“Let’s get real.” Seth leaned in. “How can a sadist who’s…what, fifteen years older be good for Heavenly?”
“Shy of fourteen,” Beck ground out. “You don’t know me or have any idea how I treat her. You certainly don’t know my intentions.”
“I know you’d ruin her.”
“That’s your opinion. While we’re on the subject of who’s bad for her, have you looked in a mirror? You don’t even live here, so—”
“Who says I can’t move?”
“But you’re not. Right?”
Seth shrugged. Let the bastard wonder…
Beck crossed his arms over his chest. “You don’t even have a job out here.”
“I’m self-employed, asshole. I can go anywhere. And by the way, putting bloody stripes on her ass won’t get me hard. You can’t say the same.”
“I’d never fucking hurt her. I’ve been taking my time and learning her, so when she’s ready, I’ll know exactly what she needs and how far I can take her.”
“What a fidiot.”
“You’re not perfect, Casanova. I doubt you can keep your pants zipped long enough to be faithful. In fact, it wouldn’t surprise me to find out you got some action back while you were back in New York.”
Seth felt a guilty flush crawl up his face. “Is your sex life so lacking that you have to ask about mine?”
“Get serious. Heavenly won’t be able to handle you playing musical beds.”
“The truth might actually shock you.”
“Oh? You don’t know anything about commitment.”
“I know it isn’t doing the same club sub two nights in a row. It takes caring, compromise, understanding—”
“Don’t lecture me. I’m not the one with the revolving-pussy policy.”
Seth didn’t owe Beck any information about his personal life. “For the right woman, I’d be very monogamous.”
“Really? Earlier today, Hammer mentioned a woman you loved who scared the shit out of you. Were you faithful to her?”
Seth clutched the butter knife and fought the urge to eviscerate the bastard. “Every fucking day, so why don’t you shut up? I listened to you. Now hear me: I’m not leaving Heavenly until she realizes I’m the one for her. So we can squabble about it like boys. No, like Hammer and Liam—”
“I wouldn’t waste the energy to punch you in the snow.”
“You’re not worth freezing my ass off, either. So we can spend dinner talking about weather, sports, and Hammer’s situation or eat in silence; I don’t care which. After that, I’m bringing my A-game and letting Heavenly decide who she wants.”
“That’s fine by me.” Beck lifted his martini. “I know the best man will win.”
“Hi!” Raine opened her front door the following afternoon. “Come in. I’m glad you had time to hang out today.”
With a smile, Heavenly stepped inside her friend’s big house. The place always awed her. It was somehow opulent and cozy at once.
As she entered, the scents of vanilla and cinnamon hit her, along with baking nuts and something yeasty. “Me, too. Thanks for inviting me. Gosh, something smells divine.”
Raine shut the door and led her inside. “After the morning I had, I needed to bake.”
“What happened?”
“Several things. Hammer’s got a lot going on. It’s”—the brunette waved her away with a sniffle—“hopefully fine now. Everything is emotional. I visited my mother’s and sister’s graves for the first time today, too. I had to do it.”
Sympathy twisted Heavenly’s heart. Dr. Beckman had given her sketchy information about the sad fate of Raine’s family. Raine herself had filled in with detail. “I’m glad you went. Do you feel better? Did you get closure?”
The other woman gave a shaky nod and pasted on a smile. “Yeah. But after coming home, I needed to make snickerdoodles and banana bread, so now I’m feeling a lot calmer. Want some?”
Heavenly’s mouth watered. She wasn’t skipping lunch anymore, thanks to Dr. Beckman, but she still had an occasional sweet tooth. “Please.”
“Be right back.”
Before Raine could disappear into the kitchen, a big hulk with vivid blue eyes that matched Raine’s pushed out the kitchen door, offering them goodies from their plastic containers. Who the heck was this guy?
“Thanks.” Raine turned to Heavenly. “This is my brother. River, this is Heavenly. She took great care of me at the hospital after…well, after Bill.”
“I remember seeing her while I blended in the waiting room. Hey.” The big guy stuck his hand in her direction. “Nice to meet you.”
Heavenly didn’t remember seeing him at all that morning. As she stared at his outstretched palm, his size alone made her wary. But the sharpness of his stare unsettled her more… Clearly, this guy didn’t miss much.
“Same to you.” She finally shook his hand, then glanced Raine’s way. “This is the brother you’ve been looking for all this time?”
“Yep. Though his grand reentrance in my life wasn’t exactly the way I pictured it.”
River winced. “Okay, so I misunderstood your relationship with Liam and Hammer. Can you blame an older brother?”
“Misunderstood?” Raine shot him a quelling glare. “That’s a vast understatement.”