Captive by Gale Stanley

since they hadn’t gotten around to discussing furniture.
    She showered and slipped on a blue dress, the same shade as her eyes. Then she grabbed her purse and headed downstairs to make coffee in her office. Sitting in the lonely apartment didn’t appeal to her.
    As soon as she entered the office, she saw the paper on the floor. She knew immediately who had slipped it under her door, and she felt a cold chill go up her spine.
    Sorry we had to leave so quickly—something came up back home. W & N
    Her heart sank. Not even a thanks for a great night or a call you at the end. Definitely a kiss-off. It wouldn’t surprise her if they never came back.
    It hurt that they didn’t want to see her again, but she didn’t regret one minute of last night. It had been wonderful. A once in a lifetime fling that erotic fantasies were made of. It all seemed like a dream anyway. Well, it would fuel her dreams for many nights to come. And s he knew one thing for sure, she’d had the best sex of her life and she’d never settle for anything less again.
    Janis tried to lose herself in work, but she felt lonely and at odds. She didn’t want to be here. Suddenly she wanted her family. She picked up the phone and felt better immediately when Sable answered.

* * * *

    “Home is where the hearth is,” quipped Janis as she poked at the logs in the fireplace. Yesterday she’d been in the city. Today she was in a totally different world. It felt good to be back.
    Jude smiled indulgently. “I’ve missed you, but not your puns.”
    “And I’ve missed you. All of you. Especially these little guys.” She looked down at the twins, sleeping peacefully in a crib that now occupied a permanent space in the den. A stab of envy hit her.
    Would she ever have a child? Her biological clock sounded louder than Big Ben. She reached down and caressed each downy head. Undisturbed, the babies snored softly. It wasn’t fair. Sable had two. Why couldn’t she have one of her own?
    “They changed my life,” Jonas said. “Added something that I never knew I was missing until they came along.”
    “You’re very lucky.” She actually got misty eyed. These two beautiful boys had changed both of her brothers. Or maybe it was Sable’s doing. She’d never seen either of them so happy and content.
    Jonas stood and came up behind her. He put his arms around her and squeezed. “If you moved back home, you wouldn’t have to miss us.”
    Janis squirmed out of his hold, turned and narrowed her eyes at him. “Jonas, have you forgotten it was you who sent me to Philadelphia in the first place?” Her twin brothers were younger than her, but Jonas had always been the one to take charge.
    “It was only supposed to be temporary. You did a great job handling the settlement and managing the building, but now I can hire someone to look after things.”
    “It’s been six months. I’ve made friends—”
    “You have friends here who miss you.”
    “Jonas, you don’t understand,” Janis protested. “I like what I’m doing.” How could she tell him that she wanted what he had, and if she couldn’t have it, then she needed to bury herself in work? What else did she have in her life? “I’m going back to school. I intend to get my real estate license. I love you all, but I don’t want to come home and be chief cook and bottle washer.”
    Sable guffawed. “Little chance of that. I’ve inherited your job.”
    Both Jonas and Jude turned and stared at Sable with stricken faces. She jumped up and went to one, then the other. “And there’s nothing else I’d rather be doing.” She looked at Janis. “I just meant that you’d be free to do what you want. As long as you gave me a hand with the babies once in awhile.”
    “That would be a labor of love.” Janis smiled at Sable. “There’s just more opportunity for me in the city. And I’ve grown to like the hustle and bustle.”
    “To each his own,” Jude said. “Do you want a drink? Jonas and I have