Page 21 of Full Throttle 2

Lila ignored the title Brian had just given her, even though she loved the sound of it. Instead, she reached for his tie andwrapped it around her hand, pulling him close. “I do love to snuggle. Sure you can’t push it back an hour or two.”

Irritated at himself, Brian moaned as if in pain. “I wish. Not after losing Levenson.”

Reality hit her like a cold bucket of ice. Lila sighed. “Got it. Well, I’ll forgive you this time because I know how important this meeting is.”

Brian pressed his lips against the curve of her neck and slowly breathed her in. “Yeah. Even with all Colby’s success, and after last month’s penalty and point loss, it’s like pulling teeth getting businesses to sponsor her. It’s the strangest shit ever.”

“Disappointing but not surprising.” Lila sat up, pulling the sheets with her. “It amazes me how people don’t want to make money. Colby’s face is all over everything! She’s the full package. She’s beautiful and a hell of an athlete, but more importantly, she wins except for when they cheat. It’s maddening.”

“If it were only about skills, I would still be in bed with you. Instead, I’m up at the butt crack of dawn trying to close a deal.”

“Is Liam and Colby going to be there?”

“No.” Brian’s body tensed. “This is my company. Liam doesn’t need to be there.”

“Understood,” Lila spoke softly. “Still, he’s your brother and, more importantly, Colby’s boyfriend. I’m sure he would do whatever he could to make sure you both succeed.”

Brian’s voice held a hint of irritation. “I can stand on my own two feet.”

Lila’s face softened as she cupped the side of his cheek. “Of course, you can, and that’s how I know you’re going to rock this meeting. Glenmore is as good as a done deal.” Her smile widened. “I’ll even bake a cake to celebrate.”

Her last remark knocked some of the tension out of the air as Brian laughed out loud. He couldn’t even imagine it. “You? Bake a cake? You’re allergic to the kitchen.”

“True.” Lila looked at him saucily. “Which is why you should know I wasn’t talking aboutthatkind of cake.”

Lila was sitting cross-legged with her computer on her lap. She figured she might as well review her emails and online coursework while Brian was out when her cell phone rang. She picked it up and saw that it was Colby. “Hey, lady.”

“Hey, there.”

Colby’s voice lacked its usual positive energy. Lila hoped it wasn’t about Glenmore. “What’s up?”

“I don’t want you to be alarmed, but...” Colby’s voice trailed off.

Nervously, Lila moved her laptop onto the sofa. “If you want the opposite effect, you should never start a conversation like that.”

“True.” Colby seemed hesitant as she released a nervous laugh. “You’ll never guess who showed up at Daddy’s this morning.”

Lila had no idea where this conversation was going or why Colby would be nervous about telling her about an unannounced guest. “You’re right since I stayed over at Brian’s. Who?”

The pitch in Colby’s voice went up. “Just know that I had no choice!”

Lila unfolded her legs and planted her feet firmly on the floor as she sat straighter. A tingling of dread went down her spine. “Who?”

“Aunt Faye.”

Lila’s eyes closed.Damn.“Are you trying to tell me that my mother is at Uncle Cyrus’s?!”

“Yes. Well, no.”

Lila was frustrated. “Is she there or not?” As soon as the words came out of her mouth, the doorbell to Brian’s condo rang.

Lila ducked down and whisper-yelled into the phone as if her mother could see her. “You gave her Brian’s address?!”

“I know we are grown women, but you know how Aunt Faye is.” Colby continued to explain. “In all fairness, I didn’t give her the address, but your mom can really be resourceful!”

The doorbell rang again.

“Ugh!” Lila groaned as she hopped up from the couch, still crouching down while speaking low. “You could have made something up.”

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