by Anna Paige
Talia moved to my side, tugging me against her the same way. "Guess that means you get to drink for me, polite police. Let's go."
I laughed under my breath as we all filed out. "My friends call me warden."
Chapter Eleven
Aubrey
We girls claimed one end of the enormous dining table when we got back upstairs, deciding not to even try to break into whatever testosterone-fueled conversation was going on at the other end.
Lauren grabbed a beer for us before taking the seat next to me, shaking her head at something the guys were saying. "Tits or tires. All of their conversations revolve around either tits or tires, sometimes both."
We all laughed, eavesdropping a while and finding her analysis to be accurate.
The girls began asking me questions, general getting-to-know-you kind of stuff. Where I was from, stuff about work, things like that. I answered everything openly, surprisingly comfortable with letting them in. Talia had just asked about my relationship status when Kade showed back up, my body reacting to his presence before I actually saw him walk into the room.
I had to force myself not to follow him with my eyes as he took a seat across the table, ignoring me and jumping into the ongoing conversation the guys were having; something about superchargers. “See?” Lauren called loudly, eyeing her husband. “Always tits and tires. You’d think they’d get bored.”
Brant just winked and kept right on talking.
"So?" Talia prompted again. "Do you have a boyfriend? Girlfriend? Crazy ex-husband? All of the above?" She chuckled.
I watched Kade tense from the corner of my eye and it sent a thrill through me. "None of the above." I forced a laugh, feeling Kade's eyes on me.
"Career gal?" Ali asked, as if that explained my lack of formal companion.
"No. I mean, I like my job and I'm good at it, but it doesn't exactly make my toes curl." I blurted, forgetting the guys were so close. Thankfully, the only one who seemed to have heard was Kade, who was smirking into his beer.
"Amen to that," Talia nodded.
"So, what's the holdup then?" Lauren prodded, and I suddenly understood why Kade had said to look out for her in particular. She was like a dog with a bone, especially since Kade was in earshot, and she knew damn well he was listening to every word.
Rather than deflect like I'd planned, I decided I liked Lauren's game and wanted to play. I'd probably pay for this, but what the hell… goading him had worked out for me pretty well earlier. I couldn’t help the smile on my face as I answered. "Just waiting for the right guy, I guess. I don't want to settle for average, know what I mean? I have no interest in some safe, boring relationship with a borderline impotent desk jockey." Ali snorted, nodding along as I continued. "I'd go insane with someone like that. I want something epic. Consuming. Terrifying." I dropped my voice, but made sure Kade could still hear, even if the other guys couldn't. "When he walks up behind me, I want to be torn between running for my life and dropping to all fours."
The other women howled with laughter, and when I saw the hard set of Kade's jaw, I couldn't help joining them.
Score one for the warden.
The conversation shifted after that, moving on to safer topics. Kade's attention eventually returned to his bandmates and friends, all of them laughing and joking for a while. I found myself sitting back watching them with a fond smile as they joked back and forth between stories from the road. I glanced toward the kitchen window, a thought occurring to me. As soon as there was a lull in the conversation, I jumped in. "Um, maybe you guys already worked this out, but what's the plan for the new bus? I mean, are you leaving one here? Because there are only two drivers."
Talia frowned, following my train of thought. "And where the hell are the drivers anyway?"
Ethan tried to cover a smile, while the others acted like they had no idea.
"Ethan?" I caught his eye. "Where are the drivers?"
He cleared his throat and glanced at his friends for help, finding none. Realizing he was cornered, he sighed in resignation. "A taxi picked them up not long after we got here. While we were checking out the new rig, they were heading out to their own cabin for the weekend."
"But we could have made room for them here." I offered, feeling bad that they were being left out.
Ethan shook his head. "They have their own space for the weekend. They need time away from us."
"Still sounds kind of cold to send them away."
He ran a hand over his face, looking a little frustrated. "They needed time away from us so we got them a little cabin all to themselves." He tried, raising a brow. "An extremely cozy cabin."
Oh…
Jeez, I was dumb.
"Ah, gotcha." I gave him an embarrassed smile. "I didn't realize they were a couple."
He shrugged it off, though I was sure he thought I was dense. "You couldn't have known. Marcus and Logan have been driving us around for years. They would hang out—keeping each other company—while we were playing or doing interviews or whatever, and they just… clicked." He snapped his fingers for emphasis. "They're actually kind of perfect for each other."
I nodded, knowing all about that click. It had happened to me, too. Recently. "We should all be so lucky." I managed not to look at Kade but I felt his eyes on me, the heat of them shifting away quickly.
"I say we call for a third driver and take all three rigs to the next show." Kade interjected, sounding pleased at the prospect.
Kane looked over at him and paused. "That's not gonna fly with Jimmy. He won't approve the added expense."
"Then I'll cover it." He tossed out, unaffected.
"And how would we decide who goes where?" Lennox asked, his interest piqued.
"Well, Kane is always bitching about wanting a bed, so he can stay where he is and take the bedroom. Lennox, you can crash on the bus with him. Ethan and Jared can stay put, too. And since I'm the one who Aubrey has to keep out of trouble," he cut his eyes to me. "She and I will take the new bus." He turned to face me fully, giving me a look of distaste that I knew was strictly for the benefit of everyone watching. "Her highness can have the new bedroom, as planned, and I'll crash on one of the couches."
"Damn right, you will," I snipped, playing along and feeling the heat of our banter settling between my thighs.
"Stop being a dick," Kane chided, quirking his mouth in thought. "Maybe she's better off on the bus with me. I don't trust you to be nice if no one is around to call you out."
"I can handle him," I assured Kane, offering a weak smile before glaring at his brother, who was staring me down.
"Don't be so sure of that, warden."
I cocked my head to the side, looking at him like he was nothing worthy of stressing. "I've done a pretty damn good job so far, Mr. Edenfield."
"Oh, hell. She's using the last name again…" Kane groaned.
"You might want to take him up on his offer." Kade shot a look to his twin. "You'd be safer with him. There's no telling what lies in store if you risk bunking with me." He smirked menacingly.
"Bring it on, jerk face," I bit out, not backing down.
There were nervous chuckles from everyone around us, but all I could focus on right then was his smoldering gray eyes, the way they threatened to swallow me up. Alone with him on that tour bus for days? I wasn't sure if I was excited or petrified.
Or both.
"So, you want to foot the cost of a third driver—and travel expenses—for the rest of the tour?" Jared cut in, breaking the spell.
Kade looked over to him, the loss of his attention leaving me physically cold. "No, of course not. I don't piss away money that easily." He looked offended that Jared would even think such a thing. "I just figured after the next leg of the tour, we could reroute through Pennsylvania for a day and make the switch from the old bus to the new one. We can leave whichever bus we aren't using at my place until we can have it shipped to storage with the others."
Nods all around.
"I see what you're
saying. After the next few shows, we'll basically be going right through there anyway." Lennox said.
"Exactly."
"That’s what you're gonna do with the old bus, store it away somewhere to rot?" I asked, trying to look at them all, instead of focusing solely on Kade.
"We've been through a few over the years, but probably not as many as you think. A couple were stripped down and sold when we were first making a name for ourselves. Newbie bands on our tours jumped all over them, and the last I looked, they were still using them—good luck charms, they all say. The other two," he looked to Ethan questioningly, "or maybe it's three—buses we still have are in a massive storage warehouse we own in Pennsylvania. That’s where the one we’re ditching now will end up, too."
"Do you plan to use them again?"
"Not really. Just been too busy recording and touring to worry about getting rid of them." Lennox looked to the other guys, who all seemed to agree.
I considered a moment. "What if we auctioned them off? We could choose a different charity to benefit from the sale of each bus, create a huge media campaign, and let the winning bidders take possession at your final U.S. concert at the end of the year. It would be fantastic for your image, and you'd get to help a lot of people in the process, not to mention get rid of the unwanted rigs."
The guys looked at each other, brows raised in question.
Kade met each of their gazes and nodded before turning to me. "One of the charities has to be Milly's Mountain."
I practically squealed. "So you're in?" I asked, looking at each of them in turn.
"Absolutely." Jared smiled.
"Yep. Great idea, Aubrey." Kane winked.
The others gave me similar encouragement, and I couldn't help beaming.
Our Denson friends all looked a little emotional; soft smiles abounded. Talia was the first to speak, her voice thick. "Thank you. All of you. What you're offering, what you've already done for my little girl's memory…" Her chin shook and she pressed her lips together to stop it.
Surprisingly, Kade was the first to go to her. He stood and moved to crouch beside her chair, waiting patiently for her to look at him. When she did, he reached up and thumbed away a tear from her cheek. "You guys are family; that makes Milly our family, too. We'll always honor her memory. Always." He leaned up and wrapped his arms around Talia, hugging her against his chest.
Lauren caught my eye and mouthed, 'told you', referring to his kind-hearted streak.
I was too choked up to respond, so I just nodded.
He wasn't as scary as he pretended to be, and that actually frightened me more.
This version of Kade was the dangerous one.
Because this Kade was someone I could fall in love with.
•••
I found it hard to sleep that night, though the bed was soft and amazing. I tried to convince myself it was because—against all odds—I'd become accustomed to the motion of the bus, but it wasn't that.
It was him.
A single wall separated our rooms, but it felt like a frigging mountain. I wanted to go to him, to slip into his room quietly and see his formidable physique at rest on the enormous bed. I'd only seen him sleep on one of the cramped couches, never looking comfortable, never truly at peace.
After a bit of hesitation, I threw back my covers and slipped on my thin robe, treading lightly as I left my room and stepped up to his closed door. The light was off, not that I expected otherwise at two in the morning. I gently gripped the knob and turned, careful to be as quiet as possible. What if he locked it? It was possible that he didn't want anyone coming in to disturb him—even me.
The doorknob turned freely in my hand.
Still doesn't mean he wants you in here, Aubrey. Stalkerish much?
I cracked the door a bit and listened for signs of movement. Only his soft, even breathing cut through the stillness. Light from the window spilled across the room, illuminating his face with moonlight. He lay on his back, one arm thrown over his head, his bare chest on display as the thin sheet clung to his waist. It was freezing, but he looked like he was uncomfortably warm.
I inched across the room toward him, careful to step lightly as I studied his smooth brow and relaxed jaw. He was sleeping deeply, looking no more menacing than a teddy bear in his slumber.
Okay, you came, you saw, now get the fuck out before you earn yourself a restraining order.
As I turned to leave the room, he shifted, his head rolling slightly toward me as he exhaled loudly in his sleep. I froze, holding my breath and willing myself to become invisible. I'd never be able to explain this to him; he'd think I was nuts. How would I ever explain that I wanted to see him totally relaxed, even if only for a minute?
His breathing evened out, and I nearly sighed with relief, barely catching myself. My eyes roamed his face one last time and stopped on the thin, silvery line that lay in the crease of his left eye. It glinted just slightly in the moonlight, making me lean closer despite my fear of being caught. Yep, there it was. A scar, maybe a third of an inch long, perfectly aligned with the natural crease of his lid. When his eyes were open, it would be invisible. Even with them closed, I doubted anyone would notice it unless they looked closely.
Football injury? Bar fight? I wondered who hurt him and why, feeling a little angry at the tiny scar, evidence of some unnamed pain from his past. I made a hasty retreat, not wanting to wake him, while secretly hoping I did exactly that so he would pull me under the covers and wrap me in his arms.
Making my way back to my room, I realized I still had so many unanswered questions about him—about his family, his history, and what he wanted out of life. That tiny scar made me sad because it reminded me how little I knew about the man who was fast laying claim to my heart.
•••
The next morning was a flurry of activity. Clay had set off early to pick up Gran, whom he refused to let make the drive alone. Spencer, Brant, and their wives left a while later to get started at Milly's Mountain while the guys were rushing around getting ready for their surprise appearance. Jared and Kane got so tired of waiting for open showers that they darted to the buses outside to use the showers there. I was fairly sure Kane used the one on the new bus, just to spite his brother and be able to claim he'd been first to break it in.
Kade and I brushed past each other on the way to the bathroom, each of us stopping to regard the other while considering a shared shower. It was too risky, though, with everyone running around, so I waved him on and waited my turn despite his insistence that I could go first. I folded myself into a seat on the patio, taking in the cool morning air and looking out over the lush, green mountains. It was peaceful here, or it would have been, if the sounds of everyone's conversations weren't wafting up from their respective floors, cutting through the silence.
I sank into my seat, tilting my head back and closing my eyes, replaying my late-night excursion. Kade laying there under the thin sheet, relaxed in sleep, his expression so serene. It was beautiful. I imagined myself back in that room, lowering onto the bed beside him, running my fingers through his hair, the blond locks like silk as I brushed them aside and leaned down to kiss the sharp contour of his jaw. He would have awakened then, of course, but in my mind he feigned sleep so I would continue my exploration. I would have worked my way from his jaw, down his neck, across his chest and down to his stomach, taking time to give each of his chiseled abs the proper attention before slowly delving lower…
"Your turn, warden."
I sat up with a start, heart hammering in my chest as my face heated with embarrassment.
Kade stood in the open doorway, a thick, white towel circling his hips and another in his hand as he rubbed it over his dripping hair. The smell of his soap and cologne reached me, and my whole body reacted to the scent, my face heating further, a feat I wouldn't have thought possible. He stopped and raised a brow at my deer-in-the-headlights expression. "And what were you thinking about just now to make you blush so hard?" The edg
e of his mouth tipped up knowingly.
I had to work hard to avert my gaze; it wasn't easy to turn away from such an erotic sight. "I wasn't thinking about anything. Just dozing. I didn't sleep very well last night."
"Yeah, right." He chuckled lightly, knowing a line of bullshit when he heard it.
"I really didn't sleep all that well." That much was true. "I think I missed the movement of the bus."
"It's weird, isn't it?" he asked, leaning against the railing, facing me. "As cramped as our tour buses have always been, I get some of my best sleep on the road."
"Like being rocked," I offered.
"Yeah. Something like that."
I looked up at him, my brow pinching. "I didn't think I'd be able to sleep on your bus at all, to be honest, much less enjoy it. I've got a thing about moving vehicles. Since the accident…" I cleared my throat, pushing through the lump that had formed there. "My anxiety has been a real problem. When my boss handed me this assignment, I wasn't afraid of screwing it up. I wasn't even worried about whether you guys would accept me. I was worried that I'd have to live without sleep for the duration because the idea of waking up to another accident terrifies me." I blew out a breath, thinking back to when the job had landed in my lap. "My supervisor, Trish, probably got off on knowing how scared I was. She loves to remind people of their weaknesses."
"Was she the one who gave you the assignment?" He looked annoyed that someone might have intentionally set me up to suffer.
I shook my head. "No. Miles—her boss, my mentor—did. He wasn't looking at it as a punishment, he's not that type. He probably gave me the job to allow me the chance to prove myself. And he might have also enjoyed passing Trish over, since she's basically the bane of his existence. He's been kind of like an adopted father since the start, more so since my parents died."
"Well, I'm glad he's got your back, since your supervisor clearly doesn't."
"Trish is all about Trish, but that's kind of the way people are these days so I don't let it bother me." I shrugged it off.
