by Anna Paige
“I’m on it. I’m on it.” Brant assured him with a smile. “When I’m done, it will be a high-tech haven you’ll never want to leave.”
“I have no doubt.” Kade nodded, turning his attention to me. “He’s got serious skills, you know.”
“Oh, yeah, I’m well-aware,” I agreed.
Brant nearly spat his beer into the heater, turning to me with a raised brow and a flush in his cheeks.
Kade cracked up behind him.
I just looked at Brant like he was dense. “I did help with the upgrades to your cabin, remember? And you showed me the plans for Milly’s Mountain.”
“Oh.” He dropped his eyes from mine, shaking his head at his own awkwardness. I found it endearing. “I’d forgotten.”
“He’s a damn good lay, too,” I announced, giving Kade a wide smile.
That time Brant did spit out his beer.
Between bellowing laughter, Kade told him, “She’s definitely a keeper, bro.”
With a pointed look my way, Brant wiped the beer from his chin and nodded. “That, she is.”
Something about the way he was looking at me made my stomach do a little flip. He held my eye just a second or two longer than usual, long enough to make my heart race. Suddenly, everything else fell away and all I saw was him, those electric blue eyes, that wavy brown hair, the tilt of his head as he regarded me as though I was the most important person in the world.
As though I was his and his alone.
And I actually liked him looking at me that way.
Kade’s phone rang loudly from the table near the couch, startling me out of my daze. He snatched it up and glanced at the screen, smiling. “Hey, douche. You guys getting your shit together for the flight out? You have to be here in two hours, you know.” He listened for a minute, nodding along with whatever was being said. “Well, looks like that security guy is fucking fired.” He laughed. “Okay, okay. I’ll be right there. Keep your pants on.” A pause. “No, seriously. Keep them on. I have guests.” He ended the call and turned back toward the sliding doors. “The guys are here.”
“The guys? As in the rest of the band?” I practically squeaked as a massive case of nerves constricted my throat.
“Yep. My goofball brother can’t tell time. They weren’t due to pick me up yet.” Kade sighed as he made his way inside, presumably to let them in. “The fuckers must be hungry or something. I’m the only one who keeps his house stocked year-round,” he muttered as he left Brant and me on the patio.
Oh.
Shit.
I looked at Brant with wide, panicked eyes. “I cannot believe this. Like I wasn’t star struck enough; now I have Kane, Lennox, Ethan, Jared, and Kade to contend with. I’m going to make an ass of myself, I just know it. I don’t do well in normal crowds, but this? This isn’t just any crowd, Brant. These are rock gods. Oh. My. God.”
He crouched down in front of me, setting his beer on the stone floor and taking my hands in his. “Breathe, gorgeous. You’re gonna be great. I’m the socially inept one, remember? I just spat beer in the man’s outdoor heater.” He winked. “Besides, they aren’t the rock stars around here. You are. They’ll be the ones who are starstruck. Trust me. I know what I’m talking about here because I’m awed by you every single day.” He kissed the backs of my hands, lips a mere whisper against my skin, breath warm enough to give me the shivers.
There was that flip again; the one that had nothing to do with the five superstars about to walk through that patio door and everything to do with the man in front of me.
How did he keep doing that?
By the time I heard the loud, overlapping voices of the band inside, I was calm and collected. At least as far as they were concerned.
“Fix me a sandwich for the flight, fucker,” one voice called.
“I want some of that chocolate cake the housekeeper left last time we were in town,” shouted another.
“That was six months ago, dumbass. If it’s still here, you do not want any.” This from a third voice.
Kade’s rough voice cut in. “Would you three shut the fuck up. You’re like a bunch of kindergartners. Go to the kitchen and forage like the scavengers you are and for fuck’s sake, clean up the mess.”
A voice much like Kade’s, though a little smoother and less hypnotic, rang out. “And grab me a beer while you’re in there. I’m gonna go say hi to Brant, you bunch of rude bastards.”
By the time Kade and his twin brother Kane stepped onto the patio, Brant and I were laughing our asses off.
As his identical twin, Kane was built like Kade; tall, broad shouldered, and muscular. They each had silky, shoulder-length blond hair and the same deep gray eyes, but they differed in a lot of ways. Kade usually looked serious, foreboding even, and the deep pitch of his voice only underscored the air of danger and mystery. At least, that was how I’d always perceived him until I actually met him and realized how decidedly not scary he was. On stage though, the man was intimidating.
Kane, on the other hand, had a wide, natural smile and easy demeanor that was magnetic. It practically dragged you into his space like gravity. He was obviously the charmer of the family. He smiled at me, flashing a set of perfect teeth as he stepped up to give Brant a one-armed hug and quick punch to the shoulder. “Damn, man. It’s been way too long.” His greeting was so similar to his brother’s it made me grin.
“Yes, it has.” Brant agreed, turning toward me. “Kane, this is Lauren Caldwell. Lauren, Kane Edenfield.”
I moved to get up but he held out a hand, stopping me. “You look way too comfortable for that.” He came over and gently pulled my hand into his, raising it to his full, warm lips. “Very pleased to meet you, Lauren.”
“Likewise.” I returned his smile, inwardly reminding myself not to say anything stupid.
Brant’s gaze was locked on my hand, how it was dwarfed in Kane’s. After a moment, he smirked and lifted one foot, effectively kicking Kane in the ass, nearly sending him sprawling into the empty seat next to me. “Hey, don’t lay it on so thick, asshole. You’re as bad as your brother.”
“Me?” He let go of my hand with a wink and turned to Brant. “You’re the one trying to push me on top of her. Jeez. If you need to put another man on the job because you can’t handle it, the least you can do is ask first.”
Brant’s eyes flashed to mine and I had to laugh. He was worried Kane had offended me.
“He doesn’t need any help, Kane. She’s already had her say about that.” Kade tossed out, laughing.
“I stand corrected.” Kane backed away, hands in the air in surrender before casting a grin in my direction. “Any woman willing to lie to save your reputation is worth hanging onto.”
I quirked one corner of my mouth, raising a brow at him. “I don’t lie about a man’s abilities in bed. Giving undue credit only rewards bad behavior. Either you can hit it right or you can’t. There’s no gold star for trying.”
There was a moment of stunned silence.
Then…
“Will you marry me?” Kade and Kane both asked, simultaneously.
Brant tried to glare at them but ended up laughing. “Damn twins.”
He received an identical set of crude gestures for his comment.
“Hey, Matthews! When you gonna get the tour bus straight so we can break it in? I’ve got a whole list of chicks waiting in the wings to help christen that thing.” Lennox Reid stepped outside, platinum hair artfully sticking up all over his head, crunching on chips as his deep brown eyes fell on me. He stopped and shot the band’s lead-singer a look. “Shit, Kade. Did you break the damn thing in already? I thought we agreed no groupies on the bus until it was finished. I had big plans.”
Kade, Kane, and Brant all turned to look at me, realizing what Lennox was getting at.
“Lenn…” Kade began, giving me an apologetic look. “You should carry a shoehorn around to help remove your foot from your mouth.” He blew out a breath, annoyed.
“She’s with Brant,
asshole, and you just insulted her.” Kane tossed out, rolling his eyes.
Lennox looked at me again, raising a brow. “So, she’s not a fan?”
“Oh, she’s a huge fan.” I said loudly, as I gave him a dazzling smile. “Of theirs.” I pointed to Kade and Kane, then gestured to Ethan and Jared who had just stepped out behind him. “You? Not so much anymore.” I turned to Kane. “And I’m not with anyone.”
“Damn, Lenn. What’d you do to her?” Ethan asked, popping the top on a can of beer. “You were out here all of two seconds and already pissed someone off. I think that’s a new record.” He turned to give me a charming smile, his dark, wavy hair falling in his blue eyes with the movement. “Ethan Chase. Nice to meet you, especially when you’re giving Lennox hell.” He held out the can in his hand. “Beer? You can have this one. I’ll grab another.”
“No, thanks. I’m good. My name’s Lauren. It’s nice to meet you.” There was barely a tremble in my voice, despite my nerves. I was immensely proud of that.
Jared Shaw was the last to speak. His light brown hair and vivid green eyes made him look somehow less intimidating than the rest of the group, like he was the boy next door type versus their felon next door vibe. He met my eye from a few feet away as he lingered close to the patio door and leaned against the cold brick, half a sandwich in his hand. No beer, though. Just bottled water, which only underscored my initial impression. “I’m Jared.” He gave me the ‘what’s up’ head tilt and returned his attention to his sandwich without waiting for my reply.
He was notoriously shy, according to the articles I’d read.
Once the introductions were over, the guys chatted amongst themselves for a few minutes, catching up. I just listened for the most part, content to be a spectator.
While quietly taking a visual inventory of the six men standing around the patio, I was struck by how gorgeous they all were. All in different ways, of course, but still heart-stoppingly, panty-meltingly, jaw-on-the-floor gorgeous. Seriously, these guys could fill a spank bank the size of the Federal Reserve.
Yet my stomach only did that little flip for Brant.
“Lauren?” Brant’s voice was low, concerned. I must have zoned out.
I blinked a few times, glancing at the rest of the guys, all of whom seemed to be lost in conversation. “Yeah?”
“Want anything from the kitchen? I’m heading that way.”
Seeing as how the band was talking shop, planning out their trip and things they wanted to do between shows, I decided it was a good idea to leave them to it for a while. I gave Brant a nod and tossed back the blanket, instantly shivering at the blast of cold air against my skin. He offered a hand to help me up and I took it, knowing it was easier to let him help than convince him that I was capable of doing things on my own.
On the way past, Lennox shot a hand out and stopped me. “I just wanted to say I’m sorry for being an ass before. I really didn’t mean any offense. The guys call me a blurter; no filter, no forethought…”
“No brains.” Ethan deadpanned. “That’s why we put him on bass.”
Lennox flipped him the bird, eyes never leaving mine. “If I promise to work on engaging my filter, will you go back to being a fan of the whole band?” Something about his expression told me he really did care that he might have upset me. There was a wounded quality in his eyes, like the idea of me having a poor opinion of him would keep him awake at night. Like what I thought mattered.
How could I stay mad at him after that?
I gave his arm a quick pat. “I wasn’t mad. It takes a lot more than that to get me upset, trust me. A few words won’t ever send me running. I was just giving you hell on behalf of all women for thinking that any female you might find here must only be interested in screwing.” I moved past him, closing in on the open patio doors before turning back. “I’m still a fan of yours, by the way. I think you’re phenomenally talented. Maybe after I grab some tea, we can talk music?”
He smiled, looking relieved. “Absolutely.”
•••
“See? I told you there was nothing to be nervous about. They love you.” Brant moved around the kitchen, filling the shiny chrome tea kettle and placing it on the massive six-burner cooktop. He’d refused to let me do anything, relegating me to a bar chair at the overhanging counter of the enormous center island. The cool marble felt good on my arms as I stretched them across the broad expanse.
“Clearly. I got not one but two proposals.” I chuckled when Brant frowned at that.
“Yeah, I remember.” He groused.
“Those two are really something. I think it’s nice that they are so close.”
He tilted his head, watching me. “Yeah. I always wanted a brother growing up. Someone to go on adventures with and get into trouble with. Know what I mean?”
I nodded, watching him pull an expensive-looking tea box from the cupboard. He placed it between my outstretched arms and leaned back against the counter while I perused the contents. Lemon Zinger, Chamomile, Sleepy Time, Earl Grey… there were at least two dozen flavors all neatly separated in the little compartments. I chose one at random and closed the box, which Brant immediately retrieved and set aside.
“You have Clay and Spencer for that now, though,” I offered, smiling when I realized how similar their banter was to that of Kade and Kane.
“Pains in my ass, both of them, but you’re right. They are my family now, for better or worse.”
Family.
There was a pang in my chest, the hollow feeling that overcame me every time I thought of Teach. Then I thought about Isaac and the sickeningly satisfying sound of the utility knife tearing through his flesh. God, how could I sit out there with rock royalty and act like I wasn’t completely fucked in the head? How could they not see it when they looked at me? I barely suppressed a shudder as I thought about it all.
I caught Brant watching me, clearly reading the shift in my emotions. I decided that Teach was the safer of the available explanations, so I shifted my focus away from Isaac as best I could and promised myself I could have a proper meltdown later, in private.
In the meantime, I needed to say something before Brant’s worried expression got any worse.
Not bothering to guard my tortured expression, I turned on the backless stool, pointing toward the media room that branched off of the kitchen. “Teach would have had a fit over this room.” I announced thickly, fighting back tears. “A huge television right in the middle of all those bookcases? He would have popped a new frown line. He liked to keep the two things mutually exclusive. Television in one room, books in another. It was his firm belief that there was nothing worse than trying to sink into a good book while someone had the nerve to turn on The Price is Right five feet away. All those cheers and bells dinging… it drove him crazy.”
Brant looked over at the built-ins, smiling. “I’ll pass your critique along to Clay. They were his doing.”
“Huh?” I blinked up at him for a minute, confusion taking priority over my anguish for a moment before it dawned on me. “Oh, shit. You guys built this place?”
He nodded. “About seven years ago, give or take. It was the year their third album dropped, whenever that was.”
“Eight years ago.” I supplied automatically.
His eyes crinkled in amusement.
I just shrugged. “Can’t call yourself a true fangirl and not know shit like that.”
“Luckily, I never claimed fangirl status.” He chuckled.
I thought back over everything I’d seen earlier when Kade showed me around. “I can’t believe you actually made all of this. This place is spectacular.”
He just smiled.
“Which parts were the most fun to work on?” There were so many cool elements in the house, stuff I’d never seen before that had blown my mind. I had to wonder which ones were Brant’s doing.
“The recording studio downstairs was fun. I added a lot of bells and whistles that even some of the bigger recording houses didn’
t have at the time.” He thought for a minute. “Oh, and the vanishing TV mirrors in the bathrooms. Those were a blast.” He laughed. “I wired them up so that they were on a motion sensor and every time one of the contractors walked into a room that had one of those mirrors, it would start up and play scenes from old horror movies. Scared the shit out of a lot of people with that one.”
His laughter was contagious. I found myself picturing their reactions and cracking up right along with him.
The tea kettle started to whistle and he grabbed a pot holder, filling my cup and setting it aside to steep.
“Honestly, we have a lot of fun doing what we do. We get to be creative. We get to do something different every single day. No two houses we build are ever the same. I like that. I like having the opportunity to invent or reinvent at my discretion. It’s freeing.” He paused, noticing me watching him. “What? Did that sound sappy?”
“Not at all. I love seeing you so passionate about your work. I’m kind of envious of your talent. Not many people can do what you do.”
He shrugged off my praise. “Everyone has a passion, a calling. It just takes time to discover what it is sometimes.”
“Maybe one day I’ll find mine,” I muttered, reaching for my cup and fiddling with the tea bag.
“I have no doubt, sweetheart. And whatever it is, you’ll be incredible at it.”
“I’ve spent so much time just trying to get by that I never really thought much about anything else.”
His hand covered mine as it lay on the counter. “You’ll not only get by, baby girl, you’re gonna thrive. I promise you that.”
There was something in his tone that made me almost believe what he was saying could be true.
I reached for my mug and motioned for him to follow me back outside. He nodded and grabbed a beer from the fridge, popping the top and pausing a minute in hesitation, his brow furrowing. “Does it bother you when I drink?”
