“Do you think he will?”
“Hell if I know.”
“I feel bad for him.”
“Why? He’s screwing this up for all of us.”
“I knew a lot of kids who did drugs. Sometimes it didn’t even seem like a choice. It’s like they had to do them. It is a disease, you know.”
“He had a choice to say no to his first line of blow or crack pipe.”
“I can’t argue with that, but what happens isn’t always under our control. Some people are more predisposed to addiction.”
“Why are you defending him?”
“I’m not. I feel sorry for him. There’s a difference.”
He checks his phone again, then stands. “I’m going across the hall.”
I stand in the doorway as he knocks on the door to Crew and Bria’s room. Crew opens it. He’s on the phone and covers the speaker. “I’m on with Ronni. She’s having a goddamn stroke.”
Bria is behind him, talking on her phone and pacing. She waves us in. “Hold on a minute, Brad. Garrett just walked in.” She mutes the phone and gets Crew’s attention. “Put Ronni on speaker. Here’s the deal. Katie quit her job three weeks ago to be a stay-at-home mom. Brad is taking real estate classes and working for Katie’s dad at his printing shop. He says he can’t simply up and leave when he’s the sole breadwinner now.”
“How much is he making?” Garrett asks.
“I don’t know,” she says. “Why would he tell me that?”
Ronni laughs. “It can’t be much. Offer him a year’s salary to finish the tour. It’s four weeks of his life in exchange for a full year of pay.”
“He wants to become a realtor?” Crew asks.
Bria shrugs. “Maybe we can also reimburse him for the classes.”
Garrett says, “Do that. Whatever it takes to get him on a plane tomorrow. We can’t lose this momentum.”
“Garrett’s right,” Ronni says. “It’s a small price to pay.”
“We’ll need to accommodate Katie and the baby if they want to come,” Bria adds.
“Done. We’ll do it all. We’ll hire a goddamn nanny if they want us to.” Garrett gestures to Bria’s phone. “Tell him. Put him on speaker.”
Bria tells him what we’re offering. We can hear him discussing it with his wife. “It’s up to you, Katie. I’m not going if you don’t want me to.”
“You have to go,” she says. “We have to go.”
The four of us look at each other with excitement.
“Really?” we hear Brad say as if he’s surprised. “You want to do this?”
“You quit the band for me, for our family, even though you love playing. And now your friends are asking you for a favor. The tour will fold if you don’t do this. What kind of wife would I be if I kept you from helping them out?”
“I’ll have someone work out the flight arrangements right away,” Ronni says. “Can you be ready to fly out by noon tomorrow?”
Brad and Katie discuss it. “I think so.”
“Good. With the three-hour time difference, you should have plenty of time to fly there, get your family settled, and get in some practice onstage. I’ll make sure the set is up by five so you can run through a few songs to get up to speed.”
“That’s good, but he won’t need it,” Garrett says. “How hard is it to stand there and play bass?”
Brad laughs. “I see nothing’s changed.”
“We can’t wait to have you back,” Bria says.
“I’m not back. Just helping out my friends for a month.”
“Right,” Crew says. “See you tomorrow, man.”
Bria ends the call, and the three of them jump around.
“Text Liam and Jeremy,” Bria says to Crew. “Then we’re going for drinks to celebrate.”
Down in the hotel bar, Crew orders a bottle of champagne. We hold up our glasses as he toasts Reckless Alibi being back together again.
“If Liam and Ella were here, we could also toast their engagement,” Crew says.
“She’s still in pain from the surgery,” I tell them. “We’ll celebrate when she feels better.”
“I can’t believe they’re getting hitched,” Garrett says.
Bria grins. “I can’t believe we’re having a double wedding.”
“You’d better start planning,” I say. “Six months may seem like a long time, but it’ll be here before you know it.”
“Maybe you could help,” Bria says.
“I think I’d like that.”
Garrett’s leg brushes against mine under the table. It’s the first time we’ve touched since the night we had sex. I wait for him to move away, but he doesn’t. Tingles work through me.
For the past three days, while sitting in waiting rooms, hotel rooms, and airplanes, I’ve thought of nothing else but touching him. I said I wanted to be friends. I lied. I’ve been lying to myself for years. I thought I was over him. Then when I saw him again after he stole my lyrics, I thought I hated him. But that couldn’t be further from the truth.
I reach for my glass but miss. It topples, and I try to right it but it ends up spilling in my lap. Garrett and I grab the napkin at the same time, his hand landing on top of mine. I forget all about the liquid on my jeans.
“Let me get that,” he says, patting my jeans.
“I got it.” I go for the napkin, but then think twice about it. “Okay, you can. Uh, sorry.” I push it back into his hands. “You do it. Whatever.” I cover my face with my hands. “Oh, God.”
I’m feeling all kinds of stupid. Is it so obvious I want him to touch me? My face must be bright red. That is until his hand glides up and down my thigh. Then I think spilling my drink was the best thing I’ve ever done.
“I think I got it all,” he says.
“Thanks. I’m good now.”
But I’m not good. I want his hand back on my thigh. His arm on my shoulder. His lips on my body.
Crew and Bria watch us with amusement.
Garrett starts to refill my glass. When I put my hand on top of it, his eyebrows shoot up. “You don’t want anymore?”
“Trying to keep a clear head. You go ahead. It’s your celebration anyway.”
He tops off the other three glasses. “More for us.”
When the waitress asks if we want another bottle, Crew and Bria stand. “I think we’re going to turn in early,” Crew says. “We’ll see you tomorrow.”
After they leave, we sit in awkward silence. “What do you want to do?” I ask.
“I want you to tell me why you need a clear head.”
“And I want you to answer the question I asked in the elevator.”
He finishes off his glass. “What question?”
“Don’t play dumb with me, Garrett.”
“You want to know if this is a date?”
“Is it?”
“Do you want it to be?”
“I’ve wanted it to be for six years.”
He laughs sadly. “Yet you married my brother.”
Guilt consumes me. “I know. I’m sorry, but what’s done is done. Do you want to sit here and fight about Rob, or do you want to go upstairs with me?”
A flicker in his eyes tells me he wants it as much as I do. Then he sighs. “Are you sure it’s a good idea?”
“It’s probably a terrible idea. And given my track record of bad decisions, I’m probably not the right one to ask.”
“You’re not the only one who’s made bad decisions, Reece.”
“You’re right. I wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for one of your bad decisions. And it might end up making me a lot of money.”
“Not might. Will. You’re a talented musician. It’s about time the world finds that out.”
We get up and head for the elevator. “What exactly did we decide?” I ask.
“That some bad decisions can lead to good things?”
My heart flutters. “We’re going to do this?”
He pins me to the elevator wall. “If by this you mean me st
ripping off your clothes and licking every inch of you, then yes, we’re going to do this.”
I get weak in the knees.
Someone else gets on the elevator. Garrett’s eyes burn into me. It’s the longest six-floor ascent of my life.
The lights are off in my room, but the moonlight shines through the window. He pushes me against the door and kisses me long and slow. Not like before. This one is not rushed.
He runs his tongue down the side of my throat. “You wanted to be sober for this.”
It feels so good, my eyes close. “Yes.”
“So you could change your mind if you needed to?” He raises my shirt, and his mouth finds my breast.
“I’m not going to change my mind.”
“Then why?”
I arch my back when he pinches my nipple. “So I can remember every moment.”
He carries me to the bed. “Then I’d better give you some moments worth remembering.”
My belly clenches. My heart expands. That might be the sexiest thing anyone has ever said to me.
He places me on the bed and removes every stitch of my clothing. He slowly pulls my panties down my legs, running his fingers along the outside of my thighs, my calves, my feet. When I’m naked, he stands back and gazes at me in the silver light. Can he see my scar? I’ve always been self-conscious about it. If he does, will he ask? Would he even care?
I sit up and tug at his belt, undoing the buckle before I tackle the button and fly of his pants. His erection strains against his jeans. It bounces free when I push his pants and boxers down. He kicks them off and removes his shirt, then climbs on top of me. He rubs his dick against me as he kisses me. I groan into his mouth and claw at his back, wanting him inside me.
He takes my breast into his mouth, toying with the nipple while his fingers run through my wetness. I push myself onto them. He inserts one, then another. He withdraws and rubs my slick juices on my clit. I fist the sheets, trying not to come, needing more before I explode.
He moves farther down and puts his mouth on me. He sticks his tongue inside me and sucks my clit. Licks it. Skims his teeth along it. Oh God. My stomach coils. My thighs tighten. I try to relax my legs and let him build me up even more. This is nothing like before. Last time was wham-bam sex. This is different, and it’s hard to hold back, but I don’t want it to end. I want to stay in this moment, feeling exactly like this, always and forever.
He slips the tip of a finger into my ass, and I buck against him as I detonate. “Garrett!” I shout.
Before my orgasm wanes, he’s inside me. “Jesus,” he mumbles into my shoulder. He thrusts once, then again, then he comes.
When it’s over, he chuckles. “Damn, you’d think I was an adolescent boy.”
I laugh with him. “You were pretty quick.”
“Give me a minute to recharge, and I promise I’ll last longer.” He rolls off me, then stiffens. “Oh, shit, Reece. No condom. Please tell me you’re still on the pill.”
“I’m good. Don’t worry.”
“I’m good, too. I mean I don’t have syphilis or some other shit. I always wrap it. Well, except for now. Christ, I don’t know what came over me.” He chuckles into my shoulder. “Actually, you came all over me. It was fucking spectacular.”
“You have some new moves,” I say and then exhale a deep sigh.
“Stop it.”
“What?”
“If we start thinking about who else we’ve slept with, this will never work.”
“How did you know what I was thinking?”
“Maybe I know you better than you think I do.”
I squirm against him and reach down to take him in hand. I play with his dick until he hardens again. “I want to see all your moves, Garrett Young.”
“If you come like that every time, you might ruin me for anyone else.”
It’s too dark for him to see my smile. What he doesn’t know is that he already did the same thing to me. He ruined me for anyone else six years ago.
Chapter Thirty-one
Garrett
“Morning,” she says lazily.
I check the clock. “It’s afternoon.”
She giggles. “You did keep me up until dawn.”
I climb on top of her. “You ready for more?”
She scoots out from under me. “I’m raw, Garrett. I lost count after the fifth time. My lady parts need to recover.”
“Is that all it is?”
“That’s all. Trust me.”
I sigh and lean against the headboard.
“You don’t think you can trust me,” she says, frowning. “That’s it, isn’t it?”
“You cheated on me.”
She sits next to me, looking guilty. “To be fair, I didn’t cheat. I broke it off with you before anything happened.”
“Nothing? Not even a kiss?”
“Well, he kissed me when he passed the bar. But that was it until we broke up. I promise.”
“That’s not nothing.”
“According to Rob, you told him to watch out for me. Keep me company.”
I pull away from her defensively. “So it’s my fault?”
“I didn’t say that.”
“Regardless of how it happened, you betrayed me, Reece. There’s a code. You guys broke it, and you didn’t even give me a chance to change your mind.”
“It’s not as simple as it seems.”
“You fucked him, then you married him. Simple.”
“We didn’t sleep together until after you and I broke up. Ask him if you want. He’ll tell you.”
“Not a goddamn chance. What you did is bad. You were my girlfriend. What he did was even worse. He was family.”
“And he feels terrible.”
I hop out of bed as bile rises in my throat. “You still talk to him?”
She vehemently shakes her head. “I don’t. But I get a Christmas card every year, and every year he writes that he wants to reconcile with you and should I have occasion to talk to you, to tell you that.”
“Do you send him a card?”
“No.”
“Why not?”
“Because I know what we did was wrong. I know I hurt you. Sending him a card would somehow perpetuate that.”
“But you didn’t know we’d cross paths again.”
“I didn’t, but it still would have made me feel bad. I haven’t seen or spoken to him since the divorce. Your mom sends a card, too. I hope you don’t mind that I do send one to her.”
There’s a knock on the door. I pull on my skivvies and open it. Brad is standing there with Crew, Bria, and Liam. They all have shit-eating grins on their faces.
“We tried your room,” Crew says. “Figured you might be here when we didn’t get an answer.”
“Don’t start,” I warn. “Brad, thanks for coming. You’re a real lifesaver.” I look behind him. “Where’s the family?”
“Getting settled. Olivia didn’t sleep much on the plane. Katie wanted to put her down for a nap.”
Liam thumbs to the elevator. “Bruce said the set is done. We’re going over to give Brad time to practice.”
“Give me a minute to jump in the shower.”
“You come too, Reece!” Bria shouts over my shoulder. “Brad wants to practice ‘Swerve,’ since he’s never played it with you.”
Reece peeks out from behind the bathroom door, a wry grin on her face. “Sure thing!”
“We’ll meet you in the lobby in twenty.” I hold my hand out to Brad, and we shake. “Thanks again, man.”
I shut the door and Reece joins me. “You could have at least put pants on. Now they think we’re sleeping together.”
“They already knew we slept together.”
She’s surprised. “All of them?”
“We’re like family, Reece. What did you expect? Secrets don’t stay secrets long around here.”
“You don’t think they’ll be mad?”
“Why would they?”
“Because I’m sure you told
them your side of the story.”
“I haven’t told them anything. It’s none of their business.”
“What are you going to tell them now?”
“Again, none of their business.”
“Ella and Bria will grill me.”
“Say whatever you want, just leave my brother out of it.”
“I can do that.”
“One more thing.”
She looks back before ducking into the bathroom.
“Don’t up and marry anyone.”
She sticks out her little finger. “Pinky promise.”
“And hurry up in there. I told them we’d be down in twenty.”
She pokes her head out the door. “It would go faster if we shower together.”
I give her a heated look. “I guarantee it wouldn’t.”
She flushes and closes the door.
~ ~ ~
We put in an hour of practice so Brad can get used to the set. He jumped right back in as if he hadn’t been gone for three months. He looks out at the massive arena and its ten thousand empty seats. He shakes his head back and forth in contemplation. “Damn,” he says, looking over at me. “This is way better than real estate school.”
I pat him on the back. “Just wait until tonight.”
“How’s the other guy doing? Izzy?”
“Iggy. Jeremy’s putting him on a plane to New York tomorrow morning. We’re done with him.”
Brad looks surprised. “He’s out of RA?”
“He wasn’t ever officially one of us. Not like you were.”
“So it’s back to the drawing board?”
“I hope not.”
Brad snorts. “Don’t look at me like that. I told you, one month.”
“We’ll see about that.”
“You sounded great, babe,” Katie says, walking over with Olivia in her arms.
Brad kisses his wife. “Didn’t know you were here.” He takes their daughter from her. “Isn’t the music too loud for her?”
“Jeremy was nice enough to watch her in the green room. Hey, why do they call it a green room anyway? It’s brown.”
Brad laughs. “I don’t think anyone really knows the answer to that. So, you liked it?”
“You looked happy out there.”
Reckless Reunion (The Reckless Rockstar Series) Page 19