“You could go naked,” Eric offers with a grin. Leo smacks him upside the head.
“Shut the fuck up.”
“Fuck up!” Maddox agrees.
“I’m gonna kill all of you,” Lori growls.
***
“You know, I have to tell you.” Lori leads me through the house to the master bedroom so I can borrow a tee shirt and pair of yoga pants. “I was so proud of the way you handled Melissa the other day.”
“I heard about that!” Cher nods. “Most people don’t stand up to her.”
“How do you guys deal with always being in the tabloids?” I ask them without thinking.
“You know about being in the tabloids,” Lori remarks.
“Yeah, but I’m getting the feeling it’s different with rock stars than actors.”
“The guys told Melissa that we are never to be included in publicity stuff.” Cher confides as Lori tosses me clothes to change into.
“Really?”
“Yep,” Lori agrees. “No family photos are to be released. Melissa knows better.”
“She just wanted the scoop on getting the first photos out there of Leo and his new flame.”
“First flame,” Lori adds. “I don’t think that Leo’s ever been photographed with a woman.”
“Never?” I frown in disbelief. “That’s hard to believe. I’m sure he’s had girlfriends.”
“I don’t know.” Cher shrugs. “But if he did, he never took them out. He’s a really private guy.”
“We’re lucky.” Lori nods. “Our guys are all about the music and the fans. The rest of it is all frills, and they don’t really play into it too much. They play the publicity game when they have to, but…” She shrugs.
“I like that,” I mutter thoughtfully.
“I thought you might.” Lori grins. “Leo’s the best. He’ll have your back.”
We join the guys back on the patio, already eating and talking about music and bands and who has what single coming out when.
I sit quietly, nibbling on salad and steak soaking it all in. These guys are just so… normal. And kind.
“What are you thinking?” Leo whispers into my ear and offers me a bite of his steak.
“I like them,” I whisper back and he smiles widely.
“I’m glad.” He kisses my forehead and goes back to eating his dinner and chatting with his band, and it occurs to me, I just made friends who don’t give a shit who my brother is or what family I come from.
Imagine that.
***
“So tired,” I yawn and lean back in the seat of Leo’s car as we drive back to the ugly Malibu house from Lori and Gary’s late that night. We stayed much later than I expected we would, chatting and laughing. The guys also got a little work done, talking song selection for the next album.
“I think you’ve won over the band.” He links his fingers and mine and I trace the ink on his hand.
“It was the sex remark.” I smirk.
“They’ll never forget that,” he agrees and glares at me. “You’ll be punished for that.”
“You already punished me, babe. Hence, the clothes that don’t belong to me.” I point to Lori’s purple tee and smirk.
“Are you wearing her underwear too?” he asks.
“I’m not wearing any underwear at all,” I respond and yawn again.
Leo pulls into his driveway and parks in the garage, and before I can open my door, he’s pulling me to my feet and lifting me in his arms.
“I can walk,” I murmur and link my arms around his neck, bury my face next to his skin and breathe him in. “But this is nice.”
“You’re tired.”
“I don’t know why,” I murmur and enjoy the way he effortlessly carries me through his horrible house to the staircase. “Uh, I might need to walk up this weird staircase.”
“You’re fine.” He kisses my forehead and carries me to the bedroom. “Do you need to use the restroom?”
I nod and he takes me into the master bath, sets me gently on my feet and leaves me alone to do my thing. When I return to the bedroom, he’s turned the bed down and is standing on the balcony, stripped down to just his short, black boxer-briefs.
I stand and watch him, his back to me, leaning on the railing and staring into the blackness, most likely listening to the ocean. Even his back is gorgeous, smooth and bare of tattoos, except the very tops of his shoulders where his sleeves end.
I wonder why he never got any ink on his back?
As if he can sense me, he turns and grins and comes in through the glass door.
“You okay?” I ask and tilt my head to the side. There’s something in his eyes that looks sad.
He nods and crosses to me, lifts me back into his arms and kisses me softly.
“The bed is only a few feet away,” I remind him.
“I like having you in my arms.”
I brush his hair back with my fingers as he moves us to the bed and lays next to me, pulling me to him.
“You’re not trying to seduce me.” It’s not a question.
“I want to hold you.”
“I was just kidding when I said you were bad in bed,” I remind him and pull myself up onto my elbows. He smirks and pushes my hair back behind my ear and then laughs, a full, belly laugh.
“I can’t believe you said that.”
I grin and shrug. “It was funny.”
“You’re funny.” He kisses me and tucks me to his side, my head on his chest. “You should sleep.”
“Okay,” I agree but just lie quietly and listen to him breathe. I can almost hear the wheels turning in his head. “Are you going to tell me?” I ask quietly.
He stiffens beneath me. “Tell you what?”
“What’s on your mind?” I frown but don’t look up at him.
He sighs and relaxes. “It was a busy day.”
“True. Full of job rejections and being thrown in pools.”
He pushes me to my back and gazes down at me while running his knuckles down my cheek. “And you telling me you love me,” he whispers.
I take his face in my hands and kiss him softly. “I do love you,” I whisper.
“I’ll never get tired of hearing you say that you know.”
“Good,” I smile. “I’ll remind you often, in case you forget.”
“I don’t think that’s something I’ll forget.” He kisses my forehead and pulls me against him again as I yawn. “Sleep now, sunshine.”
“Will you sleep too?” I ask as my eyes fall.
“Soon,” he whispers and I feel him smile against my forehead as he kisses me there. “I’ll sleep soon.”
Chapter Nineteen
~Leo~
“What do you have going on today?” I ask Sam as I pour her some juice and dump some sugar in my coffee in her kitchen.
“I have an interview today and two early next week. I didn’t hear anything from anyone for weeks, and now I have a bunch of interviews.” She shrugs and purses her pretty pink lips. “Weird.”
“You’ll be great.” She smiles softly and my gut clenches, the way it always does when she looks at me like that; like she trusts me. Like she loves me. We’ve been back in Seattle for a few days, and I still can’t believe she’s mine.
She’s mine.
“What are you doing today?” She asks and I do my best to keep my face totally straight. She has an uncanny ability to read me, and this is a secret.
“I have some errands to run.” I take a sip of coffee and swallow it over the jumble of nerves in my stomach. “I might meet with a real estate agent.”
“Fun.” She grins. “So you’re gonna move out of Meg’s place?”
“Yeah, she might as well sell it. Her neighbors figured out who I am and the guy next door always wants to chit chat with me when I get home.” I frown and then laugh. “I don’t think I’m a townhouse kind of guy.”
“Probably not,” she agrees and chuckles. “At least it’s a guy who appreciates music and not some annoyi
ng young girl.”
“Oh, there are those too. Thank God Will installed the alarm system.”
“Seriously?” Her eyes go round and then she starts to laugh. “That’s hilarious!”
“Sure it is.” I scowl at her.
“It is,” she insists and shakes her head. “Well, then you need a house.”
“Yeah,” I agree and rinse out my mug, set it in the dishwasher and grab my wallet and keys. “I better go.”
“Okay.” She smiles and stands to hug me, wraps her strong arms around my middle and presses a kiss to my sternum. “Have a good day.”
“You too, baby.” I tip her head back and kiss her slowly, rubbing my lips over hers and nibbling the side of her mouth until she smiles. “I’d better go before I pull you back to your bed and fuck you raw,” I growl, smiling smugly when her bright blue eyes dilate with lust.
“I’m up for that.”
“Later.” I kiss her again, grin at the way she sways when I let go of her, and head out of her building.
Half way down to my car, my phone rings. I expect it to be one of the guys, and frown at the caller ID in surprise.
“Nash.”
“Hey, it’s Will,” he clears his throat and I’m immediately put on guard.
“Has something happened to Meg?” I ask and climb into my car.
“No, she’s fine. She’s sleeping. Listen.” I hear him start his car and tap my fingers impatiently on my steering wheel. “Do you have time to meet with me today?”
“About what?” I ask. “I’m kind of booked up today.”
“I just need about ten minutes. I’d rather talk with you in private.”
I check my watch and grimace. “Can you meet me in about ten minutes in Seattle?” I ask him.
“Sure, no problem. Where?”
I rattle off the address and work my way through mid-morning traffic. There is a lot to do today, and not nearly enough time.
I pull up outside the small recording studio near Sam’s apartment and cut the engine. Will pulls up behind me less than five minutes later.
“Hey, man, thanks for meeting with me.” He shakes my hand and glances at the building. “Where are we?”
“Studio.” I grin at him. “I’m working today.”
“Cool, I won’t keep you.”
“We can talk inside.” I lead him inside to find Skip near the entrance. “Can I use your office for a minute, man?”
“Sure, you know the way. This time, don’t wrinkle my papers.” He smirks as I flip him the bird and lead Will to the office, close the door behind us, and lean back against the desk.
“What’s up?”
For the first time since I met him, Will looks nervous.
Ah, hell, this can’t be good.
“So, Meg and I have been together for a while.”
“Not a long while,” I remind him and purse my lips so I don’t smile. He frowns and begins to pace.
“She is just…” He stops and pushes his hand through his hair and I cross my arms over my chest, enjoying his discomfort.
The man is fucking my sister. He should be damn uncomfortable.
“She’s everything,” he finally says. “She makes me happy and stupid and so fucking angry I could just smack her ass.”
“Dude,” I interrupt and he smiles over at me.
“Sorry. Anyway.” He paces some more. “I love her. I refuse to ever live a day without her. She is the best part of my life.”
“I figured this out already, man, what are you getting at?”
“I want to marry her.” He exhales deeply and scrubs his hands over his face.
“So ask her.”
“No, you don’t get it.” He shakes his head and faces me. “That’s why I’m here. I’m asking for your permission to ask her.”
I’m stunned. “Why do you need my permission?”
“Because she’s yours,” he answers simply. “You’re her family. You’re the one she’s depended on the majority of her life, and she loves you. Your opinion matters. I may be an arrogant ass a lot of the time, but I was raised right.” He swallows and shoves his hands in his pockets. “It’s right that I ask you for your blessing before I propose to her. I give you my word, Leo, I will protect her, respect her and love her until the day I die.”
“I know,” I respond automatically.
“You do?”
“Of course I do. Meg isn’t stupid. She wouldn’t be with you if it were any other way.” I stay here, leaning and watching Will for a moment and remember Meg as a young girl, wide-eyed and freckled and all red-hair and long limbs, and then I think of her when we were all together for game night and how vibrant and happy, how secure and lovely she is.
Will is to thank for some of that.
“You can marry her on one condition,” I tell him, my voice low and steady, eyes on his.
“Name it,” he immediately responds.
“You have to name your first kid after me.” He sighs, his shoulders slump like he’s been carrying the weight of the world, and he grins from ear to ear.
“What if it’s a girl?” He asks.
“I don’t give a fuck.”
“Done.” He agrees and offers me his hand, which I take and pull him in for a guy hug, slapping him hard on the back.
“She deserves to me happy.” His face sobers.
“More than anyone I know.”
“How are you going to do it?”
“Well, that’s the other thing I wanted to talk to you about. Are you guys still doing the show at Key Arena in a few weeks?”
“That’s the plan.” I nod.
“So, here’s my idea…”
***
~Samantha~
“This is gonna be fun!” I’m practically bouncing in the front seat of Leo’s hot Camaro, excited that he asked me to go house shopping with him. He was gone all day yesterday, taking care of whatever business he had on his plate, and today has been laid back, enjoying each others company.
“You’re like a kid.” He grins over at me and chuckles.
“I like to shop.” I shrug. “Where are we going first?”
“Well, we’re only going to see one today.”
“Okay, where?” I ask again.
“It’s not too far from Luke and Nat’s place.”
“I love that neighborhood,” I smile happily at the hot tattooed man next to me.
“Well, let’s see what we think of the house.” He drives through a gate and down a short driveway to a beautiful, white and blue traditional-style home. The view of the Sound is breathtaking. There is a red Toyota parked in the driveway and a short, round young woman with dishwater-blonde hair is standing on the porch consulting her phone.
“I like the outside,” I comment, taking in the rose bushes and cherry-blossom trees that will be blooming in a couple of months.
“Okay, let’s go in,” he grins at me and we both hop out of the car and walk toward the front porch.
“Hi there! I’m Melody Jenkins, the agent sent out to help you today.” Melody has a pretty, friendly smile and oozes youth. She’s clearly still new to the real estate business.
“Didn’t you tell them who you were when you called?” I whisper to him.
“Hell, no.” He frowns down at me and offers Melody a hand to shake. “Thanks for meeting us.”
“Holy shit, you’re Leo Nash!” She exclaims and almost falls down the front steps. I turn my back to her so she can’t see the hilarity written on my face.
“Guilty,” Leo offers her a charming smile. “Nice to meet you.”
I school my features and turn back around to see Melody’s mouth opening and closing like a fish, her eyes wide and pinned to Leo, completely struck dumb.
“Oh for the love of... Melody?” I wave my hand before her face, catching her attention. “Hi. I’m Sam. We’d love to see the house.”
“Oh, of course.” Her hands are shaking as she consults her phone for the code to the door and leads us inside.
“This is hilarious,” I mutter just as Melody turns back to us.
“So, this is the house, of course. It’s really nice. It has a state-of-the-art kitchen, a sun-room, a hot-tub.” Her eyes wander down Leo’s body to his hips and then she coughs and turns away.
“It’s the stars,” I mutter to him, earning another glare.
“I just have to tell you,” Melody says in a rush, turning to face Leo, “I am such a huge fan. I have all your albums, even the really old ones.”
More laughter from me. The really old ones are roughly four years old. Of course, she would have been in high school.
“Uh, thanks,” Leo mutters, clearly uncomfortable and looks around for a means of escape.
“What is so funny?” Melody asks me, her hands propped on her round hips. She really is cute.
“Absolutely nothing. Nash is great,” I agree with her and smile up at Leo who continues to glare at me.
“You know what, Melody, I think we’ll just look around on our own, if that’s okay with you.”
“Oh.” She pouts and glares at me before turning big hazel eyes on Leo in what I’m sure she thinks is her flirty look. “Are you sure? I don’t mind showing you around.”
“I’m sure, thanks.” Leo grabs my hand and pulls me toward the stairs. “You are not helping,” he growls.
“I’m sorry, but that’s hilarious, and your own fault.”
“My fault?” He asks incredulously.
“Well, yeah. One, you should have told the agency who you are so they could send someone more appropriate, and two, you’re the one who always walks around shirtless in all your videos and photo shoots. I know for a fact she wants to lick your stars.”
“Shut up,” he mutters and pulls me down a hallway, looking in each of the rooms.
“You can’t get tattoos on your sexy V, the one spot on a man’s body that makes a woman sit up and beg, and not expect to get attention.” I inform him smugly and giggle some more when he continues to glare at me.
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