Jessalyn Swan has never found any man who could light a candle with a flame bright enough to outshine the torch she still carries for one Darius Covington and therefore has stopped looking. Her flourishing antique business is her hard won lifeblood-- a testimony to her feelings for the man she met once and has never forgotten. One magical date as a teenager has shaped her entire life, and nothing will tear her from her path. When it comes to business or pleasure, middle-class Jessalyn knows she cannot risk losing her heart--or her livelihood--to blue-blooded Darius all over again. Years of control and discipline vanish the moment Aikido champion Darius comes face to face with Jessalyn, the incredibly sweet teenager he had met ten years ago, the one who had left an indelible brand on his own teenage heart. But it seems to have gone both ways, for Jess now owns an antique store, a passion she had shared with him over the hours they had once spent together. Now, though, she will control the inheritance--his beloved uncle's priceless heirlooms--and he can't decide if he wants to publicly crush her or simply crush her in his arms. To make matters worse, someone else is aware of their impasse, and attempts are being made on their lives. The inheritance must go to somebody. Survivor takes all.