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"It's complicated," she said, her cheeks burning at the knowing gleam in Sara's eyes.
"Love is always complicated."
"I don't know if you'd call it love," she said immediately, but then she wondered if that wasn't exactly what she'd call it. Neither one of them had said I love you, but she couldn't deny that there were deeper feelings brewing below the surface, at least on her side. "I'm raising a sixteen-year-old," she added, seeing the curiosity in Sara's eyes. "I'm sure Drew could find any number of women not carrying around that kind of baggage."
"I could see Drew as a father," Sara said. "Growing up, he was always nice to the little kids in the neighborhood. Burke was always demanding, impatient. He was the leader. Aiden wanted to win at all costs, but Drew tried to make sure everyone played—everyone got a chance. I always liked that about him."
"Are you talking about Drew?" Emma interrupted. "Because I have lots of stories."
Ria smiled at the mischievous sparkle in Emma's eyes. From what she'd seen so far, Emma was a firecracker, pretty, funny, and outspoken. She also seemed to be in everyone's business.
"Don't scare her off," Sara said.
"Yeah, don't scare her off," Drew echoed, coming up behind Ria. He slung a casual arm about her shoulders and gave her a smile. "What have my sister and sister-to-be told you?"
"We were just getting started," she said, feeling both very comfortable and a little awkward with Drew's arm around her. So much for trying to look like just friends.
And she wasn't used to being part of a couple. It had been years since she'd met anyone's family. In fact, she couldn't even remember the last time. Her relationships had been brief and very transient from the end of high school on. She'd never stayed in one place long enough to get serious about anyone. Nor had she met anyone who'd made her want to stay. Funny, Drew had said pretty much the same thing about his romantic past. In some ways, they were a lot alike.
"I could tell you about the time Drew threw my doll off the roof," Emma said.
"She had a cape. I thought she could fly," Drew put in.
"He was always trying to make things fly," Emma said with a laugh. "You don't know how many paper airplanes hit me in the back of the head."
Drew laughed. "That's true. You were a good target. Where's your better half tonight?"
"Max is working," she said. "And I think I'm his better half."
"Of course you do," Drew said.
Ria smiled at the teasing conversation, her normal tension dissipating as Emma and Sara shared stories about Drew. It was so nice not to have to guard every word, to just be normal for a while. She was beginning to realize how addicting that sense of normalcy was and she could understand better why Megan didn't want to leave her friends. It was much more tempting to believe that the danger was over, and they were free now, but was that true? She couldn't quite bring herself to believe that.
A half hour later, Drew asked her if she was ready to leave, and she reluctantly said yes. Spending time with his family had been a nice respite. But she had to get back to her real life, a life that didn't include Drew by her side, acting very much like her boyfriend.
After driving them home, Drew insisted on walking her and Megan upstairs. Even though there wasn't the constant threat of danger, she doubted he would have acted any differently. And now, having met his family, she could see the influence they'd had on him.
Once inside the apartment, Megan mumbled a quick goodbye and headed into the bedroom.
Ria lingered at the door. "Thanks," she said. "For everything."
"You're welcome. It was fun."
"It was fun," she agreed. "Your family is amazing. You're very lucky."
"They didn't scare you off with their stories?" he asked, taking a step closer to her.
"Unfortunately, no," she said, drinking in his warm, musky scent as he put his hands around her. She wanted what was coming, wanted it more than her next breath. "Kiss me," she whispered.
He answered with his mouth, with a sensuous kiss that went on for several long minutes, their lips clinging together, tasting, touching, wanting…
