Page 44 of Triplet Tease

Mybrothers made amessof it, and I just left her alone.

I leaned forward and spoke to the driver.

It took longer to get back to Siena’s placethis time because of the detour. I tipped the driver handsomely andstrode purposefully toward her home, paying no heed to the policemilling about the street and returning to their vehicles.

I didn’t expect to see Siena coming out ofthe door toward me. Still wearing the same coat, she looked worriedas she gazed at the police cars. Finally, she noticed me, and hereyes locked with mine.

“Whatare you doing here?”Shelooked down at what I carried in my arms and found the answer to herquestion. She let out a heavy sigh. “Come in.”

Her front door opened into a one-stop livingarea as we had at the apartment, but on a much smaller scale. Iwalked toward the kitchen and placed the gifts on the work surface.“I have a lot of making up to do. So, flowers, three bunches.”She’d already seen them. I reached into the bag I was holding.“Chocolates, three boxes.” I placed them one on top of the other.“A teddy bear, only one and he’s quite small, but he’s cute, soI hope you like him. And small is good because he’ll fit in yoursuitcase.”

She stood watching me, her face asexpressionless as a professional poker player.

“What’s all this about?”

“I can’t apologize enough if we’vetreated you badly. My brothers are well on the way to falling in lovewith you, and I can’t face them without first begging you to givethem a second chance.”

I glanced at the floor and wondered whether Ishould be on my knees, or whether that was taking the begging toofar.

“I’m so sorry for what I did last night. Itwas supposed to be fun; I thought you’d like it. But I also thoughtit would be the start of a serious relationship between you and me. Ibelieved we’d spend today together, and tomorrow too, and I’d beable to shower you with gifts and affection.”

I looked again at what I’d bought. “Andflowers, and chocolates, and teddy bears. And now it’s dawned on methat I did everything in the wrong order, but my intentions to youwere honorable.”

She continued to look at me, blankly.

“I must sound crazy. I’m not. I’m reallyclose to my brothers, and when they told me about you, that was all Ineeded to know. If they love you, then I will. And those otherchocolates and flowers are from each of them. We all want you to bemore to us than a one-night stand.”

Finally, her expression changed. There was ahint of an amused smile.

“It was never meant to be a one-night stand,Siena. Please believe me. We’re looking for the same kind ofrelationship that the Bretton brothers have found, and we thought youmight be that woman. I hope we haven’t messed up too badly.”

Her smile grew wider, her bottom lip quivered,and she closed her eyes.

I willed her to say something, let me in on herthoughts.

Tears were not what I expected, but that waswhat I saw, escaping and rolling down her cheeks.

“Hey,” I said in my gentlest voice. Istepped closer and placed a shaky hand on her shoulder. “Hey, comeon. What is it?”

She sobbed and stepped up closer to me, soinstinctively I wrapped my arms around her and let her cry against mychest. For many minutes she wept without any words, and I was at acomplete loss.

“I’m sorry,” she said eventually. “It’snot you. It’s my friend Gill — she’s just been taken by thepolice.”

“Why?” I loosened my arms in case shewanted to step away from me, but she didn’t.

“Oh,I don’t know. She’s not under arrest,exactly.She’s helping them with their inquiries.It’ssomething to do with Lee, who owns the Lime Light,” Siena saidagainst my chest.

“I’d help if I could.” I thought abouteverything I had on Derry and Liam. It amounted to nothing. Theirphone numbers. Bullshit conversations about hard to find baby monkeysbeing great pets. Nothing concrete. Nothing the police could use,that was for sure.

Siena rubbed her wet face against my chest.

“Are you wiping your nose on my clothes?”

“Is that all right?” I detected a hint ofamusement breaking through the upset.

“It’s fine.”

I tightened my arms around her once again andburied my nose in her clean, fresh almond-scented hair that had anadditional hint of something wonderfully unique that was her. Animalswere attracted to each other and found their family members by theirunique scents, and I cherished hers so much that I might have letslip a little murmur of pleasure against her head.

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