Staged

by Olivia Cunning

  “Well,” a deep voice said behind her. “What do we have here?”

  Eighteen

  Steve lifted his head off the sand and glared at Logan while Roux attempted to cover her spectacular naked body with her hands.

  “It sure is easy to sneak up on you when you’re getting laid,” Logan said, his dark blond hair ruffling in the ocean breeze like he didn’t have a care in the fucking world. Of course, he wasn’t the one with his wet dick in the air.

  Steve sat up, his entire body protesting its sudden loss of pleasure, and Roux scrambled behind him, crouched into a ball with her head pressed against his back. He spotted her bikini bottoms and scooted them in her direction. A dainty hand snaked out to grab them, and he did his best to shield her from prying eyes while she wriggled into them.

  “How the fuck did you get here?” Steve asked. The jet was still on the landing strip. He would have heard it take off since the flight path went directly over the beach house.

  “I rented a boat. You didn’t hear the engine?” He pointed toward the pier just visible at the end of the deep bay. Sure enough, a speedboat was docked there. “We came in from the other direction.”

  “We?”

  “Me and Toni. She’s over there trying to regain her land legs.” He laughed. “Poor thing never did get her sea legs.”

  “Is that Steve?” Toni asked as she rounded a curve in the beach.

  Roux pressed up against him from behind, her soft breasts flattened against his back, and used both hands to cover as much of as his softening cock as possible.

  “Sorry to ruin your fun,” Logan said. “When I asked him last week, Dare said it would be fine if I brought Toni here during the tour break. He didn’t mention you’d be here.”

  Funny. He hadn’t mentioned that Logan would be here either. It might have slipped Dare’s mind, but more likely he was getting revenge for something one or the other of them had done to annoy him. The guy could be incredibly passive aggressive sometimes.

  “It’s fine,” Steve said, though he’d never wanted to strangle Logan more than he did at that moment. If Roux hadn’t been watching, he probably would have tackled him to the beach and choked him. “We were going to stay at the greater manse tonight anyway and fly out tomorrow.”

  “We were?” Roux asked.

  “You look familiar,” Logan said to her. “Have we met?”

  Steve could feel Roux’s body move behind him. He wasn’t sure if she was shaking her head or nodding until she said, “No. I don’t think so. I’m . . . uh . . .” She extended one of the hands that had just been on Steve’s dick, and Logan raised his eyebrows. Her hand dropped back to Steve’s lap. “I’m Katie. Katie Williams.”

  Steve covered his puzzlement with a poker face. Why had she given a fake name? Or was it fake?

  “You have real nice tits, Katie.”

  Steve kicked sand at him, but Logan just chuckled.

  “What did you say?” Toni asked, still a little crooked as she stood next to Logan with her hands on her hips. She bobbled to the side, and Logan steadied her with one hand.

  “She’s naked,” Logan said. “I couldn’t help but notice.”

  Toni gave Steve the twice-over. “Steve is looking mighty fine as well.”

  Logan scowled and kicked sand at Steve. “Put some damn pants on.”

  “I might if I had any.”

  Toni rummaged around in a brightly colored bag and drew out a beach towel, which she handed to Steve. She didn’t so much as glance at Roux. Embarrassed for her, maybe? Jealous? He couldn’t tell. Steve shook open the towel and draped it over Roux behind him. When she shifted her hands to collect the ends, he stood, fully naked, and leaned over to help her cover herself. Toni’s little gasp made him grin, and he chuckled at Logan’s growled, “Goddammit.”

  “We should probably get you out of the sun,” he said to Roux.

  The woman who he more-than-liked, the one who more-than-liked him in return, smiled up at him, and his chest expanded, filling with tenderness. He didn’t care if they stayed there naked on the beach or scoured the jungle looking for nonexistent monkeys or relaxed in the hot tub at the mansion on the other side of the island; as long as he could be with Roux, he was happy. He helped her to her feet, fully aware that he was free-balling it and Toni was getting an eyeful.

  “Will you stop staring at it?” Logan complained.

  “Sorry. I can’t help it.” Toni spun around to face the beach house. “Oh, it’s cute. I was expecting something bigger.”

  “That’s what she said,” Logan joked.

  “The beach house is perfect for two,” Steve said testily.

  “If you want us to go to the other house, we’ll start walking,” Logan said. “Oh wait, you have a quad here.” He pointed at the ATV parked under the house. “We’ll just take that.”

  “I already said we’re heading to the main house tonight. You’re not taking the quad.”

  “It’s not yours, it’s Dare’s. If I want to borrow it, then—”

  “Hello!” Roux said loudly, holding the towel securely around her with one hand. “I’m Katie.” She extended a hand toward Toni, who stared at it uncertainly. “And you would be?”

  Toni pushed her glasses up her nose with the back of her hand before accepting the offered handshake. “Toni.”

  “Nice to meet you. You’d probably like to freshen up now that you’re on dry land.”

  Toni nodded. “Yes, that would be wonderful. Thank you, Katie.”

  Steve watched the two women wander up the beach toward the house. Logan tapped his arm and leaned close. “That’s the red chick from Baroquen, right? The one you have the hots for. I thought her name was Roux.”

  “I don’t know why she said her name is Katie.” No sense in hiding facts since Logan was already on to her.

  “Maybe she doesn’t want anyone to know she’s with you.”

  That was probably close to the truth, and it stung more than a little to recognize that.

  “You weren’t really planning to head up to Dare’s ludicrous beach palace, were you?” Logan asked. “We can make room here for all four of us. Won’t be the first time we’ve been packed in like sardines.”

  “I only get one more full day with her before we have to go back to our regularly scheduled lives. So we’ll hang out here with you for a while, but two’s company, four’s—”

  “An orgy?”

  Steve grinned and slapped Logan on the back. “I know you think you’re teaching Toni how to become more sexually aware, but if I so much as laid a pinkie on her, you’d freak the fuck out.” Steve had seen how Logan had reacted to Dare just teasing about touching Toni. Steve wasn’t looking to gain a matching bloody nose. Maybe this clusterfuck was Dare’s way of getting back at Logan for that sucker punch. If so, it wasn’t fair that Dare had ruined Steve’s good time as well. Steve hadn’t had anything to do with that fiasco.

  “Damn straight.” Logan clasped his hands together. “I was thinking more about Roux touching her while I watch.”

  Steve lifted a brow. “And where do I fit into this scenario of yours?”

  “You can wait on the boat until they’re finished.”

  Steve laughed. “You’re back to two’s company. You realize that, don’t you?”

  “Yeah, but I’d be watching.”

  “You didn’t happen to bring any tofu with you, did you?”

  At first Logan’s eyebrows shot up in surprise, but then they drew together. “Some new kink I’m not aware of?”

  And people thought Steve had a one-track mind. “Roux is a vegetarian. I figure she’s getting hungry with nothing but fruit to eat. I caught some fish, but she won’t eat those either.”

  “I’m sure there’s plenty of vodka and tequila in the house. They’re made from plants, right?”

  “She doesn’t drink.” Not wanting to get into the reasons why, Steve turned toward the waves and crossed the sand to his bucket of fish. Logan followed.

 
“You’re dating a vegetarian who doesn’t drink?” Logan asked. “You?”

  Dating? Were they dating? He wanted them to be dating, but would Roux even consider a serious relationship with him? Perhaps after the tour ended they could come out officially as a couple. Damn, it was going to be a long three months without her. Maybe they could act like friends and at least hang out. He enjoyed being with her. He didn’t have to touch her, kiss her, make love to her if she was near. They could be together for three long months in a completely platonic capacity. Sure.

  “You really like her, don’t you?” Logan asked.

  It was that obvious? “She’s amazing.”

  Logan shoved him in the shoulder, because admitting to romantic feelings and bros should not mix. Especially when one of the bros was still entirely naked.

  “I caught plenty of fish. You and Toni are welcome to have some.”

  “Only if you gut and clean them,” Logan said. “We’ll throw it all on the grill. We brought burgers.”

  “But no tofu?”

  Logan shook his head.

  “Eggplant?”

  “Seriously?” Logan snorted. “Why the fuck would I bring eggplant? I think we have a tomato for the burgers. One.”

  Steve was going to have to plan better the next time he brought Roux to Dick Island. The poor woman was going to starve to death at this rate.

  He found her—now wearing her bikini top and gauzy cover-up—standing under a grapefruit tree, trying to reach a ripe-looking fruit. He plucked it from the branch and handed it to her.

  “Not that I don’t love the view,” she said, a hand sliding over his bare flank, “but I’d rather other women didn’t get to enjoy the same privilege.”

  Steve spotted Toni next to the papaya tree trying not to be obvious about stealing glances. “Hey, Lo!” he yelled. “Could you tell your woman to stop ogling my junk? R— Erm, Katie doesn’t like it.”

  Roux smacked his ass, which made his junk even more interesting to ogle when his cock stirred to life.

  “I meant that you should put on some shorts,” she said.

  “Hey, I was here first. I should be able to walk around naked if I want.”

  Roux covered her mouth with one hand and spoke just loud enough for him to hear. “I don’t share well with other women. Remember?”

  He did recall her saying that, but she didn’t have to worry about sharing him. He had no interest in Toni or any other woman. But he did want Roux to be comfortable.

  She patted his butt. “Now, please put on some shorts before I jump your bones and forget to entertain our guests.”

  “I didn’t invite them. And I’m sure they’d be entertained if you jumped my bones.”

  “And Logan could get another good look at my tits,” she said.

  Steve scowled and went to rinse sand from his body in the rainwater shower beneath the house before donning a pair of shorts for Toni’s benefit. Logan took the quad to pick up supplies from the boat and bring them to the beach house, while Steve fired up the grill. Toni was upstairs in the house nesting in what had been his and Roux’s cozy, private space, and Roux was gathering more fruit. He tried not to be too obvious about watching her, but the woman was breathtakingly beautiful and so at ease with the natural world around her. He remembered how uncomfortable she’d seemed at the after-party in New York. Would she even like being on tour? He ate up every minute of the attention and craziness that surrounded the concerts, but Roux was all about tranquility. When she was near, he felt relaxed and at peace with the world he usually raged against.

  “Take a picture; it will last longer,” Logan said behind him, and he jumped at the unexpected intrusion.

  “What?”

  “You’re staring at her.”

  “Can you blame me?”

  “She doesn’t seem your type at all.”

  Logan knew Steve’s usual type quite well. Steve gravitated toward party girls—loose and loud with no boundaries and no filters. Even Bianca had pursued a perpetual good time. Back then he’d thought being with someone like himself was ideal. He’d been wrong.

  “Maybe that’s what I like about her so much,” he said. “She’s different from me. Besides, you can’t talk.” He gave Logan a hard shove. “You’re dating a geek.”

  “Toni isn’t a geek.”

  “She’s totally a geek. And so sweet my teeth ache when I look at her.”

  “She is pretty sweet.” Logan grinned and bent to open the cooler at his feet. “You better get busy cleaning those fish.”

  He figured Roux wouldn’t want to watch him eviscerate any animal, so he gathered his bucket of fish, a cutting board, and a knife and carried it all down the beach to where the strip of land bent sharply toward the dock. He’d be out of sight there.

  By the time he returned to the others, Roux was standing next to Logan at the smoking grill, dropping thick slices of fruit on the grill top and laughing at something he’d said or done. Logan was likely telling her stories about his and Steve’s misadventures, adding the usual bias in his own favor. Steve frowned, but then shrugged. He didn’t have anything to hide. Especially now that Bianca’s stupid tabloid had dug the biggest skeleton out of his closet. Roux seemed okay with his brief marriage and subsequent annulment to Meredith. He’d been more than a little drunk when they’d taken Zach up on that bet. Who hadn’t done some incredibly stupid things when they were drunk? Roux. That’s who. Maybe she was too straight and narrow to fit neatly into his crazy life. He wasn’t looking for a neat fit, though. He just wanted her.

  “What have you been telling her?” Steve asked as he joined them at the grill.

  “Stories of you acting stupid when you’re drunk.”

  Well, that could provide endless entertainment.

  Steve set the board of cleaned fish on a small table covered with various barbeque tools and everything he needed to season the fish perfectly. He and Logan took grilling seriously. He sloshed olive oil and a splash of white wine into a bowl and gently rolled each fish in the mixture to coat both sides before setting them aside to marinate.

  “Are you really going to eat something that’s staring at you?” Roux asked, cringing at the fish that still had their heads. And their eyes.

  Steve began chopping fresh herbs to stuff inside the fish once they’d sat in the oil for a while. Fish could be tricky on the grill if they stuck to the grate and flaked apart. “Yep, and I’m going to enjoy every bite. Would you mind slicing up some lemons?” he asked. “They don’t have eyes.”

  “But potatoes do,” Logan said. “Do you eat potatoes?”

  Roux stuck her tongue out at him. “Yeah, I eat potatoes.”

  Toni deposited a bag near the table, darted over to Logan’s side, and looped her arm through his. She rose up on tiptoe and looked at him all doe-eyed. Logan kissed her until something fell through the grate and sizzled in the coals.

  “Save me some of that for later,” Logan said, his grin crooked as he patted Toni’s butt before he turned back to the grill.

  “The grilled mango is ready,” Logan said, rescuing chunks of fruit and dropping them onto a waiting platter before they ended up in the coals as well. “This actually looks better than I expected, um, Katie. Now I wish we had a pineapple to grill.”

  “Mmm, pineapple does sound delicious,” Roux said, slicing lemons on the end of Steve’s cutting board.

  He loved how her arm brushed his as they worked side by side.

  “Did you really bring only one tomato?”

  “I’ll grill half of it for you. How does that sound?”

  “Heavenly,” Roux said, offering Logan a friendly smile. “I love fruit and all, but that’s all I’ve had to eat today.”

  “Technically, tomatoes are fruit,” Toni said.

  “If you want to get really technical, tomatoes are berries,” Roux said, reaching for a second lemon to slice.

  “I didn’t know that,” Logan said with a little snort.

  Steve looked up from the
fresh thyme he was dicing and noticed Toni giving Roux the evil eye. He wondered what he’d missed while he’d been down by the water cleaning the fish. Or maybe Toni didn’t like to have counterpoints tossed in her direction. Whatever the reason, he got the distinct feeling that Toni didn’t like Roux, which made absolutely no sense, because Roux was kind and charming—the epitome of perfection.

  “Are you on the rag or something?” Steve asked, pointing at Toni with the tip of his knife.

  Toni’s jaw dropped. “What kind of question is that?”

  “Just wondering what you’re so cranky about.” Toni was also typically kind and charming, but she was coming across as downright prickly this afternoon.

  “I’m not cranky.”

  “I think she needs to get laid,” Logan said, slapping burgers on the grill. They sizzled and sent flames shooting upward, which Logan doused with beer from an open can.

  “Logan!” Toni said, planting a fist on both hips. “You don’t really think I’m cranky, do you?”

  “Well, you didn’t want to have sex on the boat. Maybe I should hand the grill over to Steve and take you upstairs to remedy that cranky problem now.”

  She glanced at Roux for some inexplicable reason and then turned a death glare in Logan’s direction. “Is that all I am to you, an easy lay? You, you, incredible ass!”

  “My ass is pretty incredible,” Logan teased.

  Toni set her jaw in a harsh line and stomped off toward the beach.

  “What did I say?” Logan said, handing Steve his spatula as he hurried after Toni. “I was just joking. Of course you mean more to me than an easy lay.”

  Steve lost track of their argument when the ocean breeze kicked up and scattered their voices. “So . . .” he said as soon as they were out of earshot. “Why did you tell them your name is Katie?”

  Roux didn’t even bother to look guilty for lying. “That’s the woman who leaked that shit about the band all over the tabloids, isn’t it?”