The sun was shining brightly through the heavy damask curtains in the library, heating the air within. The rooms at Rosecrest typically hosted an airy feel, hues of blush and lilac adorning most of the walls and decor. It was a summer home, after all.

But not here. Not in the library. Worn leather and dark wood and furniture that likely took the muscles of five footmen to move—that was what the library was built of.

And books. Of course, there were a great many books.

Simon settled on an armchair, sinking into a spot that Uncle Will had likely weathered in, watching as his brother paced before the window.

"Tell me what happened, Sawyer."

Sawyer shook his head. His dark hair was mussed from running his hands through it, and now it hung in front of his eyes as he peered over his shoulder at Simon. "It doesn't matter. Nothing is going to happen."

Simon wasn't convinced. Blair was absolutely infatuated with Sawyer; Simon had seen their relationship grow and blossom as the summer went on. And while she was wildly independent, Simon still found it incredibly difficult to believe that she'd refuse Sawyer's marriage proposal without good reason. "So you're just going to give up?"

Sawyer scoffed. "They leave today, and I cannot even get Blair to speak to me. Unless I somehow can get ahold of the damn woman and simply refuse to let go, it isn't going to happen. Although that likely wouldn't go over well either...not that it doesn't have some merit to it." Sawyer was all but muttering under his breath now, apparently lost in the consideration of the idea.

"Sawyer, focus."

Simon thought it best to cut him off before he said something that would only hurt him.

Because there was something that Sawyer did not know: Whitley was using that amazingly deceptive mind of hers to unknowingly coerce her sister into coming to the library. They might even already be here, listening on the other side of the door.

Perhaps she would not talk to Sawyer directly. But he thought, maybe, that she would listen to what he had to say. If he did not realize she was doing so, that is. Her pride...well, Simon suspected this was a way around that. 

Now, he simply needed to get Sawyer to say the right things.

"Tell me what happened."

He sighed. "Why do you wish to know?"

"Because you're my brother. And you are upset. And it might help to talk about it."

Sawyer shook his head again, and Simon resisted the urge to roll his eyes. They were running out of time. Whitley had been trying to delay their family's departure ever since both Blair and Sawyer had turned up all...frazzled. But she worried that her father would insist on leaving soon. Simon worried the same.

Leaning against the windowsill, Sawyer caved in and sighed. "We went for a ride. We were meant to have a picnic. But then Blair was wearing damn skirts, and I very badly wanted to get beneath them, and—"

"Sawyer, I understand the general idea," Simon intervened. Lord, perhaps that was not a good idea.

"Oh, you do, do you? Have you partook recently?"

Yes. Simon let his thoughts briefly flit to the image of Whitley's bare body beneath his. Above his. Rocking into his. But he said, "We are not speaking of me, Sawyer."

His brother ignored him. "Have you managed to get Whitley into the sheets, brother?"

Simon could have laughed. It was more accurate to say that Whitley had finally managed to get him in her sheets. But Simon was beginning to feel an uncomfortable throbbing, and he was forced to cross his legs and clear his throat.

"Sawyer, that is not the point."

"You were the one who brought it up," Sawyer muttered with a slight shrug.

"What happened after? With Blair and yourself?"

Sawyer sighed heavily. "Well, I began to speak of marriage, and Blair seemed...confused. I said that naturally, we would wed. And then she wanted nothing to do with me...and fled."

Ah.

"And now you are upset," Simon surmised.

Sawyer flashed him an incredulous look. "Of course I am upset."

"Because..." he probed.

"Because she won't marry me! Are you dense? Lord above, Simon."

Simon ignored his brother's jabs, knowing he needed to get more out of the idiot man. Simon reckoned that he was not the dense one in this situation.

It was Simon's turn to sigh. "If her parents knew that you had ruined her so...effectively, they would force the marriage, I am certain." Tilting his head to the side, he added softly, "Blair could become with child. Your child, Sawyer."

Sawyer froze at that. His usual carefree expression became a mask of emotion—fear, hope...love. It was there, plain as day. If Simon hadn't been sure before, he was now. His rogue of a brother was in love.

"I know," Sawyer said lowly. But the look on his face told Simon that while he might have known, he hadn't thought of it so precisely until that moment. "But I did not mean to trap her, Simon."

"I know," Simon replied, repeating his brother's words. "So why is it that you want Blair to marry you, Sawyer?"

Sawyer stared at his brother. "Why?"

"Yes, why?"

His brother jerked his head back at that. He threw his hands up. He made a funny little expression on his face. But he did not answer the question. "Because—because..."

Simon could have snorted. Apparently, he would need to spoon-feed Sawyer the words like a wee babe. "Is it simply because you feel it is the honorable thing to do?"

"Since when have I ever given this much of a fig about honor, Simon? Jesus, I am not...you."

Simon chuckled. Yes, how awful it was to be him. At least the love of his life had agreed to marry him. But he wouldn't put that upon his brother at the moment. Clearing his throat, he continued on. "So...what, Sawyer? Do you wish to marry because you think her... nice, then? That you believe the two of you would simply be a good match?"

"Nice?" Sawer had continued his pacing, and he didn't even pause this time as he threw the word back at his brother. "A good match? Have you heard the way that woman speaks to me at times?" He ran his hand through his hair again before muttering, "Nice, my ass."

Simon suppressed a grin. He'd noticed that Blair thoroughly enjoyed verbal spars, and she liked them with Sawyer in particular. And secretly—or not so secretly—Sawyer loved it.

Reckoning that it was about time to get to the point of it all, Simon asked, "So it is because you love her, then?"

Sawyer seemed to reach his limit for exasperating questions. He practically roared the next words, which, of course, would only work in Simon's favor. Sawyer threw his arms in the air. "Of course I bloody love her!"

Well, that was his cue. Simon shot out of his chair, striding quickly to the door. Sawyer did not seem to notice at first, and when he looked back to the armchair and did not see his brother, he did a double-take. And that's when Simon saw him look toward the door—where he was.

And now where Blair was standing.

Her dark eyes—so different than her sister's—were trained on Simon's brother. In a gentle, disbelieving voice, she asked, "You do?"

And with that, Simon slipped out of the library.

Whitley was in the hall, waiting for him. As soon as he cleared the doorway, she hurriedly pulled the oak door shut. And then she held it there—even as her sister could be heard giving angry knocks, protesting their plan.

But Whitley merely smirked over at Simon.

And so Simon kissed that mischievous mouth.

Thoroughly, very thoroughly.

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