It wasn't that he didn't trust Ryan to keep his secret; rather, it had more to do with his attraction toward him. Craig attracted women and men constantly, but he didn't have a thing on Ryan. Even if Craig could be an underwear model.
Ryan was just Ryan. Funny, smart, sexy, and he could pull off the country boy look just perfectly. His hair was lighter than Jacob's, and it always hung just right, framing his handsome face. And his smell… Jacob tried hard not to take deep breaths around him. Whatever cologne he wore intoxicated him and drove him insane…
Which was why Jacob stepped over to the bar—away from that scent—and took a seat on one of the stools. If he sat beside Ryan, where their legs would probably touch, he wasn't so sure he could keep himself from sniffing or closing his eyes to enjoy the feel of their bodies being so close.
"Is it true?" Mike asked.
"No. He just assumed as usual." Jacob propped his elbows behind him on the counter. If he just acted relaxed and calm, they'd believe him. He took slow, steady breaths. Everyone knew he wasn't anything like his twin. He could get pissed like both of his brothers, but he could also be the cool one of the three. He proved that by not freaking out when he realized Cooper was seeing their baby sister. Now he had to act as if what Nick just said didn't faze him a bit.
"Sheesh! None of you believe me. Oh well, I'm good with knowing you're finally getting some. I was beginning to worry you were too caught up in your work to care. That's not normal." Nick shook his head.
Mike kicked his leg. "What about you? We haven't seen you with a woman either."
Cooper cleared his throat and jerked his head toward Wyatt. "And I think you should be careful what you say. There are little ears around now."
"I'm pretty sure he's clueless about what they're talking about." Sophia looked up at her worried husband.
"I have been with women. I'm sure a lot more than Jacob here. Though, I don't know for sure since he's obviously been hiding his from us." He shrugged his shoulders. "So they haven't been serious. Sophia cheated by getting married first. I'm a firm believer that we should only get married by age. Oldest first. Looks like Mike is finally giving in to the life of eternity with one woman. And well, Jacob is older than me."
"By a few minutes!" Sophia giggled.
"Wow, Nick. You definitely have an interesting idea about marriage. And once again, YOU don't know when to keep your comments to yourself." Jacob grinned inwardly when Mike and Tessa's cheeks turned red. "Tessa, as you can see, you should just ignore my brother."
The doorbell rang and he jumped up to get the pizza. With the order paid for online, he took the five boxes of pizzas and two boxes of cheese bread after handing a twenty as a tip for the kid.
"Thanks, man!" The youth took off toward his car.
Jacob went to shut the door with his boot but Ryan was there to help. "I got it."
His smell bombarded him. Jacob let him take a couple of boxes, their hands grazing. The simple touch had him clenching his teeth, hoping no one, especially Ryan, noticed what the contact did to him.
The others started with the salads Mike had thrown together last minute. While he waited, Jacob grabbed a beer from the fridge and twisted the top off of the bottle. He lifted it to his lips, spilling it when someone bumped him from behind. "Shit."
He noticed Sophia holding her belly. "Sorry. It's bigger than I realize."
"It's okay. I'm going to change shirts though. Be right back." He didn't want to spend the evening smelling like beer and the truth was, it gave him a moment alone after that stressing conversation his brother had started before dinner.
****
Ryan couldn't have gotten a better moment to speak with Jacob alone. As everyone went to sit, he took the opportunity to get away. Luckily, the downstairs bathroom was in the middle of remodeling, so he'd have to go upstairs. "I'll be right back. Had too much tea."
The look Sophia gave him proved how close they were. She knew his every thought, it seemed.
Instead of walking straight down the hall, he turned into Jacob's room. The sight of the man standing shirtless forced him to fight to catch his breath again and to keep his thoughts away from places they shouldn't go. Jacob's well-defined muscles bunched and twisted as he searched for a shirt, then he paused when he sensed his presence. Ryan stepped further into the room. "So you were talking to your girlfriend?"
"Not you, too." Jacob scrubbed his hand over his face, shaking his head.
There was no way to ignore that he hadn't found a shirt. "I know the truth. So does Sophia."
Jacob kept his gaze averted. "I have no idea what you're talking about. We should get back downstairs."
Tired of the theatrics, Ryan shoved Jacob against the wall, grabbed his face, and kissed him—perhaps the most idiotic thing he'd ever done, but the greatest, too.
The hot mouth beneath his didn't respond at first and then Jacob's lips parted to accept the attack. Jacob curled his hands on his shoulders, held tight for a moment, then shoved him away. Ryan's legs went out from beneath him when he hit the bed. If only things had gone in the direction he'd fantasized about when he pictured Jacob pushing him onto the mattress.
But no; good stuff just didn't happen that easily. Jacob just stood there breathing hard. Staring.
"Don't. Ever. Do. That. Again," he bit out.
Rejection hurt. As well as the anger in Jacob's tone and in his glare. As many times as he imagined kissing the man, he never thought he'd see such disgust in his eyes. He ignored the pain. "I'm confronting you because your secret is going to hurt everyone around you if you don't open up. It has already hurt Sophia that you didn't trust her enough to tell her."
"Like you have any room to talk. Why are you still trying to keep yours anyways? Everyone knows." Jacob jerked a shirt from its hanger and put it on before exiting without another word.
After Ryan gathered his composure, he went back downstairs and fixed his plate. The only open seat stood across from Jacob and that was a relief. He could just ignore him now, which wouldn't be possible if they'd had to sit beside each other. The conversation going on around him faded in his mind as thoughts raced through it.
Jacob was right. He had no room to talk when he still tried to keep his own secret. Ryan looked up at Jacob and smirked when they finally locked eyes.
"I'm gay."
The conversation came to a complete stop and Jacob's mouth dropped open, along with the fork he'd been bringing to his mouth.
****
Nick just laughed. "Well, it's about time." He started back on his food as if nothing had happened.
Maybe no big deal for Ryan, but to him— He better not think about it…
So the man's news wasn't really a shock to any of them. Now if he just came on out and said the same thing, he wasn't so sure they'd be as nonchalant about it. There would be pain, too. That's why he kept quiet and his relationship stayed out of town. No one had to know about him, even if Ryan didn't think the same way.
Damn the bastard for pushing the issue. And damn him for kissing him.
"So, when are you going to tell your dad?" If Ryan thought he could just drop a bomb on them and Jacob would then speak up, he was way off the mark. Telling them was nothing compared to telling his own dad, the one man who ignored all the signs and acted oblivious to the truth. Jacob really didn't want Ryan to go through the pain it would cause him to do so, but it pissed him off to think he'd spoken up just to push the truth.
"Soon. This is just the first step. It gets old keeping secrets. Don't you think?" Ryan wasn't backing down from their fight.
Nor would Jacob. "I guess so. I'm glad you feel that way and opened up to us."
He could feel Sophia staring at him and glanced her way. If he ever told anyone, it would be his sister. He didn't fear she'd feel differently about him; it just wasn't her secret to keep for so long. With Ryan, it was just different.
No one had a clue about Jacob and he wanted it to stay that way.
Chapter Eight
Mike sat beside Tessa, trying hard not to stare, and failing. The cowgirl hat his sister loaned her fit her as if she were born to be a country girl. He could make it happen if he could get her to realize how good life could be with him. From the way she kept glancing his way, he might have a chance.
"I want to dance." Nick raised a brow at Tessa then looked at Mike. The 'don't think about it' look seemed to have worked, because he stood to search for another girl to dance with. Not that it took him long. There would come a time when he'd be shit out of luck. That day would come when he finally made it through every woman in town or they came to their senses.
Nick was a complete horn dog to hide behind a jackass façade. When he quit his minor league team, they'd had an idea he'd done so for his ex. He could've gone into the major league, yet he became just the high school coach. He'd told them being an athlete just wasn't what he wanted to do with his life and Jacob and Mike let it go. Especially when they saw how happy he was, being a coach. Most people might think it crazy to give up something so amazing, but Nick loved working with kids.
Nick's ex had moved right after he left town and there were rumors she got pregnant later and married. Nick never handled it well. Six years and he didn't show more than a passing interest in the women he met.
Tessa laughed at something someone said and he grabbed her hand. When she accepted the gesture, he felt the tension in his body float away and nothing mattered but her. As long as she was comfortable, he was okay. They really didn't expect to have any situations arise. Having an officer outside put him more at ease. If Tessa would just tell them what was really going on, then things could be handled. Surely, she could put a restraining order on the person after her.
If he could earn her trust enough, he could really protect her. He noticed the way she studied her surroundings. Not with worry, but with interest. He wanted to kiss her right then. Not that he didn't have the urge to do so constantly; he just really wanted to right then—in front of everyone. He wasn't worried about what people thought. She belonged to him and he'd make damn sure she realized it before she ran away.
He refused to let her go without a chance to show her what was meant to be. Running wasn't how people should live, especially not his Tessa.
"Mike, so you think you're next, like Nick said?"
He'd been so caught up in his own thoughts, he barely caught his sister's question. It took another moment to realize what she meant. It helped when Tessa blushed and turned away.
"His theory is nonsense, but I guess you never know when you're going to meet that someone you're destined to be with," he replied.
Who gave a crap how sappy he sounded as long as Tessa picked up on what he meant?
****
Tessa really liked Sophia. Which wasn't really the best thing to add along with her growing attraction to Mike. She was growing attached to all of them. His statement about meeting the right person didn't help one bit.
"I'm going up on stage tonight," Cooper, Sophia's handsome husband, said. His whole demeanor showed confidence and protectiveness.
She'd noticed the way he kept his arm around his wife to keep anyone from bumping her. The one guy who came close to even touching her nearly ended up on the floor.
The sight had sadness welling inside her. No one ever cared enough about her to do such a thing. Most people would think Cooper was acting over-protective or controlling. Not Tessa. She saw the adoration in his eyes when he looked at Sophia. She'd just smiled up at him and rolled her eyes when he eyeballed the drunk man.
As Cooper stood, he slapped Ryan on the arm. "Let's go."
Tessa didn't know Cooper, but by the way everyone stopped and watched him get on stage, she figured he must be pretty good. She was both surprised and disappointed when Mike let go of her hand and his chair scraped across the worn wooden floor. But then, he reached out his large hand to her and waited. Barely a breath later, she placed her hand into his and lifted to her feet.
Dancing. She loved to dance, although not when she had to do so for a good appearance at large charities or business events. Being in a small crowded bar proved a more intimate and casual experience—as if she had a choice. Mike tugged her against his hard body, causing a shiver up her spine. At first she was stiff, unsure if she'd be able to relax. After their almost kiss, it was awkward.
Mike leaned down to whisper in her ear, his lips barely brushing her skin. "Just relax. I recognize everyone here."
The realization that he believed she was nervous about being in danger helped relax her. She wouldn't tell him the real reason. If she gave in to him, she feared she wouldn't be able to leave when the time came. And there was no way around her leaving him. "I'm surprisingly not scared. Not with you."
A true statement. She wasn't afraid of what he thought she was. Not completely. But, she did fear falling for him and getting hurt or for him to get hurt. Unfortunately, she was too late to prevent herself from falling.
He trailed his hands down her back, just above the waist line of the jeans Sophia had loaned her. Both of his thumbs caressed back and forth. She twisted her face from his view and closed her eyes, biting her lip.
The song coming from the jukebox ended and it grew quiet for a few seconds. Her thoughts drifted, then Cooper started singing on the stage with Ryan playing the guitar. "He's really good."
"He is." Mike stared into her eyes.
The intensity in his gaze had her turn away again and rest her head against his chest. "We shouldn't do this."
"Dance?" His voice vibrated against her head.
If only that were the only issue. "You can't look at me like you do. We can't have anything more than you helping me. I can't risk your life."
"You have nothing to worry about with me."
When she heard the clicking of a camera, she opened her eyes quick, recognizing the sound. They'd found her! She nearly ran off, but Mike held her tight.
"It's okay. They show up sometimes if they hear Cooper is going to be singing." He pointed to the stage where they were playing. "This was faster than usual though."
"Oh. He's famous?" She never really listened to the radio much and since running away, she didn't keep up with celebrity gossip.
"Yep. You've never heard of Sebastian Cooper? I thought everyone knew him." He laughed, but ended that quick when he looked around with concern. It's getting bad. Come with me."
The bar crowd was getting out of hand with patrons annoyed with reporters and what looked like some fans. She spotted a group of women with short skirts, low cut shirts, and too much make-up.
Mike led her back to the table, where Sophia looked upset. "This place is getting ridiculous. I've never seen this many people show up like this. Especially so fast. Cooper can't even make it back over here."
Sophia stood and looked like she was about to try and make her way to him. That was something he wouldn't want and when, Tessa looked at him across the way, she caught him shake his head at his wife. She stopped and a redheaded woman in a conservative dress halted in front of her, obviously just realizing who she was.
"Mrs. Cooper, how did it feel to realize your husband cheated on you?" The woman held a notebook and pen in her hands.
Sophia's eyes widened. Tessa grabbed her hand and tugged her away from the journalist, then, Mike showed up to hide them both.
"You need to leave." The aggression in his voice didn't even faze the vulture.
Chapter Nine
Cooper finally made it over to Sophia and froze at the sight of her pale face. "What is it, sweetheart? We're leaving now. I'm sorry. They've never gotten this bad before."
"Sebastian Cooper. I just asked your wife about your recent affair. Were you two having problems? Is the baby yours?" the woman reporter asked easily as if she'd asked if he liked pizza.
That answered why his beautiful wife looked so hurt. He shoved around another reporter who stepped in his way, a bigger man who obviously frequented too many fast food restaurants.
&nbs
p; "Who was the woman? Is it another singer? One of your back-ups?" the man asked.
Seeing tears in Sophia's eyes had him fuming. He gripped the guy's shirt and pushed him farther back, then picked her up and carried her out. "You better not believe a damn thing they are saying. I have no clue where that shit came from and I'll be finding out. Believe me."
She lifted her head and he nearly tripped when her eyes held his. "I know it's crap. You're not the first celebrity to have reporters and journalists making up lies just to sell magazines. It just shocked me and I hated that other people in town heard the accusations. I don't want anyone seeing you that way. Even my brothers looked pissed as if they believed it."
He didn't miss the looks they'd given him, but his only concern was the woman in his arms. "Let's get you home. You shouldn't be having to deal with this stress."
****
Sophia was glad Cooper got her out of there. The crowd had turned insane and the things they said hurt. With every piece of her soul, she believed Cooper, but the shock upset her so much. They'd avoided bad media attention so far and she was thankful for that.
"You're going to be in trouble for shoving that guy." Many times she'd rolled her eyes at his overprotective needs, but not then.
"I don't give a shit. He deserved it. The jerk better be glad I didn't do worse and the other one is lucky she's a woman. If he'd asked the same questions, let's just say it would've ended with you bailing me out of jail."
She hoped his fans ignored the lies. Everything Cooper did was for his family and the fans. Why did others have to make lies up?
Probably because all people cared about was juicy gossip, not about how much Cooper gave to the community and to charities. If people bought magazines and clicked links on the Internet to learn about the true things that showed the good of a person, then maybe lies wouldn't have to be created by the media.
Lost in Flames (Lost Series Book 2) Page 6
