There was a knock at the door as Laura finished applying her final coat of lipstick.

She had thought long and hard about why Davis had asked her out, and there were only two reasons that she could come up with, the first was that he liked a challenge and was convinced that he could melt the Ice Queen, which was what she had thought the first time she had met him, and the second was that he wanted to show off to his brother by bringing her to dinner.

Laura was used to both reasons because they had been the only reasons she had been asked out in the past, so she saw no reason for this time to be different.

The only reason she was going was because he promised to leave her alone after dinner and never ask her out again, that alone was worth one boring dinner. If she could get all of her dates to agree to a similar deal then she would have no worries only the occasional bad date.

When there was a second knock she sighed and reached over to pick up her wrap and small purse. One good thing that came from modeling was the excellent clothes. She had plenty of them. She had chosen a red dress that had a halter top and hugged her curve to just above her knees and she was wearing the same back heels that she had worn the previous evening. Her hair was in a low bun at the base of her neck and she wore no jewelry, but she had put on lipstick to match the dress and the look was dramatic.

If Davis wanted to impress his family with her then she would do well this evening. She couldn't help but wonder why it even mattered that she cared if she impressed his family or not.

Shaking off the errant thought, she opened the door to see Davis leaning against the doorjamb as if he had all the time in the world. He was wearing his customary layered look with blue jeans, shirt, sweater and jacket along with the ever present cowboy boots.

"Tell me something Davis," she let her gaze travel up to meet his, "do you own any shoes that aren't cowboy boots and any pants that aren't blue jeans?"

Not put off by her question he grinned. "I travel light." He let his gaze travel over her and it warmed her completely. "But thankfully, you don't." He held out his arm waiting for her to take it.

Laura took his arm letting him lead her down the hall and into the elevator, and when another couple followed them into the small space he pulled her close putting his arm around her. She knew she should fight it but she didn't, instead she gave in and leaned into him for the minute it took the elevator to descend.

He smelled wonderful and he had shaved, giving her an up close look at the dimple that danced in his cheek.

Davis didn't hold her attention long though as Laura became aware of the admiring glance of the other man in the elevator, and it made her feel uncomfortable especially since he was already with a woman. She started to tap her purse with her finger, trying to hurry the elevator, and when it opened she stepped out in front of Davis to block his view.

"What's wrong?" Davis asked, sensing her agitated state.

Laura gave her best smile and shook her head. "Nothing at all." She could hardly tell him that she hated it when men stared at her in the way that the man in the elevator had. She was a model it was her job to be stared at.

It still threw her that Davis's look of appreciation didn't make her feel her usual unease. Most men looked at her as if she was a beautiful, unfeeling, treat that they were looking forward to unwrapping later. Somehow Davis made her feel desirable and cherished. She knew most men were proud to be seen with her, but with Davis she had the sense that he was proud of who she was not just in how she looked.

She mentally rolled her eyes at fanciful thoughts. She didn't know him and he didn't know her, so those thoughts were all wishful thinking.

As they exited the elevator he moved towards the front of the lobby and the exit. "We're not eating here?" she asked. She had thought that they would be dining in the restaurant like the previous evening.

"No, my brother lives in L.A. and we'll be eating at his place. I promised you hamburgers and I always keep my promises."

This threw Laura. She didn't know his brother lived in L.A., but then why should she? It only proved her point that they really knew nothing about each other.

Davis handed over a valet ticket and they waited silently. He wasn't going to try to make conversation for conversations sake. When the valet returned he arrived in a large pickup truck.

"You must have missed the memo about global warming," Laura said, looking at the gas guzzler.

Davis just shrugged. "Unfortunately trucks are a necessity where I come from. This one belongs to my brother and he's letting me borrow it for the evening. It's actually no worse than the van we drove around in today. In fact, it's the same engine."

So get off you high horse Laura, she added for him silently. "Where do you come from?" Laura asked, realizing that she wasn't going to win the argument.

"My family owns a ranch in Texas."

Laura looked at him taking in his clean cut pretty boy image. "I never would have guessed that you grew up on a ranch." Laura looked at the monstrous truck, wondering how she was going to climb into the cab.

Davis smiled getting her dilemma. "My sisters-in-law have told me about this problem, it seems most of them have had it in the past. Turn around."

Laura turned around looking at him and before she knew what he was going to do he scooped her up and sat her on the seat as if she were a small girl not a 5'10" model. He was in her space for just a brief moment, but it was long enough to feel the strength in his arms as they supported her weight.

He closed the door and moved around to his side climbing in with effortless ease.

"Didn't you say you had a sister? Doesn't she have trouble climbing into the cab of a truck as well?" Laura straightened her dress and buckled her seat belt as he started to pull out into traffic.

"No, she mastered the skill a long time ago."

"So it's a skill that can be mastered?"

"According to Lizzy, yes. I'll have her give you a lesson one day."

There it was again, his supreme confidence that she was going to be in his life longer than this photo shoot. Laura decided to ignore his comment. If she said anything he would just use it to tease her.

"So was it good to see your sister again?" he asked after a few moments of silence.

"Sure," Laura said watching the scenery of buildings and other cars fly by the window.

"Sure? So then you two aren't close?" he sounded mildly curious nothing more.

"No." She had started to rub her wrist again.

Davis remained silent, waiting to see if she would continue and for the first time in her life she wanted to. She wanted to share the burden of her past with him; have someone tell her it wasn't her fault and that she had done nothing wrong.

"Charlotte is my step-sister, her mother married my father when I was about thirteen. We only lived in the same house for a year before I went away to school." All of that was true and it would explain their lack of closeness. It was how they had both explained it to themselves for years before they knew the truth.

Davis nodded, accepting her answer. He really was a mystery. Most people were shocked that she was sent away from home at such a young age. She waited for the questions that inevitably followed, but they never came. Laura could only stare at him in confusion. He had to be playing some kind of mental game with her. Why else would she be letting her guard down so often and telling him more than she told anyone, remembering things that were better left forgotten?

"What, why are you looking at me like that?"

"Most people have a ton of questions after I tell them that story, yet you have none. Where is all of this supposed interest you have in me, or are you only interested in sex?"

He gave a smile that was a bit sad. "I am interested in sex, especially with you, but I'm interested in you more. I find you an interesting mystery, a mix of innocence and experience that I think not only confuses me but you too."

He was silent for a moment as if considering his statement. It struck home with Laura and she turned to look out the window so he wouldn't see her continued confusion.

"One of my brothers was sent away to school when he was ten years old, so it's not an odd thing to me. It happens even in the closest of families," he explained after a long drawn out silence.

"So your family is close?" she asked, suddenly curious.

"Yes, in fact I forgot to mention that another brother will be joining us this evening, he arrived this morning and is working in town for the next few weeks."

Laura shrugged. "Fine, they'll both be able to back up your story then."

"What story would that be?" Laura watched his strong hands on the wheel of the truck as he navigated traffic.

She had spoken before she had thought and she never did that. Davis had gotten past her walls once again. She continued to look out the window, remaining silent, hoping he would forget the comment.

"Laura, please explain your comment?" he requested calmly.

"It's just in my experience, most men ask me out for one of two reasons. They either want to be the one to melt Ice Queen, or they want to show me off and impress their friends." She had to clear her throat as the tension in the truck rose.

She expected him to be mad, but when she glanced at him he looked thoughtful.

Up until then it had never mattered what a man's reasons for wanting to take her out were because she didn't care about them or what they thought, but she realized with Davis she did care that he was possibly like all the others and only wanted to use her. She had the same sense of dread that she had had on the airplane. It felt like she was falling from a great height and totally out of control.

The rest of the journey was made in silence.

They arrived outside of a little bungalow in the hills above the city. It was circa 1920 with a Spanish design. The grounds were beautiful and the house looked warm and inviting with light that spilled from the windows and porch.

Davis came around to her side of the truck and helped her out the same way he helped her in by lifting her, but this time as he lowered her to the ground he didn't step away from her immediately. He looked down at her, his gaze meeting hers as if he was looking for an answer to an important question. "I like YOU Laura."

"You don't know me Davis."

"I know you are extremely innocent even though you do your best to hide it, I know you have an old soul, I know you are a closet romantic, and I bet you're a good cook. That's the Laura I see when I look at you. That's the girl that I want to get to know, not the Ice Queen."

Laura didn't know what to say to that, so she turned away from him to look at the house.

"This is a nice place your brother has."

"Mmm, yes, he's done well for himself," Davis agreed absentmindedly watching her as she totally ignored his comment.

"You know what I want to do right now?"

Laura could feel his eyes on her. "Yes, I do. It's what they all want to do." She turned to look at him. "You want to kiss me because you're sure that you will be able to melt the Ice Queen."

He nodded. "Which is why I'm not going to do it. I think I'll let you kiss me first." He took her arm and led her up the walk.

"But you've already kissed me." She pointed out to him as she quickened her pace to keep up with him.

"That was a quick peck not a real kiss. Trust me, when we kiss for real, you'll know it." He grinned.

Laura wanted to tell him that that was the best kiss that she had ever had, that she was very aware that it had happened, and it was not something that she was likely to forget anytime soon, but if she told him it would reveal more of herself to him than she was ready to.

As they reached the door it opened and a tall lean man was standing before them with a smile of greeting. "It's about time you two got here. I'm starving."

"You're always starving. Caleb, this is Laura Wren. Laura this is my brother, Caleb Stevens."

Caleb took in her appearance with a warm smile. "Why is such a lovely girl going out with my brother?" He held out his hand.

Laura took it politely. "When I could be going out with you I suppose?"

Caleb's eyebrow rose as he looked over at his brother with a question that Laura didn't get. "Well, you said it, I didn't."

Laura realized she had been rude, but it was foreign for her to be anything but rude. She had lost the necessities of polite society. Unable to apologize, she remained stubbornly silent as the two brothers greeted each other then moved into the house.

Laura immediately smelled something burning and turned to look at Davis, who shook his head as if it was an expected occurrence. Just then a door at the end of the hallway flew open and Cassandra Stevens, the singer, stood before her; her hair was pulled back into a ponytail and she was dressed casually in jeans and a t-shirt with no makeup. She looked stunning.

"Can you cook?" She demanded, grabbing Laura's arm and pulling her into the kitchen. "Lizzy was supposed to be here but she's running late, and I'm useless in the kitchen, always have been."

"Lizzy isn't much better," Caleb joked, causing Cassandra to shoot him look that would kill lesser mortals. "I thought we were grilling out?" He quickly changed the subject.

"We are and Mason is in charge of the steaks, but I was supposed to do the sides and they're ruined!"

"Thank goodness Mason was in charge of the steaks," Caleb said and was rewarded with a towel to the face. "I'll just go outside and make sure Mason doesn't need any help.

Cassandra watched his back with narrowed eyes before she turned back to Laura. "Please tell me you can cook."

"I can cook," Laura assured her, still a little bit dazed and confused by what was going on around her. She was afraid to look at Davis and see the look of smugness about his earlier cooking comment.

"Laura, this is my sister-in-law Cassie and my brother Mason is outside manning the grill. Cassie, this is Laura." Davis's eyes were glued to Laura as he made the introductions.

"Pleased to meet you Laura, now can you please help me?" Cassie yanked her arm again as she pulled her towards the unrecognizable food in the pots on the stove.

Laura forced herself to file away the fact that Mason and Cassandra Stevens were related to Davis, and focused on the issue presented to her; food. She could feel Davis's eyes on her as he sat at the bar and watched her while she looked though the fridge and pantry at Cassie's directing.

"Don't you want to go outside with the others?" Cassie asked, obviously annoyed by Davis's presence.

"No, I have a feeling that this will be much more interesting." He reached for a wine glass that was sitting on the counter and poured himself some wine before settling into his seat.

Cassie joined him with her glass as Laura started to pull out a few things she could throw together. Cassie had the makings for a simple vegetable stir fry and fried rice.

"What were your intended sides Cassie?" Davis asked as he continued to watch Laura.

"I had mashed potatoes and green beans." Cassie muttered as she too watched Laura.

"And I bet the green beans were from a can," Davis teased, laughing.

"Shut up Davis. Mason didn't marry me for my cooking skills." Cassie kicked him causing Davis to choke on his wine.

"No, I'm sure he didn't."

"Who didn't do what?" A beautiful blond asked as she entered the kitchen. She stopped abruptly as she saw Laura in front of the stove in her fancy dress and high heels.

"Gee, all she's missing is her pearls," The tall blond said, her voice dripping sarcasm.

"Someone is in a bad mood this evening," Cassie greeted, rising to give the blond a hug in greeting.

Laura tensed at the smart comment, knowing that this woman, like most females she met, had developed an instant dislike for her.

"Lizzy, this is Davis's friend Laura. Laura, this is our sister Lizzy." Cassie quickly introduced them.

Laura looked at Lizzy in her simple sundress with her beautiful long blond hair, fair skin, and blue eyes that were full of hostility, and knew that the woman would never be her friend. Laura had kept her face carefully blank since walking into the kitchen, doing her best not to express any feelings for fear that others would see her unease and take advantage of it.

Laura continued cooking while she listened to the two women talk. They had an easy rapport that was familiar and loving, and Laura felt just like she had when she was at school and didn't easily fit in with any of the groups of girls; instantly excluded and intimidated by the two women. They were making no effort to include her in their conversation, and Lizzy was doing her best to act like she didn't exist.

For a moment Laura thought about putting down her spoon and walking out of the room. She didn't know them, and she certainly shouldn't care what they thought, but when she turned to look at Davis he was still watching her as he sipped his wine, the look in his eyes daring her to do that very thing.

Lizzy looked up and caught them looking at each other and stopped talking to Cassie.

"So Laura, what do you do?" Lizzy sat next to her brother putting her arm around his waist. She was staking her claim. He was her brother and she was not going to let a woman like her have him.

"I'm a model." She turned back towards the food she was preparing.

"Do you find that job challenging?" Lizzy asked with the same sarcasm she had had earlier.

"No, not particularly, but I do find it very lucrative," Laura answered honestly.

"How lucrative?" Lizzy's voice lowered as if she was reading a secret meaning into her words.

"Very," Laura responded, choosing not to expound on what she thought was a very rude question.

Lizzy sipped her wine watching her closely behind narrowed eyes. "What do you find challenging, if not your career?"

"Fighting off catty women such as yourself," Laura said evenly without a trace of anger or remorse. There was no need to be polite or concerned about this woman's feelings.

Davis spit out his wine and Cassie started choking on hers.

"The sides are done," Laura said, turning off the burners and looking at the three stunned people before her. "Where is the restroom? I'd like to freshen up a little before we eat."

Cassie was the first to hear her question and motioned for Laura to follow her down the hall towards a powder room under the stairs.

"Don't let Lizzy get under your skin, she is very protective of all of her brothers."

"How many are there?" Laura asked against her better judgment. To ask the question was admitting an interest, an admission that she was sure this woman would jump all over when the time was right.

"There are six brothers." Cassie reached into the restroom and turned on the light.

"That must keep Lizzy very busy," Laura responded rudely.

"Not so much now that there are only three single ones left. The other three are married." Cassie smiled and moved back down the hall towards the kitchen where she had left the others.