Adamant Attraction- I

Don Flack, Jr., or 'Flack' as he was know to most of his friends, pulled up in front of the three story stone house at the exclusive Hampton address, throwing his black Porsche 911 turbo into park. Jumping out, he tossed the keys at the young valet, opening the glass front door of the sprawling structure.

A flurry of activity greeted him as caterers prepped serving areas, stocked makeshift bars, all the while decorators strung mini white lights along the curved oak banister. Sidestepping a man carrying a full tray of crab puffs, Flack spotted his Mom standing in the middle of the living room giving orders.

Glancing up from her checklist, Susan Flack repressed a smile as her son approached. It wouldn't do any good to let him know how happy she was to see him until after he got a good scolding for being late.

"Well look at you Donny, showing up after nearly all the works been done," she chided, using the childhood name that only she was allowed to get away with. "It didn't occur to you to arrive early, or even on time for that matter, and help your dear mother out."

Wrapping his petite mom up in a hug, Flack chuckled as the top of her head just brushed the middle of his chest. "Sorry Mom, I got caught up at work, but from the looks of things you have it all well under control. I'd have just been in the way."

Stepping back Susan gave him a wry look, turning to direct a man carrying a floral arrangement. "You, my dear, sound just like your father tonight! Full of false compliments, secretly hoping that I won't make you pitch in and help!"

"Me? Not want to assist in these lovely preparations?"

Susan laughed at Flack's earnest expression, reaching up to lay a hand gently against his cheek. "You are a handful, but I still love you! Now go upstairs and get changed before it gets any later. Oh! And find out what's taking your sister so long will you?"

Flack rolled his eyes at his mother. "You know how she is. Eight million bottles of this and that she has to put on her face before she feels presentable."

"Well then you just go take two million of those bottles away from her so that there's a prayer she'll be ready in time for the party tonight! Now go before I put you to work tying ribbons around the parting gifts!"

Before his mother could utter another word Flack was halfway up the stairs with her laughter following him. As he left the chaos of the party preparations behind, wandering down the hall towards his sister's room, he couldn't help but wish he could spend more time with his family. He missed them.

It was hard living the way he did. He loved his job as a detective for the NYPD, especially since he was following the same career path as his father, but because he wanted his career to flourish he shied away from his birthright.

The financial corporation, Whitmore Investing, that his parents had inherited dominated the east coast, Western Europe and expanded globally on a daily basis. He was heir to the company, and the fortune, along with his sister, Lila, but to acknowledge it would mean the end of his days on the force. Who'd take him seriously if they knew he owned three luxury cars in a garage on 152nd Street and a private jet?

Shaking off his dark thoughts Flack banged on the door to his sister's room. "Hey Lila, it's me open up!" The only sound that greeted him was music blaring out of the stereo system. "Lila! Hey, come on and open the door!" Flack waited a moment and threw open the door calling out as he did, "Hope your decent 'cause I'm coming in!"

Clothes lay strewn across every available surface along with earrings, necklaces and shoes. "It looks like Cartier and Armani had a war," he exclaimed, examining the clothing and accessory catastrophe before him.

From inside the walk in closet Lila appeared, launching herself at her brother. "You're here! Great! Now you can help me figure out what to wear!" Grabbing his hand Lila pulled Flack towards the bed. "I feel like I've gone through every outfit that I own and nothing seems right!"

Flack stared into his sister's blue eyes that were a mirror of his own, bursting into laughter. "You sure this is everything you own Peanut," he teased.

Lila looked around uncertainly. "Well…everything that's appropriate for the engagement party tonight." Her reply only made him laugh harder. Flack had to sit on the edge of the bed for support.

"Stop laughing! And don't call me 'Peanut'; you know I hate that nickname!"

Finally gaining some composure Flack grinned. "Of course, why else would I use it?"

Throwing her hands up in the air Lila sighed. "That doesn't surprise me! If you're not going to be any help then get out so I can decide on my own!"

"With pleasure, but you better hurry; the guests are going to be arriving any minute. Mom was looking for you." He headed towards the door carefully stepping over a stray stiletto heel.

Lila looked her brother over from head to toe. "And I suppose you're just going to take two minutes to get ready, expecting all the eligible females to fall all over themselves for you?"

"I can't help it if I'm irresistible," Flack returned with a wicked smile before closing the door on Lila's annoyance. He could hear her muttering about idiot brothers as he moved down the hall.

Once inside his room, he quickly jumped in the shower , thinking of all the people he'd see at the engagement party. It still shook him to think of one of his closest friends, Brent Allexander, getting married.

Soaping up his hair he remembered all the time he used to spend at Brent's house building forts, looking at cars and women, wondering what their lives would be like when they got older. His parents and Brent's had been the closest of friends raising their children together: Flack and Brent who were a mere 3 months apart in age, Flack's sister, Lila, and Brent's sister, Madison, were born on the same exact day approximately three years after their respective big brothers.

Madison…even in the shower Flack's lips twisted in disapproval as he thought about the girl who was the socialite of Manhattan. With their successful real-estate conglomerate, Allex-Morton Properties, the Allexander family owned large portions of some of the most impressive cities world wide.

On a hot summer's day at the age of fourteen, Flack had overheard Madison telling Lila how she wanted to be a princess one day and live in all the places her family owned. That had been the day he'd bestowed upon his little sister's best friend the nickname 'Princess' with an unkind connotation. It was a nickname he still used whenever they interacted, which was rather sporadic at best.

Turning off the spigots with a hard yank Flack stepped out of the shower toweling off his hair. He grabbed the garment bag with his tuxedo from the back of the door. Staring at his reflection he recited the same words to himself that he had since he was a boy. Madison Allexander is nothing but a spoiled little girl, always has been always will…

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Having finally decided on a pale blue satin halter dress to bring out the blue in her eyes, Lila stood in the foyer greeting guests. She kept an eye out for her brother so she could shift some of the hosting responsibilities over to him, but before he appeared Lila spotted her best friend, Madison, slipping through the front door.

Excusing herself from her present conversation, Lila hurried over and Madison's face lit up with a smile. "Lila! God I am so happy to see you!"

"Oh Madie, when are you moving back to New York? It's miserable here without you!"

Madison's light laughter blended with the murmur of the crowd. "Believe it or not I maneuvered everything I needed to-- as of this moment I'm officially back in New York for good!"

Lila grabbed Madison's hand. "Are you serious?"

"As a heart attack!"

The two girls embraced, oblivious of the appreciative looks men sent their way. Lila with her dark brown hair and crystal blue eyes, Madison with her warm hazel eyes and pale strawberry blond hair were nothing short of stunning.

Madison pulled back from Lila's embrace taking a quick look around the room. "He's not down yet," Lila said with a knowing look.

Heat spread into Madison's cheeks as she stuttered, "Wh…Who… I wasn't looking for anyone in particular." Lila's eyes filled with sympathy but she played along. "I was just kidding you. Come on, let's go find a waiter and grab a glass of champagne!"

Following Lila through the throng of people Madison offered up a silent thank you that her friend hadn't pushed the issue. It just wasn't fair that she couldn't seem to shake the crush she had on her best friend's older brother. Especially since he'd made it clear on several occasions that he considered her nothing more than a pampered heiress.

Swiping two glasses of champagne off a passing tray Lila turned and handed one to Madison. "Here's to my best friend finally moving back from D.C.!" The two girls clinked glasses sipping the bubbly.

Looking over Madison's shoulder, Lila watched her brother descend the stairs, wishing for her friend's sake that Madison could disappear. No matter how much she wanted to deny it, Lila could tell she was still as hung up on her brother as ever.

The worst part was watching Madison hope that her brother would one day see her as more than the Allexander heiress, but Lila was afraid that would never happen. For some reason she couldn't understand, he seemed determined to dislike her.

Madison felt his presence behind her before Flack uttered a word. It was like some sort of bizarre radar she had where he was concerned. Determined not to act like a nervous school girl she turned and faced him.

Even after years of staring at him, memorizing the planes of his face, the exact blue of his eyes and the dark chocolate shade of his hair, she still caught her breath at his handsomeness.

"Princess," Flack addressed her with condescension dripping from every letter of the word. His blue eyes held her hazel ones until she was forced to turn away from the intense dislike radiating from his expression.

"Flack," Madison murmured in response toying with the stem of her champagne flute. She'd used his last name to address him ever since her high school graduation when he'd told her in no uncertain terms that only family called him 'Don'.

"Nervous," he taunted noticing her fingers playing against the glass.

Lila recognized the storm clouds behind her brother's usually clear eyes stepped forward. "We were just going to see if we could find her brother and his fiancée. You should go find Dad," Lila suggested as she began to walk away pulling Madison with her.

Before Flack could reply they vanished into the crowd, but not before his eyes strayed to the way Madison's emerald silk dress clung to her hips. Mentally giving himself a shake he turned to ask a waiter for a Scotch neat. He didn't want to think of Madison in any way other than annoying and spoiled, it was better that way. Not wanting to spend the rest of the evening brooding, Flack went in search of his Dad, oblivious to a pair of hazel eyes that clung to his powerful form every step of the way.