"Hey. Thanks for going with me." I stepped back from the bike as Bailey pulled her hair back up into a ponytail. The thought of it not being down wanted me to stop her, but I'd overstepped my boundaries way more times than I should have.

"Sure. No problem." She turned as Austin's little voice filled up the space around us.

"Daddy!" He bounded down the stairs, his little arms wide and short legs racing toward me.

I laughed and bent down to pick him up. "You finally up from your nap?"

"Yeah. I didn't even know I fell asleep." He smiled down at Bailey. "Who is this?"

His heart pounded in his chest so hard that I could feel it against my chest. His eyes were wide, and if I didn't know any better, I'd have thought he was smitten with Bailey. Not that I could blame him in the slightest.

She was everything I wanted in my life when I let myself dream a little again. Fuck me for trying to seduce her. She deserved more than a quick fuck and run. So did I.

"This is Uncle Rhys's baby sister." I winked at Bailey and helped Austin down out of arms.

He glanced up at me and smiled. "She's pretty like mommy was."

His word hit me square in the chest. "Yeah. She is, right? I think she can hear us, though."

Bailey laughed softly before kneeling in front of him. "Your name is Austin?" He nodded and moved closer to me. "And how old are you?"

I brushed my hand over his head and watched the beautiful creature entice him to open up. I wanted more than I should have with her, and I knew myself... it was going to start with sex. It was the easiest way to show her how much she turned me on - physically, emotionally, mentally.

Rhys was going to fucking kill me.

"I'm five." Austin took a step away from me and touched Bailey's earring. "Is this a Mockingbird?"

She glanced up at me with a question in her eyes. "I think so. I can't see it."

He giggled. I smiled and nodded. "They're Mockingbirds. They look really pretty on Miss Bailey, don't they, Aus?"

"Yes, Sir." He turned to face me. "Dinner is ready. Granny is in her room resting. She overdid it." He took off and raced up the stairs while he called over his shoulder. "Miss Bailey. You can sit by me at dinner."

"Okay." Bailey turned to me. "God, he's so cute. Like the perfect mix of you and Laila."

I smiled and reached out, gripping her arm carefully before sliding my fingers down to her hand. I pulled her a little closer to me.

"What am I gonna do about this thing building inside of me, Bailey?"

"What thing?" she whispered softly and pressed her free hand to my chest.

I trapped my hand over hers. "This thing you're doing to me."

She smiled and glanced toward the house. "You're going to man up and ask me out on a date, or you're going to let your mom keep setting you up with horrors."

"Wait. Whores?" I lifted an eyebrow and released her.

"Horrors. With an 'H'." She snorted, and I smiled. Fuck me she was beautiful.

"Go out with me." I reached for her hand again.

"Maybe." She tugged her hand back. "My brother's watching from some odd window shutter, I promise. Don't ruin your friendship over me. You both need each other too much."

"You don't think he would be okay with something starting between us?" I wanted to press the point. Shit. I wanted to press up against her. Worship every inch of her sexy little body. Fuck her against every wall in my house and make her cry out my name until she was shaking and covered in come.

A growl rose in my chest. My lust had been lukewarm since Laila at best but now was different. So damn different that it hurt.

"I'm not sure." She took a step back as I took a step closer. "But I'm not going out with you until you talk to my brother."

I glanced down at my dick as the fucker danced around, pulsing with a painful sensation. "Well, you go in and entertain while I try to get rid of what you do to me."

"Just because yours is obvious doesn't mean that you're the only one feeling anything." She moved close enough to brush the back of her fingers down my dick, playing with me.

"Shit." I closed my eyes, gritted my teeth and gripped her hand tightly. "I'm not a soft guy in the bedroom. If you say yes to dinner and a walk around the park, know I'm gonna try. Period."

"I would be pretty upset if you didn't." She pulled her hand free and turned toward the house. "Come on. You have to talk to Rhys, and I have a little boy to entertain before dinner."

I smiled. "Sounds like you have the easier of the two things to deal with." I walked to the house, readjusting myself. What was I going to do with her? Make love to her, yes. So hard and long and sweet that she yearned for me when I wasn't around. The old desire to make someone fall so deep in love with me that she couldn't stand a moment away from me roared to life inside of me.

It stole my breath.

"Maybe there's hope," I whispered and patted my chest as I followed a little ways behind her.

She was in the kitchen with my mom, Nina and Austin by the sounds of their voices, but Rhys and Ellen were still in the game room, or so it seemed. I made my way down there and poked my head in.

Rhys glanced toward me and smiled. "What's up, brother? You didn't leave Bailey with those heathen bastards at the fire station, right?"

"Nope. She's in the kitchen with little man." I took a deep breath. "Can I talk with you for a minute?"

"Yeah. Sure." He got up, and I realized that Ellen's legs were in his lap. "Be right back, pretty girl."

"Hurry back, please." She smiled at him and turned back to the TV.

"What's that all about?" I asked as we walked down the hallway to my old bedroom.

"It's just sex. We're going to fuck until I leave and that's it." His tone was so nonchalant.

"You're such a whore." I walked into my room, dropped down on the bed and glanced up at him. "So I need to talk to you about Bailey."

He laughed and closed the door. "I'm not her daddy, Jer."

"I know, but you're my best friend, and she's your baby sister." I clasped my hands together. "I don't even know how to start this. I don't know where I fully want things to go with her."

"Sure you do." He crossed his arms over his chest and leaned against the closed door. "You're just scared as fuck to admit it."

I nodded. "Yeah. That's actually spot on." I reached up and pinched my bottom lip between my thumb and middle finger. "I don't want to fall in love, but I could see it happening so easily with her."

"Which is most likely going to happen. Let's see why." He lifted his fingers and ticked off each with his reasonings. "She's beautiful. She's young and vibrant. She's totally mother material. You trust her because you know her and lastly-" He lifted an eyebrow as if waiting for me to give him the final reason.

"She's loved me her whole life." I cupped my hands over my face and flopped back on the bed. "Can you imagine what Laila would say about me being interested in your little sister?"

He laughed from across the room. "No, and you probably wouldn't want to hear it, but dude-"

"I know." I sat back up and stared my closest friend in the face. "Don't say it. Please."

"I have to Jeremy." He let out a long sigh and glanced around. "Laila is gone, man. She's been dead for two years, and where I'd trade my life for hers to give her back to you, it ain't happening."

"I know." I leaned over a little as all the air seemed to be sucked from the room. "Two years," I whispered as pain wrapped around my chest and squeezed with all its fucking might. "And I'll never get over losing her, Rhys."

"And you shouldn't." His hand ran down my back as he dropped down next to me. "But, it is time to move on. You have a great girl waiting for that opportunity. She's been waiting a long ass time."

"And you're okay with that?" I glanced up at my best friend as I beat back tears. Nothing kicked me in the nuts as hard as remembering mine and Austin's loss. It was so goddamn unfair.

"Oh yeah. Let Bailey help you heal, brother. Let her into your heart, and she'll clean house." He rubbed my back harder. "She'll respect the fact that you'll never let Laila go, but be sure of your intentions before you invite her in, Jer. She's a good woman and deserves a really good man."

"That kicks me out." I snorted and tried to force a smile.

"No, it puts you first in line." He gave me a strong hug from the side. "Just realize that she's not looking for a one-nighter or even a one-yearer."

"I get it." I nodded toward him. "I'll figure this out. I just wanted you to know that I was interested."

He laughed and stood up. "Good. It's about damn time. Now, let's go eat dinner and watch the rest of the game. All this moving around bullshit on Thanksgiving isn't good for anyone."

"Who told you that?" I stood and followed him out, feeling much better.

"No one. I just made it up so we can watch the game and chill after dinner."

"That's what the plan was anyway." I patted his back and moved around him into the kitchen. Bailey had Austin on her hip and was letting him stir the gravy on the stove. The moment caught me off-guard, but in a really good way.

"And if you're careful and just move it side to side, it will never spill," Bailey explained to my son.

"I like it." Austin laid his hand on her shoulder. "I like you too."

"Awww... I like you too." She kissed his forehead as I walked up.

"And what about me? Am I just chopped liver?"

"Ewww... I hate liver." Rhys walked in and moved up to the stove. "Let's do this thing. I'm getting hangry."

I took Austin from Bailey as she, Mom and Nina plated everything up. "Someone get this man a Snickers. He's turning into a Diva."

"Turning into?" Bailey walked by with a bowl of mashed potatoes in her hands. "He has always been a diva."

"This woman speaks the truth!" Rhys declared, and we all shared a good laugh. It felt good. Right. Like coming home.