Brand dropped his arm from Rose’s shoulders. He’d expected his family to be in Vegas, but not early enough to meet him on arrival. “Mom, I didn’t know you’d be here this soon.”
His mother came to wrap him in a warm hug. “I wanted to have all the time I could with you. We see so little of you anymore. You don’t mind, do you?”
“Of course not.” He adored his mother. It was his father he dreaded spending more than an hour with. “Are Sequoia’s parents here as well?”
“We drove down together. They just went to get a drink. Ah, there they are.”
Brand turned with his mother to see Liz and Michael Adams approaching. Glancing back, he caught the hesitant smile Sequoia pasted on her face as she went to greet them. The next few days promised to be very interesting. “Are you checked in already?” he asked.
“Just finished a little while ago. We were heading out for dinner when we saw you arrive. If you want to find your room, we’ll wait for you.” His mother, Kate, waved at his father to join them.
Brand looked at Rose. There went the evening he had planned. She returned a tight smile, apparently feeling as awkward as he did.
“Rose is welcome to join us, too, of course,” his mother added.
Liz and Michael reached Brand at the same time his father, Robin, did. “Why don’t we all go together?” Liz suggested. She had her arm wrapped around Sequoia’s waist. Brand never doubted that Sequoia’s parents loved her. It was the way they tried to run her life that irritated him. He hoped by now they’d realized she was a grown woman.
“Wonderful,” Kate said. She smiled at Brand. “Don’t you agree, hon?”
What could he say? “The more, the merrier.”
“Can Ewan come, too?” Sequoia asked.
Liz frowned. “Who’s Ewan?”
“A friend of mine.” Sequoia pointed to the faery while Brand resisted the urge to shake his head. She was actually going to invite that fruitcake along?
“He needs a haircut,” Michael said, his tone matter-of-fact.
Sequoia rolled her eyes. “Dad, I like him just the way he is.”
“Is it serious?” her father demanded. “Why haven’t we heard of him?”
Brand caught the hesitation before Sequoia replied, but he doubted her parents did. “There’s nothing serious. He’s just a good friend.”
“Of course, he’s welcome.” Kate, always the peacemaker, intervened and went to introduce herself.
Grinning, Brand watched her. His mom had a way of making people feel at ease. Between her friendliness and his dad’s charm, no normal person, not even a faery, had a chance.
Turning back, he met his father’s gaze and extended his hand in a formal gesture. “Hi, Dad.”
Robin clasped it firmly, his smile not quite diminishing the sadness from his eyes. “Good to see you, son.”
Rose had remained silent all this time, but now she saw an escape. “Why don’t I go and get us all registered while you talk?”
“Good idea,” Robin answered before Brand could. Once she left their group, he continued, his tone conversational, but his disapproval clear. “I’m surprised to see her here.”
Unwilling to discuss Rose, Brand shrugged. His father had long ago warned Brand not to get involved with Rose. It was too late now. “It’s a long story.”
“One I hope to hear. Soon.”
Kate returned with Ewan in tow. “Ewan has agreed to accompany us to dinner. We’ll have quite a group.”
That was an understatement. Brand met Sequoia’s gaze and they exchanged wry smiles. The meal should be very interesting.
When Rose returned with the keys, she handed him his with a grin. “You, O exalted one, have the Marquee Suite with a large whirlpool tub.”
“Good to know.” And Brand could think of several ways to put those items to use—most of which involved getting naked with Rose. How could he want her so much all the time? Was it because she was Fae or because he’d always wanted her?
He turned to his mother. “Shall we set a time to meet somewhere?”
“I’ve always wanted to try Emeril’s,” she said.
“Sounds good. Why don’t we meet there in about thirty minutes? That will give the rest of us a chance to freshen up first.”
“All right.” Kate linked her arm through Robin’s as she faced Liz and Michael. “I think we can find something to do while we wait.”
“If you want me to play the slots again...,” Robin said.
Kate only laughed as she led him away. “Well, you do have the most extraordinary luck.”
Once they were out of range, Brand led Rose to the elevator. “I hope you didn’t get a room of your own.” He had plans for keeping her close at hand.
“I did.” She shot him a sharp look. “I’m not about to share a room with you while your parents are here.”
“You’ll be there most of the time anyway.”
As the elevator rose, Rose stepped out of his hold. “I’m not sure. We need to talk about this, Brand.”
His chest tightened. We need to talk had to be the most ominous words in the English language—right along with I have something to tell you. “Why ruin it?”
A hot emotion flashed in her eyes, then quickly disappeared. “I don’t want to ruin it. I just want to know where we’re going. Is this relationship about sex alone? Or being friends? What? Have you all of a sudden accepted that my magic is a part of me?”
He hesitated. He didn’t have answers for all those questions. “I want to be with you.” That was true enough. The rest could wait.
Rose met his gaze. “I still have an expose to write. Do you really want me close to you?” Though she kept her voice even, he caught the worry in her eyes.
He’d forgotten about the expose. Stupid of him. He knew how she felt about it.
But he was careful in regard to his illusions. He’d always been careful.
“I want you with me,” he repeated. His desire for her wasn’t going away.
“Your parents—”
He held up his hand. “Let me handle my parents. They’ve always liked you.”
“They liked me best when we were apart. Though your father helped me quite a bit when I first gained my powers, he also warned me repeatedly about the risks of getting involved with anyone.”
“Like he has room to talk.” Brand clenched his fists, suddenly anxious to see his father again. It was bad enough his father had lectured him not to see Rose. Robin had no right to make demands of Rose.
Rose touched his arm. “Don’t worry about it. My parents told me the same thing. Why do you think you were my first lover?”
The elevator stopped, but he didn’t step out when the doors opened. “Then why get involved with me?” Waiting for her response, he caught his breath at her slight hesitation.
Her slow smile triggered the always-present fire in his blood. “Because I couldn’t help myself.”
He could breathe again. “Must be the Goodfellow charm.”
“And here I thought you’d put a spell on me.” She jabbed the Door Open button and stepped out. “My floor. I’ll see you later.”
The doors closed again, but he didn’t push any buttons right away, the urge to go after her warring with his common sense. The sex between them was great—better than great—but she was right, it didn’t magically make all their differences go away.
He snorted and hit the button for his floor. Magic. It all came back to that.
And he honestly didn’t know how to handle it.
When everyone was finally shown to a table at Emeril’s, Rose tried to distance herself from Brand, but he refused to let her, insisting she sit beside him. In actuality, he didn’t have to try hard to persuade her, but she couldn’t shake the feeling that this family dinner was going to be a lot more than he’d anticipated. She’d seen the inquisitive looks Kate and Robin had given her as they took the seats on Brand’s opposite side at the round table.
Kate immediately engaged Brand in conversation and Rose sighed. She could survive this. She didn’t have much choice.
As if sensing Rose’s unease, Sequoia immediately claimed the chair beside her. Rose smiled at her, then wondered who would comfort whom? Her cousin looked even more uncomfortable than Rose felt.
Ewan seated Sequoia, then sat beside her, glaring defiantly at her parents. Was he providing a buffer? Rose studied him, actually taking time to see him as more than an irritant. He didn’t appear to be nearly as bold or brash as when he’d first appeared. Was he mellowing? Unlikely. From what she’d been told of the Fae, Ewan’s rude behavior was more the norm than not.
Glancing across the table, she noticed Sequoia’s parents watching Ewan as well. “How long have you two been friends?” Aunt Liz asked Sequoia.
“Not long. A couple of weeks,” Sequoia said with an oblique glance at Ewan.
Uncle Michael frowned at the faery. “Do you work with Brand?”
“No. I have other business.”
Rose grimaced. Yeah, making her life miserable. Though she had to admit since Sequoia had started keeping him out of her hair, he’d grown a lot less irritating.
Hoping to give Sequoia a reprieve, Rose jumped in. “How are Mom and Dad?” She’d talked to them just a week ago, but the question at least switched the subject.
Aunt Liz, sister of Rose’s father, rolled her eyes. “He’s building a greenhouse for your mother. I don’t understand it. Maybe you can explain. Ariel already has the best garden I’ve ever seen. Why on God’s green earth does she need a greenhouse?”
Rose grinned. “Growing plants means a lot to Mom.” It was where her mother excelled. “She loves it but can’t grow things in Colorado in the winter. Knowing Dad, all she had to do was mention once how she’d love a greenhouse and he was on it.”
“That’s true. For all his complaining of having so much to do, I think Rand enjoys it,” Aunt Liz said.
“I know he does. And how are Tay and Jake?” She hadn’t spoken to her brothers in ages, usually because none of them ever stayed in one place very long.
“Jake was just home last week. Your mom was thrilled. Then he’s off to some other hotspot—Argentina, I think.” Aunt Liz shook her head. “Rand and Ariel are beginning to despair that any of you will ever settle down.”
“From what I’ve heard about Dad, I don’t think he has room to talk.” Rose grinned. Her father had been a confirmed bachelor...until he’d met her mother. “And Tay?”
“Last I heard he was busy with the ski resort. Snow in the mountains is good this year.”
That would make Tay happy. The most athletic of the three Thayer children, he’d missed a berth on the Olympics downhill squad only because he’d broken an ankle during finals. Running a ski resort at Breckenridge filled his life now. “I’ll have to swing by home soon.”
“Do that.” Uncle Michael aimed his penetrating stare at Rose, then gave into a broad smile when she quirked her eyebrow. He could never be tough with her.
“How are the twins?” Rose asked. That would keep her aunt and uncle busy for several minutes at least, and it did as they went into detail on Val’s and Ginny’s accomplishments. The twins were several years younger than Sequoia, just finishing high school, in fact, and Liz and Michael never lacked for stories about their exploits. By the time their meals arrived, everyone at the table was caught up in good-natured laughter.
As they ate, Rose glanced at Brand. She’d deliberately left him to his parents. Though Robin had been a tremendous help when she’d first received her magic, he’d also made it clear at that time that she was not to get involved with Brand. He hadn’t wanted to see his son hurt.
And that was inevitable now.
As much as Rose wanted a future with Brand, she wasn’t willing to give up everything she was to be with him and he wasn’t willing to accept her magic unconditionally. In the long run, they’d end up hating each other.
Brand nudged her side and she jerked around. “Mom asked you a question.”
“Oh, sorry. Daydreaming. Do you mind repeating, Kate?”
“I just asked if your parents knew you were here. If I’d known, I would have invited them to accompany us.”
Rose shrugged. “That’s okay. I’ll see them soon.”
“Why are you here, Rose?” Robin spoke matter-of-factly, but his gaze held her captive.
She hesitated but couldn’t answer with anything other than the truth. “I’m writing a story on Brand.”
“One of your exposes?” Kate drew back, her eyes wide. “On Brand? Rose, how could you?”
“It’s what I do.” She placed her fork beside her plate, her appetite fleeing. “Brand is the next assignment.”
“And you allow her access to you and your equipment?” Robin asked Brand.
Brand’s hold tightened on his silverware. “We made a deal.”
“A deal?” A muscle jumped in Robin’s jaw. “I imagine you did,” he said dryly.
Rose tensed, her heart dropping into her stomach. Robin’s implication was obvious. He believed she was sleeping with Brand in order to obtain his secrets. Was that what everyone thought? Lifting her chin, she met Robin’s gaze. “You know me better than that.”
She pushed away from the table. “If you’ll excuse me, I’ve lost my appetite.”
Brand reached out to stop her, anger churning in his gut, but she eluded him. Before he could follow, she stepped outside the restaurant and vanished. Damn!
He whirled on his father. “You’re wrong about her.”
“I’m only concerned that—”
“I’m plenty old enough to handle my own life and protect my professional secrets. If I want to be with Rose or any other woman, that’s my decision.” Did his father want to ensure that Brand never knew any happiness?
“Rose isn’t like other women.” Robin sent a quick glance at Sequoia’s parents, who didn’t know about Rose being Fae.
“You’re right. She’s not.” Brand stood, giving his mother a tight smile. “Tell them to put this on my bill.”
“Brand—”
His mother called after him, but he ignored her. He was the one with the most to lose here. If he could trust Rose, why couldn’t they? She would probably write her expose. He didn’t doubt that. He just had to make sure she never discovered the details to his moon illusion. That was one secret he intended to keep.
He found her room and rapped on the door. “Rose? Answer the door.” She was there. He could feel her presence. But she didn’t speak.
He knocked harder. “Dammit, Rose. Come on.”
Only silence.
He sighed. “Please, Rose.”
Still nothing.
“Come to me, Rose. I’ll be waiting.” He had to talk to her, hold her, kiss her. With a final pound on the door, he turned away and headed for his room. Now what?
Rose sat on the balcony railing, swinging her legs into the night, as she stared at the myriad lights dotting the landscape below. Some flashed, others remained constant. Across the street she could hear the screams from people riding the roller coaster on top of New York, New York. Las Vegas always blazed with life. In the past she’d found it an exciting place to visit.
But not tonight.
She shouldn’t have taken this assignment. She’d initially refused when her editor had directed her to get the lowdown on Brand, until he’d dangled the carrot he knew she wanted—the promise that this would be the end of the exposes, that she could tackle more exciting stories, get a promotion that reflected her hard work.
But she should have known better. Brand had been an important part of her life for as long as she could remember. He never—okay, rarely—had annoyed her like her brothers had.
To be honest, she’d been half in love with him since she’d turned ten. And now she was totally, completely, foolishly in love with him.
Her parents had warned her. Even Robin had warned her against this. Though she resented Robin’s insinuation, she understood why he’d said it. He wanted to protect his son from the folly of involvement with someone who wouldn’t age, someone who would never be normal.
Too late for that.
The problem now was how to handle it. She should leave. Now. Before it became any more difficult to do so. Especially since her editor was nagging her almost daily to turn in her article.
She didn’t have all the information she needed, but she had enough to write something. Maybe that would be good enough.
“Is it always like that?” Ewan appeared beside her, startling Rose enough that she almost lost her balance.
Grabbing the railing to right herself, she glared at him. “Is what like what?”
“Family gatherings. One moment everyone is happy and laughing. The next angry and accusing. I fail to see how this is a good thing.”
He looked confused and Rose grimaced. “Family dynamics are difficult to explain. There’s love involved. Sometimes possessive love, sometimes protective love, sometimes freeing love.”
He sighed. “And yet you place such high value on this love.”
“It’s the best feeling a person can have.” And the worst.
“I don’t understand.”
“From what Mom has told me, the Fae don’t experience intense emotions. You’ve lived forever. To have those highs and lows would tear apart your world. But mortals don’t live forever and those highs and lows are part of experiencing life to the fullest. It’s what keeps life interesting for us.”
“Us? You include yourself with the mortals?”
“I think like a mortal, but I’ll never be one.” Rose blinked back the sudden surge of tears. “I’m Fae and yet not Fae, human yet not human.”
Ewan touched her arm in a gentle gesture. “Then come with me, Rose. You may discover a place where you can belong.”
For a moment she was tempted. “No. Not now anyway. Check with me in a hundred years or so.” Perhaps when everyone she loved was gone, she’d find no reason to stay here.
“Are you unhappy because of what was said to you?”
“Some. Robin only said what he did because he’s trying to protect Brand, but it still hurts that he’d think so little of me.” She had always valued Robin’s opinion. Surely he knew her better than that.
“Did he not imply the truth? You are having sex with Brand.”
Hard to hide that kind of thing from a faery. “Yes, but not so I can steal his secrets.”
“Then why?”
She had to grin. “Because I enjoy it.”
“Do you want to be with him now?”
More than anything. She ached for the feel of his hands upon her. “Yes.”
“And he wants you with him?”
“Yes.” She’d almost weakened and let him in when he’d pounded on her door hours earlier.
Ewan frowned. “So you are allowing his father’s words to keep you from Brand?”
Put like that, she flinched. Was she running away to avoid Robin’s censure? “I guess so.”
“Is not the pleasure you share more important?”
She drew back, staring at him in surprise. “You’re actually making sense, Ewan. This frightens me.”
He produced a broad smile. “I have been learning about mortals, about love.”
“From Sequoia.” Her cousin was destined to end up as hurt as Brand.
“She is...special.” Ewan gazed off into the distance. “I have learned far more from her than I thought I would.”
“Don’t hurt her.” Easier said than done, as she well knew.
“I have no intentions of doing so. I will be with her tonight, as that is what we both want.” A glimmer of a challenge appeared in his eyes. “Can you say the same?” Before Rose could respond, he vanished, and she sighed. He had a point. She wanted to be with Brand, ached to touch him. Was that so wrong?
Not giving herself a chance to think about it, she transported herself into his room. Brand had his back to her, working over some papers spread on his table. Or attempting to work. From the way he propped his chin on his hand and tapped his pencil against the papers, his mind was elsewhere.
“Brand?”
He jumped up at once and whirled to face her. “You came.”
“I tried to stay away, but I couldn’t.” He mattered too much.
“Good.” He stepped toward her. “My father was wrong. I know that.”
One tight band around her heart vanished. A small part of her had feared that he would believe Robin’s hints. “I’m here because I want to be with you.”
Brand stopped before her and ran his hands over her arms to rest on her shoulders. “And I want you. All I can think about is you.”
Her throat tightened. “I guess that works both ways.”
He cradled the back of her head. “Make love with me, Rose. I need you.”
She was lost before he even kissed her. “Oh, yes.” Hours later he slept exhausted beside her, but the peace of slumber eluded Rose. She lay on her side, her heart full, studying his handsome face—now relaxed and boyish. How could she exist without him?
Yet how could they build a realistic future together?
The sex was awesome, but they needed more than that. One day—not today or tomorrow, but soon—his resentment of her magic would surface again, and she couldn’t change what she was.
What then?
Restless, she slid from the bed, wrapped a blanket around herself, and padded to the windows. The city still lived, the lights blazing, people continuing to plug their dollars into machines. Life went on.
With a sigh, she roamed the room, the outside flashing signs providing enough illumination to see clearly. As she passed the table, her blanket caught the edge of one of the papers and sent it flying.
She retrieved the paper, glancing at it as she set it back on the table. Her heart skipped a beat. Was it? She hesitated for only a moment, curiosity driving her to examine the other sheets, absorbing the information. The final piece. Here it was—everything she needed to know about how Brand would make the moon disappear.
Everything she needed to complete her expose.
Damn.
Now what was she going to do?