Prologue
Paris, 1990

The chalk squeaked on the blackboard as the teacher wrote the homework assignment on the slate. “Class,” she spoke, her French accent making her sound very nasal. “For homework, I would like you to complete the questions on these pages,” she tapped the board, moving forward. “I will be collecting it tomorrow, yes?”

One of the boys from the back of the classroom snicker, elbowing his neighbor in the ribs so he could look at the picture he had sketched in his notebook. His friend laughed, writing the words “Hot Babe” beneath the sketch. Before either could say more, the bell rang and they all rushed to shove their books into a stack and leave for lunch.

In the corner of the classroom, Serenity Winters quietly shut her Calculus textbook, watching as the boys in her class surrounded her best friend Sheridan Crane, following her from the classroom like puppies. Puberty had been extra kind to Sheridan, helping her develop a beautiful figure to go along with her bright blue eyes and long, curly blond locks. Every boy within a thirty mile radius had wanted their chance with Sheridan, ignoring the other girls or more specifically Serenity.

It wasn’t that Serenity was ugly. She had the same long, curly hair, except hers was brown, and the sparkling blue eyes filled with wonder. She was somewhat thin and curvy, but much shyer than her best friend. Slowly, she slid out of her desk, tagging along behind the pack heading for the cafeteria, just another day at the most elite Parisian boarding school.

“Sheridan, allow me to escort you to the dance on Friday,” one of the older, more popular boys of their class requested of Sheridan. “I would love to show you my moves.”

Serenity rolled her eyes, secretly wishing for once someone would wish to show her anything. Voted most like to become a nun, Serenity’s passivity was a façade. Buried deep within her soul was a wild girl crying for release. But that side had a darker twist. It wanted everything her best friend Sheridan had, right down to the family she had waiting back in Harmony. Sure, Sheridan’s family almost never visited her and barely remembered her existence, but to a girl that was here by some random act of kindness, it was better than being an orphan. The attention of all the hot and popular boys just fueled Serenity’s jealousy of her best friend and despite the fact that she told Sheridan everything; this was one secret that would never see the light of day.

“Sheridan won’t be going with you, Paul,” Mark winked at Sher. “She’s going with me.”

“No me,” voiced a third.

“She wouldn’t date you if you paid her,” said another.

“Well one of you will be taking the mouse,” Paul laughed, sliding an arm around Sheridan. “Cause Sheridan is going with me.”

“Boys, boys,” Sheridan laughed. “There is plenty of me to go around, but I’ll have to get back to you all,” she shot Paul a look and shrugged off his arm. “Because the mouse, as you call her, and I have lunch plans. You do remember that she is my best friend, don’t you?”

Serenity felt Sheridan’s arm slide over her shoulders and the duo headed for the cafeteria. The boys remained at the door, watching their date disappear with the least popular girl in school. “Thank you,” Serenity mumbled, not looked up from her stack of books.

“Sere, you have to stop being so shy, sweetie,” Sheridan led her through the cafeteria, waving to a boy or girl from their classes. “Hello Cassandra!” Sher called.

“If it were that easy I would do it,” the brunette replied, grabbing a bowl of Jell-o and placing it on the tray. “It’s not that I don’t try, Sher, even when I wasn’t this quiet they hated me. They know I have no money or family.”

“Money and family aren’t much to live life for,” Sheridan shrugged, grabbing her favorite cuisine from the options. “Look what my money and family has gotten me.”

“A brand new Porsche and the admiration of only the finest future business leaders on earth?” Serenity asked, grabbing a plate of brownies next. “Oh yea, I see a lot of problems with that. It must really suck to be you.”

“It’s not that great. Have some protein, all those sweets aren’t good for you,” Sheridan tried to place something else on Serenity’s tray.

Serenity pushed the dish away. “Life is short,” Serenity grabbed some chocolate chip cookies. “Eat dessert first. Besides, if I take after my parents, I’ll die at twenty-five and will have spent my life dieting and eating healthy only to pass away in an accident with a drunken moron.”

“Sere…”

The girl shrugged, abandoning her tray, the food no longer looking appetizing to her. “I suddenly don’t feel like eating. I’m going back to the dorms. See you in Latin,” she left the line, watching her best friend stand there completely shocked. It didn’t take long for a boy to take Serenity’s place, however, and Sheridan soon forgot her depressed best friend. Yes, just another day with the elite of Paris.

“One day, Sheridan, I’m going to have what you want. I’m going to have everything you’ve always planned on having in my life and watch as you suffer with second best,” tears filled her blue eyes, but she kept them from rolling down her cheeks. “One day you’re going to wish you were me! Just you wait!”

Chapter One
Harmony, 2002

“Luis! Luis wait!” Sheridan cried, dashing across the parking lot towards the silhouette of the man she loved. He was walking away, his head hung low and his hands in his pockets, totally giving up on anything they had together. When she had returned to Antonio’s room and found Luis missing, her heart dropped into her stomach. She knew then and there that he was leaving her and she reused to let him do it. She loved him, no matter what. “Please! Luis!”

He sighed, his shoulders slumping lower as he turned to face her. For a while he simply looked at the ground, letting the sound of the gravel beneath her feet give him a clue to where she was. After giving her a brief time to catch up, Luis brought his arms across his chest in a defensive stance. Pain flashed through his brown eyes as she placed her hand on his forearm and he remembered that those same hands would later be on his brother’s body. Pain turned to disgust and he moved away from her. “What do you want?” he muttered. “I have things to do and better places to be then here.”

“Please don’t do this,” she begged, pulling her hand away as tears filled her eyes. She couldn’t understand why he was being this way. It wasn’t as if she asked to be put in such a precarious situation! “This is hard enough as it is, Luis! You know I love you and I want to be with you, but I can’t let him die! It will be all my fault! We just have to play along a little longer. You heard Eve, he doesn’t have long to live!”

“Meantime I become Jean Luc,” Luis replied, laughing slightly. “Instead of being the man you are going to spend forever with, I have become paralleled to the memory of a man that cheated on you, used you! Our love is being covered by lie after lie and I’m sick of it, Sheridan! I have a right to love you feely and openly!”

“I know,” she looked down, wounded by his tone. He had a right to be angry, she couldn’t deny that, but still it was making things harder for her. She hated that he couldn’t be more accepting of the choice she was forced to make.

“This is bullshit,” he huffed, looking back at the hospital. “I can’t even get you to promise you won’t sleep with him. He’s going to become your whole world for whatever time he has left and to hell with how I feel.”

“It’s not that way,” she whispered, looking up into his eyes. “You and I will be together, Luis, he doesn’t have to know. We just have to be careful about getting caught.”

He shook his head, thinking about the way his brother had been touching Sheridan just moments before. It was the way they would be the moment the cottage door closed when Antonio was released: a way lovers touched. “No, Sheridan, we can’t be together. We can’t risk his seeing us and killing him any more than we can tell him the truth. I’m no saint, I could have told him just as easily as you could, but neither of us did. We made our beds, now it’s time to sleep in them.”

“What are you saying?” she asked cautiously, her voice catching in her throat. “Is that it? Are we through?”

“Were we ever really together again?” he asked. “Name one moment we were together since you remembered your life! None, Sher. It’s always been about letting Antonio down gently and I’m sorry, I can’t take it anymore!” He took a deep breath, pausing and trying to cool his raging anger. “I hope you guys have a great time at the party Theresa is throwing tomorrow night. You two deserve it,” he shrugged. “Goodbye Sheridan.”

“Luis, please,” she caught his arm as he started to walk away. “Don’t leave me,” her fingers dug into the material of his shirt.

“Shows how much you’ve been paying attention to me, Sheridan. I’ve been gone for a long time,” he pushed off her hand and continued walking down the street, never once looking back at her. It hurt too much to look at her anymore.

Sheridan sniffled, watching the retreating shadow of the man she loved. She needed help and only one person on earth would be able to help her out of this mess. It was the same woman that had helped her time after time, righting the wrongs Sheridan had created and cleaning up the pieces of her friend’s broken heart: Serenity. It had been at least three years since they last spoke, Jean Luc’s dishonesty sending Sheridan back to Harmony and leaving her bewildered friend in Paris alone. They hadn’t had a chance to meet again when Sheridan was last there, Serenity having been in Spain at the time. But now, now Sheridan would call upon her yet again to aid her in this painful situation.

Digging out her cell phone, she quickly dialed the international number she knew by heart, waiting impatiently for the call to go through. She groaned, rolling her eyes as the annoying ring continued over and over, making her fear that Serenity wouldn’t answer the phone. It rang several more times before her best friend’s voice came over the line.

“Allo?” Serenity continued to file her nails, holding the phone with her shoulder. This had better be important to interrupt the preparation for her evening activities.

“Serenity! Oh how I’ve missed hearing your voice!” Sheridan exclaimed, honestly happy to hear her friend again. It had been far too long.

“Sheridan?”

“Yes, it is I. How are you? It has been so long since we last spoke, too long.”

“Three years,” the other girl replied, dropping the nail file to the couch and holding the phone properly. “Long would be an understatement, don’t you think? I’m sure I know why you called though. What trouble have you cause this time?”

“Serenity, there’s no need to be sarcastic! I really need your help!”

“Isn’t that the only time we talk anymore, Sher?” Serenity queried. “I can’t remember the last time you called simply to talk to me. I believe the Jean Luc mess is evidence of that. You called from the plane, remember? Asking me if I would be willing to pack up your apartment and send your things to Harmony. It was really rather nice of you to let me know you were even leaving Paris!”

“Sere! Please, I’m sorry. I know I haven’t been the greatest friend since I returned back to the States, but this is serious. You do remember the letter I sent about my engagement to Luis, don’t you?”

Serenity looked over at the photo of her best friend and the Latino-Irish cop she had been engaged to over a year ago. Sheridan had sent it with the wedding announcement and invitation, begging Serenity to come to the nuptials. “How could I forget? I received the wedding invitation too, so sorry I was in Germany when it arrived.”

“We never got married,” Sheridan sighed, looking down the street where Luis had disappeared. At this rate they were never going to get married either. “In fact, there is a whole complicated story as to why and that’s the reason I need you to come back here. Luis and I have a slight problem, one I think you can help me with.”

“What is it?” Sere asked, genuinely intrigued.

“His brother. I’m engaged to Luis’ brother Antonio and I cannot tell him the truth about Luis because there’s a chance he could die if I do. It’s a very complicated story and I would love to explain it but I’m not even sure I understand. I honestly need you to help me out of this mess!”

Silence filled the conversation. This plot had soap opera written all over it. Serenity wanted to laugh; thinking about her best friend managing to become engaged to both brothers was just terribly ironic. And still, the thought angered her. Only someone like Sheridan Crane could manage to tear a family apart because of her good looks and sparkling personality. Only women like Sheridan could have not one man but two wish to be their husband at the same time! Crushing the paper she had been reaching for a moment before, Serenity’s temper got the better of her. She saw red.

“Serenity?” Sheridan whined. “Sweetie, are you all right?”

“I’m fine,” Serenity replied tensely, shaking her head. “How soon do you need me in the States?”

“Today. I need you to be here for my welcome home party tomorrow night. Theresa, Luis’s sister, is determined to throw one for me but Antonio believes it’s a party for us. I need someone to keep Antonio out of my hair so I can have some time with Luis.”

“You mean the man is sucker enough to attend a part for his fiancée and his brother? Is he insane?”

“Actually, he doesn’t want to come, another thing I need your help with. I need you to convince him to come so that I can have a chance to sneak away with him to the cottage.”

“Sheridan, I’m not a miracle worker. I can’t make Luis magically want to come to this party and keep his brother away from you all night. Besides, why would he listen to me if he doesn’t even know me? And how exactly am I supposed to keep Antonio interested in me, Sheridan? People will think it odd if I try and hit on your fiancé! This isn’t going to be as easy as packing up your house!”

Sheridan sighed. “Then I need you to keep Luis occupied and calm. Come on, Sere, for me. Please? You have that charm, Sere. I know you can keep everyone in good spirits.”

Serenity thought about it, looking again at the photo of the handsome cop and his stunning deb. Picking up the frame, she covered Sheridan’s image and thought of his arms wrapped around her that way. Luis meant a lot to Sheridan, this conversation made that evident, but Serenity had promised herself she wouldn’t be Sheridan’s gopher anymore. For years she had hidden in the shadow of the great Sheridan Crane and it was time for the sunlight to dance on her face. She had been a playgirl for so long, using men like they used her. At first, it was for kicks, the inheritance from a generous benefactor giving her three houses, two cars and enough money to live on until she died, and then some. Then it was in hopes to find the right man, a man that loved her for who she was and not the dollar signs that had become attached to it. Now, it was just because she knew she would never find love. She was destined to finish her life much like Sheridan’s life had always been: empty and lonely.

Yet here was a shinning possibility. Going back to Harmony would lead her into the lives of not one, but two wonderful men that had passed Sheridan’s tests and therefore weren’t after money but honest and true affection. Luis was a good man, he took care of his family in their worst of times and Antonio sounded like a decent guy. He had to be if Sheridan was so torn up about hurting him. What better way to come back to town than as a billionaire that had the prospect of finding not one but two suitable matches? It was too good to be true and only a fool would turn down such a chance!

“Fine, fine. But I get the brother that’s left over at the end of this,” Serenity teased, secretly planning on having one or both for herself before this was through. Here was her chance to finally have everything Sheridan wanted with one of the men Sheridan wanted.

“Funny! So you’ll come?” Sheridan begged.

“I’ll be on the next flight, Sheridan, but don’t pick me up. It’s not the same if I can’t make my kind of entrance into the party,” she giggled. “And we all know what kind of entrances I make.”

“Oh I remember! I’ll have the police and hospitals on standby,” Sheridan laughed for the first time all day. Serenity had always been the one to cheer her up during the bad times. She missed their days as roommates. “I’ve really missed you, Sere.”

“I’ve missed you too,” Serenity replied honestly. “I better go and book that flight. See you in a few hours. Kisses,” she added before she hung up. Smirking she picked up Luis’ picture one last time. “So Princess Sheridan needs the help of the lowly pauper once again or else she’ll loose her Prince Charming and be stuck with a toad. Hmm, her leftovers always have been somewhat entertaining. Perhaps Luis and this Antonio will be a bit of fun and who knows, maybe I’ll find my own prince when this is through.”

She stood, looking out the window at the Paris skyline. Harmony wasn’t going to know what hit them! Serenity Winters was about to make the appearance of a lifetime and shake the world of Harmony’s occupants. “Marie!”

Serenity’s maid entered the room from the kitchen, bowing slightly. She smiled at her employer, having listened to the phone call from the kitchen. She may not have spoken much English in the apartment, but she had taken years of it in school. “Oui, mademoiselle.”

“Emballer mon bagage et téléphoner l'aéroport. J'irai à Harmony, Maine,” Serenity instructed the woman to prepare her luggage for her trip without turning around to see the smirk on the woman’s face. She knew it was there. Marie had been quite a confidant for her and knew all about the wild side of Serenity.

“Oui, mademoiselle, immédiatement,” she disappeared.

“Watch out, Harmony, here comes Serenity,” she laughed, returning to her previous chore of filing her nails. She had to look her best for her arrival in town, especially if she had to entertain a certain officer of the law.

Chapter Two

Serenity drove along the coast road, the top of her rented convertible down allowing the wind to blow through her long brown locks. It had been quite some time since she had driven a car and it felt wonderfully free to be doing so in the morning sunlight. She had arrived in Boston at eight am and immediately rented the most expensive car in the lot. There was no way she was going to go to Harmony in some dinky family car. She was Serenity Winters, heiress to a fortune that rivaled the Crane’s, it was only luxury cars for her! Her Mercedes convertible sparkled in the morning sunlight like a diamond and the stereo blasted a CD she had put in. She never left home without a selection of music, especially when heading to a place she wasn’t sure what the locals listened to.

By a quarter after nine in the morning, she had arrived on the coast road that went right through Harmony. Of course, the drive was supposed to take two hours given the speed limits, but it was far too tempting to speed on the open, deserted roads in Maine. While the Coast Road wasn’t usually deserted in the summer, the time after Labor Day started the lull in tourists. Without the extra cars, Harmony’s population dropped to a few hundred, if that. In addition to that, the scenery was boring and the radio stations as sleepy as the seaside town itself. She had given them a few minutes of her attention before changing mediums. More than anything, she wanted to get to her home, find something to eat and take a quick nap before she had to face her very emotional best friend. Sheridan had a habit of being melodramatic when it came to men and Serenity needed all the strength in the world to get her through the day. Within five minutes she would finally be at her property in Harmony and nothing was going to stop her…

Except, perhaps, the police officer behind her…

Just as Serenity was about to turn onto the road leading to the summer home her benefactor had left to her, a loud squealing siren filled the air behind her and red and blue lights danced in her rear view mirror. At first, she was tempted to just keep going, seeing if the officer was willing to follow her all the way to her house. However, the longer she thought about it, the more she decided that pulling over was in her best interest. After all, it could be a male police officer: a very handsome, single, willing male officer. Directing the car to the side of the road, she waited very impatiently to see who the ticket giver would be and just how cute and single he was. It was to her pleasant surprise the officer looked relatively familiar even before he stepped out of his cruiser.

Luis sighed as he started filling in the sections of the ticket he could, including the fact that she was doing ninety in a forty-five zone. Today just wasn’t his day. First, Sam had called him in on what should have been his day off, then he was assigned traffic duty along the coast road and to top it all off, he had run into Sheridan and Antonio just as he was dropping his mother off at the mansion for work. Sheridan had tried to be cordial, smiling at him and trying to get him to look into her eyes, but he had been frigid at best. He simply couldn’t take seeing her anymore, especially given the fact he still loved her. Of course, the second Antonio leaned over to whisper something in Sheridan’s ear and she blushed, Luis knew it was time to leave. Without so much as a goodbye, he climbed into his car and headed to work. He had no intention of going back to that mansion or Sheridan again. Avoiding her and his dying big brother was going to be difficult, given the fact his mother had invited them to the house, when its building was completed at the end of the month, and he knew holidays would all be spent in the new living room. But Luis was going to try, for his sake.

Slowly, Luis opened the car door, trying to shake the remaining thoughts of his ex-fiancée from his mind. Sheridan obviously didn’t care about his feelings, she had made that blatantly obvious, so he wasn’t going to worry about her anymore. Should Antonio really die, Luis wasn’t sure exactly what he would do about her and he had no intention to start planning now. Antonio didn’t look like a man with only a brief time left to live, so it could be years before Dr. Russell’s predictions came to fruition. Climbing out of his car, he walked over to the door of the Mercedes in front of him and leaned down. Looking at the beautiful woman behind the wheel, Luis put on his best attempt at a stern face. “Miss, do you know the speed limits in these parts?”

Serenity slid her glasses lower on her nose and looked into Luis’ brown eyes, blue eyes twinkling mischievously. She immediately recognized him from the engagement photo Sheridan had sent her and couldn’t believe her luck at being pulled over by this man. This just had to be Luis Lopez-Fitzgerald and she had to admit his picture did not do him justice. “No sir, I haven’t been in Harmony since a brief visit in eighty-eight. I wasn’t driving age then,” she giggled, trying her best to sound innocent. It wasn’t as easy as she remembered and it had been a long time since she was the pure angel.

He chuckled, shaking his head at her pathetic attempt to get away with the ticket. He had to give her kudos for being more creative than other ticket holders. “Well the speed limit is forty-five, miss. Do you know how fast you were going?”

“Probably about ninety,” she pouted, looking as apologetic as possible. “I’m sorry,” she batted her eyes a little. “I meant to slow down, I’m getting off here; it’s where my house is. I’m in town to see my friend too.” Looking around, she dropped her voice slightly. “She’s having man trouble, Officer…”

“Lopez-Fitzgerald,” Luis added, filling in the ticket and waiting for her license.

“Oh no,” Serenity giggled, feigning surprise. She had been right all along. “Oh that’s rich! You of all people would be the man to pull me over. Wait until I tell her!”

“Do I know you?” Luis asked, raising his eyebrow in query.

“No, you don’t know me. Honestly, you know my friend better but I also know you, Luis. I know all about you from the letter Sheridan sent me before your wedding that wasn’t. She told me about your entire relationship!”

“You’re a friend of hers,” he grumbled. “Figures. Do all you rich debs have to speed on this strip? Don’t any of you know what the brake is used for? Honestly, I’m starting to think you ladies want to be pulled over!”

Serenity laughed, thinking about how true it was that she didn’t mind being pulled over when it was by the right cop. “Sorry, really. Look, I’ll pay the ticket but do me a favor and don’t bunch me in with her, ok? I was hardly raised a typical ‘rich deb,’ as you call her. You honestly should think about talking to a person before assuming they’re the stereotype. Unless you want me to consider you just one of those Hispanic people who are too lazy and stupid to do real jobs so you became a cop because that was all your were good for.”

“Touché!” Luis nodded, honestly proud of her for defending herself. It was funny how Sheridan’s defending herself in the beginning made him angrier, but this woman seemed to make him proud. “I’m sorry. I just assumed by the car you’re driving and the fact that you know Sheridan that you would be some rich socialite that has nothing better to do than make my life miserable.”

“I won’t bore you with my life story,” she handed him her driver’s license, “but I’m not Sheridan Crane and I certainly didn’t have her lavish lifestyle as a child. Going to give me that ticket now?”

He looked at the license and shook his head. “You know what, Ms. Winters…”

“Serenity, please.”

“Serenity,” he smiled. “I’m going to let you go with a warning this time. After all, you’re from outside of the country and even I can be hospitable once in a while. But if you tell anyone I’ll make sure you get one next time.”

Serenity giggled. Mr. By-the-Book wasn’t such a hard ass after all. “Deal. So, Luis, since you obviously know my best friend, seeing as how you were engaged to her, I’m sure you’re going to her welcome home party tonight, right? I mean, everyone in Harmony is sure to be there.”

“Wrong. Last thing I need is to see her in the arms of my brother, thank you very much. I’d rather have a root canal then step foot inside that party.”

“That’s a pity,” she sighed. “I would have liked to get to know you better. It’s why I’m in town, to see Sheridan, so I should really spend as much time with her as possible. Why don’t I give you my number and if you change your mind…”

“Are you coming onto me?”

“No, look, you need someone to talk to don’t you? I’m sure everyone in the world is more concerned about Antonio’s health…”

“How did you know my brother’s name?”

“I told you, Sheridan called me because she needed my help. I can’t help her, Luis, she’s between a rock and a hard place, but what I can do is be a shoulder for her or you to cry on if need be. You don’t have to be strong all the time and I’m perfect for those soft, squishy moments,” she laughed.

He chuckled. “I’m still not going to the party. I can’t stand to see them together. I hate seeing him touch her and kiss her,” he made a face, much like a spoiled child would if someone else was getting what they wanted.

“Understandable. I don’t think I would want to be either of you right now.”

“I don’t even know you,” he shook his head. “I shouldn’t be telling you these things. I shouldn’t be telling anyone these things. Secrets get out in this town; I’ve witnessed enough of that to know it.”

“Well, they say I have that kind of personality. Look, I promised Sheridan that I would try to get you to come tonight. It’s part of my mission,” Serenity rolled her eyes. “I don’t take no for an answer, Luis. Everyone in Harmony is going to be there and you really should be there unless you want to give your brother the wrong idea.”

“Not me, I’ll be at the Bed and Breakfast watching baseball and drinking beer and to hell with Antonio. I want nothing to do with the Crane mansion or Sheridan right now. My brother can have her as far as I’m concerned.”

Serenity smirked, making a mental note that she may want check into the Bed and Breakfast and find Luis’ room instead of spending time in her cold and lonely, usually unused Harmony home. “And nothing I can do will change your mind?”

“Not that I can think of,” he replied.

She nodded. “Well then, I’m going to go find myself that house and rest before I meet Sheridan at her cottage.” Jotting down her cell number, Serenity handed it to him. “If you change your mind at all, call me. I’m sure we’ll meet again. You’re the reason I’m here after all.”

“I hope you don’t waste your entire vacation on me, Serenity,” he handed back her license, part of him excited by the prospect of a beautiful woman wanting something to do with him. Besides Beth and Sheridan, few women had caught his interest. Serenity was slowly getting added to the list. “What Sheridan and I had is pretty much over and nothing is going to change it, I hope you know that.”

Serenity pushed up her glasses, tossing the license into the purse. “You, Officer, are hardly a waste of time,” she smiled. “And I don’t care if it is over or isn’t. I have the right to make new friends and I’d like to count you as one of them. Have a nice day, Officer,” she threw the car into drive and sped off.

Luis shook his head, watching the car disappear into the distance, a cloud of dust filled the air behind it. “Serenity, huh? Something tells me that girl is anything but serene.” He looked down at the number on the paper and slid it into his pocket. “Wild, but interesting,” he smiled and climbed back into his cruiser.

Suddenly, his day was looking up.

Serenity pulled her car up to the black wrought-iron gate that surrounded the Crane mansion. The daunting home had been easy enough to find; all she had to do was look up at Raven hill and see the towering brick home looming above the quaint little town. It didn’t surprise her that the symbolism behind this house made it seem powerful and important, almost as if the occupants were forever looking down at the villagers below. She laughed, thinking about how true it all was. Julian and Alistair certainly were stuck up; they probably enjoyed every minute of their ruling the tiny town of Harmony. She could remember how Alistair had requested that Sheridan not room with her, trying to make sure his daughter was with richer, more important children. But Sheridan had insisted to stay put and the school didn’t move her, not that Alistair knew anyway. He never visited Sheridan anyway.

Driving through the gates and down the small path to the cottage, Serenity stopped the car at the tiniest building of the property. The one bedroom cottage was smaller than the pool house and even the tennis courts, but Serenity knew immediately that it was Sheridan’s favorite place to be. In fact, Sheridan’s homes in Paris had all been charming: small little villas with just enough room for her friend. It had been warm and homey, something Sheridan swore was always lacking in the cold brick mansion. Of course, Serenity couldn’t see how anything so grand could be so horrible, but she never argued. It wasn’t until her benefactor passed on leaving her own mansion on a hill that she realized a house wasn’t a home without love inside.

Rolling her eyes at her sappy sentiment, Serenity climbed out of the sleek silver convertible and headed for the front door of the cottage. As promised, she had arrived with plenty of time to hear Sheridan whine that Luis would not accept the invitation to the party. Afterwards, she would have more than enough time to just happen to pop into the Bed and Breakfast and try to convince Luis that the party was a perfect way to spend the evening. Smirking, she could think of much better ways to spend her evening, especially if it included Luis…and whip cream.

Shaking her head to clear away the very pornographic thoughts she was having, Serenity knocked on Sheridan’s front door. She waited a few moments before trying to peek in through the panes of glass on the door, spotting a rather unclad man walking around Sheridan’s living room.

“That must be Antonio,” Serenity mumbled, watching his muscles flex as he reached for something. The towel slid teasingly up his thigh, barely revealing the tight backside beneath it. She groaned. “Dear Lord, Sheridan is a lucky b…”

“A lucky what?” her friend’s voice came from behind her, sounding less than happy. Given the circumstances, Serenity couldn’t really blame her. Antonio might have been sexy as sin, but with a man like Luis as your ‘true love’ Antonio couldn’t compare. “Could you kindly stop drooling on the glass, Sere? I would hate to have it cleaned right now when the staff is tied up with party preparations.”

“Sorry,” Serenity blinked, trying not to think about the mostly nude man in the living room and the most interest packages concealed beneath the white towel. “Is that the walking dead?”

“Oh ha ha,” Sheridan rolled her eyes, crossing her arms over her chest. “That would be Antonio Lopez-Fitzgerald, Luis’ older brother and my fiancé, thank you very much.”

“I don’t know why you’re complaining, Sheridan, he’s hot as hell, not his little brother, mind you, but hot all the same.” Serenity smiled thinking of making a sandwich with the two brothers. She was having bad thought, dirty bad thoughts! “Though, I must admit Luis comes complete with toys from his office, so I can see how you would be more interested in him. The uses for handcuffs are endless.”

“Serenity!” Sheridan blushed.

“Sorry, I forget how you feign morality all of a sudden,” she shrugged. “Look, I’ve all ready met your dear lost love Luis. He pulled me over for speeding on the Coast Road; can you believe that? I thought that this was the smallest world ever when he told me his name, Sher.”

“Your point?”

“Oh, sorry. Anyway, I got him talking a little and I’ll have you know that he has no intention of showing up tonight, Sheridan. He’s through with you and after seeing Antonio, I can see why.”

“Thanks for the news flash,” Sheridan sighed, looking through the window at Antonio, who was heading back for the bedroom, his towel barely staying at his waist. “I don’t love Antonio, Sere. I love Luis and I always will.”

“Have you told him that or are you just telling me?” Serenity asked. “Because Luis sounded really bitter, Sheridan, which would lead me to believe that you didn’t tell him you love him or at least didn’t make him believe it.”

“More the latter,” Sheridan replied, closing her eyes and seeing the painful looks he gave her in the parking lot of the hospital. It broke her heart to think of the way this was affecting him. “I told him I loved him, but that I couldn’t let Antonio die by telling him about our engagement. I couldn’t hurt his family like that. Pilar has been like a mother to me. Of course, Luis was wounded and said that he couldn’t wait anymore.”

“I can’t blame him. You basically chose his brother over him without a second thought. Honestly, I’m surprised he was able to deal with it even the slightest bit.”

“His brother is dying, Serenity! I couldn’t very well be the reason he did. I cannot sacrifice his health for my happiness!”

“No, but it’s fine to treat his brother like shit in the mean time? Look, I understand that this is probably the hardest situation you’ve been in for like, well, ever and that I have absolutely no experiences on which to base it. But Sheridan, have you tried to look at this from Luis’ position? Antonio’s? I mean, wouldn’t the truth be better than living a lie with him?”

“Well, I hadn’t really considered that,” Sheridan replied. “But Luis should understand me too! He should be willing to help me through this instead of turning his back on me!”

“God, do you listen to yourself ever, Sher? You sound like a spoiled brat! Luis loves you and he was planning on spending forever loving you. Now he finds out that you are willing to sacrifice his wants and needs for his brother’s without even consulting him!” She closed her eyes, trying to calm herself down. “Wait…I just realized something.”

“What?”

“You never told me how that happened!” she exclaimed, pointing to the living room that Antonio had evacuated. “How did you manage to get yourself engaged to two brothers, Sheridan? I mean that takes talent.”

“Long story short, I spent the last year with amnesia, living on a tiny island near Bermuda with ‘Brian O’Leary,’ who turned out to be Luis’ long lost older brother, Antonio. Brian had saved my life after the boat Luis and I had been vacationing on exploded. Recently, when we came back to Harmony, my memories returned and I remembered being with Luis but temporarily forgot his brother. By that time, however, Antonio and I were already engaged and had already slept together. When I finally remembered everything, I told Luis. He wanted me to break it off, but we found Antonio unconscious and the doctors said emotional shock would kill him. We were going to try and tell him, but Antonio became sick again and we simply couldn’t risk it. Next thing I knew, their little sister Theresa was throwing a party for me and Luis, which became one for me and Antonio when she heard the situation and then Luis pretty much broke off our engagement. End of story.”

“Wow, if that’s the short version, I don’t want to know the long one,” Serenity shook her head. Sometimes Sheridan’s life really did resemble a daytime drama. “So now what, Ms. Crane? You obviously can’t have both brothers, even if you want to. Luis wants no part of that arrangement and I’m sure Antonio would catch on eventually.”

“I never thought Luis would push me away,” Sheridan pouted.

“Hello? Earth to Sheridan. Having your cake and eating it too is impossible. I don’t know why you even considered that Luis was going to hang around and watch you sleep with his brother a little before he croaked.”

“Must you be so uncouth?”

“Umm, yes?” Serenity smirked. “Someone has to tell it like it is, might as well be me,” she stepped off the porch. “You have one hour before that party starts, Sheridan, so you might as well go get ready. I’m going to head over to the Bed and Breakfast and see if I can work some Serenity magic on Luis. I’m not making any promises though, but I’ll do my best.”

“Keep your hands off him, Sere. I know what you’re thinking and Luis is mine.”

Serenity started to walk to her car, but paused. Was Luis really Sheridan’s? No, in fact, Luis had made it quite clear that he didn’t want anything to do with his ex-fiancée. Serenity was used to picking up the pieces of Sheridan’s broken hearts and taking the sloppy seconds that Sheridan no longer had use for. Luis seemed like just another discarded man to her.

“I hate to break it to you, sweetie,” Serenity replied. “But Luis isn’t yours anymore. He broke it off, remember? Luis is moving on, Sheridan, or at least he plans on trying. Every man needs a rebound girl and I’d be more than happy to fill those shoes. If it’s any consolation, I won’t force him to do anything he doesn’t want to, but should the opportunity arise, I’m not going to stop him. If he chooses to move on with me, then so be it.”

“Sere…” Sheridan protested.

“See you at the party,” she waved, climbing into her car and driving off. She was going to get Luis to that party if it was the last thing she did and if he wanted to be with her, Sheridan would have to get over it.

Chapter Three

Serenity parked in front of the Bed and Breakfast, checking her makeup in the rear view mirror. Gently wiping the sides of her mouth free of any stray lipstick, Serenity started to feel the butterflies flutter in her stomach. Before coming to see Luis she had made two stops: one to her house to change and another to a store to buy a six-pack of his favorite beer. Sheridan had called while Serenity was changing and insisted that her friend keep Luis at a distance but still bring him to the party. How she was supposed to do that, she wasn’t sure, but she also knew she would never succeed. Luis had made it abundantly clear that he wanted nothing to do with her best friend and Serenity refused to pass up a perfectly good chance at a wonderful man. She had realized from their brief talk that morning on the road that Luis was definitely not a “boy toy” and if she wanted him she would have to make a real commitment; one she was finally willing to make.

Still, the nervous tension in her stomach was something new to Serenity and she was afraid that she was finally in over her head. Sheridan hadn’t been the best of friends to her over the last few years. In fact, she had probably been one of the worst, but Serenity still treasured the years of support she had received from Sheridan Crane. Sure, that support came at the high price of loosing herself and fading into the shadow of the richest girl in Harmony but it was encouragement all the same. Serenity owed Sheridan a lot, but not enough to give up Luis.

Sliding out of the car, Serenity’s stiletto heels clicked on the ground and her tight black dress settled gently against her curves. The dress was sexy and seductive, having only one shoulder strap that caused the dress to run diagonally across her chest. A slit ran from her ankle to her thigh, revealing her tan and slender leg. She ran her hands over the material, taking a deep breath and hoping that she was doing the right thing. Luis loved Sheridan; she had seen it in the pictures she had at home. The way he looked at her nearly melted the film inside the camera. But if Sheridan loved Luis, really loved him, why did she choose her fiancé’s brother over him? Why didn’t she choose the man she really wanted to be with?

Grabbing the beer off the seat, Serenity shut the door to her convertible and headed up the path to the Bed and Breakfast. She opened the whitewashed door, finding a young woman sitting at the desk in the lobby. The girl looked a lot like her, shoulder length brown hair, big blue eyes and that lost in love look that often filled the eyes of girls her age. She was wearing a blue evening gown and using the telephone but paying no attention to anyone that entered. Looking around, Serenity realized the small room was completely void of any other human life and that she would have to ask this minor just where Luis’ room was. Damn her for forgetting to get the number from Sheridan.

“Excuse me?” Serenity asked, waving her hand in front of the chatting girl’s face. “Hello? Could you help me here?”

“Jeeze, don’t have a cow,” Kay Bennett grumbled, telling the person to hold on. “I’m not on duty tonight, I’m getting ready for a ball at the Crane mansion. Besides, we don’t allow prostitutes in our business. You’ll have to solicit elsewhere.”

“Oh ha,” Serenity rolled her eyes. “I need to know what room Luis Lopez-Fitzgerald is in. Can you tell me that before you go back into bitch mode, please?”

“Room five,” Kay motioned to the back and returned to her phone call, ignoring Serenity’s present and comments.

“Thanks,” Serenity grumbled, walking down the paneled hallway towards Luis’ room. This place was eerily something Martha Stewart would have put together, complete with floral arrangements made out of dried flowers from a garden. She shivered, shaking her head clear of the scary thoughts she was having. No one could be as annoying as Martha, right?

Right.

Finding the door marked five, which was written in a hand painted sign with cute little ducks that solidified Serenity’s belief that the owner was a freak, she knocked gently and prayed he was there. She knew he said he was planning on being home watching baseball, but men had the uncanny way of changing plans last minute if they suspected that someone might interfere. He easily could have gone to a sports bar and it could take her all night to hunt him down even in a town this small. One would think a place like Harmony would only have one bar, but surprisingly enough there were a lot of drunks living there.

Luck was with her that evening as Luis opened the door and looked her over, brown eyes growing wide at her dress and his mouth falling open. She smirked; obviously the dress was having the affect it was intended to have and she could tell that he was struggling to remain a gentleman. Either that or he was in serious need of sexual release, because the desire was starting to fill his eyes and turning them a near black color. “Serenity, hi,” he swallowed hard, trying to remove his eyes from her rather well displayed chest.

“Hi,” she raised the hand holding the beer and pasted a sparkling smile on her face. “A peace offering, Officer. I thought that since you were going to be here wallowing in self pity while I was going to be miserable and suffering in a room full of…well people I don’t know,” she laughed, “the least I could do was come and keep you some company while supplying you with alcohol. Even if I can’t stay for long.”

“Thanks,” he moved, allowing her to come into what was now his home. There wasn’t much in what looked to be a suite of the Bed and Breakfast. It contained a bed, dresser, nightstands and a television. The décor was pastel blue and white trimming with watercolors of the beach hanging on the walls. It looked more touristy than homey. “That’s really nice of you, but you didn’t have to do that.”

Stepping inside, she shrugged and sat on the bed. “I wanted to. Besides Sheridan, you’re the only person in town I really know. I’ve met your mother once or twice, but otherwise I’m pretty new to Harmony. I don’t really want to go to that party, but Sheridan is my friend so I have to make an appearance at least. I figured I’d try one last time to convince you to come, since it’s what I promised Sheridan.”

“You’re wasting your time. I refuse to go there and watch her hang all over Antonio. Not happening,” Luis stated adamantly, grabbing a beer from the six-pack and opening it. “I’m going to stay right here and watch the Red Sox.”

“That’s too bad,” Serenity pouted. “I would have liked a dance with you tonight.” She watched him fling the cap to the bottle into a cup. “So tell me, Luis, just why are you living in this,” she looked around again, remembering the hatred she had for all things Martha, “quaint little place?”

Luis smirked at the look on her face, the scrunched nose proving that she disliked the decorating of the room as much as he did. “Not by choice. Our family house was burned down back in May and hasn’t been rebuilt yet. My mother stays at the mansion with my sister and her baby, Antonio’s been living at Sheridan’s cottage and my brother Miguel stays with another family here in town. I eat over at a friend’s or out at the Book Café so I don’t need much more than a bed and since I know the owners, I don’t pay for the room.”

“Sorry to hear about your house. Not your year, is it?”

He shrugged, gulping some of the sweet amber liquid from the brown bottle before sitting beside her. Not his year was an understatement. It was more like not his lifetime. How many men could say their father and older brother left them in charge of everything, the love of their life fell in love with said brother and the richest and evilest family in the world corrupted their family? “So, what really brought you to Harmony?”

“I told you, Sheridan called and asked for my help. It’s the only time I hear from her anymore and I figured that she may not always behave like a best friend, but she was one once. I couldn’t turn her down.” Serenity looked down, fiddling with a part of her dress. She refused to let thoughts of Sheridan ruin tonight for her; they had been friends but now was not the time to drudge up regrets.

“Oh,” he took another swig, taking a moment to think over what she had just said: always the cop. “Mind my asking how you met Sheridan?”

“Boarding school,” was her two-word response.

“I thought you said you weren’t raised the same way she was,” Luis asked, getting defensive and wondering how much of Serenity was a lie. He wanted to believe that she wasn’t the stereotypical rich debutant, but if she had lied about this she could like about everything.

“I wasn’t. My parents had been killed in a car accident when I was just a baby. I was three I think, I can’t seem to remember the exact year,” she shook her head, blue eyes taking on a distant look. It always pained her to remember her parents. “They weren’t rich, but we weren’t poor either. A friend had invited them out to a party for New Years in Castelton. We were originally from Harmony and lived in a little house by the beach. On the way home a drunk driver crossed the highway and slammed into their car head on. My father was killed instantly but my mother made it to a hospital where she died later that morning. I was sent to an orphanage and what little we did have after their funerals was left in a trust fund for my eighteenth birthday.”

“You didn’t have any family that could take you in?” he moved closer, noticing her sadness. How could anyone have turned their back on a child when she needed them?

Serenity shook her head, unshed tears sparkling in her eyes as she remembered her family. “Some man used to come to the orphanage before making donations; he believed in checking up on the care of the children there. One day he came in, I was about five, and I had been playing by myself in a corner. He told the women there that he didn’t want to adopt me, but he wanted to become my benefactor. He was older, never married or had children of his own and thought I could be raised to take over his businesses. He sent me to Europe for school and that’s where I met Sheridan.”

“Did you ever meet him?” Luis asked, touched by the women’s story. He couldn’t imagine life without his family, even in the worst of times. They were all he had and he loved each and every one of them, even Antonio.

“Not until he passed away a few years ago. He left me everything, his cars and homes and company. I was overwhelmed at first, but managed to keep things afloat. I’ve been living in his Paris home ever since.”

“Wow, quite a rags to riches tale,” Luis responded, thinking over how fortunate she was in some ways but how lacking her life was in others. “You received the best of everything.”

“Yea, I was real privileged to live the life I did,” she replied tensely, anger flashing in her eyes. “All that money, wanting for nothing and still having nothing.” She closed her eyes, trying to force away the anger. “The one thing I had was Sheridan’s friendship, though it didn’t last long.”

“Yea, seems gifts from Sheridan often get lost,” he said sadly. “Did she tell you how she met Antonio?”

“The Reader’s Digest version, but I got the gist. I always said Sheridan lived a very soap opera-ish life. She had the evil father, the conniving brother and the mysterious past that haunted her in her dreams. You know, everything the soap heroine needs before she can become the victim and fall in love with the heroic…” she faded off. “Hmm.”

“Don’t complete that thought,” he laughed. “I am hardly the hot heroic soap stud that saves the helpless heiress.”

“Well, if the shoe fits, Luis,” Serenity teased.

He chuckled, honestly feeling light hearted for the first time in days. The gray clouds that had hung over his head were dissipating as he spoke with this woman. “You’re amazing. I haven’t felt like laughing in days and five minutes with you makes me want to laugh forever.”

“I’ll take that as a compliment, despite the fact it makes me sound like a clown,” she smiled. “You’re quite handsome when you smile, Luis, you should really do it more often.”

“I used to, until Sheridan…” he stopped.

“You shouldn’t let her ruin you this way. Sheridan isn’t worth the sorrow, I should know. For the longest time I was the person that was strung along, following in her shadow as the boys all fell in love with the beautiful Miss Crane. She always picked the wrong ones, you know? Always picked the ones that would break her heart and then I would pick up the pieces,” Serenity’s eyes turned cold. “But Sheridan always got what she wanted from the others, the ones that loved her or at least cared for her. She always got what she was looking for.”

“Serenity?” Luis asked, surprised by her sudden change of mood.

She shook the cobwebs from her mind. “Sorry, getting lost in the past has that effect on me. Some bitter seeds are buried in fertile ground.”

“It’s all right,” he looked at his watch. “The party started a half hour ago. Didn’t you promise Sheridan you’d be there?”

She nodded. “Guess I should go. Fashionably late was fifteen minutes ago.” She stood, plucking her purse from the bed as she did so. She really didn’t want to leave, but a promise was a promise and Serenity had never gone back on her word. “Enjoy the beer, Luis, and if you need anything you have my number,” she started for the door.

“Serenity, wait.” He couldn’t let her go like this.

“What?” she turned to face him, her hand still an inch from the brass knob. If he was going to give her a message to give to Sheridan, she was going to be sick.

“Since you were nice enough to come here and attempt to cheer me up, I suppose I could do you a favor. It’s not right for a woman to go alone to such a grand event,” he rolled his eyes. “So, I would be honored if you allowed me to be your escort this evening.”

“Luis, you don’t have to do that,” she protested. “I know this is going to be hard enough for you without showing up at this stupid party.”

“It will be rough, Serenity, but it’s the least I can do. Besides, I know you’ll help me through tonight just like I’ll help you out of Sheridan’s shadow.”

Her eyes flew to his, her features displaying shock. “You listened.”

“To every word,” he promised. “Just let me change into my tux,” he headed for the bathroom, pausing for a moment at his closet to remove the garment.

“Luis?”

“Yes, Serenity.”

“Thank you.”

“You’re welcome,” he shut the bathroom door.

Serenity paused outside the front door of the Crane mansion, her hand midair as she prepared to ring the doorbell. She turned slightly, looking over Luis, who was standing beside her. He seemed antsy, shifting foot to foot every few seconds and keeping his eyes focused on the front door. As handsome as he was in his uniform, Luis was definitely made for wearing a tuxedo! Serenity could have reveled in his looks all night if she wasn’t facing her own fears at the moment. She had managed to get Luis to agree to coming, but now she had to get him inside and through the night. This was the moment of truth for them, the point of no return. Once they went inside there was no turning back. Sheridan and Antonio would surely spot them and they couldn’t just turn and run; she refused to let them leave as losers.

Sliding her hand into his, she gave it a reassuring squeeze. His eyes shifted, landing on her face and he smiled. Her lips twisted upwards and she turned to face him. “Are you sure you want to do this, Luis? I can bring you back to the Bed and Breakfast or lend you my car. I’m sure I can crash on Sheridan’s couch tonight if you’ve changed your mind.”

“No, I want to do this,” he insisted, looking around the grounds and then back at her. “Sheridan’s made her choice and now I’ve made mine. I came here for you and because I know my sister went to a lot of work to make tonight perfect for Sheridan. The least I can do is pop in and smile a bit, right?”

“Right,” Serenity’s smile widened and she rang the doorbell. “I promise, Luis, you won’t regret coming tonight. I’ll make it worth your while.”

Hooking his arm with hers, he looked deep into her blue eyes. “Somehow, Serenity, I know you will.”

She blushed, looking away quickly as the front door swung open revealing the renovated and decorated Crane foyer. Smirking, the duo walked inside, Luis removing Serenity’s wrap and handing it to Phyllis, who smiled at him before dashing off. Serenity, however, focused on the red and purple foyer, the white marble looking very out of place in the redone room. The piñata hanging over the plush red velvet couch made her laugh. “Whomever they hired as an interior decorator should have been shot,” she shook her head. “This place is hideous.”

“I believe Rebecca is the cause for this,” Luis laughed, offering Serenity his arm again. “And of course the Spanish décor is Theresa’s. She wanted a Lopez-Fitzgerald theme tonight.”

“I see,” Serenity giggled, sliding her arm through his. “Well it is quite an intriguing combination, I’ll admit.”

“It is, isn’t it?” Theresa asked, walking down the staircase with Ethan on her heels. She looked over the pair standing in the foyer looking very comfortable together and frowned. Luis had always been the one to dash her dreams, to tell her Fate was a fantasy, until he met Sheridan. She had been the woman that made him love, really love, and had made his life worth living. Now that she returned, Theresa had hoped they would be together and prove that love always won, becoming a model for what she and Ethan should have. But Sheridan wasn’t with Luis now; she was with Antonio and this woman in her brother’s arms looked almost as if she belonged there. “Hello Luis,” she forced a pleasant smile. “Who do we have here?”

Ethan paused on the stairs, looking at Serenity. “It can’t be you,” he eyed her suspiciously. “I mean, I haven’t seen you with Aunt Sheridan in years!”

“Hello, Ethan,” Serenity laughed.

“Do you know her?” Theresa questioned, crossing her arms against her chest.

“She’s Aunt Sheridan’s friend from boarding school, Serenity Winters,” Ethan explained. “It must have been four or five years since I’ve seen you last.”

“Well isn’t that lovely,” Theresa pretended to be happy. “The more the merrier of course. We are celebrating Sheridan and Antonio tonight,” she sighed. “But do tell me how you met my brother, Ms. Winters.”

Serenity smiled. “He pulled me over for speeding and asked me out, isn’t that right, Luis?” she winked.

Luis laughed. “Close enough to the truth,” he slid an arm around her. He didn’t know why but ticking his little sister off seemed to be a decent enough way to begin the evening. There was something about her tone that spoke of a Crane influence and Luis’ stomach started forming knots. No sister of his was going to be one of them and if this was the way to knock her off her high horse, so be it.

Serenity, however, didn’t mind playing along in the least. His strong arm pulled her closer and she found her own petite arm sliding around his back. She fit so easily in the crook of his arm, her head reaching his shoulder and she rested it against him gently. Tonight was looking up and it had hardly started. “Luis, why don’t we leave your sister to tend to her party? I would like to go mingle and get a drink, wouldn’t you?”

“It sounds like a plan,” Luis replied. “See you later, Theresa,” he led Serenity towards the living room of the Crane mansion.

The inside of the room was decorated with ponchos, Mexican hats and more piñatas. A mariachi band played in the corner near a make your own taco bar. Serenity laughed, looking up at Luis who seemed to be getting a kick out of the mess inside the mansion. “Is this really what a Lopez-Fitzgerald party is like?”

“Well, yea, but it’s usually in the back yard and we tend not to have live entertainment and people in ball gowns,” he teased, tightening his hold on her. “Hungry? Thirsty? I could go get us something from the bar if you want.”

“I could really use a drink,” she was reluctant to let him go. Never before in her life had she felt so comfortable in someone’s arms, so secure. Luis made her feel safe and she wanted and needed to have that feeling in her life.

“I’ll be right back,” he promised, nearly kissing her as he walked away. It seemed so natural despite the fact they had only met that very morning. Moving back a step, he walked away to the corner where the bar was set up for the night, Serenity’s eyes following him the entire way.

But her eyes were not the only ones watching Luis as he moved around the room. The second he entered the living room, Sheridan’s gaze had been pinned on her former fiancé. She couldn’t believe her tart of a best friend had been locked in Luis’ embrace; the pair looking mighty cozy walking together and chatting as if they were old friends. Serenity had always been that way, though, so easy going and open once someone got to know her. With the right key a person could unlock her entire painful past and find out that she was a girl with a golden heart that had been misused by so many people, including Sheridan. Angrily, she crossed her arms over her chest and ignored the idle chatter of Antonio until he grabbed her arm.

“Hey, are you listening to me?” he asked, drawing Sheridan back into his conversation.

“No, I’m sorry, I just saw a dear friend of mine and I was wondering if she’s feeling all right. She hardly knows anyone here,” Sheridan lied easily, her eyes now on her best friend. She had warned Serenity to keep away from Luis and she thought for once the girl would listen. Surprisingly, her friend had become gutsy. Anger boiled inside her as she watched Luis return with a glass of wine for both of them and they toasted to something, their distance making it hard for her to determine what.

“She seems to be fitting in with Luis rather well,” Antonio smiled, putting an arm around Sheridan. “In fact, they look very comfortable together, which is surprising since I thought he was with Beth. But as long as he’s happy.”

Sheridan shot him a look. Luis wasn’t supposed to be happy without her. In fact, he was supposed to be miserable and begging her to come back instead. Serenity was supposed to be here to bring them back together, not help drive a wedge between them! Antonio was a big enough wedge as it was!

Antonio shrugged. “I think I’m going to go speak with my mother, why don’t you go say hi to your friend?” he kissed her cheek, walking away.

“Good idea,” Sheridan fumed, stalking across the room and stopping just in front of Serenity. “Well, if it isn’t a happy little couple,” she crossed her arms again. “I’m glad you changed your mind about coming, Luis.”

“I couldn’t say no to Serenity, she was so sweet to come and cheer me up earlier and she seemed to really care about how I felt, which is more than I can say for some people,” he gave her a look, which spoke volumes.

Swallowing hard, Sheridan decided that her approach was definitely not going to work with Luis around. “I’ve missed you,” she changed her tone, eyes softening as she neared her ex-fiancé. “You don’t know hard the last twenty-four hours have been without you, Luis.”

“Oh I can imagine giving my brother what he wanted so he lives a peaceful existence for as long as he has left is such a hard and bothersome job that leaves you plenty of time to suffer,” he muttered bitterly.

Serenity placed a soothing hand on his arm, her eyes begging him to calm down. “Let’s not start a scene, guys. There are too many people around and you wanted to spare Antonio’s life. Now is neither the time nor the place for this discussion.”

“You’re right,” Luis replied to his date. “Besides, this conversation is over. Sheridan made her bed and now it’s time for her to sleep in it,” he put his glass on a nearby table and then took Serenity’s. “What do you say to those dances you promised me, beautiful?”

Serenity blushed again, smiling brightly. Her friend was clearly enraged by their display and it made her feel wickedly flirtatious. It was about time she had something Sheridan wanted and was never going to have again. “I would be honored to have a dance or ten with you, Luis,” she took his hand. “Excuse me, Sher, but my date calls,” she smirked, following Luis to the make shift dance floor. He spun her out and then back in, pulling her tightly against his body as they swayed to the gentle strains of music.

“If you were trying to make Sheridan jealous, I think you’ve succeeded, Luis,” Serenity murmured, her arms resting around his neck but her eyes focused over his shoulder. She wasn’t sure if she could handle hearing him confirm her doubts.

“Her jealousy is almost a bonus,” he replied, his hand turning her chin so she would look at him. “Sheridan was the woman I believed was my soul mate, I loved her completely. Yes, it is hard seeing her with someone else and yes it was hard living the last year without her, but the woman I loved would have never been torn between the two of us, no matter the circumstances. Sheridan once loved me, Serenity, but it’s clear she loved Antonio as well. I’m ready to move on with someone else.”

“Oh,” she looked hopeful. “It’s only been twenty-four hours. Wouldn’t this be nothing more than a rebound fling? A meaningless relationship?”

“No, I don’t have meaningless relationships, Serenity. I never have and never will. I love the women I am with, completely and totally.” He looked deep into her eyes. “You did me a huge favor tonight. You not only cheered me up, but you made me face the truth. The Sheridan I know and love has changed and it’s time for me to move on since I do not love what she has become. I came here tonight to be with you, not her.”

Tears welled in her eyes and she smiled, though it quivered as she fought the tears that threatened to spill. His sincerity warmed her heart and Serenity wasn’t sure how long she could control her emotions. “No one has ever said anything so endearing to me in my entire life, Luis. Thank you,” she sniffled.

“I speak only what I mean,” he promised, his lips placing a lingering kiss against the soft flesh of her cheek. “And I meant it when I said I wanted to spend this evening with you. I’m not just repaying a debt, I’m getting to know a wonderful, beautiful woman as well.”

Serenity rested her head against his chest, her arms settling around his waist as they continued to sway. “And I am getting to meet a handsome, loving man that would be a prize to any woman. I feel truly auspicious now, Luis. I feel as if my life is changing for the better.”

And it was, it really was.

But from the shadowed corner Sheridan watched on, the pain in her chest at seeing Luis with another making it hard to breathe. The previous morning she had chosen Antonio’s health over Luis’ love, freeing Luis from the proposal that bound them together. Now, she realized what a dire mistake she was making. The man she loved was moving on and there was nothing she could do about it. She was losing him to her best friend and it made her feel as if everything she knew was changing forever…

She didn’t know just how right she was.

Chapter Four

Serenity loved being in Luis’ arms. There was something so soothing about resting against him as they swayed to the soft strains of music from the mariachi band. His hands caressed her back, tickling her through the silky material of her gown. Her head rested against his chest gently, the beat of his heart seeming to beat in time with the music as he lulled her. He hummed along to the love song playing, his voice calming and deep as he whispered the words. Some were sad, though many of the Spanish love songs talked of overwhelming love that led to pain, but the ones he stressed warmed her soul.

“Te dare el amor que no has tenido,” he murmured along, barely breathing in her ear the promising words of love. “Dejamo per nunca no olvidar lo dejamo para vivir asi.”

She looked up into his eyes; blue orbs sparkling with understanding and a feeling she couldn’t name. The words meant so much to her that she found them spilling forth from her lips. “I will give you the love that you haven't had. We leave it to never forget it. We leave it to live this way.”

“You speak Spanish,” he stated the obvious, brushing away a piece of hair that had fallen out of place. His finger tingled from where it brushed her smooth flesh. “I didn’t realize you knew any.”

“Boarding schools tend to stress learning multiple languages. They believe it prepares us for our future husbands or businesses. Of course, traveling in Europe helps you pick up languages as well. In all, I speak English, French, Spanish, Italian and American Sign Language,” she shrugged as if knowing five different languages was nothing. “European love songs tend to be so depressing though. They always sing of such pain. I would love a good Mexican hat dance right now,” she teased.

He laughed. “I could just see some of these high brows doing the Mexican hat dance. Julian would fall over his sombrero and land on his…” Luis stopped, smirking at the thought of his brother-in-law falling to the ground on his backside. “On second thought, a good hat dance could be entertaining.”

Serenity shook her head. “You’re terrible, Luis,” she smiled at him, letting him know it was all in fun. “And as much as I would hate to leave your embrace when we are having such a great time, I really need to escape to the little girl’s room. Why don’t you go say hello to some of your friends? It seems as if many have been watching us for the last hour or so.”

“I bet they are jealous,” he replied, looking around at the sea of faces following their every move. His family stood in one corner, watching him and discussing things and in another some of the local townspeople spoke behind their hands. He could tell that the interest in the room was at an all time high and mostly because he had arrived on the arm of Sheridan’s best friend from France. He could imagine the gossip!

“Why would they be?” she asked.

“Because,” he looked into her eyes, “I have the most beautiful woman in the world in my arms and they all want to know who this mystery woman is. I think I’ll tell them you are a movie star that wishes to remain nameless!”

Blushing and giggling, Serenity’s eyes shifted away and she tugged her lower lip between pearly white teeth. “Thank you for the compliment, but you really shouldn’t help inflate my ego, Luis. I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but it’s large enough without assistance.”

“I can honestly say I haven’t noticed,” he responded. “Now go ahead and freshen up or whatever you have to do. I’ll go talk to my buddy Sam over there and when you come back we’ll get something to eat, all right?”

“Sounds like a wonderful idea,” she hesitated, looking into his eyes and wishing they were more than friends. Her lips itched to meet his and she lifted up slightly to kiss his cheek. The moment she did, she could feel someone’s eyes boring into her back and knew that Sheridan had witnessed the kiss. She didn’t care, however, as her lips burned from the brief contact with his skin. “I’ll be back shortly,” she promised, slipping from the room and down the hallway. The moment she was outside the closed living room door, she sighed. She missed him already.

Pausing at the staircase, Serenity realized it had been years since she had entered this mansion and despite the change in décor, it was still as frightening as ever. The house was simply humongous, the wings stretching across acres of property. She placed her hand against the cold oak of the staircase in the foyer, trying to remember just where she was heading and in which direction it was in. The polished wood shone brightly and she found herself ascending the staircase in a haze, as if something carried her upward towards the second story of the house.

Slowly, she made her way to the platform, finding a red carpet running down the hall. Her eyes skimmed the dimly lit passage before she stepped forward. It was deathly silent, the music of the band downstairs muffled by the closed doors. No one was around and she cautiously proceeded down the hall towards the back of the house. She had no idea where she was headed but she felt her insides begin to twist as the untouched section of the house stirred up memories from the past.

Halfway down the west wing, arms encircled her waist and lips started caressing the skin of her neck. She screamed, panicked when hands started sliding upwards towards her chest. She closed her eyes and held her breath, determined that this nightmare would end. The booze on his breath filled the air and she felt nauseous from the feelings he awoke in her. She refused to let herself be a victim and started to struggle against him.

“You are as beautiful as I remember,” he whispered in her ear, nipping at the lobe. “It’s been fourteen years, hasn’t it, Serenity? Time for us to become reacquainted. You were so young then, so wanton. No one had touched you and deep down you knew you wanted my touch.”

Shivering, she screamed again as the memories of her last visit to the mansion haunted her mind. How could she have forgotten that he had been here last time and how they had treated her the night Sheridan had brought her home.

One visit in all those years and it had ended with Serenity’s accusations and Sheridan’s anger, nearly ruining the friendship they had worked so hard to build.

Now it was happening again and her friend couldn’t protect her this time.

Luis checked his watch for the umpteenth time, eyes flying to the doorway when he realized how many minutes had elapsed. Serenity had been gone for nearly ten minutes and while that wasn’t an abnormal amount of time for a woman to be in the restroom, it worried him. His instincts warned him that something was wrong with the woman he had accompanied to the party and he wanted to go off in search of her. Whatever Sam had been ranting about was long forgotten as the gears in his mind started to turn.

“Luis? Hey, buddy? Did you hear a word I said?” Sam questioned, waving a hand in front of Luis’ face.

“Huh, oh, sorry, Sam. I guess my mind just wandered for a moment,” he glanced at his watch again. “Sam, I hate to cut our conversation short, but I really need to go find Serenity. She might have gotten lost in the mansion.”

“I’m sure she’ll find her way back, Luis. She’d just have to find the front door to return to the party. Besides, ladies tend to take a while. You might as well relax,” Sam eyed his friend suspiciously. “What is your relationship with her anyway, Luis?”

“Just friends,” he replied, still watching the door and thinking of the brunette. “She arrived at the right time, that’s all Sam. She’s trying to help me get over Sheridan and I needed that. Sheridan was like the air I breathe and it’s hard to let go of her, but she obviously doesn’t feel the same anymore,” his eyes shifted slightly to the woman tangoing with his brother. Their dance was full of mistakes and the chemistry was lacking; it wasn’t much to watch. “Serenity was her best friend and Sheridan wounded her too. We share that in common.”

“So you’re bonding over Sheridan’s hurting you both? Are you sure there isn’t the possibility that this might turn into something more before you know it? She’s not bad to look at, you know.”

“She’s gorgeous,” Luis smiled, looking at his friend. “But I don’t want to lead her on, Sam. I loved Sheridan and it’s going to be hard for me to move on. I want to and Serenity would be the perfect woman to move on with, but I don’t know if I can right now. I mean, we broke up, what, yesterday? I’m not sure it’s appropriate for me to even consider dating right now.”

Sam shrugged, noticing how his friend’s eyes had changed when he spoke of Serenity. “I don’t know, Luis, what you say and what you may really mean might be worlds apart. Look, if you’re really that worried about her then go on and look for her. I’m sure she’s fine though.”

“Yea, fine,” Luis wandered away without a goodbye. He pushed open the door, closing it quietly behind him and looking around. A few random party attendees waited for the restroom, one or two sitting on the plush red chair. Some of the maids and staff rushed back and forth between the kitchen and living room, muttering under their breaths about the need for more food for the party. Luis’s eyes swept the room for any sign of Serenity, but found none.

“Are you looking for her?” Sheridan asked from behind him, voice dripping with disdain. For the last hour she had been forced to endure watching them dance closely, their arms wrapped around each other as love song after love song played. Antonio had thought it was wonderful how Luis and Serenity seemed to have a connection like his and Sheridan’s, which of course meant nothing to her until she noticed that Luis and Serenity were mesmerizing as a couple. They seemed in tune with each other and barely spoke, but when they did sparks flew in the air. There was just something about them that unnerved her.

“If you mean Serenity, then yes. She left some time ago and I’m worried about her. Something tells me she’s in trouble.” That something seemed to grow stronger with each passing moment.

“Luis, she’s inside the mansion, what trouble could she…” Sheridan faded off.

“Sheridan?” he grabbed her arms, looking into her eyes. “Do you know where Serenity is? If you know anything, you have to tell me.”

“It’s just…Serenity hasn’t been to the mansion since we were fourteen. Last time she was here, she accused my brother and father of things I couldn’t believe they would do. I was young and naïve then, I thought my father and brother were good people. I found her in the west wing on the second floor. She was crying.”

Luis didn’t waste any time climbing the stairs; instead he took them two at a time and left Sheridan watching him. He ran down the main hall, glancing down the several branches of the west wing. His head pounded from the lack of oxygen he had received from his rushing nature, but he didn’t stop. Just as he lost hope that she was really upstairs, a scream filled the air.

“Serenity!”

Her hands pressed into his chest, tears rolling down her eyes and smearing her makeup. The smell of brandy was making her dizzy and his cologne making her ill. Barely able to control herself, Serenity begged him to let her go and forced the heels of her palms deeper into his body. She cried out when his hand found her silky thigh through the slit in her dress and the other pulled her head in for a kiss. Serenity thought she was going to be sick.

“Get off me!” she screamed, slapping him but he didn’t relinquish his hold on her.

“You weren’t nearly as feisty when you were younger,” he whispered in her ear, his tongue brushing the curve. “I love it.”

“Stop!” she begged as his hand slid beneath her dress and caressed the line of her thong. Slowly one finger slipped inside the elastic and started to pull it down. “NO!” she screamed.

“Get your hands off of her!” Luis growled, grabbing Julian by the collar and pulling him off his date. Serenity cowered against the wall, covering her face with her shaking hands. “What the hell do you think you’re doing, Julian?”

“Just talking with an old friend,” he slurred, obviously drunk. “Serenity and I go way back, don’t we dear,” he eyed here appreciatively.

“Yea well, the past is ancient history, Julian,” Luis shoved him into a wall. “And if I ever catch you touching her again I’m going to kick your sorry ass from here to New York City and back. Got it?”

Julian just nodded, looking away from the voluptuous brunette that stood shivering in the hall. “I understand you completely, Luis. I can’t blame you for wanting a fine young specimen all to yourself. I would.”

“Don’t test me!” he snarled, pinning Julian beneath a heated glaze. “Get the hell out of my sight, Julian! I don’t want you near her again!”

Julian nodded mutely, fearing for his life as he scurried down the hall.

Luis turned on his heels, facing Serenity who was barely able to stand anymore. She lay hidden in the shadow of a giant potted plant, the lights of the second floor blurry beneath the branches of the potted tree. “Serenity?” he murmured, nearing her and placing his hand gently under her chin. She jumped at his touch and tried to shy away, backing further against the paneled wall. “It’s all right, Sere, it’s me. Luis. I won’t hurt you.”

Shakily, she lifted her head, red-rimmed eyes meeting his. She swallowed hard, looking around the hall terrified of finding the man that had been touching her so intimately moments before. Obviously she was shaken, her body quivering so badly that Luis’ hand vibrated from her movements. Her breathing was erratic and she kept her eyes moving as if someone might jump out from any spot at any moment.

“He’s gone,” Luis comforted her, gently easing her into his arms. “I won’t let him hurt you ever again, I swear I won’t.” He caressed her back, trying to ease the tension from her body.

She didn’t say a word, just whimpered in reply.

“Why don’t I take you home, huh? We can talk on the way?” he stepped back slightly, removing his tuxedo jacket and wrapping it over her still trembling body. “You can tell me what happened with Julian.”

Pain filled blue eyes rose again, meeting his. “Which time?” she asked, thinking about the past and reliving the present. “It’s not a pleasant story.”

“I can only assume the worst,” he put his arm around her and gently led her down the hall. “But I promise that I will be there to listen to whatever it is that you have to say. I’ll have you know I don’t play hero for just anyone.”

“Really?” she pursued, leaning against him as her tremors slowly waned. “I thought Superman always helped the weak victims.”

“I’m not Superman,” he told her as they descended the stairs. “I’m just a man that protects the people he cares about. The one’s that he has in the past, does now or could one day love. Special people.”

“Like Sheridan?” she questioned, wishing she hadn’t brought up her best friend.

Luis didn’t even flinch. “Like you,” he declared, noticing Sheridan. He just looked away from her and back at the woman in his arms. Things had changed. Saving Serenity upstairs had woken something inside him that had been dormant the year that Sheridan was missing. It could have been something as simple as need or his macho instinct, but it seemed like so much more. Looking at Serenity, he realized that the woman he had known barely a few hours was starting to become someone he could trust, someone that he could move on with if he just gave her the time to help him past the roadblock he was stuck behind.

“What do you say we go back to your place and I cook you something to eat? I’m a damn good cook,” he told her, grabbing her wrap from the front closet.

“It sounds like a wonderful idea,” she whispered, noticing Sheridan’s angry blue eyes on her. “I really don’t feel like being here anymore.”

Shooting a look at Julian, who stood in the doorway of the living room, Luis nodded. “I don’t blame you one bit.” He looked at Sheridan, whose eyes shifted away and he added, “Not even in the least. I was getting tired of this place anyway. Nothing but bad memories here.”

Serenity’s eyes swept over the mansion again and she shivered. “You’re right, Luis. There have been nothing but horrific dealings done in this house. Nothing but nightmares.”

Taking her hand, Luis led her outside and to her car, never once looking back…

Not even at Sheridan who stood watching them depart from the doorway of the mansion.

Serenity flicked the light on as they walked through the door, the living room becoming illuminated by the two end table lamps. Luis’ interested eyes looked over the small home, wondering why a woman with Serenity’s money would live in a place so small. The one story home was simply decorated with Victorian style furniture, a floral pattern filling the living room and everything was made of cherry wood. In the center of the relatively small living room was a stone fireplace, a golden gate sitting across the hearth. He noticed a painting above the mantle and released his hold on her, stepping closer to observe the work. It was obviously of Serenity and her parents, her mother and her sharing the same beautiful curly brown hair and delicate features but Mrs. Winters had green eyes instead. Her father, on the other hand, had rich black hair and deep blue eyes, which Serenity had seemed to inherit. The duo were smiling, a two or three-year-old Serenity tucked between them while their hands rested on her shoulders. She was practically glowing and looked as if the entire world rested in that picture.

“That was finished Christmas before the accident,” she whispered from beside him. Luis hadn’t even noticed she was there until she spoke. “My parents had it done from a photograph so that I wouldn’t be moving around too much on the painter. It was a present for my bedroom that never made it there.”

“You look so happy,” he replied, sliding an arm around her and pulling her close as her tears started to fall. He had an overwhelming need to protect her and seeing something that caused her pain made him ache as well.

“I was,” she sniffled, brushing away tears. “I had to be. My parents loved me so much but I felt so empty without them. The home was terrible; they were hardly parents,” she shook her head. Delving into her past right now was not something she felt like doing.

“So why did you choose this house of all the ones your could have purchased in Harmony? I know you come from quite a sum if the Cranes approve of you.”

Her eyes remained glued to the portrait, mostly her mother’s smiling face. “This house was ours. A graduation present from Monsieur D’Artigny. He thought that I would rather live in a home my parents had chosen than one he had. I hadn’t been here until this afternoon.”

“Oh,” he turned her away from the painting, hands dropping from her shoulders. “Serenity, about tonight…”

“I know your police officer brain is working overtime on this, so let me save you the trouble,” her eyes focused on a button of his shirt, fingers playing with it. “When I was fourteen, Alistair Crane and Monsieur D’Artigny thought it would be a good idea if Sheridan and I returned to Harmony for a brief part of our Christmas vacation. Sheridan hadn’t been home for quite some time and Monsieur thought it was a good chance for me to meet a fine American boy at the country club here. We were to stay at the mansion and spend our days with whatever fine young men happened to be home on vacation.”

“You don’t have to…”

“I need to,” she sighed and then took a deep breath. “We arrived rather late and Sheridan was tired, so Alistair insisted that she be brought to her room. I wasn’t as tired, however, and decided to wander the mansion. I had never seen a house so large,” tears began falling freely. “I was wandering the west wing when I overhead Julian saying that I was by far his favorite part of his sister’s return to Harmony. I panicked and started to walk away, but I knocked something over. When Julian heard the noise, he flew out of the room and looked at me. I was in a night gown and he was definitely drunk, not unusual for him, huh?”

He didn’t answer, merely brushed away her tears with the pads of his thumbs. “Serenity.”

“He and Alistair didn’t waste any time removing my clothing,” she shuddered.

Luis’ body became rigid, his hands gripping her shoulders so she would look up at him. “Serenity, did Alistair and Julian rape you?”

Closing her eyes, the entire scene played in her mind. “She wouldn’t believe me, Luis. Sheridan swore I was making it up because I was jealous of everything she had. I returned to Paris the next day, she two weeks later. It took months for us to overcome what happened and she refused to listen to my side of the story. We never spoke of it again; it was better buried than spoken of. I blamed myself. I shouldn’t have been wandering! I should have gone straight to bed, like Sheridan. Nothing would have happened had I just gone to bed!”

Luis pulled her into his arms and held her tight, rubbing her back and letting her cry. “What they did was wrong, Serenity, and you shouldn’t blame yourself. They had no right touching you at all, not then and not tonight.” He placed a kiss in her hair. “It was their fault.”

Shaking from her tears, Serenity felt herself become weaker and the wall around her heart started to collapse. “I don’t understand why these things keep happening to me, Luis. What did I do to deserve this? First my parents, then Sheridan. I lose everyone that ever means anything to me.”

Luis pulled back slightly, raising her chin with his forefinger. “You won’t lose me, Serenity. I promise whenever you need anything, I’ll be here.”

Serenity felt her heart swell in her chest and she tugged her lower lips between her teeth. Everything she had known a few hours ago was slowly changing. No longer did she care about showing Sheridan up or seeking some childish revenge on her best friend. She was finally seeing what Sheridan had seen in Luis, a heart of gold built into the finest package God could have made. He was perfect: smart, funny and compassionate, a man that any woman would be proud to call theirs. Serenity wanted that. She wanted the love that he possessed and she realized that she wanted him. She was in love with Luis, completely and totally in love.

“Luis?” she whispered, watching his lips. “Would you mind horribly if I did something very forward?”

Watching her with interests piqued, Luis took her hands into his. “No,” he replied, “I wouldn’t. What did you have in mind?”

“This,” she murmured. Slowly, Serenity lifted herself up and kissed his lips with a soft caress. She didn’t expect the liquid heat that flooded her veins or the fireworks that played on the insides of her eyelids. She felt herself slipping deeper and deeper into the warmth from his soul and knew then and there that she was hopelessly in love. The wall from her heart crumbled and she knew there was no turning back.

Luis rested his forehead against hers, his eyes closed as he reeled from the kiss. He had assumed she planned on kissing him, but he never would have guessed that her kiss would have made him feel the way it did. Before kissing Sheridan, women’s kisses had never made him crave more. Sheridan had been different; every time she looked at him he wanted her. But now with Serenity, he felt the same. He felt important and loved and that frightened him. He thought that only Sheridan could make him feel this way, but he was so wrong. “What was that for?”

“For being you,” she replied breathlessly against his lips. “For being my hero and saving me.”

Luis smiled. “It’s a job I wouldn’t trade in for the world,” he told her. Opening his eyes, he looked deep into hers. He might not have wanted to admit it, but Serenity was opening up a part of his heart that had been closed since Sheridan disappeared, a part that even his ex-fiancée’s return hadn’t opened. Luis was falling for Serenity, hard and fast.

And Serenity knew as she looked into the rich chocolate colored eyes of the hottest cop in Harmony, that she was already gone. In one moment, her entire world had spun out of control and all her plans had fallen apart…

And she loved each and every moment of it.

Part Two