7

Okay, what do you have to tell me?”

Dee glanced across the breakfast table at Stacey. Eli had just left to go to his parents’ home to help his father start grilling the meat. According to Stacey, the elder Steeles had invited a lot of people to their Memorial Day cookout this year.

Dee placed her fork down. She’d decided to tell Stacey what she’d overheard, though not all of it. The part about Cohen’s bout with depression was something Stacey needed to hear directly from Cohen. Hopefully, one day he would share that part of his life with his sister.

Yesterday when Dee had finally left the basement, she’d been relieved to find Cohen and Tyson nowhere in sight. Most of the men had gathered outside to help Drew set up tables and chairs on the patio.

“I think I know the reason Cohen keeps rejecting me.”

Stacey placed her coffee cup down. “What is it?”

Before answering, Dee decided to ask a question of her own. “Did you know that Cohen was in love before? And that the woman broke his heart?”

Stacey lifted her brows. “Cohen? In love? Where did you hear that from?”

“Cohen.”

“He told you that?”

Dee shook her head. “No, I overheard him talking to Tyson.” Dee then elaborated on the conversation in the basement.

“Let me get this straight,” Stacey said, leaning in closer. “Cohen was in love? But when Dad died, the woman dumped him?”

“Yes. He’d cared for her a lot. I could hear it in his voice when he was talking to Tyson. She definitely left a wound he refuses to let heal.”

Stacey shook her head slowly. “I should have been more perceptive where Cohen was concerned,” Stacey said sadly. “I should have guessed there was more to his reluctance to change his bachelor status.”

“And how could you have known when he didn’t tell you?” Dee asked her, refusing to let her friend play the blame game.

“I should have suspected something, especially when he didn’t take the bait with Linda Miller.”

Dee cocked a brow. “Linda Miller? Music teacher Linda Miller?”

“Yes. It was that summer that you spent with your grandparents in Kentucky. Aunt Maggie made me continue my piano lessons all summer. Cohen helped out by picking me up from Linda’s a few times.”

Dee remembered Linda Miller well. She’d been eight years older than her and Stacey. She was a music teacher in one of the schools and also taught private piano lessons in her home.

“And?”

“And I suspected she liked Cohen because on those days she knew Cohen would be picking me up, she’d dress up a bit and flirt with him.”

“And you tried to get them together?” Dee angrily accused.

“Yes.”

“How could you do that when you knew I loved him?”

Stacey rolled her eyes. “Get real, Dee. We were only fifteen.”

“Doesn’t matter.”

Stacey shook her head. “You hadn’t told me you loved Cohen, at that point, remember?”

No, she hadn’t. “Okay, so what happened?”

Stacey leaned back comfortably in her chair and took another sip of coffee. “When I noticed how interested Linda was in Cohen, all I could think about was that she would make a great big sister-in-law. So I put a plan into motion.”

“What did you do?”

“I told Cohen to pick me up at Linda’s, and then I cancelled the lesson, knowing she would invite him to stay for dinner.”

“Did he stay?”

“No. But from what I gather, she didn’t let on that I wasn’t there until after she’d let him in. But whatever she did really upset him. Cohen never gave me specifics, but something happened to make him really angry—at her and at me. He figured out I’d set him up and didn’t like it. I apologized and he made me promise never to interfere in his love life again. And to this day, I haven’t.” She paused, and took another sip of coffee. “I often wondered why he wasn’t interested in Linda. I thought she was gorgeous,” Stacey said.

Dee shrugged. “She looked alright.”

“Stop being petty. She looked better than alright and you know it.”

“Whatever.” Yes, she knew it. At the time, she and Stacey had thought Linda Miller was everything they’d wanted to be when they grew up. She was beautiful, sophisticated, educated and confidant. She turned men’s heads wherever she went. Dee shouldn’t be so happy that Linda couldn’t hold Cohen’s interest, but she was.

“So what do you think happened?” Dee asked, hoping Stacey might know something she didn’t.

“I can only assume Linda came on too strong and he didn’t like it.”

Dee didn’t say anything. She’d thought he’d liked it when she’d come on strong. Funny.

She’d spent most of the night trying to figure out what she was going to do about Cohen. She had to have a plan, something well thought out, something foolproof. And once she knew what she was going to do, she’d make sure she kept it to herself. She didn’t want Stacey to have to break her promise to her brother.

Beth, Lawyer’s fiancée, had told her that Cohen had already sent in his RSVP to attend their June wedding. And according to Stacey, he planned to stay an additional few days in Memphis to handle business with the property manager looking after his aunt Maggie’s home. By then, Dee hoped to have a solid idea of what she was going to do. After overhearing Cohen’s conversation with Tyson, she knew she had to do something. For so long, he had shut himself off, not sharing his pain and misery with anyone, even after all these years. There could be no healing until he faced his past. She believed that and needed to help him believe it, as well. That’s why she needed to be careful. The thought of not succeeding a third time left her stomach in knots. This time, the stakes were too high. She couldn’t fail.

“Well, at least you know it’s not you, Dee,” Stacey said, breaking into her thoughts. “My heart goes out to him and I hope that one day he can get past it. I felt the same way after I broke up with Wallace. I hadn’t thought I’d ever get seriously involved again. Then Eli came along.”

“And?” Dee knew the story but wanted to hear Stacey say it anyway. She wanted to be sure that whatever steps she took to win Cohen’s love would be the right ones.

“And Eli was too darn irresistible. I just couldn’t help myself.”

Too darn irresistible… Umm, Dee thought. Unknowingly, Stacey had planted a seed in her head. One thing she knew about Cohen was that he had an ingrained sense of responsibility to look after those he cared deeply about. If he thought she was making a bad decision, he’d have no choice but to reveal those protective instincts.

What if…

An idea popped into her head. It would be risky, but given Cohen’s propensity to shield those he cared about from harm, it just might work.

She would see him at the cookout today. And when she did, she intended to test the waters. If he reacted the way she hoped he would, she’d waste no time putting the rest of her plan into action.

**

As far as Cohen was concerned, nobody could throw a party like the Steeles. When he’d lived in Phoenix, he’d been invited to a number of get-togethers and he always had a good time. He knew the majority of the people who’d come, though not all. But there was one guy, in particular, that he wished hadn’t showed up. His gaze had latched onto Midas Coronado the moment he arrived. The man had immediately started searching the crowd, no doubt looking for Dee.

Cohen would have probably liked Midas under normal circumstances, but for some reason, the guy’s interest in Dee bothered him. It shouldn’t, but it did. Mainly because he knew what type of man Midas was. The fact that he’d joined the Guarded Hearts Club spoke volumes.

Cohen was about to go outside and join Tyson and the others outside on the patio when the front door opened and Eli, Stacey and Dee walked in. Dee glanced around the room, seeming not to even notice him before her gaze lit on Midas. She smiled brightly at the man. Cohen watched Midas smile back before walking over to her.

The deep pang of jealousy he felt at that moment nearly toppled him over. It didn’t help that Dee was wearing a denim miniskirt that showed too much thigh and a pair of stilettos that emphasized her gorgeous legs. She looked hot…and it was killing him.

“Well, hello, my handsome brother.”

He turned to look down at his sister. He hadn’t realized Eli and Stacey had crossed the room to see him.

He drew Stacey into his arms for a hug. “Hey sis.” He then gave Eli a fist bump. “Hey man. You two okay?”

Eli smiled broadly. “I doubt we could be any better, or happier.” He glanced down at his wife. “I can’t imagine a time when she wasn’t in my life.”

Cohen believed him. “I’m happy for you both. Do you care whether the upcoming arrival is a boy or a girl?”

Stacey chuckled. “I’d like a daughter, but I think Eli is worried she might date someone like him.”

Eli tightened his arms around his wife’s waist and smiled down at her. “That’s true.” Then he glanced up at Cohen. “So when are you going to check out of the hotel and spend some time at our place?” he asked.

Cohen smiled, trying not to notice Dee and Midas out of the corner of his eye. “I like the hotel just fine, thanks. Besides, you already have a houseguest.”

“Doesn’t matter. We have plenty of room. Besides, Dee is leaving tomorrow. She’s heading out for Virginia Beach.”

Cohen lifted a brow. “Virginia Beach?”

“Yes.” Eli glanced around. “We better go find the folks to let them know we’re here.”

“I’ll go with you,” Cohen said. It was either go with them or remain inside and continue giving Midas and Dee dirty looks.

“You okay?” Stacey asked him, looping their arms as they walked outside.

He smiled down at his sister. “Yeah, I’m fine.” At the moment, he wished that was true.

Outside, Tyson was helping his father man the grill, while Eden was being the perfect hostess. Her green eyes lit up when she saw Eli and Stacey. Cohen knew she was excited about getting another grandchild.

He was just about to say something to Stacey when he noticed Dee and Midas. They’d come outside on the patio as well. The man had his arms around her waist, the palm of his hand resting entirely too close to Dee’s ass. Cohen’s own hand tightened on his beer so hard, it was a wonder the bottle didn’t shatter. What the hell was she thinking, letting Coronado touch her so inappropriately?

“You okay, man?”

He turned towards Eli. His brother in-law was looking at him oddly. “Yes. Why wouldn’t I be?”

Eli smiled. “You just growled.”

Had he? He glanced at Stacey, and her concerned smile told him that he had, indeed, made such a sound. He chugged down the last of his beer and glanced back over at Dee. Now she had two other guys practically hanging on to her every word. And Midas’s hand was still too close to her ass to suit Cohen.

Suddenly, unexplainably, he saw red. “Excuse me,” he said to Eli and Stacey. Before he could stop himself, he strode across the patio to where Dee stood with her admirers.

As if she sensed his approach, she looked up. Their gazes connected and held. He fought back the urge to glare at the three men. Instead, he ignored them, not so much as acknowledging their presence. His attention was focused solely on Dee.

“Hi Cohen,” she said, her features unreadable. “What’s going on?”

“I need to talk to you for a second, Dee.”

At that moment, he wasn’t sure she’d agree. But he knew that the last thing she’d want would be for him to make a scene. Make a scene? When had that even become a possibility for him?

She didn’t say anything at first. Finally, she nodded. “Excuse me for a minute,” she said to her admirers, before turning back to him. “Okay, Cohen. Lead the way.”

**

Dee tried to keep up with Cohen as he led her back inside the house. When he moved toward the stairs to the basement, she knew they were going to the place where she’d discovered his secrets only yesterday.

Honestly, Dee hadn’t expected him to take the bait so soon. She figured she’d need to flirt a bit more with Midas and a few of the other single men before she got a rise out of him. She had deliberately ignored Cohen since she’d arrived, and had let Midas touch her in a way she normally wouldn’t have done. When he’d outrageously flirted with her, she’d flirted back, knowing Cohen was looking. And Cohen was pissed. She could see it in the way he was clenching and unclenching his hands, almost as if he wanted to ring someone’s neck. Probably hers.

Whether he realized it or not, the fact that he was upset meant something. At least, it did to her. Cohen was not a man who displayed a lot of emotion. Somehow, he always managed to keep himself in check. But in order for her to succeed, she had to rattle him, make him lose control.

He moved aside to let her precede him down the stairs, then he followed. He looked around to make sure they were alone, something he hadn’t done yesterday when he’d spoken with Tyson. Those gorgeous brown eyes glared at her.

“Okay, Cohen. What do we need to talk about?”

“What is going on with you, Dee?” he asked in a harsh tone.

She feigned ignorance. “I have no idea what you mean?”

“You were letting Coronado paw you in public,” he snapped.

“So what? Why do you care?” she snapped back.

Her question seemed to throw him for a loop. Then he said, “Because it doesn’t look good.”

She rolled her eyes. “I don’t see anyone but you getting all worked up about it. Maybe it’s because I’m an adult--a single woman who’s drawn to a single man.”

“Drawn to him? Are you telling me there’s something going on between the two of you? Are you sleeping together?”

She hadn’t expected that question, at least, not yet. “I don’t believe that’s any of your business. You’ve made it clear that you didn’t want me. What does it matter to you if someone else does?”

“Midas Coronado isn’t good for you, Dee. He’s a player. There’s no way he can make you happy.”

Dee glared back at him. “You could have said the same thing about Eli, yet Stacey seems happy enough, doesn’t she?”

He stared down at the floor for a minute, then lifted his face to stare back at her, a knowing look in his eyes. “Is that what this is all about? All this attention seeking from Midas?”

“What is it to you?”

“Don’t do it, Dee. You are better than that.”

She took a step forward, getting in his face. “Am I? Am I better than anyone but you, Cohen? If that’s the case, why did you reject me?” When he didn’t say anything, she continued. “Twice, you’ve told me that I meant nothing to you and--”

“I never said you meant nothing to me. You do. You’re Stacey’s--”

“Please don’t tell me that all I am to you is your sister’s best friend. You’ve said it enough. I get it. It hurt at the time, but I’ve moved on. I’m over you, Cohen. In fact, thanks to you, I don’t intend to fall in love. It’s not worth it. But you wouldn’t know anything about that, loving someone and being rejected, hurting so much that you’d do anything to avoid feeling the pain again. Well, that’s what I’m doing, Cohen. Protecting my heart. From now on, I’m going to do what I want, when I want, with who I want.” There. She hoped her words hit a nerve and gave him something to think about.

“What do you mean?”

“I mean that there will be no happily-ever-after in my future, so I might as well do things a little differently. I plan to enjoy my life--get buck wild, so to speak--and not worry about falling in love. Because for me, it won’t happen again. So why not have some fun with guys who feel the same way? If that labels me an attention-seeker, then so be it. I have the next two weeks to seek all the attention I want in Virginia Beach. And you better believe I’m ready.”

Standing this close to him, she was tempted to use the tip of her tongue to lick his lips, from corner to corner. She wanted to do it. Honestly, she did. Knowing such a thing would screw up her plans, though, she dropped her hands to her side and stepped back from temptation. “Being with you introduced me to needs I hadn’t realized I had, Cohen, sexual needs that my toy boyfriend can’t handle. No toy will ever compare to you.”

The shocked look that suddenly appeared on his face told her she’d probably said too much, but she needed to paint a believable picture for him. “Don’t worry about me, Cohen. You’ve made it clear I have no place in your life. I am not your responsibility.”

She paused a minute, then drew in a deep breath and sealed the deal. “I’m flying out in the morning. I hope you have a nice flight back to Florida.”

With a haughty toss of her head, she turned around and walked back up the stairs. It was done.

**

Cohen couldn’t move. Her words had stopped him cold. And watching her long legs in stilettos sashay up the stairs in that sexy miniskirt overloaded his senses. Her outfit was so short that a glimpse of her blue panties flashed him as she climbed the steps.

He drew in a long, labored breath, going through the conversation in his mind again, just to make sure he hadn’t imagined it. She was going to Virginia Beach for two weeks to have fun? And her definition of fun was to get buck wild?

Jeez. He rubbed his hand down his face. He couldn’t believe she’d actually said those things to him. But a part of him was glad he knew of her plans, so he could stop her from ruining her life. He wondered if she’d said anything to Stacey. Then again, if she had, wouldn’t Stacey have tried to talk her out of it?

He quickly moved up the stairs and walked back out to the patio. He glanced around, looking for his sister. He saw that Dee was back with Midas. Forcing himself to ignore that fact, he continued his search, finally locating Stacey and Eli. They were talking to Tyson and Hunter. He swiftly moved in their direction.

“Stacey, can I speak with you privately for a moment?” he asked, taking hold of his sister’s hand, as if he intended to talk to her, regardless.

She lifted concerned eyes to his. “Sure.” Then she turned to the others. “I’ll be back in a minute.”

Cohen pulled her to a quiet spot beneath a huge tree, away from the others, but close enough that he could keep an inconspicuous eye on Dee.

“Cohen? What is it?”

“It’s Dee. “Do you know of her plans?”

Stacey lifted a brow. “What plans?”

“Where she intends to go when she leaves here tomorrow, and what she plans to do.”

From his sister’s expression, he knew she was having a hard time following his train of thought. “Dee told me she’s going to spend two weeks in Virginia Beach. As for her plans, I assume she’d going to kick off her summer with rest and relaxation.”

“Wrong.”

“Wrong? What are you talking about?”

“I just talked to her. She plans to make herself available...to any man looking for some fun.”

Stacey didn’t say anything, as if she was expecting him to say more. “And?”

He frowned. “Isn’t that enough?”

Stacey shook her head. “No. She plans to meet someone and enjoy herself. What’s wrong with that?”

“It’s how she plans to enjoy herself. That’s what we should be worried about.”

“And do you know how she plans to enjoy herself, Cohen?”

“She plans to sleep around.”

Stacey didn’t say anything for a minute, then asked, “And she told you that?”

“Yes, she pretty much insinuated as much.”

Stacey shrugged her shoulders. “Dee is twenty-seven-years old, definitely old enough to do what she wants.”

Cohen stared at his sister in disbelief. “Is that all you’ve got to say?”

“I don’t know what you want from me, Cohen. Dee is smart and intelligent. I’m sure she’ll practice safe sex and--”

“I would think, as her best friend, you’d try to talk her out of doing something as crazy as that.”

“Why? Single men go on vacation and hook up with women all the time.”

“That’s beside the point.”

“Then tell me, what is the point, Cohen? You’re acting like a jealous lover again. Dee is a grown woman. If she plans to have a swinging good time for two weeks on vacation, who is she hurting?”

“She could end up hurting herself. I don’t like it.”

“Well, as Dee’s best friend, I want her to be happy. At least she’s not pining for you anymore, since you let her know you weren’t interested.”

“I have my reasons.”

“Do you? What are they?”

He didn’t say anything. The last thing he wanted was to talk about Amanda. One day, he would tell her sister everything. But not now. “I’m not interested in the type of relationship she wants.”

“Well, she evidently heard you, loud and clear, Cohen. You hurt her.”

“I didn’t ask her to fall in love with me,” he said, annoyance creeping into his voice.

“No, you didn’t. But she did. Luckily, she’s finally come to terms with the fact that you won’t return that love. So she’s doing what it takes to get over you. I figure, whatever she plans to do in Virginia Beach is her way of moving on.”

“She’s making a huge mistake. Somebody needs to be looking out for her. Keeping her in check.”

“Well, it won’t be me. We all experience disappointment and heartbreak in different ways. Some people go into their shell and don’t ever come out, not willing to risk their hearts again. Others decide to get over it by jumping in and taking whatever life has to offer. Dee has figured out how she wants to handle this, Cohen. I suggest you accept it.” She turned at the sound of laughter coming from the patio. “Now unless there’s something else, I plan to get back to the party.”

“Fine.”

Stacey walked off, but he remained where he was, watching Dee. She looked like a beautiful angel and a naughty sex kitten, all rolled into one. What she was going through was all his fault. He should never have touched her.

She’d said he’d hurt her, but he couldn’t see the sense in apologizing for telling her the truth about his feelings. For trying to spare her from wasting her love on him. Still, the last thing he’d wanted to do was throw her out there to the wolves.

A short while later, he knew what he had to do. Someone needed to look out for her. If the job fell on him, then so be it. Luckily, he had some time off from the hospital. It had been years since he’d been to Virginia Beach. Now looked like a great time for another visit.

**

A knock on the door made Dee glance up from folding her laundry. “Come in.”

Stacey smiled as she entered the room. “I came to see how your packing is going.”

“Not much to it. I only used a few things. Thanks for letting me use your washer and dryer.”

“No problem,” Stacey said, sitting on the edge of the bed. “Just so you know…I think you rattled Cohen today. But then, that was your plan, wasn’t it?”

Dee stopped packing and glanced over at Stacey. “It really wasn’t a plan. Let’s just say, I was testing the waters on a theory I had. I didn’t want to tell you anything. That way, Cohen couldn’t accuse you of interfering in his love life.”

Stacey shook her head, chuckling. “If I’m interfering, it’s because of Cohen. He’s worried about you. Evidently you shared a different version of your plans for Virginia Beach with him than you did with me,” she said, giving her a pointed look.

Dee rolled her eyes. “I just wanted to make him mad.”

“Well, I think you did more than that. I think you drove him crazy.”

Dee lifted her chin. “Serves him right.”

“You might be right, but you may have gone overboard. Evidently, he thinks you needs a babysitter in Virginia Beach. He’s contemplating doing the honors.”

Dee blinked. “You’re kidding, right?”

Stacy smiled and shook her head. “No, I’m not kidding. Cohen called a few moments ago. He said he’s leaving Phoenix earlier than he’d planned. I figured he was returning to Florida. But when I mentioned it to Eli, he wasn’t surprised. He said Cohen had asked him where you would be staying in Virginia Beach. I’m pretty sure he intends to follow you there to make sure you stay out of trouble.”

A huge smile touched Dee’s lips. “Truthfully? He believes he has to do that?”

Stacey chuckled again. “Evidently. After you told him of your plans, he had a major conniption. Now he’s convinced he has to save you from yourself.”

Dee threw her head back and laughed. “That’s wonderful.”

“Wonderful? Having Cohen follow you to Virginia Beach doesn’t bother you?” Stacey asked.

“No.” Dee began pacing the room. Then she stopped and looked at Stacey. “I need to prove to Cohen that he can trust me with his heart. That he doesn’t have to be afraid to fall in love again.”

She drew in a deep breath. “I had planned to use my time in Virginia Beach to come up with a plan, something I could put into play when I saw him at Lawyer’s wedding. But now, I’ve got the perfect opportunity to act sooner. And whether he realizes it or not, he’s given me an idea.”

“He has?”

“Yes. Twice, I’ve seduced your brother, only for him to retreat. This time, he’ll be the one to seduce me.”

Stacey gave her a dubious look. “Honestly? Do you think you’ll be able to pull that off?”

Dee nodded. “I certainly intend to try. While in Virginia Beach, I’m going to drive Cohen so crazy with lust, he’ll have to give in. And I’ll be waiting for him when it happens.”