Drake Sisters 06 - Turbulent Sea

confirming what Joley had said, Logan spun around, his eyes bright with success. 'Tish, come here, honey' He held out his hand to her.
    Tish pressed Lissa closer to her. 'Don't leave when the others do. Stay, just a few minutes so we can be alone. I need someone to talk to.'

'Sure, but right now, let me hold the baby. Logan looks like he wants attention.' She was shamelessly playing matchmaker, but she was happy and she wanted Tish to be happy as well. She held out her arms for the baby.
    Tish hesitated, confirming Joley's suspicion that she was hiding behind the baby. Reluctantly Tish gave Lissa to her and stood up. Joley watched her cross to Logan's side. She didn't pull back when he wrapped his arm around her and held her close, but she didn't lean into him either. Body language suggested that Tish was conflicted, and it wasn't difficult to guess what she wanted to talk with Joley about.
    You look good with that baby. When you have mine, you '11 have to sit naked with all that beautiful soft skin, with our child in your arms, at your breast, and I'll just watch until it's my turn.
    She sucked in her breath. Her breasts ached, sending little sneaky curls of heat radiating from her nipples to her feminine sheath. Muscles rippled and her body softened, went damp. Her breath left her lungs in a little rush. More than the words and the erotic images he thrust into her mind, it was the sexy sound of his voice. The tone played over her skin like caressing fingers, or worse, a stroking, sinful tongue.
    No babies. I told you that. They 're fine asleep, but I'm not so good with them when they're awake. You '11 just have to be content with suckling all by yourself. She felt very daring teasing him. If she could have, she might have taken another long, slow lick of her palm, but she wasn't all that adroit at holding babies and she was afraid she might disturb Lissa.
    'Hey you,' Brian said softly, dropping into the vacated seat beside her. 'How are you feeling? They escorted you in so late that I didn't really get much of a chance to talk to you about what happened. Let's see your head.' He swept back her hair and whistled low under his breath. 'Black and blue and swollen. That looks nasty.'
    'It hurts,' Joley confirmed, stealing a quick glance at Ilya before meeting Brian's eyes. 'How 'bout you? Are you doing okay?'
    'I went to see Sergei,' Brian said in a rush. 'I had to. If he was the one who ordered that bombing, I had to try to stop him.'
    Joley shook her head, glanced around and lowered her voice even more. All around them, the band, their women and friends partied, but she and Brian were isolated by secrets. 'You shouldn't have gone, finan, it's too dangerous.'
    He slipped his finger into the baby's hand and watched her curl tiny, soft fingers around it. 'I don't know what to think - what to believe. He swore -looked me right in the eye and swore - he would never harm you because you're my family and he knows that. He said he had loaned Ilya to you now, when he needed him most, to make certain nothing happens to you - that he did that for me. And God help me, Joley, I believe him.'
    Joley pressed her cheek against the baby's face. She ached inside for Brian. She knew what loneliness was. And she knew heartache. Brian was a good man and he deserved to be happy. He'd sacrificed any relationship to keep their band going, and now, when he'd finally found someone he could love, it was the wrong person. She wished she could find a way to help him. 'Brian, you know I love you very much,' she whispered softly. 'You're an amazing person. I'm sorry about Nikitin. I really am.'
    'You're wrong about him. You could be wrong. I know he was once involved in the mob. He was born into it, but he's worked hard to become a legitimate businessman.'
    'I wish I could say I believed that, but it just isn't true.'
    'How do you know? You're obviously falling for his bodyguard. Did he tell you that?'
    Alarm bells went off. She sat up straight and tried not to look frightened. 'No, of course not. My family is in law enforcement. I told you that. I had them double-check, but I think you can dig up the facts yourself, Brian. I'm not saying that to hurt you. If I thought for one moment there was a chance this was all a mistake, I'd totally be on your side, but you know better. Deep down, you know better.'
    'People change, Joley'
    'I know they do, Brian.' She couldn't stop the flick of her gaze to Ilya.
    Do you need me, lubov moya?
    She moistened