“Checking you out is procedure.”

“And yet the question remains,” Cade said. “Why didn’t you mention you wanted custody?”

“It was never a secret,” Scott insisted. “Jacob is-was-completely alone. We didn’t even have Edna in the picture then. We just…” He shrugged. “We bonded in a very strong way right from the beginning. He needed someone and he liked me, even trusted me. I decided to petition for custody, because I saw no problem with my taking him.”

“But then you found Edna,” Cade said. “Did you rescind your request for custody then?”

“Yes, we found Edna, who was blood-related and was willing and able to handle both the boy and his financial situation.”

“So did you rescind the custody request?” Cade pressed, and Scott broke eye contact.

“No,” he said without further explanation.

“Does Edna know?”

“Look, all along we’ve known Edna’s just a temporary situation.”

Cade wasn’t buying that. “Because of her age?”

“Yes. She’d keep him, but it isn’t her first choice.”

“And your keeping Jacob had nothing to do with anything but your fondness for him?”

Scott’s eyes narrowed. “What are you getting at?”

“It’s just a question.”

“I don’t think I like the implication.”

“I haven’t implied anything. Yet. But there is the matter of your considerable debt,” Cade said.

Scott went still.

“Stock-market problems, Scott? Or maybe drugs?”

“I’ve never done drugs. I take care of children, for God’s sake,” Scott said furiously.

“Gambling, then?”

“That’s none of your business. I don’t know how you could have found out.”

“If I did, so will the court. You must realize you’ll be investigated if you’re going for custody.”

“I’m already approved for foster care-I have been for years. Again, this is none of your business.”

“No, but it’s Jacob’s,” Cade said. “He has a sizable inheritance.”

“That money is protected by his trust fund.”

“And accessible to Jacob’s guardian.”

Scott rose. “I’d like both of you to leave now.”

“I’m sure you would,” Cade said, rising, too, and reaching for Delia’s hand. He was shocked to feel it tremble before she turned up her palm to lock their fingers.

“This isn’t over,” she said to Scott.

“I think it is,” he replied.

“Have you turned in your report to the judge yet?” Cade asked.

Scott’s body couldn’t have gotten tenser. His phone rang but he ignored it. “No.”

Cade pulled Delia to the door. “Recommend Delia,” he suggested. “Edna’s only helping out of the goodness of her heart. There’s no reason for anyone else to take Jacob when his own sister wants him.”

“Unless that sister isn’t qualified.”

“I’m perfectly qualified,” Delia said proudly. “And don’t you dare throw the size of my bank account into my face, not ever again. You’re worse off than I am, and if I have to, I’ll make sure the judge knows it.”

She was glorious under pressure, Cade thought, watching her and experiencing feelings so strong he nearly staggered. No matter what life threw at her, she held up, when anyone else might have given up. “What’s it going to be, Scott?”

But the phone rang again, and Scott turned his back on them to answer it. Delia tugged Cade out of the office.

They didn’t speak until they were outside the tall building, standing on a small patch of grass in front of the parking lot, staring into the hot humid day.

“He’s not going to give up, is he?” Delia asked dully. She’d let go of Cade’s hand the moment they’d left Scott’s office, but he took it again now.

“We scared him,” he said. “I doubt he’ll dare mess with you now.”

“But what if he still looks better to the judge?”

The vulnerability she’d never really allowed him to see before shone through now, and it tugged at him hard. “We make sure the judge knows about his debts. Today. We send him the information we have on Scott and let Scott sink himself. Besides, by the custody-hearing date, I’m hoping we’ll have proof you’re the heir and you’ll have your sisters and Ty to back you up. Come on, honey, let’s go surprise Jacob and take him out for his favorite pizza.”

Delia went still at the endearment that had slipped so effortlessly off his tongue. She’d never liked it when a man called her such things. She’d never felt it honest, because in truth, she’d never allowed herself to be another man’s “honey” or anything remotely close.

But hearing Cade’s deep warm voice call her “honey,” well, it seemed another matter entirely. And without meaning to, she looked up at him with all of her heart in her eyes.

In response, he whispered her name as he softly touched her face, brushed her hair off her cheek.

“I’ve been trying to keep this simple between us,” she said. “And yet what I feel for you isn’t simple at all.” His gaze met hers and she smiled bemusedly. “I don’t want to feel it, you don’t want to feel it, either, so why won’t it just go away and leave us alone?”

His eyes were serious as he skimmed her jaw with one calloused palm. “I haven’t a clue. Come here, Delia.”

They were completely alone in the tiny park. Her eyes never left his as she did what he asked and stepped closer.

“This is one of the moments when maybe we could share strength. Sort of double it up. What do you think?”

“Why do you need to be strong? This is my problem, right?”

He shook his head. “No, you’re not alone, remember? Our problem. And I need your strength because just being with you makes me feel a bit weak. Help me out here, could you?”

He was teasing her, of course. He didn’t need her strength-he was strong enough for the both of them-but he thought he could help, he wanted to help, and suddenly she knew she was going to let him. Without hesitation she curled her arms around his neck at the same moment he wrapped his around her waist. Slowly they drifted closer and closer, till they were in an embrace that was as necessary as breathing.

“Damn, you feel good,” he whispered in her ear, and when she settled her hips against his, she felt him harden. Not thinking, only reacting to the bolt of heat spiraling through her, she pressed herself to him, eliciting a deep-throated groan that vibrated from his chest to hers.

“Am I sharing enough strength?” she asked shakily, trying to laugh off all this unbearable heat between them, because if she didn’t, she might drown in it.

He didn’t return the laugh, but nudged himself closer against her. She became lost in the feel of him, then the taste of him when he bent to take her mouth in a deep wet kiss that made her forget Jacob, forget Scott, forget that they were standing in a public place, locked in each other’s arms.

However, reality intruded a few seconds later when a car raced by them. And the reality was, they were two people who couldn’t seem to stay away from each other and yet were not able to let go of the demons of their past enough to be together.

For just a moment, a weak moment, pressed safe and warm against his lean muscular body, Delia couldn’t remember why he couldn’t be “the One,” and she thought maybe, just maybe, he’d forgotten why she couldn’t be, too.

He broke off the kiss and let out a groan, dropping his forehead to hers as his chest jerked with his ragged breathing. “The more you share, the weaker I get,” he muttered in her ear.

The power of that, of making this incredible male tremble, went straight to her head. She couldn’t hold back her satisfied little smile, and he had to return it.

“In fact,” he said, his voice still rough with desire, “if you share any more, I am going to drop right here on the ground. We’d better go.” But he took another second to slide his big hands down her spine to briefly cup her bottom. “Before I forget that we’re standing out in public and drag you down to that bench over there.”

Because she couldn’t help herself, she gave one last arch toward him, watching his eyes darken all the more. “Oh, that helps,” he muttered. “Delia-”