"Hello, honey," her mother said in her crisp lawyer’s voice. "Your father and I were hoping this would be a good time to finally discuss your new business venture."

Truffles in all stages were strewn across her kitchen counter. Brooke would likely have to work most of the night to pull off her deliveries for the week. But she wouldn’t have given up the time she’d spent with Rafe for anything. A few missed hours of sleep were more than worth the incredible pleasure of being with him.

The sun burned hotter, the sky shone brighter, even the chocolate melting on her fingertips tasted richer now that Rafe had opened her eyes to the sensuality in everything around her.

Knowing that if she had time for Rafe, she should also have time for her parents, she said, "Absolutely. How are you both?" as she continued hand-rolling truffles.

As always, she was amazed by the details of the groundbreaking legal case her mother had won and her father’s game-changing research on the economic effects of cell phones on developing countries. "Both of you are amazing," she told them, meaning every word. She was incredibly proud of her parents and their achievements.

"After your mother told me about your new partnership with my old colleague," her father said, "I gave Cord a call a short while ago."

She barely stifled her groan. She could only imagine the conversation the two of them had had, her father acting like she was still six years old and couldn’t be trusted to cross the street by herself. "I hope the two of you had a nice conversation."

Thankfully, her father confirmed, "Indeed we did. He assured me that he has his eye closely on the ball and will make sure your new store in Seattle is a success."

While it had been exactly the right thing to tell her father, Brooke couldn’t deny it grated that he was so quick to give Cord both the credit and the responsibility for the success of her business expansion. They still acted as if she’d been playing at her business these past years, rather than slowly growing her happy customer base month by month.

Trying to change the subject to something lighter, she said, "I hope you’ll be able to come to our grand opening next month. Especially since we’re having an absolutely beautiful summer here. You both should try to come out for a visit."

"Perhaps we could rearrange our schedules, although we wouldn’t want to get in your way," her father said. "Is the house next door still a vacation rental?"

"Not anymore," she said, unable to keep the smile off her face. "The Sullivans bought it back just this week."

"The Sullivans have moved next door again?"

In the middle of carefully popping the lightly chilled truffles from her refrigerator out of the molds and onto the counter, Brooke didn’t catch the edge to her mother’s question. "Well, Rafe is the one who bought the house, but since his sister and one of his brothers have already come up to visit this week, I’m sure the whole family will be using it quite a bit. They’re all still very close."

"He must be married by now, surely?"

She frowned at the tone of her mother’s question. "Rafe is only in his early thirties. He’s not married. But he does own a very successful private investigation agency in Seattle."

"You sound like you know an awful lot about him after all these years, Brooke."

Though they couldn’t see her over the phone, she lifted her chin in defiance. "We’ve spent quite a bit of time together since he bought the house. In fact," she added, in direct opposition to the voices in her head telling her not to, "he’s been staying with me for the past week."

She could only imagine the coronaries they’d have if she added, in my bed. Her parents likely thought—or hoped, anyway—that she was still a virgin.

"Don’t you have the common sense to know it isn’t safe to let a man you barely know spend the night in your home? Haven’t you learned anything at all since you snuck out of the house at sixteen, drank too much, and got into that car with a boy who’d also been drinking?"

"I made one mistake ten years ago. One! But you keep bringing it up as if I’ve repeated it over and over every day since then." Hurt radiated from every word she spoke. "Why can’t you trust me, and believe that I know what I’m doing, just once?"

"Why can’t you be smart enough to say no when one of those wild Sullivans tells you he wants to spend the night in your home?"

"Because he’s my friend." But she knew it would be dishonest to leave it at that. Her chin lifted yet another inch as she told them, "And more." Rafe Sullivan was the man she was falling head-over-heels in love with. She didn’t want to hold it in anymore. "So much more."

"Oh no," her mother said in obvious horror. "This was always what we were so worried would happen. We begged your grandparents to put some distance between you and that family and were so thankful when they had to sell the house. But now, after all these years, exactly what we feared has happened."

Brooke’s hands fisted in chocolate as she stared at her phone. "How could you?" Her question was little louder than a hiss of pain. "They were like family, and you wanted to take them away from me? You were actually glad when they lost their house?"

But it was as if she hadn’t spoken as her father said, "Even as teenagers, those Sullivan boys were dangerous. We always knew one of them would take advantage of the easy pickings next door."

Easy pickings?

My God, was that what her parents really thought she was? Just some naïve girl who couldn’t think for herself? Who didn’t have the strength of will—or enough common sense—to turn away a man she didn’t want? Whom she didn’t care for with every beat of her heart, and every last part of her soul?

But she already knew the answer to that, didn’t she?

It was what her parents had always thought—that she was too fragile, too innocent, too foolish to know how to keep herself safe from harm. Only, now they’d pushed her too far.

It was one thing for them to think she wasn’t capable of making good decisions. But to say that Rafe had pulled the wool over her eyes like he was a dirty old man on the corner in a trench coat drawing her in with promises of candy?

That was what finally made her see—and speak—bright red.

"I’m the one who propositioned him." She barreled on despite her parents’ shocked gasps. "He was trying to keep his distance, but I wouldn’t let him. And being with him was the best decision I’ve ever made. Rafe Sullivan is the most wonderful man I’ve ever known. Better than any of the men you thought were so great, so safe. None of them cared about me the way he does."