His eyes widened and she did not think they could get any bigger. "What makes you say that?"

"Come here." She brought him closer to the wall where all the canvases were stacked against the wall.

"What am I supposed to be looking at?"

She moved the canvases away and when the wall was finally exposed, Sebastian took a short intake of breath. His eyes glazed over the surface of the wall that was full of sketches. There were two boys playing in what looked like a playground, then next to it were both boys riding bicycles, then another sketch of a taller boy patting the other one.

Sebastian blinked and then moved his eyes to meet hers. "Is this—" for a few seconds, it almost felt as if he was at a loss for words before he was finally able to finish his sentence. "Is this supposed to be me?" He pointed at the shorter boy. Then he ran his hand through his hair. "Damn! It is me. I can tell from that bicycle. I used to have it back when I was six and Piers was nine. And that," he pointed at the sketch of two teenage boys, the taller boy was kneeling next to the shorter one, "that was when I dumbly hit the break too soon. Piers was teaching me how to ride a bike and he nearly lost it." He laughed, shaking his head as he recalled the past memory. "He told me he won't teach me to ride anything ever again after I got the stitches from the hospital downtown but you know, a month later he taught me how to drive a car. So much for not teaching me to ride anything, huh?"

"He never forgets you," she reiterated again, feeling that he needed to hear it from time to time because he looked like he was in disbelief.

"Then why on Earth he covered all these sketches with the canvases? Why hide it here?" He looked at her as if she held all the answers in the world.

"I don't know." Andin shrugged. "Perhaps he misses you." She nodded. "He wants to hide it because it reminds him of you too much and that was why he hid it."

"And here I thought I was the only one missing him." Sebastian sighed, a hint of a smile on his face.

"I know you both have your issue but you should reconcile. Clearly, you both care about each other and miss each other. And judging from all of these sketches, he treasured the memories of you and I know you do too."

"It would be hard especially since he was also the one who drove Draven away." A frown started to form on his forehead but there was hope in his baby blues. "But you are right. I miss my brother too. I will find him and try to fix our relationship."

Andin smiled, her heart was feeling warm watching him like this, to know that he and his brother had a special bond and that bond remained strong even though there was a distance between the two of them. All of a sudden she remembered the guy she had met at the beach the other day, Joseph. She hoped that he too would finally make peace with his brother. Then something clicked inside her head. "Sebastian!"

"Yes?" His tone still sounded as if he was in a daze.

"What is your brother's name?"

"What?" He finally tore his gaze from the sketches to face her. "Piers? Piers Summers."

"No, I mean his full name. What is his middle name?" Unlike his other brothers in which she had at least seen their full names in contracts and agreements, she had only heard of Piers orally and always by his given name.

"Piers Joseph Summers, why?" asked Sebastian curiously.

"Oh, my God!" Andin gasped.

"What?"

She put one hand on his arm and blinked twice. "Your brother came to find you at the hotel the other day!"

"What? When? How do you know this? Did he ask the hotel receptionist?"

"No, no. I met him at the beach," Andin explained quite frantically. "I was at the beach when you drove to your brother's place and he approached me. He told me his name is Joseph and that was coming to find his brother. Then, later on, he told me that he had done something unforgivable to his brother and to one of his other brothers. He said something similar to what you just said. He said that he more or less was the cause of his brother running away from home."

Andin recalled exactly what Joseph had said to her on the beach the other day: Nah, I do not think that will happen. I have done something unforgivable to him and to one of our brothers. In fact, that brother has run away and we all do not know where he is. I am sorry. I have not seen anyone in a while and you happen to be the first person I talk to in a while.

"That does sound like him. Could you describe to me what he looked like?"

She did her best to recall what Joseph looked like and told him.

"That was him." Sebastian swallowed hard and shook his head. "It is so funny how we missed each other. This reminded me of second grade when he was supposed to pick me up but I already walked home. He waited at my school for so long until the security guard informed him to leave because they were about to lock the place."

Could no longer hold it anymore, Andin threw her arms around him and tightly hugged him. "I hope you both soon meet each other."

"I hope so too. Gosh, I wish he could be like a normal person and always makes sure his phone has a battery." He let out a chuckle. "But again, he would not be my brother if that was the case."

They both laughed with their arms still around each other.

Soon after, they both prepared the meal in the kitchen. They ate by the fireplace to keep themselves warm. The sound of the storm outside made the lamplit kitchen cozier, and Andin's legs grew warmer as she held her toes towards the burning fire. The fireplace gave out a faintly smoky atmosphere which made her feel gradually sleepy. She leaned forward, warming her hands at it.

"How long do you think my clothes will take to dry?" she asked Sebastian absently.

"The sooner the better," he said tightly.

She looked around at him in surprise. His eyes were on the long bare expanse of her slender thighs, exposed by the brevity of the shirt. Through her lashes she surveyed him. "Are you okay?"

"Yes."

"Well, you do not sound okay." She moved closer to him. "What is it?"

He looked like he was about to say something and then shook his head adamantly. "Nah, you will think it is silly."

"No, I won't."

"You don't even know what it is."

Andin tilted her head to one side. "Then tell me."

He drew a breath and then sighed. "Fine. But promise me you won't laugh."

"I promised," said Andin and she meant it.

"I thought once I have you the rush will stop. But it gets bigger and bigger. Even at the sight of you, all I want is to kiss you and hug you tightly. It is insane."

She wanted to smile, from ear to ear, but she refrained herself. "It is not insane nor it is silly. Do you know why?"

He lifted one brow in question.

"Because I feel the same way."

Sebastian pulled her onto his lap and brushed his lips against hers then deepened the kiss with his tongue, running it along the smooth line of her teeth. When she let out a soft sigh, he took advantage of the moment, pressing in further, drinking her in, tasting her sweetness. Soon the kiss grew heavy and hot. Sebastian was the first to pull away. "You are exhausted. You need to get some rest."

Andin was going to protest but with her body feeling aching in some places, she had to admit that she must agree with him. They found a bed upstairs and after cleaning themselves, they went to sleep. For a moment they both lay still, then his body rolled near her, and she felt him curve himself around her back, his hands moving around her to pull her back against him. She could sense the warmth of his breathing between her shoulder blades. "Is this comfortable to you?' he asked softly, sounding genuinely concerned.

"Yeah." Andin tried to relax, but it was impossible while he held her so intimately.

Suddenly he whispered, "Do you really expect me to sleep, Andin?"

"Yes. We are both suffering from exhaustion."

Sebastian groaned. "It is hard you know. I know we are supposed to keep each other warm but you pressing against me is giving me thoughts."

Andin giggled. "Well, just keep on reminding yourself that this is your brother's bed."

"You are ruthless!" Sebastian shook his head while Andin broke into peals of laughter. "No cold shower needed."

"Let's get some sleep, okay?" She turned and planted a kiss on his nose.

For a while, they lay in silence. She breathed regularly, hoping sleep would come. The coldness was seeping away and she felt the warmth of his body close to her back. Drowsiness crept over her. The rain still poured down outside, drumming against the roof and windows, but the sound of the storm had ceased, and she began to find the noise of the rain hypnotic. Sebastian seemed to be asleep. His hands were clasped against her midriff. Without noticing it she drifted into a slumber.

Birdsong awoke her. In Washington, she had never heard of birds chirping and now that she had, it instantly triggered her body alarm. Andin lay without moving, dazedly aware that something was unusual, then she became alert, realizing at a rush that she lay curled against Sebastian's chest, her face pillowed on his bare shoulder, the comforting rise and fall beneath her the movements of his sleeping body. During the night she must have turned over. Afraid that she might accidentally wake him up, she did not dare to move and simply listened to the steady sound of his breathing.

Tentatively moving her head, she turned and looked up at him through her lashes she saw him at an odd angle, the hard chin dark with stubble, his lids closed, and a fringe of dark lashes along his cheekbones. She lifted one hand and delicately touched his chin. Under her fingers, the dark hairs prickled pleasantly. Sebastian's chin tilted. The piercing baby blues opened and looked down into her face. For a moment they merely looked at each other. Her body still lay against him, warmly relaxed. Her mouth quivered into a smile. "Good morning."

"Morning," he replied then returned her smile. His hand moved to push back a strand of tousled hair from her face. "So this is what you look like first thing in the morning."

"A complete mess, I know," she interpreted, wrinkling her nose.

"Don't fish for compliments now," he teased, his hand returning to tighten around her body. He slid from underneath her so that she was the one laying on her back and looking up at him. "You look beautiful, Miss Williams."

"Why, thank you, Sir." Andin tried to suppress a giggle and failed.

"Are you laughing at me, Miss Williams?" He teasingly chastised her.

"Oh, I would not dare do such a thing, Sir. No," answered Andin, still grinning.

He dipped his head and was about to kiss her when they heard noises from downstairs.

"Um, I think your brother might be home, Sir."