Serena Conti's life takes an unexpected turn one day as she is giving a tour of the Conti wine cellars. The tour is for James Miller, of Miller Hotels and Resorts, a chain of luxury vacation destinations throughout the US and the rest of the world—and soon Italy, as he is overseeing the construction of a new location in Rome. There's an undeniable attraction between the two. When the Conti family gather for their family's annual summer party and Serena meets James again, the sparks turn into fire, and they have hot, passionate sex. Their lust for one another only grows from there, threading its way through their lives. Then it all comes crashing to the ground. Serena is the victim of a violent attack—and now James, her friend with very sexy benefits, steps up to protect and care for her in its aftermath.