Tell Evan.

Don't tell Evan.

Tell Evan.

Don't tell Evan.

Argh!

What to tell Evan? She had no idea. Josie paused outside the front door, wondering if she could get to her bedroom without running into him. Quietly slip the key in the lock, smoothly turn it, and gently push open the door.

The door flew open and Evan stood in the doorway, the phone in his hand.

"Oh...um... Hi. I didn't want to wake you."

"It's nine fifteen."

"You looked tired when I left." Yes, she was a wonderful liar. Did she really think she could keep tonight's little escapade from Evan?

He held up the phone. "Monica wants to speak to you."

"Monica?" Hmm... "I must have left my jacket in her car."

"You didn't wear a jacket."

Why did this man have to be so observant? She grabbed the phone and headed upstairs. With a bit of skill, she could manipulate the phone call into bed and be spared dealing with Evan until morning. "Monica? What's up?"

"Just got a call from the clinic."

Josie sat down on the side of her bed and kicked off her sandals. "That bastion for pain and suffering that fired me?"

Monica chuckled. "That very one. Apparently, Buddy went over there tonight, found Alice, explained how he stole all the supplies and arranged to work there for free until he paid off the five thousand dollars. He'll be cleaning cages and stuff."

Josie slumped. "You're kidding."

"Nope. So Alice called me and wanted your number. I didn't give it to her in case Buddy was leaning over her shoulder."

"Why does Alice want my number?"

"Because she wants to offer you your job back."

Josie cursed under her breath and flopped back against her bed. "I can't believe this."

"Alice really did feel bad about firing you. That's why she was so excited to call you right away. She's been aching to have you back."

Buddy had confessed to his crime and was making amends. For her? This was so not good. She smacked herself in the forehead. Of course this was good! What was her problem? Wasn't her life and fiscal security more important than whether Evan ever held her in his arms again?

Stupid tears.

"Josie? Are you there? Why aren't you leaping for joy? You're employed now!"

"Yes, and Buddy will be working there."

"Oh." Monica sighed. "I hadn't thought about that...but I'm sure Alice would schedule you opposite hours from him."

Yes, she probably would. "I'm really happy to have a job again."

"You don't sound happy. What's wrong?"

"Nothing." Except that Buddy was not helping her case with Evan. This was all wrong. Why couldn't Buddy have had this major turnaround before she'd met Evan, or at least before she'd decided to fall in love with him? And the more staunchly he defended Buddy, the more she loved him, because his devotion to his family was one of the things that was so lovable.

And the fact that he'd been deprived of a family. Even though he didn't realize it, he needed love and security himself. He needed her.

And with Buddy resurfacing playing his reformed rake role, he was ruining everything.

She took a deep breath. Buddy wasn't ruining anything. Because the only thing in her life that needed attention was her finances, and he was fixing it.

Evan doesn't matter.

"So, are you going to come back? Please come back."

"I guess." Josie scratched her fingers on the bedspread, trying to attract Zeus by creating a juicy-sounding target. She needed some love right now.

How about that? She needed some love. She was turning into the needy, pathetic one in the relationship. Or maybe she was finally finding the middle, healthy path, a relationship where both sides could help each other. Too bad it was at the wrong time with the wrong man. "I'll call Alice tomorrow."

"Tomorrow? She's waiting by the phone."

"Let her wait. She fired me, remember?" So she was a little bitter. This situation was not bringing out her good side. She should at least try to be a decent human being. "Thanks so much for calling, Monica. I just need a little time to figure all this stuff out."

"Figure what out?"

"The Buddy situation."

Monica made a noise like she was choking. "You aren't thinking of taking him back, are you?"

If only she could do that. Fall in love with Buddy. It would make everything work out so smoothly. Except she'd be miserable being married to him and she'd have to hide all the account numbers, or he'd bleed them dry. "No, I'm not. But I have to go. I'll talk to you tomorrow."

She disconnected the phone and tossed it on the bed. Still no Zeus. Didn't anyone care that she was sinking into a pit of misery and loneliness?

A solid knock sounded on the door.

Since she'd never taught Zeus how to knock, it had to be Evan. Josie rolled off the bed, ran to the bathroom, jerked on the shower, and slammed the door shut, barely remembering to catch it at the last minute and close it softly, as if she'd been in the shower all along.

"Josie?"

Yeah, right. As if she could hear him while she was in the shower with the water cascading down around her. Granted, she was sitting on the edge of the tub fully clothed, but still...he didn't know that.

A light rap sounded on the door of the bathroom. "Josie?"

"Go away."

"Can we talk?"

"I'm a little busy." She sat down on the floor and stretched her legs out in front of her. She could outwait Evan all night.

The door opened suddenly, and Evan stuck his head inside the bathroom. He glanced quickly at the shower, then peered around the door, lifting an eyebrow to find her stretched out on the carpet fully clothed. "What are you doing?"

"Have you no sense of privacy? I could have been naked."

"That's what I was hoping." Evan walked into the bathroom, and shut the door.

She was trapped. With a running shower and a sex god. Nice. "What do you want?"

"To find out what's going on with you."

"Why does anything have to be going on? Maybe I had a nice girls' night out with Monica and now I'm tired and I was going to take a shower before..."

"Before you realized that the floor looked way too comfortable to pass up?"

"Exactly."

He sat down on the edge of the tub and waited.

"Should you really be leaving Max alone like this?"

"Zeus adopted him. They're curled up together in my bedroom."

"Oh. Well. Isn't that sweet." She was really losing her mind if the thought of Zeus and a dog playing snuggle-bunny didn't make her swoon. Twenty-seven and she was already turning into a bitter old hag. "Can you go away?"

"Where did that junk heap in my driveway come from?"

"Ohh...that." Hadn't exactly thought of hiding the thing.

"Yes, that. What is it and where'd you get it?"

"That's...my...car..." If she spoke slowly enough, maybe she could lure him into a trance. If only she had a pocket watch she could swing back and forth, then she could hypnotize him into falling madly in love with her, and forgetting all obligations to his family.

"Your car? The one Buddy supposedly stole?"

So much for the trance. Evan's inner strength obviously made him immune from her talents. "I hate it when you use that word. It sounds so condescending."

"Supposedly?"

"Yes. It makes you sound like Detective Smarmy."

"Detective Smarmy?" A grin pulled up the corners of Evan's mouth. "The guy at the law firm?"

"He's the only detective I know. Did I mention his full name is Detective Smarmy Comb-over?"

Evan grinned. "Remind me to shave my head when I start to go bald. Wouldn't want to give you any ammunition against me."

As if she'd still be around when Evan started to lose his hair. Whoa. That thought was way too depressing to entertain—not being around him, that is. Him losing his hair? As if she'd care about that. He could lose his head and all his limbs, and she'd still think he was a hottie.

Evan slid off the bathtub to the floor, picking her feet up and settling them in his lap. "I know something's wrong when you pass up an opportunity to insult me."

She sighed as Evan began rubbing her feet. "I don't insult you randomly. Just when you upset me."

Evan's hands were so warm and soothing against her feet. "Really?"

"Really what?" As if she could think with him touching her. He was much too distracting.

"You don't insult me for the sheer entertainment value of it?"

"Of course not. You upset me, and my emotions come blubbering out of my mouth. I really ought to control it better, but I have my hands full with being an Amazon warrior at the moment."

"Ah, yes. The Amazon reference again. Not sure I fully grasp that one."

"Just trying to be tough."

"I think you pass."

"Not." She sighed and tried not to let herself enjoy the soothing feel of Evan's hands on her feet. "Do you by any chance know of a training facility for sword fighting in the Boston area?"

He lifted a brow. "I'm sure I could find out."

"Great. Do it. I'll sign up tomorrow." Hmm...maybe she could alternate using the Dorsett brothers as targets. Tie them up and try to slice the ropes without cutting the boys too severely. And if she missed...oops. Too bad. Some rubbing alcohol and a Band-Aid would take care of the problem.

"So...your car?"

"Will you make love to me first?"

He stopped rubbing her foot. Obviously not the best response. "What?"

"I don't suppose you'll let me get up and just walk away now, huh?"

"Not a chance."

Josie sighed. Her nickname should apparently be Josie Big Mouth. "See, there's this little situation that has arisen. I'd prefer not tell you, because when I do...well...I'm pretty sure I won't like your reaction."

"But you're going to tell me anyway?"

"Well...I sorta think I should. But, if you were to leave me alone, then I wouldn't have to even make the decision. I could just pretend you didn't exist and..."

"Tell me."

So much for Evan being the sympathetic, nurturing type to give a woman the space she needs. "Well...ah..."

Don't tell him!

Tell him!

It was like she had two Tasmanian devils in her brain, each of them yanking at her mind, one way, then the other way, then back...if she let it go on long enough, she'd lose her mind.

And wouldn't that be a welcome relief?

"Josie? What's up?"

"I went out tonight."

"Yes...I'm aware of that. Where'd you go?"

"Fast food joint." To tell or not to tell. Ah, such an ugly question.

"And...what happened there?"

"I...had a conversation." Still undecided.

"With Monica?"

"No...she dropped me off." Okay, it was sort of looking like she might spill the beans. To what avail? Losing the man she loved? But she couldn't exactly lie to him. Not conducive to building a trusting relationship...darn. She hated having ethics and morals.

Evan lifted a brow. "You met someone there?"

"Um...maybe?"

"Who did you meet?" His voice was low and tight.

As if he was fooling her. No doubt, he'd already guessed the answer.

"Buddy." His face became stark white and he looked like he was going to zoink to another planet. Hmm...he looked a little too startled. "What did you think I was going to say?"

"I don't know. But I wasn't expecting that. Tom, maybe?"

"Is it too late to pretend I said Tom?"

From the look on his face, she was venturing that the answer to that question was affirmative. A little explanation was going to be in order. And it was not going to be an enjoyable experience. Unless she could distract him with her body? Hmm...an interesting idea.

"What in the world is going on?"

Or maybe she'd just better start talking.

* * *

He couldn't believe it. Josie had met with Buddy? Tonight? Had she known where he was all along? Had she been lying to him this whole time? Playing him?

No. It was impossible. Not Josie.

He wouldn't judge her. Not yet. "Explain."

She pulled her feet off his lap and hugged them with her arms. "Apparently, he's been trying to find me, but since I wasn't at work or my old apartment, he couldn't find me. He found Monica, who told me."

"And she set it up."

"Yes."

Did he believe her? He didn't know. "And?"

"And...he wanted to meet with me tonight."

"You agreed to go."

"Well, I wanted my money back."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"Ah... That's the bugger. I'm not really interested in sharing that with you."

As if that should surprise him. "I'm not feeling real sympathetic to your issues right now."

Josie's eyes narrowed. "Don't treat me like I'm a criminal. I did nothing wrong."

"You lied to me."

"I did not. I said I was going out with Monica and I did."

"Omission is just as bad as lying."

Josie threw up her hands. "Oh, so now that you know I met Buddy and I didn't tell you beforehand, then everything I've said is a lie? Just reinforces your opinion of me."

"Actually, I have a rather high opinion of you."

She looked startled. "You do?"

"Yes." And he did. In his gut, deep down inside, he'd had an aching feeling from day one that she hadn't lied about anything regarding his brother. She was too honest and forthright to consider lying. But he'd wanted to believe so much in his brother that it had been less painful to try to pretend she was lying. Not that he'd admit that. "So, what happened tonight?"

"Ah... He...um...well..."

"What?"

"Darn it, Evan. I don't want to talk about this." She flung her legs out and lurched to her feet. "I don't want to get involved in a Dorsett family squabble. Or a love triangle as it were."

She stepped over his legs to bolt out the door, but Evan closed his hand around her ankle and trapped her. "A love triangle." He repeated the words softly, not wanting to know what she meant, at the same time desperate to find out.

She stopped, staring down at her ankle caught in his hand. "You know, sometimes I think your physical strength is incredibly sexy, and other times I find it a huge annoyance. Now is one of those annoying times."

He grinned. "Have I told you that I love your honesty?"

"Great. That makes everything all better."

His smile faded. "What did Buddy say?"

She growled, then folded her arms across her chest and glared at him. "Fine. You want to know? Well, you were right. Does that make you feel better?"

He sincerely doubted it. "Right about what?" That Josie loved Buddy and belonged with him? No, being right about that would not make him feel good.

"He came back to propose to me."

Evan's gut slammed into his throat and words froze in his mouth.

Josie flung her hands up in the air. "His love for me reformed him. He has a job now, wants to be a stay-at-home dad for our kids. Used the remains of my money to buy me a diamond ring. And he gave back my car and my waffle iron. True love, huh?" She tugged a receipt from her pocket. "Got the receipt so I can return the ring, but no...he's still convinced I love him. Thinks he can whittle away at my resistance until I fall helplessly in love with him."

Evan leaned back against the tub and closed his eyes. He didn't want to hear this.

Josie continued to vent. "The jerk stole from me, got me fired and he thinks I'll marry him? Not bloody likely, even if I hadn't fallen in love with his brother."

His eyes snapped open. "What?"

Josie muttered a very unladylike curse and he caught some reference to what could have been Josie Big Mouth, but he couldn't be sure.

"I totally didn't mean to say that." She yanked her ankle out of his grasp. "Gotta go."

As if that would happen.

He grabbed her around the waist and toppled her onto his lap before she could take a step. She froze. He caught the scent of flowers and spring. "God, you smell good."

The fearful look on her face softened and she laid her hand alongside his face. "Evan..."

He took her hand and pressed it against his lips. She felt so right in his lap, her body warm against his. She was his fire, his sparkle, his energy.

He grabbed her face suddenly and kissed her deeply. She responded instantly, throwing her arms around his neck and pressing her body against him.

So right. She felt so right. So good. He wanted her.

Buddy didn't deserve her.

He broke the kiss sharply, his breath catching in deep gusts.

"What's wrong?"

He shook his head and pushed her off his lap. "I can't do this to him."

"But I don't love him."

"He loves you. That's enough."

He stood up, but held out his hand to pull her to her feet. She grabbed the edge of the sink instead. Her lips were tight. "I knew you'd react like this."

"I have to."

"I have one question for you, Evan."

"What's that?" He couldn't look at her.

"If there was no Buddy, would you give us a chance?"

Evan forced himself to meet her gaze and was shocked by the honest vulnerability in her eyes. But he shook his head. "What does it matter? He does, so there's nothing else to discuss. I was dumb enough to think it didn't matter... Oh, hell. I wasn't thinking. I don't know why I let myself make love to you, but he's back." The words burned. "Don't you get it, Josie? He's back. My brother is back!"

She wrinkled her nose at him, but her eyes were looking a mite shifty. "Well, that's it then."

And then she left.

He didn't stop her.

How could he?

He sank back to the floor of the bathroom and let his head drop to his hands.

His brother was back. He could have a family again.

Except that he'd made love to the woman his brother loved.

And he didn't want to let her go.

As if he had a choice. How could he let a woman come between him and his brother?

Intellectually, it was an easy decision.

In his gut, it felt like hell.

Obviously, the only answer was to keep his distance from Josie, for both their sakes. Then he'd find Buddy, beg his forgiveness twice, then hope they could move forward.

Simple.

Painless.

And the hardest thing he'd ever done.