It was after nine before Emmie unlocked the front door, and she and Layla walked into the apartment, followed by a brooding Jesse. Perhaps I should have felt sorry for my brother, but I was still too angry to care right then.

Seeing Emmie was like a balm to my heart. I pulled her into a tight bear hug, holding her close for the first time in what felt like a lifetime but was only a couple of months. "Thanks for coming."

She sighed. "I don't know how much good I can do."

"How is Lana?" Layla demanded, her face pale and her eyes blood shot.

"I don't know, Layla," I told her honestly. "She was so calm, so unlike herself. Lana doesn't do calm when slapped in the face."

"No, she runs all the way across the country," Jesse bit out, his hands clenched at his sides. "All the good it did, too. Wake his f.u.c.king a.s.s up, Shane!"

"I've tried. He's out cold. Drake hasn't had anything harder than coffee in months. Whatever he got into last night hit him hard. We just have to let him sleep it off." Then I was sure that I would be picking my brother up off the floor.

I made sure my three guests were comfortable before I returned to my bedroom to wake Harper. She was still sleeping peacefully. I took a moment to look down at her spread across my sheets. One hand was tucked under her cheek, the other across her stomach, that mouth with the perfect Cupid's bow parted as she lightly snored every other breath.

I climbed in behind her, letting her warmth chase away the coldness that had invaded my body the moment I found my brother asleep in the same bed as Gabriella Moreitti. As soon as I touched her, I felt calmer and ready to face the disaster that Drake had created for himself, and therefore all of us.

She mumbled something in her sleep before blinking her eyes open. "Shane?"

I kissed her shoulder. "Good morning, sleeping beauty."

Her yawn was adorable and I waited until she cuddled into my chest before I told her what had been happening while she slept. The more I said the tenser she became. Worried for her friend, she started to get up. "I have to get home. She must be devastated."

"I'll take you," I promised, not bothering to avert my eyes as I watched her dress. Her b.r.e.a.s.t.s swayed ever so slightly with each movement she made.

"But you have guests."

"They aren't here to see me, Harper. In fact, I'm sure it will make them all calmer if I'm not around right now. All I do is pace and that can get irritating after a while." And Emmie was in no mood to be irritated. I would rather face the flames of h.e.l.l than get on her bad side.

When she was finally dressed she pulled her hair into a sloppy bun at the back of her neck and turned to face me. "I wasn't exactly planning on meeting your family this soon."

"Are you nervous?"

A small smile tilted her lips. "Were you nervous when I introduced you to Cecil?" I made a sour face and she laughed. "Then you have your answer."

"There is no need to be nervous of Emmie and Layla. And especially not Jesse. They will love you, baby." Just as I do...

I kissed her lips and lead her out into the living room.

From the moment I realized I had feelings for Harper, I had told Emmie all about her. She wasn't surprised when I introduced her to the girl that had captured my heart. Emmie tried to be nice, but she had too much going through her mind to pay much attention to Harper. Layla and Jesse shook her hand, and even welcomed her to the family, but were otherwise stone faced.

As soon as I could, I took Harper home. I didn't want Harper around the tension and would hate it if she thought that my family didn't like her.

My girl was right by my side over the next few days. I had to be there for my brother, but Harper was always there for me when I needed her. She was strong, stronger than even I had realized. When everyone else was stressed to the max, she was the calm one. Even Emmie took notice of it and took me aside to let me know that she really liked Harper.

"She's really sweet, Shane."

We were standing by the double doors that went to the ICU where Lana had been for the last three days. Behind Emmie was the waiting room where we'd all been camped out since Lana's emergency surgery to stop the bleeding from her complicated miscarriage. I could see Harper sitting with Layla and Lucy, who'd arrived with Nik and Mia two days ago.

Lucy was still looking upset, worried about her sister. But Harper was talking softly to her and stroking Lucy's short hair back from her face.

"I know." I was turned toward Harper, ready to go to her in an instant if she needed me.

She grasped my hand, bringing my focus back to her. "She's really good for you. Even through all this craziness I can see that." Emmie sighed and shook her head. "I've really put my foot in it with Lana. I'm not even sure why I put all the blame on her. You know I love her. She's Drake's other half..."

"Emmie, I think it's obvious why you are so hard on her." I leaned back against the wall, trying to get a better glimpse of Harper. Just looking at her calmed my nerves. "Drake has always been the one that needed you most, whether we want to admit it or not. You were acting like a mother bear protecting her cub, and that's great. But the cub f.u.c.ked up, sweetheart. And it was no one's fault but his own."

"Yeah, I know."

The lost look in her big green eyes hurt me, and I pulled her close. "It's going to be okay, Em. Lana will be alright, and you can kiss and make up. She knows how you are. She won't hold it against you."

"Don't let me do this to Harper, Shane."

I laughed. "Don't worry. If you say one word that hurts my girl, I'll be all over your a.s.s about it." No way was I letting anyone-not even Emmie-hurt Harper in any way.

Chapter 12.

Harper Lana had finally woken up and stayed awake this time.

For three days she was in and out of it, whether it was the meds they were giving her or what, I wasn't sure. But I was so glad that my friend had finally come back to us.

Everyone was exhausted, both physically and especially emotionally. The doctor had come into the OR waiting room right after Lana had gotten out of surgery and explained to us that Lana had come close to dying. If she hadn't gotten to the hospital when she had, she would have bled to death for sure. But there had been no complications during surgery, so she was going to make a full recovery.

With Lana now awake, and able to talk, she wasted little time in demanding everyone go home and get some sleep. Layla and Drake had argued, but Lana being Lana, had gotten her way in the end.

After sleeping in a hard plastic chair for the last few days, I was ready for my bed.

Linc and Dallas were on their way out; unlike me, they hadn't been at the hospital day and night. Dallas hadn't heard about Lana until the day after it had happened, and Linc had been at work. Figuring Shane would want to spend some time with his family, I called my goodbyes and started for the elevators with my roommates.

"Wait!" Shane called just before the doors closed.

Linc hit the open door b.u.t.ton, forcing the elevator to pause and retract the sliding door. I started to step forward to ask Shane what was wrong when he pushed me back inside and hugged me against his side.

"Are you okay?" I demanded, looking up at his pale face and noticing the dark circles under his eyes.

He hadn't been lying about the pacing thing. He had paced, and paced, and paced some more. Emmie had growled at him to sit down more than a few times. Even during the middle of the night, when we were all trying to catch a nap, he would alternate between pacing and holding me. Where the h.e.l.l had he gotten the energy to do all that pacing?

"I need to be close to you," he murmured against my ear so only I could hear.

His warm breath against my ear made me shiver, and I wasn't feeling quite as tired as I had been just moments before. Biting my lip, I snuggled deeper into his side, relaxing against him as he played with the ends of my hair and the elevator descended.

Dallas, who was always mouthy, had been noticeably quiet the last few times she had come to visit. Even as good as I was feeling being with Shane, I noticed her troubled expression as we rode home together in the back of a taxi. When we got home I asked Shane to go ahead and shower while I talked to my friend.

As soon as my bedroom door closed behind him, I tackled Dallas. "What's the matter?"

She swallowed hard but didn't answer as she sat down on the couch, reaching for the remote to the television instead. With Linc in the kitchen fixing a quick dinner, I knew that I couldn't count on him for back up. So I stood in front of the flat screen, forcing her to meet my gaze. "I'll stand here for days if I have to, Dallas."

"I don't want to talk about it, Harp." Her jaw was tense, her body vibrating with emotions, but her eyes were glazed with tears.

Dallas wasn't a crier. I don't think I had ever seen her cry.

"Is it about Drake and Lana?" Dallas and Linc had been at the same party as Drake when he had gotten drunk. She had told me that she didn't think he'd slept with Gabriella because she had seen things at the party that suggested that Gabriella had already hooked up with someone before the other girl had taken Drake home.

"No. I swear." She sighed and pulled her legs under her. "Drake wasn't a big fan of Gabriella's, even as drunk as he was."

"Then what's wrong?" I waved my hand at her. "This isn't you, Dallas."

"I think Axton hooked up with Gabriella at the party," she burst out. "One minute he was beside me, the next he was gone. I didn't put it together until I got to the hospital, but when I went looking for Ax he was coming out of one of the bedrooms. A few minutes later, while I was talking to Drake and Linc, I saw her come down the hall looking like she had just gotten the f.u.c.king of her life." A tear escaped the corner of her eye. "When I asked Ax about it, he didn't deny it. Just brushed it off..."

The tear broke my heart for her. I fell down on the edge of the couch beside her and hugged her tight. "I'm sorry, sweetie."

Dallas was stiff in my arms, but I wasn't expecting anything different. She really hated to be touched. "He loves her. Her f.u.c.king name is on his wrist, for f.u.c.k's sake! Of course he wants her. I'm just a distraction..."

I didn't know what to say, so I just sat there holding her while she vented. When she was done she went to her room and slammed the door shut. Sighing, I stood, feeling more drained than I had an hour ago.

Linc stuck his head out of the kitchen door. "Want something to eat?"

I grimaced. "Nah, but thanks. I'm beat. See you in the morning."

"Night. If you need anything just call out."

I offered him a smile before heading toward my room. I was pretty sure it was just my room now. Lana was most likely moving in with Drake. I could hear the shower still going when I shut the door behind me. Shane had left a trail of clothes leading to the bathroom, and I shook my head as I picked up his T-shirt and then his jeans.

Socks were next, and just as I had expected, no underwear. My man didn't seem to like underwear all that much.

I stopped mid-step and a goofy smile lifted my lips. My man?

Yeah, he had proved that he was my man over the last few days. Constantly touching me, including me in his unusual family. Even with the crisis going on, it had felt like I belonged with the strange friends that had united as a family. Shane had made sure of it.

"Baby?"

I raised my eyes to find my man sticking his head out of my small shower. His head was soapy and he needed a shave badly. Water glistened off his muscular shoulders and what I could see of his chest. My s.e.x flooded with need.

"Do you need something?" I asked, trying to think about anything but the deliciously s.e.xy, dripping wet man just a few feet away.

"Do you have a razor I can use, beautiful? I don't want to scratch you with this beard."

The thought of that scruff scratching the delicate skin between my thighs while he licked and tongued my s.e.x had me close to whimpering. I clenched my thighs together to ease some of the ache. "Um...No, sorry. I wax." I dropped his clothes on the sink, and reached for my shirt. "Let's keep the beard."

I could actually feel his gaze on me as I continued to strip with my back turned toward him. The air around me felt tense with his arousal, and I felt a sense of power as I took my time showing him my body inch by inch. Just moments before I had felt so tired, but with the promise of more of the pleasure I had experienced Sat.u.r.day night, my body came alive.

Wet arms wrapped around my waist from behind as a damp, male body pressed against me. He was warm from the hot shower, hard with suppressed arousal. "You are so f.u.c.king beautiful, Harper."

For the first time I didn't question if it was true or not. When I was with Shane, I was beautiful. I turned in his strong arms, pressing my bare chest to his. With my arms around his neck, I stood tiptoe and softly brushed my lips against his. "Will you make love to me, Shane?"

His eyes darkened and I felt his c.o.c.k twitch against my stomach. "Let's get you clean first, beautiful." His raspy voice sent delightful shivers down my spine.

Shane's arms tightened around me as he lifted me and placed me in the shower with him. The water felt divine on my slightly sore body. Thanks to my hospital bedside vigil, I'd slept in awkward positions over the last few days. Shane filled his hands with body wash and ma.s.saged my body from head to toe with the lavender scented soap.

Callused hands from years of playing guitar caressed over sensitive skin, making my b.r.e.a.s.t.s swell and my nipples harden. I held onto the side of the shower as slippery fingers parted the lips of my s.e.x, teasing the bundle of nerves hidden between the folds. My thighs trembled and I couldn't hold back a cry of pleasure as his thumb pressed down just firm enough to give me what I needed.

"I've needed you so bad, baby." His lips trailed down my throat while his fingers slipped inside to play with a wetness that had nothing to do with the shower.

"Me too," I moaned as his middle finger thrust deep, but not deep enough to touch my virginity. "I had a few fantasies of finding an empty hospital room and begging you to use your tongue on me again."

"You should have told me," Shane growled, going back to my lips and kissing what little breath I had from me. "I would have made it a reality."

"There's always next time," I teased.

"f.u.c.k, I don't want to go through that again." He leaned his forehead against mine, breathing hard. "It was scary, and all I could think was it could have just as easily been you..." I felt him shudder and watched in fascination as he swallowed hard. Blue-gray eyes were gla.s.sy as they met mine. "I don't know what I would do if I lost you."

My heart turned over, hard. I gasped-half in pain, half in surprise. Shane was so open about his emotions. I could see everything he was feeling shining back at me through those eyes of his, and it both thrilled and terrified me. I pushed the fear down, though, and concentrated on the thrill for now.

"I'm not going anywhere," I promised him, hoping that the feelings I had for him were shining through my own eyes. I didn't have the courage to tell him aloud what I felt for him.

He pulled his fingers from between my thighs, and I whimpered in protest. My rocker only smiled and washed my hair. Firm fingers rubbing my scalp was a new pleasure in and of itself. I groaned as he rinsed my hair and then added conditioner.

When I was clean he turned the water off and stepped out. Before I could follow, he was there with a towel, wrapping it around me and lifting me from the shower. A second towel appeared and he dried my hair carefully before lifting me once more and carrying me into the bedroom.

Most of my body was still damp from the shower, but so was his. As he laid my body across the twin mattress and followed, I found that our damp skin made for an erotic slip and slide. Shane's hands were not idle. They found my b.r.e.a.s.t.s, pushing them together and squeezing. I watched in a trance as he licked the first one then the other with the flat of his tongue before sucking my nipple deep into his hot mouth. His tongue pressed the hardened nipple to the roof of his mouth, and the pulling motions from his strong suction made muscles deep inside clench.

He only lingered long enough to make me whimper before he was kissing me again. My lips and then my neck, his teeth nipped at my ear before licking down to the pulse rapidly beating at the base. I wanted him to kiss my b.r.e.a.s.t.s again, but he only smiled when I arched my back in a silent plea and rubbed his rough jaw across them as he trailed kisses over my stomach.

His hands parted my thighs as his kisses trailed lower. For a moment his nose hovered over my throbbing c.l.i.t, but he only breathed deep. "I love the way you smell, baby. So warm and aroused for me. I could live off the taste of you..."

Despite his words, he didn't kiss me there. His lips moved to the inside of my right thigh, and he sucked on the tender flesh while his fingers combed through the damp curls that surrounded my s.e.x. I could feel the blood rushing to the surface where he was sucking and knew that he was leaving his mark. I loved it and wanted him to mark me again and again. It didn't matter that no one else would ever see the love bites he was leaving. I knew they were there and that was enough.

I raised my head, watching while he left the burning little marks. It was exciting to watch his dark head moving between my legs like that. He moved from one thigh to the other, leaving one purple spot after another. I loved the way the rough scruff felt against the inside of my thighs.

"I could do this all night!"

"Please don't." I pushed his hair back from his face so I could meet his gaze. "I need you, Shane."

His head lifted. "I need you too, babe." His lips brushed across my stomach again, following the trail back up to my mouth.

Needing to touch him, I reached between us and grasped his thick c.o.c.k. His groan of approval made my already erratic heart beat even faster. I wanted to give him pleasure, wanted to make him just as insane with desire as I was. I pushed on his chest at the same time as I rolled from beneath him.

"What are you doing?" he murmured as I pushed him against my pillows.

"Whatever I want." I grinned when he chuckled. "I want to taste you again, Shane."