Ignoring the warning bells clanging in his brain, he allowed himself to be towed by the sweet-scented girl in the white sundress.

Staring up at the ceiling, crowded against the wall thanks to the mother of all tanning beds, Nicole couldn't get Caroline's voice out of her head. Freaky food-hoarder.

Bringing a trunk to school hadn't seemed that odd. If anything, she'd figured people would assume it had clothes and school supplies in it. And, if they did find out about the food, she'd just tell them she was a finicky eater. Which, of course, she was.

Whatever. She wouldn't have to deal with Caroline again. And now she got to live in this unbelievably gorgeous house.

Dylan and James had taken the furnished bedroom right across the hall, while she had the room formerly used as a tanning salon. The furniture was on order, so she'd only have to crash on the floor a couple days. No problem, especially when she considered the house's huge, fully-stocked kitchen. It was to die for. She doubted the other students would use it for more than microwaving popcorn or storing cases of beer, so she'd pretty much have it to herself.

She was so glad Dylan had decided to move in with them. He didn't know about her mom, of course, so he couldn't know how well she understood the shame and distress of being raised by an alcoholic.

Dylan. She turned her face into the pillow. Last night, sleeping beside him...his body heat, the rhythmic rise and fall of his muscled chest...God. His strong arm had felt so freaking good around her. They'd shared a moment. A big moment-staring into each other's eyes, no words spoken, just raw, compelling emotion. Connection. Desire streamed through her, filling every nook and cranny, making her body come to life. She rolled onto her back.

But, really, forget her body's reaction to him. Those hazard cones screamed Stay away. He was completely closed off. And she absolutely wasn't getting involved with yet another guy who couldn't be hers. Maybe she was asking too much, but she needed someone who could love her with all his heart. Not someone battling serious demons.

And, boy, did Dylan have demons. Impossible not to with a mom like that. She could've turned out the same way, but she'd gotten out at a much younger age.

A sliver of yellow light cut across her small room. She froze. Not everyone knew she'd moved in here, so maybe someone wanted a quick tan before school started?

But then she recognized the hulking figure crouching before her, inhaled his fresh-air scent, cut through with cinnamon.

"I can't sleep knowing you're on the floor," Dylan said. "Come to my room?"

A flurry of emotion rendered her speechless. All she could do was nod.

Before she could even make a move to get up, he'd scooped her in his arms-sleeping bag and all-and carried her across the hall.

She could feel the rush of air over her skin as Dylan settled her on his mattress. But she had to look away, because, God, he'd brought her to his bed.

He wouldn't let her sleep on the floor.

She loved her dad and brothers, but they'd never-ever-treated her with such care. They'd never put her needs first. Mostly because they didn't know them. They'd never asked. She just wanted them to hang out with her-be relaxed around her. Instead, ever since she'd come back to them, they didn't know what to make of her. So, they'd just left her alone.

He leaned close to her ear, and she glanced over to make sure they weren't disturbing James. "You can have the bed and I'll take the floor."

She shook her head. "We managed it last night. We can do it again. I mean, if you don't mind."

Heart thundering, she watched him unzip her bag and motion for her to get out. She crawled out of it and stood beside him as he tossed it on the floor, pulled back the covers of his bed, and got in. He didn't even look at her. No patting of the mattress to indicate she should get in. He just folded an arm under his head and closed his eyes.

In her whole life, she'd never been so touched, so...exhilarated. She got in, and he pulled the blanket up over them. His body heat seeped into her, his cinnamon scent filled her senses. She wanted to snuggle into him, talk about school, his classes, his life back home-did he miss it? Or anyone in particular? But she knew he didn't want that. He was offering her a mattress until she got one of her own. And that was it. She couldn't read more into it.

Seconds stretched into the longest minutes of her life, until she couldn't take it anymore. She knew he was awake. His damn phone kept buzzing under his pillow. Didn't it wake James up? She glanced over to her friend's bed again, saw him curled up like a pill bug. He snored softly.

Finally, she rolled over to face Dylan. "Don't you want to see who's texting?" She kept her voice to a whisper.

"I know who it is."

"Shouldn't you answer?"

He looked like he was in pain. She wanted to touch him so badly, reach out and stroke his arm. Just let him know she was there, and that he'd be all right.

"Where'd you go tonight?" Even in the darkness, she noticed the strong lines of his jaw, the sensuous mouth, and guarded look in his eyes.

He didn't shift his head to talk to her, just looked down at her from an awkward angle. "Gym. After that, I went into town."

"Oh." Did he go to a bar or something? He didn't smell like booze. Just of toothpaste and his familiar scent.

"Applied for jobs."

"I've been thinking about that all night."

"Yeah?" Was that a hint of a smile?

"I was thinking what I'd do outside of school. Like maybe start a baking club or something. And then I thought why not make money doing it, you know? Get some extra spending money."

She checked to see if he was interested. Maybe he just wanted to go to sleep. But she had his full attention, which was...nice. "And I was thinking about how, when my oldest brother went off to college, I was bummed that I didn't get to make him a cake on his birthday anymore. I tried to find a bakery around his campus that would make one and deliver it to his dorm, but no one did that."

"Okay?"

She smiled. "So, I bake. And I was thinking we-you, me, and James-could start a business, making cakes and cupcakes for students. You know, for birthdays and stuff."

He opened his eyes. The distrust in them jarred her. Did he think it was a terrible idea? Or did he think she'd come up with a business idea so she could get with him?

Either way, she didn't like the way it made her feel. "Whatever. We can talk about it in the morning." She didn't need him to launch her business. James would totally want to do it with her. She tried to turn over-okay, she flounced, she wasn't proud of it-but he rolled onto his side and caught her with his arm, holding her firmly in place.

"I'm listening."

"Forget it. Let's just go to sleep."

"Don't be like that. Just tell me your idea."

"Well, Dylan, I don't really want to tell you my idea when I see that look in your eyes."

He actually seemed offended. "What look?"

"Uh, the one that says, What exactly does she want from me?"

"If I have a look, it's because I have a hell of a lot on my mind. It's been a long damn day and I want to get to sleep."

Of course she knew that. He hadn't slept in twenty-four hours. "I know. We can talk tomorrow." But they didn't close their eyes, and the tension between them grew, becoming a force-field around them.

He watched her thoughtfully. "I have to make money now. I don't have time to build a business."

Of course. That was dumb of her "Well, you could get a job while we grow it."

"Not sure I'll have time for that."

"It's just baking and delivering cakes."

He still didn't seem interested.

"Whatever. It's just an idea." She tried to turn away from him-she was not sleeping in the crook of his arm-but he still held her in place, and it was starting to make her a little crazy. "What?"

He looked a little crazy, too. She could feel the restraint in his arm that banded just beneath her breasts, feel the intense heat from his gaze. Desire raged up from her core. God, what did he want from her? It wasn't her imagination-he was giving her very mixed signals.

But then the moment passed. He exhaled. "Maybe there's a bakery in town."

"I'll find out tomorrow."

"Not sure how much money there is in making birthday cakes."

"It doesn't have to be just birthdays. It can be for faculty events. Maybe professors would order them for their dinner parties. I don't know. Who doesn't want cupcakes? And, you know, my stuff isn't all that common."

"She makes lavender cupcakes." James's voice sounded gruff and sleepy.

"Oh, my God, I'm so sorry." She craned her neck to see him over her shoulder. It occurred to her just then that her position thrust her chest out. Her breasts were covered in a thin cotton tank top. She turned back around to find Dylan's gaze riveted to them. She slumped forward, not wanting to give him the wrong impression, but the freaking heat in his eyes sent her up in flames. God, what was going on between them? Her legs shifted, her knees bumping into his thighs.

"I think it's a great idea. I'm all in." James sighed. "I'm also going back to sleep."

"I'm so sorry I woke you up. I thought I was so quiet."

"I'm not sleeping." James sighed.

"You were so sleeping. I heard you."

"You can't hear someone sleep."

"You snore. Loudly."

"Take it back." He sounded more awake now. "Take it back right now. I do no such thing."

"You're getting yourself all worked up. Now go back to sleep."

"Fuck," James said, voice filled with frustration. "I can't sleep. I'm completely freaking out."

"About what?" The moment she started to roll out of bed to go to him, Dylan's arm tightened on her. She turned back to him, and they shared a heart-stopping gaze so filled with desire and want and need that she literally couldn't take a breath.

"Maybe my dad was right," James said.

She broke away from Dylan. "What're you talking about?"

"Maybe I should've waited a year."

"James," she said softly. "What're you worried about?"

"Maybe I'm the best jazz keyboardist Roger Miller High has ever seen, but what if I'm, like, the pity player here? What if I suck compared to these guys?"

"Well..." She gave it some thought. "First of all, I'm going to guess that to get into this program, which is the best in the country, you had to audition."

He nodded, hands folded under his head, staring up at the ceiling.

"And you were selected, so I'm going to guess it wasn't because they felt sorry for you. But, secondly, even if you're not as good as some of the others, you are in the best program in the country, so you'll have the best teachers to help you get where you need to be. So, really, it's win-win, no matter how you look at it."

Dylan's hand squeezed her waist hard, causing her to turn back in his direction. She expected him to be pissed or something, but he was staring at her mouth. The heat rolling off him made her want to throw off her clothes.

"You're right. You're totally right." James sighed, then rolled over. "You're better than Xanax any day. I feel so much better. G'night."

She couldn't tear her gaze away from Dylan. What would it feel like to kiss that sensuous mouth? A jolt of lust struck hard, as she imagined kissing Dylan McCaffrey. Him wanting her as badly as she wanted him. Oh, man. Dumb, dumb, dumb.

She had to stop thinking like that. Just focus on business. Leaning closer, she whispered, "So, what do you think?"

"About your business?"

She nodded.

"I don't cook. What would I do?"

"I don't know. It's a business, so there'd be a lot more than baking. Marketing, delivering, accounting. It's just...it makes sense for all of us. I'm going to be baking anyway and for you, with school and all, fitting a regular job into your schedule will be tough. This job'll let you make your own hours."

"What'll you get out of it?"

"I'm not going to just go to classes and study. I don't party, and I'm not joining a sorority. I have to do something. I can't just have a resume that says I went to school. Why not start our own business?"

"Hell, yeah," James said.

"I'm practically mouthing the words, James. You can't possibly hear me."

"It'll take a while until we make any real money," Dylan said.

She gave him a soft smile, wishing he'd stop fighting her. She could totally make out with him right then. "Probably. But if it works, it'll be pretty awesome. So, are you in?"

He didn't answer, just studied her.

"Just say yes and let's all get to sleep," James said.

"Say yes," she whispered.

"I'll think about it."

What could possibly hold him back? It was a great idea. "Whatever. You're in James, right?"

"Totally. Love it. Don't worry about Dylan. Make a batch of your cupcakes tomorrow. He'll be your slave for life."

"How do you know?" Dylan asked. "You've never tasted them."

"Did you not hear me say lavender cupcakes?"