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poker game. Think Jas wants to teach Noelle how to play?"
    From what he'd seen of Noelle and Jas lately, any poker game with the two of them would involve betting clothing and eventually sexual favors. Fun as hell, but Rachel was still holding on to too much of that sweet Eden innocence that Noelle had been throwing away with both hands.
    "Better off asking Flash and Amira," he suggested instead. "She's going crazy, waiting for that baby to join us. Or maybe Flash is the one driving her there."
    Rachel blew her bangs out of her face and sighed. "He's worried about her, that's all. Just scared."
    "I know. Hell, we're all a little worried. Babies aren't much of a thing out here."
    "Yeah." Rachel picked up a dishcloth and twisted it between her fingers.
    He watched her wrench it into knots, her grip white-knuckled, before closing his hand over hers. "What's weighing so heavy on you, honey?"
    She didn't answer at first. Emotion played across her face--anger, hurt, bewilderment--and she whispered, "There's nothing more important than the brotherhood, is there?"
    Ace and Cruz, then. It must seem like that from the outside, like they'd fallen together and left her behind, and the guys would close ranks behind them. Which was true.
    To a point.
    Cruz was new, but Ace had been around long enough to know what would happen if the O'Kane women decided he'd done Rachel wrong. "You're forgetting sisterhood."
    "Touché." She swallowed hard and looked up at him, her gaze bordering on pleading. "What would you do?"
    There was no answer he could give that would fix things, and that hurt most of all. "I always do the same thing. Love everyone who crosses my path. Love 'em as much as I can, for as long as they need." He brushed his thumb over her cheek and tucked a lock of hair back from her face. "You're not me, honey."
    She leaned in to his touch. "I could be. Is it easier?"
    "It's the easiest thing in the world." He curled an arm around her and tugged her against his side, a little comfort to soften the truth to come. "But it won't heal what's hurting you."
    Rachel poked him. "It's not so bad. I'm not brooding, or anything. Much," she added ruefully.
    He poked back, throwing in a tickle to make her smile. "Nah, you're just smashing around and ripping your fingernails off."
    "What do I care, anyway?" Rachel hid her face against his shoulder, belying the defiance of her words. "I'm free. I can do whatever the hell I want."
    "Sure you can. Lord knows it's a pleasure I've enjoyed to its fullest." He rubbed her back, sliding his fingers along her spine in long, soothing strokes. "You've never done that, have you?"
    "What? Thrown myself into affairs?"
    "Is that what you want?"
    "Maybe." She tilted her head back and met his gaze. "I'm tired of doing things my way. It's not working."
    The moment was so delicate, and the familiar temptation rose. Rachel was sweet-natured with a delicious edge of sass, and he was as fond of her as he was of all the O'Kane girls. There was an invitation in her eyes, whether she knew it or not, one it would be no hardship to accept.
    He knew how to play a good hero. Sweep in and rock her world, and it wouldn't have to be anything more than the same easy pleasure he'd shared with Trix already that night. Two friends getting each other off.
    But she was right. Brotherhood mattered, and Ace was still in love with her.
    Smiling, he rubbed his thumb along her jaw. "You're dancing. That's new. Have you got anything else you've always wanted to try?"
    She blinked, the moment dissipating like smoke. "I haven't decided yet."
    Mad laughed--and put some space between them, just in case. "Well, there's your first step. Put that big brain to work on figuring it out."
    "Right." Glass clinked as she lifted another tray and then put it down again. "Did I do something wrong? Did I hurt him somehow? I don't--" She dug her teeth into her lower lip with a wince. "No, forget it."
    He couldn't leave that unanswered, brotherhood or no, so he