He points his finger between us. “You and me, we’re perfect for each other. We both love music. We’re best friends. We know everything about each other. It makes sense.”

“Except I don’t see you that way, Bass. We tried this once. I thought we agreed that we were better just as friends.”

“You decided that. Not me.”

I stare at him thoughtfully. “All this time? Why didn’t you say anything?”

“I thought you’d come around eventually.”

“Oh, Bass.” I put my head in my hands, guilty over the fact that I can’t reciprocate his feelings. Because he’s right – we would make the perfect couple. But I can’t force myself to love him. Even if I didn’t love Sawyer, I couldn’t force myself.

“So that’s it?” he says, looking dejected.

“I’m – I’m so sorry.”

He gets up and throws his coffee cup in the sink, breaking it in the process. Then he walks to his bedroom. “I’m moving in with Brooke,” he says, right before going through and slamming his door.

I wipe the tears from my eyes as I sit in stunned silence. Two men have said they love me in the last twenty-four hours. No man other than those I’m related to has ever said those words to me, and now it’s happened twice. But my tears fall because I love both of them. One I love like a brother. The other I love from the pit of my stomach to the end of my soul – a love that I know will crush me. Bass is right. Sawyer is going to break my heart. And I’m going to let him. Because leaving now would hurt even more.

And because I’m a stupid, stupid girl.

~ ~ ~

The ringing of my phone wakes me. I guess I fell asleep when I came back in my room and laid on my bed to think things through.

It’s my brother.

“Hello?”

“You’re moving in with him? And you’re in love? When the fuck did this happen? When we talked three days ago you were done with him.”

He obviously saw one of the many videos all over TV and social media.

My head falls back against the pillow. Why did I call and pour my heart out to Denver last week? He consoled me over my ‘breakup.’ He told me I was better off without a man who couldn’t stay away from women. He thought the whole thing was real. And I know from how I must have sounded, that I probably did, too.

The lines have become blurred. My head understands this is all an arrangement. My heart, on the other hand, doesn’t seem to grasp the idea.

“I changed my mind.”

“You changed your mind? Aspen, you tossed the guy to the curb because he fucked another woman.”

“He didn’t sleep with her, Den. All they did was kiss and only because she cornered him. He had nothing to do with it.”

“And you believe him?”

It’s a question I’ve asked myself a thousand times this past week. And I’m not sure I know the answer, given Sawyer’s track record.

“Yes. I do. Women throw themselves at him all the time. She jumped up on him. He had no choice but to catch her.”

“And what do you think would have happened if you didn’t walk in on them?”

Visions of Sawyer and the woman assault my mind. The truth is, I just don’t know.

“I trust him,” I lie. “And that’s all that matters.”

“I worry about you, Pen. Something just seems off with you.”

“Don’t worry. I have everything covered.”

He’s always been able to tell when I’m not myself. I don’t know if it’s the twin thing or just the fact that we’re so close. But I’d better do something to change the subject – and fast, before he calls bullshit.

“Hey, by the way, I’m coming home for a visit in a few weeks.”

“You are?”

I can practically hear the smile splitting his face in two.

“The Nighthawks are playing in Kansas City for four days. I thought I’d come out a few days early and stay with you for a couple of nights.”

“Holy shit. Does this mean …?”

I laugh. “Yes, this means you will meet Sawyer and some of the guys. But only if you promise not to be a driveling idiot.”

“Cross my heart and hope to die. Oh, my God. That will be incredible. Wait ‘till I tell … oh, who am I kidding, I don’t have any friends anymore.”

I feel terrible that he’s stuck in a place that abhors him.

“I can’t wait to see you, Denver. I really really miss you.”

“I miss you, too,” he says sadly. “Are you sure everything is okay?”

“Yeah.”

“Promise?” he asks.

“Twin promise,” I say, feeling guilty as hell that I’ve tainted the sacred vow.

Chapter Twenty-three

Sawyer

I open the door for Aspen, Bass and Brooke. They stand next to a pile of boxes. I look out front for a moving truck. There isn’t one.

“Is this all you have?” I ask.

“Brooke and I will make one more trip, but this is most of it,” Bass says.

“Our apartment came furnished,” Aspen tells me. Then she looks embarrassed. “Oh, gosh, was I supposed to bring my own bed?”

I look over her shoulder at Brooke. Then I pull Aspen into my arms. “Why would you need a bed, babe? Besides, I’ve already got a nice guest room for whoever might need to stay with us. I was just going to move all the furniture to the basement if you wanted to put your old stuff there, but now I don’t need to.” I lean down and grab one of the boxes. “Come on in.”

“Sorry,” Aspen mouths to me when she realizes her blunder.

As soon as she walks into the foyer, she sees what I had purchased and the expression on her face is priceless.

“You—” She points to the baby grand piano in the front sitting area. “You bought a piano?”

“Do you like it? The guy from the piano store said it’s a good one.”

She walks over and runs her hand across the glossy black finish. “Did you get this for me?”

“Well, I don’t know any other concert pianists, so … yes.”

She looks over at Bass and Brooke, now remembering with Brooke here, she has to keep up appearances. She throws her arms around me. “Oh, thank you. It’s perfect.”

She pulls my head down and kisses me. Shit. I didn’t realize how much I missed putting my lips on her. We were gone an entire week, going straight from Minnesota to Wisconsin. It’s been six days since I’ve seen her. Six days since I left her apartment after kissing her in front of no one at all. And I spent the week justifying why I did it. I was tired. I had too much to drink. I was trying to forget my dream. But as I kiss her now, everything comes rushing back.

I want her. I want her bad.

I pull away, wishing Brooke weren’t here so we wouldn’t have to touch each other. “Anything for you, Aspen,” I say.

Brooke grabs Bass’s arm and pulls him over to look at the piano. I don’t miss that she’s draped over him like a cheap suit. But for the life of me, I can’t figure out if he’s enjoying it or not. The look on his face gives nothing away.

I turn to Bass, “Why don’t you and I go get the rest of Aspen’s things? The girls can stay here and put stuff away.”

Aspen narrows her eyes at me, giving me a scolding look. “Uh, why don’t we just pile my boxes in your spare room? That way we won’t junk up the master and I can take my time unpacking.”

Right. Damn. If she unpacks with Brooke here, she’ll have to put all her shit in my bedroom and then move it later. For a minute, I forgot she’s not moving in for real.

“I don’t mind helping you,” Brooke says.

“No, that’s okay. I think I’d like to check out the piano and get the lay of the land so I know where to put all my things.”

“You haven’t been here before?” Brooke asks, curiously.

“Of course I have,” Aspen says quickly. “But now that we’re making it permanent, everything has changed. Like that monstrosity on the wall. I think it will have to go.”

She knows my signed and framed Rickey Henderson jersey is one of my most prized possessions. I look over at her to see the smirk on her face. She’s just messing with me.

“Come on, Bass, let’s head out.” I walk over and give Aspen another kiss. Then I point to the wall with the jersey. “It better be here when I get back.”

“Or else?” she says with a cocky smile.

“Or else I may have to give you a spanking.”

Her face flushes when I say it. My dick twitches. Oh, Lord, these next months are going to be torture.

~ ~ ~

“So you and Brooke seem pretty chummy,” I say to Bass, on our walk back to their place.

He shrugs. “She’s okay.”

“But she’s not Aspen,” I say knowingly. All too knowingly.

He stops walking and looks at me.

“Oh, come on,” I say. “It’s obvious you want her.”

“I – I …”

“It’s okay, man. I get it. She’s nice and gorgeous and talented. Who wouldn’t want that?”

“You,” he says belligerently. “You wouldn’t want that. You’re going to hurt her, Mills. This may be just a game to you, a way to keep your job, but you must know women can’t separate their feelings like we can. I see how she reacts when you touch her. That’s not just acting. She’s into you. And it’s not going to get any easier for her. She’s doing this for her brother. She doesn’t have a choice. She can’t just walk away no matter how much this will hurt her in the end.”

I take a step back and run a hand through my hair. “She told you this?”

“Not in so many words. But I’ve known her for four years.”

“But she thinks I’m an asshole.”

“You are an asshole,” he says, shaking his head. “Apparently she’s attracted to assholes.”