Meg woke with a smile until she felt her headache, and Cade had his arm around her with his arousal against her. She opened her eyes and Blue sighed in her sleep. She squeezed her eyes shut. It had seemed so real, but it was only a dream.

Memories of her evening came back to her. The champagne. Dancing. Meeting Gray Hoffman. The damn mafia. Tyler. She fell asleep on Tyler while he walked the dog. The poor guy had been waiting. Her time was up. Tick. Tock. As soon as he woke, he'd want to make use of his erection.

Needing a bathroom and tylenol, she had to chance waking him by slipping out of bed.

Two steps to the bathroom, she froze. "How do you feel?"

"My head." A dull ache. Punishment for the bubbles.

"You were snoring like a banshee when I came back."

"I was not." No way.

He just laughed. The tinkling of metal confirmed Blue was awake too. "I'll take her out. Don't run away."

She didn't answer, but wondered if she could pull off running. Unfortunately, the thought led her back to Cade, and her dream. At least she was wet. Why did the memory of Cade stay with her? Never had she continued to think about a hook up for weeks afterwards. Most of them, she immediately wanted to forget.

Water and pain reliever, then she climbed back in bed. Why fight it? After putting Tyler off with a lie, she felt guilty. As his best friend, she owed them a chance. It was just sex. People acted like virtue was a possession to be held onto tightly. She might have felt that way when she and Tyler dated at seventeen, but college life opened her eyes. Professors told her she could achieve any dream on her own. Growing up, her mother's job was being her husband's wife.

Meg was not a slut, but she had sex with strangers and guys she didn't love. She loved Tyler more than any man she had slept with, including Cade. He was a stranger who happened to have been very good in bed. Sex had never been awkward until she thought about her best friend naked touching her intimately. Nothing made sense because she savored a stranger when she could have a soulmate with Tyler.

Tyler returned and chuckled. "Don't fall asleep on me?"

Her heart pounded through her chest and into her aching head. Thump. Thump. The buzzing from the bathroom caused her to groan. Why hadn't she brushed her teeth?

Tyler climbed on the bed wearing only boxers. He had a trim physique although he didn't work out. If he took after his father, he wouldn't grow thicker around the middle like most men. Arthur Hathorne was handsome enough to turn heads in his sixties.

Tyler's minty breath reached her nose as his face leaned in. "I was kidding about the banshee, not that bad."

His mouth captured hers, and his fresh breath mingled with her morning after mouth breathing breath. She tried to pull away, but he held her head. When he broke off, she mumbled. "I need to brush."

"I don't care." His mouth returned to hers and his erection pressed into her hip.

She could feel his length. When his hand moved under her shirt, she hoped her nipples would react. As his knuckles brushed them, she kept her eyes shut and thought of another man's mouth on them. They reacted to the memory and Tyler groaned. When his finger gently stroked inside her panties, she envisioned sitting in the Copley lobby and Cade walking in. Silently, she'd follow him into the elevator. Pressing the stop button between floors, he'd pin her to the wall and fuck her. As her fantasy peaked, her body followed.

When she opened her eyes, Tyler smiled. "So beautiful." Adeptly, he shed his boxers and settled between her legs. "I've been waiting so long. We both have."

She opened to him, and when  Tyler fell onto her smiling, she felt relieved the first time was over. Maybe the awkwardness of being naked with her best friend would fade, and the sparks would ignite without fantasizing.

He pulled her into his arms and whispered words of love. She shut her eyes hoping to fall to sleep. Her belly woke her out of a bad dream. Tyler had walked in on her with Cade. The hurt in his eyes was unmistakable. Guilt crept down her spine. Her belly rumbled; she hadn't eaten in twenty hours.

Tyler hugged her. "I promised to feed you last night."

He got out of bed, and Blue followed him. Meg went to the shower. It was her first sex without a condom ever. How could she ask her best friend for double protection? He knew she was on the pill. Plus, he trusted her to know she used a condom with the others. She trusted him the same way. After the relaxing shower, she dressed. Hopefully, Tyler hadn't expected a day lounging in bed.

She cringed when she eyed the newest edition of Beantown Magazine on his counter. "Get rid of this."

"It's interesting. There was a mob hit at the Copley a few weeks back."

"How do you know?"

He shrugged. "Some people follow the news. Eli is closed lipped though."

"He's a lawyer and took an oath. Plus, I thought his cases were minor."

Tyler nodded as he handed her a cup of coffee. A smile morphed his pensive expression. "Meggy, this morning was everything I ever dreamed it would be."

She had dreamed of better sex. She had it too. "I'm sorry I passed out last night."

He smirked. "It's my fault. I know you don't eat at events."

Over the years he had teased her, but all her faults and idiosyncrasies no longer bothered him, even her drunken snores. Meg didn't like her place on his pedestal. The height of the fall scared her.

He busied himself making pancakes. She sat and watched; spending the weekend with Tyler wasn't new, only the sex part. She studied him. His handsome looks attracted women. Physically he was not lacking. Don't compare him to Cade.

It was Tyler's fault for mentioning Copley. Was it that night? Memories of the police had blurred. She only knew she had to leave. If her father found out she spent the night at a hotel, he would be extremely disappointed. Meg molded herself into a daughter who never embarrassed her parents. First, she dressed to please her mother. Then she dated Tyler because they approved. With her history written, she would marry him as expected. Her only control was in how long she put it off. A very long engagement suited her fine.

Tyler put a plate in front of her. "Eat up. You'll feel better and then we can go, you know." He cocked his head towards Blue.

She nodded, a walk in the park on a beautiful Sunday. "It's a sunny day."

Tyler squeezed her hand. "Someday we'll push a stroller."

"Not anytime soon. I'm still trying to become an editor."

"You're assistant in features. That's the highest level."

Was he praising her or placating her? Meg wanted to become involved in choosing content. Maybe she wasn't cut out for it, since she would have axed the mafia idea that everyone loved.

The day continued like hundreds before until she collapsed on the sofa in the late afternoon. "I should go home."

"Stay." Tyler's lips silenced her protest.

His hands explored as the kiss amplified. Meg pretended she was acting a part in a movie. Little sparks extinguished as soon as they started. No fire burned deep within. She didn't beg him with need, but she participated. When it was over, she felt less awkward to be naked with him. She had even touched him for the first time, although she doubted her touch was really better than any of the other women.

"When was the last time, you, um, had sex?"

He laughed. "Just now."

"No. I mean with someone else."

He frowned. "Are we asking those questions?"

"Was she a model?"

He laughed. "No, but she wasn't you. I won't ask you because I know."

Damn, she led herself back to Cade. At least she hadn't fantasized about him during sex, but she also had to fake her orgasm.

"You are beautiful when you come. I can't control myself."

Give her the lifetime achievement award for acting. Feeling hopeless, she stood up. "I need to go home and get ready for a new week."

He stood and kissed her forehead. Both were still nude, and she had an urge to laugh. Biting the inside of her cheek successfully held it in.

"I know you like space to watch your shows. I get it."

He was a prince, so she should be floating on air, but her feet were firmly on the ground. Tyler insisted on driving her home. He was the same guy who picked up friends when they needed a ride.

He kissed her in front of her house. "Let's carve out time this week. I'll get a reservation at the restaurant reviewed in the mafia edition."

She scoffed. "It's in the North End and probably owned by the mafia." She didn't believe the famous reviewer would knowingly support criminal activity.

When she stepped inside, her mother greeted her with smiles. "Monty Whitby was impressed with meeting you. You and Tyler made an impression. The AG's daughter and the financial wizard."

"Wizard? Mom, I doubt that."

"He's successful. The Hathorne name goes a long way in this city. You'll be respected for it."

In one conversation, her mother discredited her to only being important as her father's daughter and Tyler's wife. "My career impressed Mr. Whitby."

"That's nice, dear. When you and Tyler have children, he can afford to take care of you, so you won't have to work."

She wanted to stomp her foot and tell her mother her views were old-fashioned. Instead, she turned away. "I'll clean up before dinner." Wash Tyler off.

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