Ethan"Hey buddy!" Liam opened the door to his elaborate mansion and moved back with a big smile on his face. "You look like shit.""You say that a little too often, asshole." I smiled and pulled him into a quick hug."It's the truth. I owe you that if nothing else." He patted my back and closed the door. His black hair and dark eyes left him looking nothing like me, but it was probably for the best. The last thing I needed in town was a doppelgänger, especially one that acted as poorly as my older brother did."You remember my best friend from school, Cole?""Matthenson?" I walked down the hall as the sound of the TV filled up the hallway."Yeah. He and his brother, Ian, own a security company in San Doggie. They're in the middle of some shit right now, but I told him to come up for a day to get away from everything. He's a hot mess. Headed toward divorce with Cindy.""Do I know Cindy?" I whispered back as we entered into the kitchen. Liam shook his head and walked toward the big guy

Riley"Right, but he's not your romantic interest, Riley." She squeezed my hand and let out a soft sigh. "I told Jeff I couldn't see him anymore.""I thought you did that weeks ago.""I did, but I reneged on it. I thought maybe I could get past the fact that he's horrible in bed, but I can't. I love passion, and sex is part of that. I like the guy, but I could never really fall head over heels in love with him.""How about Jace?" I gave her a cheeky smile. "He's killer in bed.""And the fact that you're offering him up tells me once again... he's not your man. You don't care if he sleeps around, but here's the problem... he cares if you do. I overheard you guys in the kitchen. He's finally growing up, not that I ever thought that would happen, but he's going to want you to settle down. Are you really wanting to do that with him?""Do I have a better option?" I wanted to feel something - anything - but the same numbness that had been wrapped around my insides still sat there. The only

Ethan"Hey. No crying." I crossed the room and pulled her into a hug. "There's no reason to get upset.""Yeah, there is." She pressed her face to my chest and wrapped her arms around me.To deny that it felt good to be held or to hold someone I loved would have been stupid, but I wanted to. I was too close to cracking and racing after my sexy co-star no matter what the world or anyone else thought about it. I felt like a fucking yo-yo, changing my mind every three seconds on what I wanted to do versus what I was expected to do."Why? He's a part of your past, D. You're a beautiful woman. Find someone else.""I can't." She pulled back and wiped at her tears. "Why am I crying over this idiot? He's not worth it.""Exactly." She needed me to dig into her pain, but I couldn't. I was still tripping over my own from seeing Jace be exactly who Riley needed him to be the day before."I'll see you inside." She turned and walked out without another word."Damn," I mumbled and grabbed my script a

RileyAfter class I answered a few questions from some of my fellow students and decided to skip out of my marketing class. The gnawing questions of life wouldn't leave me be, and I really didn't want to sit across from my Aunt Debbie and tear up a thousand times over where I was going in life and why it wasn't good enough. She would assume I was emotionally over my mom, which was the core of the issue no doubt. I just needed to clear my head.Somehow I ended up at St. Mary's. I sat in my car with the windows down for a few minutes and focused on the stillness around me. The sounds of birds chirping and traffic in the distance was enough to lull me into a calm."What do I want from life? I mean, like really, really want?" I turned off the car and got out. The cemetery was on the far side of the church, and older than any other in town. How my mother had scored a plot of land in the historical graveside was beyond me. She'd bought four plots before me and Darek were born, as if she kne

EthanI ducked as best I could and pulled away from him as he swung. What was it with me and getting my ass handed to me lately?"Whoa, dude. I thought she was a friend of mine. I wasn't...""Try again, mother fucker. My girl ain't getting taken by a pretty boy bitch like you.""Pretty boy bitch? That's new." I moved to the side as he swung again and was quite grateful when two bodyguards moved in front of me and took the guy to the ground. His girl was watching me with stars in her eyes."Oh my God. You're totally Steve Sumner." She swooned and let out a long girly sigh."Does that shit hurt?" I moved my finger around my nose as I stifled a shiver of disgust. The guards had the guy on the ground, but they were losing the fight."Ethan. What the fuck, man?" Liam moved up beside me and jerked me back, moving us toward the bar. "You start shit everywhere. You know that?""Yep. That's the reason we usually stay at your place, remember?"The girls from earlier were standing by the bar snu