“You really can’t take a hint, can you?”

Hint? “I don’t know what you mean.”

He leaned his forearms on the doorframe and gently stroked a strand of hair behind her ear. “It’s really stupid of me to do this, but I just couldn’t stand the thought of not spending more time with you. Even though I know staying apart is for the best, I don’t give a damn.”

She smiled, her chest ready to explode from the joy blossoming in her heart. “I don’t think you’re stupid at all, Jacob Silverton. I think the smartest thing you’ve ever done is get out of that Jeep and kiss me.”

He grinned. “So you’ll join us?”

“I’d love to. I always have a great time with Julie at the zoo.”

“And with me?”

She grinned. “Yeah, I guess you’re all right.”

“We don’t have to have sex,” he said.

“Uh, but we could. If the mood strikes us.” She was going to start training to increase her stamina immediately. So much for getting out of a month’s worth of workouts.

He laughed and kissed her again. “I have to go.”

This time when Amanda watched the Jeep drive off with Jacob Silverton inside, she had a smile on her face and hope in her heart. She just had to ensure her sister never found out that she was seeing Jacob, even on a cursory level. The man didn’t need another reason for his ex-wife to hate him.

Chapter 12

“You are the biggest idiot on the planet,” Owen said to Shade as they pulled out of his driveway. “I don’t know what you have floating around in that big head of yours, but it sure as hell isn’t a brain. Why are you fooling around with Amanda Lange?”

Shade shrugged. He was in too good of a mood to let Owen’s words bother him. He was going to get to see Amanda again in less than a week. Spend the day with his two favorite females on the planet. Nothing anyone could have said would have darkened his mood. And before Owen could try, Shade changed the subject.

“Adam stopped by this morning. He looks like shit. Didn’t get any sleep last night. His dad is in the hospital.”

“Well, f**k, why didn’t he call us? We could have been there to support him.”

“You know he’s ashamed of his father.”

“I don’t know which one of you is the bigger idiot,” Owen said.

“He is,” Shade assured him.

Owen laughed. “You two really need to stop going at each other constantly. It stresses us all out.”

“We talked a bit about that this morning too. I think things will start to smooth out between us a little.” Shade doubted they’d ever be as close as they’d once been, but he didn’t want to fight with Adam anymore. Shade would work at not losing his temper. He’d find ways around Adam’s inconsiderate behavior to make his own life easier. And he would no longer take it upon himself to garner Adam’s cooperation; it wasn’t his job to teach Adam responsibility. Maybe Adam would recognize how he was messing up everyone else if Shade kept his cool instead of adding to their problems by always confronting Adam.

Shit, none of it would be easy, but Owen was right: everyone was stressed out by the constant strife between Shade and Adam. Shade promised himself that he wouldn’t blow up the next time Adam did something selfish and inconsiderate. They were in an endless loop of animosity, and one of them had to step up and break the cycle. He wouldn’t argue with Adam anymore; he couldn’t control another man’s actions. Shade wondered how long he’d be able to remember that.

“I hope you’re all rested up for tonight,” Owen said.

“I have plenty of energy left for the concert.” But not an ounce extra. Amanda had been amazing. She’d taken everything he was willing to give. Most of his lovers made him stop before he was truly satisfied because he wore them out.

“And the sex club afterwards. Don’t forget about that.”

Shade’s nose crinkled. There was no way in hell he would be in the mood to hook up with some stranger that night. Not after he’d had such a wonderful time with someone who mattered to him.

“I’m not going,” Shade said. “Not in the mood.”

“What? Are you f**king kidding me? First Gabe and then Adam and now you’re swearing off perfectly good pu**y? What is wrong with you guys?”

“I don’t know about them, but my dick needs a few days to recover.”

“Since when?”

“Drop it, Owen. I’m not going.”

“At least I still have Kellen,” Owen grumbled.

“You two will have more fun without me. You know I’m the biggest pu**y magnet in the group. You might get to hook-up with someone half-way attractive if I’m not there stealing all the hotties.” Shade somehow managed not to laugh as he taunted Owen.

Owen punched him in the arm and hit a curb with the front passenger-side tire. He returned the Jeep to his lane, managing not to hit any pedestrians in the process. “Bullshit, Silverton. I’m the biggest pu**y magnet in the group.”

“Yeah,” Shade said with a hearty chuckle, “if you like cougars.”

“I do like cougars.” Owen grinned deviously. "They’re not afraid to sharpen their claws on my back.”

“To each his own,” he said. Shade had an unnaturally strong attraction to smart chicks. Well, one in particular. He was glad he’d done the wrong thing, gone against every shred of his common sense, and asked Amanda to see him again. Now he had something to look forward to all week.

“That I-got-laid smile of yours looks f**king ridiculous,” Owen said, rolling his eyes skyward.

“You’re just jealous.” And he had every reason to be. Shade would have to play this thing with Amanda by ear, one day—one night—at a time, but for the first time in forever, he had hope that he might be able to make a relationship work.

Assuming the woman in question wanted him as much as he wanted her.

“Jeez, will you stop smiling like that,” Owen said. “You’re starting to worry me.”

Shade should probably be worried how his decision to pursue Amanda would complicate his life, but he was too happy to care.

“Shut up and drive, Owen. We have a concert to get to.”

Everything else would sort itself out with time. He didn’t have to be a genius to figure that out.