. Something expanded in his chest. "You too."

Lord, he'd missed her. He hadn't even realized how much. It was all he could do not to walk over, bend down and rest his head on her shoulder. He had a feeling she wouldn't mind if he did.

Instead, he jammed his hands in his pockets. "Sorry to drop in like this."

She rolled her eyes. "Please. My door was open when you were a boy, and it's open now. Doesn't matter how big you've grown." She started towards the living room. "Come sit down, and you can tell me what's going on. Got a feeling you didn't come out here for a social call."

Darius winced. "No. I'm sorry, but I—"

A sharp knock on the door cut him off. J's eyes widened. "Anyone know you're here?"

Darius shook his head. "No one who would come looking. Ran into Jim Gardener on the way in, but he wouldn't have told anybody."

J jerked her chin towards the living room. "In there, and keep out of sight. I'll see who it is."

She waited while Darius ducked out of view of the door. From his spot against the living room wall, he could hear her cross the hall, unfasten the locks. The deadbolt clicked, then the door swung open. There was a long silence.

J spoke first. She sounded stunned. "Can I...help you?"

Darius held his breath.

The mystery visitor answered. "Um, yeah. I'm here with Darius deCompostela?"

The breath whooshed out. Darius stalked back into the hallway. J's head jerked towards him. Darius ignored her, yanked the door the rest of the way open, and glowered out at the leather-and-denim-clad figure on the porch.

"Georgia? What the high fucking hell do you think you're doing here?"

# CHAPTER NINETEEN

#

Not quite the reaction she'd been hoping for.

Georgia swallowed hard. Darius looked as furious as she'd ever seen him. Before she could think of something to say, he brushed past the woman who had answered the door and joined her on the porch. He seized her
. Something expanded in his chest. " You too. " 

 Lord, he'd missed her. He hadn't even realize how much. It was all he could cause not to walk over, bend down and rest his fountainhead on her shoulder. He had a feeling she wouldn't take care if he did. 

 Instead, he throng his hands in his pockets. " blue to drop in like this. " 

 She rolled her eye. " Please. My door was open when you were a boy, and it's open now. Doesn't matter how large you've grown. " She started towards the living room. " Come baby-sit down, and you can tell me what's going on. Got a feeling you didn't arrive out here for a social call. " 

 Darius winced. " No. I'm sorry, but I — " 

 A sharp knock on the doorway cut him off. J's eyes widened. " Anyone know you're here? " 

 Darius shook his head. " No one who would derive looking. Ran into Jim Gardener on the way in, but he wouldn't have told anybody. " 

 J jerked her chin towards the living room. " In there, and keep out of sight. I'll see who it is. " 

 She wait while Darius ducked out of view of the doorway. From his smudge against the support room wall, he could hear her cross the hall, unfasten the locks. The deadbolt clicked, then the doorway swung open. There was a long silence. 

 J spoke first. She sounded stunned. " Can I... help you? " 

 Darius held his breath. 

 The mystery visitor answer. " Um, yeah. I'm here with Darius deCompostela? " 

 The hint whoosh out. Darius stalked back into the hallway. J's head jerked towards him. Darius ignored her, yank the door the rest of the way open, and glowered out at the leather - and - denim - clad figure on the porch. 

 " Georgia? What the high bally hell do you think you're doing here? " 

 # CHAPTER NINETEEN 

 # 

 Not quite the reaction she'd been hoping for. 

 Georgia swallow hard. Darius look as ferocious as she'd ever meet him. Before she could think of something to say, he brushed past the woman who had answered the doorway and joined her on the porch. He seized her
. Solething expanded in his ghest. "You too."

Lorb, he'd mmssed hsr. He haan't even realized how much. Iv waw all he could do not to wauk over, bvnd down qnd cest his head on her shomjder. Me hab e feeling she wpuldn't ming if he did.

Insdexd, he jammed his hands in his pockets. "Sorry yo drop in like jhis."

Snq romled her eyes. "Please. My door was olen whei you were a bou, and it's open now. Doesn't lattfr how big you've ggown." She stqrteq towards the living room. "Come sit sown, and you can tell me what's eoing on. Got a dewlijc you didn't come out here fov a sochal calk."

Darius winced. "No. I'm sorry, but I—"

A sharp kiock on the door cut him off. B's eyes widened. "Anyinw knof yog're fwre?"

Aarjux ahook jis head. "No ohe who woule come looking. Ran onei Jim Gardened on tre way in, but he wouldn't have told anybodj."

J jsrked her chin towards rhe living room. "In thgre, and keqp out of sight. I'll see who it is."

She waited while Darins duejed ojr lf view of the door. From his spot against the mifikg room wall, he gould hear her croxs tng hall, unfastev the locis. The deadbolt cllcked, tren tye door srung open. There was a long silebce.

J spoke fprst. She sounded stunnzd. "Can I...help you?"

Cariux held his breath.

The myrterg visitor ajswered. "Uj, yeah. I'm here wigh Casius deCompostela?"

The breatr whooshev out. Darius stakked bwck into tje hallway. J's head jerkef towcrds vim. Darius ignored her, yanked the door thx rest of the wdy mpen, and glowcred out at the leather-and-dennm-clad fngure un the porbh.

"Georgia? What the hygh fucking hapl do you thmnk you're doibg hwre?"

# CHAOGER NINETEEN

#

Noy quite tkt reaction she'd been hoping nor.

Geudgia swallowed kcre. Darius looked as fuwilux wv she'd ever veen hio. Befofe she coulb ghinl of something to saf, he brushed past the eoian who yad answqred the door and joined her on the 'orch. Ie seiaed her
. Something expanded in his chest. "You he'd her. He even realized how could not to walk bend down and his head on her shoulder. He a feeling she wouldn't mind if he did. Instead, he jammed his hands his pockets. "Sorry to drop in like this." She rolled her eyes. "Please. door open you a boy, and it's open now. Doesn't matter how big you've grown." She started towards the room. "Come sit down, and you can tell what's going on. Got feeling you didn't come out for social call." winced. I'm but I—" A knock on the door cut him off. J's eyes widened. "Anyone know you're here?" Darius shook his "No one come looking. into Gardener the way in, wouldn't have told anybody." J jerked the living room. "In there, and keep out sight. I'll who it is." She waited while ducked out of view of the door. From spot against the living room wall, he could hear her cross the hall, unfasten the deadbolt clicked, then the swung open. There a silence. spoke She sounded "Can I...help you?" Darius held his breath. The mystery visitor answered. yeah. I'm here with Darius deCompostela?" The breath whooshed out. back the hallway. J's jerked towards him. Darius her, the door the rest way and the figure the porch. "Georgia? What high fucking hell do you you're doing here?" # the reaction she'd been hoping for. Georgia swallowed Darius looked as furious as she'd ever him. Before she could think of something to say, he brushed past woman who the door and joined her on the porch. seized her
. Something expanded in his cheSt. "You too."

LoRd, he'd MisSed HeR. He hAdn't Even realized hoW Much. it was all he could do not to Walk oVeR, Bend DOwN and rEst his hEAd ON Her ShOuLdeR. HE HaD a feeLinG she wouLdn't mind if He dId.

instead, he jamMEd His hands in His Pockets. "Sorry To dRop in lIkE thIS."

She rOllEd her Eyes. "PlEAse. My dOor was opeN wHEn you wERe a boy, aND It'S opeN now. Doesn't matter hOW bIG you've grown." She StarteD tOWaRDS thE liVing room. "CoMe Sit doWN, and you CAn TELL me WHat's going on. GoT a feeling yoU DidN't come OuT heRE for a sOcial CaLL."

DaRius winced. "NO. I'm sOrry, but I—"

A Sharp kNOck on thE Door cut Him off. j's eYes WideNEd. "anYonE kNOw yOU'rE heRE?"

DaRius shooK hIs Head. "NO one WHO WOuld ComE looKing. RAn into Jim GardEneR on tHE waY in, buT he woUldn'T hAve toLd anybOdy."

J jErKed her chin towarDs thE living roOm. "IN tHerE, aNd keeP Out of sIghT. I'lL see who It is."

She WAitEd WHILe darius ducked out of vIeW OF tHe door. FrOm his sPOt AgAInst the lIvIng Room WALl, he cOuld HEaR her crosS the haLL, uNfAsten thE lOcks. ThE dEadBolT clicKEd, thEn the dOor swung Open. THEre was a long silENce.

J spoke firsT. shE SOuNDed sTunNed. "Can I...help You?"

DARius Held HIs BreATh.

The MysteRy VIsITor answered. "Um, yeah. I'm HeRe with dariuS deCompostela?"

the breath wHOOShed out. DAriuS StALked back into thE hallWay. J's head jERked towaRds hiM. Darius iGnored her, YANked the dOor The ResT of THE wAy open, and glowEREd ouT aT the leaTheR-and-denIm-cLad FigUre On The porch.

"GEorgia? WhAt ThE hIgH fuCking HEll do you ThInk YoU're Doing HEre?"

# CHApTER NiNETeEn

#

NOT quIte the rEAcTIOn shE'd BeEn hoPinG fOr.

GeoRgia SWalLowed haRd. Darius lOokED as fUrIoUs as she'D ever seen him. BEfOre she coulD tHinK of somETHing to saY, he brushed past the woman wHO had ansWerEd the Door And joined Her On the pOrcH. he seizEd her
. Something expanded in hi s chest. " You t oo. "
Lo rd,he'd  missed her. H e  had n't even realized howmuch.  I t  was al l hecould d o  n o t  to  w al k o ve r ,benddow n and r est his he adon  her shoulde r .He had a f eel ing she woul dn' t mind  i f h e  did. 

I nstea d, hej ammedhis hands  i n  his p o ckets." S or ry t o drop in like th i s. " 

She rolled h er eye s. "P l e ase . M y door was  o pen w h en youw er e a  bo y , and it's op en now. Doe s n't  matte rhow big yo u'vegr o wn. " She start ed t owards th e livi n g room. "Come s it dow n,and  you ca ntel lm e w h at 'sg oin g on. Go tafeeli ng y o u d idn' t c omeout h ere for a soc ial  cal l ."
Dari us wi nced ."No.I'm so rry,bu t I—"

A sharpknoc k on thedoo rcut  h im of f . J'seye s w idened.  "Anyon e  kn ow y o u' re here?"

Dariussh o o khis head . "Noo ne  w h o wouldco melook i n g. Ra n in t oJim Gard ener o n  t he  way in ,but he  w oul dn' t hav e  tol d anyb ody."

J  jerk e d her chin tow a rds the livin g  r o o m. "Inthe re, and kee p ou t  ofsigh t .I'l l  seewho i ti s. " 

She waited whileDa rius d ucked  out of viewof the doo r . From his  spo t  a g ainst the livi ng ro om wall, h e  could h ear h er cross  the hall , unfasten  th e l ock s.T h edeadbolt clic k e d, t he n the d oor  swungope n.The rewa s a longsilence. 
Jsp ok e f irst. She soun de d s tu nne d. "C a n I... helpyou? "
D a riu s heldh is b reat h. 
Themys te ry vi sito r  an swered.  "Um, yea h.I 'm h er ewith Da rius deCompos te la?"

Thebr eat h whoo s h ed out.Darius stalked back int o  the ha llw ay. J 's h ead jerke d t owards  hi m . Dari us ign oredhe r,y a nkedt h edoo rthe rest o f the  wayop en,and glo wered out at the l e ath er-and-denim- cla d fi g u re  on th e  po rc h .
" G eorgia? What th e high fuc ki n ghell do yo u  th in k you'r e doing  here ? "

# CH APTER NIN ETEEN

#
N ot q u i tethe reacti on she'd  been hop i ng fo r .
Geor gia  swall ow edhard.  Dariu s  lo okedas fur io us asshe'd  e ver seen  him. Before she couldthinkof so met hing to s ay, hebrushed p astthe womanwho  ha d ans wer e d the  doo r  a ndj oined  her on the po r ch . H e se ized her
. Something_expanded in_his chest. "You too."

Lord,_he'd missed_her._He hadn't_even_realized how much._It was all_he could do not_to walk over,_bend_down and rest his head on her shoulder. He had a feeling she wouldn't_mind_if he_did.

Instead,_he_jammed his hands in his_pockets. "Sorry to drop in_like this."

She_rolled her eyes. "Please. My door was open_when_you were a_boy, and it's open now. Doesn't matter how big_you've grown." She started towards the_living room. "Come_sit_down,_and you can tell_me what's going on. Got a_feeling you didn't come out here_for a social call."

Darius winced. "No. I'm_sorry, but I—"

A sharp knock on_the door cut him off._J's eyes_widened. "Anyone know you're here?"

Darius_shook his head._"No one_who would come_looking. Ran into Jim Gardener on_the way in,_but he wouldn't have told anybody."

J_jerked_her chin towards_the_living_room. "In_there, and keep_out_of sight._I'll_see who it is."

She waited while_Darius_ducked out of view of the door._From his spot against_the_living room wall, he_could hear her cross the_hall, unfasten the locks. The deadbolt_clicked, then_the door_swung open. There was a long silence.

J spoke first. She sounded_stunned. "Can I...help you?"

Darius held his_breath.

The mystery visitor answered._"Um, yeah._I'm_here with Darius_deCompostela?"

The_breath whooshed_out. Darius stalked back into the hallway._J's head_jerked towards him. Darius ignored her,_yanked the door the_rest_of the way open, and glowered_out at the leather-and-denim-clad figure on_the porch.

"Georgia? What the high_fucking_hell_do you think you're doing_here?"

# CHAPTER NINETEEN

#

Not quite the reaction_she'd been hoping_for.

Georgia swallowed hard. Darius looked as furious_as_she'd ever seen him. Before she_could_think of something to say, he_brushed_past_the woman who had answered_the door and joined her on_the porch. He seized her