Hurt one too many times in the past, Sloan Fairchild is convinced that she will never be able to trust her heart to a man again. Instead, she pours all her energy into making a success of her elegant San Francisco bed and breakfast inn. But when her best friend asks her to house her fiance for a month, Sloan opens the doors of Fairchild House to Carter Madison...and meets a man who tums her world -- and her concept of herself -- upside down.

Carter, a bestselling author, is looking for a little peace and quiet so he can finish his latest novel before his wedding. The last thing he expects is to find himself instantly attracted to his hostess -- or her to him. As the days pass, Sloan tries to ignore the feelings this handsome, disturbingly perceptive man stirs in her...tries to stop herself from dreaming dreams that can never be.

But as Carter reveals his overwhelming desire for her, Sloan is left to struggle against her own deepest longing: to know just once how it feels to be truly cherished.

Caught between love and loyalty to her best friend, Sloan must search her soul and make a choice: to love for the moment, to walk away forever, or to fight to have it all.