by Christi Snow
His heart twisted. It sounded lonely.
She sipped her cocoa. “You mentioned your family’s present exchange. How does that work when I imagine you’re all over the world, aren’t you? There are so many of you.”
He shook his head. “Oh, no. If you’re a Gresham, you’re expected to be at the Gresham Compound in Colorado for Christmas.”
She tilted her head in question and a warm feeling filled his chest. She was just so cute. She made simple chitchat as much fun as hot and heavy sex...well, almost as much fun. Nothing beat sex with her.
“Gresham Compound?” she asked. “Wow, that sounds official...and impressive.”
“Actually, it kind of is. It’s a piece of land in central Colorado just northwest of Aspenridge. My great-grandparents bought one hundred acres there long before the ski resorts in Colorado were a well sought out winter destination. Several decades later, it’s become the Gresham Compound. There are at least twenty cabins, and everyone comes out for Christmas and stay until New Year’s. The only way anyone gets out of it is if they are too pregnant to get there that time of the year...and then that part of the family is shunned for planning their pregnancy wrong.”
Emily gave a soft smile. “It sounds nice. Your family is incredible.”
“They are.” He twined his fingers with hers. He’d made it a personal rule long ago not to mix his women with his family, but he hated the idea of Emily alone on Christmas day. He couldn’t let her be lonely, not when he wanted to spend more time with her.
“You know,” he said. “Aspenridge is just a couple of hours from Denver. How about if I go with you to Denver for Christmas Eve, and then we can drive up to the compound in Aspenridge Christmas day? The music for my album isn’t done, and I don’t want to give up any of my time with you yet.”
This was breaking one of his hard-and-fast rules about his women mixing with his family, but those rules didn’t seem to apply to Emily. His relationship with her felt different—more real—than he’d ever had with anyone else.
She started shaking her head. “I don’t know, Brady. The holidays are family time. I don’t think—”
“Oh, come on,” he said, suddenly really wanting this—more time with her. “There are so many people in my family, no one will even notice. Just imagine...days skiing, mountains, snow, and reading in the lodge, nights spent making love by the roaring fireplace. I have my own cabin. You won’t even have to mix with the family if you don’t want. It would be incredible to have you there.”
“I don’t know...”
He could see he was losing this argument, but the more he considered it, the more he wanted it. “Don’t give me an answer yet then. When are you planning to head to Denver?”
“I actually haven’t even booked my flight, so I’m not sure. But it’s going to have to be soon.”
“Even better. We can take one of the Gresham jets, and then you won’t have to deal with all the holiday craziness while traveling. Say yes, Emily. You know you want to.”
She bit her lip as she looked up at him from under hooded eyes.
He gave her his biggest smile. He could see her wavering. She wanted to come with him.
She closed her eyes. “That’s not playing fair. You know I can’t say no when you bring out the dimples.”
“Does that mean yes?” His heart sped up excitedly, already imagining her dressed her as a ski bunny and them fucking while the snow came down outside.
She shook her head. “I’m going to have to learn to say no to you, but it won’t be today. Okay, I’ll go with you.”
He whooped and pulled her into his arms. “Come on. I need to get you home so I can fuck you. Now.”
Chapter Ten
A few nights later, it was their final evening in New York City before flying out to Denver the next morning, and Brady had promised to take her to a rock concert. Emily took one last look in the bathroom mirror. Favorite dark wash jeans...check. Thigh high black leather boots...check. Favorite fitted silk turquoise blue top...check. Black leather jacket...check. Her jewelry was on point. And her hair and makeup at least had started out the night looking good.
Brady’s cousin, Daniel, played and sang for the rock band, Veiled Lies. They hadn’t hit the big time yet, but this free concert tonight at the Dunwoldt Theatre would go a long ways to getting them there. It was all about giving a Christmas gift to their fans and gaining the good PR to go along with it.
Emily was excited. It had been a long time since she’d been to a rock concert. A knock sounded at her front door so she stuffed her ID, cash, and debit card into her jacket pocket. Her small duffle bag sat by the front door since she planned to spend the night at Brady’s apartment tonight.
When she swung the door open, Brady stood there, looking all bad-boy hotness in his torn jeans and a black T-shirt that clung to his abs. Like her, he wore a leather jacket for the cold night but his was worn, chocolate brown. Black, high-top Chucks finished off his outfit. It was a very laidback look for him, but damn, it worked.
“Hey there, handsome.” She leaned in and gave him a kiss on his cheek. He hadn’t shaved today, leaving him with a dark, gorgeous scruff that made him look even sexier than normal. It also made him look older so that they weren’t such a mismatch...something that she was always aware of when they were out in public. “You look hot.” She fanned herself.
“Damn, girl, so do you.” He grasped her hand, but stepped away from her so he could look her up and down with a lascivious look in his eye. He dipped his head to whisper in her ear, “You’re going to have to tell me what I can do to convince you to lose the jeans but keep the boots on in bed later.”
She shivered. “Just keep talking to me like that, and I can probably be convinced.”
When they stepped outside the apartment building, Luke held the car door for them, looking like he could play the part of an extra in a mob movie. He wore head-to-toe black including—
She peered up at him, and he flushed red under her perusal. “Luke,” she whispered dramatically. “Are you wearing guyliner?”
Brady burst out laughing. “I told you she’d notice.”
Luke rolled his eyes at both of them. “It’s a rock concert. I try to blend in so I can protect you better.”
“Oh, wow.” She and Brady climbed into the car. “I didn’t realize.” She glanced at Brady in question. “So he’ll be going with us into the concert.”
Brady nodded. “Yeah, this is one of those things where it’s better to have him around. Plus, Daniel and I look too much alike. We’re mistaken for one another a lot of times, so if I want to keep from getting accosted by his fans, Luke’s the answer.”
She nodded that she understood.
Before he’d arrived, her stomach had been filled with butterflies of excitement, but now it felt more like dread. She knew that concerts could get crazy, but she’d never been with someone who might induce some of that craziness. So far, their outings had been fairly drama free. She just hoped that continued tonight. The idea of Brady being in danger was something she didn’t even want to consider.
Because they had backstage passes and Daniel had wanted them there before the show, they arrived at the venue an hour before show time. But even with that, the fans had already circled the block outside in a line, waiting to get inside.
Luke knew exactly where to go as he pulled up in the alley to what looked like a loading dock area filled with semis and the band buses. Emily raised her eyebrows in question.
“Because we’re going to go hang out with the band, we also get VIP entrance and parking.”
“Wow, I’m impressed.”
“Stick with me, doll, and I’ll knock you off your feet.”
Those dimples flashed at her and she realized it might already be too late. This was supposed to be fun, light, sexy, but with those few words, realization struck. She was falling for Brady.
Oh, hell no. That couldn’t happen.
Brady grabbed her hand and she followed him
into the building with Luke following closely behind them. Security stood at the door, but one look at Brady and they didn’t ask to see any kind of ID. People nodded and allowed them access as they wound their way to the rabbit warren of halls and doors until they reached the band’s inner sanctum.
Music pounded from within. Brady glanced back at her with a wink. “You ready for this?”
She tried to quell the nervous butterflies. It had been years since she’d gone to a concert like this. She had thought she’d moved past this point in her life, but Brady vibrated with excitement so she smiled and nodded. “Yep. Let’s go party.”
The pre-party was a crazy mix of happy faces and lots of drinking. Luke hadn’t been exaggerating about the women fawning over Brady. Emily had been chatting with a journalist covering the concert while waiting for Brady to come back with her drink when she realized he was in trouble. Across the room, barely legal-aged, redheaded twins draped over each side of Brady.
He’d left Luke with her to ‘keep other guys from hitting on her’. She turned to the big bodyguard now. “Don’t you think you should go help him?” She nodded toward Brady and the girls.
Luke snorted. “I think that’s your job tonight. My job is to keep him from physical harm. I don’t think they want to hurt him.”
She rolled her eyes at his smirk.
“Excuse me,” she told the reporter. “I think I need to go save my date.”
They both turned to look at Brady who was trying to be polite, but kept sending desperate glances for her to come help.
The journalist laughed. “You have a keeper there. Most men—if they had those two hanging off them—would be in a dark corner hoping their date didn’t notice.”
Yeah, they were young, but the twins were beautiful, tall, and would definitely fit in most men’s fantasy spank-bank. But not her husband who mouthed, “Help,” when she didn’t seem to be moving fast enough for him.
Emily smiled and winked at her man who was grappling with the hands of one twin when his eyes widened. Emily’s eyes dropped to his groin. The other twin had managed to get her hands inside his jeans. What the hell?
Emily marched over to the little trio and clapped like an excited cheerleader. “Ooh, honey, they’re perfect.” She leaned forward and kissed him, yanking the offensive hand out of his pants at the same time. “You’re brilliant.” She spoke low to Brady but knew the sisters could hear every word. “Incest porn is so in. Our viewers will love watching these two as lesbian lovers.”
Suddenly, both girls were completely hands off and rushing away while muttering phrases of, “Oh my god,” and “That’s just sick.”
Brady eyes were wide and his mouth had dropped open. “Incest porn?” He whispered in horror. “Is that even a thing?”
She laughed. “Oh, god, I hope not.” She shrugged. “But hey, it worked. You are now free of the tall, leggy redheaded sisters.”
He kissed her and laughed again. “Just the way I like it. One petite spitfire of a blonde is all I can handle.”
Tingling erupted from her chest and travelled down to the fingers of the hand he held. For the moment, she felt cherished. It definitely wasn’t what she’d expected, but that didn’t make it bad.
The band had their own preshow rituals, so Emily didn’t get a glimpse of them before the concert. But they had front row seats in the VIP section to the side of the stage for the concert, so she had a great view of the band and Brady’s cousin, Daniel.
It was crazy how much he and Daniel looked alike. Daniel’s dark hair was longer than Brady’s...a style befitting the rock star. But he had the same dark blue, intense eyes. He even had the same gorgeous dimples.
But she didn’t feel drawn to the rock star like she did Brady. Her gaze drifted to Brady over and over throughout the concert. He’d captured her attention fully over the last month and not much had distracted her from her fascination with him. When their time together ended, it was going to hurt.
Logic told her she should escape now to make it hurt less, but she was too selfish. She didn’t want to give him up yet, so she rocked out with him to the music and tried to ignore the feeling of dread that sat low in her belly.
Just before the final song of the concert, someone came and collected them, taking them back for the after-party.
They entered the large, back room behind the concert venue and walked into a crazy party already rocking, with scantily clad women and men everywhere. Everyone had a cup in their hand, and more than a few patrons were beyond blitzed.
Brady turned to her. “Stay close,” he yelled in her ear so she could hear him over the loud music. “It’s liable to get manic in here. I don’t want anyone snatching you from me.” He exchanged a look with Luke over her head, and she kind of liked this protective, sexy sandwich she’d been placed in.
She stood on tiptoe and brushed a kiss across Brady’s cheek. “Don’t worry. I’ll be fine. Just lead the way to the drinks.” They’d had a beer during the concert, but after two hours of yelling, she needed something more. “Then I want to meet your cousin when he gets here.”
Brady’s eyes lit up with excitement. “Roger that. Let’s go.”
They crept through the crowd, Brady never let go of her hand, although several people stopped him along the way to greet him. He never did much more than nod his head as he focused on his goal of getting to the bar.
She spotted the full bar with a bartender manning it in the corner when Brady pulled her to his front. “What would you like?” he asked.
“Jack and Coke if that’s okay.” It looked like a full bar, but she had no idea if it really was.
Brady nodded and ordered two of them and a regular Coke for Luke since he was officially working. When the bartender passed their drinks to them, Brady placed a twenty into the tip jar and then nodded.
“Now, we can go mingle. Let’s see if Daniel’s here yet.”
Again, the men sandwiched her between them. Because Luke was so close behind her, she felt his indrawn hiss of shock. She turned to find the big bodyguard focused on the two men entwined on the sofa. Blazing pain etched his expression as he looked at them.
“Are you okay?” she asked.
The proverbial mask slipped over his face quickly. “Sure, just fine.” His voice was barely more than a croak. “There’s Daniel.” He nodded at the couch. “Brady’s going to want to introduce you if he ever manages to get D’s tongue out of his friend’s mouth.” The word “friend” had been sneered.
Although Luke had been trying to hide his reaction, there was obviously history between him and Daniel.
Damn. Emily had been hoping to introduce Luke to her stepbrother, Austin, since Brady had mentioned he was single and gay. She turned to speak to Luke, maybe offer some comfort.
But in front of her, a long, bare arm with bangles at the wrist snaked around Brady’s waist and settled proprietarily in his back pocket.
Emily raised an eyebrow at the woman, but girl might be more apt a description because she was really young, something that was obvious even through the layers of makeup. Standing at least as tall as Brady’s six-foot-plus height, she barely wore more than Band-Aids for clothes.
“Brady,” the girl gushed. “Why didn’t you call me to let me know you planned to come tonight? I’m going to have to dump my girls so I can devote my time to you.” The girl wrapped a leg around Brady’s waist, and Emily swore she saw a flash of cooch. Oh, hell no.
Emily grasped that foot in the sky-high stiletto and pushed it off Brady’s hip as he tried to squirm out of the girl’s grip.
Emily stepped between him and the girl and thrust her hand forward. “Hi, I’m Emily. I’m Brady’s date tonight.”
“Oh.” The girl stepped back as if she expected Emily to scratch her eyes out. The idea was tempting, but Emily would never assault a minor. She was more mature than that...barely.
Brady wrapped an arm around Emily and tucked her under his arm. “Yep, that’s right. Sorry, Tawny. I’m taken t
onight.”
Tawny? Of course, her name was Tawny, not that it was probably her real name. It was probably just the alias she used for her modeling and the social media accounts she kept for her cleavage-exposing selfies.
But Brady had said taken tonight. A week or two from now, Brady would be free to date the Tawny’s of the world again. Emily needed to remember that. This was a temporary arrangement.
Tawny pouted and gave Emily a brittle smile that didn’t touch the resentment in her gaze.
Brady pulled Emily away. “Sorry about that. These parties always bring out the leeches.”
As they approached the couch, Daniel was in the process of tucking his dick back in his pants and the guy who’d been making out with him was cleaning his hand with a tissue. It was probably a good thing Tawny had delayed them if only to spare Luke from that scene.
Daniel saw Brady just before they stepped over to the couch. He stood. Daniel immediately looked past both Brady and her to Luke. Daniel winced, and his face flushed red. His partner in crime rose, too, also zeroing in on Luke with a triumphant expression.
Emily’s stomach sank in sympathy for Luke. Whatever happened between him and Daniel, the emotions were still there and not a secret...at least not between the three men in question.
Brady didn’t seem aware of any of the vibes flowing between them, though. In fact, Brady appeared to be fighting back a grin. “Sorry to interrupt your post-show adrenaline release.” Brady laughed with a shake of his head. “But I want you to meet someone. Daniel, this is my”—he hesitated a split second—“Emily.”
Daniel smirked. “His Emily, huh? That sounds serious.” He bowed to Emily. “I’d shake your hand, but...” He shot another uncomfortable glance at Luke. “Let me just say it’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Miss Emily. It’s nice to see Brady classing up the place rather than being seen with what he usually drags in.”