Eric. Nick. Ally. Three lives destined to be intertwined... By Chance - A life of wealth and privilege doesn't equal happiness-just ask Eric Courtland. Growing up with a cold, unfeeling father and unstable mother has taught him exactly what he doesn't want out of life or love. Popular, wholesome, straight Nick Thompson is far more temptation than Eric's prepared for, but Nick's warm manner gradually cracks through Eric's prickly protective shell. Independent Eric doesn't know the first thing about being in a relationship, much less with a lover who can't even admit he's gay. But conservative Nick can't seem to find his way out of his own personal closet. Rock, meet hard place. Strictly Business - Eric Courtland is hungry for revenge against the cold, unfeeling father who never loved him, and who drove his mother to an early grave. Tossed headfirst into the shark-tank world of big business, Eric soon learns it's eat or be eaten, and has no choice but to throw in his lot with ruthless titan of industry Branford Crane. Still reeling from his mother's death, Eric plunges into a dark spiral of self-destruction, rejecting his longtime partner Nick's love and support in favor of the harsh tutelage Bran offers him, in and out of the bedroom. But one night, when Bran finally pushes Eric beyond any reasonable limit, Eric realizes how far he's fallen-and how desperately he needs Nick to help pull him back from the edge. Complications - Tired of taking a backseat to Eric's burgeoning political career, Nick calls it quits. A devastated Eric seeks consolation in liquor-and the arms of college friend Ally Taylor. Their passionate rebound affair deepens into something more. Still, Ally's thrown when Eric proposes marriage, with no mention of love. His wealth and connections would certainly help her career, but is their intense physical connection and Eric's promise of fidelity enough? But the growing bond between the newlyweds is threatened when Nick re-enters the picture. Secrets, lies and betrayal will add up to heartbreak for everyone-unless Eric can bring himself to choose between the man he's loved for over a decade, or the wife he can't bear to hurt. Follow Eric, Nick and Ally's story in these three exciting novellas-the prelude to a lifelong love affair that continues in The Arrangement and Triad