Kallista couldn't believe what Hector Christophe was suggesting. He wanted to marry her? But they barely knew each other! They'd exchanged possibly three or four sentences over the past several years, and now he was suggesting that they marry to save her father's business. Only Hector had the resources, but Kallista's father wouldn't accept help from anyone but family. Hector's solution? Become part of Kallista's family.

She didn't understand him – he was kind and considerate one moment, then grouchy and insulting the next. So how could his touch send sparks of electricity through her body? Why does his kiss make her forget everything? How could she fall in love with such a mercurial man?

Hector knew he didn't deserve Kallista. She was sweet and pure, intelligent and witty. He'd grown up an orphan, survived on the streets by stealing for his next meal and slept in places others had abandoned. If it weren't for kallista's father, he might still be stealing but the man had picked Hector up and cleaned him up, given him hope and urged him to become something. Now he had the power and wealth to pay her father back but the only way he could do that was by marrying his daughter.

Falling in love with Kallista had been the last thing he'd wanted to do. But she got under his skin, wove through his defenses and he'd been no match for her smile or kindness.