The Rugged Hunk with Midnight Blue Eyes... — Cullen Dempsey was Mr. Tall, Dark, and Persistent, Krystal Wynter admitted with a sigh. She'd come to Seattle to start over in a town where no one knew her... where nobody could link her with the scandalous headlines that had once broken her heart and shattered her life. Now this fierce protector had invaded her privacy and claimed her with a passionate abandon that awakened old fears. Cullen cherished his mysterious lady and longed to possess her fragile beauty, but how could he defend her against an enemy she refused to face?

Krystal knew Cullen would consider her secret a terrible betrayal, but once she'd let herself care for him, she was lost -- ensnared in a web of desire that kept her from running away. He'd commanded her surrender and vowed to earn her trust, but her lips tasted more of innocence than untruth. Could the sweet force of his loving burn away old pain and help her put sorrow to rest forever?