Damn it. Adam gritted his teeth. He really wanted to throw Michael out on his ass, yet he’d said the one thing that guaranteed Adam wouldn’t. Unless…

He leveled a gaze at his brother. “Tell me the truth. Did they send you?”

“Why would they do that?”

“I don’t know. Maybe they think you’ll talk some sense into me. Who knows why they do anything? Just answer the question or this conversation is done.”

Michael sighed wearily. “No, Adam. Our parents didn’t send me. They don’t even know I’m here. I swear.”

Adam paused a moment as he decided whether or not to believe his brother. Michael could be a jerk at times, but he wasn’t usually a liar. Adam’s posture relaxed. “All right. Fine. I believe you.”

“Big of you,” his brother said, smirking, his own rigid frame releasing some tension as well.

“Well, I can see you haven’t changed much,” Adam told him, leaning against a rail. “Still the same smart-ass as always.”

Michael grinned. “Look who’s talking, punk.”

Though he was still pissed at his brother, Adam couldn’t help but grin at the old nickname his brother used to call him. He hadn’t heard it in a while. He’d missed that. “Where are you staying?”

Michael rocked back on his heels. “With you, if you’ll let me. You still have a guest room, don’t you?”

Adam was tempted as hell to say no, but unlike Michael, he wasn’t about to leave his own brother out in the cold. Not that it was cold in Texas during the summer, but still…“Yeah, I have a spare bedroom. It’s yours if you want it.”

“Good. Thanks,” Michael replied with a nod. Then he glanced at Preslee, his gaze traveling down her body and back up again. His eyes darkened, and he grinned, as if he liked what he saw. “Are you going to introduce me to your pretty friend?”

No. Adam didn’t want to introduce them and allow the two of them to become acquainted. What he wanted to do was punch his brother in the mouth for the way he’d just checked out his wom—

Ah, shit.

Preslee. Her name was Preslee. She was his client. Maybe even his friend. But she definitely wasn’t…his. He’d do well to remember that before the crazy ideas and erotic images of her floating around in his head complicated matters even more.

“Adam,” Preslee said, gaining his attention.

“Oh. Right.” It wasn’t like he had a choice. “Preslee, this is my brother, Michael Caldwell.”

“I didn’t know you had a sibling, Adam.”

He glanced at Michael and grinned. Ouch. That must’ve hurt.

Sure enough, Michael winced at her comment. Adam didn’t think she’d said it to get a dig in at his brother, but it served his traitorous brother right.