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riding his bike all around Tennessee. And pissed at his brother because he couldn’t get off the drugs.
    If only he’d come home. If only he’d been here, maybe things would have been different.
    â€œSo what happened?” he asked.
    â€œWhat happened? Oh, between Kurt and me? He was nice. We had fun together, but the chemistry between us just wasn’t enough to sustain the relationship, so it was a mutual breakup. I didn’t know about the drug thing back then. He hid it well.”
    Brady looked down at his shoes. He never wanted to talk about his brother, never wanted to relive the pain and the guilt he felt. “Yeah, he did that well.”
    â€œNone of us knew. Not until a lot later.”
    He finally lifted his gaze to hers. “I knew. I knew for a long time.”
    She gave him a sympathetic look. “But you couldn’t have fixed him, Brady. No one could have. Surely you understand that.”
    This wasn’t the first time someone had tried to hit him with understanding and sympathy. The problem was, no one understood the deep bond he’d shared with his brother. They’d been tight since they were kids, and no matter what had gone down, they had always been there for each other.
    He should have tried harder to reach him, should have pushed harder for another shot at rehab for Kurt, instead of shrugging and staying out of town, hoping like hell his brother would see the light this time and climb out of his heroin addiction.
    Instead, he’d let it go. And his brother had died as a result, because he hadn’t cared enough to push one more time.
    He stood, realizing he needed to get out of there before he drowned in the thick fog of painful memories. “I need to go.”
    Megan frowned. “Are you all right?”
    â€œYeah, I’m fine. I just have an early day tomorrow.”
    â€œOh, of course, sure.”
    He scooped up the pup, then turned to Megan. “Hey, thanks for dinner tonight. I really appreciate it.”
    â€œYou’re welcome.” She walked him to the door and opened it, then grasped his arm. “Brady.”
    He turned to face her. “Yeah.”
    â€œIf you ever need someone, I’m here for you.”
    Same thing he’d told his brother during one of the many times he’d thrown out the lifeline. Only Kurt hadn’t grabbed it. “Thanks.”
    He looked into Megan’s warm brown eyes, and on impulse, grabbed her around the waist, needing that contact of another human being, something he’d denied himself for far too long.
    Just for one damn second. He tugged her against him and his lips met hers in a crashing thunder of hot passion. She moaned against his lips, grasping his shirt in her hands, and for just a few seconds, he felt wildly alive again.
    And damn, it felt good.
    Roxie squirmed between them and he backed away. Megan licked her lips and he felt a moment of regret for leaving.
    But he had to get away.
    â€œNight,” he said, then turned and walked to his truck, feeling more regret now than ever before.
    *   *   *
    MEGAN WAITED AT the door until Brady pulled away. She was certain she didn’t exhale until she saw his truck turn the corner.
    Then she remembered to breathe.
    â€œWow,” she whispered to herself as she closed and locked the door.
    That had been some kiss. Passion and need had been wrapped up in Brady’s kiss, along with a desperate longing that had surprised and touched her, awakening a hunger within herself she hadn’t even realized she had.
    She knew Brady had taken the loss of his brother hard, but until now, she hadn’t understood how hard. She’d thrown out the comment about dating his brother in an offhanded way, not realizing how difficult it was going to be for him to even hear his brother’s name mentioned.
    As she picked up the glasses and carried them to the sink, she thought about how reclusive Brady had been since