Though they’d spent a chunk of Sunday naked, they’d also watched a movie, hit the bookstore on Hale Street, and gone to Clayborne’s for dinner. In a way, it felt like they’d been together for years—natural, comfortable, companionable, with a healthy dose, or probably an above-average dose, of the most incredible sex of her life.

Tonight, however, Cole seemed a little distant. Preoccupied.

With the kitchen semi-tidied up, Sierra headed back toward the couch, noticing the envelope lying on the breakfast bar on her way.

“Is that the document Gabe gave you Saturday night?” she asked.

Cole looked up distractedly, then mumbled an mm-hmm when he saw what she pointed at.

“Have you signed it yet?” she asked, pretty sure Gabe had said something about bringing it into the North Brothers office today.

“Nah,” he said, apparently sending his play, as her phone dinged to notify her it was her turn.

As she opened the game, she eyed him. He’d told her the story of giving up his share of North Brothers Sports back when he was eighteen. It’d been seven figures at the time, but he hadn’t wanted a thing to do with it. She had no idea how much it was worth now, but she got the impression the amount would be staggering to her.

She made a comfortable living with Dunn & Lowell, basically had everything she needed, and she couldn’t fathom what a person would do with so much money. Especially a guy like Cole, who was humble, didn’t spend a lot, didn’t seem to need a lot beyond the basics. But even as an outsider to the North family, she could appreciate the significance of the gesture, the love and respect for his brothers to have kept his share separate and well-tended all these years, waiting for the right moment to return it to him. Now that he was working with them, getting along with them, it seemed like signing and accepting was a no-brainer. She bit down on any questions, as it wasn’t her business.

“Only twenty-seven points?” she scoffed as she saw his play and sidled up next to him on the couch. “You’re slipping. You must have terrible letters.”

“Accurate assessment. Just waiting for you to play something decent that I can play on.”

That wasn’t going to happen anytime soon. Her letters were mostly vowels and fully uninspiring. The man beside her, however…