"Well, she does," Chance answered, with no intention of going into any details as to how that had happened.

For a brief moment Morgan didn't say anything and then he spoke. "It seems she's caught Derek Peterson's eye. He didn't waste any time going over there to talk to her. If I were you I'd go claim what's mine."

Chance had noticed the man's flight across to the room to get all in Kylie's face. Derek Peterson, twice divorced, had a reputation as a skirt chaser and it seemed that he wasn't wasting any time making Kylie's acquaintance. "I think I will."

"Aren't you going to introduce me to your friend, Lena?" Derek Peterson asked.

"I'll think about it," Lena responded noncommittally.

Kylie raised an eyebrow. Lena was known for her friendly disposition. If she was giving this man the cold shoulder, there must be a good reason.

"Since Lena won't cooperate, I guess I have to introduce myself," the man said, capturing Kylie's hand in his. "I'm Dr. Derek Peterson."

Upon recognizing the name, Kylie understood her friend's less-than-friendly att.i.tude. Derek was a doctor who had at one time shown interest in Lena until he discovered she was her elderly mother's caretaker. He'd told her there was no way the two of them could get serious since she came with "extra baggage."

"And I'm Kylie Hagan," Kylie said, in an attempt to be polite.

He gave her a smile that showed perfect white teeth. "Ms. Hagan, it is a pleasure to meet you. You must be new to town."

Kylie decided she didn't like him any more than Lena did, probably because his gaze was focused more on her chest than her face. "I've been living here for almost four months now."

"What section of town do you live in?"

"Myers Park."

"Myers Park?"

"Yes." She heard his impressed tone. Myers Park, one of the first suburbs of Charlotte, featured large stately homes that were canopied in willow oaks. More than any other neighborhood in the city, Myers Park had preserved its true character over the years. The "front-porch" neighborhoods had the traditional sidewalks, funky shops and restaurants. The house she had purchased had cost a pretty penny but thanks to Lena's negotiating skills, the owners, who'd needed a quick sale, had readily agreed to her offer.

"Then I must definitely get to know you. We're neighbors," Dr. Peterson said, "though I don't ever remember running into you while out and about."

Kylie was just about to tell him that she was both a fulltime mother and a working woman who didn't have time to be "out and about," when she felt a sudden quiver in her midsection. She knew without a doubt that Chance was in close range.

She didn't want to seem too obvious when she scanned the crowded ballroom, but knew from the way her heart began hammering that she didn't have to look far. He stood on a raised dais, staring directly at her. The person standing by his side was a man and not a woman, which gave her some relief. It was easy to tell the man was one of his brothers, as the resemblance was striking.

What was also obvious was the intensity in Chance's eyes. She could almost drown in the look she saw there. Male interest. Male appreciation. Male longing. Even a novice like her could recognize the three. He was silently sending her a message, one her body fully understood. Her hormones were on ready, set, go. But she knew there was something else involved here; something she hadn't counted on happening. It was also something she wasn't prepared for.

Emotional feelings of the deepest kind.

Now she understood why she'd been having all those vibrant and uncontrollable urges since meeting Chance. And why her body was so aware of him whether he was with her in person or was talking to her on the phone. The thought that he easily ignited her fire had always bothered her because she hadn't understood the why of it. Whenever he kissed her she got caught up in his special skill of tongue-play, as if his tongue was made for her and hers for him. She hadn't wanted to get in the same fix she'd been in with Sam; something she now thought of as forbidden obsession.

She was old enough now to know better. She was at that age of maturity where she no longer took things at face value. She didn't trust easily and had a tendency to expect the worst. But standing here being absorbed in Chance's heated gaze she knew at that moment that it wasn't about obsession, nor was it about l.u.s.t. It was about love.

She had fallen head over heels in love with him.

"And what do you do for a living, Kylie?"

She tore her gaze away from Chance upon hearing Dr. Peterson's question. "I own a florist shop."

"Oh? Where?"

"In the newly developed section of town, Hazelwood."

"That's a nice area, but if you ever want to move to another location, a friend of mine owns a couple of buildings that he's leasing downtown and-"

"Good evening, everyone."

That deep, husky voice made the pounding of Kylie's heart increase. She glanced up and met Chance's direct gaze.

"Chance! It's good to see you," Lena said, deliberately showing a lot more enthusiasm upon seeing him than she had Dr. Peterson.

"Thanks, Lena, and it's good seeing you as well."

He then gazed back at Kylie and held out his hand. "h.e.l.lo, I'm Chance Steele. And you're...?"

Kylie wondered what game Chance was playing, but at the moment deciding to go along with him. "Kylie Hagan."

"Well, Ms. Hagan, it's nice meeting you. And I'd like to introduce my brother, Morgan." He then proceeded to introduce Morgan Steele to both her and Lena. It was only then that she noted that he'd given Derek no more than a cursory glance. Kylie immediately felt the tension that surrounded the three men and was bewildered by it.

"Derek," Chance acknowledged.

"Chance. Morgan. I thought you guys ran in packs. Where're the other two?"

Chance's smile didn't quite reach his eyes. "Bas and Donovan are around here somewhere. Why? Are you looking for them?"

"No." Derek then turned his attention to Kylie. "It was nice meeting you, Ms. Hagan, but I'm being beckoned elsewhere."

"And it was nice meeting you as well, Dr. Peterson." The man quickly left. Once he was no longer in sight, Kylie turned to Chance to inquire what that had been about, but found her hand enveloped in the warmth of his when the orchestra began playing.

She met his gaze and all thoughts of Derek Peterson were forgotten as she was immediately swept away by the intensity in Chance's dark eyes and the warmth of the smile that spread across his features. "Would you dance with me?" he asked quietly.

She wondered if he could sense her inner turmoil. Did he know the emotions she was feeling were real and far exceeded the ones she'd a.s.sumed she had felt for Sam all those years ago? What she'd felt then was the pa.s.sion of a young, naive girl. What she was experiencing now was the pa.s.sion of an adult woman who had discovered love for the first time and knew there was no place for her to run, and no place for her to hide. There was nothing she could do but accept her fate.

Love was staring her in the face in the form of Chance Marcus Steele.

"Yes, I'll dance with you." His hand on hers tightened gently and she felt the warm strength of his touch as he led her toward the dance floor.

Once there he pulled her into his arms, close to the solidness of his form, the heat of his body. She wondered how long she could continue to stand and not melt at his feet with all the sensations overtaking her. Finding out at thirty-one that you had the ability to love again was definitely a shocker.

"You look beautiful tonight, Kylie," Chance said, claiming her absolute attention. "Without a doubt you are the most gorgeous woman here."

Kylie lowered her gaze to study the Rolex watch on his wrist. "Your date might have a problem with you thinking that."

"I didn't bring a date."

She raised surprised eyes to his. "You didn't?"

"No. What made you think I did? Or even more important, what made you think I would?"

"Your brother's fiancee mentioned to Lena that some woman in her family was coming to town and that you would be bringing her to the ball."

He shrugged. "Ca.s.sandra did call and try convincing me to escort her cousin tonight but I refused."

"Why?" she asked swiftly, then regretted doing so. It was really none of her business.

"Because the only woman I want to be with tonight was going to be here, although she didn't ask me to be her date."

Kylie couldn't help but smile, elated he'd come alone. "Oh, what a pity," she commented teasingly.

"Yes, I thought so as well. But now that she's here, right where I want her to be, which is in my arms, I'm declaring myself her date for the rest of the night."

Kylie didn't have a problem with that. "Are you?"

"Yes. That's one sure way to protect you from the Derek Petersons of the world."

The contempt she heard in his voice proved her earlier a.s.sumption had been correct. There was no love lost between Derek, Chance and Morgan. "You and Morgan don't like him," she said, stating what had been so obvious. "Why?"

"Let's just say we don't exactly appreciate the way he's been known to treat women."

Not wanting to talk about Derek Peterson any longer, Chance brought Kylie's body closer to his. He drank in her softness, her nearness, her scent-everything that was woman about her. After seven years of doing without a woman in his life, the one he was holding in his arms made him feel complete.

"Why did you pretend that the two of us hadn't met before?"

Kylie's question invaded Chance's thoughts. He gazed at her, thinking that her question was easy enough to answer. "Something you said a few weeks ago made me want to prove you wrong."

She arched an eyebrow. "And what did I say?"

"You said that we had only met because of our kids and chances were if we'd been at any function together that I would not have given you a second look. It was your opinion that you're not the type of woman I would have shown interest in."

Kylie nodded, remembering she had had said that. "And?" said that. "And?"

"And I've proven you wrong, Kylie," he drawled.

She gave him a bemused look. "How?"

"By being here with you tonight, seeing you walk through that door for the first time. Tonight has nothing to do with our kids. It's a function where we are both in attendance, and I did give you a second look. You are definitely a woman I would be interested in. And to go even further, you are are a woman I a woman I am am interested in, Kylie. The interested in, Kylie. The only only one I'm interested in." one I'm interested in."

His words touched her more than he would ever know and Kylie didn't think she could feel more desired and more wanted than at that very moment. The way he was looking at her made her feel hot, feverish. The intensity in his eyes made her pulse flutter and a heat wave consumed her, sending blood thrumming through her veins. She felt her nipples puckering against his chest. What was pa.s.sing between them was too arousing for a dance floor.

The music ended and she felt him curl his fingers around her upper arm to lead her toward the exit doors. "Where are we going?" she asked breathlessly, trying to keep up with his long strides.

"Outside to get some fresh air."

Kylie swallowed. She had a feeling that fresh air wasn't the only thing Chance intended to get.

When Chance finally came to a stop beneath a cascade of low-hanging branches, he turned to Kylie and gently pulled her to him. And when his lips creased into that s.e.xy smile that could automatically turn her on, she didn't think twice about tilting her head back for his kiss.

Her breath escaped in a shallow sigh the moment he slanted his mouth across hers, causing her already heated body to become a blazing flame. And when the glide of his tongue across hers caused her stomach to clench, she reached up and wound her arms around his neck, bringing their bodies closer.

She felt his erection pressed so strongly against her, actually wedged between her thighs, and moaned in his mouth at the same time her body instinctively rocked against him. A part of her didn't know what to make of her actions. She had never been this loose, this free with any man. The couple of times she and Sam had made out, she'd been too busy worrying about whether they would get caught to fully enjoy the experience.

Now getting caught was the last thing on her mind. If an entire ballroom discovered her and Chance outside kissing beneath a bunch of willow branches, then so be it. Nothing, and she meant nothing, could make her stop being a partic.i.p.ant in this. She'd needed his mouth on hers, his seductive taste mingling with her own tongue more than she had known. She had been hungry and now he was feeding her with a skill that only he possessed. He tasted, stroked and tangled his way around her mouth, pleasuring her as only he could do.

And then she felt him smooth a hand up her silken thigh. As it eased beneath her short dress and inched its way to her waist, she moaned deep within her throat. The sensations his touch invoked overwhelmed her and instinctively she arched closer to him.

Slowly he released her mouth, raised his head and met her gaze, and she knew he saw the longing that was there in the dark depths of her eyes, mirroring what she saw in his. He reached up and skimmed a fingertip across her lips and she moaned against his finger. Heat shot down to the area between her legs.

"I want to leave here and take you somewhere to be alone with you, Kylie."

She knew what he was asking. She knew what he was saying. He might not love her but he wanted her. And at that moment it was all that mattered to her. What he'd tried telling her all along suddenly made perfect sense. They were adults and they could do whatever they wanted to do within reason. Would it be so awful to take what he was offering? A chance for the two of them to be alone? She had lived the past fifteen years without a man in her life, she didn't need promises of forever.

Right now the only thing she needed was him, the man she knew she loved. And for the first time in a very long time, she would be led by her heart and not her mind. Regrets, if there were any, could come later.

"I want to be alone with you, too, Chance."

"I'm glad to hear that," he whispered, smiling. "I think we should go back inside, mingle, dance a couple more times and then leave. What do you think of that?"

She smiled up at him. The thought of being alone with him later made her heart beat in an erratic rhythm, and the pure male desire shimmering in his eyes wasn't helping matters. "I think that's a wonderful idea."

The moment they stepped back into the ballroom a woman called out to Chance, claiming his attention. They turned and watched two beautiful, and gorgeously dressed women head their way. Chance's hand on Kylie's arm tightened and when she glanced up at him she could detect a frown that he was trying to hide behind a forced smile.

"Chance, I've been looking for you."

"h.e.l.lo, Ca.s.sandra. I'd like you to meet a friend of mine, Kylie Hagan."

Ca.s.sandra barely spared Kylie a glance, until she noticed Chance's hand possessively on her arm. Then, after a swift appraisal, she extended her hand. "Oh, h.e.l.lo. Have we met before?"

"I don't think so," Kylie said, noticing the woman's immediate dislike of her. The feeling was reciprocal.

Ca.s.sandra then turned her attention back to Chance and to the woman at her side. "This is my cousin, Jamie, the one I told you about who's visiting from Washington, D.C."

"h.e.l.lo, Jamie. Welcome to Charlotte," Chance said politely. He then turned to Kylie. "And, Jamie, I'd like you to meet Kylie Hagan, a good friend."

After introductions were made Ca.s.sandra didn't waste time. "Chance, I think you and Jamie should spend time together while she's in town," she said, disregarding Kylie and Chance's hold on her arm.

"Really? And why would you think that?"

"Because her father is Senator Hollis."

Chance's expression became barely tolerant. It appeared he didn't appreciate Ca.s.sandra's lack of manners. "Sorry, but is that supposed to mean something to me?"