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“Is that a good thing or too hard sometimes?” Her eyes filled with compassion. “It has to be difficult, seeing kids who are going through what Lorelei did.”
He nodded, thinking of his sister. “It’s good and it can be painful. It unearths memories every time I visit, and then I go through a brief period of darkness, where it seems like I’m losing her all over again. But I’ve gotten good at moving past that pretty quickly.”
“It’s okay not to, you know.”
“Not to…?”
“Not to move past it quickly.” She was speaking softly, probably to keep Bethany and Anika from hearing, but the compassion in her voice came through loud and clear. “I would love to hear more about Lorelei if you ever want to talk about her. You had a special relationship with her, and it’s a shame to try to keep that locked up when it should be celebrated.”
Emotions thickened Dylan’s throat. How many years had he wished someone would feel the same way he did? It was even too hard for his mother to talk about when other people were around. He took a moment to breathe deeply and regain his composure before answering.
“I’d like that. You’ll notice when we get together for dinner with my family to plan the fundraiser that we talkaroundour sister. The twentieth anniversary of her death was a few weeks ago, and I visited with my mother, which was cathartic for both of us, but my brothers each went off on their own. The following week Mick and Amanda went away together, and he came back a changed man. I think he finally opened up about Lorelei.” He stepped closer, feeling a little overwhelmed. “Thank you for understanding.”
“Maybe someday you will be able to talk with your family about her, too. Everyone heals at their own pace.” She smiled and said, “But sometimes it takes a little well-meaning nudge.” She leaned closer and whispered, “Thanks for nudging me, Dylan.”
“Dylan!” Bethany called from across the room. “Come see what Anika brought me!”
“Now that she’s able to speak again, come meet Bethany. I know she’ll want to thank you.”
As they crossed the room, Bethany got up and wrapped her arms around Tiffany and hugged her tight. “Thank you for bringing Anika to meet me. I was so surprised! I’ve waited my whole life to see her.”
Dylan looked at his girlfriend’s radiant smile as she and Bethany walked away hand in hand. His heart was full and he felt lighter just knowing she was not only okay talking about Lorelei, but that Tiffany wanted to hear about her.
When she glanced back at him and said to Bethany, “The best things in life are worth waiting for and they always seem to appear at the most unexpected times,” he couldn’t agree more.
Chapter Twenty-One
TIFFANY BALANCED THE phone between her shoulder and ear as she put on her heels, listening to Mike Gutherson, her contact at Reebok, give her an update on the endorsements she’d been negotiating. Mike was long-winded and his words came as slow as molasses. It was Friday evening and Dylan would be there any minute. It was hard to believe eight days had passed since they’d introduced Bethany and Anika. They were meeting his brothers for dinner to begin planning the fundraiser. As Mike droned on, she checked her outfit in the mirror. She’d worn her favorite little black dress, with hopes of torturing Dylan as much as he’d tortured her throughout the day. They’d made love that morning, and every time she thought about lying beneath him, her body ignited. She had beenstarvingfor him all day, and his sexy text messages had only amped up her anticipation.Nix the panties tonight so I can tease you under the table. She wore a thong, because after her booty-call debacle she imagined all sorts of mishaps. He had texted again right before Mike called—Change in plans. We’re meeting them at Caruso’s Steak House. Maybe we should christen one of the private booths. That text had scrambled her brain just enough to make her fumble with the phone as she’d answered.
Mike was now talking about one of their previous contracts, and her mind turned to dinner and the fundraiser. She’d been thinking up ideas over the last two weeks and she was excited to share them with the others, that was, if she could keep herself together during dinner. She was a nervous wreck about seeing his brothers again. It seemed like that embarrassing night had happened a lifetime ago, when in reality she and Dylan had only been seeing each other for three weeks. She felt like a whole different person than she was when they met. She’d been overworked, overly attached to her phone, and overlyalone. Not lonely, necessarily. How could she have been lonely when she had no one to miss? Now she knew what loneliness was. It was the feeling that came over her in the hours she and Dylan were apart. But it wasn’t a negative feeling. Missing Dylan was a good feeling, and even those few hours apart made their nightly reunions that much sweeter.
“We’re having trouble coordinating our schedule with the contracts department, so it may be a last-minute call,” Mike said, breaking through her thoughts.
“That’s fine. You know I’ll make myself available.” She leaned closer to the mirror, checking her eyeliner as a knock sounded at the door, and her pulse quickened.
“Mike?” She hurried across the living room and pulled open the door. She waved Dylan in and held up a finger, indicating she’d be off in a second, as she spoke into the phone. “Let me know when and where and I’ll be there.”
Dylan eyed her lasciviously, earning a full-body shudder. His gaze turned volcanic, and his movements predatory, as he circled her and wrapped his arms around her from behind. When he nibbled on her neck, electric pulses exploded beneath her skin. Mike was rambling again about his scheduling troubles, and every second Dylan’s mouth was on her killed more brain cells.
“Mike,” she said a little too breathlessly. “I have to run to a meeting, but email me when you have the date and time confirmed. I’ll be there.” After ending the call, she turned in Dylan’s arms. Hot, bothered, and in desperate need ofhim, she crashed her mouth over his wicked grin and grabbed his perfectly firm ass.
“That was not fair,” she said between kisses.
“I was quiet.” He sealed his lips over hers and took her in an enticingly rough kiss. “Missed you so much.” He kissed and nipped and sucked her lower lip into his mouth.
“Dylan,” she panted out, pressing her body against his hard heat. God, she wanted him. “I’m addicted to you.”
“I thought about you all day.” He pulled up her dress, drawing back when he felt her thong. “Thesehaveto go.”
“We’re going to be late.”
His grin turned sinful. With one hard yank he shredded the material, and she nearly came undone. He was so virile, so demanding and giving at the same time, as he sank to his knees and covered her sex with his mouth.
“Ohmylord.” Her mind spun away as he feasted on her.
She rocked against his mouth. His tongue invaded her hard, then soft, then ravenously intense again, taking her up, up, up. Just when the orgasm was in reach, he rose to his feet, undid his pants, and slammed his cock into her. She cried out, consumed with pleasure as his powerful hips pounded against her. He smelled like sex, tasted like her. It was heaven and hell at once, because she wanted to tastehim, wanted to feel that long, perfect cock against her tongue. She wanted to feel him lose control by her mouth and hand. But the pleasure of him filling her was too intense to deny. He grabbed her ass, lifting her higher. Using the wall for leverage, he thrust into her harder.
“I’m going to come. Come with me,” she begged.
