The Glasshouse (Lavender Shores Book 6)

by Rosalind Abel

Thirteen

  Harrison

  When Adrian entered the apartment, I laughed. Actually laughed. After my breakdown the night before, and the smaller version I’d had that morning, the sensation of laughter was the last thing I’d expected.

  Adrian paused in the doorway, his eyes narrowing for a moment at my laugh, and then a grin crossed his face. He waggled his eyebrows behind the bright red glasses and lifted his plaid newsboy cap slightly as he bowed in a flourish. “Most of the time I’d be offended when the hottest man in the world laughs as I walk into a room, but I guess I’ll forgive it this time.”

  It made me laugh all the harder. He looked ridiculous and yet, oddly handsome in the strange clothes. But more than anything, it struck me that the very first thing he did when we saw each other after our worlds imploded was to make me laugh, and crack a joke.

  I laughed until the tears threatened to transition from those of unexpected humor to panic. I focused on Adrian’s red glasses to avoid that. My emotions were all over the place, but there was no reason to lose them again. Not now, not with Adrian in front of me. If he could find humor, so could I. “I had no idea you were such the fashionista. This is taking geek chic to a whole new level.”

  Another eyebrow waggle as he repositioned the hat and walked toward me. “I felt a disguise was in order, though I doubt anybody was actually spying on me. Despite the horde of cameras outside the bookshop, no one was waiting at my house. But still. My friend, Walden, lives a couple of doors down; these are his. Everything I own looks like… well, me.”

  “Oh! I thought those glasses seemed familiar. He wore them to the Valentine’s Day party.” As handsome as Adrian was, he didn’t pull off the style as well as Walden who, even though he was gorgeous, could easily pass as an overgrown librarian. Adrian, not so much.

  “Yeah, we all have our flaws. Mine is frequently having dirt under my fingernails, and Walden’s is thinking that special glasses for different occasions is cute.” Adrian lifted his hand to my cheek, a motion I hadn’t expected, despite waking up to his concerned texts. “Are you okay? What can I do?”

  I lifted my hand to cover his, relishing the feel of his touch, wondering if this would be the last time I felt it. “I can’t believe you’re actually asking that. You’re not furious?”

  Adrian cocked his head quizzically. “Have you been talking to my mother?”

  “What?”

  “Never mind.” He shook his head with a laugh. “Of course I’m not mad. The only reason I’d be mad is if you did this, set it up somehow, and you didn’t. Therefore, I’m willing to bet this is hurting you a lot more than me.”

  Tears threatened with the burn in my eyes, but I held them at bay. “You don’t even have to ask if I did it?”

  He shook his head.

  “How do you know? That I didn’t have someone film us so that I could have a different image in people’s minds than me running down the aisle and falling?”

  “I just do. I can’t really say how, but I just know you wouldn’t do that.” He tilted his head a touch so he was looking over the rim of the red glasses. “Although, if you keep asking such things, you’ll put thoughts into my mind.”

  “Thank you.” A huge portion of the panic that had been swirling dissipated at his words. “As for what I need, I think you just did it.”

  He leaned up and kissed me. Not heated or full of lust, but a steadying combination of gentle and firm. Grounding. I hadn’t expected that either. He leaned back slightly, once more meeting my gaze. “We got this.”

  We.

  Adrian kissed me again, a little longer, and ended with a light tease of his tongue on my lip as he pulled away, and then he waggled his eyebrows for a third time.

  Laughing, I took a step back, letting go of his hand. “All right, you’ve got to take those off. I feel like I’m talking to a strange version of Groucho Marx.”

  He yanked the cap off, then folded the glasses and slid them into the cap before laying them on the kitchen counter. “They were hurting my eyes anyway. They’re prescription, not too strong, but enough that things were a little blurry. I didn’t drive in them.”

  “Are you serious?”

  “Go big or go home, right?” He shrugged, then grew serious once more. “How are you, really?” He motioned to the couch in the living room portion of the apartment, and I followed as he kept talking. “I’m sure Jasper told you I called last night. He answered your phone, said he’d given you several sleeping pills and put you to bed. I was glad you were able to get some sleep.”

  Jasper had told me that morning, and I’d seen Adrian’s texts. I hadn’t believed he was as concerned as those messages indicated. I’d been wrong. “A little better this morning. I’m just humiliated. This is twice, Adrian. Two sex tapes. And I feel like a shit, what this is doing to Will, to you.” Suddenly, I realized how selfish I’d been and reached across the small distance between us on the couch and grasped his hand. “How are you? You’re not freaking out? You don’t seem… I don’t know. You’re… not freaking out.”

  “Can’t say I’ve ever starred in a sex tape, but given my track record, it was only a matter of time. I’m not exactly virginal. And as far as any fallout—” He raked his fingers through his thick black hair and shrugged. “—my mom is freaking out enough for the both of us. I figure I’ll let her handle that job.”

  From the few conversations I’d been privy to as Will and Adrian discussed their families, I knew that Lucy Rivera was a different version of Kimberly Epstein. And I had no doubt how Will’s mother was responding. “I can’t believe you’re here, then. She can’t be okay with this.”

  Adrian’s gaze hardened. “I’m not Will, Harrison. And I’m not a child.” There was something in his voice, though I couldn’t tell if it was anger or resentment. “I don’t do everything my mommy and daddy tell me to do. I live my life how I want. I most definitely will not be told who I can have a relationship with.”

  So she had told him to break it off. I’d expected nothing less. Despite the tremor of anxiety that caused, hope flared a little bit. “Relationship?”

  He flinched again, as if stung. “Did I misread where we were yesterday?”

  I most definitely had not expected that. I’d envisioned every aspect of my life encompassed by the humiliation of that video. I’d had no hope Adrian would ever speak to me again, let alone consider being with me. “No. You didn’t. I just can’t believe that you—”

  He cut me off with a kiss, this one hard and demanding. The force of the pressure almost hurt, but it offered the assurance I craved. When he broke the kiss, his voice was firm. “Don’t let anybody tell you what to do. We are not going to be controlled.”

  I snorted out a laugh; I hadn’t meant to, but it just burst from me. There was absolutely no humor in it. “You and I have had very different lives, Adrian.”

  He sat back again, seemed to consider, and then nodded. “True. I’ve seen how much your life has been dictated by the show. Well, not really. I’m certain I’ve only seen a small portion of it, but I get the gist. But you don’t have to do that anymore.”

  If only it had just been the show. I couldn’t remember the last time I hadn’t felt controlled. At the thought, I realized it wasn’t true. I remembered very clearly. And it had been more than two decades ago. As a result, I’d paced around the apartment all morning, not coming up with any answer of what I should do. “So, I talked to Angela a little bit before you came over.”

  Adrian blinked and shook his head, then seemed to catch up. “Your publicist. Yeah, I remember her from the wedding.”

  “She had several ideas of how to get ahead of this. How to use the sex tape as an advantage. Not only do damage control but use it for good somehow.”

  “My dad said something similar last night. Though I have a feeling it’s a different version of what your publicist might come up with.” He narrowed his eyes. “Are you wanting to use this? Will it help your career?”

  “No, I don’t
want to use this. I want to get rid of it. But I know that’s not an option.” I sighed, feeling a thousand years old. And a sense of déjà vu. In many ways it was better than the first time dealing with a sex video. At least I wasn’t being outed again, but it was even more humiliating. “If nothing else, we can spin it. I don’t really like any of the options Angela presented, as it means more time with the cameras following me around, but it’s better than just letting this overtake my life.”

  Adrian only hesitated for a moment. “Well, I’ve been thinking too. And I have a thought. I wanted to see where you were with things before I brought it up. I don’t want you to feel pressured into anything. So please keep in mind, this is only an idea. You can say no.”

  Hope spiked at his words. “Yes, please. Lay it on me.”

  “Okay, here it is. And you know more about the whole media thing than me, so maybe I’m wrong; tell me if I am.” Adrian repositioned as if launching into a proposal to a committee board. “The way I see it, we have two options. I invest in a whole collection of strange glasses and hats and we keep hiding from the cameras, sneaking around as best we can.”

  My heart sank at that. I’d spent the last week doing that very thing, and it was soul crushing.

  Adrian’s hand darted out and gripped my knee. “Okay, good. I can tell that didn’t sound good to you. I don’t like it either. But the next option is the scarier one.” Despite his words, a smile crossed his face. It was one I hadn’t seen before. And it changed his beauty. It didn’t lessen or improve it, just changed it. His handsome face seemed defiant, a little cocky. And even before he spoke any words, the expression reassured me. “We say fuck it. We live our lives exactly how we want to. It doesn’t matter what the founding families say. It doesn’t matter what the media says. None of it matters. Nothing except what you want, and what I want. So, we go on with our lives. The cameras want to follow? We let them follow. And I’m betting, after a day or two when nothing salacious happens, they’ll get bored. If we try to hide, it makes it all the more tantalizing for them. So let’s not. We go about our lives, together, and let them say whatever they want to about you and Will, about sex tapes, about me being a farmer. Whatever.”

  Though my anxiety started running a race at the words, the plan felt right. But his last comment threw me off. “About you being a farmer? What does that have to do with anything?”

  “Not important.” He waved it away. “And that’s the point.” Adrian sat back, just a touch of his arrogance faltering. “So, what do you think?”

  What did I think? About living life unscripted? About finally not caring about what anyone thought except for the one person who mattered? It sounded like a fantasy. “A hundred percent yes. A thousand percent yes. Yes, yes, yes. Let’s do that.”

  “Great!” He beamed. That cocky smile came back, accompanied with palpable excitement. “So, I was thinking we start tonight. Again, remember you can say no.”

  “Okay.” I had no idea where this was going.

  “The Kellys have an annual Fourth of July party at their house. Most of the town goes, and then everyone wanders down to the palisades to watch the fireworks over the ocean. I say we attend. And knowing Robert Kelly, he won’t mind the camera crews following us there, though Debbra might.” He shrugged as if that was inconsequential. “We won’t make a show of it. We just go to a party like any other couple. We enjoy the fireworks, and then….” He licked his lips, a sudden nervous twitch. “You come back to my house. Stay the night… if you want.”

  And here I thought my world was crumbling. That everything was turning to dust and I was to be left alone in the dark with only my brother standing by my side. But there it was; somehow it hit fast-forward, and life had begun. Just a normal life. A normal party with my… boyfriend. Spending the night at his house. It even came with fireworks as a bonus. “I want all of that. To not worry about the cameras and just go out with you. To be together with friends. To spend the night.”

  Then Adrian was kissing me again, excitement and heat buzzing between our bodies. As we kissed, I gradually lay back on the couch as Adrian positioned himself over me. He settled between my legs, letting me feel his arousal, his need. Somewhere in the back of my head, there was a warning that we were about to run into the same problem as the other day. I didn’t have any condoms in my bedroom. Hadn’t needed them.

  Maybe Jasper had some in his?

  That thought was gross, and I shoved it away quickly.

  Whatever. I wanted Adrian. And he was handing me a gift I’d never been offered. Freedom. Despite how new this was, he had just demonstrated how far he was willing to go to support and care for me. I wasn’t going to let a little thing like a condom stand in the way of showing him how much that meant.

  Before I knew it, though I couldn’t remember our kiss being broken, my shirt was gone, then his, and the hair covering his muscled chest scraped against my skin, sparking tantalizing sensations. Ineptly, I fumbled with the button of his jeans, managed to get it unhooked, and then started work on the zipper.

  “Holy shit!”

  At the sound of Jasper’s startled voice, Adrian and I both sprang apart and scrambled to seated positions, although that probably didn’t help.

  “I’m sorry! I’m sorry!” Jasper did an awkward little dance in the doorway, his hand covering his eyes. “I just came up here to…. It doesn’t matter. Never mind. I should’ve known better. Sorry!” He shuddered. “Sorry!”

  “It’s okay, Jasper,” Adrian called out with a laugh, stopping Jasper as he turned to rush away. “We’re in the middle of your apartment. No harm done. And it’s a lot less than the rest of the world has seen at this point.”

  Though he paused for a second, as if considering, after a moment Jasper stuck out his hand, and Adrian gave it a shake. “Nope. That’s for the rest of the world. Not for the brother. I’ll come back.”

  He was gone despite Adrian’s protests.

  Adrian looked over and gave an apologetic shrug. “Sorry. I don’t want to make things weird between you two.”

  “It’s not your fault.” I readjusted, grabbed a pillow, and put it over my lap way too late. “I’m the older brother who keeps having sex tapes released, and then getting caught half-naked in our shared apartment. Luckily, I couldn’t ask for a better brother.” I was distracted for a moment as the sunlight coming from the window played over Adrian’s body. Glinting off the warm brown skin and highlighting every swell and cut of his heavy muscles. Adrian hadn’t snagged a pillow, and it seemed from his underwear-covered erection straining through the opening in his jeans that we could get this thing right back on track. I reached forward, running my palm over the growing dampness at the head of his length. “Now, where were we?” I’d been thinking about moving to the bedroom, but straddling him right there on the couch, sinking down onto his shaft as I kissed him from above sounded rather perfect.

  Despite his cock’s twitch under my touch, Adrian gave a disappointed sigh. “I already regret suggesting this, but….” He shook his head as if disgusted with himself. “Can we save this part for tonight? I’m sure they can’t hear anything, but the idea of your brother in the bookstore down below kinda wigs me out. A little worse than the idea of the sex tape, honestly.” He attempted a grin. “I didn’t know I had a prudish bone in my body, but the whole brother thing isn’t one of my kinks.”

  I almost groaned my disappointment at the idea of waiting when my body was so ready for him. “Yeah, of course.” I drew my hand away and scooted over, giving a respectable distance between us. “So, you want to just meet tonight for the party, then?”

  “Actually.” Adrian arched his back, so he could stuff his cock into his jeans before zipping them back up, and then looked over at me hopefully. “I was thinking we could spend the afternoon together. Order pizza, watch a movie, maybe take a nap. I plan on keeping you up pretty late tonight. You’re going to need to maintain your strength.”

  My cock swelled farther from its hiding p
lace behind the pillow at the thought. At what the night might entail. The day with Adrian, even if it meant enduring the torturous anticipation, was the most wonderful thing I could think of. I’d predicted watching my life fall farther and farther into the shithole with every passing moment when I woke up that morning. Turned out, I was being offered everything I ever wanted. “Sounds like the best day ever. I agree. As long as you keep that shirt off.”

  He winked. “I thought that was implied. I’m pretty certain our nap will be preceded by a rather earth-shattering make-out session.”

  I groaned at the thought. “I think you’re trying to kill me.”

  He laughed and glanced down at the bulge in his jeans. “Yeah, you’re not the only one thinking that.”

  Fourteen

  Adrian

  Jasper tried to walk out the back of Lavender Pages with us, determined to show solidarity with his brother. But Harrison wouldn’t have it, promising Jasper we’d meet him at the Kellys’ in less than half an hour. He didn’t look happy with the plan, but Jasper complied.

  I’d thought ahead and brought a change of clothes with me to Harrison’s. “If nothing else, I’m glad the world gets to see me in blue. It might make up for being on national television in all that gold.” I’d been trying to make him laugh, as Harrison was clearly nervous, but at his silence I realized I’d chosen the wrong topic. Duh. Making jokes about the wedding was most definitely too soon. “I can run back up to the apartment and get Walden’s red glasses. With those on my face, they won’t even notice you by my side.”

  To my relief, that elicited a grin. Though, from his quick glance at the door, I hadn’t succeeded in alleviating any of his stress. “Are you sure about this? We really can stay here. They’ll give up at some point.”

  “If we stay here, I’m ripping those clothes off, and you took all that time getting ready.” Harrison had chosen a light pink polo under a soft gray blazer. It didn’t seem to matter if the man was dressed up or naked, he was stunning. Actually, a little more stunning naked, but still. I gripped him by the shoulders and leveled our gazes. “And yes, I’m sure. This is where we take charge, remember? Nobody tells us how we can or can’t live our lives. And those who want to judge… well, fuck ’em.”