His Secret Temptation

“She says she’s fine.” Dane shrugged.

Simon saw his own uneasiness reflected in his brother. “But is she?”

“I don’t know.” Dane’s impatient tone spoke volumes about his worries for their baby sister. “I couldn’t get a second alone with Sarah to find out what the doctor said.”

“And Hannah’s still determined not to say anything to Mom?” Simon questioned, already knowing the answer.

“She doesn’t want to upset her.”

It seemed that he wasn’t the only one keeping secrets from their mother. But keeping them from him and Dane were another matter entirely. Hannah needed to know her brothers would be there for her.

Simon raked his fingers into his hair, venting his frustration on Dane. “Does she consider Mom might be the perfect person to talk to?”

“It’s not our decision to make,” Dane reminded him. “And since when are you so worried about keeping Mom in the loop? You got engaged without telling her.”

Hell, what could he say to that?

Returning to the first floor, Simon tracked his sister to the kitchen where she was raiding the refrigerator and holding court. He stole up behind Caroline and slid his arms around her shoulder.

“How’s my girl?”

“Your sister’s fine,” she told him, going stiff in his embrace.

“I meant you.” He turned her around and nudged her into the hall. Dane had gone out to move the car so they were relatively alone. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing.”

“That’s girl-speak for you bet your life something’s wrong.” His gentle teasing defrosted her coolness a little. “I’m sorry about the kiss earlier.”

“That’s not it,” she fired back, her cheeks flushing bright pink. A ragged breath slipped from her lungs. “I hate lying. You know that my mom died from cancer. What I didn’t tell you is that she lied to me about being sick because she’d spent her whole life savings so I could go to college and refused to use that money for radiation and chemo treatments. I was so angry when I found out. It never occurred to her that I’d rather have a mother than a college degree.”

“Oh, Caroline, I’m sorry you had to go through that.”

Simon started to put his arms around her, but Caroline flinched backward. Her chest heaved with strong emotions. It took a couple of seconds for her to calm down, but then she lifted her chin to a determined angle.

“So now you see why I dislike lying to your family. Every time I deceive them it brings up all the guilt I feel because my mother sacrificed everything to give me a better life.”

Her heartbreaking story tugged at him, but he wasn’t ready to let her go. Something was happening between them, and he needed to keep her close until he figured out what it was.

“You and Hannah certainly hit it off.”

“I think she’s really wonderful. Sarah too.”

He’d seen the way his sister had taken to Caroline and on the way downstairs had come up with a way to capitalize on that. “Do me a favor and see if you can get her to confide in you. Something is going on with her pregnancy, but she’s been evasive with Dane and me. And she’s trying to keep it from my mother.”

Caroline shook her head. “Do any of you tell each other the truth about anything?”

Simon shrugged. “We used to be a little better before Mom got sick. Now we make sure we keep her stress at a minimum.”

“Have you seen her schedule?” Caroline demanded, eyes snapping. “Your mother thrives on stress.”

“She can’t stand to let anyone see how hard this year has been for her.”

His concern must have finally reached her because Caroline’s head bobbed. “My mother was exactly the same way. I’ll see what I can find out about Hannah.”

“Thanks.”

As he watched her go, slim hips rocking with her impatient stride, Simon dug his fingers into the back of his neck, hoping to release some of the tension in his body, but knowing that not even a full-body massage would do it. The only cure for what ailed him required taking Caroline up to their room and spending the afternoon making love to her.