Then again, considering the last year of my life, maybe He could. And this—coming face-to-face with the man who turned me out six ways to Sunday a week ago in my father’s house—is further proof that He has some kind of personal vendetta against me.
I blink. Blink again. Hoping against hope that maybe my cranky vagina and overactive imagination just conjured him up and are playing a cruel prank on me.
But no. I can flutter my lashes until a windstorm kicks up; he’s not disappearing. Jay still stands there, as big, powerful, and hot as he was the night he walked into The Rabbit Hole. The last time I saw him, he’d been asleep, naked, a sheet tangled low around his hips. And even though a white, long-sleeved shirt and black dress pants now cover his beautiful, inked body, he still sends a curl of heat twisting and dancing low in my belly. Still has need flickering to dark and inconvenient life.
Jesus Christ. What are the odds? What is he doing here with Dan…?
“Ro?” Dan questions, frowning at Jay then shifting his confused regard back to me.
My heart bangs out a drum solo against my chest, and the shot of Patron I’d downed in my motel room to get me through this dinner swishes in my stomach, waving hello. Dan didn’t know I worked at a dive bar. He has no clue about the upheaval and changes in my life. Hell, it’s one of those upheavals that brought me here today for dinner after months of avoiding it.
“It’s short for Rowena. My middle name,” I remind him, as if that answers the real question: How do Jay and I know each other?
“I used to call her Ro when we were younger. To irritate her,” Jay adds, his tone even, much calmer than the stunned gasp of my name earlier…
Wait. Oh God, wait.
I used to call her Ro when we were younger.
The“when we were younger”spins in my head, gathering velocity and volume with each revolution.
Jay… Jay… One of Katherine’s sons had been named Jude.
I suck in a silent breath, shock pummeling me so hard, I lock my knees to keep from swaying into my father.
Goddamn.
I screwed my stepbrother.
Mystepbrothergave me multiple orgasms.
That must be a sin. There aren’t enough beads on a rosary to give me absolution from this.
Stupid. So stupid. How did I not know? But, hell, howcouldI know? The huge, beautiful, golden man before me who practically vibrates with an intense sexuality doesn’t resemble the tall, skinny kid with hair dyed varying shades of the rainbow and with holes in his ears, nose, and mouth. Not at all. And God knows I’ve changed from the overweight, awkward girl with bad hair and coke-bottle glasses. Still…
Damn.
This clusterfuck just got a lot more fucked.
“I didn’t know he used to call you that,” Dan murmurs beside me. Maybe I’m extra paranoid, but there’s an underlying vein of suspicion in his otherwise innocuous statement.
My mouth has gone as dry as Rosanne Barr’s career, but I manage to swallow and smile. It probably looks as phony as it feels. “Yes. He was…cute.”
The guy with the same shade of dark blond hair as Jay—no,Jude, not Jay—and blue eyes snorts. “No,Iwas cute. Jude was a little, brooding, hormonal son-of-a—”
“Simon,”Katherine hisses.
He holds up a hand, throwing a glance over his shoulder. “Sorry, Heavenly Father.” His grin doesn’t contain an ounce of repentance as he steps forward and, before I can brace myself, envelopes me in an embrace, pressing a smacking kiss to my cheek. “I don’t know how you could possibly forget me, but I’m Simon.”
Good Lord, what is it with the men in this family? Are they all size extra-big-as-hell? Simon’s not as tall as Jude—just barely shorter—but he has the same wide shoulders, deep chest, and thighs like tree trunks. Where Jude is more I-just-rolled-out-of-bed-fresh-from-screwing sexy with his seven o’clock shadow—he’s about a day too late for five—tousled curls, and hooded, sensual green eyes, Simon could grace the cover of a men’s magazine. With a smooth, clean-shaven jaw, perfectly styled hair, and features that are prevented from being too pretty by the rock-hard line of his jaw, I can’t blame the girl over in the corner of the room for not being able to take her eyes off him.
Yet it’s Jude my attention slides back to even as I struggle not to fidget under Simon’s casual and easy affection, something I’ve never been comfortable with from others. Jude’s piercing gaze locks with mine, and though wisdom would be avoiding everything about him at all costs, I can’t look away. Suddenly, I have an unsettling affinity with the vampire who lingers in the dawn seconds too long, just so it can see and feel the sun’s rays for those precious moments—even recognizing the danger, knowing that it will burn and inflict pain.
“I remember,” I reply to Simon. By sheer force of will, I drag my attention from Jude and give his brother a flimsy smile. “It’s nice to see you again.”
“We’re so glad you could join us for dinner, Cypress.” Katherine moves forward, extending her hands toward me. My father’s wife is still beautiful, though ten years have passed since I last saw her. She’s older, and…sadder. Losing a son would do that to a person. Her tone is warm, welcoming, but I catch the wariness in her blue eyes.
And I understand the root cause of it.
