“You’re not going to get in trouble by blowing off work tonight?” Darryl asked as he and Mina walked the three blocks to the lot where she’d left her car.

“Nope, I’m free and clear. We work crazy late on Wednesdays with the contests, but the only work we do on Fridays and Saturdays is during the day. Brooke and Spencer figured that way we get footage, but we’re out of everyone’s hair on the busiest nights.”

“Makes sense.”

“Besides,” she added, “I would have taken off just to hang out with you.”

“Well, yeah. I mean that’s pretty much a given.” He grinned, his wide smile brightening an already handsome face. “I’m just that awesome, after all.”

She bit back a smile so as not to encourage him. “Okay, awesome boy. I’m doing a 5K fun run tomorrow morning. You want to come with?”

“A 5K?”

She shrugged. “I’ve been thinking about training for a marathon, but a 5K’s as much as I’ve worked up to.”

“Hmm.”

She glanced sideways at him as they crossed the street and headed into the pay-to-park lot. “That’s an enigmatic hmm. You disapprove of exercise?” She looked him up and down to make her point. Her brother had been on both the swim and tennis teams all through high school, and in college, he even played water polo. He’d pushed himself through some killer workouts, and she’d been at every one of his major games, jumping up to her feet to cheer him on.

“Come on, Mina. Don’t be obtuse. You know I worry about you.” They’d reached the car, and he walked around to the driver’s side, then held up his hand so she could toss him the keys to the small Mercedes convertible that her father had given her for her eighteenth birthday.

“There’s nothing to worry about. It’s just a 5K.”

He didn’t answer. Just snapped his fingers for the keys.

Frowning, she clicked the button to unlock the car, then got in on the passenger side. After a second, he slid into the driver’s seat. “Can I have the keys, please?”

She hesitated, then dropped them in his outstretched palm. “You do realize that I’ve been driving for as long as you have?”

He just shrugged and slid the key into the ignition. Mina sighed, settled in, and decided not to make a thing of it. Because, honestly, she was used to it. Her father and brother had been babying her since … well, since she was a baby.

The whole thing was wackadoo as far as she was concerned. Darryl was all determined to watch out for his fragile little sister because she was weak, and he was strong and blah and blah and blah.

Except, she wasn’t weak. Not any more. True, she’d been born fifteen long minutes after her brother, and they’d both been born at thirty-two weeks. Also true that he’d been exceptionally healthy for a preemie, and she’d been exceptionally weak. He’d thrived; she’d suffered from a series of medical issues and spent weeks in the NICU after her twin had gone home.

But she’d outgrown all her ailments by the time she’d hit puberty, though her parents were convinced that her petite stature—especially when compared to Darryl’s robust build—stemmed from her various ailments as a kid. But so what? She was almost twenty-five now, and pretty damn cute if she said so herself. Most important, she was fine. Perfectly fine.

But even so, her dad and her brother pampered her. Which might be charming if it didn’t mean they still saw her as weak.

Couple that with the fact that since her mom had moved out when the twins were seven, Mina had grown up in a house with two men, both of whom plunked her firmly on the Princess Throne. A seat she’d never wanted. But, at the same time, she loved her father and brother. And if they wanted to spoil her rotten…

With a sigh, she leaned back and closed her eyes, letting Darryl steer them toward home. As annoying as he and her dad might be, the truth was there were a lot worse problems she could have than an overprotective family.

Like, she thought, one that dabbled in matchmaking.

She frowned, suddenly suspicious, and opened her eyes. “Tonight’s just us, right? You didn’t invite Zacharius over, did you? Because I want to put on some yoga pants, make some popcorn, and veg.”

“It’s Zachary, and no. Just us.”

“Good.” She felt the stress practically ooze off her. “Are we watching at my place or Dad’s?”

“Let’s do the house,” Darryl said. “I may crash early.”

“Sounds good.” Her father still lived in the house they grew up in, and Darryl’s room had stayed the same during his years in undergrad and law school, like a museum in honor of the departing hero. Mina had moved out, too, but she’d taken her stuff with her. Not far, though. Unlike her brother, who’d moved out of state, Mina had not only stayed in Texas, she’d stayed in Austin for both undergrad and graduate school.

She’d lived on campus until she got her bachelor’s, but the summer before grad school, she’d moved into the family’s garage apartment. A well-appointed residence, it took up the entire second floor of the detached six car garage that graced the back half of the five-acre lot nestled in the hills near Lake Austin.

It had been her father’s suggestion—another nod to taking care of little Mina. But by that time she’d spent four years with a roommate and had learned the value of a rent-free place to live. Especially one with access to a pool, tennis court, theater room, and a seriously well-stocked wine cellar.

“How long are you staying with Dad?” Mina asked as Darryl turned the car up the private drive that led to their gate.

“Not sure,” he said. “It’s a big house. If he doesn’t drive me too crazy, I might stay for the year of my clerkship, then see where I land.”

“Good,” she said. “You might be a jerk on occasion, but I’ve missed having you around.”

He pulled the car up in front of the massive garage and killed the engine. “Glad I’m back, too,” he said. “Meet at the house at six? I’ll order Chinese.”

“Perfect.” She reached for the car door.

“Oh, to finish answering your question, I did invite one person over for movie night.”

Her hand stilled, and she groaned as she turned to her brother. “Please tell me you’re joking. It’s Friday. It’s been a long week. All I want is to kick back and chill, not act all perky for some guy you’re looking to fix me up with.”

He laughed. “It’s only Cam. I told him to come by for Chinese and whatever movie you saddle us with—see? I didn’t forget that it’s your turn to pick. Or should I tell him not to come over?”

“Cam?” She realized she was smiling and dialed it back. “Well, duh. Of course, Cam’s welcome.”

“Just checking,” Darryl said. “God forbid I foist a guy on you.”

“Oh, please.” She pushed open the car door, using the motion to camouflage the fact that she’d turned her face away. “Cam’s not a guy. He’s practically like family.”

Which completely begged the question of why her skin suddenly burned with the memory of his bare chest under her palm—or why she had a sudden urge to spend the rest of the afternoon taking a scented bath, shaving her legs, and trying on outfits until she found something casual yet cute, and just a tiny bit sexy.

---

Like family?

Hours later, her words still rang in her head, and she wondered at her own foolishness. Because no way in hell was Cam like family.

Not tonight. Not now.

Not while Mina was standing in front of her bathroom mirror in her underwear, her entire body tingling as she let her mind drift back on the afternoon. The pressure of Cam’s body against hers as he hugged her in congratulations. The heat of his skin when she’d so boldly slid her hand in his shirt. The blood pounding under her fingers and the way she’d felt that unexpected craving rush through her as if following a path from her fingertips all the way down to her sex.

With a little shiver, she eased her fingers under the band of her panties, then moaned when she realized that she was wet.

A heartbeat later, her eyes flew open and she jumped backward, pulling her hand free like some kid caught in bed with a dirty magazine.

Good grief, she hadn’t even realized what she’d been doing. Her hand stroking down her abdomen, her fingers seeking her heat. And her mind lost in the memory of Cam’s innocent touch, while her reaction to it had been anything but innocent.

Honestly, what the devil was wrong with her?

That, thank goodness, was an easy question to answer.

She’d been working too hard. She needed to get out. Have some fun. Enjoy some male companionship of the non-Cameron variety. Because she really wasn’t interested in him that way. He was Darryl’s best friend, for one thing. And he’d been such a fixture in her household growing up, that he was practically a second brother.

Plus, she saw him at The Fix all the time, so they certainly couldn’t start something. How awkward would that be when it inevitably ended? And it would end, because Mina wasn’t even remotely interested in getting serious about a guy. Not now, when she was just getting her career off the ground and proving to her father and brother—not to mention herself—that she was more than capable of successfully managing her own life.

Besides, Cam was too damn nice, and Mina gravitated to men with a little bit of an edge. The kind of guy who grabbed control and made a woman melt. And as much as she adored Cam, he was probably the least edgy guy that she knew.

Now, though, he was in her head, which meant that movie night was definitely going to lean toward awkward.

She sighed, then snatched up her phone and dialed, determined to erase all thoughts of her brother’s best friend.

“If it isn’t the lovely Mina.” Jeff answered on the first ring, his voice as smooth and flirtatious as always. “How are you, beautiful?”

“Feeling claustrophobic in these walls. I’m hanging out with my brother this evening, but I thought I might go out and hit some clubs around eleven.”

“And you’re looking for company?” His tone made clear that he understood perfectly what kind of company she sought. The kind that started with drinks and a loud beat and sweaty gyrations, and then ended up with more sweat, moans, and gyrations of the horizontal variety. The kind of company that was never serious but always fun, and that could capture a girl’s attention long enough to erase everything else—or everyone else—from her mind.

She’d met Jeff during her first year of grad school at a friend’s Super Bowl party. There’d been definite sparks between them, but not much more, and after a couple of dates they’d drifted apart. But then he’d called her a few months later when he’d ended up with an extra ticket to a red carpet movie premiere in Austin. She’d jumped at the chance, and after being fueled up with much champagne, they’d both jumped on each other.

It wasn’t serious. It wasn’t even frequent. But somehow without ever really discussing it, they’d ended up in that elusive land of fuck buddies. Or friends with benefits.

In other words, exactly the kind of distraction between the sheets that Mina knew she needed. Because if she was spending the evening in her dad’s theater room with Cam—if her mind was going to be constantly drifting back to the way his skin felt against hers—then by the time the movie was over, she was going to be in serious need of some big-time distracting.

---

“Something mindless with a lot of action,” Darryl suggested as he pushed the lever to recline one end of the leather sofa.

“Works for me,” Cam said, carrying a bowl of popcorn toward the couch. They’d already done significant damage to the Chinese take-out. Now, they were moving on to traditional movie snacks. Darryl had even brought a box of Junior Mints. “Or we could go the classic route. Like maybe Rear Window?” He settled on the end opposite from Darryl. That side didn’t recline, but he stretched out, propping his feet up on the ottoman.

Mina swallowed, realizing that put her in the middle. Not a surprise, since those were the trio’s usual movie-watching spots. But today it seemed too close for comfort. Especially since she’d be sharing the ottoman with Cam.

Which, she told herself sternly, was No. Big. Deal.

“Yo. Meanie?” Darryl prompted, making her jump.

“Sorry. Mind wandering. I’m always good with Hitchcock.” Just last semester she’d written a paper on the development of Hitchcock’s work over the course of his career. “But I was kind of hoping for Good Will Hunting.”

Both men stared at her as if she’d lost her mind, and she took a step back, holding up her hands to ward off their blatant disdain. “Just a thought,” she said. “I mean, it is my turn to pick, right? Besides, it’s a good movie, and I want to reference it in a lecture I’m giving to some undergrads next week.”

“Math in movies?” Darryl quipped.

“Character and theme in love stories, actually.” Although maybe something without a hint of romance or sex would be the better choice.

“Veto,” Cam said, while Darryl nodded.

“You wanna watch the latest Fast and Furious, I’m all over that shit,” Darryl said. “I’ll even sit back and chill to North by Northwest. But chick flicks are out.”

“Why do I even hang with you two?” She didn’t bother waiting for an answer, just grabbed a beer from the mini-fridge, then plopped down in her usual spot between them. The house was old enough that the theater room wasn’t original. Her dad had converted one of several dens, and in the process, he’d decided to forego individual theater-style chairs for the front-and-center sofa and a couple of recliners on risers behind it.

The sofa, he said, was perfect for a family of three. And growing up, Darryl, Mina, and Cam had gotten in the habit of sharing it, just as the twins had done with their dad.

Today, Mina wished that she’d taken a recliner for herself. Already, she was far too aware of Cam right next to her.

She told herself to chill. She’d watch the movie, drink a beer, then meet Jeff and work this overwhelming horniness out of her system.

And the guys were right. Hitchcock was the much better choice.

“I never figured out Good Will Hunting,” Cam said. “I mean, he drops his whole life and leaves his family to run off across the country, chasing this girl when he doesn’t even know if it’s going to work out.”

“Leaves his family?” Mina said. “He was an orphan.”

“His friends were his family,” Cam said with such intensity that her heart twisted. She knew Cam’s story. He’d grown up with his grandmother and sister because both his mother and father had walked out.

“Well, I think it’s romantic,” she said. “He was taking a risk for love. That was the point.”

“And what about her?” Cam continued. “When he lands on her doorstep, how is he going to know if she really wants him there, or if she just feels obligated since he gave up everything to follow her?”

“Dude,” Darryl said, “you have way over-analyzed that movie.”

“Maybe Cam should give my lecture,” Mina joked, resisting the urge to reach over and squeeze his hand. She might be delving too deep into pop psychology, but she couldn’t help but think that Cam saw his own life in that movie.

“Hitchcock,” Cam said. “I’m putting my foot down.”

“You’re sexy when you’re commanding,” Darryl joked, making Mina roll her eyes even though, silently, she kind of agreed.

Ultimately, they settled on Psycho, and even though it was tame by modern standards—and even though Mina had seen it dozens of times—she still cringed and pulled up her afghan during the infamous shower scene. And when she finally relaxed and stretched out again, her feet bumped into Cam’s on the ottoman.

She jumped, still edgy from the scene, and he grinned at her. “What? You think I’m going to attack?”

“I think you’re on my side of the footstool.”

“Your side? Girl, you gave it up when you abandoned the ottoman during your scream-a-thon.” He gave her shin a light kick. “This ottoman is mine now. The United Ottoman of Cameron.”

She kicked him back. “Not hardly,” she said, then squealed when he shoved her feet toward the edge, setting them both off into a full-fledged foot war for ownership of ottoman. A war so intense and hard-fought that they were both laughing so much they didn’t even hear Darryl until he finally paused the movie.

“You two going to play footsies all night, or do you wanna finish the flick?”

She froze—her legs twined with Cameron’s as their hands also battled for ownership of the afghan that now covered them both. It was fun and intimate and just a little sweet.

A few days ago, she would have thought nothing of it.

Tonight, though…

Tonight, his heavy breathing seemed sensual, not the result of silly exertion. And the fire in his eyes suggested passion, not playfulness. She was seeing him in ways she shouldn’t—in ways that were pure fantasy.

Oh, no…

A split second later, she’d untangled herself and all but leaped to the middle of the couch.

Cam, she noticed, had done the same, launching himself the opposite direction so that he was practically sitting on the armrest.

“Sorry,” she said to Darryl. “Just screwing around. Fooling around, I mean. Just being a goof.” Thank God it was dark because her cheeks felt on fire.

“Start the movie,” Cam said, and Mina had no idea if he looked at her or Darryl because her eyes were locked straight ahead on the screen.

By the time the final credits rolled, Mina’s heart rate and breathing had settled again, but she’d processed none of the movie. Thank goodness she’d seen it a zillion times, because if anyone walked in now and asked her to recite the plot, the moving pictures that had flashed across the screen for the last couple of hours would have been no help whatsoever.

“It’s almost ten,” Cam said, “and I’m starving. You guys want to grab a late bite? I’m thinking pancakes at Magnolia.” The twenty-four-hour eatery had two locations, one just a few miles from the house.

“Honestly, I’m beat,” Darryl said. “But I’ll take a rain check for sometime this weekend.”

“Okay by me,” Cam said, his attention shifting to Mina. “How about you? Does the idea of a gingerbread pancake tickle your fancy?”

“Always,” she said. “But I can’t.” She swallowed, feeling weirdly disloyal. “I, um, promised a friend I’d meet him for a drink. Maybe go dancing. You know. Friday night and all that.”

“Uh-huh,” Darryl said, hoisting himself off the couch and then grabbing the wallet he’d left on one of the side tables. He opened it, then tossed her a condom packet, his mouth curved into a wicked grin. “Wouldn’t be a good big brother if I didn’t remind you to be responsible.”

“You mean you wouldn’t be an asshole,” she said, and as she tossed it back to him, she realized that her cheeks were burning. Which was stupid. She was a grown woman. If she wanted to go out on a date—hell, if she wanted to have sex with her date—she could totally do that.

But despite her righteous indignation, after Cam had left, and Mina had returned to the apartment, she found herself dialing Jeff’s number and canceling, claiming that she was too tired to go out.

“Well, damn, baby. I was looking forward to a tumble.”

“Would be nice,” she agreed. But the truth was, it wasn’t Jeff she wanted to tumble with.

With a sigh, she started to unbutton her jeans, planning to change into her PJ’s. But her hand stilled before she’d even pulled down the zipper. Because maybe, just maybe, she was in the mood for pancakes after all.