Raising the Bar (13 page)

“That’s it, baby. Ride me. Oh yeah. Just like that.” He continued to glide in and out as she moved, until she slammed herself over him, needing more. His thumb found her clit, and he rubbed her into an explosive orgasm, joining her soon after.

When she caught her breath again, it was to the realization that he’d come in her without a condom for the first time.

“Fuck. Your pussy is golden.” He groaned and shifted, and she still felt him thick and full inside her. “Oh damn. I’m sorry, baby. I came in you, didn’t I?”

She just stared at him. “You don’t sound sorry.”

His naughty grin warmed her. “I’m not. Not at all. I like being inside you without barriers.”

“Me too.”

“But I should have asked.” He paused. “Any chance I just made a little Harper?”

She swore he sounded hopeful. “Sorry, no. I’m on birth control.”

“Too bad. I’ll have to try harder next time. I know I can get through if I fuck you hard enough.”

She snickered and leaned over him, listening to his racing heart. The thought of having a baby with Harper or Dylan gave her warm fuzzies, another sign she knew she had it bad for both men. Then she said what he hadn’t. “He left us.”

“To go to his family.” Harper blew out a breath and stroked her hair. “Remember. He’s new to this. We have to take it slow.”

“I hate slow.”

“Slow sucks.”

“Sucks ass.”

He paused. “I wish you’d suck ass.”

She pulled one of his chest hairs and grinned at his wince. “Back at ya.” Except her joke had her flat on her back in no time. She shrieked. “I didn’t mean now, you Neanderthal.”

He laughed. “Well, you should have said so.” He pushed a lock of her hair from her eyes. “How about we get cleaned up and go back to my place? You can cook me something. I’m starving.”

“Men,” she grumbled, feeling better about life, even if it felt like Dylan had deserted them. “When will you people learn to cook for yourselves?”

They showered, cleaned up the place and left the dungeon behind. The weather had turned nice, and though cool, the sunny sky invited love and laughter. A sense that all things were possible if one believed it badly enough.

Freddy promised to cook Harper a great big breakfast of pancakes and bacon, leading the lamb back to the slaughter. Or rather, to her brother’s house to introduce him. The last time they’d been by to drop off decorations, Brian hadn’t been home. He’d be home this morning.

“Oh man. Freddy, you could have warned me.” Harper ran a hand through his sandy hair, and she liked that he looked like he needed a cut and hadn’t shaved. Harper wore mean like a shadow, even if he was a great big teddy bear. So it was no surprise that when she introduced him to Brian, Brian seemed skeptical.

“Seriously? You’re not one of the bouncers at the club, are you?” Brian stood in the doorway of his house and studied the two of them. “The last time she introduced me to her new ‘boyfriend’ he wasn’t real. Just a big dude that smiled a lot and tried to act like he could handle her. I’m still not sure if the Mohawk and piercings were real or just an affectation.”

“Jeff, right?” Harper shook his head. “Freddy. Really.”

“Well, Brian was riding my ass about having a boyfriend, and Jeff owed me money.”

Harper cringed. “That’s even worse. You had to pay him?”

“See what I mean? She’s cute but pathetic. Come on in,” Brian invited.

Freddy grinned. It was a sign Brian might actually like Harper—he’d let him inside.

While Harper bragged about the breakfast Freddy had promised him, Brian made subtle hints about her cooking for him too. Then somehow the two of them started talking about mutual acquaintances, and Freddy made a huge platter of pancakes, bacon and a pot of coffee.

Brian dug into his food with gusto. “The Warrens. Yeah, I know them. Derrick lives down the street. He’s a funny guy. Has a thing going on with the woman who sold me this house. I met Dylan once. Maybe. It’s hard to tell them apart, you know? The younger brother, Gage, is pretty decent too.”

As they made small talk, Freddy soaked up information about Dylan like a sponge, and she thought Harper was as well.

When the men had finished the last bite of pancakes, Brian leaned back and sighed. “That was amazing. Thanks, sis. So, Harper. Tell me, does Dylan know you two are planning to adopt him?”

Harper and Freddy froze.

“Brian, it’s not like that,” she tried, and her brother groaned.

“Oh man. You two have the dopiest expressions on your faces. All those questions about Dylan Warren. I’m not stupid. Now I have to deal with
another
weird ménage thing involving my little sister. Ew. Please. Shoot me now.”

Harper’s frown turned into a large grin. “You know, I like your brother.” He winked at her. “Too bad he’s not single. Or
is
he?” he put enough innuendo in
is
to have her brother reeling and sputtering.

Harper cracked up laughing.

“Oh, relax, Brian. Us pervs don’t have room for more than three people in bed. And you couldn’t pay me to even think about you naked. Ugh.”

“Please. I just ate,” Harper begged and wiped at his eyes. “Brother and sister love has its place, but
never
in the bedroom. Now, Brian, how about you run down everything you know about the Warrens again. Because your sister and I need to be well prepared to hunt our scared psychiatrist down. Consider it Freddy’s early Christmas present.”

Brian glanced from her to Harper. “So you’re really keeping this one, eh? Why haven’t I heard his name before?”

“Because I don’t tell you everything. I’ve known Harper for a year. Now be nice or I’ll sic him on you. And notice, Harper’s huge.”

“I’ve been told I’m a Neanderthal,” Harper added.

“So I see. Fine. I’ll share what little I know.” Brian paused. “But I could get you more info…for a small trade.”

“What’s that?” she asked.

“A favor for a favor. Just remember, when I call you on it, you have to do it.”

Harper pursed his lips. “I don’t know. As I recall, Dylan got himself in trouble promising that very thing.”

But Freddy wanted Dylan, and she’d use any means necessary, fair or foul. Besides, just what could Brian ask that would be so hard to fulfill? “Done.”

Harper groaned. “Oh man. Somehow I just know you’re going to regret that.”

Chapter Seven

Dylan had showered and dressed in casual slacks and a sweater for this morning’s breakfast. He wondered if he still had that been-fucked-hard look he’d worn while shaving, but he didn’t think so. He’d practiced shaking it off.

Good Christ, he’d let Harper and Freddy tie him up and give him orgasms that had blown his mind. He knew better than to equate lust with love, but he couldn’t stop smiling whenever he pictured a mop of golden hair and blue eyes, or brown eyes and Harper’s firm, wide smile. Warmth filled him from head to toe.

He knocked on the back door of his mother’s house.

“Come in.” Gage’s voice.

He pushed through and saw Derrick and Gage glaring at each other, but no sign of anyone else.

“Where are all the sexy women? James? Mom?”

Derrick shrugged. “Hailey and Sydney had plans with Faith this morning. I don’t know where James is, but Mom just ran out to grab more coffee. I mean, the woman invited us here. Why wouldn’t she be prepared? I’m deeply, deeply hurt.”

“Dumb ass. She’s been busy with James. So she forgot.” Gage turned to Dylan. “I offered to get some, but she wanted to go.”

“Since when are you the good son?” Derrick sneered. “Suck-up.”

“Hey. I’ve been her favorite forever. I’m the youngest, and I didn’t give her nearly the same problems you idiots did growing up. The friggin’ Warren twins had a reputation all through school.” Gage included Dylan in his frown. “A bad one. You made my life hell. I had to be extra good just to get by.”

At that, Dylan joined Derrick at the kitchen island. Strength in numbers. “Gimme a break. Your grades sucked and you had more detentions than both of us combined. If it wasn’t for that golden quarterback’s arm, you might have become the degenerate Mom and Dad feared.”

They both blinked at him in surprise.

“What? You both know it’s true.”

Derrick frowned. “You mentioned Dad. You never talk about him.”

“Never.” Gage nodded. “And on that note, before Mom gets back, you want to tell us what the hell crawled up your ass and died?”

“Excuse me?”

“I hate that superior tone,” Derrick muttered. “Give it up. Gage and I have been talking. We want to know why you don’t like Mom and James together.”

“I do.”

“Liar.” Derrick didn’t bother hiding his disbelief.

Dylan thought,
Why the hell not admit it?
Derrick knew how he felt in any case. He never could keep the truth from his twin. “Fine. I don’t. I hate the thought of Mom together with James, and I hate myself for feeling that way.”

“But why?” Gage sounded confused. “James is family. He’s a great guy.”

“Except for his taste in football. Dickhead actually hates the Bears.” Derrick sighed. “But yeah, he’s good for Mom. They’re both shrinks—”

“Professionals,” Dylan corrected.

“They like the same things, have the same friends—hell, they deal with your attitude all the time and haven’t moved out of the state. What’s not to like? The guy has money and isn’t a loser. We know he’s not after Mom for any other reason than that he likes her. What gives, moron?”

Barbara waited outside the back door with her grocery bag in one hand, holding her breath. She’d made it a habit to eavesdrop on the boys because it was generally the only way she learned the truth about half the things she wished she’d never known about. Some things she acted on, and she got a kick out of surprising Dylan when he least expected it. Her oldest had a potty mouth on him, one he rarely shared with her.

Even though he’d said he was happy for her and James, neither she nor James had really believed it. But Dylan was stubborn. He wouldn’t talk to her and apparently hadn’t shared with his brothers.

She peered through a crack in the door and saw her handsome sons, so big and strong. So successful. Gage, owner of the construction firm Andrew had started. Derrick, his partner and an amazing architect. And Dylan, the apple of her eye, an amazing psychiatrist with an exceptional ability to help others.

Her son, always giving and rarely taking for himself.

“Fuck if I know, Derrick.” Dylan sighed. “I like James. I respect him. He’s a hell of a therapist, like Mom. He’s intelligent, nice, successful. But it’s like…”

“Like he’s taking Dad’s place?” Gage offered. “Even though Dad’s been gone for a long time, he’s always here, you know? And if James is suddenly in the picture, maybe you’re feeling like Mom’s forgetting him.”

Dylan and Derrick stared at Gage in astonishment. Barbara held a hand over her mouth to stifle her own gasp. Who would have thought the truth would spill from her youngest, normally the least perceptive of the group?

“That was actually insightful.” Dylan blinked. “Oh my God. Did you suddenly develop a brain under all that muscle?”

“I think Hailey cut down on his steroids, so now he’s able to think. That or all the sex he’s been having has enabled him to focus on something other than tits and ass.” Derrick laughed at him.

Gage glared. “Funny, dickhead. You should talk. I swear, we’re lucky you didn’t bend Sydney over the table the last time we met Mom for breakfast. Jesus. Can’t you save it for when you’re home alone?”

“Me? What about—”

“Derrick, can it.” Dylan blew out a breath. “The fact is, Gage might be right. I’ve been trying to deal with my fucked-up emotions. I’m pretty good at this therapy gig, you know.”

“So you say,” Gage said.

“All the time,” Derrick added.

Dylan scowled at them both, and Barbara’s heart raced. He reminded her so much of Andrew right then. “You guys always used to hang with Dad, and I was with Mom. Then Dad died, and you two seemed to adjust easier than Mom and I did.”

Derrick considered him. “That’s true. I remember how quiet you were at the beginning. It took you a while to deal.” Derrick had played a huge part in bringing Dylan back to normalcy.

“Mom was worse,” Dylan admitted. “She used to cry every night. She had bad dreams and lost all that weight. And her hair turned
white
. She used dye to cover it, but I knew.”

Dylan had never told her that he’d known of her struggles, not in eleven years.

“No shit?” Gage looked stunned.

“The guys she dated were a cover, so she’d appear normal, as if she were getting over him. But none of them mattered, at least, not in those first few years. Mom gave up on a life outside of us,” Dylan said quietly. “And I guess I was a selfish bastard, because I let her. I knew what she was doing, and I never pushed her.”

Oh Dylan.

“Come on, bro. Mom’s Mom.” Derrick shook his head. “She does nothing she doesn’t want to do. Besides, James has been by her side all this time. She never dated him though, did she? Not until now.”