Surrender 01 - Surrender

taste, but she has her qualities,” Rafe started when he heard his mother gasp in shock at his rudeness.
    “However,” he continued. “My dating life is none of your business, Shane. Mom, if I were to ever get that serious about a woman, I would tell you. The bottom line is that no woman has gained much of my interest in a long time — Ari included,” he finished.
    “That is a horrible thing to say, Rafe,” Rosabella scolded.
    “I think it’s best if we just drop this subject. Besides, I’m far more interested in learning why Shane and Lia can’t even seem to look at each other.”
    All heads turned to Lia first, whose face was flaming red, and then to Shane, who seemed to be breaking out in a sweat.
    “There’s nothing to tell,” Shane said awkwardly as he fiddled with his cuffs.
    “Nothing to tell! How about a few months ago when you spent the night together,” Rachel piped in with a wicked smile.
    “What!” Rafe thundered as he glared at his best friend.
    “Before you attempt to kill me, let me explain. We didn’t exactly spend the night together…” he hedged.
    “You have about five seconds to explain before I toss you from a moving vehicle, then have the driver run you over.”
    “Look, Lia and I were at the same fundraiser a few months ago and we got together for dinner and drinks. We both ended up drinking a few too many glasses of the exquisite wine and then decided to have a couple of glasses more in my room before calling it a night. We passed out. Nothing happened.” When a deathly silence filled the car, he added, “I swear!”
    “ Dad, open the door — I think I'll throw Shane out anyway ,” Rafe thundered.
    “You’re such a damn hypocrite. I didn’t even touch your sister — I treated her with nothing but respect. I love your family too much to violate Lia. You, however, treat women like they’re nothing more than used gum on the bottom of your shoe and you’re going to sit back and judge me ? I love you, Rafe, but when it comes to women, you’re a certified asshole,” Shane said with a glare.
    “Ha! Talk about the pot calling the kettle black. When’s the last time you’ve spent two nights in a row with the same woman? At least I’m responsible in my affairs. I stay with the same person for a minimum of three months,” Rafe countered.
    “You think you deserve sainthood because you treat your relationships like another business merger?”
    “There’s nothing wrong with having strict guidelines.”
    “I think we should just drop this, Rafe.”
    “You’re probably right. I’d rather we didn’t say something that can’t be taken back.”
    Rafe looked around — he’d forgotten for a moment that his parents were sitting across from him. He didn’t like the look of censure in his mother’s eyes or the thoughtful expression on his sisters’ faces.
    Rafe sat there brooding during the rest of the ride to the restaurant. The complications with Ari continued to pile up, and he wished he were alone to think everything over. Was he in over his head? Surely not.
    When the limo stopped, Rafe nearly sighed with relief. Too much tension. It didn’t help that his sisters seemed to be communicating silently with each other. The two of them had done that since they were little, and more often than not, it had led to trouble.
    As his family was seated, Rafe noticed the continuing tension between Shane and Lia. He needed to take his friend aside soon and find out exactly what was going on. He and Shane were cut from the same cloth — both messed up when it came to women. Rafe didn’t want Lia mixed up in that. He didn’t think his friendship could survive it.

    *****

    “Are you going to refuse to meet my eyes now?”
    Shane stood there trapped by the door of the men’s restroom. He hadn’t thought Lia would follow him there. Rafe had to be even more suspicious, and Shane knew a private confrontation was coming. If Rafe finds out about the vivid dreams I’m having about his sister, I’m dead meat…
    After several awkward seconds, Shane finally looked at Lia. Her worried expression and defensive stance didn’t improve his outlook on the situation.
    “Lia, this is a mistake. I shouldn’t have kissed you that night — Rafe’s my best friend. I just don’t know how it happened.”
    “I’m not a little girl anymore, Shane. I can kiss guys all I want without my big brother’s permission. As a matter of fact, I can even have sex with them if I want,” she