I found myself watching him, wondering what was going through that handsome mind of his. It was a favorite pastime of mine; one I couldn’t really get enough of.

Bo Villemont was one of God’s most mysterious creatures, a man I knew almost as well as I knew myself. But ever since I came home a little over six months ago, I couldn’t quite figure out what was going on in that head of his. Whenever he looked at me…I swear sometimes I saw what I’d always hoped to see: desire. But then he’d look away or this curtain would come down and it would disappear.

He seemed genuinely happy to see me whenever I stopped by the office. But when we were alone, he was constantly trying to put distance between us, like he was afraid if he touched me, something highly inappropriate would happen. If only he could read my mind and see some of the things I’d really like to have happen whenever we touched!

“I guess things have been really interesting around here the last few weeks,” I said.

Bo nodded, looking up from his veggie wrap just long enough for those perfect green eyes to scrape over my face. “Jack’s case got pretty out of hand. I guess he ended up killing Raelyn’s ex and that led to a lot of crap with the local law.”

“Half of whom were in that motorcycle gang’s pocket.” I nodded. I’d had to make a few phone calls on Jack’s behalf over that.

“Then things started to settle down, but now Brent has this case he’s been working over at Highland—”

“Rhonda’s place?”

“Yeah. Someone’s been attacking the girls in the parking lot. Brent thinks it’s a member of this local MC that helped out Rage when their president was looking for Raelyn.”

“Raelyn. You talk about her like the two of you are best friends.”

“We spent some time together while she was here. But she’s Jack’s.”

That was still taking some getting used to. I liked Stacey. I liked that Jack was engaged to marry a good girl, a simple girl. Someone who would make the perfect executive’s wife. If he was going to insist on playing this role as a businessman when he wasn’t out chasing bad guys, then he needed a good wife who could throw proper parties for the highbrow executives who often threw business our way. But Jack obviously didn’t see things that way if he was able to throw away a two-year relationship on some girl he’d just met!

“I hope I get to meet her someday. Everyone talks about her like she’s some sort of princess or something.”

“Jealous?”

I glanced at Bo, thinking he meant in relation to my feelings for him. But he was grinning, obviously teasing me.

“Do you think Brent’s case will go down the same road as Jack’s?”

“I hope not. But I know he and Jack are heading out tonight to stalk this guy, hoping to catch him in the act.”

I nodded, not sure I wanted my brothers chasing after some dangerous criminal. But they were both ex-cops, so no one here could probably handle it better.

“And he’s got one of the girls staying down in the safe room. Dane Walters.” Bo’s eyebrows flicked a little as he looked over at me. “I think there’s something going on between them.”

“Brent? Really?”

“And I think she’s good for him.”

Almost as the words came out of his mouth, Bo looked up and his attention was caught by a pretty brunette in workout clothes coming into the cafeteria. He watched her as she loaded her tray with food, then waved her over to our table.

I wanted to choke him. It wasn’t often I got him all to myself. I didn’t want to share.

“Remy, this is Dane Walters. She’s the one I was telling you about.”

I forced a smile, reaching over my salad to offer her my hand. “It’s nice to meet you, Dane.”

She studied me for a moment, curiosity bright in her eyes.

“You’re Brent and Jack’s sister.”

“I am.” I tilted my head slightly, stealing a glance at Bo as he turned his attention to his food, but clearly hung on every word we exchanged. “I guess I should be flattered that one of my brothers thought enough of me to mention me to you.”

“Brent told me a little about you.”

I inclined my head slightly. “It would have been Brent. Jack’s not big on giving out personal information. We still don’t even know his new girlfriend’s last name.” Which was very true. Though Brent hadn’t been very forthcoming with personal info since Madeline and Josie died a little over a year ago. This relationship he was developing with this girl must be more than I’d thought. “I understand you’re part of this Highland Club case?”

“I work there.”

I rested my chin on my hands as I studied her, truly curious now. Brent was not only falling for some girl, but he was falling for one of Rhonda’s girls. Interesting.

“Brent mentioned the case, but he hasn’t really told me what it’s about.”

“I told—”

Bo started to explain, but I waved my hand and continued to study Dane.

“My friend Rachel was beaten in the parking lot and then two other girls—three now—were attacked. Rhonda hired Stone Security to stop it from happening.”

“And now they think they know who’s responsible?”

“They do. They’re going after him tonight.”

“I wasn’t aware of that. When?” I said, pretending to frown as I ignored Bo’s outraged look as he tried to figure out what I was up to.

“Probably late. The club doesn’t open till five.”

“Aunt Rhonda never mentioned any of this to me. I guess Brent told her to keep me out of it.”

“Aunt Rhonda?”

“She’s an old family friend. That’s what we’ve always called her.”

Bo made another face at me even as Dane frowned, her beauty more intense with the frown, it that was at all possible. She looked vaguely like Madeline when she first came over, but now…I could see what had drawn Brent to her. She was beautiful, but there was something else about her, some sort of energy, that was almost intoxicating.

“Rumor has it that you and Brent are an item. Is that true?”

“Remy,” Bo said, his voice low, finally pushed a little too far.

“It’s practically public knowledge.” I waved my hand, my eyes still focused tight on her face. “Is it true?”

“I suppose you could say that.”

“Do you love him?”

“Really, Remy!”

We both ignored Bo.

“We’ve only been together a short time.”

“Yes, well, Jack’s only known this Raelyn person for less than a month and he thinks he’s head over heels in love. It obviously doesn’t take that long to figure it out when it’s the right person.” I glanced at Bo, unable to help myself. “Do you love my brother? Do you have good intentions toward him?”

“I don’t plan on breaking his heart, if that’s what you’re asking. And I’m hoping he has no intention of breaking mine.”

I studied her a moment longer, aware of the tension rolling off her body, that tension only half of the tension strumming from Bo. I loved pushing him to the edge of sanity, loved watching to see what he’d do. But I was also aware there was only so far I could push him.

“I like you,” I told Dane. “I think you’ll be good for him.”

She inclined her head, apparently pleased with my assessment.

That was enough fun for one day. I stood, snatching up my satchel. “I’m here to go over some legal work for Jack, so I guess I better get to it. I hope to see you around again, Dane.” My gaze fell to Bo for a long second. There were so many things I wanted to say to him as he looked up at me, but that curtain was in his eyes again. I sighed. “See you, Bo.”

My knees were shaking when I got onto the elevator. I wanted to cry, I was so frustrated. It wasn’t so much that Dane girl. She really was interesting. I hoped to see her and Brent make something work between them. Brent had been so heartbroken since Madeline and Josie. He needed something to bring him out of it, even if it was a fling with an erotic entertainer. No, it wasn’t Dane. It was Bo.

He was so open and friendly with everyone but me. I didn’t understand it. There’d never been a wall between us before, even when I was nine and confessed that I was in love with him. He took me out for ice cream and told me he’d always be my friend. Where was that friend now? Why did he always look at me like he was afraid of me? When had things changed between us?

I walked into Jack’s office and threw myself onto the low couch he had stuffed in one corner of the room. There were a couple of guys in suits sitting in chairs in front of his desk, but I didn’t care. That was business. This was more important.

Jack sighed before suggesting to his guests that they continue their meeting at a later date. When they were gone, his office door closed securely behind them, he strolled almost nonchalantly over to the couch.

“What’s up, little sister?”

“Why does love have to be so hard, Jack? Why can’t it be simple: boy meets girl, boy falls for girl, and they live happily ever after?”

“That’s usually what it is.”

I gave him a look that made it clear I thought he was an idiot. “Like it was for you and Stacey? How could you dump her after two years for some woman you barely know?”

“Because I learned more about Raelyn in forty-eight hours than I learned about Stacey in two years. And Raelyn and I have a connection that was instantaneous. I never felt that with Stacey.”

“Why not?”

“I don’t know. It’s either there or it isn’t.”

“What if Stacey was head over heels in love with you? Would that make a difference?”

“I don’t think she ever was. I think I was convenient to her.”

“How do you make someone fall head over heels in love with you?”

“You don’t, Remy,” he said, reaching over to take my hand. “If they don’t feel the same for you, they never will.”

I shook my head. That was the last thing I’d wanted to hear.

“Rem—”

“You’re not a lot of help, Jack.” I jumped to my feet, pausing at the door. “I met Brent’s girl. Do you think that’s something?’

Jack hesitated, clearly bothered by the idea of Dane. But when his eyes came up to meet mine, I could see a swirl of fear and hope there. “I saw the way he looks at her. I think he believes there’s something there.”

“But you don’t like the idea?”

“She’s one of Rhonda’s girls, Remy. She’s…not his type. And she looks so much like Madeline…”

That bothered me a little, too.

“Not when she starts talking. She’s nothing like Madeline.”

“But when he looks at her—”

“We don’t know that’s all he sees in her.”

“Maybe.”

“I know it’s not. I talked to her for a few minutes. She’s as different from Madeline as a woman could possibly be.”

He inclined his head slightly. “Perhaps.”

“I want Brent to find happiness as much as you do, Jack. But you have to have a little faith that he knows what he’s doing.”

“Maybe,” he repeated.

I just shook my head and walked out, heading down the hall to Brent’s office. But Brent was gone, off to some meeting or something. I backtracked and found myself outside Bo’s office. He was there, back from his lunch with Dane, studying whatever was on his computer with intense concentration. I almost hated to disturb him, but it would probably seem odd if I just continued to stand there in his office doorway, watching him work.

I tapped on his door. “Hey, can I talk to you for a second?”

He looked up, a warm smile touching his lips that made my heart flutter just a little. “Of course.”

I walked in and dropped into one of the chairs set in front of his desk. “Jack has me working on this permit for the expansion out behind the obstacle course. I guess he wants a full military training facility for his operatives—though I’m not sure why. It’s not like they’re preparing for war.”

“But it could help prevent mistakes in the field.” Bo sat back, resting his head on his interlaced fingers. “I’m aware of the project. Jack wants me to help plan the facility.”

I frowned a little, not sure how I felt about that. But then an idea bloomed in my head.

“Do you have the blueprints and everything? Maybe you could help me with the specifics on the permit application.”

“Sure. What do you need to know?”

“Well, I need to get back to the office now. But maybe you could come to my place tonight and we could talk about it over dinner.”

The curtains came down again as Bo sat up and considered my idea. I thought for sure he’d refuse, but then he tilted his head and sighed. “Sounds good. What time do you want me?”

That was a loaded question! “Seven-thirty. I’ll make spaghetti.”

He smiled as he quickly turned back to his computer. “See you then.”

I nearly laughed aloud as I walked out of his office. Finally, a little time alone that can’t be interrupted by anything! I couldn’t wait.