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  He’d kissed her and she’d trusted him to let him touch her, to give over to him. He smelled of her, tasted her skin, the scent of sex hung between them. It had been so right.

  Adam had gone upstairs, intending to set up a time to meet with her after the party. They’d work things out because nothing in his life had ever been as important.

  Panic had set in. She made him lose control. Or it had felt that way. By the time she’d come back up from the basement, he’d already made his good-byes and was nearly out the door.

  A few days later he’d tried to text her to make amends but he’d hurt her so badly he knew her acceptance of his apology was more to be done with him and go off to lick her wounds than really getting past it.

  All his life he’d wanted many things. Had achieved a lot of them. The two integral people he’d needed stood just across the room.

  The question was what he planned to do about it.

  Adam ate up every detail, as Jessi’s gaze meandered, most likely taking in all the design details. Of course she would. An artist herself, Jessi would be tucking ideas away. Then her attention landed on him, and she started, her mouth curving into a smile.

  A smile she had for no one else but him. The sight of it filled him with joy.

  She turned to the group she was with and spoke quietly to Mick. He resisted turning to look, but Adam knew he wanted to.

  And then Jessi was walking his way.

  The dress was hot, the shoes even hotter. She was a casual woman, loving jeans and soft shirts more than hose and heels, and yet, you’d never know it watching the confident, sexy siren who kept walking until she was close enough that he could smell her skin.

  “Why are you over here all alone?” she asked.

  “I wasn’t sure you wanted to see me.”

  Her expression softened and he regretted his teasing made her sad.

  “I’d deserve it,” he added.

  She shook her head. “When are you going to realize you’re worthy of forgiveness? I keep wondering when you two are going to figure out who I am. You both always seem confused when I still love you.”

  He took her hand in his and then pulled her to his body and into a hug. Adam let himself need her. Took that time to draw in the warmth and feel of Jessilyn. “Perhaps I didn’t know if I was ready to be forgiven,” he whispered as he drew away, pausing to kiss her temple.

  “This isn’t the place or the time,” she murmured, keeping one of his hands. “It’s Mick’s night.”

  He tried to pull away, to draw the tattered remains of his defenses around himself. But she held on, shaking her head.

  “I’m done letting you run from me.” Jessi’s voice had hardened.

  Adam wanted to pretend he hadn’t heard so he could wish away the speed of his pulse. Instead, he let her in because he was exhausted and lonely and she was right there looking at him like no one else ever had.

  “And that means what?” he asked.

  “It means I’m here in Seattle for good and this is just the beginning of what will continue. In private, with Mick. Away from a crowd. For now, come with me. Mick said he saw you earlier but you faded away. He needs you. So do I. You’re my best friend, Adam. Aside from all the other stuff between us.”

  “Wait.” He kept her in place, wanting her all to himself for a few moments more. “You moved home?”

  “I did. I’ve been back about three weeks or so.”

  Addie never mentioned it. That woman was saucy. Just like her daughter.

  Jessi laughed, knowing what he’d been thinking. “She didn’t tell Mick either. I asked her not to. I had to…” She shook her head. “Never mind. We’ll talk later about that.”

  “I was an asshole the last time I saw you.”

  Her smile dimmed and she sighed, nodding. “At least you made me come first.”

  “I’ve missed you a whole goddamn lot, Jessi.” He cupped her cheek. Let her levity make him feel better.

  “Good. You made your bed.”

  It was then he knew for sure he had no real defenses against her. Not at the point he was in his life. And, given the gleam in her eye, she wasn’t going to let him sidle away anymore either.

  “At least tell me you missed me too,” he murmured, needing it more than he was comfortable with.

  Her expression made him smile. He’d seen it a million times as he or Mick had exasperated her over the years. “You know I did. How many times have I said so?”

  “You were living with someone in another state. You moved on.” Wow, he sounded petulant.

  “I’m living alone now. Not even four miles from here. I’m not playing this tit-for-tat game. I’m not interested in fighting with you. Or hurting you.”

  He could tough through just about anything—and he did on a regular basis—but Jessi never went for emotional manipulation of any kind when they argued. He could deal with faux tears or a pout. Heaven knew he had for the last years he’d been without her.

  Jessilyn could be like a terrier when there was something she wanted. She didn’t give up, but she was genuine when there was a problem. No manipulation necessary.

  What she did since the first time he saw her in their freshman year of high school was take his fucking breath away by seeing him clearer than anyone ever had. There was no hiding from Jessi’s gaze.

  She finally spoke. “There’s been an empty part of my life for four years. Never tease about me not missing you.” There was an ache in her tone that was impossible to miss. Adam had put it there. He took her hand, drawing a thumb over her knuckles.

  “I’m sorry,” Adam said, meaning it for about three hundred things. “Let’s go see Mick. His parents are coming. Did he tell you?” They made their way to where Mick stood waiting for them.

  “He didn’t. I’d like to think they’re going to make amends. Maybe they will.”

  Their sweet Jessi. The kid who picked up every fucking stray she’d ever come across, bugs, birds, dogs, cats, errant boys who weren’t wanted in their own homes.

  If it had been anyone else, he’d have told them not to be so naïve. But it wasn’t. Jessi was a person who couldn’t imagine reacting to a child they way the Robertses had.

  When Jessi loved you, she loved you hard and to the bone and she would always root for the best possible outcome for you.

  But Adam didn’t have Jessi’s big heart. He wanted to hurt the Robertses the way they hurt Mick. The way they hurt Jessi.

  Adam wanted to protect them the way he hadn’t managed four years before.

  “We’ll be there for him either way,” Adam said noncommittally, his hand at her elbow, keeping her shielded from the crush of the crowd.

  Mick gave up waiting for them, meeting them halfway.

  “Look what I found,” she told Mick.

  Mick quirked a grin at Adam and then to Jessi. “I suppose you’re going to want to keep him?”

  “He is rather cute.” Jessi’s tease had both men leaning close to her. And it was as if they’d never been apart. A deep sense of belonging, of satisfaction, hit him and then took root.

  “I’m not cute.”

  Jessi smoothed a palm down Adam’s tie and then did something to Mick’s pocket square. Adjusting, tidying.

  “You’re adorable. The more you deny it, the more I know it’s true.” She winked at Adam. “Mick, PJ is waving at you.”

  “Oh, announcement time.” Mick took her hands. “You’re not leaving?”

  “Of course not. We’ll be here.” She slid her arm through Adam’s. “Your biggest fans.”

  It had been years since the three of them had been together this way. United, protective of one another. It spoke volumes that it felt right from the very moment he saw her approach.

  They watched as Mick, Duke, and Asa spoke to the assembled crowd. Clapped when they announced Mick coming on as a full partner. Mick looked handsome and happy. Really happy.

  Adam was pleased at the sight, but maybe a little jealous too. He’d loved Mick fir
st. Mick was theirs—his and Jessi’s. But Adam had let him run and then he’d pushed Jessi away.

  Mick had grown a great deal over the last four years. He looked good. Satisfied. The harshly masculine lines of his face worked with the suit. He owned his walk. There was only a shadow of that kid who’d been slowly ground into nothing by his family.

  This Mick had seen things. Things Adam couldn’t begin to imagine, but when he tried his heart ached.

  He had more ink. Each time Adam allowed himself a taste—a few lines of text, a picture here and there—Mick had filled out a little more. The badass, inked-up, pierced guy who fixed cars worked for him.

  Jessi’s eyes lingered on Mick’s face, over the ink at his hands and the braided leather band at his wrist. She smiled and then applauded when their presentation ended, and Mick got swallowed up by his friends and co-workers.

  “Let’s stay here. He knows where we are when he’s ready,” Adam said.

  “Good idea. Why have you been avoiding me the last four years?”

  A burst of joy hit him so hard he had to hug her a moment. Adam made himself set her back or he wouldn’t have ever let go.

  “I’ve been wondering when you’d get mad.” For whatever reason, it made him feel better when she lost her temper with him. She so rarely did it was like she only trusted a very few people with her anger.

  Weird, but it filled him with pride that she’d trust him that way after all the shit he’d pulled.

  “I’ve been telling myself to wait until we were elsewhere before I let myself feel it. But I can’t. I’m weak.” Jessi sighed.

  He scoffed. “Bullshit. Weak is the last word I’d use to describe you. I’ve been in continual awe of you since I was fourteen years old.”

  Jessi frowned a moment and then rolled her eyes. “Whatever. So? Answer the question.”

  “I will. But not here. Not now.” He wasn’t going to do this in public.

  “Fine,” Jessi said. Which really meant, Fuck you. I’m not fine and you’re going to get your ass kicked very soon.

  He leaned close enough to whisper in her ear, wanting to shake her up. “The first time I saw you I ran home after school to jerk off. I still have that urge.”

  She turned her head, taking them nose to nose. “Yeah? Me too.”

  Jessi let that settle in a moment and then moved away from Adam. She needed to clear her head. He smelled so good. Looked sexy in a black suit tailored to every inch of his six-foot frame.

  Crisp white shirt that wouldn’t dare get dirty. Thin black tie. She wasn’t surprised to see his shirt had French cuffs. There was an air of old-school masculinity about him.

  Pale blue eyes took her in carefully as she gave up fighting how much he always fascinated her. She knew the jut of his chin, now covered in some seriously sexy scruff. Knew that expression he wore meant he was imagining her with her hand down the front of her panties, rubbing one out.

  Knew too, he’d come to some sort of decision about finally standing still long enough for them to actually talk.

  “Did you just tell me you masturbated after the first time you saw me?” he murmured with a ridiculous smirk that made her wet.

  As always, he seemed to flood her senses when she got close to him. All that testosterone radiating from him. His confident manner a steady hum of sexy in her head.

  “Maybe.” Then she gave him a look.

  His surprised laughter turned heads. She couldn’t blame any of the women and men who openly coveted him. He was ridiculous.

  As a young man he’d been attractive. All that dark hair and the blue eyes. He had the broody-emo thing going.

  The grown man standing in front of her was that times a million. He’d taken the broody thing and made it hot broody. Like he was thinking really dirty stuff all the time. A man who drank excellent Scotch and drove a little too fast, but always ably.

  Damn.

  “I knew that I’m fine meant you were just waiting for the right moment to make me pay. I didn’t think it would come quite so fast, though.”

  “Someone needs to keep you in line, Adam Gulati. I can only imagine—no, I try not to—what you’ve gotten up to in the time you put me in the time-out chair of your life.”

  Jessi had intended for that to be a joke but it was so true it hurt.

  And he saw it. Softened.

  “I’m sorry about the way I left the last time. It wasn’t like that. I was the one on time-out.”

  Just over Adam’s shoulder, Jessi caught sight of Mick’s father.

  “Jess? What’s—” Adam turned as he’d been asking. “I see. Should we go over there to run interference or stay here?”

  “I don’t want a scene.” Mick’s father was not a person she would ever willingly be alone with again for anything but Mick’s well-being.

  “When I hear that sound in your voice, Jessilyn, it makes me want to beat that asshole’s face in.” Adam’s sexy growl had gone sharp in his anger.

  “It’s done and over. If Mick wants them around, we probably need to give them space.” She’d watch Mick’s face and know. If she had to, she’d barge right on over and intervene, even if it scared her. She’d do it for Mick.

  Adam’s smile was deceptively mellow, as was his voice. “It’s not over when I can see how deep he cut you, hear the fear in your tone. There’ll be a bill for that, so don’t argue. It’s a waste of time.”

  “You’re gone from my life for four years and you think you can boss me around?”

  He had to fight against his initial reaction to let her push him back. Instead, he chose to hear the hurt in her tone, the fear of Mick’s father. “No. You’re mine. To protect. Those people have done enough damage to you and to Mick. I’m back in your life. For good. And I should warn you I’m even bossier. Now, let’s head over there. Your parents just walked in, so that’ll be extra fun.”

  She couldn’t help her laughter. “I really have missed you.”

  “I’m fucking charming.” He kissed her cheek before tugging her off to intercept her parents.

  Just seeing their faces, the way they lit up even more at the sight of Adam at her side, made Jessi happy.

  “Hello, punkin!” Addie hugged Adam before kissing his cheeks and then adjusting his shirt collar.

  Adam’s blush charmed Jessi to her toes. They all fell for Addie Franklin. It was sort of impossible not to. She made you love her.

  “Hey, Mrs. Franklin,” Adam said.

  Her dad gave him a hug next and then kissed the top of Jessi’s head. “Where’s Mick?”

  “He’s over there.” Jessi pointed. “We thought it would be good to head that way.”

  Addie caught sight of Mick’s parents and her mouth flattened. “I can see why.”

  Her dad put his arm around her mom’s shoulders, keeping their pace leisurely instead of the near run his wife would have them doing.

  “It just hurts my heart on his behalf,” her mother said quietly to her father.

  Jessi’s parents were genuinely loving people. They held their faith with deep conviction but a light heart. Her mom always said joy was a balm to everyone’s hurts.

  And they loved Mick as if he were their own. Which meant anyone who injured him the way his parents had could be counted in that very small number of people her parents truly had no use for in any way.

  Mick looked up to see them coming and his face broke into a smile that had her squeezing Adam’s hand.

  Her parents greeted Mick with hugs and kisses while his mother ignored Jessi and Adam and his father stared.

  Adam stared back at Mr. Roberts, narrowing his gaze. Barely leashed rage had his muscles tightening until Jessi made one of her soothing sounds as she rubbed a hand up and down his arm a few times.

  She moved her body, angling it to stand between them and steal his attention, breaking the tension. “Hi there. I’d love to get dinner after this. We’re going to do that, right?”

  “I know you’re trying to manage me,” Adam said around
a jaw that clenched slightly less. It always worked.

  She smiled brightly.

  By the time he looked away from Jessi and back to Mick, he’d managed to get his shit together.

  “Jessilyn, come here. Bring Adam. This is the first time the three of you have been in the same place for a few years. I want a picture,” her mother commanded them all, and of course they obeyed.

  Automatically, they put Jessi between them, arms around one another, leaning in. Addie laughed and the sound was so lovely everyone’s smile got wider.

  “You okay?” Adam heard Jessi ask Mick.

  He shrugged.

  “Do you want us here or away?” Adam asked.

  “Here. But give me ten minutes or so while I visit with them. Then maybe we can all talk or…?”

  Jessi spoke. “Yes. We’ll be right here while you show your parents around. I already extracted a promise of talking and eating after this.”

  Mick’s smile made it a little easier to unclench his fists.

  “Good. Okay then. Yeah.” Mick blushed just a little, ducking his head as he shifted his attention to the Franklins. “Want a tour?”

  Adam was relieved Mick had allowed them to act as a buffer with his parents. Hopefully they’d behave.

  CHAPTER

  Three

  Mick let Addie’s questions keep the tour moving. He knew she did it on purpose, to run interference between him and his parents. It made him love Jessi’s folks even more.

  His father said very little, nodding his head here and there as Mick answered questions or pointed out something interesting. His mother seemed pleased to see him and pointedly ignored Jessi and Adam’s presence.

  He’d deal with it all.

  In time.

  There were so many layers of shit, so much debris and pain that Mick couldn’t face it all at once. So he’d carved all the stuff on his to-do list and tried to handle it in manageable chunks.

  A lot of it wasn’t fun, but it was all necessary.

  When he’d taken a full circuit of the room they came to a stop near one of the bars. The crowd had ballooned earlier, but since the speech and the grand opening official stuff, things had gotten a little quieter, though still quite busy and full.