Well, she knew whom to thank"or blame"for that. Having a long, s.e.x-filled night with Lane shouldve left her exhausted, but instead, she felt invigorated, downright hyper.

And that meant she was annoying the c.r.a.p out of her friends.

Harper and Wren were both looking a little dusty and a lot frazzled as they glowered at Delilah like shed broken some cardinal rule by appearing at the diner fresh as a daisy and irritatingly cheerful. They sat across from her in a booth in the back of the restaurant, looking like a pair of grumpy old ladies.

Why are you glowing? And bouncing in your seat? Harper asked, her gaze shrewd. She didnt miss a trick, that Harper. Of course, she was in the same boat as Delilah, or perhaps an even better boat, considering she was getting great s.e.x on a regular basis from West.

She always bounces in her seat, Wren muttered as she kept her head bent, scanning the menu on the table in front of her. Shes probably had too much coffee.

Nah, its more than that. Harper stared at her. Delilah started to squirm even more. Maybe she shouldnt have agreed to meet them for lunch after all.

Its nothing, she said as she pushed her menu to the end of the table. And why are you looking at the menu, Wren? You know what you want to order. She didnt know why Harpers grandma had left the menus in the first place.

I should get a salad. Ive been feeling fat, Wren muttered, glaring at her gla.s.s of ice water. I shouldve ordered a root beer.

Youre not fat, Delilah rea.s.sured, thankful for the subject change. Seriously, Wren, you look fabulous. If youre feeling flabby, come to one of my cla.s.ses. Ill dance you back into shape.

Please, more like youll kill me. Wren shoved the menu away and leaned against the booth seat, her expression irritable. You know, Harpers right. You are glowing. What gives?

Delilah lightly touched her cheek, wishing she had a mirror. She didnt look different, did she? Could she have been that transformed by one fantastic night with Lane? No way. No freaking way.

But three o.r.g.a.s.ms in one night could do a lot to a girl. The man knew how to bring her satisfaction, shed give him that. Hed worked his d.a.m.nedest to make sure she had an o.r.g.a.s.m every single time too. She could appreciate that. Could appreciate everything Lane had done for her last night and early this morning . . .

Shed left before the sun had come up, sneaking out of bed and slipping back into her clothes as he roused, sitting up so the sheet had pooled around his hips. Looking gorgeous and rumpled and s.e.xy and sleepy.

Where you goin? hed mumbled as he pushed his hand through his hair.

Her heart had fallen to her toes at the sight of him. Shed wanted to climb back into bed with him and never leave again.

But shed known she had to leave first. Before he said something awful and ruined the moment. He was an expert at pushing her away too. Running hot and cold, that was Lane. Right now he was on-fire hot, and that was her favorite version of Lane. Though she was scared hed do something to mess it up. Or worse, break her heart. He was pretty good at that.

In fact, Lane was a total expert when it came to mishandling her heart. No one had ever done a better job.

I have to go. Shed kissed him, startling when he wrapped one strong arm around her waist and tried to haul her into the bed with him. Shed resisted, using all of her strength to keep herself upright. Seriously, Lane. Dont you have to work today?

Hed said yes. Tried to kiss her again. Snuck a hand up her shirt, spanked her b.u.t.t, and done everything he could to make her stick around for one more chance to be with him. But shed said no. Shed walked out of his house on her own terms, her heart singing a lonely tune the entire drive home.

Shed taken a shower, careful with the tender spots on her body. Then shed gone to the dance studio and lost herself in the music as she listened to various songs, picking out a few good ones for recitals next year.

She was moving forward with her plans and creating a team to take to regional compet.i.tions, something shed never done before. Shed competed as a teen, and those memories were some of her favorites.

Delilah had been feeling so inspired shed scrolled through sites online, finding a few compet.i.tions close by and noting them on her calendar. She was excited by the possibilities, excited for the future of her business, and so incredibly thankful her thoughts this morning werent totally wrapped up in Lane.

He couldnt be her end all, be all. He just . . . couldnt. It was dangerous becoming hung up on Lane. She already was. She couldnt let s.e.x take her semiobsession even further.

Dee. Wren waved her fingers in front of Delilahs face, pulling her from her thoughts. Whered you go?

Shes all dreamy. And shes only ever dreamy when it has to do with a guy. Harpers knowing smile couldnt be missed. Youre thinking about Lane.

Ew, Wren said, shaking her head. I really hate how you both have fallen for my brothers.

You do not. Harper nudged Wrens side with her elbow. You love it. We could all be family someday, you know.

The mere thought made Delilahs heart race. Theyd known each other for what felt like forever but she knew mentioning the possibility of marriage to Lane would freak him out. c.r.a.p, it was freaking her out, and shed had a thing for Lane for years. This was her dream come true, what shed wanted for far too long.

Harper and Wren were still squabbling when Delilah interrupted them. I was with Lane last night.

Her friends went silent, turning to look at her with wide eyes.

All night, she emphasized, making Harper grin and Wren grimace.

Oh my G.o.d, you had s.e.x with Lane. Wow, Harper said, clapping her hands together. So are you two like . . . official now?

Give me a break, Delilah muttered, taking another sip of her c.o.ke. She wished she had something stronger. She suddenly needed it. You know how it is with Lane.

Have you talked to him today? Wren asked.

Delilah shook her head. Not since this morning when I left his place.

Harper looked downright giddy. I cant believe it. So how was it?

Dude, you have no shame. Wren stuck her fingers in her ears. I dont want to hear any details.

Shes such a party p.o.o.per. Harper rolled her eyes.

Thats my brother youre talking about, not that you care considering youre banging my other brother. Its like a conspiracy or something, I swear, Wren said.

You can give me details later, when shes not around, Harper said, laughing.

Harpers grandma appeared at their table to take their orders. So your mama is all right? she asked Wren. I heard about what happened yesterday. I hope shes feeling better today.

She is, thank you. The testing went well and shes at home resting. Im going to stop by and check on her later this afternoon, Wren said.

After Harpers grandma walked away, they talked about Angela Gallagher and how she was feeling, what the possible problems could be and what she might need to do if it was something serious. Though both Harper and Delilah rea.s.sured Wren that it was most likely nothing, none of them really knew. Delilah was just glad for the change of subject. She didnt want to talk about her and Lane. It made her feel weird. Uncomfortable.

Yes, theyd had a great time last night. Yes, the chemistry between them was still undeniable. Yes, her body lit up just thinking about him. She wanted more. She wanted to roll around in his bed all day and night. Just the two of them, isolated from the world, caught up in their own little bubble.

But that wasnt reality. There were other things going on. Delilah had a business not just to run, but to expand and grow. Lane was busy with work and family problems. His mom needed him. His siblings needed him too. They were both swamped.

Maybe this wouldnt work for them after all.

LANE DROVE AIMLESSLY around town, his mind not on the job but on other things. His mom. Her health. Wondering what the h.e.l.l was wrong with her. Hoping it wasnt anything too bad"though deep in his gut, he was afraid it was something horribly serious.

And if he wasnt thinking about his mother, his thoughts drifted to Delilah, and that was almost worse. What had happened last night had been nothing short of amazing.

The s.e.x was scorching. He couldnt keep his hands off her. She couldnt seem to keep her hands off him. Theyd been up most of the night, talking and having s.e.x. Eating and telling each other they needed to go to bed, only to fall back into each others arms and go at it again. Like two out-of-control addicts who couldnt get enough of each other.

It had been awesome. Mind-blowing. And eye-opening. Everything was so good between them. Too good.

Scary good"and that always meant it would eventually go bad.

Shed left him this morning too, which had shocked him. Yeah, he had to work. And so had she, but she owned her own business and for the most part could make her own hours. But hed caught her getting her clothes on like she was going to sneak out or something and that had confused him.

What confused him more? He hadnt wanted her to leave. At all. Hed tried his best to pull her back into bed but shed resisted. And that bothered him too.

Tremendously.

He kept driving until he ended up in his parents neighborhood and headed down the narrow road that led to their house. He pulled into their gravel driveway and climbed out of his cruiser, glancing around. The sky was a blindingly bright blue and birds chirped from their perches in the pine trees that towered above him and surrounded the house. He could hear the faint buzzing of a boat engine coming from the nearby lake. It was a perfect summer day.

So why did he feel so full of dread?

He was heading down the walkway toward the front porch when his dad appeared, the screen door banging loudly behind him. He came to a stop at seeing his father, wariness filling him as the older man walked toward him, a grim not-quite-a-smile on his face.

What are you doing here? Lane asked as the man drew closer.

Shouldnt I ask you that, considering this is my house? Wayne Gallagher stopped just in front of him, his hands on his hips, mouth drawn into a thin line, making him look old. Unhappy. But his father was still considered a good-looking man. He had a full head of silver hair and a few wrinkles lined his face, but otherwise he was in good shape. Looked pretty much the same as he had when Lane was a kid and actually admired his old man.

He could hardly wrap his head around the concept. The bad memories outnumbered the good ones. So much so that he couldnt stay caught up in that dreamlike state he was always in while thinking about Delilah. He didnt want a relationship. He couldnt be good at one. Look at the example hed been given. His father was a total a.s.shole. Even worse? His father didnt think he was a bad guy and blamed everyone else for how they treated him.

What if Lane turned into that? What if he eventually got married and had kids and turned into a bitter old man who was always seeking something better than what he already had? Hed hate himself forever.

Dragging an innocent woman and their innocent children through that? He remembered what it was like. It had enraged him but it hurt too. The pain hed suffered watching his mom cry when their daddy didnt come home at night.

It still hurt if he thought about it long enough.

I came to check on Mom, Lane finally said, stepping around his father to head toward the house. How is she?

Resting. You should leave her alone. Do what you usually do and stay away.

Lane turned, shocked to find his dad right on his tail. What do you mean by that?

You know what Im talking about, his dad said, his gaze penetrating.

No, Dad. I dont. He wasnt in the mood to play games. May as well start arguing instead of circling each other.

You never come by to see her. Or me. Why change now? We dont need you around. And you definitely dont need us. Youve made that clear. The self-righteous smile on his fathers face made Lane want to punch him. He clenched his hand into a fist, ready to let it fly.

But this man was his father. And Lane was on duty. In uniform, driving his patrol car. He refused to risk his job over something his father said. The man made those remarks only to needle him and it worked like usual. His father had always known how to push his b.u.t.tons.

Taking a deep breath, Lane turned and started for the house again, ignoring his father, who followed close behind. If he said something, theyd start arguing and he didnt want to deal. He was tired of it. Tired of being mad. Tired of fighting. Tired of hating his father.

Wren took her to get those tests. Why were wasting our money on that sort of thing I have no idea. Your mother is fine, he said as they walked up the porch steps.

She didnt look so fine yesterday. She fainted. Not that you were there to see. When are you ever around to see her anyway? From what I hear, youre never home. He opened the screen door and went inside, stopping short when he saw his mother sitting in her recliner, a cat on her lap and the TV on, the volume turned down low.

There was color in her cheeks and her hair was down, falling past her shoulders. She didnt look so worn and tired. Actually, she looked great.

Why, Lane, youve come by two days in a row! Howd I get so lucky? She aimed the remote at the TV and turned it off, smiling up at him. Ah, look at you, so handsome in your uniform. So grown up.

He didnt feel real grown up. No, hed been reduced to the frustrated teen who despised his dad. And he hated that. The way all those old emotions and memories came flooding back. How you feeling today, Mom?

Oh, much better. Im taking it easy and doing a whole lot of nothing. Your dad made sure of that. Hes been so good to me, taking care of me all day long. He came home first thing this morning once he called and found out what happened. Hes been so attentive.

Lane wanted to say something negative but kept his mouth shut. His dad didnt do d.i.c.k for his mother, so why start now? Was he acting nice out of guilt? Most likely. You went to the lab this morning, right? Wren had texted him earlier that everything went well, but he wanted to hear what Mom had to say.

Oh, yes. They took so much of my blood I thought they mustve been feeding a team of vampires, but the nurse rea.s.sured me that it was perfectly normal. She laughed and waved a hand, making the cat sitting on her lap lift his head and meow in annoyance. I think it was a fluke thing. I really do feel fine.

We just want to make sure, Mom. Thats all, he said gently, going to her so he could pat her shoulder. She beamed up at him, looking so pleased that he was there it made him uncomfortable and reminded him that he was indeed a rotten son. I cant really stick around since Im on duty. Just wanted to stop by and check in with you.

Running as usual, his father grumbled from where he sat in his recliner. Lane ignored him.

Thank you, Lane. I do appreciate it. She caught hold of his hand, not letting him go. Hey, I was telling Wren this morning how Id like to have dinner soon and invite you all over. Wouldnt that be nice? We havent had all the kids together since I dont know when.

That was because some of them were gone or working. West literally hadnt come home until a few months ago after being gone for years. Lane took every holiday shift to cover for others so he wouldnt have to spend Christmas or Thanksgiving with his father.

His mom was a victim in all of this. They all avoided coming to the house because of the old man. And it sucked. It made Lane feel guilty as h.e.l.l. If he couldnt be there for his own d.a.m.n mother, how could he expect to be there for a woman in a relationship? Hed probably s.h.i.t all over Delilah just like his dad did to his mom.

But hed do it for his mom. He would. They all needed to be there. As long as they had each others backs, they could get through this.

Ill have West bring that sweet Harper Hill, and I want you to bring Delilah too, his mom continued. I have a feeling both of those girls will become a part of our family someday, so its only right they come to dinner. I want to spend time with these girls my boys have chosen.

His stomach churned. He didnt want to bring Delilah around and pretend that they were something more than whatever it was they were doing. Hed never told his mom that he and Delilah were really a thing, so she was just jumping to conclusions anyway.

I can check with Delilah, but were really just friends, Mom. He saw the disappointment cloud her eyes. But that sounds like a good idea. Pick a date and let us know. We can all work out our schedules as best we can. He smiled at her, thankful when she smiled back.

Oh, that sounds so nice. Okay, Ill call you, I promise"and Ill call West and Holden and Wren too. This is going to be wonderful. She made to stand up, her hands on the armrest of her chair, the cat jumping off her lap, but Lane rested his hand on her arm, keeping her in place. She settled back into her chair.

Dont get up on my account, Mom. He bent down and hugged her, kissing her cheek. Call me and keep me posted.

I will, son. Love you.

Love you too.

Lane walked out of the house, not bothering to say anything to his father, but he followed after him, all the way to his car.

You think this makes things all better, just because you come by two days in a row and get your mamas hopes up? Im still upset with you, Lane. And so is your mother.

A muscle ticked in his jaw, and Lane took a deep breath before he turned to face his father. I really dont care what you think or if youre upset with me. Im doing this for Mom.

Whys that? Got a good case of the guilts because youre such a s.h.i.tty son? His dad sneered.

Lane had no idea why his father said such things, why he loved to provoke him. h.e.l.l, he loved to provoke all of them with the exception of Holden. And that was only because their mother protected her baby boy so ferociously that she wouldnt allow it. He pretty much left Wren alone too, since she was only a girl. Direct quote.

His father wasnt the finest human being on earth. He wasnt a horrible monster either, but the man had no respect for anyone or anything.

It was best he ignore his fathers rude remarks and move on with his day. Focus on the positive.

Though that was proving to be harder and harder.