Chapter One
“I need a favor. And I need it from you,” the low, distinctively male voice drawled.
As the velvety sound surrounded her, tingles of awareness slid down Jenna Lockhart’s spine. She knew that rich, familiar murmur. Unless she was hallucinating…The blood rushed hot through her veins. She turned slowly toward the door, telling herself all the while she had to be imagining it. That the romantic notion was prompted by the equally shocking elopement of her sister, Dani, and Beau Chamberlain several weeks before. Just because Dani had found the man of her dreams and married him, just because wedding fever was sweeping the town of Laramie, Texas, did not mean that the man of Jenna’s dreams would waltz back into her life on a moment’s notice. Did it?
Drawing a deep breath, Jenna lifted her eyes, curious to see who had entered her exclusive boutique just seconds before she closed for the day. And promptly felt her knees turn to jelly. Well over six years had passed since she had seen the man who had broken her heart all to pieces, but Jake Remington hadn’t changed a bit. Except, perhaps, to become even more handsome and self-assured. He was a good six inches taller than her five-foot-nine-inch frame, with a penchant for casual clothes, and an even more casual manner that belied his enormous wealth and good fortune.
“What are you doing here?” Jenna demanded.
Looking completely at ease with himself in the ultrafeminine surroundings, he circled around the one-of-a-kind wedding and evening dresses on display. Once at her side, he tipped back his black Stetson, revealing layers of thick jet-black hair. As he scanned her from head to toe, reluctant pleasure tugged at the corners of his lips. “I wanted to congratulate you on your success.” Jake lifted his glance back to her eyes. “Your clothing designs have been in the news all month. Dani created quite a stir when she wore one of your dresses to the premiere of Beau Chamberlain’s new movie. Reportedly, every starlet in Hollywood now wants one of your originals.”
That was true. Due to her growing success, Jenna was booked solid with appointments. She was taking the time between now and then to prepare for the onslaught. And perhaps look at hiring someone besides Raelynn to help her in the shop. But not wanting to disclose all that to Jake, Jenna merely shrugged and returned his steady glance, albeit with a lot less admiration. “You’ve done very well for yourself. I hear J&R Industries is a multimillion-dollar conglomerate.”
Jake pushed back the edges of his black sport coat, and placed his hands on his waist. His sexy grin widened. “You’ve kept up.”
Jenna turned away, trying hard not to notice how taut and trim his midriff was beneath his olive-green shirt and snug black jeans. “Hard not to, if you read the business pages of all the major Texas newspapers—and I do.”
Following her around the shop, Jake said, “I would have called for an appointment, but I didn’t think you’d see me.”
Struggling not to recall how good it had felt to be held against that warm, strong chest, Jenna refused to look at him as she shut down her computer for the night. “You were right.” She remembered without wanting to how much he had hurt her, abandoning her the way he had. “I wouldn’t have.”
Jake looked at her steadily, serious now. “What happened between us was a long time ago.”
Funny, Jenna thought. It seemed like just yesterday to her. Though in reality it had been six years, eight months, ten days and…nineteen hours. But who was counting?
She smiled thinly. “What’s your point?”
Jake’s expression was suddenly as vulnerable as it was grave. “I want us to be friends again.”
Jenna didn’t want to think of Jake as vulnerable, because if she did it meant he had a heart, and that was definitely not true. Jenna locked her cash register. “Not possible.”
He leaned across the sales counter. “How will you know unless you try?” he asked.
Every muscle in her body went stiff with tension. “I’m not interested in trying, Jake,” she told him flatly, ignoring the unsettling way her senses stirred at his close proximity.
Jake regarded her with so much smug male assurance it took her breath away. “Same old stubbornness and fiery temperament.”
“Same old arrogance and conceit,” she shot back, refusing to be distracted by the enticing, woodsy scent of his skin.
Instead of being insulted, Jake merely grinned, and looked all the more entranced. “Jenna, I have a proposition for you.”
As Jenna recalled, what he’d said was that he needed a favor from her. In her opinion, those were two very different things. “I’ll just bet you do,” she replied. Grabbing a clear plastic garment bag, she slipped it over a wedding dress on the overhead rack.
“I need you to make a complete wardrobe.”
Jenna knelt and gently folded the edges of the beaded satin gown into the bag. “I don’t design men’s clothing.” And even if she did, she wouldn’t design anything for him!
Jake also knelt to help, holding the bottom of the bag straight. “It’s for the lady in my life.”
Resisting the urge to deck him, Jenna zipped the garment bag closed. “Now I’m really not interested.”
Jake stood, and hand beneath her elbow, gallantly helped Jenna to her feet. “I’ll do anything you want.”
Still tingling from his brief, but sure touch, Jenna carried the gown back to the storeroom. Wishing her heart would stop pounding and resume its normal beat, she carefully hung the gown on the rack. “I’m still not interested, Jake.” To her dismay, Jake showed no signs of leaving despite her less-than-gracious hints.
He moved back to let her pass and continued speaking as if she had already agreed to accommodate him. “The thing is, it’s a rush job.”
Her exasperation mounting by leaps and bounds, Jenna strode back out into the carpeted showroom. She went to the desk behind the sales counter and reached for her Rolodex. “I’ll give you some names and send you on your way.”
“I don’t want anyone else. I want you.”
“Too bad,” Jenna replied, forcing herself to remember how much he had hurt her instead of how very well he kissed, “because you’re never going to have me.” Ever again.
Jake quirked a brow. Desire, pure and simple, was in his eyes. “Don’t make promises you may not be able to keep.”
Her temper flaring, Jenna poked a finger at his chest. “And don’t you presume to know what