She waved him off. “Nothing. I’m just working on a new campaign for the rails to keep customer confidence up.”

  Brandon lowered his tall frame into a chair. “That’s not what I’m talking about and you know it. Are you still seeing that guy?”

  “Are you still seeing that woman?”

  “I’m not sitting at my desk smiling at my cell phone. And I bet if I were to take a look, I’d find some sappy message from the guy.”

  “And you would know this how?”

  “Siobhan, stop answering me with a question,” he said with exasperation. “I hate when you do that. We’re not in a press conference.”

  She had perfected the art of deflection, but as of late, it hadn’t worked with any of her siblings. “Yes,” she admitted.

  “Is it serious?”

  “I don’t know. It wasn’t supposed to be, but now...”

  “Do you think he’s after your money, like that other asshole?” He frowned.

  “No. He doesn’t know who I am.” At Brandon’s confused look, she explained, “I told him my name was Siobhan Hunter.” She dropped her gaze. “I haven’t got the nerve to tell him the truth. But judging from where he lives, I’d say he’s financially stable.”

  “You do realize that if you plan to continue seeing him, you’ll have to tell him sometime soon.”

  “I know, but...”

  “But what? You’re afraid he’ll turn out to be like every other guy who wants a piece of Gray’s?”

  Siobhan nodded.

  Brandon sighed. “I understand. I feel the same way. It’s hard to know whether the person you’re going out with is dating you for you or because of your name. Do you like him?”

  “I do. I tell myself it’s all about the physical, but it’s starting to feel different, and I don’t want to go through the same mess again.”

  He held up his hand. “Okay, first of all, you’re my sister, and I don’t want to think about you having sex with some dude.”

  Siobhan laughed. “Oh, come on, Brandon. I’m thirty-three. Did you think I’d never—”

  “Stop! Just stop. I’m getting nauseous,” he said with a pained look. “Anyway, like I was saying, you need to be careful. You may like him, but I know how men think. They’ll say anything to get what they want.”

  She shook her head. Brandon lived by the mentality that no man would ever be good enough to date his sisters, and she was glad Khalil had a more balanced view. Malcolm, on the other hand, believed that as the oldest, Siobhan should be able to decide what she wanted. Of course, he had a totally different outlook when it came to his twin. He guarded Morgan like a hawk.

  “And if you need me to talk to him, I will.”

  She gave him a sidelong glance. “Hold up, boy. You’re getting carried away. Did you come by my office for a reason, like something work related?”

  “Oh, yeah. Gordon was in my office spouting off at the mouth about you. He wants me to talk to Dad about how the company needs someone with more public-relations experience to be the face of the company, particularly now with the lawsuit.”

  Siobhan leaned back in her chair and folded her arms. “Gordon better keep his greasy, fat-bellied behind out of my business. He’s about two seconds from me knocking him the hell out.”

  Brandon roared with laughter. “Greasy? Fat-bellied?” he choked out.

  “It’s not funny.”

  “Oh, yes, it is. Because you don’t know the image that formed in my head.”

  “I’m serious. He’s been in my face more times than I can count in the last few weeks.”

  Still chuckling, he shook his head. “You don’t have to worry. I know you’re the best person for this job, and so does Dad. Case in point—last week’s meeting when he didn’t bother to check social media. We have to stay on the cutting edge and can’t afford to be stuck with twentieth-century technology.” He stood and went to the door. “I just wanted to give you a heads-up. I’ll see you later.” He paused with his hand on the doorknob. “And remember what I said.”

  Siobhan ignored him and turned to her computer. Brandon must have forgotten, again, that she was the oldest, and she despised someone telling her what to do. She could handle Justin just fine.

  * * *

  Sitting in the conference room late Wednesday afternoon, Siobhan impatiently checked her watch again. She had planned to be gone by four thirty to get ready for her date with Justin, but unless a miracle happened and the meeting ended, she wouldn’t make it out within the next thirty minutes. Turning her attention back to Mr. Whitcomb, she tried to focus on what the man was saying, but her mind kept wandering back to Justin and whether he was bringing more of that honey.

  Forty-five minutes later he adjourned the meeting. Hallelujah! She was up and striding out of the building before anyone could stop her. She made it home and had just enough time to change before Justin arrived. She had expected them to fall into bed the moment they got back to her place from dinner, but he had other ideas. He’d rented a movie, one with no murders and stalkers, brought popcorn and suggested they enjoy a quiet evening.

  It threw Siobhan off a little that he seemed to always know what she needed. She had been on edge ever since talking with Brandon earlier in the week, and winding down in this way was perfect timing.

  His hand idly caressed and massaged her neck, relaxing her further. She loved his hands on her and wondered how it would be having him here every night, doing just this.

  * * *

  Justin pulled Siobhan closer, feeling a contentment he had never experienced. They got along fine, had great conversations and similar tastes in music, but since sleeping together, he hadn’t been able to think of anything else. He told her he felt something different, and although he wanted nothing more than to take her to bed, he needed to find out whether they had more than sexual chemistry piloting their relationship. Besides, he couldn’t stay late tonight, and if they went anywhere near her bedroom, he wouldn’t be leaving before morning.

  His meeting with Gray Safety was tomorrow afternoon, and he was confident that the presentation and demo would go off flawlessly. The only thing he hadn’t completed was the body-temperature element. He’d been focused on developing his relationship with Siobhan, but told himself he had plenty of time to get the problem solved.

  “Now, this is more my speed,” Siobhan said when the movie ended.

  Justin laughed softly. “I figured you’d like this one better.”

  “Yeah, nobody jumping out at you, snatching you or shooting at you. I can handle a little bit of drama, but nothing like that first movie. I liked the girl’s grandmother. She reminds me of mine—saying whatever comes to mind.”

  “Must be a trait of all grandmothers, but my mother is the same way.”

  “I think the older we get the less we care about what other people think, and just tell it like it is.”

  Justin smiled and shook his head. She already did that. What would she be like at that age?

  “What are you smiling at?”

  “You.”

  “What?”

  “You’re already very direct and ‘tell it like it is,’ so what are you going to do when you get older, chop people’s heads off?”

  Siobhan leaned away and socked him on the arm. “I beg your pardon. I do not. I’m very diplomatic.”

  He laughed out loud at that one. “I don’t think so. Remember, you’re the woman who told me the night we met, How about we skip to the part where you hand me your business card and stop wasting my time? And there wasn’t nothing nice about the way you said it.”

  She laughed. “Hey, I was tired of all the crap I had been handed that night. You’re lucky I let you finish that dance.”

  He sobered. “Yes, I was. And that you agreed to meet me the next morning for coffee,” he added, touching his mouth to hers. “That you let me take you to dinner and a movie, and make love to you.”

  “Justin.”

  The atmosphere went from teasing to crackling with sexual tension in an instant. Justin’s mouth descended on hers, hot and hungry. He lifted her to straddle his lap and continued to plunder her mouth and satisfy his need for the sweet lushness he always found within. His hands roamed down her back, to her full hips and around to cup her buttocks. He squeezed, kneaded and ground her against his throbbing erection.

  The sound of his father’s ringtone snatched him out of his sensual fog.

  “You should get that,” Siobhan said, still planting fleeting kisses on and around his mouth.

  He sighed heavily and dug the phone out of his pocket. “Hey, Dad.”

  “Your mother is in the hospital,” his father said without preamble.

  Justin’s heart jumped into his throat. “What happened?” he asked anxiously. Seeing his concerned expression, Siobhan slowly left his lap, sat next to him and grasped his hand.

  “I don’t know. I was out back, came inside and found her unconscious. They’re running some tests right now.”

  “Is she conscious?”

  “Yes, yes.”

  “I’ll be there tonight,” Justin said, coming swiftly to his feet. At this time of night, he could make the drive to Nevada without having to worry about traffic.

  “Son, there’s nothing you can do tonight. Why don’t you wait until tomorrow?”

  “Dad, that’s not an option. Do Yvonne and Jocelyn know?”

  “I talked to Yvonne a few minutes ago. She had called to say hello, so I filled her in. She’s just as stubborn as you,” his father groused. “Said her young man was driving her down.”

  “I’ll call Joce and bring her with me. Call me if something changes before I get there.”

  His father released a deep sigh. “I will.”

  Justin disconnected and ran a weary hand down his face.

  Siobhan stood next to him. “What’s going on?”

  “My mother passed out and is in the hospital. I have to go.”

  She nodded and gave him a strong hug. “Please be careful, honey, and give me a call when you get a chance. I’ll be praying for her.”

  “Thanks, sweetheart. I will.” He kissed her softly and then called his baby sister, who agreed to meet him at his house. He hung up and checked the time—ten thirty. With any luck, he could get home, pack and be on the road in an hour. He kissed Siobhan again and rushed out to his car.

  Twice while driving home, he had to caution himself to slow down. He was going well over the speed limit, and being stopped by the police or getting into an accident wouldn’t help his mom. Why had she passed out, and how long had she been lying unconscious?

  “Dammit!”

  Once again, he’d got distracted. He’d told himself he had time to work out the kinks in his system, but if he had worked longer and harder, or had taken an offer from one of the other companies that had shown interest, his father would have been alerted the moment she hit the floor.

  Justin pulled into his driveway at the same time Jocelyn got out of her car.

  She ran to him and threw her arms around him as soon as his foot hit the pavement. “Is Mom going to be okay?”

  “She’s going to be fine,” he told her, wrapping her in a comforting hug. The fear in her eyes mirrored what he felt on the inside. But he kept his worry hidden for her sake. “Let me throw a few things in a bag, and we’ll get going. Put your bag in the car.”

  “All right.”

  He left her to the task and went in through the garage. It took him less than fifteen minutes to pack and to grab his laptop and flash drives. He cursed. Seeing Mr. Gray’s business card on the desk reminded him that he was supposed to meet with the man tomorrow. He stuck the card in his pocket, picked up the bag and left.

  Justin stopped for gas and hit the highway fifty-two minutes after receiving his father’s call.

  “Did you have a business meeting tonight about one of your systems?” Jocelyn asked after a while.

  “No. Why?”

  “You’re usually at home and in your office working during the week. You barely go out, unless it’s for business or with Bobby.”

  That had been true before he met Siobhan. He’d spent less time working and more time playing in the past month than he had in the past year. And his mom was paying for it.

  “Well?”

  “Well, what?” His eyes left the road briefly to focus on her in time to see her cover her mouth in surprise.

  “You were on a date, weren’t you? I hope it’s the same woman. I can’t wait to tell Yvonne.”

  “I haven’t said anything for you to tell.”

  “You don’t have to. Your silence tells me everything I need to know. Big brother’s got a girlfriend,” she sang. “This must be getting serious since it’s been over a month.” She turned in her seat toward Justin. “Wait—she’s not one of those crazy women who was calling you last year when you were up for that technology innovation award, is she?”

  “No, Jocelyn. I’ve never mentioned it, and neither has she. I’m sure she knows nothing about it.” Thinking back, he realized most of his and Siobhan’s conversations steered clear of their respective jobs. Aside from a few general questions, he didn’t know much about what she did or even where she worked. She had been very careful to say as little as possible.

  “Hmm. She might have potential. What does she do?”

  “She works in public relations.”

  “And she has a job. I’m impressed.”

  “Can we talk about something other than my personal life, please?”

  Jocelyn laughed. “Sure—why not? How did your meeting go with the company interested in your alert system?”

  “I haven’t met with them yet. They had an emergency and postponed the meeting. We’re supposed to meet tomorrow, but I’ll call first thing in the morning to try to reschedule.”

  “Did you ever resolve the problem with the temperature?”

  “No. If I had been more focused in the last month or two, I could have had it finished. And if I wasn’t so stuck on partnering with Gray’s, it might already be on the market. Then maybe Dad would have found Mom sooner.” The tightness in his chest increased.

  “Justin, don’t start. You did the same thing after Grandpa died. And why would you even consider settling? Your alert system is so much better than anything I’ve seen—and you know I pay attention—so why would you cut corners and throw something out there? Think about how many lives will be saved because you took your time and, instead of putting out a good product, put out a great one. Mom and Dad would be really angry with you if they heard you talking like this.”

  “But—”

  She laid her hand on his arm. “No buts. You used to tell me studying is good, but to always make time for something fun to clear my mind. That one piece of advice has helped me more than anything else these last three years. You have to live your life, too.”

  Justin heard her, he knew it, but it didn’t ease his guilt. It was time to reassess his priorities. Maybe he wasn’t as ready for a committed relationship as he believed.

  Chapter 15

  After less than three hours of sleep, Justin, Yvonne and Jocelyn were up and at the hospital by seven. He cracked open the door to his mother’s room and saw his father asleep in a recliner. He turned and signaled his sisters to be quiet. He opened the door farther, and his heart lurched upon seeing his mother. Her normally healthy dark brown skin had paled, and she looked as if she’d lost several pounds since he had seen her two months ago.

  He let his sisters take the two vacant chairs while he leaned against the wall.

  “I don’t like to see Mom like this,” Yvonne whispered, tears filling her eyes.

  Jocelyn nodded. “Me, either. I’m scared.”

  Seeing the tears in his sisters’ eyes always did something to Justin. He couldn’t take it when they cried. He hunkered down in front of them and took each of their hands. “I know you’re scared. I am, too. But I know Mom is going to be fine. We have to stay strong for her and Dad, so no tears, you two. You know I can’t handle it when you cry.”

  “This is exactly why I told your father not to call you,” his mother said softly.

  He shot to his feet, and his sisters rushed over to the bed.

  “Mama, you scared us to death. Are you okay?” Yvonne asked.

  “I’ll be fine,” she said with a tired smile. She reached for Jocelyn’s hand. “Stop crying, baby. I’m all right.”

  Justin leaned down and pressed a kiss to her forehead. “Hey, Mom.”

  She cupped his face with her palm and frowned. “You look tired, Justin. Don’t tell me you drove up here in the middle of the night.”

  He grinned sheepishly. “Okay, I won’t tell you.”

  “Boy, I don’t know what I’m going to do with you.”

  “What happened, Mom?”

  “I’ve had this darn flu for the past couple of weeks. I thought it was getting better. Then two days ago, it came back again, fever and all. I was putting some dishes in the cabinet and got dizzy. Next thing I knew, your daddy was holding my head in his lap and I was on the floor. Turns out, I have an ear infection...and at my age.”

  “Did the doctor say how long you’d have to stay in the hospital?” Jocelyn asked.

  “She said today or tomorrow. They want to make sure this fever goes down.”

  Justin placed the back of his hand on her forehead. “You still feel a little warm to me, so I’m guessing it’ll be tomorrow.”

  She rolled her eyes. “I’d be much better in my own bed.”

  He shook his head. Same old Mom. “I’ll be right back. I have to make a phone call.” He found a waiting room and dialed Gray Home Safety.

  “Good morning, Gray Home Safety. This is Gloria Avery. How may I help you?”