Nine
Moving slowly, her legs wobbly from the previous night’s exertions, Ming crossed her bedroom to the door, where Muffin scratched and whined. She let the Yorkie in, dipping to catch the small dog before Muffin could charge across the room and disturb the large, naked man sprawled facedown in the middle of the tangled sheets.
“Let’s take you outside,” she murmured into the terrier’s silky coat, tearing her gaze away from Jason.
Still shaken from their passionate lovemaking the night before, she carefully navigated the stairs and headed for the back door. After cuddling against Jason’s warm skin all night, the seventy-degree temperature at 7:00 a.m. made her shiver. She should have wrapped more than a silky lavender robe around her naked body.
While Muffin ran off to do her business and investigate the yard for intruders, Ming plopped down on the same lounge she’d occupied the night before and opened her mind to the thoughts she’d held at bay all night long.
What the hell had possessed Jason to demand that she admit to belonging to him? Battling goose bumps, she rubbed at her arms. The morning air brushed her overheated skin but couldn’t cool the fire raging inside her. His. Even now the word made her muscles tremble and her insides whirl like a leaf caught in a vortex. She dropped her face into her hands and fought the urge to laugh or weep. He made her crazy. First his vow to never fall in love and never get married. Now this.
Muffin barked at something, and Ming looked up to find her dog digging beneath one of the bushes. Normally she’d stop the terrier. Today, she simply watched the destruction happen.
What was she supposed to make of Jason’s territorial posturing last night? Why had he reacted so strongly to the inflammatory photo? She’d understand it if they were dating. Then he’d have the right to be angry, to be driven to put his mark on her.
Jason hadn’t changed his mind about falling in love. Initially last night he hadn’t even wanted to spend the night. So, what had brought him back? It was just about the great sex, right? It wasn’t really fair to say he only wanted her body, but he’d shown no interest in accepting her heart.
Ming called Muffin back to the house and started a pot of coffee. She wasn’t sure if Jason intended to head home right away or if he would linger. She hoped he’d stick around. She had visions of eating her famous cinnamon raisin bread French toast and drinking coffee while they devoured the Sunday paper. As the day warmed they could go for a swim in her pool. She’d always wanted to make love in the water. Or they could laze in bed. It would be incredible to devote an entire day to hanging out.
Afternoon and evening sex had been more fun and recreational than serious and committed. Ming could pretend they were just enjoying the whole friends-with-benefits experience. Sleeping wrapped in each other’s arms had transported them into “relationship” territory. Not to mention the damage done to her emotional equilibrium when Jason admitted to feeling jealous.
She brought logic to bear on last night’s events, and squashed the giddy delight bubbling in her heart. She’d strayed a long way from the reason she was in this mess in the first place. Becoming a mom. Time to put things with Jason in perspective. They were friends. Physical intimacy might be messing with their heads at this point, but once she was pregnant all sex would cease and their relationship would go back to being casual and supportive.
“I started coffee,” she announced as she stepped into her bedroom and stopped dead at the sight of the person standing by her dresser.
Lily dropped something into Ming’s jewelry box and smiled at her sister. “I borrowed your earrings. I hope that’s okay.”
“It’s fine.” From her sister, Ming’s gaze went straight to the bed and found it empty. Relief shot through her, making her knees wobble. “I thought you were in Portland.”
“I came back early.”
Since Lily wasn’t asking the questions Ming was expecting, she could only assume her sister hadn’t run into Jason. “Ah, great.”
Where the hell was he?
“How come Jason’s car is in the driveway?” Lily asked.
Ming hovered near the doorway to the hall, hoping her sister would take the hint and come with her. “Max’s bachelor party was last night. He had a little too much to drink so I drove him home and brought the car back here.”
Too late she realized she could have just said he was staying in the guest room. That would at least have given him a reason to be in the house at this hour. Now he was trapped until she could get away from Lily.
Her sister wandered toward the window seat. “I put an offer in on a house.”
“Really?” What was going to happen between her and Evan if she was moving away?
Lily plopped down on the cushioned seat and set a pillow in her lap, looking as if she was settling in for a long talk. “You sound surprised.”
Ming shot a glance toward the short hallway, flanked by walk-in closets, that led to her bathroom. He had to be in there.
“I guess I was hoping you’d change your mind.” She pulled underwear and clothes from her dresser and headed toward the bathroom. “Let me get dressed and then you can tell me all about it.”
Her heart thumped vigorously as she shut the bathroom door behind her.
Jason leaned, fully clothed and completely at ease, against her vanity. “I thought you said she was spending the weekend with Evan.”
“She was.” Ming frowned when she realized he clearly thought she’d lied to him. “Something must have happened. She seems upset.” Ming dropped her robe and stepped into her clothes, ignoring his appreciative leer. “Did she see you?”
“I was already dressed and in here when I heard you start talking.” Readying himself to make a break for it.
“You were leaving?” Ming shouldn’t have been surprised. Last night was over. Time to return their relationship to an easygoing, friendly place. Hadn’t she been thinking the same thing? So why did her stomach feel like she’d been eating lead? “Did you intend to say goodbye or just sneak out while I was downstairs with Muffin?”
“Don’t be like that.”
“Why don’t you tell me exactly how I’m supposed to be.”
Not wanting her sister to get suspicious, Ming returned to the bedroom without waiting for Jason’s answer. Her heart ached, but she refused to give in to the pain pressing on the edge of her consciousness.
Since Lily seemed entrenched in Ming’s room, she sat beside her sister on the window seat. To catch Lily’s attention, Ming put her hand on her knee. “Tell me about the house.”
“House?”
“The one you put an offer in on.”
“It’s just a house.”
“How many bedrooms does it have?”
“Two.”
Curious about whatever was plaguing her sister, Ming was distracted by Muffin investigating her way toward the bathroom. “Nice neighborhood?”
“I think I made a huge mistake.”
“Then withdraw the offer.” She held her breath and waited for the terrier to discover Jason and erupt in a fit of barking.
“Not the house. The guy I’ve been seeing.”
With an effort, Ming returned her full attention to her sister. “I thought you were just friends.”
“It’s gone a little further than that.”
“You’re sleeping together?” She asked the question even though she suspected the answer was yes.
Although the fact that her ex-fiancé was dating her sister continued to cause Ming minor discomfort, she was relieved that her strongest emotion was concern for her sister. When jealousy had been her first reaction to the realization that Lily and Evan were involved, Ming had worried that she was turning into a horrible person.
And lately, on top of all her other worries, Ming had started to wonder how Evan would feel if he found out about her and Jason. Something that might just happen if they weren’t more careful.
“Yes. But it’s not going anywhere.”
Ming’s gaze strayed to the bathroom door she hadn’t completely closed. Muffin had yet to return to the bedroom. What was going on in there?
“Because you don’t want it to?”
“I guess.”
That tight spot near Ming’s heart eased a little. “You guess? Or you know?” When her sister didn’t answer, Ming asked, “Do you love him?”
“Yes.” Lily stared at her hands.
Ming’s throat locked up, but she couldn’t blame her sister for falling for Evan. The heart rarely followed a logical path. And it must be tearing Lily apart to love the man who’d almost married her sister.
“I think you should forget about moving to Portland.”
“It’s not that simple.”
Time to rattle her sister’s cage a little. “Funny, Jason told me Evan’s dating someone, but his situation is complicated, too.” Ming gave a little laugh. “Maybe you two should get together and compare notes.”
“I suppose we should.” Lily gave her a listless smile.
Was there a way for Ming to give her sister permission to have a future with Evan? “You know, I was glad to hear that Evan had found someone and was moving on with his life.”
“Really?” Despite Lily’s skeptical tone, her eyes were bright with hope.