High Stakes

Tucked away in picturesque upper Ozarks, Evan finds himself between a rock and a hard place during his annual family vacation. The moment his eyes locked with Brooke's, a life long friend of his mother's, there was no denying the intoxicating heat growing between them. With his hormones raging and her being newly widowed, keeping away from their desires becomes a delicate balance between what is appropriate and what is far beyond their self-restraint.

Having had the most amazing summer of his life, Evan has no found himself pinning over a woman he can't have. Going home for Christmas to be with family turns quite sticky when he learns there will be a special guest also joining them. Caught between his still new relationship, and the fact that his mother is trying to set Brooke up with their neighbor, Evan struggles with his ever-growing desire for her and honoring her request of pretending last summer didn't happen. Only, Evan's never been one to give up.

A lot has happened in the last six years since Evan had laid eyes on Brooke. After calling off their affair completely, and breaking ties, Brooke had moved on to a new life with a new man. Evan took a different turn and spent most of that time working and being the eternal bachelor. Being convinced no one could settle his appetite the way Brooke had, he jumped from one meaningless hook up to the next. Trying to fill the hole in his chest she caused. However, as luck would have it, his mother once again comes to the rescue. With Brooke's fortieth birthday coming up, Evan's mother, along with Brooke's new boyfriend, arrange a luxurious surprise Aruba getaway. Riddled with anticipation, Evan can barely keep himself from shaking. What will it be like to see her after all these years? Would their chemistry still be as explosive as it was long ago? Would he finally be able to openly be with the woman of his dreams or would they have changed due to the lives they've been living?