Play For Keeps Series — Kemmie Michaels

Marcus, Erin, Scott, Cassie, Luke, and Jenna roll through every day, finding their way through very different parts of Atlanta's culture. From white-collar to janitor, struggling student to corporate executive, drifter to care-giver, these extraordinary individuals make connections none expected. Their rage, fear, emptiness, hurt, guilt, and insecurity ease as they find deep connections and heated physical relationships, giving everyone the potential to heal. Unlikely Hero: Erin never would have expected to fall in love. Never. Not with her past, and not with her fear. She never dated; she didn't even allow herself friendships. She didn't trust her judge-of-character skills enough to allow anyone close. until Marcus. With him, a deep connection happened in spite of the walls she'd so carefully constructed around herself. His self-confessed rage fueled much of his life, with the exception of her. For Erin, Marcus dares to make the step toward love…one with the potential to heal them both. Real Challenge: Women fall all over him. Why wouldn't they? He's tall, successful, an Olympic gold-medalist, and blond-haired-blue-eyed charmer who knows how to get what he wants. Scott Merchant has everything figured out. with one exception: Cassie Walker. Within the first hour of meeting Cassie, arrogant playboy Scott wants her. He puts her in the category of obnoxious, ridiculous. and hot. He's oddly attracted to her brash attitude and her refusal to be impressed by him. For Scott, Cassie becomes his next challenge. Cassie, the twin sister of Unlikely Hero's Marcus Walker, has no use for Scott's plastered-on smile. His take-what-you-can-get-out-of-life attitude, however, she can match. Scott's Real Challenge is finding a way to keep that core-deep self true. all the time. Dropping the "strut and charm" may be more than he can handle. Scott loves a challenge, but staying real may prove too difficult. Cassie is worth his efforts, and does her best to inspire him as often as she can.