“There is no long haul. He’s a loner and I’m only visiting,” she felt compelled to remind her mother.

Elena shrugged. “Then just sleep with the man. You wouldn’t want to miss out on a good time. Just make sure you use protection.”

“Mom!” Ariana said, appalled at such a suggestion from her mother.

“I’m not the one who dismissed the more serious possibilities.” Elena sent her a pointed look.

Ariana didn’t like being cornered by her own words.

As if sensing her daughter’s feelings, Elena changed the subject. “So, why can’t you sleep and why are you in your sister’s room?” She sat on the bed and patted the mattress, motioning for Ariana to join her.

Ariana curled her legs beneath her. She was happy to end the subject of her love life and welcomed the chance to talk to her mother about something more important. “Sam ran away again tonight.”

“Oh no.”

Ariana nodded. “Apparently her foster parents bought furniture for the baby’s room, which is the room Sam is staying in. It was delivered today.”

“Of all the thoughtless, inconsiderate…” A low growl escaped Elena’s throat.

“I agree. But there’s nowhere Family Services can place Sam right now. They’re waiting for a space in a group home to open. As long as she doesn’t cause trouble, her foster family has agreed to let her stay on until then,” Ariana said, explaining to her mother what Quinn had told her earlier.

“How understanding,” Elena said, not bothering to hide her sarcasm.

Ariana ran a hand over her eyes, which burned from lack of sleep and the tears she’d already shed.

Her mother rose from the bed and paced the floor. “Those people don’t deserve to have that child in their home.”

“Again, I agree. But there’s no denying that Sam’s better off there than in a group home.” Ariana shuddered at the mere thought. “But trouble is Sam’s middle name. She’s just not helping her cause.” Ariana wished she could do more for both Sam and Quinn, who felt somehow responsible for the young girl’s predicament.

“If Sam thinks she’s not wanted, she’s only going to act out more. I ought to know how teenage girls think, considering I raised two of them-” Elena snapped her fingers in the air, as if she had just thought of something important. “That’s it.”

“What’s it?”

“Me. Raising teenage girls.”

Ariana raised her eyebrows. “Sam? Are you talking about bringing Sam here to live?” she asked in shock.

Her mother nodded. “I have to go talk to your father. Of course, I need to soften him up first.” She shrugged her silk robe off her shoulders in a provocative gesture. “Now, you keep this between us until I’m ready to broach the subject with him at the right time.”

“But…” Before Ariana could discuss the subject further, her mother glided out of the room, a determined woman on a mission.

Her mother wanted to bring Sam here. That idea brought up a load of memories and questions Ariana wasn’t sure she was ready to deal with. She and her sister had been raised in this house with two very different results. But given the alternatives, Sam could certainly do much worse. At least she’d be safe and cared for here.

In the meantime, it hadn’t escaped Ariana’s notice that she and her mother had discussed every touchy and painful subject between them-except Zoe.

The notion that something might really have happened to her sister was a pain too great to contemplate. If Quinn held the secret to Zoe’s disappearance, Ariana just had to trust he’d confide in her soon.

She glanced around her sister’s room, not knowing what she was looking for, just that she desperately needed a connection to the twin she loved but didn’t understand. And then, unexpectedly, she found the link she needed. Reaching across the bed, she pulled a small crocheted pillow into her hand and ran her fingers over the nubby stitching. Sisters and Best Friends 4 Ever. Ariana had made the pillow as a birthday gift for Zoe when they were young. She couldn’t remember exactly how old they’d been, just that she’d given it to her twin.

She had no idea Zoe had kept the gift, but she had. Through the arguments and the rift, Zoe had held on to a link between them. At this moment, their last argument stood out in stark contrast to the past. The night Ariana had left for Vermont, she and Zoe had agreed that they’d never understand one another. Never agree. That distance was best for them both.

Distance, Ariana thought. Not a permanent gap. She wondered now how she’d stayed away for so long. And she hoped it wasn’t too late to make amends.

• • •

The persistent sound of banging woke Ariana from a fitful sleep. She rolled over and realized she’d dozed on top of her sister’s bed. She was still wearing her robe, which had twisted uncomfortably around her waist, and the pillow she’d found was clutched tightly in her arms.

As she made her way downstairs, the noise, which she realized now was hammering, became louder. “What’s going on?” she called to her father, who stood looking out over a window with a backyard view.

“We’re starting construction on the addition for the spa,” he replied, just as loudly, speaking over the noise.

“Why didn’t you say anything?”

He shrugged. “We told you we’d be doing remodeling on the house.”

“You just didn’t say when. I work nights and need to sleep days,” she reminded him.

“You’re young. You need less sleep.”

A loud crash reverberated throughout the house. Ariana jumped at the same time a bizarre shriek sounded in her ear and the monkey dove into Ariana’s arms.

“She hates the noise.” Her father spread his hands wide, indicating he was at a loss as to what to do.

“I take it you’re not any happier than I am?” she asked Spank.

The banging grew louder and the monkey buried her face between Ariana’s neck and shoulders. “How long is this going to go on?” she asked her father.

“As long as it takes,” her father said.

“I was afraid of that. Where’s Mom?”

Nicholas glanced over his shoulder. “She went to the library. She said she had research to do. I think she needs to figure out how to thicken the facial cream she’s been working on. But she was in an exceptionally good mood,” he said and winked at Ariana.

She rolled her eyes. When her mother played her father, she was so obvious, Ariana didn’t know how her father didn’t see it. Everyone else certainly did. Then again maybe he just accepted her the same way Elena accepted his snoring, because he loved her. Ariana wondered how he’d feel once her “research” led to another child in this house. Because the one thing Ariana had learned was that whatever Elena wanted, Elena made certain she got.

With a shake of her head, Ariana left the kitchen, the monkey wrapped tightly around her. In the meantime, Ariana needed to find a place to stay where she could actually get some sleep while the construction continued.

• • •

Quinn was pouring himself a cup of strong, black coffee when the phone in his hotel room rang. “Donovan.”

“Hey, buddy.”

Since Connor didn’t normally call from his post at the bar, Quinn was surprised. “I was just on my way downstairs. What’s going on?”

“Our mutual friend looks exhausted. Ariana has broken more than a few glasses, and I’m thinking she needs to get out of here early, if you get my drift.” Connor’s low chuckle sounded through the phone line.

“Thanks. I’ll check it out.” Quinn wondered what was going on with Ari and headed to the bar to find out.

He took one look at the woman in the skimpy cocktail waitress outfit, noting the lack of makeup and the dark circles under her eyes, and he’d seen enough. He grabbed her elbow. “Come with me.”

She met his gaze, startled. “I can’t leave with you. I have work to do.”

“And there’s plenty of people here who can cover for you.” Quinn leaned closer. So close he could smell the shampoo in her hair and the scent that kept him awake at night. His groin tightened and the desire to make love to her overwhelmed him. “Let’s go.”

“Okay,” she said, surprising him. “Just let me get my purse.” She tilted her head, meeting his gaze.

The same need that beat like a drum inside him shimmered in her glassy eyes. When it came to attraction and desire, they were definitely on the same page. His libido kicked into high gear. Only her complete and obvious exhaustion had him breathing deeply and reminding himself she had more important things going on than thinking about sex.

Once they’d reached the lobby of the casino, where the throngs of people and the glittering lights and mirrors made them just one of the crowd instead of the object of the other employees’ curiosity, he pulled her into an empty corner. “You look like hell.”

She laughed but even that sounded strained. “Way to flatter a lady.”

He flattened his palm on the mirrored wall behind her. “What’s going on?” he asked in a low voice.

“I’m just tired,” she said with a sigh. “My parents started construction on the house this morning, which works well for people on a normal schedule, but with my night shifts, I couldn’t get any sleep today.”

He slanted her a disbelieving glance. “Somehow I don’t think that’s all that’s bothering you.” He raised her chin with his hand, looking into her weary eyes. “You can talk to me.” He wanted to hear what was really going on with Ari-and he wanted to help. Not in the I’m-a-cop-and-it’s-my-job kind of way, either.

Ariana looked into his sincere gaze and she believed his words. She needed to take him up on his offer and confide in him. Maybe it would let him trust her in return, but if not, she still wanted to let him wrap his arms around her and make her feel better, if just for a little while.

“I really am exhausted, but it’s not just physical. It’s emotional, too. It started with Zoe disappearing,” she explained. “Then it was the stress of coming home. You must realize I have family issues.” She felt ridiculous complaining about family when he had none, but when he squeezed her shoulder, urging her to continue, she instinctively knew he understood. “Then last night everything hit me all at once,” she went on.

She drew a trembling breath and he waited patiently. “Watching Sam fall apart like that got to me. I mean, she’s so young and vulnerable and she has no one. While I have a sister whom I haven’t spoken to in years for stupid reasons and now she’s missing.” Her voice cracked and her eyes watered. Embarrassed, she sniffed, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand. “On top of that, I couldn’t fall asleep last night and then the construction woke me today… God, I feel like a basket case.” Her voice quavered and she shook badly.

“You’ll have a chance to fix things one day,” he promised her, determination and something so compelling in his voice, once again, she couldn’t help but believe him.

“Add a little sleep and you’ll feel much better.” He brushed a stray tear beneath her eye with his thumb, and she shuddered at his comforting yet oh-so-seductive touch. “Come. You can crash upstairs for tonight and tomorrow. I think I have the perfect solution to your construction problem.”

Going up to his room could only lead to one thing, and despite her exhaustion, her palms grew damp at the heady thought.

He let out a frustrated groan. “Look, you need sleep, so will you change your mind if I promise not to touch you?” he asked, obviously misreading her silence.

“If you make that promise, I’ll definitely change my mind.” In other words, if he didn’t touch her, why bother going upstairs? she thought wryly, and bit the inside of her cheek to keep from laughing.

But there was nothing funny about her desire or her feelings for this man. “I don’t want you to keep your distance and I definitely don’t want you to keep your hands to yourself.” She forced herself to be the bold and brazen woman she imagined her sister to be, then held her breath and waited, hoping Quinn would react the way she wanted him to.

His eyes darkened and he lowered his head until his lips hovered over hers, just enough to tempt her with his coffee-scented breath. Her heart pounded in her chest and an overwhelming rush of arousal trickled through her, slow, steady, and increasingly warm and exciting.

“You’re a tease,” she told him, then let her tongue dart out and caress the outline of his mouth.

A low groan rumbled from deep in his throat and he pulled her against him. Having gone this far, Ariana wasn’t about to back down now. Hoping to take Quinn off guard, she slipped her tongue between his barely parted lips. Kissing him felt like coming home, a sensation and experience both foreign and welcome at the same time. She entwined her arms around his neck and pressed her breasts against his chest to ease the aching need building there. All the while his tongue tangled with hers, letting her know he wanted her every bit as much as she wanted him.