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“It is now.” I threaded my fingers into her hair and crushed her lips to mine. It was nearly nine a.m. I had to go see my brother. But I had a damn good excuse to be late.

Tia placed her hands beside my head and rode me, hard and deep. Her breath teased my face. Her wet warmth around my dick quickened my pulse. God, I loved the feel of her.

But Emilio’s words ricocheted through my head.

Was he right about not being able to change?

Did Tia and I have longevity?

Falling for her more scared me.

No matter how good this felt, how much I liked Tia, and how much I wanted this to work, there were elements of my upbringing that kept me guarded about giving my heart to a woman. I had to face the damaging wounds caused in my distant past. Catching up with my brother today couldn’t have come at a better time.

There were binding chains around my soul I wasn’t sure I could let go of.

Was Lee the one who would cut them free?

Chapter 28

LEWIS

After showering and dressing, I kissed Tia goodbye. “Are you sure you don’t want to come meet my brother?”

On the bed, she stretched her arms above her head, and a sleepy smile curled across her lips. “No. I have lines to learn.”

“Okay. I’ll be home for dinner.”

“I’ll be here.”

“Good.” I wriggled my eyebrows. “We have to make the most of our last night together before Cole comes home.”

“I plan on it.”

“See you soon.” I grabbed my wallet and cell phone, and took off in Cole’s sports car. Two hours later, I pulled into the driveway at the resort in Anaheim and handed the valet the keys. “I’ll only be a couple of hours. Keep it handy.”

“Yes, sir.”

Walking into the foyer of the hotel, I grinned. I’d never let fame get to my head, but there were some perks I enjoyed and could now afford. Valet parking was one of them.

Outside at the pool bar, I texted Lee to let him know I was there and ordered two bottles of beer. Taking a seat at a table underneath a poolside umbrella, I placed my cell phone on the table and adjusted my sunglasses. The sky was endlessly blue. Kids splashed in the pool and played underneath a fountain. Ladies sat nearby, drinking cocktails, keeping a close eye on their toddlers. Men hovered near the bar, chatting and laughing. I still had to pinch myself that I was in LA. Living my dream. But what a crazy few weeks. Finishing promo. Still having a hit on the charts. Being with Tia. And the call with Emilio.

I was determined to prove him wrong.

I could change. I wanted to erase the doubts lingering in the back of my brain and be confident in going forward with Tia. I hoped Lee could bat some hard sense into me.

Lee strolled out of the hotel. His polo shirt hung loose on his slim shoulders. His cargo shorts sat low on his hips. Damn. He’d lost weight. But with his pale silver eyes, sharp jaw, and blond hair, there was no mistaking he was my brother.

I rose as he approached. We hugged, slapping each other on the back. It had been too long since we’d seen each other, just over seven months since Pop’s funeral. That felt like a lifetime ago.

“So good to see you, man. How are you?” I returned to my seat. “You’ve lost a few pounds.”

“School accounting and continual budget cuts do that to you.” He took the chair adjacent to me.

“Really? It sounds like you have one of the easiest jobs in the world.” I handed him his beer.

“Can’t complain.” He took a sip, then placed the bottle on the table. “Before I forget, Lucy wanted me to give you this.” He dug into the pocket on his shorts and pulled out a folded envelope. “It’s an invite to her wedding for you and a plus-one.”

“Thanks.” As I glided my fingertips over the glossy cream envelope, my heart twanged. My twenty-year-old, youngest sister was getting hitched before me. She’d met a church-going military man two years ago. Word via my sibling grapevine was that our parents are ecstatic. This straight man of the faith and good provider ticked every box on their approval card. “When’s the wedding?”