Yes to Everything

by Shayne McClendon

  She sighed and her body was tight with tension, “No. I guess not. I’m just stressing.”

  He trailed a finger from the hollow at the base of her throat to her belly button and watched her arch to his hand. “There’s no reason to stress, pretty girl. I’m not stupid enough to choose anyone over you, Brooke. You, on the other hand, may come to your senses when you put some miles between us.”

  Turning her head, Brooke had a frown on her face. “What? Uh, no, Rex.”

  “Honey, I am truly too old for you. You’re all bright and colorful, beautiful with the world at your fingertips. I would not be upset or blame you in any way, baby. I’ve loved having you in my orbit, even if it ends up only being for a little while.” The fact that he was serious got her county up.

  Pushing him to his back, she rolled over his body and stared down at him with her eyes narrowed. Her accent was strong when she said firmly, “Listen to me real carefully, Rex. Where I come from, you don’t say one thing and do another. I can tell you honestly, with every ounce of my bein’, that you affect me on so many levels, I don’t even know how to deal with it because it’s never happened to me before. The age thing is bullshit. You’re strong and good and virile, age don’t mean shit. I was a real person before I stepped onstage. I’m still a real person and I want you to be mine. So unless you have objections other than age and a bunch of total strangers oglin’ my ass every night, I think you need to say okay Brooke and make love to me, if we have any bodily fluids left to spare.”

  “Okay, Brooke…” Rex lifted from the floor and held her while he kissed her, figuring her mouth was as good a place as any to start. “I know you have a lot going on and I’m going to dial down the testosterone to make it as easy on both of us as I can. But you are mine.” He cupped his hands over her breasts. “These are mine.” Trailing his hand down her abs to her clit. “This is mine.” Stroking two fingers into her body. “This is mine, Brooke.”

  Giving him a brilliant smile, she said, “Yes, all yours. Show me why again, baby.”

  When the sun was filtering through the curtains of Mack’s place hours later, Brooke opened her eyes groggily. They were curled around one another with a couch cushion under their heads and a throw blanket over their bodies. Rex stroked her cheek, “Good morning baby.”

  “Good morning, Rex. You’re so beautiful in the morning…afternoon…evening.”

  “You stole my thunder. Are you sore?” His voice was scratchy, likely from dehydration.

  “Oh god yes. But I feel wonderful. I do, however, have to find a bathroom.” She threw back the blanket and stood, Rex gasping behind her.

  “Oh god Brooke.” He went up on his knees to stroke his fingertips over the bruises and scratches all over her legs and torso. “Baby, oh god, baby. I’m so sorry.”

  Kneeling, she traced over the scratches she’d left on his chest alone. “Uh, you have plenty, too and mine don’t hurt. It’s the price of loving hard which I’m more than willing to pay, Rex. I like it hard. Don’t you dare try holding back with me.” She bent to kiss him and raked her nails over his scalp. “Be right back.”

  He found and pulled on his jeans, padding into the kitchen to start coffee and find other fluids in the meantime. Opening the fridge, Rex smiled at the rows of Gatorade. “Thank you, Mack, please feel free to enjoy my stash as well.”

  When Brooke came into the kitchen, she was wearing his shirt and her panties. Handing her a bottle, he ordered, “Drink, seriously.” She nodded and downed several pulls of the orange sport drink.

  Her phone rang and she checked the caller ID. “Sidney, I simply must talk to her.” She walked into the living room and Rex smiled at the way she giggled and blushed like the young woman she was. At one point, she literally jumped up and down. It was real pretty to watch. She was making ooh and aah faces and glanced at the kitchen with her eyebrows up. Rex grinned. Heading back to the kitchen, she told Sidney they’d talk later. “Oh. My. God.”

  “Told you.”

  “Honey, Sidney, well…she’s, um, coming back to Chicago, too. To live with Boyd and Zane, between tours.”

  Now it was Rex who looked surprised. “Let me tell you what, if they want her to do that, there’s a damn good reason. Those men do not settle, Brooke. I’ve seen…well, anyway. She won’t have to work if she doesn’t want to. You know that, right?”

  “Sidney is the most anti-money person I know. I don’t even think she has a bank account. Why, what do they do?”

  “The same thing their daddies do. Stock market. They managed their portfolios through their fathers the entire time we were in the Corps. Their advice is how Mack bought his gym and this house, how I bought my shop and my house. Seriously. They’re brilliant and rich as Midas.”

  Brooke shrugged, “It won’t matter to her. If she’s happy, she’ll stay. My girl is a total free spirit. If she isn’t happy, she’ll go and take only what she brought with her. Sidney has enough stuff to fit in one duffle bag. All her cases and trunks for her business travel with the tour. She can go in five minutes. Crazy.”

  The phone rang again and Brooke walked away, “Jeanette…baby, how you doing?” Listening for a few minutes she giggled and ran in place. “Shut up! What? Are you kidding? What is that noise…dear god, honey, don’t let me keep you. Go.” Hanging up the phone, she ran back into the kitchen and jumped up on Rex, wrapping her legs around him. “My sweet girl lost her virginity last night.”

  “Wh…what?”

  “Oh yeah and lost it well. Looks like things aren’t ending today for them either. She said she’ll give me more details later. I cannot wait for all of us to talk in person. It will make it easier having to go. I hope…maybe.”

  Rex looked at her closely, “Baby, are you telling me your friends are involved with the guys?” She nodded and he kissed her hard. “This will make things so much easier. God I feel better.” He sat her ass on the counter and cupped her face in his huge hands.

  “It’ll be alright, baby. The three of you can keep each other company. The guys and me can hang out and commiserate. So much better. I won’t be all by myself in my agony. Yay.” They laughed a little sadly and drank more Gatorade. Rex stood between her legs and she was wrapped around him with her head on his chest. His hands moved ceaselessly over her hair and down her back.

  “I tell you what, let me check your tattoo and we’ll shower. We should go out for a little while, grab some good food and walk along the boardwalk or something.”

  Shaking her head, she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him to her for a kiss. “I want you to myself. We can leave an hour before I have to be on the bus. Get food. Until we have to leave, I don’t want to let you go, Rex.” His stomach growled. “Mack is big, too. There has to be something in this kitchen to hold you over. I’ll cook.” Looking at him hopefully, he nodded with a grin and she said, “Okay.”

  Chapter Nineteen

  Mack and Jeanette arrived at the hotel before the others and he walked her up. Taking out the key, she put it in the electric lock and Jackson opened it before she could. He smiled at Jeanette then Mack behind her. “Hey there! Hi, I’m Jackson Kincaid.” Mack was impressed with the young man who held out his hand and Mack shook it firmly.

  “Mack de la Hoya. I’ve heard a lot about you, Jackson. It’s a real pleasure to meet you.”

  Jackson puffed up a bit, “Thanks, good to meet you. Jeanette, Becca is in a panic. We’ve looked everywhere for her sketch book but I can’t find it and she’s having a fit.”

  Becca came charging from one of the other rooms and latched onto Jeanette’s legs, “Jeanette! It’s gone. I’ve looked everywhere and now it’s gone and I can’t ever make those drawings again…” She started to cry and their nanny dropped in front of her, smoothing her hair away from her face.

  “Becca baby, remember you had me hold it at the concert? It’s in my laptop bag, angel. Come here…aww, don’t cry, now you know exactly where it is. I know it made you scared. Grab your brush for me. We
need to get you guys ready to go. Molly honey, you alright?” She stood and went to the older girl on the couch and felt her head. “You look peaked, honey. Have you been feeling bad?”

  “I was dying for chocolate this morning. I ate that candy Brooke had in her room. My stomach is hurting so bad.”

  Jeanette gasped, “No, Molly. You didn’t eat the liqueur candy the label sent her? Brooke doesn’t even eat that stuff. Baby that has alcohol in it. How much did you have?” Molly held up four fingers. “Okay, not too bad. Let’s go sick it up. You’ll feel better.” Turning to Mack, she said, “You don’t have to stay, Mack, we’re kind of crazy before we get on the road.”

  “Are you kidding? I feel like I’m at home. Go, I’ll help Jackson.” He leaned down and kissed Jeanette chastely on the lips.

  Becca’s mouth dropped open, “Jeanette…! Is that your boyfriend? When did you get a boyfriend?”

  Jeanette looked like a deer in the headlights, unsure how she should answer the question. Grinning, Mack nodded and said, “Yes, I’m Mack. It’s good to meet you, Becca. Jackson, what can I help with?” He was secretly pleased when Jackson had no problem giving directions. Before long, they had the two chests and three suitcases secured and on the valet cart.

  The sound of Molly puking up candy made Becca gag and Mack laughed. “Why don’t we put on some cartoons or something to drown out the sound before we have a second candidate?”

  Guiding Molly out of the bathroom a while later with a cool washcloth over her face and a bottle of water, she smiled at Mack. Running back inside her room, she came out ten minutes later in jeans, sneakers, and a t-shirt. Her hair was damp and pulled into a bun on top of her head. His eyes raked over her casual attire and he met her eyes hungrily causing her to blush prettily.

  She went in Brooke’s room to double-check nothing had been missed. In her own room, she’d already packed her stuff and pulled her small suitcase to the main room. “Jackson, did the roadies take your instruments to the tour bus already?” He nodded and she did one more check of the entire suite, every drawer and shelf, the bathrooms, and under the beds. She came to them with a stray sock and a box of Becca’s colored pencils.

  Taking out her wallet, she left a hundred dollar bill on the mini-kitchen bar with a hotel glass over it. Seeing Mack raise his brows she told him, “We leave a mess in the bathrooms and stuff. Someone has to clean up a disaster area. It’s only fair to tip them well.”

  Taking out her laptop, her fingers flew over the keys. A few minutes later she had them checked out and dropped all the room keys next to the tip. “We’re ready guys.” The valet was at the door a moment later, a huge smile on his face as he took in the sight of her. “Good morning. We have this cart and the bus should have been pulled around by now. Thank you for your help.” He smiled at her warmly.

  They went down in the elevator together and Becca held Mack’s other hand. He smiled down at her. “If Jeanette likes you, you must be the nicest person ever. You are really big, you know.” Mack laughed and squeezed her hand.

  Listening to the kids chatter all the way to the lobby, she was taken aback when the doors opened and a reporter stood not far away, “Miss Rivers! Can you give us more details on the drunken partying that took place last night in a seedy bar with underage Brooke Kincaid?” Becca and Molly gasped and Jackson feinted forward like he was going to fight.

  Moving the kids behind her, Jeanette pulled herself up straight and said clearly, “There was no drunken party. Brooke had exactly two sips of someone else’s beer because she performed in a military bar for the past and present enlisted personnel there. It was a toast among friends. She drank water the rest of the night.”

  Looking down her nose with complete disdain, she added, “As you must know, Brooke is a strong supporter of our military and found an opportunity to do a small thing for them in exchange for all the sacrifices they make on our behalf. Furthermore, it is a private club for military personnel and she was there as a guest, as we all were, of registered members. Their bi-laws prohibit recording without consent since unfortunately, our military are not always as appreciated as they should be.”

  Propping her hands on her hips, Mack watched Jeanette get truly worked up and didn’t blame his cock one bit for getting hard. “There was no bad behavior, nothing seedy about the bar or the patrons, and as hard as she works she certainly earned one evening off from performing, caring for the family she adores, and her unbelievable amounts of charity work for so many in need. Other than that, I have no comment to your impertinent and misinformed question. You should be ashamed of yourself.”

  Taking Becca and Molly’s hands, she stormed past the reporter with her head high and oversaw loading them into Brooke’s tour bus. Jeanette handed the valet a twenty and thanked him again. His eyes roamed over her and he told her it had been his pleasure. The way he said it made her look up with a puzzled expression and she gave him a little shooing motion with her hands. “Honestly, go away now. I have so much to do.”

  He left with a chuckle and Mack said beside her, “Wait, he’ll turn for another look.” Jeanette told him that was ridiculous and when the valet did it, she looked at Mack with her head tilted. “I told you…you’re going to notice that more and more, baby.” She rolled her eyes and he laughed. “By the way honey, way to slap that reporter down. I do adore an eloquent woman.”

  “They do crap like that to her all the time. She’s supposed to be perfect, absolutely perfect, at all times. They suck.” Glancing down at the ground, she sighed.

  Lifting her face, Mack stared into her pretty brown eyes. “I will see you very soon baby, and don’t cry, or I’ll have to kidnap you.” The tears welled up in her eyes and she blinked hard. “Pretty baby, I’m hooked and will be following your progress and counting down the remaining days of the tour. There are so many things we’ll be doing when you’re done. I know Brooke will give you time off.”

  Two motorcycles came roaring into the hotel drive and Jeanette smiled when she saw Sidney sitting behind Zane. She seemed to hesitate getting off the bike and glanced up at Jeanette with a little wave. Zane and Boyd walked beside her as they approached but they were waylaid by the same reporter. “Miss Johnson, what is your response to accusations of inappropriate behavior by Brooke Kincaid and her staff during last night’s bar binge?”

  Sidney gave her sweetest smile, clasped her hands demurely, and asked, “Inappropriate behavior? Such as?”

  “Such as your cavorting with two men, Brooke Kincaid engaging in underage drinking, and Miss Rivers leaving the Kincaid children unattended in the hotel while she went on a, um, date.”

  “Oh my goodness. Where to start?” Sidney said adorably before tapping her finger against her chin, “Hmm, okay, let me start with the kids. Jackson Kincaid is a mature sixteen. In any state in the US, that is old enough for him to watch his six and nine-year-old sisters who are also quite brilliant and self-reliant and spend almost every waking moment among friends and family. Jeanette didn’t abandon them. She had a night off for the first time in almost four months with a man who opens doors and treated her beautifully.”

  She took one step closer, her voice going up a notch, “As for Brooke’s underage drinking, she participated in a toast among friends to the military since that is one of her favorite areas to lend her time, money, and celebrity. She was with her boyfriend who would never allow anything to happen to her. She drinks water or Gatorade almost exclusively. It was not a bar binge. We were escorted by Marines, honey. To a military bar where people who have served our country in the past or at present go to wind down after a stressful day of protecting your prissy tight ass.”

  Raking her hands down her body, she continued, “And baby, you do not want to tangle with my personal life. I happen to enjoy cavorting with two men who, I imagine, would blow every boyfriend you’ve ever had out of the water individually, forget combined. Instead of being jealous, you should try it. It might help loosen you up, you judgmental bitch. Now get out
of my face. I am not kidding. Back off or I will back you off.” She feinted forward and the woman ran back into the hotel.

  Skipping to Jeanette, she smiled as she danced around her and Mack. “Someone looks extra pretty today. That makes me so happy.” Jackson leaned out the bus window laughing, “Sidney that was awesome. You look gorgeous! The guys carried all your gear to the bus. I have your duffle bag.”

  Sidney winked up at him. Pulling the two stunned men closer to the bus, she said, “Jackson, this is Boyd Nicholson and Zane Warren. My boyfriends, can you believe it? You’re cool with that, right?”

  “Are you kidding? Of course it takes two boyfriends to keep up with you, Sidney. I want to be you when I grow up.” To the men, he said, “Nice to meet you, I’m Jackson Kincaid. This is Molly and the little bit right there is Becca.”

  They were chatting and getting to know one another for a few minutes when a familiar sound carried on the wind. “I hear Rex’s bike,” Mack said quietly, his hand holding Jeanette’s tight.

  Sidney wrapped her arms hard around Boyd and Zane, laying her head on Boyd’s shoulder. An elderly woman stared at them disapprovingly. Sidney hissed at her and she averted her eyes. “You guys are going to have to bail me out of jail, I can see it already. If I call at three in the morning just, you know, come get me. You can yell at me later.”

  They tugged her a short distance away and stood in front of her. Boyd whispered, “You really, really don’t care.”

  “Why should I? We aren’t hurting anyone.” She shrugged her shoulders. Her pain was something else entirely.

  Zane stroked the side of her face, “Please come back to us, Sidney.” She nodded and kissed them both, pulling them both down for hard hugs.

  “Please don’t let me cry, please don’t let me cry,” she whispered to herself. “You need to give me an hour then I want to talk to you. Just…let me calm down for a little while.” They nodded against her and she put her hands on the backs of their heads.