(Originally published Dec. 2010. Reissued May 2013 with minor edits applied) She doesn’t want wild and raunchy, just a little spice… He wants commitment and long-term, not a quick roll… Two best friends who both want each other, but for very different reasons. The walls are thin in the Apple Trail Apartments. Ever since she moved in after her divorce, Stephanie has listened to her best friend next door getting busy. By the bed knocking on the wall and the gasping women, Stephanie wants to be one of those women on the other side. She just has to get the courage up to ask. The only woman Parker Madison ever wanted long-term was the very-married Stephanie. He’s tried finding a substitute, but there just isn’t another woman like her. Now that she's available, he just has to keep his hands to himself for a respectable length of time after her divorce. He’s planning to make a move after eight months. Stephanie takes him by surprise after three. Does he fulfill her request and risk becoming that best friend rebound guy or wait it out to better his chances for happily ever after?

Six years apart and my, my, things have changed. Specifically, his wider shoulders and tighter-fitting jeans. Shellie Chambers is supposed to be on a quick, relaxing break, visiting her lifelong best friend, Riley Hamilton. Seeing his dimpled smile all over again has her thinking their friends-only relationship needs to add a lovers option in this small town. Flings, one night stands, and lovers are a thing of Riley’s past. He’d chased women, took up drinking—and possibly more he couldn’t remember—until smacking rock-bottom. He managed to climb out of that hellhole and had no desire to go back. He has responsibilities now and a sensible head on his shoulders. Then Shellie turns up. She’s saying and doing all the right things while looking just right, too. She leaves him torn: should he have her legs around his waist during her visit, or do right by himself and keep her at arm’s length?

It’s been a White Picket Fence life for Nicolette. Charming, but tedious. She graduated high school, raring to go. Nothing is ever as easy as it seems though. The fear of being stuck in a rut, living a dull day-to-day life keeps Nicolette from settling on a career, despite her six years of college. When the chance arrives for her to housesit, she takes opportunity by the horns for a little playtime. She would experience life and find something that would make her happy. Drew knows exactly what he wants. To run the family construction business. Too bad his dad doesn’t think he’s ready. They make a deal. Drew will help his cousin put up a new fence and after he’s learned hard work, the construction business is his. Drew's not sure learning how to string fence line together will see him suitable for a career of paper pushing, but he’ll do it. When Drew meets the wanna-be-free-spirited Nicolette, his determined thoughts of what he’s always worked for begins to sway. Nicolette’s finding the fun in life. But their relationship is temporary. A week tops.

He never loses control and she always tests the rules. Chief Deputy Mike Gabel is the man in charge in Apple Trail. No one gives him more trouble than a certain blonde. While her stunts are frustrating to deal with, it’s the constant way she keeps him trapped in knots. Tiffany McBride has a reputation for being a trouble maker. She’s been betting and causing trouble since her parents died when she was a teenager. What looks like a young woman sewing her oats, it’s actually desperate measures to gamble for extra money to put food on the table. When these two acknowledge their attraction, sparks fly…that is if Mike’s public position can survive Tiffany’s frowned upon reputation.

Blondes have more fun? Pfft. Bad Girls have more fun. Rebecca Gabel was accused of being a bad girl and she discovered life was easier (and more fun!) to live up to the reputation than try to deny it. But now with a new comer in town who’s taking her up on her suggestions, Rebecca is a little out of her element. There’s talking the talk…and then there’s having to walk it. Grant Iverson recently inherited land from his mother, so he’s arrived in Apple Trail, Arkansas to check the place out and see if there are any treasures hidden there. What he doesn’t expect to find is a woman full of curves and a mouth of pure sin, but whose eyes reflect nothing but curious innocence.

Jessie McBride barely survived the unexpected death of her loving parents. Forced to fend for herself with few to depend on while raising her younger cousin, Jessie learned to be self-sufficient. Kept few friends close and pushed the rest of the world away, not wanting to ever be that helpless, dependent girl again. Been there, done that and she never wanted do it again. It works until Henry Green enters her life, with sentimental tales of his grandpa and family. Jessie is drawn in as Henry strives to take care of the man who raised him. But while Henry is putting things in place for his grandpa to retire, his well-intended controlling ways are smothering Jessie. Can Henry’s invitation back to life and love tempt Jessie to drop the emotional wall, or will Henry give up on chasing the girl she once was?