Raising the Bar

Chapter One

Dylan Warren paced outside the government complex and shivered in the cold December wind. Even in Augusta, Georgia, winters could get a bit chilly.

I can do this. It’s nothing but a thing. No one has to know.

After taking a deep breath, he let it out and entered the building, all the while cursing himself for letting Derrick take advantage of his generosity. How could he have forgotten for even a second that his twin was the Warren brother who never lost a bet?

Because of Derrick, the freakin’ Bears—who couldn’t seem to win a game—and his own stupidity, Dylan found himself doing something he hadn’t done in twenty years. God, I am too old for this shit. As he entered the narrow corridor leading to professional suicide, he tugged at the raggedy sweater that passed for Derrick’s Sunday best and swore again, clutching the handful of papers he’d memorized last night.

A gift for total recall was the only thing going in his favor today. He had a meeting with his mother later that he’d been dreading. As he waited in the quiet lobby of the planner’s office, he tried not to dwell on what might go wrong with Derrick’s stupid scheme. He had a hard enough time living up to his mother’s estimable reputation without getting caught playing dress-up. Christ, if Dr. Barbara Ann Warren got wind of this, he’d never hear the end of it. But then, that might be preferable to hearing about—

“Derrick Warren?” A prim older woman who looked like she walked with a stick up her ass stood in the doorway to his left and stared down her nose at him. The dreaded secretary, Marly Bennett. Derrick had warned him that the woman ate contractors like candy.

“Yes, ma’am?” He gave her his best grin, and her frown turned into a tight-lipped line.

“Ms. Wielder will see you now.”

“Thank you.” As he drew closer, he stopped and sniffed. “I hope you don’t think this too forward, but you smell wonderful. You’re wearing Vintage, aren’t you?”

She blinked at him. “Why yes, I am.” The woman looked old enough to be his grandmother, but the warm smile she gave him told him she appreciated his noticing. At least the old Warren charm hadn’t disappeared along with his good sense.

He entered the office and found the city planner, Natalie Wielder, waiting impatiently at her desk. He stepped forward and held out a hand. “Ms. Wielder.”

She shook it and gestured for him to sit. “Mr. Warren.” She blew out a breath. “Cut the crap, Derrick. You’re late.” Apparently she and Derrick were on a first-name basis. One more thing his idiot brother hadn’t told him.

He frowned. “I was told the appointment was for noon.”

“Try eleven forty-five. You’re lucky you’re good-looking or Marly would have tossed you out on your ass. She has a thing for younger men, you know,” Natalie added with a smirk.

Friggin’ Derrick and his suck-ass ability to remember details—like what time the meeting started. “Sorry. I must have written it down wrong.”

“Whatever.” Natalie waved aside his apology. “You know Harper.”

No, he didn’t. Dylan forced himself to hold it together as he glanced over his shoulder at the man leaning against the wall, his thick forearms crossed over a broad chest. He had sandy hair and dark brown eyes and was dressed in a flannel shirt, jeans and work boots. A faint reference to Harper somebody came to mind. Derrick had been bitching about something…blah, blah, blah, and Harper fixed it.

Dylan nodded to the man. “Harper.” The guy had long eyelashes, a tanned complexion and really large biceps. He was handsome, ruggedly so. And not someone Derrick would ever find sexually attractive. Dylan, on the other hand…

“Derrick.” Harper’s eyes narrowed as he looked Dylan over, but he said nothing more.

“Give me the papers, Derrick. Derrick?” Natalie raised her voice.

Dylan turned away from Harper and his chocolaty brown eyes and handed her the report he’d been carrying. “Sorry. Been a long day.”

“And it’s only noon,” Natalie jeered. She studied the notes, reading through Derrick’s presentation, giving him a moment to compose himself.

A good thing, because Dylan found himself rattled. Derrick had given him the bare bones about today’s meeting. A necessary evil to clinch the new city development deal. Derrick had already been given the green light. He saw today as a mere formality. Yet Dylan considered the meeting anything but.

Natalie Wielder treated him with barely concealed disdain. He’d already been late. And holy shit, but this Harper guy stunned him. Dylan had particular tastes in his sexual partners. He was a professional, dated professionals, and liked men and women equally. He cared less about pedigree and looks than about a person’s inner character, probably because he’d grown up trying to figure out what made people tick.

But his reaction to Harper alarmed him, because he didn’t normally grow breathless around…well, anyone. He chalked up his nerves to the threat of being exposed as a fraud and did his best to focus.

Natalie asked Dylan questions about the bid, and he answered them easily enough. He concentrated on being Derrick, aware his brother was counting on him. Sydney had finally put his brother out of his misery and moved in with him, and Derrick planned to capitalize on his good fortune with a weekend of unbridled sex. The lucky bastard.

If only the Bears had made that final field goal, Dylan wouldn’t have lost that stupid bet. Then Derrick would have had to postpone his trip to Charleston. Derrick would have answered all of Natalie’s questions. And Derrick wouldn’t have to ignore an unwelcome attraction to the tall, brooding Harper.

Natalie asked Dylan a few more questions before turning her attention to the hunky guy in flannel.

She said his name twice, and Dylan belatedly realized Harper had been watching him instead of paying attention to her. Hell.

Harper blinked. “Sorry, Nat. What’s that?”

She gave him an odd look. “You sure you got enough sleep last night? You’re as off as Derrick today.”

“Thanks a lot,” Dylan muttered.

Harper shook his head. “Just… Nothing.”

“Good. These figures are the same ones we discussed two weeks ago, so I’m glad we’re still tracking on budget. But what about the additional buildings near the new civic center? How are we on that project?” She included Dylan in her question, and he didn’t know what to say. Derrick hadn’t mentioned anything about some civic center buildings. What the hell had happened to Answer questions from the report, accept the job, and shake the barracuda’s hand for me. It’s all just a lot of red tape. I’ve already got the job?

“Hmm, the civic center. Let me think.” How to bluff his way out of this one?

Harper spoke. “I can’t answer for Derrick, but I’d say we’re square. No issues on our initial groundwork for the new government offices.”

Dylan coughed. “Yeah, what he said.” That sounded like something Derrick would say.

Natalie nodded. “Okay. Then, Derrick? We’re good. You’ve got the project. I’ll see you in two weeks for an update. Friday at eleven forty-five.”

He smiled, relieved this farce was over. “Sure thing. Great. Thanks.” He stood to leave.

“So has Sydney found me a house yet? I like her. I’m still not sure how you ended up with her, though.” Natalie gave him a baleful once-over, and had Dylan not been playing a part, he’d have enjoyed her seeming immunity to Derrick’s allure.

“Sydney’s great.” She made his brother happy, and for that, Dylan loved her. It didn’t hurt that she also happened to be as beautiful on the inside as she was on the outside. Yet another great future sister-in-law to add to the family. “I don’t know about your house. She tells me to keep my big nose out of her business.” He’d overheard her tell Derrick to butt out several times. No lie there.

Natalie chuckled, and now that the stress of the meeting had faded, Dylan could see the woman had nice eyes. She was a little too businesslike for his taste, but he appreciated her quick mind and wide smile.

“I like your girlfriend. Tell her I’ll call her soon.”

“I will.” He turned, only to bump into Harper, and his entire body locked up.

“I’ll walk you out,” Harper said smoothly, his voice deeper than Dylan’s. Husky, sexy. And totally off limits for heterosexual Derrick.

Dylan took a step back and quirked a grin. “Sure thing, man. See you, Natalie.” Shit. He had to get away from this place and back to his office to change. He checked his watch. He had less than an hour before he had to meet his mother. It wouldn’t be good form to be late to lunch, dressed in Derrick’s attempt at business casual. Besides, he needed to don some metaphorical armor—his business dress and sports coat—because he had a bad feeling he knew what she wanted to tell him.

They left the office, and Dylan waved to Marly, who winked back at him.

He exited the building and had nearly reached his brother’s green SUV when Harper put a hand on his arm.

“Yeah?” Dylan asked gruffly as he turned and nearly bumped into Harper again. The man stood too close, caging Dylan between the vehicle and his body.

Harper smiled, and a sly expression passed over his face as he gave Dylan a less-than-subtle once-over. “You must be Dylan. Uncanny. You guys are identical.”

“Dude, I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Dylan snorted and ignored the sweat beading on his brow despite the cold. Hell, he had a few patients who worked in the mayor’s office. If word of today got out, his reputation would take a serious hit. Grown men didn’t swap places with their sex-obsessed twins. “Gotta go. I’ll see you—”

“Tell you what. Why don’t we go back inside and ask Natalie what she thinks? Maybe you could tell her all about the faculties project we didn’t get to in the meeting.” Harper folded his arms across his chest and waited. He didn’t look amused.

“Oh, uh, that project.” Dylan shrugged. “I agree with you. We’re on the same page, man. Don’t sweat it.”

Harper raised a brow. “That’s odd, because the faculties project doesn’t exist. I just made that up.”

“I knew that. I was messing with you.” Dylan needed to leave. Now. “You going to move or what, Harper?”

“What’s my last name?”

“Dumbass?”

Harper chuckled and stepped closer. They stood practically on top of each other, and Dylan swallowed hard. “Yeah, and there’s that,” Harper murmured with what sounded like satisfaction.

“What?”

Harper licked his lips. “That. In all the time I’ve known Derrick, he’s never looked at my mouth like he wants to fuck it.”

Dylan flushed. He tried to back away and found himself ass-up against the SUV. “I’m not sure what you mean. I, ah—”

“Come on. I know you’re not Derrick.”

Dylan groaned, because damn if he could stop thinking about fucking Harper’s mouth. So not professional, and worlds away from his brother’s personality. “It was that obvious I wasn’t Derrick?”

“Not to anyone who doesn’t really know him. I pay attention to the details. Your brother is a lot more fidgety than you. Too much nervous energy. And he’s never worn a watch. Ever. The guy is not obsessed with time.”

“Hell.” Dylan hadn’t thought anyone would notice. He went nowhere without his watch. Unlike his twin, he’d been born punctual. Two minutes before Derrick, in fact. “You’re not going to mention this to Natalie, are you?”

“Not if you explain it to me.” Harper didn’t move.

“You’re in my personal space.”

“I know.” That smoldering look Dylan couldn’t ignore.

He coughed and hoped Harper wouldn’t notice the erection he didn’t think the jeans masked.

So of course Harper backed up a pace and glanced at his crotch before meeting Dylan’s gaze with a smirk. “So what’s it going to be? I go in and tell Natalie you and Derrick are swapping places? It took Derrick a long time to get in her good graces. If she thinks she’s been played, she won’t like that. She’ll probably pull the deal. Or you can explain it right now.”

“I can’t.”

Harper turned to go, and Dylan grabbed his arm. “Wait! Okay? I lost a bet. I’d explain further, but I literally can’t tell you now, because I have a business appointment I can’t miss in another…” he looked at his watch, “…forty minutes that’s all the way across town. Unlike Derrick, I’m always on time. And I can’t miss this. I promise to tell you all about it later.”

Harper pursed his lips. “Hmm. Later, huh? Over dinner?”

“Sure. Yes. Dinner.” Whatever he wanted. Dylan had to go.

“Give me your number.” Harper pulled out his cell phone.

Dylan rattled off his phone number and Harper punched in the numbers.

“I’ll text you directions to the place,” Harper murmured. “It’s on the Hill, a nice place I think you’ll like…Doctor Warren.”

“Hell. You know who I am.” Great. Dylan could envision his clients, who came to him to help them solve their problems, learning that he’d swapped places with his brother to fool the city planner. What a wonderful note to put on his résumé. Immature? Check. Idiotic? Double check.

“I always look into the people Natalie hires. We’re all about avoiding scandal.”

Dylan suddenly recalled the last mayor’s abrupt exit from office, when several unapproved drains on the city’s budget had come under fire. Rumors of escort services and questionable use of government funds came to mind.

Harper added, “You Warrens are pretty popular in social circles and especially with this administration since you’ve done so much work for the city. Your brothers have a reputation. Gage is almost as bad as the, and I quote, ‘sexy Warren twins’.”

Dylan sighed. “Text me the directions and I’ll be there. Six okay?”

“Fine. See you then, Doc.” Harper left whistling, and Dylan decided that, bet or no bet, he planned on punching his brother as soon as the moron returned from his weekend away.

Conscious of losing valuable time, Dylan hurried into his brother’s SUV, now wondering why they’d bothered to swap their vehicles in the first place. He pulled out of the lot and drove in a hurry to his office. There, he changed into true business casual—khaki slacks, a button-down shirt, dress shoes, and his favorite cologne. He grabbed a sports coat from the coat rack, donned it, and hastened back into the SUV, now confident in his professional armor.

Twenty minutes later, after scrounging for a parking spot, he entered The Green Man, his mother’s favorite restaurant, and allowed the host to escort him to her table, expecting to find her alone.

“Dylan.” James Kincaid, his mother’s partner and the reason for Dylan’s constant headache, smiled up at him.

“You’re right on time.” His mother smiled as well and accepted his kiss on her cheek.

“James. Mom.” He should have known better than to think she’d make the meeting easy on him. Then again, perhaps with James present, she wouldn’t pester Dylan about his lack of a social life. “Although, this is a working lunch. Should I say Doctors Kincaid and Warren?”

“Now, Dylan. This is a friendly lunch.” James shook his head.

Who the hell had asked him to speak? Dylan cocked a brow. “Friendly?” How friendly are you with my mother, asshole? Dylan had been dreading this meeting for weeks, pretty sure the vibe he’d been getting from James and his mother meant more than business.

“Dylan.” His mother shot him a warning frown, then eased her lips into a smile when she looked at James. A man several years her junior. Her partner, for God’s sake. “Well, James? Should we tell him?”

Oh no. Please. Anything but that he’d have to call James “Dad”.

James cleared his throat. It annoyed Dylan that the guy looked closer to Dylan’s age than his mother’s, though he knew James to be in his early fifties. Bright blue eyes, black hair that had only recently begun to gray, and a muscular frame held James in good stead with the ladies, or so his mother’s secretary seemed to think. Diane knew everything about everything, and she loved dishing to Dylan during his visits.

James nodded to Dylan’s mother, and she said, “We’d love for you to join us, Dylan. James and I have been talking. We want to cut back on the work we have. Time to start enjoying retirement.”

Dylan frowned. He hadn’t expected that. The relief he should have felt, that his mother wasn’t going to profess her undying love for James, slid under worry. “Retirement? You’re ready to quit the practice?” He knew his mother had money, but not enough that she’d leave a lucrative job so soon. He thought she enjoyed her work.

“No.” James shook his head. Then, to Dylan’s dismay, the other shoe dropped. James covered Barbara’s hand. In front of Dylan. “Your mother and I are seeing each other. We want to start enjoying ourselves more, and we thought you’d be the perfect man to step in. We’ve been talking about bringing someone in for a while, to free up our hours.”

“You’re stellar with your patients, and there’s no one we’d trust more,” his mother said kindly.

What was all this we nonsense? Dylan didn’t often swear, but between his brother and mother, he felt more than ready to curse a blue streak. He deliberately clamped down on his emotions, conscious of the way his mother and James were watching him.

Considering he’d known this was coming, he should have been better prepared to handle the news. He’d analyzed his growing hostility toward James, knew he had issues concerning his own relationship with his mother that he transferred to James, but he hadn’t yet resolved his feelings. Though his father had been dead for over ten years, he still seemed like such a large presence in Barbara’s life.

Dylan cleared his throat and forced a smile. “I’ll have to take some time to consider joining you. I do appreciate the offer, I hope you know.” He swallowed a large mouthful of water and decided to ignore their being a couple for now. “I have my own patients at the hospital, but I’ve been toying with the idea of branching out on my own.”

He couldn’t look away from their joined hands. Especially when James stroked Barbara’s with his thumb.

Jealousy ate at Dylan like a cancer, shocking in its ferocity. Jealousy? Was that it? He didn’t like another man taking the role he’d assumed when his father had passed? Dylan did his best to keep a calm expression and took another large sip of water.

“Dylan?” his mother asked softly.

Saved by an arriving waiter, he brought himself back under control while everyone ordered. The waiter left, and he spoke before he could reconsider his answer, separating business from personal concerns. “Joining you would be a smart move for my career. You already have an established clientele. Many of whom would view me as an extension of you, Mom, to ease the transfer of cases. I’ll also have several who will follow me into the practice, I’d think. On the surface, it seems like a no-brainer. But I’ll think on it, if you don’t mind.”

“I would expect nothing less.” Barbara’s eyes sparkled with joy.

“Terrific.” James slapped him on the back, and Dylan smiled through gritted teeth.

Swear to God, he calls me “Son” and I’ll lose it.

Thankfully, his mother turned the conversation toward his younger brother’s pending nuptials. Gage and Hailey made a terrific couple, and his heart lightened at the thought of being an uncle someday. At the rate those two went at it, he figured he didn’t have long to wait. The waiter brought their food, and they ate while discussing Derrick as well.

“And Sydney. I am so grateful that your brother finally brought home someone I like.” Barbara blew out a breath.

James nodded. “Beautiful girl. Good thing she’s not like her mother.”

Barbara frowned. “Isabel Fields has a lot of issues. I’ve seen her since that last time she was in town, and she’s been calling regularly. But I don’t mind saying I’d like for you to talk to her the next time, Dylan. Tell me what you think.”

“Hell no.” He snorted. “Sydney’s mom is a handful. She tried to seduce Derrick and James the last time we all got together. I think I’m next on her hit list.” He stifled a smirk when his mother scowled at James.

“Not my fault.” James held up his hands in surrender. “I tried to steer clear of her, Barb. But you saw her.”

“True. Isabel equates sex with love and thinks the more men she has fawning all over her, the better her self-worth. You could see that within minutes of meeting her.”

Dylan’s poor brother had one hell of a mother-in-law coming his way. But Sydney didn’t seem to like her mother that much. He figured they might see her once a year. Holidays, maybe. He flashed a side glance at James.

He liked James well enough. The guy had been his mother’s partner for a good fifteen years, and the two had known each other for even longer. He was a decent man, a terrific psychiatrist and had great business sense. He and Dylan often sniped at each other, but with mutual respect, and even admiration on Dylan’s part. But really, James Kincaid—Barbara’s new boyfriend? The woman was nearing sixty. She shouldn’t have the time or energy for a new man in her life. What the hell did she need James for when she had three sons who loved her like crazy?

“What about you, Dylan?” Barbara asked.

He blinked. “Excuse me?”

“When will you be bringing someone home?”

James had the audacity to chime in. “Someone you’ve dated for longer than a month?”

Before Dylan could give the man the set-down he deserved, the waiter returned to clear some plates. Dylan glanced at his watch, and when the waiter left, pushed out his chair and stood. “I’m sorry, but I have to get back to work. We ran later than I’d anticipated.” He took out his wallet and tossed a few bills on the table. “This should cover lunch and a tip. I’ll talk to you later, Mom.” He gritted his teeth but delivered a professional-sounding, “James.” He nodded and left before he could show himself for the immature, unprofessional fraud he’d turned out to be. “Physician, heal thyself” came to mind. If only I friggin’ could.

“Well, that didn’t go well.” James sighed.

Barbara worried. “I knew he’d have a problem with us. Maybe we should have waited until we brought him on board with the business before springing our relationship on him. Dylan’s always been about the practice first and foremost, and he’s not great with change.”

She loved all her sons, but Barbara had always had a special relationship with Dylan. The oldest and still her baby. He’d always wanted to help, always stayed by her side while Derrick and Gage played with their father, mimicking Andrew. Dylan had been her little man, her constant shadow.

And now, not so little. She fretted about his lack of commitment. He flitted from woman to man, not settling on anyone, always seeming a breath away from happiness.

“He’s not a kid, Barb. Dylan’s thirty-seven now. He should be able to handle his mother dating.” James kissed her cheek. “God knows it’s taken me a lifetime to work up the courage to ask you out.”

She smiled at him. “I’m glad you did.” Their relationship was still so new, a rare affection blossoming into the love she’d unknowingly nurtured for James through the years. After experiencing such a pure and lasting relationship with Andrew, she’d never thought to find love again, content to take care of her sons, to occasionally date and to work at her practice until she had grandchildren to play with.

And then James, the man she’d worked side by side with for years, had forced her to look at him in a new light. As a man, not just a friend. A special person to spend evenings with. To kiss. To make love with.

She sighed and gripped his hand tighter. “I don’t want this to end.”

“It won’t.” He sounded so confident. “I’ve loved you for far too long to let your little boy get in our way.”

She snorted with laughter. “My little boy looked like he wanted to knock you on your ass, James Kincaid.”

“And don’t I know it.” James grimaced. “Don’t worry. I’ll talk to him later. Man to man. He loves you and wants you happy, Barb.”

“You make me happy.” She sighed. “I just wish all my sons could feel this. Gage has Hailey. Derrick has Sydney. But I worry about Dylan. He’s too much like me. It’s hard for us stubborn Warrens to open ourselves to love, sometimes. The risk of getting hurt can be overwhelming.”

“Don’t I know it.” James refused to let go of her hand. “You have no idea how hard it’s been to stop comparing myself to Andrew. Hell, even I loved the guy. He was larger than life and had such a big heart.”

“And he’d love the fact that you and I are together.” Barbara smiled through tears. “I do love you, James.”

“Oh, honey. I love you too.” He kissed her, and she was so full of affection she didn’t know what to do with it. “Don’t worry about Dylan. I’m sure once he’s had time to adjust to us, as well as coming to the practice, he’ll love the idea as much as we do. Besides, he is your son. Giving him the majority of the business should appeal to his need to control.”

She laughed. “Are you saying I’m bossy?”

“Hell yeah.” He smiled, satisfaction clear in his sky-blue eyes. “But I wouldn’t have you any other way.”