MaeMy shoulders sagged forward as I kicked off my shoes. I didn’t know what I was expecting. I told myself it was for the best. I wanted him too much, which made him far too dangerous. He didn’t want me. He wanted me but didn’t want me. I got it. We were from different worlds. He was a different man. He was Tyson Helms. I suspected he was a millionaire and had the world in his hands.I was Mae Kendell from the block. I could never be the jet-setting woman he would need in his life. I had responsibilities and people who depended on me. I couldn’t be upset that he didn’t even try to make a move. I couldn’t feel sad that he had walked away from me. Again. It was beginning to be a habit I detested.Feeling completely dissed, I walked into the bathroom and took off my earrings. I paused, looking at my reflection in the mirror before turning left and then right. I was almost thirty. I didn’t see any wrinkles, but it was only a matter of time. Life was passing me by. My twenties were almost

TysonI woke with Mae asleep in my arms. The moment I realized I was in her bed, I closed my eyes and tried to force myself back to sleep. I didn’t want to move. I didn’t want to think about the consequences of my night with her.I smirked. I could feel the consequences of my night with her. My muscles were both completely relaxed and sore at the same time. Multiple orgasms tended to do that to a guy. She rocked my world. Holy shit, had it been good. It was better than I imagined it would be. Her body was so responsive to mine. I smiled, thinking about the many, many orgasms she’d enjoyed. She was going to be just as sore as I was.With my ego properly stroked, reality sank in. I had slept with Patrick’s little sister. It was something I told myself I wouldn’t do. I coached myself to ignore the temptation. When it became too much to ignore, I ran away. No one had that kind of self-control. The woman turned me inside out. She melted away all my willpower. She stripped me right down to

MaeI was sad to be leaving Israel, even if I did look forward to seeing Hayden. Our time together was too short. In a different world, we could spend an entire week together. We weren’t in a different world. We were in a world that included responsibilities and the feelings of others that had to be considered.Patrick. He was thinking about Patrick. I sensed his hesitation. I was not going to live in my brother’s shadow forever. He did not get to dictate who I spent my life with. I was too damn old for that nonsense.I looked over at Tyson sitting on the far side of the backseat of the car. He was staring out the window, looking completely lost in thought. “Penny for your thoughts,” I said.He turned to look at me with a soft smile on his lips. “I don’t think they are worth even that.”“Is everything okay?”“Yes. Good.”It didn’t seem good, but I wasn’t going to pester him. We boarded his jet, settling into the same seats we sat in on the flight over. Once we were in the air and thin

TysonI was sitting at my desk in my office, going through a new list of recently uncovered artifacts in Rome. It always amazed me that there seemed to be an entire city underneath the earth we walked. When I was young and dumb, I kept thinking the antiquity business would be a losing field. People would grow tired of the old things that cluttered the shelves.They never did. In fact, my business had only grown with each passing year. There had been a renewed appreciation for the past. Everyone wanted to own a little piece of history and most of them were willing to pay a high price to get their hands on that history. It allowed me to grow wealthier while increasing my own collection.“Knock, knock,” I heard Alec’s voice call.I got up to greet him. “I wasn’t sure I would see you today.”He smiled and took a seat. “I figured I would pop in.”I laughed. “Does that mean you are popping out soon?”The look on his face told me that was exactly what it meant. “How was the trip?” he asked.

MaeI grabbed one of my fries and ran it through the pile of ketchup in the corner of my plate. I was absolutely starving and making a total pig of myself. Thankfully, it was just Carrie watching the horrible scene.“When was the last time you ate?” she asked.I laughed. “This morning, but I’ve been running full speed all day.”“You are running through that plate of food like a woman who hasn’t eaten in a week.”I wiped my mouth. “I’m sorry. You were telling me about Ben’s new school.”“Yes. I’m terrified. How can I send my baby away all day?”“Because he will be five and they say that’s when kids have to go to school. He will be with lots of other babies. You did it. I did it. Everyone does it.”She wrinkled her nose. “I was thinking about keeping him home one more year. I don’t know if he’s ready.”“Woman, he’s ready. You are the one who isn’t ready. You have to cut that cord or at least lengthen it. Do you want him living in your basement one day? He’s a smart kid, and holding him