Conversation was amiable with Adam, Brooke and Brittany telling her about the establishments they owned and ran under the Garrison umbrella. Stephen discussed the Miami Garrison Grand and even asked her advice on a couple of things that he’d heard she had implemented at her hotel.

When Brooke excused herself for the second time to go to the bathroom, Cassie overheard Brittany whisper to Emilio that she thought her twin was pregnant. Cassie was grateful everyone else had been too busy listening to Megan share one of her disastrous interior decorating experiences to hear Brittany’s comment.

Suddenly, the dining room got deathly quiet and Cassie knew why when Brandon reached for her hand and held it tight in his. She followed everyone’s gaze and glanced at the woman who was standing in the entrance of the dining room. Regardless of what curiosity she had always harbored about her father’s wife, she never in a million years thought such disappointment would assail her body like it was doing now.

It was easy to see that at one time Bonita Garrison had been a beautiful woman, definitely stunning enough to catch a young John Garrison’s eye. But the woman who appeared almost too drunk to stand up straight while holding a half-filled glass of liquor in her hand looked tired and beaten.

“Mother, we weren’t sure you would be joining us,” Parker said, standing along with all the other men at the table.

“Would it have mattered?” Bonita snapped, almost staggering with each step she took. She made it to the chair on the other side of Parker and sat.

Resuming his seat, Parker glanced at Lisette, who had entered, and said, “Please bring my mother a plate as well as a cup of coffee.”

The woman glared at her oldest son. “I don’t need anything to drink, Parker. I have everything I need right here,” she said in a slurred voice, saluting her glass at him.

“I would say you’ve had too much, Mom.”

The comment came from Stephen and whereas Bonita Garrison had glared at Parker just moments earlier, she actually smiled at Stephen. She didn’t say anything to Stephen directly, but instead announced, “Maybe I’ll have a cup of coffee after all.”

Cassie knew it was then that Bonita noticed her presence. She saw Brandon sitting beside her and holding her hand, and said, “Brandon, how nice, you’ve brought a date.”

Brandon didn’t say anything but merely nodded, while Bonita continued to stare. Cassie figured that it wouldn’t take long before her identity became obvious with her sitting so close to Brittany. Other than the color of their skin, the two women favored. In her drunken state such a thing could go over Bonita’s head.

But it didn’t.

Cassie found herself the object of the woman’s intense attention and then suddenly Bonita rose on drunken legs and, not speaking to anyone in particular, she asked, “Who is she?”

It was Parker who spoke. “Cassie. Cassie Sinclair-Garrison.”

The woman snatched her gaze from Cassie and glared at Parker. “That woman’s child? You invited that woman’s child to our home?”

“No, I invited our father’s child to our home, Mother. Cassie is our sister and we thought it was time we met her,” Parker answered with the same mastery in his voice that Cassie was certain he used in the boardroom.

Bonita’s features took on a stony countenance. “Meet her? Why would you want to meet her after what your father and her mother did to me?”

“Whatever happened between you and Dad was between you and Dad,” Adam said firmly, his jaw set.

“And no matter what happened, Mother, or the participants involved, nothing changes the fact that Cassie is our sister and we want to get to know her,” Stephen added.

Bonita slowly glanced around the table and saw a look of conformity on the faces of Brooke and Brittany as well. Angrily, she slammed her glass down. “Don’t expect me to be happy about it.” She then stormed out the room.

“Maybe we should consider cancelling her sixtieth birthday party,” Brittany said softly.

No one agreed or disagreed. Instead, Parker met Cassie’s gaze and said, “I want to apologize for my mother’s behavior.”

Cassie shook her head. “You don’t have to apologize. I just regret upsetting your mother.”

“Don’t sweat it,” Adam said, smiling as he took a sip of his wine. “Everything upsets Mother. We’re used to it and have been for a long time. Over the years we’ve learned to deal with it. Some better than others.”

Dinner resumed and the tension eventually passed. Cassie, like everyone else, indulged in the shared discussions, murmurs, chuckles and laughter around the table. Feeling more comfortable, she began to relax and more than once she glanced over at Brandon to find him staring at her.

When dinner was over everyone retired to the family room. Moments later, Brandon asked to speak with Parker privately. She knew he would be telling them of her wish not to discuss any business today, and that she preferred meeting with Parker tomorrow.

Moments later, she found herself alone with Brittany, Brooke and Emilio. Anna and Megan, who were close friends, took a walk outside to admire one of the many flower gardens surrounding the estate, and Stephen and Adam had excused themselves to speak with Lisette.

“I see your brother still doesn’t care for me,” Emilio said, chuckling to Brittany.

She leaned up and kissed his cheek. “Doesn’t matter, since I like you.”

Fascinated, Cassie decided to ask, “Do you think he’ll ever soften up?”

Brooke lifted an arched brow. “Who, Parker? No. That would be too easy,” she said, with more than a trace of annoyance in her voice.

“And he’s really upset now that he knows that Jordan has acquired a piece of land he had his sights on,” Emilio said. Then since he thought Cassie didn’t know, he added, “Jordan is my brother.”

“Excuse me, please. I think I’ll join Anna and Megan in getting some fresh air,” Brooke said rather tersely before turning and walking out the French doors.

Brittany watched her twin leave. “I wonder what that was about?” she said thoughtfully. “Something’s up with her.”

“Pure speculation on Brittany’s part,” Emilio added. “She thinks Brooke’s been acting strange lately.”

“It’s not what I think, sweetheart. It’s what I know. She’s my twin, so I can’t help but notice certain things.”

Before Brittany could speculate any further, Brandon, Parker, Stephen and Adam returned. Brandon came up to her and slipped his hand around her waist. “Ready to leave?”

Cassie smiled up at him. “Yes, if you are.”

She promised Brittany she would drop by her restaurant this week and gave Brooke her word she would visit the condominiums that Brooke owned.

Before leaving she made more promises. Adam wanted her presence at his club at least once and Stephen asked her to come by the Garrison Grand so he could give her a tour. Parker hadn’t asked her to promise him anything since he was meeting with her first thing in the morning at his office. The most important thing to him was for them to come together and find a resolution to what was keeping them at arm’s length.

When she and Brandon walked to the car she smiled over at him. “Dinner wasn’t so bad.”

He grinned. “No, I guess not. What did you think about Bonita?”

“I hope that she’ll get professional help, and soon.”

“What about your siblings?”

She tilted her head and said, “To be quite honest, I like them.”

He opened the car door for her. “I told you that you would. Even Parker softened up some.”

When he came around and got inside the driver’s side he glanced at his watch. “I know just the place I want to take you now.”

She glanced over at him upon hearing the sensual huskiness of his tone. “Oh, really? Where?”

“My office.”

Ten

After walking down the carpeted hallway holding hands, they reached Brandon’s office. There was no guesswork as to why they were in an empty office on a Sunday night.

Cassie could unashamedly remember her request to him a couple of days ago, and there was no doubt in her mind that he was going to give her just what she’d asked for.

She chewed her bottom lip, not in nervousness but in anticipation. Goose bumps had begun forming on her arms, desire was making her panties wet and her tongue ached to mingle with Brandon’s in a hot-and-heavy kiss. From the time he had announced just where he would be taking her and they had pulled out of the brick driveway of the Garrison Estate, sensations, thick and rampant, had flowed through her, making her shift positions in her seat a few times.

Cassie’s thoughts shifted back to the here and now when Brandon released his hold on her hand and she immediately felt the loss of his touch. Opening the office door, his touch was back when he guided her inside before closing the door behind them. He tugged on her hand and brought her closer to him.

She felt weak in the knees, and to retain her balance, she placed her hands on his chest and gazed up at him, remembering the last time they had made love. It had been early that morning when they had awakened. And his lovemaking last night had given her a good night’s sleep and been the very thing that had lulled her awake that morning as well. She’d wanted more of what he had the ability to give her. He had been more than happy to oblige her in the most fervent and passionate way.

She knew she should tell him of her decision to return to the Bahamas sooner than she’d originally planned, but at the moment she couldn’t. The only thing she could do while standing in his embrace was get turned on even more by the gorgeous brown eyes looking down at her. Being the sole focus of his attention was causing all sorts of emotions to run through her; feelings that were intimate and private, feelings that could only be shared with him.