Love Me (Take Me 2)

“It was beyond stupid,” Janica insisted.

“I'm sure he's safe,” Lily said softly, totally misunderstanding her comment.

“No, we used protection,” Janica told her. “That's not the problem.”

“Then what is it?”

She took a very shaky breath, before saying, “I told him I loved him.”

The silence between the sisters was heavy. Finally, Lily whispered, “Oh, Janica,” then hugged her close.

Her sister's pity made her feel a hundred times worse. As if it was starkly obvious to every last person on earth that there was no point in Janica loving Luke because they could never end up together.

“What did he say?”

Janica shook her head. He hadn't said anything. But she remembered the way his eyes had looked right after she'd said it.

Like he couldn't take it in. Not just because he hadn't been expecting her to say it.

But because he didn't want her to.

Lily's voice was gentle as she asked, “How long have you felt that way?”

Janica shrugged, not wanting to have to admit to either Lily or herself that her feelings were real. “It was really great sex.”

But Lily wasn't buying it. “How many other times have you declared your love to someone you've slept with?”

Janica hated to say it. “Never.”

“Do you want me to talk to him?”

“No! Absolutely not!” Janica shook her head hard. “All I want to do is forget it ever happened.”

A lightning bolt coming through the roof to strike her dead just then wouldn't have surprised her in the least. Not when she'd just told the world's hugest lie.

Because she never wanted to forget her night with Luke. Lying beneath him, his hard heat filling her body and soul, his mouth on hers. It had been the most perfect night of her life. So perfect that she hadn't been able to stop three horrible words from spilling out of her lips. More than once.

“Somehow, honey, I don't think that's going to work. He's Travis's brother. Odds are, you're going to have to see him again pretty soon.”

Janica put her face in her hands. “I know. I'm so screwed.”

Lily got up from the stool and started pacing. “No, I refuse to believe that. In fact, maybe it's a good thing this happened. You know, for the two of you to finally get your feelings for each other out in the open.”

Janica looked up from her hands. “Hate to break it to you, Lils, but not everyone gets the fairy tale like you did.”

But Lily's eyes were already bright with plans and hopes. “You're amazing. You love him. He's got to know how lucky he is. He's got to. He probably just needs some time to get used to the idea of being a part of a couple.”

If ever there was a perfect moment for an eye roll, this was it. “Even for you, big sister, that is a shockingly misplaced vote of confidence. Do you really for one second think Luke wants my love? That he could even consider being with someone like me?”

Lily immediately got angry. “Don't you dare talk about yourself like that. He'd be the luckiest guy on earth to have you.”

Deciding they were officially way past the eye roll, Janica simply sighed. “So in your version of reality the type A surgeon has always wanted a wild clothing designer to be his one and only?”

“He showed up at your apartment last night, didn't he?” When Janica nodded, Lily asked, “Has he ever come by before?”

“No. Not since that time you and Travis left for Italy and ended up getting married.”

Five years ago, Janica and Luke had concocted a plan to make sure Lily and Travis, who clearly belonged together, didn't screw things up. It was the last time she'd ever really sat down and talked with Luke. Including last night, when words hadn't been necessary.

“He must have told you why he showed up.”

“Nope.”

“And you didn't ask him?”

“There wasn't exactly room for a lot of questions.”

Lily pretended to put her hands over her ears. “I'm not sure I can listen to any more of the details.”

Janica leaned forward on the counter and said in a hushed tone, “Well first he—”

At Lily's horrified look she started laughing, incredibly glad for the chance to feel some lightness for just a few moments. “Just kidding. You know I don't kiss and tell.”

“Who's the lucky guy this time?” Travis said, walking in at the tail end of her sentence, carrying a basketball.

Lily simply lit up when she saw her husband. Janica was momentarily forgotten as Travis and Lily put their arms around each other and kissed. A little while later, Lily shot her a questioning look.

No! Janica shot back silently.

All she needed was for Travis to find out about her and Luke. Wouldn't he just love that?

She'd never ever—ever!—hear the end of it from her pain-in-the-ass brother-in-law.

The kids came barreling into the kitchen a second later. “Daddy! Auntie Jan is taking us for cupcakes!” Violet yelled as he squatted down and she threw herself into his arms.

Sammy was right behind her. “Cupcakes! Cupcakes!”

After telling them how excited he was about their good fortune, he shot Janica a scowl. “Nothing like a bunch of sugar to really make things easy on their parents.”

“You're welcome,” she said with an unapologetic smile she knew would really irk her sister's husband.

Lily looked at the clock on the kitchen wall and frowned. “I thought you and Luke were meeting to play basketball?”

“He stood me up so I picked up a quick game with a couple of guys already there.”

Lily glanced at Janica. “Is something wrong with Luke that you haven't told me?”

Travis didn't look at all concerned as he opened the fridge and got out a bottle of orange juice. “He probably got called into the ER. You know how nuts his schedule is.”

As soon as he left to take a shower, Lily grabbed the phone. “I've got to talk to Luke, make sure he's okay.”

Janica leapt up to grab the phone out of Lily's hand. “No. Please. This is already so embarrassing. If you call him, you'll end up saying something about me. I know you will.”

“I promise I won't, Jan, but he's my best friend. I have to find out what's going on.”

Less than a minute later, Lily put the phone back down on the counter. “He didn't answer at home or at work. And his cell phone said his voice mail is full. This isn't like him, Jan.”

Janica already knew that. Clearly, the only reason why he'd come over to her place was because something was very, very wrong. But the sex had been too all-consuming for her to even begin to ask him any questions.