Chapter One
Christopher “Matchmaking” Sinclair stared across the sandy beach towards the group of friends huddled together on a plank of wood. They were laughing as if they had no cares in the world. He noticed Erica Black straight away. She sat nearest the fire. A guy flung his arms around her shoulders, pulling her back against him. Chris fisted his hand at his side at the sight of another man touching her. There was a time she would have been Chris’s own woman, when she would have smiled up at him with all the love in the world, but he’d squashed every ounce of love out of her young soul. Chris couldn’t tear his gaze away from the scene before him. He had never expected to see Erica again even though he knew about her life. He had an entire security team who made sure she was cared for. And they gave him a rundown of her activities. He knew there was no man in her life since she had belonged to him. At least down to the security reports he had of her hadn’t reported any significant man in her life. Watching the guy with her now he wondered if the reports his security team had collected on her were wrong.
He hoped not. Knowing she was alone without a man gave him hope that maybe one day he could enter her life and she’d welcome him back with open arms.
She looked as beautiful as ever. Chris recalled the last time he’d seen her, and the memory was forever embedded in his mind. He wasn’t thinking about the last time he’d seen her with Cassie. No. He was thinking much further back. The day after he had taken her on a business trip. The day in which he had broken her heart and made her feel smaller than a bug. She’d lost a little weight since then, but she was still a full-figured woman. He remembered the silky smooth feel of her underneath him. The way her body melted against him. The fullness of her tits as they filled his hands. To him, she’d been perfect. Erica had been the perfect woman for him in every way. His own stupidity had ruined any chance of happiness. No matter how many times he tried to believe he could make amends, Chris always doubted himself.
He rubbed his hands down his pant leg to try to rid himself of the memory of her passion. She had come alive, her responses unpractised and pure in everything. She had given him so much while he’d done nothing but take a delightful virgin to bed. She had been a challenge he had wanted to gain for himself. He’d seen and heard the men talking about Erica Black, the blonde bombshell who refused every man’s advances. Intrigued, he’d sought her out and found himself responding to her something fierce.
Taking her had been a challenge and a delight to him. Now, he spent most of his days thinking about her. He would have to live with the hurt he’d given her for the rest of his life. No other woman could even begin to compare to her.
The man holding her leaned down and kissed her neck. She smiled at him, pulling away from his body. Chris clenched his teeth together to stop himself from making a scene. He looked away at the ocean when he felt a presence by his side. Molly, his stepmother, stood looking out at the ocean.
“What are you doing here?” he asked. He knew Molly had spent a great deal of time caring for him as he had grown up, but as much as he tried, he never felt a connection with her. Now, though, he loved her for the woman she was. Even when his father refused to see the beauty and love inside Molly, Chris gave her the utmost respect.
“I needed to get out of that house. Everywhere I go, David is there.” He saw the tears in her eyes. “I’m pleased Cassie and Blaze have found love. They deserve it. At least he isn’t going to be like your father, always thinking you boys can love only once.”
Chris chuckled, thinking about the ranting of his old man. “We can love many times, but only one woman can hold our heart forever. He loves you, Molly. He’s just afraid to lose himself. Either that or he’s guilty.”
“What could he have to be guilty of?” she asked. The tears fell from her eyes in utter abandon.
“Probably because he may not have loved our mother. His first wife. Sometimes what we think is love turns out to be something else.”
“He loved his first wife. He always has. There are pictures everywhere in that house. Everywhere I look I’m reminded of the fact that I’ll never be her. Only a replacement.” Molly wiped at her tears. Chris glanced over her shoulder to see Erica stand.
“And yet, dad won’t give you a divorce. The last time I checked, he didn’t even want you thinking about it. Does that really sound like a man who doesn’t love you?” he asked her.
His father was so blind to what he was in front of him.
“I’m going to go back. I shouldn’t have come out here. I’m sorry.” Molly gave him a smile even though he saw the pain clear down to her heart. “There are some things the match-making Sinclair can’t fix.” She tapped his cheek then walked away. He watched her go, wondering how he could fix what his father had done. David Sinclair clearly loved his younger wife, but he spent most of his time treating her as if she were second best.