CHAPTER 1

“Wyatt, I need you! I’m quite desperate!”

          Panic laced Estelle Daniels’s voice. Wyatt Carlyle swallowed in discomfort. His stomach tightened. Normally women spoke those words to him with a sultry breathlessness, something he felt more capable of handling.

          He’d stepped into the office of Benjamin Swanson, his business partner, with nothing more on his mind than reviewing the day’s trading and their clients’ portfolios over their nightly shot of tequila. The last thing he’d expected was to walk in on a squabble between Ben and his wife-to-be.

          Wyatt’s gaze swung from Estelle to Benjamin. His partner sat rigidly behind his massive walnut desk. His expression reminded Wyatt of his own father facing off with his mother, back in the days when they tolerated being in the same room.

          Estelle lunged toward Wyatt and he stiffened. Her small hands clung to his arm, eliciting a sense of frustration.

          Why did he have this desire to help her, when he’d never been adept at defusing domestic squabbles?

          Reluctantly, Wyatt placed his hand on hers. He was almost afraid to ask, given Benjamin’s stormy expression.

“Okay… I’m here… What seems to be the problem?”

“Baby, no!”

          Benjamin burst from his chair, sending it listing at an odd angle.

“I already told you. He…”

          His finger shook as he pointed at Wyatt.

“He… is not an option.”

          Wyatt shot him a glare.

          What was up with Benjamin?

          Though he had no idea what his partner was referring to, the words stung. Wyatt opened his mouth to protest, then shut it. Benjamin was right. Whatever it was, they could work it out without him. Benjamin could take care of his own hysterical woman.

          Wyatt took a step toward the office door he’d unwittingly entered. Estelle swung along with him.

“Ben, my love… Wyatt’s your best man, and our only hope.”

          With a tight smile, Wyatt patted her stiff fingers.

“I’ll come back later, guys. It looks like you two need to work this out alone.”

“Oh, no, you won’t!”

          Estelle’s eyes widened, turned pleading.

“Please… We need you.”

“No!”

          In an instant, Benjamin stood before them, his dark hair sticking out at odd angles as though he’d literally tried to yank it from his scalp.

“We’ll just have to tell her and let her get there on her own.”

“But, Ben… sweetheart…”

          Her bottom lip trembled. She blinked.

“That will spoil it. I’ve been planning it for weeks. She has to arrive precisely at nine, or the whole surprise will be ruined. You know how much I have worked on this. She hates me and I really need this party to win her over. I think she resents me for scheduling the wedding so close to her birthday. Baby… Please…”

          Huge tears rolled down her cheeks. Estelle let out a choking sob. Wyatt intensified his hand patting. The tightness in his stomach rolled into a knot.

          What was it about a woman’s tears that made him go all soft inside?

          Damn it, he’d never been able to say no to a female in need.

“Okay… Who has to get where?”

“Mac… Mackenzie,” Estelle sniffed. “She has to get to her s-surprise birthday p-party.”

“Mackenzie?” Wyatt asked, unable to place the name.

“Yes. B-Ben’s sister.”

          Wyatt glanced at Benjamin where he stood rigid and sullen. Five years ago, when they’d been at Auburn, he’d mentioned a sister, but Wyatt had never met her.

“That’s it? That’s what all this fuss is about?”

          Women! They were such emotional creatures!

          He swung his gaze from Estelle’s tear-streaked face to Benjamin’s stony expression.

“You just need someone to play the chauffeur’s part?”

“Oh, my God, Wyatt! It would mean the world to me to win my future sister-in-law over. I think this might be it.”

          Tears still glistened in Estelle’s eyes as she stared up at him, but a grateful glow lit their blue depths.

“You can’t let on about the party.”

          Estelle let go of his arm to move beside Benjamin.

“Ben will help you work out the details.”

          She tilted her face up to her fiancé.

“Okay, baby?”

“No.”

          His voice had lost some of its earlier vehemence. Her fingertips traced his cheek. She brushed her body against his.

“Please, my love… For me?”

          He shut his eyes for a moment, then scooped his arm around her in surrender.

“I really don’t like this.”

          With a happy squeal, Estelle threw her arms around him.

“I love you so much! They’ll be in a public place. Then we’ll all be there to chaperone. It will be just fine.”

          Estelle placed a huge kiss on his lips, then broke away to find her purse, her tears reduced to an occasional sniffle.

“I’ve got to go see about the flowers for the wedding. You go on and explain everything to Wyatt.”

          She swept from the room. Wyatt turned to Benjamin with a grin. Now that the disturbance had passed, the tension in him eased.

“That’s showing her.”

          Benjamin shook his shaggy head.

“Man, you have no idea…”

          He turned to stalk back to his desk. Benjamin lifted a legal pad, then slammed it onto the blotter.

“I’d never agree to this if it wasn’t a last resort.”

“It’s six o’clock. Time for a shot.”

          Wyatt ignored Benjamin’s comment and brought the conversation back to his original purpose for coming to Benjamin’s office. He moved to a cabinet behind the desk and lifted two shot glasses from a shelf.

          The six o’clock shot was a ritual they’d started during their college sophomore year. It was a time-honored tradition Wyatt had inherited from his father, who’d adopted the custom after a week in Mexico with his college buddies. During that trip, his dad had developed a lasting taste for ‘Don Julio’ tequila, and now it was the only brand used for the ritual.

          He handed Benjamin one of the glasses. Benjamin set it on the desk, then retrieved a bottle from a low drawer. He splashed yellow liquid into the two glasses.

“Thanks.”

          Wyatt raised his glass in a toast, while Benjamin followed suit.

“Here’s to work! Here’s to pleasure! Foster both in equal measure.”

          Wyatt tossed back the drink in one gulp. He set down the empty glass, then paced to the far window to look out over Atlanta’s downtown skyline. The sun slanted low, casting long shadows across the rooftops.

          Six floors below, a long line of cars snaked through the street. He turned back to Benjamin.

“So… I finally get to meet your little sister.”

          Scowling, Benjamin stabbed his finger across the room at him.

“Get her to this damn surprise party and keep your damn hands to yourself! She’s a sweet girl, so out of your league.”

          Annoyed, Wyatt narrowed his eyes.

“Ben, I don’t get it… What in the hell are you all tense about? I haven’t got any plans regarding your sister. I’ve never even met her, I might add, which seems a little strange. I can see when we were at Auburn, but we worked together here for years before I moved to Denver. I’ve been back all these weeks, she lives in Atlanta, and I still haven’t met her. How come?”

          Benjamin gaped at him.

“I just told you, Wyatt. She’s a sweet, nice girl. I didn’t want her exposed to your… your personal habits. Believe me, I’ve tried everyone for this party. No one else is available.”

“My… ‘personal habits’? I was thinking along the lines of a simple introduction, not a roommate situation.”

          He tilted his head, his aggravation with Benjamin growing.

“And, may I ask, what in the hell is wrong with my personal habits?”

          With a sound of exasperation, Benjamin gestured with his hand.

“Really, dude?! You really expect me to elaborate?”

“Yep!”

“Let’s see… Blondes on Monday, brunettes on Thursday, and redheads for the entire weekend. Mackenzie’s not like that. She’s so innocent. My sister is the romantic type, she keeps on believing in love and ‘happily-ever-after’. I don’t want you mortifying her.”

          Wyatt scowled.

“Oh, wow… I resent that. Just because I enjoy women doesn’t mean I’d jump like a caveman on your sister.”

          He twisted the blind pull. Atlanta’s skyline disappeared.

“Just get her to the party, dude! And don’t do none of your funny business or… or you and I are gonna go at it!”

“‘Go at it?’” Wyatt chuckled. “Who are you? The Godfather?”

          He had a hard time taking Benjamin seriously with his hair mimicking electrotherapy.

“Listen, Ben, you’re making too much of this. I can control myself. Besides, I haven’t said I’d do it.”

“Of course, you’ll do it. You have to. You practically promised Estelle. And you will control yourself.”

          He blew out a breath.

“I wouldn’t ask if I wasn’t desperate. I’ve got that trip to Boca that I can’t postpone. It’s about that review with Mrs. Maynard. And you heard my fiancée. She hired caterers. She’s going all out. For some reason, she has the silly idea that Mackenzie doesn’t like her.”

          All this to please a woman. Benjamin had lost it.

          Wyatt squeezed his eyes shut. At the age of thirty, he’d learned the hard way there was no pleasing women, at least not in that sense. Two years ago, he’d left his partnership with Benjamin to follow Fiona to Colorado.

          He’d given her everything she needed… His time, his money even offered her his name. Thank God she’d refused the last. No matter what he offered, it hadn’t been enough. He’d left that relationship without any illusions. It had almost cost him his career.

          Benjamin would have to learn that lesson for himself, but how could Wyatt get out of pinch-hitting for his partner? He turned to Benjamin.

“You can take your sister to her party. I’ll go to Boca for you. Old lady Maynard likes me.”

“No way. Her granddaughter’s visiting with her fiancé… Not that that would stop you.”

“Wait a minute, bro. I’m not the sleaze you make me out to be. I’ve never stolen another man’s woman.”

“No, you didn’t. Only because you’ve never had to. For some reason, women flock to you. It’s disgusting.”

          With a grunt, Wyatt moved to the desk.

“Not all of them…”

“Oh?”

          Benjamin turned, his brows raised.

“You mean to tell me that one of them hasn’t fallen swooning into your arms?”

“Yep!”

“Oh, dear Lord! Who’s the brave woman not affected by your charm?” Benjamin asked.

“That blonde on the fourth floor. I think she’s with the insurance agency.”

          He shrugged.

“She’s been a little elusive.”

          A smile spread across Benjamin’s face.

“That’s Kimberly. I had lunch with her yesterday. We kind of dated in high school…”

          He cleared his throat.

“Of course, I’ve got Estelle now. I mean, it was just lunch. There she was alone in that big booth…”

“You hit on her?”

          Wyatt stared, surprised. Benjamin’s cheeks resembled a red-light district. Good old Ben had been lunching with Wyatt’s pick of the month? How could that be?

“No! Are you out of your mind? No! Nothing like that. Kimberly’s more your speed. She… well, kind of got around in high school. Of course, people change...”

          He perked at the news. Kimberly sounded like what he needed. A nice unencumbered relationship. After the disaster with Fiona, he didn’t think he’d ever want anything else from a woman.

“I can work with that.”

          With his hands jammed into his pockets, Benjamin faced his partner.

“Look, are you going to help me, or what?”