“Oh, c’mon on!” I shouted, throwing my hands in the air. “Get your head out of your ass!”

Jace laughed and slapped me on the back. “Looks like your boys are gonna lose. Again.”

I flipped him the middle finger, and he laughed harder. “Shittiest call of the night, and there have been a lot of them.” Shaking my head, I stood. “Want another beer?”

He nodded.

“Noah?” I looked at him.

“Sure.”

“Shouldn’t the pizza be here soon? I’m fucking starving,” Jace complained.

“Yeah, Darian said he was going to stop and grab it on his way over.” I waited until the commentators finished talking and the commercials started rolling before heading into the kitchen.

“I’ll text him and find out what’s going on. He probably got stuck at work again,” Noah said.

Beer, pizza, and Monday night football was a tradition for the four of us—well, originally the three of us: me, Noah, and Darian, but when I’d hired Jace, we hit it right off, and he became our fourth. Unfortunately, this year, Darian had missed more games than he’d seen. He claimed work was busy, but I had a gut feeling there was something else going on. Like the fact he was sleeping with a hot twenty-year-old and was more focused on her body rather than the custom body work he did on luxury vehicles. Lucky son of a bitch.

I grabbed three beers from the fridge, twisted off the tops, and tossed them in the trash.

“Game’s back on,” Jace shouted from the living room.

I returned to the couch, handing Jace and Noah their beers. “Did you get ahold of Darian?”

“Said he’d be here any minute.”

I nodded and took a long drink, my attention back on the TV. Any hope I had of my team making a comeback was shot when the quarterback fumbled three snaps in a row. Looked like I wouldn’t be winning this week. I took another drink, and a moment later, Darian let himself into the house. His arms were loaded with pizza boxes and beer.

“It’s about damn time.” Jace took the beer from Darian and carried it into the kitchen.

I followed, grabbed a stack of plates from the cupboard and set them on the counter. My stomach rumbled at the smell of the pizza. Flipping open the top, I took a slice, folded it in half, and took a large bite. After swallowing, I said, “I was starting to wonder if you were going to make it tonight.”

Darian slapped three slices onto a plate and grinned. “I told my boss to shove it.”

Jace laughed. “Yeah, right. More like you shoved it into that hot, young, ripe piece of ass you’re tapping.”

“Dude, c’mon.” Darian rolled his eyes.

“That’s my daughter you’re talking about.” Noah scowled as he entered the kitchen. He pinned Jace with a nasty look then reached for a plate.

Silence fell over us, and for a second I thought Noah and Darian might start fighting. Both Noah and Darian were dating younger women—much younger women—and despite all his teasing, Jace thought that was the best thing ever. It was weird at first, knowing Noah was sleeping with his daughter’s best friend, and Darian was sleeping with Noah’s daughter. Not that I had any room whatsoever to judge because I’d be a liar if I said I hadn’t thought about getting nasty with my daughter’s best friend Hannah.

“Well, this just got fucking awkward.” I laughed.

“Why don’t you stop worrying about me and worry about helping our man Ryan over there get laid.” Darian tilted his beer in my direction. “How long’s it been? A year? Three?”

I scowled. “I don’t need help getting laid.” Truth was, I hadn’t been with a woman since my wife left me almost three years ago. It wasn’t that I didn’t want to have sex—I did—but things with Laura had ended so horribly. I wasn’t ready to put myself through that again.

“Seriously, Ry. You’re not even forty. Don’t let what happened with Laura stop you from living your life. You’re not responsible for her choices.” Jace’s tone was compassionate.

“Drop it.” I tossed my half-eaten slice of pizza into the trash. I knew they meant well, but they’d never understand. I went into the living room, leaving them standing in the kitchen. Snatching my beer from the coffee table, I drained the bottle.

Darian and Jace joined me in the living room, plates heaping with food. Noah followed a moment later. “Didn’t mean to piss you off,” Jace said, taking his seat on the couch.

I grunted. He always claimed he didn’t mean to piss me off, but every damn Monday, we found ourselves having these same exact conversations, and my reactions never varied. You’d think he’d learn by now.

“There’s this woman I work with. Deidre. She handles my books and purchases,” Darian said and promptly held up his hand to shut me up. “She’s our age. Sexy. Smart. She’s got her shit together, and I think you two would really hit it off. It doesn’t have to be anything serious. Just take her out a few times, maybe you’ll get lucky.” He shrugged. “You could invite her to the Halloween party next weekend.”

“I’m getting another beer.” I took my time in the kitchen. It wasn’t just about the sex. Although, if I were being honest with myself, I really fucking needed to get laid.

Darian and Jace let out whoops and high-fived. Great. I’d missed the best play of the entire game. Noah cursed loudly. He and I were rooting for the same team—the one that was losing right now. Frowning, I walked into the living room. “One date. She can come to the party,” I said. “And I don’t want to hear any shit from any of you.”

Jace hid his smile behind his beer bottle while Darian pulled out his phone. “I have her number right here.”

I had a feeling I was going to regret this. But before I could get her number, there was a knock on the door. I glanced at my friends. “Did one of you assholes invite someone without telling me?”

They all laughed then shared a mischievous look.

“I swear to fucking God, if you hired a stripper…” I glared at them, then yanked open the door. My heart stopped. Even though I hadn’t seen her in months, there was no mistaking those big brown eyes and heart-shaped face. Her hair was longer. “Hannah?”

She blinked up at me, her cheeks flushed. “Hey, Ryan.” She shifted on her feet. “Sorry to just show up like this. Hope it’s okay.”

“Are you in trouble?” I didn’t know why that was the question I chose to ask—I guessed years of fatherly concern and instinct didn’t go away. Even though she wasn’t my daughter, I still cared for her. Deeply. “Sorry. Come in.” I stepped aside so she could enter, and when she did, I peered outside. Her car was parked on the road. “Is my daughter here, too?”

“No,” Hannah said.

That was odd. Typically, when they came home from college for a visit, they came together. I swung the door closed. Disappointment and excitement warred inside of me.

“Kennedy will be here Friday,” she said.

Jace, Noah, and Darian shouted at the TV.

Hannah’s eyes widened. “I didn’t realize you had company. I’m sorry. I can go.” She turned toward the door. We both knew there was nowhere else for her to go.

“Oh no you don’t.” I clutched her elbow and spun her around to face me.

She looked down to where I held her arm and then lifted her gaze to meet mine. Her brown eyes darkened a shade, but she didn’t pull away from my hold.

“It’s good to see you,” I said.

“You, too.” Her voice was barely a whisper, and she lowered her head. My heart clenched. She used to do that when her mother worked herself into a fit and would scream at Hannah.

I tilted my head, studying her. “Hannah? Are you okay?”

“Hey, Ry, you’re missing the fourth quarter.” Jace came into the foyer and stopped abruptly when he saw us. “Shit. Sorry.” His gaze darted between us, and I had the sudden, inexplicable urge to step in front of Hannah, blocking her from Jace’s gaze. “Who’s this?”

“My daughter’s best friend. I guess they’ve decided to surprise me with a visit,” I said, forcing a smile. Truth was, I had no idea why Hannah was here, or why my daughter wasn’t. But I had a gut feeling it wasn’t good. “Hannah, this is my buddy and co-worker, Jace.”

“Hi.” Hannah smiled sweetly, and that sight was a punch to the gut. God, she was beautiful. “Sorry to crash your party.”

“Actually, Jace, I think we should call it a night.” It wasn’t a suggestion, and based on the slight nod he gave, he understood. “I haven’t seen Hannah in…” I frowned. “A long time, and we need to catch up.”

“Yeah, of course. I’ll grab Darian and Noah, and we’ll catch the rest of the game down at the bar.”

As soon as Jace, Noah, and Darian left, Hannah turned to me. “I know you probably have a lot of questions, but I don’t feel like talking about anything tonight.”

I nodded. “Fair enough.” Her college was three states away and a nine-hour drive. I imagined she was exhausted. “Do you have any bags with you?”

“They’re in my car.”

“Okay, I’ll go get them. You remember where your room is, don’t you?”

She let out a surprised laugh. “Yeah, I think so.”

I headed outside to retrieve her bags, surprised to find four suitcases, two duffle bags, and boxes crammed into every available space. If I didn’t know better, I’d think she’d moved out of her dorm. Clearly, there was something going on with her—something she didn’t want to talk about. I’d give her tonight to relax, but I needed to know what had prompted her unannounced, impromptu visit.

Wrestling her luggage inside, I carried it upstairs. She was standing in the middle of her room, arms hanging by her sides. I cleared my throat to alert her to my presence and set the suitcases on the floor. “I wasn’t sure what you wanted, but if you need all the other stuff, I can go back out and get it.”

She slowly turned around to face me. “You left my room the same.” There was too much wonder in her tone.

“Why wouldn’t I?” I took a step toward her. “This is your home, Hannah.” It had been since she was sixteen and her mother kicked her out. Kennedy had begged me to let Hannah move in, and I hadn’t been able to say no. She’d lived with us for two years, right up until she left for college with my daughter. And this was the first time she’d been back since the beginning of summer.

Her eyes glistened with unshed tears. “Thank you.” Then she flung her arms around me, nearly knocking me over.

“Whoa.” I laughed and wrapped my arms around her, pulling her tight to me and burying my face in her hair. She always smelled like honeysuckle and lavender. I inhaled deeply, letting her scent settle over me.

She clung to me like she had the night her mother had kicked her out. Only this time, she wasn’t trembling with fear. Hannah’s soft sigh was like an electric zap, startling me, stirring things to life that had no business being alive around her. I tightened my hold and couldn’t deny how good she felt in my arms. How perfectly she fit. I’d bet anything our bodies would fit together, too. Vivid images of lying in bed, naked, holding her after making love flashed through my mind. My cock thickened, and my spine tingled with anticipation.

“I’ve missed you so much,” she whispered.

I groaned, coursing my hands down her back and settling on her waist. I flexed my fingers, wanting nothing more than to stand here and hold her all night, but my thoughts were taking a dark, twisted turn, and I needed to get the hell away from her before something bad happened.

Reluctantly, I pulled away. “It’s good to have you home.” I stared into those big eyes, my resolve shattering with each second that passed. “Your hair is different.” I reached up and brushed the long bangs from her forehead. She leaned into my touch, her eyes fluttering closed. “I like it.” I smiled.

“Thanks.” She turned her face away from me, and her hair fell back in place.

My fingers itched to touch her again, to feel her body pressed to mine. I shoved my hands in my pockets. “You should get some rest. If you need anything, you know where to find me.”

“Thanks again.”

I closed her bedroom door behind me and headed down the hall to my room. Once inside, I blew out a pent-up breath. I had no fucking idea what the hell happened back there, but my mind was swirling with erotic thoughts. But I kept circling back to one thing—if Noah and Darian could be with younger women, why couldn’t I? I rubbed my hands over my face. Probably because my daughter would not be as understanding as Noah’s daughter. Kennedy would kill me if I ever got involved with Hannah.

I flopped down on my bed with a loud exhale and rubbed my hands over my face. Then, I glanced around my room that hadn’t changed a bit since I’d left. The bedding, the posters, the wall hangings…the pictures were all as I’d left them. Sure, I’d visited a couple times since going to college, but it’s not like I spent a lot of time in this room. Kennedy and I were usually busy hanging out with friends from high school, shopping, or going to the beach. And more often than not, I’d just crash in her room.

I stood and walked across the room. Hundreds of pictures were taped to the wall. Mostly candid shots of me and my friends, but the one in the center, the largest photograph, caught my attention. It was a professional photo of me and Mom, taken long before she went crazy and decided I was the devil’s spawn. I was seven in that picture. So innocent and naïve.

Snorting, I turned away, refusing to let happy nostalgia creep into my mind. That woman turned her back on me. She’d betrayed me and then kicked me out of the house. Out of her life. I didn’t owe her even a single second of thought.

Thank God for Kennedy and her dad. I didn’t know where I’d be right now without them. Kennedy was literally the sister I never had, and Ryan? He was my rock during the toughest time of my life. And now here I was, again, needing him to be strong for me. To help me through another difficult time. Of course, this time it was my fault. Last time, it hadn’t been. I hoped that didn’t change his opinion of me.

It didn’t hurt that Ryan was fucking hot, either. Crying on his shoulder wasn’t exactly terrible. Neither was the feel of his arms around me, holding me, his whispers comforting me. Not that I’d ever admit that to anyone, especially Kennedy. She’d freak if she knew I was attracted to her father. But I was. And I had a nagging suspicion he might feel the same.

My phone beeped with a text, startling me. I pulled my cell from my pocket and swiped my thumb over the screen. It was from Kennedy. did you make it home? I responded with a simple yes. Another messaged arrived. did you tell him? Sighing, I rolled my eyes and typed a response. not yet.

I’d barely hit send when my phone rang. Kennedy’s smiling face filled my screen. “If you’re calling to yell at me, I’m hanging up,” I said.

“You have to tell him.”

I groaned. “I know that, but I literally just got here like half an hour ago. He had friends over. I haven’t had the chance to tell him.”

There was a heavy sigh. “You are going to tell him tonight, though, right?”

Kennedy was right. Sooner or later, I was going to have to tell Ryan why I’d left college and came running home. Straight into his arms. But not tonight. Maybe not even tomorrow. I still couldn’t process what had happened, and there was no way I’d be able to explain it to him.

“You know he’ll understand,” Kennedy said softly. “He’ll help you.”

“I know he will.” But I was admittedly embarrassed to tell him how badly I’d screwed up. Kennedy knew that. She also knew I had no one else to turn to, which was the only reason she’d been able to convince me to leave campus without her.

“Then talk to him.”

“I will. I promise.” My stomach rumbled, reminding me I hadn’t eaten all day. “Okay, I’m going to find some food. I’ll talk to you later.”

“You’d better.” She laughed. “Love you, Hannah, and I’ll see you in a couple days.”

“Love you, too.” I ended the call, tucked my phone back into my pocket, and headed downstairs.

When I walked into the kitchen, Ryan was there, cleaning up. He wore a pair of navy-blue pajama pants and nothing else. My breath caught at the sight of him. It wasn’t like I hadn’t seen him shirtless before—I had—but I hadn’t been so aware of him before. And based on the way he’d hugged me earlier, I was guessing he was much more aware of me, too. His naturally tanned skin was flawless, his muscles rippling with every movement. His dark hair was mussed, as if he’d been running his hand through it repeatedly. He reached for the pizza box, and I stepped forward.

“You’re not throwing that away, are you?”

He turned to look at me, startled. “I was going to put it in the fridge. You want some?” He held the box out to me.

I nodded. “I’m starving.”

“Help yourself.” He smiled.

I sat on a stool that had been pulled up to the kitchen island, flipped open the box, and grabbed a slice. It was still warm. Taking a bite, I watched as Ryan leaned against the sink, arms crossed. My gaze lowered from his impressive biceps down to his perfectly sculpted abs, every line and indentation hard and purposeful. It was obvious he’d been working out. A lot. I licked my lips and took another bite, slowly returning my gaze to his face. He watched me with narrowed eyes, and a shiver wiggled down my spine.

“Would you like something to drink?” he asked.

“Sure.”

“Water okay? Or I have some soda.”

“Water’s fine.”

He got a bottle of water from the fridge and set it on the counter in front of me.

“Thanks.”

Planting his hands on the counter, he leaned forward, putting him much closer to me. “How long are you staying, Hannah?”

My eyes widened, and I sat back, shocked. “I don’t know.” I shrugged and finished my slice of pizza. “Why? Do you want me to go?” I twisted the top off my water and took a long drink, but the cold liquid did nothing to calm the sudden fire burning inside of me.

He flinched. “No, of course I don’t want you to go.”

“Then what’s the problem?” I was being unnecessarily mean to him, and he didn’t deserve that. I shouldn’t make him pay for what Brendan had done to me. But if he was pissed at me for being a bitch, maybe he wouldn’t be too pissed at me for what I’d done. With a sigh, I said, “Sorry. It’s been a long day. I’m tired and cranky. I should probably just go to bed.”

Ryan returned to his position against the sink, and he nodded. “That’s probably a good idea. I took tomorrow off, so I’ll be here all day.”

“Wow. Thanks.” I hopped off the stool. “I promise we’ll talk tomorrow, too.” As soon as the words were out of my mouth, I wanted to take them back. Why had I said that? I wasn’t ready to tell him about Brendan or how he’d completely embarrassed me and ruined my life.

“Whatever’s going on, I’m here for you. Okay?” He held out his arms, and I stepped into his embrace.

He wrapped his strong arms around me, and I rested my face on his chest, clasping my hands behind his back. God, he had a fabulous body. If he were my husband, I wouldn’t let him out of my damn sight. In the years I’d lived here with him and Kennedy, I had never once heard him having sex—with anyone. I was positive he’d be damn good at it, though. Sex appeal dripped from him no matter what he said or did.

Ryan buried his face against my neck, and I heard him inhale sharply as his hold on me tightened. His breath caressed my already warm skin. Heat radiated from him, igniting an inferno inside of me. Unable to stop myself, I ran my hands up his back, then down, settling on his hips. He trembled, a low throaty groan rumbling from his chest. My heart raced, and my body hummed to life, throbbing in all the right places.

Even though Brendan and I had only broken up a couple weeks ago, it had been a long time since we’d been intimate in any way. Not so much as a hug or kiss in months. And I craved some type of affection. Before I realized what I was doing—before I could stop myself—I puckered my lips against his chest, my eyes fluttering closed. I dragged my hands from his back around to rest on his stomach, my fingers tracing the well-defined lines of his abs.

Ryan tensed. “Hannah…” His voice was strangled.

My eyes snapped open, and I froze. What the fuck did I just do? Swallowing hard, I risked a glance up at his face. His eyes were hard and piercing, his jaw clenched. “I’m…I don’t…I’m sorry.” I dropped my hands from his body and stepped away from him.

“What the hell was that?”

I shrugged. I wasn’t about to tell him I was starved for attention. Or that I was inappropriately lusting after him.

“This is wrong. I’m like a father to you. You’re my daughter’s best friend. It would do us both good not to forget that.” He dragged his shaking hand through his hair.

A slow smile pulled at my mouth, and I raised a brow.

“You think this is amusing?” he snapped.

“No.” But I had to fight not to laugh.

He scowled.

“But I do find it…interesting that you said we both need to remember.” I knew I hadn’t misread the way he’d hugged me earlier—or just now.

“I’m going to bed,” he said, and then stormed out of the kitchen, leaving me to stare after him.