What other reasons could there be for taking the pill? He wanted to ask but felt as though that was probably none of his business. They hadn’t risked a pregnancy. That was all he needed to know. “Okay.”

When their eyes met, he was tempted to try to kiss her again. She looked slightly rumpled with her wavy dark hair falling in an unruly mass about her shoulders, and those large eyes, framed with long lashes, were peering up at him. The scars on her cheek were there, of course. They were red and angry and terribly unfortunate. But her coloring, her gorgeous hair and beautiful eyes, along with the oval shape of her face, created a pretty picture in spite of them.

And he already knew how soft her skin was.

If only he could part her robe and slip his hands inside...

Maybe he would have acted on that impulse had his phone not signaled a text.

She gestured expectantly toward his pocket. “I think someone’s trying to get hold of you.”

Since she’d noticed, too, he pulled out his phone for the obligatory check.

Are you coming to brunch?

Apparently, his mother had been trying to reach him all morning. He’d missed several messages from her. Dallas and Emery had shown up this morning to surprise her for Christmas. They’d come early because they were going to Boston to spend the holiday with Emery’s mother and grandmother, so Aiyana had decided to take the day off and had made a big meal.

Can I bring Tia? he wrote back. There was no way he could leave her on the property alone—not with Kouretas skulking about.

Of course, came Aiyana’s immediate response.

“My brother and his wife are in town, so my mom’s made brunch,” he said. “She wants me to invite you.” It didn’t happen in quite that way, but he thought Tia would be more likely to agree if she thought it was Aiyana’s idea.

When Tia still hesitated as though she’d refuse, he guessed she was worried about being spotted. But if she was well covered and her scars weren’t visible, even if Kouretas did get a few shots they wouldn’t be worth anything. “We’ll make it so that no one will be able to recognize you until after we get inside my mother’s house.”

“It sounds like a family thing,” she said. “I don’t want to intrude.”

“It’ll be good for you to get out and start interacting with people. This gives you the chance to start with a small, friendly gathering.”