Home sweet home—or so I thought. Waking up to Theo that morning was not comforting. He was so despondent, and any hope harbored that he would walk away with a different outcome fizzled. He’d left New York with a mixture of disappointment and confusion in his chest. He didn’t want to talk about how things had gone, and who was I to force him?

The harsh reality of it leaves me feeling shut out and helpless. Everything has changed, but for reasons I can’t control. His pain has come from some dark place inside, somewhere I just can’t reach. Our relationship is in new territory, and I have no way to reach him.

Last night, as I fell asleep staring at him, his face was finally at peace as he drifted off. I knew I couldn’t fix this. He had been visibly shaken with anger all day. His rage had been endless, but I didn’t know how to stop it.

Now the morning sun disrupts my plan to sleep in. I look at the clock: nine am. Then I glance at Theo. How dare he look so delicious. His chiseled jaw has traces of stubble, and it’s my undoing. When he stirs beneath my touch, the corner of his eyes crinkle and a slow smile escapes his mouth. My hopes for a new day and a new outlook still lurk just around the corner.

“I’m assuming your intentions are dishonorable even though it’s perfectly clear that I need my beauty sleep.”

“How about if I just show you?”

I suddenly realize that I can help him heal with my body, my soul, and yes, my love. I straddle his naked body with mine and drop a kiss onto his lips. All I can feel is hard male below me.

“I know what you want, what you need.”

I rise to admire the etched lines of muscle along his abs, the perfect body under mine.

“It’s not too hard to decipher, angel.”

He lowers his eyes over everything I’ve displayed. His hands climb my heated body, frantically cupping and squeezing the weight of my breast. The tension builds as his ridged cock grows under me. I lift it and take the entire length deep within me.

“Christ,” he groans, as he continues to grind his hips. “Your wet pussy is like a vise around my cock.”

His sexy-as-fuck words fuel my eagerness to please.

Wildness brews beneath his gentleness, and I welcome the wild ride and fierce possession. His fingers are gripping into my sides, forcing me down hard as he pushes inside. My every nerve ending is on fire. I ride his cock with abandon.

His eyes drift down to our joined bodies, and his thumb finds the key to my orgasm.

I am tinder beneath his touch as sensations ricochet to unbearable heights. My body spasms around him.

“I’m going to come. Hard.”

He moans, panting my name. He continues to pound into me until he finds his release.

I know I can’t fix everything with sex, but when he dragged me down, pressing our bodies together, that’s where the healing started, in the aftermath. Time stood still as we lay wrapped in each other’s arms, allowing our intimacy to take a front seat, and I loved every minute of it.

Breaking the silence, Theo’s phone pings to signal that a text has arrived. I can see the annoyance in his eyes when they land back on mine. I leave his warm embrace and hand him the phone.

He sends a quick message back, then I watch as the phone is tossed on the side of the bed.

“It was Alex. He’ll be here in thirty.”

I feel something has shifted in his relationship with his friend. Is Theo really that upset with Alex? He did just sleep with his sister, but the question remains: Does Theo suddenly feel like the protective big brother?

Later on, Alex shows up on my doorstep visibly tanked. As he steps inside, he leans over and gives me a peck on the cheek. He reeks of booze and stale cigarettes. I have no idea what happened after we left, but I’m assuming the worst.

As Alex and I make our way to my kitchen, Theo has his back to us, getting coffee.

“What are you doing here, Alex?” he asks as he fills two more cups, then places them on the counter.

His eyes are icy blue and deadly. The silence that stretches between the two men is thick, to say the least.

Both of them are proud, but truth be told, Theo currently has the upper hand since Alex doesn’t seem to have his usual wits about him.

“Will you say something?” Theo asks.

It’s like he’s trying to prove that he doesn’t give a fuck, but that couldn’t be further than the truth.

Alex glances my way, then takes a drink of the black coffee.

“After everyone left, it was just Madison and myself at the bar.”

Fragments of what happened between them begin to spill out. He seems sincere as he tries to find the right words.

“And for the record,” he continues.” Neither one of us were drunk.” His voice is raspy, as if the emotions speak for themselves. “The night was magnificent.”

At any moment, I think he is about to break down.

“Until you showed up.”

“And there was never any mention of a fiancé’?” Theo’s tone lacks understanding.

“Of course not. If I would have known, nothing would have happened.”

Alex’s eyes blaze with a sense of purpose.

“Maybe you were just a charming novelty to her.”

“No, I sure as hell wasn’t.” The disbelief in his voice is mixed with anger and sadness, as if the words have physically struck him. “It meant something, Theo. The first time I saw her, I felt…” He pauses to find the perfect word to describe the indescribable. “You know me, Theo,” he pleads. “I usually try my very best to avoid any sort of emotional attachment.”

“So, how did you leave it then?”

“Once she heard that Graham guy was looking for her, she just gathered her things and left. She refused to explain anything or discuss what had just happened.”

“You should call her,” I suggest.

His tortured eyes swing to mine.

“I’ve tried. She won’t answer.”

“Then you’ve got your answer.”

Theo’s comment feels cold, hard, and completely unforgiving.

“Okay, I deserved that.” He meets Theo’s gaze head-on, his jaw clenched. “But not from you.”

His meaning is crystal clear. Alex is obviously upset, and Theo isn’t giving him an inch.

“You’re right. I have no room to judge.”

Theo decides to surrender to the situation and find some compassion for his best friend. Inhaling a deep breath and blowing it out slowly, it buys him some time to find the right words.

“She’s in town,” Alex says. “She flew private for a meeting concerning her brand of clothing. I only know this because of a phone call she took at the table that night in the lobby bar, going over details. I overheard that she would be in town. I had hoped we could meet, but…”

“I’ll talk to her,” I suggest, and both sets of male eyes greet mine in surprise.

I’ve never considered myself to be the kind of person who would insert herself into someone else’s business, but it’s possible that a girl-to-girl chat may result in some answers. There’s a lot at risk for both men. I don’t want them crushed by the same woman.

“Aw, you’re so good to me.”

Alex pulls me into a hug, and I observe Theo’s head spinning in the background.

Later that day, I text Madison, asking her to meet for a coffee in her hotel. She accepts gracefully. I dress casually in a white summer dress and wedge sandals. When I find her sitting at a table by the window, she is majorly dressed to kill.

Her off-the-shoulder, long-sleeved black fitted dress molds to every curve. Her long blonde hair is straight and perfect, just like the night we first met. Her matching Prada bag and killer heels leave me slightly intimidated. I feel a little frumpy next to her model good looks and sophisticated fashion sense.

“Eden.”

She stands to greet me with a genuine hug. I feel her sincerity in the embrace. Her warmth is displayed openly.

“I couldn’t resist meeting with you when I found out you were in my neck of the woods,” I say.

“I often travel coast to coast on business. But how did you know?”

“Alex.”

“Ah,” she replies.

The waitress comes by to get our drink orders. We both decide on coffee. And then there’s a noticeable silence between us.

“I hear congratulations are in order.”

I watch as she pales, then and scrambles to steady herself.

“Yes,” she says eventually, but the absence of joy or even happiness gives me cause for alarm.

“Why no ring?” I ask, keeping the bitterness out of my voice.

I watch as she takes in a long breath, preparing herself for the story to come.

“My in-laws, or future in-laws I should say, are officially announcing the engagement. I’ll get the ring that day. Pictures will be in the Post-Dispatch. The save the dates are prepped and ready. The venue’s booked, and many moving parts are at work.”

I think for a moment. I haven’t earned the right to pry into her private life, but two men who I deeply care for are being affected by her actions.

“Then why Alex?”

Shame starts to rise as her pink blush betrays her every thought.

“I love my father,” she says, pleading for some understanding. “I love my parents. I grew up with parents who loved me and showed their affection frequently.”

Our coffee arrives, allowing her a small reprieve from her confession.

“They saved me, but the longing I felt to be accepted, to live up to the dreams they had for me, it was impossible to ignore.”

She takes a moment to sip her hot coffee, but I still haven’t heard where Alex fits into this story.

“He introduced Graham to me last year and made it quite clear. He was suitable husband material.”

I can sympathize with the unsaid expectations of a father who only wanted the best for you. Living up to the best can come at a cost. But not for one second could I imagine my father choosing my husband.

“Alex was…”

I witness her smile and faraway look, as if she’s recalling a sweet memory.

“He was simple, uncomplicated.”

She looks up at me with a familiar sadness, the exact same look I saw on Alex’s face earlier.

“Doesn’t Alex deserve an explanation, though? Because it really did mean so much more to him. Surely you know that?”

“That one night is something that I’ll carry with me forever.”

That isn’t a good sign for Alex, and my heart is bleeding for him.

“But it still happened, and now he’s left with only uncertainty. He’s not going to let go until you give him some form of closure. Doesn’t he deserve that?”

She nods in agreement.

“Not to mention Theo. It’s as if he’s lost in a memory he refuses to remember, afraid to open the gates for fear of a flood drowning him. You have the power to help him heal. He’s been surrounding himself with regret for the many years you both were robbed of.”

“I fully intend to reconnect with him. I do, Eden. I missed those years, too, and when all of this is settled, I will reach out to him, I promise.”

Placing her hand on mine, I sense she’s trying to wash away the hurt she’s caused. She’s trying to reassure me that it will all work out somehow.

Then suddenly she’s looking past my shoulder, and her face straightens immediately. Her warm smile disappears as a man approaches our table.

“Graham, what are you doing here?”

“You flew on my plane, remember?”

He smirks, as if the answer is obvious.

“I mean here, at the restaurant.”

“Your assistant mentioned you would be here.”

His dashing good looks and expensive three-piece suit don’t hide who he really is.

“This is Eden.”

Graham turns, and his eyes track up and down my body, judging or lusting, I can’t decide.

And then the memory comes flooding back. Theo, in New York, outside Alex’s hotel room. I remember him whispering in my ear. “I know Graham, I just don’t trust him.”

And in that moment, I see everything. The gnawing starts deep in the pit of my stomach, sending alarms to my brain. I decide not to ignore them.

He is the type of man who’s capable of being deceitful. He’s also an accomplished liar, and Madison is buying it hook, line, and sinker. I get the distinct impression that he is keeping her on a very short leash.

His handshake is weak, and he holds on to my hand a second too long.

“Nice to meet you, Graham, but I must be getting back.”

I stand and hug Madison goodbye, leaving with more questions than answers.