THE DOOR SLAMMED shut with a resounding bang, and I winced at the echo it left in its wake. I’d really screwed things up here. I’d come upstairs to try and smooth things out with Miles, and instead, I’d kissed him until I’d forgotten where I was.

Shit. This wasn’t good. In fact, it was really, really bad. There was no way his family would’ve missed Miles’s exit. Hell, I wouldn’t have been surprised if his neighbors had heard the door rattle. But I wouldn’t regret it. No. Sure, this was a monumental fuck-up of epic proportions, but once everything was explained, he’d understand. The key here was getting Miles to calm down enough to let me explain, which wouldn’t happen if I kept kissing him.

I sighed, walked to the bed—Miles’s bed—and sat down, thinking about all the things I’d do to him if I’d been allowed to pull him down onto it. And once again I was doing exactly what I shouldn’t be doing: fantasizing about a client’s brother.

This was a first for me, for sure. When I’d gotten into this gig three years ago, I’d thought it was an easy way to make some cash. My friends had always joked around that I was too smooth for my own good. Easygoing and personable, I’d never had a problem before fitting in with a client’s group of friends or family. But then again, I’d never been in a situation quite like this either.

I’d purposely tailored my “business” to where I only took on female clients. It was less messy that way, considering I was gay, and I’d never have to worry about falling for any of them. But I’d never really considered what would happen if I fell for one of their brothers, because what was the likelihood of that happening?

Apparently, pretty damn likely. Which now made things really complicated.

Knock, knock, knock. “Sean?”

At the sound of Beth’s hesitant voice, it was confirmed that the entire family had heard Miles’s departure, and when she pushed open the door, she looked around the room as though double-checking no one else was in there with me.

“Just me,” I said.

She came inside and shut the door, and once she was satisfied we were alone, she said, “Was that Miles we just heard?”

I gave a strained smile and nodded. “It seems your brother and I don’t…umm, see eye to eye about playing nice.”

“Really?” she said as she sat beside me. Her eyes were wide as saucers as she shook her head, and considering she didn’t know the full story, I could see why she was so baffled that her apparently sweet brother had morphed into a total Grinch.

“I don’t understand this at all.” Beth pulled her beanie off her head and smoothed her hand over her waves. “Maybe he is on drugs? I mean, this is so unlike him. Miles is always so nice and welcoming. Rick’s always been the overly protective one.”

She glanced at the door, and then back to me. “I’m going to go and find him. He can’t keep treating you like this. I don’t care if this is just a ruse. You didn’t sign up for this.”

As she went to get to her feet, I reached out and halted her. “Wait.” I could see the confusion in her eyes and tried to think of the best way to edge around the questions there. “I know this isn’t ideal, but sometimes this is how it happens. Families…react differently to new people.”

Beth frowned. “Not Miles. He never acts like this. He was always the one bringing home stray animals, new school friends, and asking poor George who collected money at the local mall over for Christmas dinner.”

Of course he was.

“So this is… It’s just not like him. He doesn’t even know you. And he owes you an apology.”

As she shot to her feet, I did too, and I knew I needed to either come up with something really convincing or just—“Beth, he does know me”—come clean.

Her forehead creased. “Miles knows you? How?”

I ran my hand through my hair and sighed. Here we go. “Look, I’ve never been in this situation before, but I feel the need to have total transparency here.” When Beth nodded for me to go on, I said, “Miles and I have met a couple of times before, and the first thing you need to know about that is I go by a different name for my job. You know me as Sean, but he knows me as Aiden. And he…doesn’t know what it is I do.”

“Okaaay,” she said. “So, is that why he’s upset? He thinks you lied about your name?”

I wish it was just that. “No, that’s not all.”

Beth waited for me to keep going, but how did I tell her that I was developing feelings for her brother? That I wanted to get to know him better and—

“Sean? What are you not telling me?”

“Beth, I…” Just say it. Rip off the Band-Aid. “I like your brother.”

The silence was deafening as she stared at me, confusion written all over her face.

“You like Miles?” she said, and then rubbed at her temples. “Are we talking like like, or—”

“I kissed him. Last night at a party.” I wasn’t about to tell her I did it again where she was standing a few minutes ago, because who needed those extra details when the truth was bad enough?

She gaped at me, her mouth opening and shutting like a fish. “Oh my God. You and Miles?” She paced for a moment before flopping down on the end of the bed. “Okay, this complicates things.”

“Exactly,” I said. “This isn’t something I’ve ever encountered, and I won’t let it affect my job with you, but I needed to let you know.”

“Hang on. You said he doesn’t know what you do…right?”

“Right.”

“So he thinks you cheated on me with him? Oh my God.”

“He threatened to tell you about it.”

Beth let out a low chuckle. “Oh, Miles. I told you he’s a good guy.” Then she narrowed her eyes and smirked. “But apparently you already know that, huh?”

Shoving my hands in my pockets, I nodded. “I do.”

“Wow. So, what do we do now?”

“Pray. We pray.”

She laughed and fell back on the bed. “This is insane. I have to tell him the truth, or he’s gonna make this weekend a living hell.”

“What about your parents?”

“Miles won’t say anything. They’ll never know.”

“You sure about that?”

“Positive. Although”—she lifted herself up to rest on her side—“we still need to keep this charade going, just for the weekend. They already love you, and it’ll cause more drama my way if my parents find out. The whole point of bringing you here was to get them to lay off me, which is working like a charm.”

“Agreed. I’ll honor our contract. No need to worry about that.”

“Oh no.”

“What’s the matter?”

“If you and Miles end up together, it’s gonna look like I’m the one who turned you gay. I can’t decide if that’s worse than Spinsterville.”

“I promise, you could never turn anyone gay.”

“Aww. Sweet talker.”

“Nah. The person you were with would already know they were gay.”

Beth rolled her eyes, laughing as she got to her feet. “All right, I’m going to go talk to Miles. By the time you see him again, he’ll be back to his sweet, charming self. I hope.”

“Good luck. Maybe put on some combat gear first.”

“Don’t you worry, I can handle him.” Beth paused as she got to the door and looked over her shoulder. “By the way, if you hurt Miles, just know I’m gonna kick your ass.”

That was the second McAllister who’d threatened me in the last hour, and something told me it wouldn’t be the last before the weekend was over.

After Beth winked at me and shut the door behind her, I blew out a breath. What was supposed to be a simple job had turned into something even I couldn’t have anticipated. Would Miles understand? Would he help his sister out by staying quiet?

But even more than that, would he look me in the eyes the next time he saw me?