Seth fought another urge to cross the kitchen and take her in his arms. She’d probably slap him if he tried, and besides, the twins were clinging to her legs like spider monkeys, looking unhappy about this latest turn of events.

“I wanted to go home,” Sophie whined.

“Me too! All my toys are at home.”

Miranda seemed to snap out of her thoughts. “Actually, most of our things are in Seth’s garage. I spent the last two days packing up all the dry clothes and toys and bedding. Remember the boxes I showed you?”

The twins nodded.

“Well, that’s our stuff. If you want, why don’t we pick out a few items that you can keep in the guest room?”

Sophie’s brown eyes lit up. “Like Belinda?”

Miranda’s expression grew strained. “I’m sorry, sweetie, Belinda isn’t in any of those boxes. She was too wet and dirty. I couldn’t save her, hon.”

“She’s dead?” Sophie wailed.

Seth swallowed a groan, knowing the waterworks were about to make an appearance. But although tears clung to Sophie’s dark eyelashes, the kid kept her cool, triggering a spark of grudging admiration.

“Will you get me another doll?” Sophie asked in a small voice.

Miranda smiled and tugged on one of her daughter’s pigtails. “Of course I will. But not today. For now, why don’t you put on your shoes and we’ll go to the garage and find you some toys.”

Both kids dashed out of the kitchen, leaving Seth alone with Miranda.

She eyed him for a moment, wary, reluctant.

“Why are you looking at me like that?” he said roughly.

“Kim’s coming over in an hour to babysit.”

He arched a brow. “And?”

“And then I’m going to the club.” She hesitated. “I’m only working until midnight.”

He refused to acknowledge the tiny spark of hope that hovered in his chest. “Where are you going with this, Miranda?”

Her teeth dug into her lower lip, gnawing, revealing her evident nervousness.

The spark grew bigger.

“Seth…remember how I said my life was a big ball of stress?”

He nodded.

“Well, the ball is bigger now. It’s huge, actually. It’s ginormous.” Her hazel eyes took on a slightly wild glint. “I’m close to freaking out and I don’t have time to freak out right now, okay? I need to relax. Just a teeny, tiny bit of relaxation, a few hours where I don’t have to think about anything but me.”

The spark caught flame and burned a path straight to his groin.

“So please, don’t come to the club tonight. Stay here, work out, do your hair, I don’t care. But when I get home later?” Her chin lifted in fortitude. “You’ll be lying in your bed waiting for me. You’ll be naked, you’ll have protection handy, and you’re going to f**k me.”

Chapter Ten

This was a mistake. A big f**king mistake.

Whatever, man, you need a place to stay, Aidan’s got a spare room, end of story.

“Bull-fucking-shit,” Dylan muttered.

Wow. He was actually calling bullshit on himself. That was beyond messed up. Yet even though he knew his reasons for coming here tonight were bogus as hell, he couldn’t seem to talk himself out of it.

So here he was, standing in the expensive, brightly lit lobby of Aidan Rhodes’ condo, waiting to be buzzed up. Miranda had dropped him off on her way to the club, though neither of them had said much during the ride over. She’d clearly had something on her mind—something named Seth, no doubt—but Dylan hadn’t pushed her to talk. She hadn’t tried to force conversation either, which he appreciated.

Comfortable silence was so hard to come by these days, and this one had allowed him to mull over the remark Aidan had made earlier. When Dylan called asking if the offer to crash at his place was still on the table, Aidan had told him to come by whenever. He’d then added, “I’m having a chick over for dinner, but she’s always down for some variety, so if you want to join us…”

A three-way? Had Aidan been inviting him to a three-way? But why? The two of them were definitely more than acquaintances, but they weren’t quite best buds, either. In fact, the other night was the first time they’d ever been alone.

The other night… Fuck, it had been the alcohol. Had to be the alcohol. And the aborted BJ hadn’t helped either.

“Hey, Wade, come on up.” Aidan’s deep voice emerged from the intercom, and then the glass doors buzzed.

Slinging his black duffel over his shoulder, Dylan strode to the elevator bank and punched the Up button. A few moments later, the doors dinged open and he stepped into the car, riding it up to the fifteenth floor. Walking on the clean, cream-colored carpet with his scuffed up shitkickers felt wrong, so he practically sprinted to Aidan’s door, which swung open before he could even knock.

Aidan greeted him with a dimpled grin, and Dylan was struck by how damn good-looking he was. Kinda resembled a young Johnny Depp, except with the body of an action star.

“Come in. Lani and I just finished dinner. We were about to have a beer on the terrace.” Aidan opened the door wider to let him in.

Dylan toed off his boots and left them on the mat in the front hall, then followed Aidan into the living room, where Aidan’s date was waiting. She was a stunning woman, looked to be of Polynesian descent, with exotic features and long, jet-black hair.

She smiled when she spotted Dylan. “Hello,” she said in a soft voice.