6

Damien had been gone four days on a work trip three states over, leaving the whole house to Dax. He was supposed to be gone for a week.

Dax, feeling lonely and in need of company, had texted both Lily and Liam that afternoon.

—Dad’s gone on a work thing. House feels empty. You and Liam should come over. Keep me company. I’ll cook.—

Liam had already been halfway out the door with his bag when she finished reading it. “We’re going,” he’d said, grinning. “Can’t let him have all that freedom to himself, now can we?.”

Lily had hesitated only a second before packing an overnight bag. Ever since Damien and Lucien had sent Liam and Dax on some boring errand last month that somehow turned into an overnight stay, the two of them had gotten awfully close. It made them look like the brothers neither of them had ever had. She wasn’t sure how she felt about it. But mostly she just watched it happen and kept her mouth shut.

By dusk Lily and Liam had arrived at the Ross estate, and the three of them were settled in the living room of the Ross house. Liam sprawled across one end of the couch, controller in hand. Dax sat beside him, equally focused on the screen. Lily had claimed the opposite corner scrolling her phone.

Liam suddenly paused the game and twisted around. “Hey. There’s a housewarming party tonight at Mason’s. Half the old group’s gonna be there. You two coming?”

Lily didn’t even look up. “No.”

Dax turned his head. “Come on, baby. It’ll be fun. We can stay a couple hours and leave if it’s too much.”

“I know exactly how those parties get when Liam’s involved,” she said, voice knowing. “Someone ends up on the roof or in the pool fully unconscious. I’m not in the mood to play babysitter tonight.”

Liam clutched his chest like she’d stabbed him. “Rude. Accurate, but rude.”

Dax reached over and squeezed her knee. “You sure? We don’t have to stay long.”

Lily finally met his eyes. She forced a small smile.

“I’m sure. You two go. I just want to get naked and sit in the hot tub tonight. With a glass of wine. And have my alone time. No yelling at you pixels.”

Dax studied her for a second longer, then nodded. “Okay. Your call.”

He leaned in and kissed her. A full slow French kiss, tongue sliding against hers like he was trying to change her mind with his mouth. Lily let him, tasting the mint of his gum. When he pulled back his eyes were soft.

“Love you,” he murmured.

“Love you too.”

Liam bounced up, already grabbing his jacket. He ruffled her hair and pressed a quick kiss to her forehead. “Love you, sis. Have fun.”

“Get out of here,” she said, half laughing.

The front door closed behind them. The house settled into thick silence.

Lily sat still for a full minute, enjoying the quiet. Then she stood and walked upstairs to the guest room she’d claimed. She stripped of the lounge wear she’d come in, then her bra and panties. She left the clothes in a neat pile on the bed and went to the kitchen to pour herself a generous glass of red wine. She then padded barefoot out to the back deck.

The hot tub was already steaming. She set the wine on the edge and stepped in, sinking down until the water lapped at her collarbones and heat wrapped around her. She tipped her head back against the padded rim and exhaled.

Dax and Lily still hadn’t had sex.

When he’d asked her out last year she’d said yes immediately, almost without thinking. It had felt natural. Expected, even. Some days she looked at him and felt deep affection. Other days she caught herself wondering if that affection was the kind a girl feels for a brother instead of a lover. If she saw him more as family than as a man she wanted inside her.

The ugly truth ate ate her gut every time she let herself think it.

She wasn’t sexually attracted to him.

She hated herself for it. Hated the way her body stayed normal when he kissed her, or the way her cunt never once clenched with need for him. And she hated herself even more for the fact that she was extremely, obsessively, shamefully attracted to his father.

Deep down she knew Dax wasn’t really attracted to her either. He treated her like something precious and fragile, never pushing for anything more, or getting impatient. Any normal guy would’ve been trying to get between her legs by now. Dax only ever said, “I’ll wait as long as you need. There’s no rush.”

Sometimes she wondered if the only reason they were together at all was because of the invisible pressure of their families. Their history. The way everyone had always joked about them ending up married someday. Like the decision had been made for them since birth.