She knows her submissive tendencies aren't enough to forge a permanent bond... He accepts the challenge and aims to change her mind...

On the outside, Meagan Hollister appears to have it all--including a successful career. On the inside, a fifteen-year-old secret torments her, and the horrors she faced as a child are about to come back to haunt her.

Parker Darwin has been pursuing Meagan since the day they met. Though they've shared several steamy encounters, when he pushes for commitment--and submission in the bedroom--she runs cold.

Meagan's past catches up fast and, terrified, she goes into hiding, feeding Parker only the vaguest of details. He has fallen hard. Even her reluctance to give herself over to him doesn't hide her naturally submissive tendencies. But she holds her secrets close.

When all hell breaks loose, she insists on handling her problems alone. She can't imagine a life that includes Parker--not permanently anyway. The hurdles are too high. The damage to her psyche is too extensive.

But will Parker accept Meagan's insistent denial? Or will he breach her walls and show her another possibility?