He gave her hand a gentle tug, drawing her into his arms. “I knew we’d end up here eventually.”

  “Hoping I’d drop my towel and climb onto your bed?”

  “Yes.” He claimed her mouth, kissing her deeply. “But I can’t promise I’ll keep my hands to myself this time.”

  “You’d better not,” she said, glancing down at the splint on her arm. “With the way my arm feels, I don’t think I can undress myself.”

  Eric stepped back, looking her over as if assessing her limitations. “That could be a problem.”

  “Eric, I’m fine,” she said. “I’ll just need a little help with my shirt and the button on my jeans.”

  He shook his head. “I don’t know. The things I want to do to you . . .”

  Her breath caught and she reached for the button on her jeans with her nondominant left hand. She struggled to release the top of her jeans, refusing to give up. Finally, she succeeded, pushing her pants down her legs.

  “I’d hate to hurt you,” he said. But he began unbuttoning his white dress shirt.

  “You won’t.” Georgia managed to remove her underwear and toss them on the pile of clothes with her jeans. “I’m strong, remember?”

  “I did promise I’d always believe in your inner strength, didn’t I?” Eric pulled his undershirt over his head.

  Georgia nodded, staring at his muscular chest as she struggled to pull her injured arm into her T-shirt. By the time she dropped her shirt on the floor, he’d discarded his pants and boxers. She swallowed, looking him over from head to toe.

  It was as if they were back at the beginning. She ached to touch and explore the man she had loved for so long. More than anything, she wanted to make love to him. Just as she had that first night when she’d boldly walked into his room.

  Only now she’d fallen in love with him. This wasn’t about a moment in time, but the rest of her life. And her future looked as if he was one second away from tossing her on the bed and proving that he was anything but straightlaced.

  Georgia reached her good hand behind her back and struggled with her bra. But she couldn’t do it. “You don’t really need to see my breasts, do you?”

  “Yes, Georgia, I do.” He closed the space between them until the fabric of her bra brushed against his chest. With his two good hands, he released the hooks. He drew the shoulder straps down her arms, carefully navigating around her wrist. Then he stepped away, taking her bra with him.

  “You’re beautiful, Georgia.” He tossed her bra aside. With one hand, he touched her chin, lifting her gaze to meet his. What she saw there—it wasn’t playful and lighthearted. It was as if he was offering her a glance inside, at his heart and soul.

  “Your outer beauty drew me in years ago,” he said. “But it’s your courage, your bravery, your resolve that won my heart. You asked me the other day if I was in love with you. And I was too much of a coward to acknowledge my feelings. I hid behind fear.”

  She lifted her good hand to his face, cupping his cheek. “You did what you thought was best for a little boy.”

  “No, I was afraid. And once I realized it . . .” He shook his head. “I didn’t think I deserved you. But I want to try because you’re what is best. For Nate and for me.”

  “I’m glad to hear that.” She moved closer, pressing her naked body against his.

  His arms wrapped around her, holding her close, his mouth brushing her ear. “Yes, Georgia. I’m in love with you. And I’m going to make sure you never doubt my love again.”

  She kissed his neck, his chest, anything she could reach, needing to feel his skin against her lips, while their limbs pressed tight. Eric. He was her rock, her stability, and her future. He was her friend. And now her lover. Always.

  “Make love to me,” she whispered, running her mouth up to his ear. “Please.”

  HOURS LATER, GEORGIA woke to the sound of the doorknob turning.

  “Uncle Eric?” a small, tired voice called.

  “Be right there, buddy.” Eric gently lifted her head and slipped a pillow where his shoulder had been. “I’ll be back.”

  “I’ll be here,” she promised. She watched as he pulled on his boxers and headed for the door.

  Rolling onto her back, she stared at the ceiling, smiling. This was the beginning of the rest of her life. And right now she’d never felt so worthy of living, of returning home. That feeling might vanish tomorrow only to resurface again next week. She knew that. But for right now, she savored it. And if she continued to wonder why she’d lived, she’d have Eric by her side, loving her, supporting her—and that made the future look like a rainbow.

  An hour later, maybe more, Eric returned and climbed into bed.

  “Nate’s asleep,” he whispered.

  “Good.”

  She let him wrap his arms around her. Resting her head on his chest, she closed her eyes. And finally, she fell asleep.

  Epilogue

  LIAM WALKED INTO the Moore Timber office in sneakers and clean clothes. It was the first time in months, maybe years, since he’d showed up without traces of the forest he’d been harvesting. But Georgia had given him an ultimatum: sit down with Eric and fix things, or else. He didn’t want to face her “or else.” He’d discovered over the past few weeks that his baby sister was a tiger—wild, sometimes skittish, and ridiculously fierce.

  He found the door to Eric’s office open. “Is now a good time?”

  Eric looked up, his eyebrows raised in surprise. He hid it quickly behind a smile. Liam shook his head. Leave it to Georgia to keep this forced visit from her boyfriend.

  “Sure. Come in.” Eric stood and moved to the chairs in front of his desk. “Are you here for the results of the DOF investigation?”

  Between learning his best friend had been sleeping with his sister (his hands formed fists again at the thought) and Georgia’s accident, Liam had pushed the investigation to the back of his mind. He knew he was innocent. He didn’t need the DOF or any other government organization to tell him that.

  “No,” he said. “But I would like to know where that son of a bitch started.”

  Eric gestured for him to sit, and he did, claiming the chair opposite his friend. “That’s the good news,” Eric said. “You were right. NOAA worked with the DOF to trace the fire back to a lightning strike on the other side of the hill. The wind blew sparks over to where you were harvesting, and from there, well, you know how the fire jumped all over the place.”

  “Good.” Liam ran his hands through his hair, more relieved than he wanted to let on. “It still sucks that you needed a government organization to step in before you’d believe I followed the rules.”

  Eric leaned forward in his chair, resting his forearms on his thighs, his hands clasped tight between his knees. He kept his eyes downcast for a while, before looking up at Liam.

  “I’ve made a lot of wrong choices lately,” Eric admitted.

  “Are you saying hooking up with my sister was a mistake? If you are, I swear I’m going to kick the shit out of you. Again.”

  “No. Letting her go was my mistake,” he said. “And allowing you to walk away from Moore Timber. You can hate me all you want, but that doesn’t change the fact that you’re an asset to this company. Without you, I couldn’t have built it up this far.”

  Liam sighed. “I don’t hate you. Even if I wanted to, Georgia would kick my ass for holding a grudge. I got to admit that I hate the idea of her hooking up with anyone. But I guess you’re better than most.”

  “Thanks, man.” Eric smiled. “Makes what I’m about to say easier.”

  Liam’s eyes narrowed. “If she’s pregnant, I’ll fucking—”

  “No. Not where I was going with that.” Eric raised his hands, palms out and open. “I wanted to talk to you about the business. I’m hoping you’ll agree to take a bigger role. I need more time for Georgia and Nate. I don’t want to work crazy hours, trying to keep all the bases covered. You’ve always done an excellent job running the crews. Now I’m asking you to move inside and help me run the company.”

  Liam frowned. “You want to park me behind a desk?”

  “No. I want to offer you a piece of Moore Timber in exchange for taking a larger role. Some office work, yes. But you’ll still be out there running chainsaws.”

  “Equity?” Liam blinked, trying to hide his surprise. Moore Timber had always been Eric’s baby, not his. Sure, Liam worked his ass off day after day, but Eric knew the business side. Liam didn’t. “You’re sure about this?”

  “Yeah. You deserve it.”

  “You swear Georgia’s not pregnant?” he said, because shit, this sounded like the kind of offer a man made before he told his friend he’d knocked up his sister.

  Eric smiled. “Not yet. One step at a time. First, I’m going to marry her.”

  “I hope you’ll do that with or without the promise of more kids,” Liam said. “I’m still trying to erase the mental picture of you two in your kitchen from my mind—”

  “I’m sorry,” Eric said, his tone leaving no doubt he was 100 percent sincere. “You never should have seen that.”

  “But,” Liam continued, “you helped her move on. I couldn’t do that. I wanted to, but I couldn’t see past her wild thrill rides. I’ve been walking around terrified she’d decide to go back. To the army.” He shook his head. “But now she has you.”

  “She’s not leaving,” Eric said firmly.

  “Yeah, and I think your ways of keeping her here are better than my plans to lock her in my spare bedroom. Not that I want details.”

  Eric smiled, leaning back in his chair. “So we’re good? You’ll accept the offer?”

  “You mean will I take part of your company?” Liam clapped his hands together. “Hell, yes.”

  “Part of the company for a bigger role in the business,” Eric reminded him. “I’m handing you a lot of extra hours.”

  “I think I can handle it.”

  “Good.” Eric stood and picked up a file from his desk. “I’m looking to buy Summers Family Trucking. They’re struggling financially right now.” He held out the folder. “Here are their numbers.”

  Liam took the folder. “We’d benefit from having our own operation instead of relying on contractors. No question about it.”

  “Especially after what happened with B&B.”

  Liam nodded, pretending to read through the numbers on the pages. He didn’t understand half of it, partly because his mind could focus on only one thing. “Summers Family Trucking, huh?”

  Eric leaned against the front of his desk, his arms crossed in front of him. “Will that be a problem?”

  “Might be for them.”

  “I’m guessing they’re going to overlook the past,” Eric said. “They’ll go under if they don’t sell, and we’re their only option.”

  Liam nodded. “And they’re probably jumping at the chance to sell to you. They can trust you won’t send everyone packing and sell the company for parts. But they probably won’t like that fact that I’m part of the equation now.”

  “You’ve been my number two for years. They know that. And the way you left things with Katie—you didn’t do anything wrong back then.”

  “Brothers are funny when it comes to their sisters.”

  “I know.” Eric ran a hand over the faded bruises on his face. “In any other situation, I’d never let you land those punches.”

  “You hurt Georgia in any way, and we’ll find out.”

  Eric sobered. “I love her and I’m going to take care of her. Always.”

  “I know you will.”

  All those years ago, he’d tried to do the same by Katie. But it had blown up in his face. He wanted a second chance. And it wasn’t the threat of a three-against-one fight with her brothers that was keeping him from trying. When he went after her, he wanted to be sure she’d say yes.

  “When I said I planned to marry Georgia first?” Eric said, drawing Liam’s thoughts away from the past. “I’m going to ask her. Soon. I’d like your blessing.”

  Liam stared long and hard at the man he’d considered his best friend since he was a kid, the man his little sister had turned to after all the shit she’d been through in the army.

  “You have it.”

  GEORGIA DANCED THROUGH the kitchen, a mixing bowl in one hand and a wooden spoon in the other. On the radio, a pop star she’d read about in magazines sang about a woman getting knocked down by life and pushing herself up, fighting and staying strong. She kept the music low so that she didn’t wake Nate as she twirled, pausing when she heard the sound of the garage door.

  Eric. He was home.

  She kept stirring, determined to finish the brownies so that Nate could take them to school in the morning. The door opened as she poured the batter into a glass dish.

  “You’re baking again,” Eric said.

  “Brownies. But this time I used a mix from a box.”

  Out of the corner of her eye, she watched him set his briefcase down and walk over to her. “Not worried about competing with the other moms?”

  “Nope,” she said. “But I did add beet juice so that I can pretend they’re a little healthy.”

  Eric laughed, looping his arm around her. “Nice. But I have to admit, I like it better when you’re wearing the chocolate.”

  “I might have picked up some Hershey’s syrup at the store,” she admitted.

  “Georgia.”

  She loved it when he growled her name. And right now, he was so close she felt the word against her ear. Smiling, she broke free from his hold to place the brownies in the preheated oven. “First, I need to finish these.”

  “How long will they bake?”

  “Not long enough for what you’re thinking.” She closed the oven and turned to face him. “How was your day?”

  Shaking his head, Eric drew her close. Pressed up against him, she could tell he liked the idea of chocolate syrup in bed. She glanced at the oven clock. Only twenty-two more minutes . . .

  “Liam came to see me,” he said. “But I suspect you knew that, seeing as you sent him.”

  “Hmm, I might have. You told him about the investigation, right?” She looped her arms around his neck. “And gave him his job back?”

  He smiled down at her. “I gave him part of the company.”

  Her eyes widened. “You didn’t have to do that.”

  “Yeah, I did. I want to spend more time at home. Here. With you.”

  Georgia stiffened. It felt as if a storm cloud had descended and was now hovering over her head, threatening and ominous. She’d been feeling so sure, so steady since she’d moved back into Eric’s home. “Eric, I’m fine. I thought . . . I thought you trusted me not to bolt in the middle of the night.”

  “I do.” His hands moved to her face, cupping her cheeks as his blue eyes stared down at her. “Believe me, I do. That’s not the reason.”

  “If it’s about the nightmares—”

  “Georgia, shh.” Eric pressed a finger to her lips. “I don’t think you’re going to leave, and I’m confident we can handle it if your scary bears come back.”

  Looking up at him, she saw excitement and nervous energy brewing. The storm clouds dissipated, replaced by desire.

  “I wanted to wait until we were at the coast,” he said, never once looking away, “and do this right.”

  “Do what right?”

  His hands fell away from her face as he lowered to one knee, right there in the middle of the kitchen. “Georgia,” he said, taking her hand and looking up at her, “will you marry me? Will you let me love you forever? And promise to love me back?”

  Georgia sank to her knees beside him on the floor, her hands locked in his. She studied the familiar face of the friend, now lover, who’d always been there for her, who’d opened her eyes to trust and love, who saw her strengths, and held her hand when she needed someone to lean on. Inside, feelings swelled and she clung to the emotions, no longer afraid to love Eric. Forever.

  “Yes.”

  Coming in September 2014

  Caught in the Act

  Book Two: Independence Falls

  Falling for his rivals’ little sister could cost him everything . . .

  Liam Trulane is determined to strike a deal with Summers Family Trucking to buy the business and make it a part of Moore Timber. Only problem? After Liam’s relationship with their little sister, Katie, went south years ago, the Summers brothers are more enemy than friend. If both parties can set the past aside, they can close the deal. But when Katie welcomes him back into her life and her bed, Liam risks everything to make Katie his.

  After Liam betrayed her trust, Katie Summers will do anything to keep him from walking away with the family business. She decides to seduce Liam, knowing that when her brothers find out, they will back off from the deal. And she’ll finally have her revenge. But when her plan spirals out of control, Katie learns that payback might come at too high a price, demanding both her heart and her independence.

  dpgroup.org

  About the Author

  After several years on the other side of the publishing industry, SARA JANE STONE bid good-bye to her sales career to pursue her dream—writing romance novels. Sara Jane resides in Brooklyn, New York, with her very supportive real-life hero, two lively young children, and a lazy Burmese cat. Visit her online at www.sarajanestone.com, or find her on Facebook at Sara Jane Stone.

  Join Sara Jane’s newsletter to receive new-release information, news about contests, giveaways, and more! To subscribe, visit www.sarajanestone.com and look for her newsletter entry form.

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  Command Performance

  Give in to your impulses . . .

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