them then he felt her hand, her fingers easing down the zipper of his tuxedo pants with great care until she held him literally in the palm of her hand. He almost came then and there, especially when she began gently sliding her hand up and down his cock. Kevin grabbed her and spun until her back was against the wall. He got the vague feeling Cassie was trying to drive him out of his mind with lust - some kind of control issue, probably. Well, he was only too happy to return the favor.

Cassie seemed to hold her breath when he moved his lips from her neck to her mouth, thrusting his tongue inside at the same instant he pushed her panties down and slid his fingers inside her awaiting warmth. She was already wet and ready for him.

"I want-" he tried to say the words, to tell her he wanted to take it slow but he didn't think he could, not this time. She reached for him, pulled his head down to hers. Her mouth on his prevented the thought from forming into words, so he did the only thing he could at that moment. Grabbing her buttocks, he lifted her up and replaced his fingers with his cock. Then he was thrusting inside her with long, urgent strokes as she wrapped her legs around his hips and threw her head back, gasping for air and groaning out words like, "Yes!" and "Oh, that feels so good, don't stop!"

When it was over, they were both sweaty, gasping for breath, and grinning like fools. They rested against the wall, their bodies momentarily limp and sated. Kevin realized he was still wearing his pants and Cassie was fully dressed aside from the panties that were dangling from her foot. Well, he supposed you could say she was half dressed, with her dress pushed up around her waist and pulled dangerously low around her breasts.

"What are you grinning about, huh?" she asked, then nipped his bottom lip with her teeth.

"Why don't I explain it to you - in bed," he suggested, lifting her under her knees and carrying her toward the bed. He paused, a thought occurring to him, and he said a bit concerned, "I'm sorry. I wasn't expecting anything like this to happen tonight. I didn't use anything. Are you protected?"

With her arms wrapped around his shoulders, she arched an eyebrow and smiled at him. "Well, now's a fine time to ask, don't you think?" But then she nuzzled her face in the crook of his neck, kissed him so that he was sure he might have a hickey tomorrow morning, and said in a soothing voice, "Don't worry. I'm on the pill. Guess this must be your lucky night."