Jo sat cross-legged on the floor as she watched Clint play. Lily’s baby was adorable, wiggling on his back with drool escaping out of the side of his mouth as he swatted with his baby arms at the miniature gym that had little stuffed animals and rings.

“Can I take him home with me?” Fascinated at the little creature, Jo only half joked with Lily as she walked around the living room, making sure Jo would have everything she needed to care for Clint while she and Shade went out for Valentine’s Day.

“Shade might have something to say about that.”

“I thought I’d try. Lily, he’s adorable.”

Lily proudly beamed down at her child. “He is beautiful, isn’t he?”

“Yes.” Jo leaned forward, using a burp cloth to wipe the drool away. “I see a lot of Shade in him, but he has your eyes. He’s gorgeous.”

Lily’s face glowed with health and the joy of parenthood. “I’m truly blessed with my children, and with Shade, too.”

“Yes, you are.” Jo looked away from the baby to her as Lily took a seat on the couch, waiting for Shade to come downstairs.

“You’re very happy, aren’t you?”

Lily stopped jiggling a playful elephant at the wistfulness in Jo’s voice that she hadn’t been able to hide. Her violet eyes rose to hers. “So much that I get afraid sometimes.”

“Why?”

Lily gave a graceful shrug. “That Shade will wake up one day and realize he doesn’t love me, that another woman can give him what I can’t.” As she talked, she looked down and ran a hand over the delicate tattoo of forget-me-nots that was on the underside of her forearm. “It’s kind of surreal how happy I am. It can’t last forever, can it?”

Jo didn’t think that Lily was talking to her anymore, but to herself.

Shade came into the room, breaking the moment. Carrying Lily’s coat, he held it open for his wife.

Shrugging into it, Lily gazed up at her husband lovingly.

“We can go somewhere else if you prefer. Maybe we should eat somewhere closer?”

“I’m craving Cracker Barrel. Jo has this, and Rider is coming over when he gets off work.”

Leaving Lily to button her coat, Shade went to John, who was putting a puzzle together at the table, easily lifting the boy to kiss his son’s cheek.

“Dad, I’m too old for that.”

“I’ll have to remember that. You look out for your baby brother until we get back. Can you do that, little man?”

“Yes, sir!”

Shade set John back in his chair as Lily went to kiss him next. Squatting down, he carefully moved the gym to the side to lift the baby into his arms. “Since John doesn’t want my kisses anymore, that means more for you.” Kissing both cheeks, the baby squealed in delight at his father’s appearance.

John jumped off his chair, running to Shade to pat his father on his back to get his attention. “I didn’t mean it, Daddy. You can kiss me.”

Shade cradled Clint in one arm and gathered John in his other, alternating kissing each of his sons before handing Clint to Lily. When the boys were settled, Shade opened the door for Lily.

“We won’t be late,” Lily assured Jo.

“Take your time. I’m glad to help out.” Jo stared at the couple, seeing the closeness apparent between them. “Lily, I didn’t have a chance to answer your question. I don’t think you have a darn thing to worry about. And yes, I do. I can’t think of another person who deserves it more.”

Lily gave her a tearful nod before leaving. Shade gave her a discerning look that had her unable to look away.

“Thank you, Jo.”

There was no doubt in her mind that Shade wasn’t thanking her for babysitting, but for what she had said to Lily.

After he left, she played with Clint until he grew tired and cranky. Laying him in the bassinet, she made Clint a bottle from the breast milk that had been left in the refrigerator. Then she helped John find a missing puzzle piece.

She was giving the baby his bottle when Rider came in the door.

“Yo, John, what’s up?” Rider tousled the boy’s hair.

“Uncle Rider, can we go for a ride on your bike?”

“Your father wouldn’t like it without him here. I’ll ride you around the parking lot tomorrow.”

“Can you help me finish my puzzle?”

“Sure thing.” Winking at Jo, he sat down at the table.

Jo cradled Clint, smoothing his black hair down that was so fine it stood on end, springing back up when she moved her fingers away.

She could understand Lily’s fear of her happiness being taken away. She felt the same fear in her heart every time she looked at Rider. His good looks would always garner feminine attention. His facial structure and features would allow him to age gracefully. His body would fuel any woman’s fantasies, and she’d had sex enough times to speak from experience that he gave as much as he received.

He filled the lonely life she had lived with humor and a playfulness of a much younger man, while also showing an insight into her emotional needs. It was how he had gotten past the barriers she had used to keep men out for years.

She had been waiting for a special man and hadn’t even known it, believing she would die alone and unloved. She had been roaming endlessly in a dark labyrinth until Rider had strode into the maze of her own making and guided her out, only to find that the impossible had happened and she had fallen in love with him.

Clint’s sucking stopped, and he was sleeping, slack-jawed, with milky drool coming out of the corner of his mouth. She tenderly burped him, waiting until she heard the unmistakable sound she was waiting for, before placing him in his bassinet.

Sitting at the table next to Rider, she watched as he and John worked on the puzzle. Scooting her chair closer to his, she laid her hand affectionally on his thigh.

Rider let John slide the last piece in place. Finished, the little boy looked for something else to do.

“Can I go play with Noah and Chance?”

Rider reached for his cell phone “Let me ask Razer.”

He twined his fingers through hers as he talked to Razer. Hanging up, he gave John the go-ahead. Jo made sure John was bundled up in his coat and hat before Rider watched him from the porch until Razer waved that he had him.

“The boys are close, aren’t they?”

“In their minds, they’re already brothers.” Rider took her hand to pull her close after shutting the door. As he gave her the kiss she had been waiting for since he had gotten there, she ran her hands over his chest to his shoulders as he parted her lips in a demanding kiss that had her nails digging into the back of his shirt. Gasping, she twisted her lips away, trying to calm the rioting desire that had her wishing they were at home in her bed.

“Happy Valentine’s Day.”

“You told me that this morning before I left, and when you brought me lunch at the factory before coming here to babysit.”

“Just making sure.” She resumed kissing him when a small sound from the bassinet had them breaking apart.

Rider went to the bassinet before she could get her brain functioning again. Jo’s heart skipped a beat when he lifted the baby to cradle him in his arm.

Rocking him from side to side, Rider crooned to him, letting the baby wake slowly. Grabbing the blanket in the bassinet, he went to the chair, dexterously draping the blanket over his lap to lay the wiggling baby down.

“You’re very good with babies.”

“I’ve had my fair share of practice babysitting. It was a nightmare when Noah and Chance were born. They were born troublemakers. They never woke up at the same time, and one would wake the other up. I don’t think Beth or Razer slept until they were four. I’m glad Lily asked you to babysit first. Sasha is watching them tonight. Those two hellions are going to drive her crazy.”

“They’re little angels in church.” Jo denied his assertion about how bad they were.

“That’s because Razer has raised them to respect the holy hand that spanks their ass if they misbehave.”

“He believes in corporal punishment? Poor boys!” When she had children, she was never going to spank them or let their father.

“Poor boys? I give you five minutes with those boys, and you’ll be tied to a chair or locked in a closet.”

“I’ll take your word for it.”

Rider stared at her pityingly. “You’re going to be suckered into babysitting for them sooner or later. May the force be with you.”

Jo gurgled with laughter. “You’re exaggerating.”

“If anything, I’m understating them. Don’t worry; I’ll have your back when they try to set you on fire.”

“That’s good to know. I’ll have your back when you need me to.” Jo moved to sit on the arm of the chair where he was. Leaning against his shoulder, she nuzzled his neck. “I got you a Valentine’s Day present. I’ll give it to you when we get home.”

“I have one for you, too. I’ll give it to you when Lily and Shade get back. It’s in my bedroom.”

She trailed loving fingers across the nape of his neck. “Is it perfume?”

“No.”

“Is it bigger than a breadbox?”

“Wait and see.”

“Is it the size of a—”

“Jo, wait and see.”

* * *

Lily and Shade came back earlier than she had expected. Then Jo and Rider left after saying a rushed goodbye to the couple. It was obvious they wanted to spend the rest of night doing what she planned to do with Rider.

It was strange how drastically things had changed. Usually, Valentine’s Day was spent in the tow truck, waiting to be called when a couple had imbibed too much and listening to Rachel describe what Cash had gotten for her. For once, she was going to be able to celebrate the holiday the way it was meant to be.

She felt like skipping down the small path, excited for him to see her present.

“Slow down. What’s the rush?”

She had been walking so fast she had gotten a little ahead of him.

Walking backward, she couldn’t help but tease him. “I’m anxious to see my present. It’s not going to be as good as mine.”

A deep frown marred Rider’s forehead as he sped up to match her steps. “Jo, it isn’t much.”

“If it’s a card, it’s more than I’ve had before.”

“You’ve never had a Valentine’s Day card from your parents or from a friend?”

“No, my mother thought it was a waste of money, but my father always took me to Mick’s for Valentine’s Day, and he would give me a hamburger and a—”

“A Big Red,” he finished for her.

“Yes,” she replied as they went through the back door of the clubhouse and into the kitchen.

Jo almost tripped over her own feet when she saw the kitchen was full. It wasn’t there being so many members that made her so clumsy; it was how provocatively the women were dressed. For example, Ember was dressed in a red teddy, and Mercury was wearing a tiny red thong and a big red bow wrapped around her breasts.

Rider grabbed her hand, dragging her toward the living room, but before going inside, he changed his mind and went to the table, pushing her down on a chair.

“Wait here. I need to go upstairs to take a shower and grab your present. If I didn’t have Clint’s spit on my clothes, I’d take one at your house, but the smell is getting worse.”

“Go ahead. I’ll keep her company.” Ember sat down at the table with her.

Jo returned Ember’s smile. It was only when she was raising her eyes back to Rider that she thought the two had been communicating behind her back.

She placed her hand on the table to rise. “I can wait in your room.”

Rider pushed her back down. “No. Stay with Ember. I don’t trust you to open your present until we’re at your house.”

“Hurry, then. I’m getting impatient.”

Rider took off, leaving her alone with Ember.

“That color looks good on you,” Jo complimented.

“Thanks. It’s new. I wanted something special for tonight.”

“You succeeded.”

“There are a lot of people here.”

“There’re even more in the other room and upstairs. The brothers from Ohio decided to come and celebrate with us. I think because Sasha and Mercury are still here,” she confided.

“Do the women who live here get jealous when the other ones come to visit?” Jo felt strange talking to Ember. She was unassuming, and Jo had never felt a spark of jealousy within her presence or while she had watched her on the monitors for the last month and a half.

“No, if the women get jealous, they don’t last long.”

If Jewell wasn’t jealous of Mercury and Sasha, then why was she jealous of her? She just hoped she wouldn’t see her tonight. She didn’t want anything to spoil the night she had planned to have with Rider.

The swinging door opened with Willa coming in, carrying two pink canvas bags. A large group followed behind her to crowd inside.

“Get back, or I’ll take it back to the church.”

Moans and groans filled the air as Willa went behind the counter.

“You can all get in line and take your turn.” Willa opened one bag, setting pink boxes out on the counter, then removed the lids.

Jo jumped up to help her, taking the bag as she emptied the other one. Then she went to the pantry for a big stack of paper plates and forks.

The smorgasbord of delicacies ranged from huge chocolate-covered strawberries, pink macaroons, chocolate cakes with pink filling, pink cupcakes with pink icing, and pink marshmallows dipped in chocolate. There were so many Jo felt like she had gained ten pounds by just touching the boxes.

“They’re beautiful, Willa. You have outdone yourself … in pinkness.”

“Pink is my favorite color.”

“I can tell. You think they’ll kill me if I snatch a pink cupcake without getting in line?”

Willa took one from the box and gave it to her. “They’re too afraid to mess with me. I need to run. I just wanted to drop these off so everyone can enjoy them tonight. Can you give this to Rider for me?” Reaching for a smaller pink box, she then handed it to her.

“Sure. He’s upstairs now, but when he comes down, I can.”

“Thanks, I’d appreciate it. Be careful, or they’ll sneak it away from him.”

“I’ll be careful,” Jo assured her.

As Willa left, everyone hugged her, finally managing to escape when Moon started arguing with F.A.M.E that he was taking all the cupcakes.

Taking a bite of her cupcake, Jo was walking around the counter when Jewell turned from the refrigerator. Her bite of cupcake settled in her throat like lead. Jo hadn’t seen her enter the room.

Jewell hadn’t dressed in red like the other women. Instead, she had gone for black, wearing a silk robe that came to the top of her thighs and was belted loosely at her waist. The robe was partially open, showing the swells of her breasts and her waxed privates, which weren’t really private, as anyone near her could see.

Jo looked at the box Willa had given her for Rider, debating what she should do.

“You can take it upstairs if you want. He’s going to want to thank Willa before she leaves. If you don’t want to, I’d be happy to do it for you,” Jewell said, twisting the top off a bottled water.

“Willa already left.”

“She’s probably at the factory. She wouldn’t leave before giving Diablo and Trip any. What’s on the counter will be gone before they get off.”

“All right. Then I better hurry.”

Jewell shrugged as if she didn’t care what Jo did.

Going around the table, she managed to go out the swinging doors and into the clubroom. Keeping her eyes lowered, she tried not to look at what the members were doing, grateful when she made it up the steps. She then headed toward the bedroom that Rider had shown her a couple of times when she had stayed with him in the security room and he had to get a change of clothes before leaving with her.

As she passed the bathroom, she heard the water running. Not wanting to assume it was Rider and seeing his door was opened a crack, she decided to check and make sure he wasn’t in there. Besides, if Rider was in the shower, he wouldn’t have enough time to see Willa before she left anyway.

She gave a brief tap on his door, which had it opening a bit, allowing her to see further into the room.

What she saw had her taking an unintentional step forward. Her eagerness to celebrate tonight sunk into a deep pool of ice water as reality hit her with a smack across the face.

Rider hadn’t wanted her to come upstairs because he was worried she would open her present. He had wanted to open his.