AKA Lexi Frost (Lexi Frost Series)

by Tori Brooks

  “Take off your shoes, you’ll balance better!” Teri called after her. Nicholas laughed and turned his attention back to Chris. There was an opportunity here, he just had to take advantage of it.

  Flynn was bored as he stood for the photo shoot. He should be ecstatic, Zane finally let up his months-long lecture to him and Drew in favor of a lingering irritation with Charlie. Normally Flynn just chalked it up to Zane’s controlling nature. Unfortunately, he was starting to think there really was something going on with Charlie. Drew was trying too hard to smile, meaning something was bothering him too. Smiling usually came naturally to Drew.

  So he stood there: turned left, leaned right, tilted his head more, now less. It was all so boring. Usually he and Drew could have some fun. This time Zane came down hard on them. Like some overbearing mother hen. The thought made Flynn irritable. He and Drew had been through a lot together through the years. Fame equated to lack of privacy and not all the attention Flynn drew to himself was good for him. He had a problem staying faithful and Drew was his rock. He never judged Flynn. Drew just listened and gave advice for what to do next. Like making up with Wendy. Flynn’s third marriage was crumbling.

  “Flynn! Try to look like you like having beautiful young ladies banging on your door every night.” Troy brought Flynn back to reality when his smile faltered. He could almost hear Drew cringe. Flynn smiled again and tried to look like he would if he actually wanted women banging on his hotel room door. It wouldn’t be so bad if Wendy understood, or if he had the strength to turn them away.

  In his peripheral vision, Flynn saw Chris show up and start talking to a couple on a bench. Chris’s posture got Flynn’s attention and piqued his curiosity, but he couldn’t do much about it at the moment. Rachel joined Chris and started to walk across the sand. Flynn’s smile gained enthusiasm as he watched Rachel’s graceless progress. She was a bitch and he hoped she fell on her ass.

  Drew nudged his foot and gave a barely audible chuckle. He’d seen it too.

  “Take off your shoes, you’ll balance better!” the woman by Chris yelled at Rachel. Flynn lost composure and laughed, Drew quickly joining him.

  “I like her,” Drew whispered.

  “Who?” Flynn asked as he assumed his pose again.

  “Whoever that woman is who yelled at Rachel.”

  As they watched, Rachel struggled to remove her shoes and toppled over. Drew and Flynn lost it, their laughter magnified by Rachel’s glare in their direction.

  “Take ten!” Troy shouted to them, and their laughs died quickly as they all went to get a drink and some deeper shade.

  Several minutes later, Flynn faced away from the scene on the beach in favor of watching girls walking by in swim wear offering various amounts of exposure. Drew leaned against his back and gave him bits of information that he might find of interest so he wasn’t missing anything.

  “The little brunette who yelled at Rachel is heading for a car. She’s got a camera around her neck,” Drew narrated.

  “Fan? I can’t see Troy having an apprentice and keeping her on the sidelines,” Flynn asked, waiving at a pretty blonde.

  “She’s not Troy’s,” Zane said. “She was taking pictures of palm trees earlier.”

  “Who takes pictures of palm trees?” Flynn asked, finishing a bottle of water.

  “Tourists,” Zane answered.

  “Well, the guy she was with is with Chris and Troy, so I don’t think Chris was waving them off. Opinion, Charlie?” Drew asked.

  “Nope.”

  Of course not, Flynn thought. Charlie used to be friendly, but now he seemed bored and bitter. Not just at the photo shoot either. Half way through the tour they’d just wrapped up, he withdrew. He hardly said anything anymore. Kind of hard to have a bass guitarist that didn’t talk to you. Not as playful on stage either.

  Flynn would love to have Drew on the front stage, but drummers were always in the back. Of course they had a camera on Drew and screens, so the audience could see him making faces at Flynn or making fun of him. It was hard for Flynn to retaliate though. Someday he’d think of something. He wondered how hard it would be to put Charlie on drums and Drew on bass.

  Thoughts of making a more interesting road show left Flynn’s mind as two girls paused by a stand of palms, beckoning him over with tempting smiles.

  “Drew, got a situation over here. Cover for me,” Flynn whispered and got up to rediscover a familiar kind of mischief.

  Nicholas watched as Teri slipped quickly into her Lexi persona, somewhat amazed that it was visibly obvious, to him at least. She grabbed her camera and started snapping shots of the redhead’s tottering progress through the sand.

  Chris overlooked his assistant’s dilemma and focused on Lexi. “So, Lexi Frost. I certainly didn’t expect to meet you here.”

  “Probably because I’m not supposed to be here,” Lexi didn’t look at Chris as she answered, but Nicholas saw amusement all over her face as she watched the pretty redhead losing her battle with the sand. She stopped and tried to remove her shoes.

  “Oh! That was unfortunate!” Lexi muffled her laughter as the redhead lost her balance and fell over. Troy was close and he quickly moved to help her up and Lexi rapidly shot pictures to chronicle the event.

  “Well, that’ll make it easier for her to deliver the message,” Nicholas said.

  Chris turned to look briefly, but returned his attention to Lexi without giving the wellbeing of his assistant much thought. “So why are you here? Not supporting Troy Burnett, I assume. Are you a fan?”

  “In Like Flynn?” Lexi looked at Chris and shrugged. “I was a teenage girl once, but I grew out of it. I do have some of their early stuff. Some recent CDs too, I suppose.”

  She turned to watch Troy and the redhead, but the show was over and she lowered her camera.

  “Nicholas dragged me along. Thought it might be good for me to get out and see fully-clothed women for a change. I must say, I forgot how entertaining they could be.”

  “I’m sure Rachel’s thrilled. Tell me, have you considered group shots?” Chris asked.

  “You want to document an orgy?” Lexi raised an eyebrow and made a show of sizing him up.

  Chris gave a polite laugh. “No. I’ve seen some of your lesser-known early work. It was very suggestive.”

  “Wasn’t popular. I’m flattered you’re familiar with it.”

  “Since you’re here, I wondered if you would be willing to have a go at the boys?”

  Nicholas had to rein in his enthusiasm over the offer, but Lexi didn’t seem so sure. She looked over to where the men in question were sitting and Nicholas followed her gaze. Flynn and Drew were back to back, leaning against each other as they drank bottled water. Zane stared at Charlie, who seemed determined to ignore him and look any direction but at his band mates.

  “They don’t seem to be having a good time,” Lexi observed. Nicholas recognized the unhappy tone in her voice and realized he was going to have to talk her into it.

  “You mentioned that,” Chris reminded her.

  “I’m not set up for this. I could stage some shots, but this isn’t really the best equipment for it and it’s not the best setting for my type of work either.”

  “Stop being a perfectionist,” Nicholas chided her. Even one good shot when she was on the spot like this would be a win. Anything to get her name more recognition.

  “Why?” Lexi looked at him curiously. “No point doing a half-assed job. If I’m going to do it, I want to do it right.”

  “But you’ll do it?” Chris didn’t quite manage to keep the excitement out of his voice and Lexi rewarded him with a smile.

  “Fine. But I’m only handing over what meets my approval, got it?”

  Chris grinned. “That’s fair.”

  “Well, I’m winging it here, but letting me take a few shots before Troy starts again might put them in a good mood for him,” Lexi suggested.

  “I think that’s an excellent idea.”

  “Gr
eat,” Lexi got up and pulled Nicholas to his feet. “Nicholas, go set it up with Troy, you need to interview him anyway. I’m going back to the car to grab my bag, I need another data card and a different lens for this kind of thing.” Lexi trudged off to the car while Nicholas and Chris approached Troy.

  “Hey, Troy!” Chris called when they were close enough.

  “Yeah?” Troy looked up and saw Chris. “Looks like the band is still unwinding. Seems to be some tension between Zane and Charlie and it’s spreading to Flynn and Drew. Shots aren’t as light-hearted as I’d hoped. Professional, but I wanted some candid shots too.”

  “Yeah, we noticed. Actually I didn’t, Nicholas was sitting over there patiently waiting to talk to you, and he brought Lexi Frost along with him. She mentioned the boys seemed tense.”

  “Lexi Frost?”

  “I talked her into taking some shots of the guys. I don’t even know what I’ll do with them. But, since she’s here, I had to take advantage of it,” Chris explained. “Anyway, she said she’s willing to take some now to try to break up this funk the guys are in. What do you think?”

  “Bring her on. I’d love to see what she does with them,” Troy shrugged. Nicholas couldn’t sense that he took any offense from Chris’s suggestion.

  “Have you seen her early work? She used to work with people actually wearing clothes,” Chris asked conversationally.

  “I haven’t actually. Suggestive, I imagine. That seems to be her style. She’s good at posing her models to hide their flaws. Just looking for a few shots to get women panting?”

  “Something like that.”

  “It’ll be interesting to see her work.” Troy made himself comfortable on his bench and motioned for his assistant. “Cover the camera, we’re taking a break.” The assistant dutifully went to work.

  Nicholas turned and motioned Lexi over. He walked out to meet her partway. “Troy agreed and I didn’t hear any bitterness from him. He seems interested to see you in action and he’s not familiar with your early work.”

  “Okay.”

  “Don’t be nervous. No one is expecting perfection when you’ve got something like this dropped on you out of the blue.”

  “I’m not, and yes they are.”

  “It’s okay if you only get one or two decent shots.”

  “Okay.”

  Nicholas stopped as they reached where Troy and Chris waited. The men halted their conversation and looked at Lexi expectantly. Nicholas knew she was nervous, but gratefully couldn’t see any signs of it in her now. She knew what she was doing.

  Lexi offered her hand. “Troy? I’m Lexi. I hope you don’t mind me cutting in for a few shots. I promise not to wear them out.”

  “Good luck to you. They’ve been a bit off.”

  “I noticed a bit of tension. Speaking of which, where’s Flynn?” Lexi frowned as she looked at the rest of the band resting in the shade, then up and down the beach for the lead singer and the girls he was flirting with.

  “What? Oh, not again,” Chris moaned as he stood and motioned for his assistant. The redhead, Rachel, walked over carrying her shoes and eying Lexi warily.

  “Where’s Flynn? We need him back here now.”

  Rachel nodded curtly and headed for a small oasis of palm trees and hibiscus bushes. Lexi smiled as Flynn stood up from behind one of the flowering bushes, a sheepish look on his face. Quickly bringing her camera up to focus, she snapped a few shots as first one, then the other bikini-clad girl stood up behind Flynn. Rachel’s back was to her so Lexi couldn’t see her face, but her posture said enough. Flynn, thankfully, kept his sheepish expression long enough to be useful before he transitioned to looking chastised. Lexi caught every look, even the girls’ unease and embarrassment.

  As Rachel and Flynn headed back, Lexi finally stopped taking pictures and prodded Nicholas forward.

  “Get waivers from the girls and ask if they’d like to come play.”

  Nicholas dutifully trudged over to get the attention of the girls before they wandered off.

  Chris walked over to the benches where the band was and Lexi followed along behind him. He waited until Flynn joined them, giving Lexi an appraising look.

  “Gentlemen, this is Lexi Frost. For everyone except Drew, she’s a photographer known for her sexually suggestive and nude shots.”

  “What about Drew?” Lexi asked playfully.

  “He’s a shutterbug. He’s the reason I knew who you were.”

  “Ah.”

  “Since Lexi has kindly agreed to go a few rounds with you guys, I’d like you to behave. Flynn, that means no trying to seduce her or mentally undress her.”

  “Don’t be silly, mentally undress me,” Lexi laughed. “Can I get you guys back over where you were?”

  Obediently they all moved back into the positions they were in before the break. Lexi saw even Charlie was moving a little easier although Zane was still watching him. She rearranged their lineup to put Flynn and Drew between Zane and Charlie. Then she pushed Charlie a little to the back and brought Flynn just a step to the front so Zane couldn’t see the object of his wrath any longer. Drew goosed Flynn now that he was in front, but Lexi missed it. She sighed wistfully; that would have been fun.

  Lexi looked around for Nicholas and found him standing off to the side with the girls. He gave her a thumbs-up. She grinned and motioned for him to wait. She focused on the band; they were in position, but not really ready yet, just waiting for her cue. She cued Nicholas instead.

  Sure enough, as the girls started walking across the beach between Lexi and the band, all eyes turned to look. Lexi laughed as she took a series of shots. Then Zane noticed and snapped at Flynn and Drew to pay attention. They both looked at Lexi guiltily.

  “Zane! My God, you’re not their father. Let them look at the pretty girls!” Lexi called and Flynn broke out in one of his familiar lopsided smiles that always reminded her of a mischievous little boy. It was popular with his female fans and she was tickled to see it at all, let alone directed straight at the camera with the other three looking appreciatively at the girls who were now just leaving the frame. She prayed that one of those would turn out as she expected.

  For the next hour she tempted the band and they played along beautifully. By the palms, hiding in the hibiscus, standing casually and unsuspecting by the sea wall until a large wave crashed too hard and splashed them with water. She couldn’t have hoped for what happened next and quickly motioned for Troy to grab his camera and join her when Flynn and Drew started taking off their wet shirts.

  Twisting their shirts, the two heartthrobs started the age-old fight men played in locker rooms with wet towels: whipping each other and backing away before they got hit in return. The playfulness was fantastic, but their toned, tanned bodies made it even better.

  Troy stood off to one side and Lexi to the other, both trying to capture every moment of the mayhem.

  Lexi motioned for Nicholas to grab the girls again.

  “You ready?” She asked Troy with an impish grin.

  “The girls?”

  Lexi nodded and turned to the girls as they approached.

  “Now, you are lovely young ladies with an arsenal of genetic weaponry. Go break it up.”

  She motioned the girls on and was gratified to notice their nightclub walks as they approached Flynn and Drew. Zane saw them coming and started to laugh uncontrollably. A moment later Charlie joined him. Flynn and Drew were still absorbed in their battle and didn’t notice until the girls were closer.

  Flynn noticed first because of the direction they were coming from. He paused, giving Drew the opening for one last shot across his abdomen. Flynn clutched his side and both girls ran to give him comfort, much to Drew’s annoyance. One girl knelt with a hand on Flynn’s ripped stomach, lower than strictly necessary. The other girl snuggled under one of Flynn’s arms with a hand on his chest. Zane and Charlie laughed harder as the girls draped themselves across Flynn and Drew rolled his eyes.

  “Nicholas,
call Flynn,” Lexi prompted. Flynn looked from the girls to the camera on cue.

  “That’s perfect,” Troy said.

  “Well, I’m worn out. Have at it,” Lexi told Troy. “If nothing else, they should be in a better mood.”

  “And I appreciate that. Next time, I’ll remember to hire some girls,” Troy laughed and lowered his camera.

  “Hey, Flynn! Put some clothes on, man. You’re driving the girls crazy.” Drew laughed and threw Flynn’s damp shirt at him, hitting him in the face. Flynn caught it as it fell down into his hands. His eyes never wavered from watching Troy and Lexi talking. Troy was still taking some pictures, and Flynn knew he should be paying more attention to the two girls hanging on him. Lexi’s playfulness was still fresh in his mind as he sized up the woman kneeling in the sand.

  Drew took a couple of steps to stand beside Flynn and looked to see what had him so enthralled.

  “I might have known it would be a woman,” he shook his head in amazement. He reached down and took the wandering hand of the girl on her knees by Flynn.

  “What’s your name, honey?”

  “Wendy.”

  Startled, Flynn remembered he was married. His third wife, also named Wendy, was at home with her daughter from a previous marriage. Wendy had some riding competition she was training for, so he was traveling alone. He looked back to Lexi as Drew encouraged the girls to go put a smile on Charlie’s face. Flynn wished them luck on that endeavor.

  “She’s different,” Flynn said casually.

  “Lexi? Yeah, she’s successful and creative,” Drew put a hand on Flynn’s shoulder. “I hate to say it, but she doesn’t need you.”

  “Go to hell,” Flynn responded automatically to Drew’s familiar jibe.

  “You’re seriously interested?”

  “Tell me about her,” Flynn ordered.

  “Put your shirt on,” Drew countered. Flynn shook out his shirt and slipped it on. It was cool against his skin and he shivered briefly.

  “Your turn,” Flynn turned to Drew but Zane was walking up. “Later. Hey, Zane.”