Prologue



Kristina Ward let out a frustrated growl. "Of all the nerve!"

She took a drink of her rum and coke then set it back down on the bar in front of her. She had never met such a jerk and it would have to be on her first night in a new city. She had moved from her hometown of Abilene, Texas to San Angelo, Texas for the employment opportunity and to get away from a bad break up.

There was nothing like finding out the man that you happen to be in love with, is married and has a family that makes a woman reevaluate her life. Deep down she had known something was wrong. But she had been so caught up in the idea of having a good man, the white picket fence and the two-in-a-half kids. She had been willing to overlook the warning signs.

Well that wasn't going to happen now!

Right now men were the last thing on her list of priorities, especially if they were like the jerk that had just accosted her. Instead she would focus on herself. Her career. Providing her own happiness. She was too young to be tied down to one man.

At the age of twenty-four she was next to the youngest of four girls. It had been hell growing up in a house full of girls. There had been countless fights and arguments but she would never trade her sisters or most of the experiences she shared with them.

Her two oldest sister's Regina and Courtney had moved away to Dallas but her youngest sister Melissa still remained in Abilene. She was attending Abilene Christian University and due to graduate soon. Kristina had tried the traditional four-year college thing, but quickly realized it wasn't for her. She always wanted to be a Dentist but just didn't have the patience to attend school for the amount of time required. So she had done the next best thing by becoming a dental hygienist.

She had almost died when she found out her ex-boyfriend's wife and children frequented the Dentist office she worked at in Abilene. Shaking her head she tried to clear the awful memories from her mind. Six months still hadn't been enough time to completely get over Warren's deception. What shocked her more was he expected her to forgive him.

For infidelity? Ha! Not in this lifetime.

Her parents would be disappointed in her inability to turn the other cheek but they would understand, if they knew what happened. She hadn't been completely honest with her parents, just telling them Warren had cheated on her but not revealing the wife and the children part of the messy equation. Her father might be friendly but he would be happy to use one of his guns from his collection on a lowlife like Warren.

Her parents were sad to see her move away but she wasn't too far away. She could return home quickly if needed. Although she hoped it would be a while before she had to return to Abilene. Too many bad memories where there right now. San Angelo represented a new and fresh start.
 
Her first day had been going well until she decided to stop by Burk's. Upon entering the bar she wasn't sure she had made the right choice. Besides herself there was only one other person of African American decent. Yet there was more to her discomfort than her ethnicity. Her lack of cowboy boots and a hat made her feel like overgrown weed in an otherwise pristine garden.

Still she had pushed the discomfort back and stepped into the bar and made herself at home. The people in the bar were friendlier than she expected. Being a transplant she hadn't really known what to expect.

She looked down at her half empty drink before looking back up at the bartender. He was down at the other end of the bar and she decided against ordering another. Her gaze wondered around the bar and took in all of the good-looking guys. Too bad they were all intoxicated, a fact which made them all off limits to her.

Regina had made the mistake of getting mixed up with a loser who had a drinking problem. Thankfully she was one of those people who learned from the mistakes other people made. But she couldn't help but to be a little disappointed by the guy who had been dragged from her presence a few minutes ago by his friend.

When he had first approached her, she let her gaze linger on the wavy brown hair, styled longer than usual but didn't quite touch his shoulders. His tan skin stretched tautly, over what she was sure were hard muscles. Then she had become aware of his broad shoulders and lean waist connected to long powerful legs. He had to be a few inches over six feet. If she had gotten to her feet he would have towered over her. Not an easy feat for most men when she stood five feet and nine inches herself.

However, what had completely stolen her breath and ability to think were his eyes. Intense, gray, smoky eyes that spoke of high sexual tones. Yes, he had definitely been the sexiest man she had ever laid eyes on...until he opened his mouth. The provocative suggestion he made to her was one she wasn't used to hearing. One she never cared to hear again but she still had to wonder if what he suggested was even possible.

Why did she care? Why did the words that repulsed her so, hold her attention hostage? 

Groaning in frustration she finished off the last of her drink then placed enough money on the counter to cover her drink and leave a nice tip. She had a long day ahead of her tomorrow. There was still plenty of unpacking to do and she still had to prepare herself for upcoming week at her new job. She wanted to make a good impression. This opportunity meant everything to her. Now all she had to do was hope that San Angelo was big enough for her not to run into her drunken assailant again. One proposition from him was enough to last her an eternity.