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“How dare you touch my sister!”He rushed Jay as if he meant to knock him to the floor. Jay didn’t move an inch, and let Damien push him up against the wall.
Erin was aghast. “Damien! Cut it out!”
At the commotion, the dogs began barking.
Jay said nothing, clearly feeling bad. As if he deserved to be beaten up by her brother. What, was he going to let himself be pulverized? Nelson rushed to his side and barked even louder. Buzzy appeared at Erin’s feet and circled her in canine concern.
When she saw Damien pulling back his fist, she threw herself on his back.
“Stop it!” she yelled. “Stop itright now.” She tried to physically pull him off Jay. Obviously, she wasn’t strong enough to succeed, but something in her voice must have got through the sound of blood ringing in her brother’s ears.
He lowered his arm and stood in front of them both, panting with fury. Fists clenched, that glorious singing voice of his molten, he said through his teeth, “What were you thinking?” He drilled Jay with his eyes.
Erin balanced on her toes, ready in case she had to jump in again.
Jay’s earlier calm had melted and now his temper flared. He yelled back, “I happen to be in love with your sister.”
Erin’s mouth dropped open. She cried, “What?”
Jay looked at her, suddenly sorry. “This is not how I wanted to tell you.”
But Damien wasn’t interested. Jay might not have spoken, never mind professed his love. Her brother turned on Erin. “How long has this been going on?”
How dared he? She wasn’t a little girl anymore. He couldn’t boss her around or demand anything from her—not even an answer. She put her hands on her hips, lifted her chin, and glared at him. “None of your business.”
Damien growled, “Yes, it is.”
She stood firm, in Jay’s shirt and in his love. Almost too calmly, she said, “Have I ever interfered in your love life with your groupies? Even though—yuck.”
Damien shook his head like a bull. “I don’t hang with groupies.” Then, seeing her raised eyebrows he said, slightly sheepishly, “Not anymore. And anyway, that’s beside the point.”
“It’s totally the point. Damien, go home. I’ll deal with you later.”
He was so shocked at her tone that he stepped back. No doubt he could see the fire in her eyes and got his first clue thathis normally quiet, agreeable sister was not about to back down on this one.
As though he didn’t know what else to do, he shook his finger at her. “This is not over. I’m telling Arch.” It would have been funny if he hadn’t been so angry. And then he turned on Jay. “Arch issogoing to fire your ass. And Smith Sullivan. Oh yeah, you can cross him off your list of clients too.” And then, as though he didn’t know what more he could do, Damien stepped outside and said to Erin, “And unless you leave Jay’s house right now, I’m telling Mom and Dad!”
Was he still in fifth grade? Her only answer was to slam the door in his face. For real, this time.
Sudden silence filled the house. Even the dogs stopped their barking. After all the yelling and the aggression and the testosterone flying around, it was so quiet she could almost hear the dust motes drifting. She glared at the closed door for a moment and then turned to Jay.
Feeling almost shy and, despite the drama of the last few minutes, a little in awe, she said, “Did you mean what you said? That you’re in love with me?”
Jay looked pensive. “Yes, I am. Completely head over heels.” But instead of pulling her into his arms, he shook his head. “But it doesn’t matter. We both know you deserve better than me.”
How could he eventhinksomething like that? Jay was a catch. Big time. Not only was he a top Hollywood agent worth millions, he was so well-read and intelligent and good at everything he did. And hewasgood, in the purest, truest sense of the word. A good man.
Her eyes wide, she replied, “Why would you say that?”
He slumped against the wall in the foyer, his hands behind him as though he had to stop himself from touching her. In his most serious voice, he said, “Your brother was right. I’ve got no business loving you. All along I’ve known I’m not good enough,but I couldn’t stop falling in love with you, even though I knew I should.”
She said, “You’re good enough for anybody. More than good enough. I—”
From the library came the sound of her phone. She was going to ignore it, but Jay said, “Go ahead. I think we both need a second here just to breathe.”
She could see that Jay really did need a minute, so she went to retrieve her phone. “If it’s Arch, I’m telling him to go to hell.” But when she picked up, it wasn’t Arch. It wasn’t any of her nosy, interfering family.
It was Pat Sinclair.