“Sable.” Colt hopped off the bed and took her hand. “You deserve a night out. Jade and Paige will be here any minute. You can’t disappoint them. Besides, you were looking forward to this.”
“I still am.”
Sable wrestled with her conscience. It was her job to make certain nothing happened to Colt. She wasn’t here to have fun. When he told her that Wyatt was coming over, he suggested a girls’ night out. After all, he reasoned, what could happen to him here at the loft?
In Harper Falls, she often met her friends for lunch or drinks. They got together whenever the mood struck. It had been a new experience for Sable—friends who weren’t in uniform. However, it hadn’t taken her long to get used to the luxury, and she had missed it since coming to Los Angeles.
Sable made a token argument, but it didn’t take much for Colt to persuade her. Now she had second thoughts.
“You have the sexiest brain.” Colt kissed her temple. “I can see it working away, trying to figure out how danger might infiltrate the loft.”
“It is my job.”
“And you’re very good at it.”
“Damn straight. Hey,” Sable pushed at Colt’s wandering hands. “I get to be girly when I’m off the clock. Don’t mess up my hair.”
Colt grinned. He knew she was teasing. Sable was all woman, but she wasn’t the least bit girly. He cupped her head, his fingers gently massaging her scalp. Slowly, he kissed the line of her jaw, ending on one of his new favorite places—her lips.
“Men will try to pick you up.”
“Mmm.” The pleasure was too much. Sable closed her eyes and parted her lips. “With Jade and Paige along? It’s inevitable.”
God. What had he been thinking? What were Garrett and Nate doing, letting their women out on the town alone? Alone, each turned heads. Together? Three smoking hot women, a brunette, a blonde, and a redhead, walk into a club. It sounded like the first line of a joke. Colt wasn’t laughing.
“Maybe this isn’t such a good idea.”
“Don’t go all caveman on me. We can take care of ourselves.”
Frustrated with the delay, Sable closed her lips over his. She sank into the kiss, sighing when Colt, his hands still buried in her hair, slanted his mouth. His tongue teasing hers. When he pulled back, they were breathing hard and smiling.
“You make me forget my good intentions.”
“Which are?” Sable slid her arms around his waist. She nuzzled his neck. Unable to resist, she took his earlobe between her teeth and tugged.
“Sable.” Colt groaned. “Jesus. You’re driving me crazy.”
“Sorry.” Unrepentant, Sable stopping biting. Instead, she licked the outline of Colt’s ear. She knew the area was particularly sensitive.
“That’s it.” Colt ran his hand up her leg and under her skirt. “These aren’t underwear,” he proclaimed when he touched a barely there scrap of lace.
“They are perfectly respectable.” Sable thought for a second then amended her statement. “I won’t be flashing anyone. Besides, you purchased them.”
“I’m an idiot. Sable— “
“Hold that thought. You have company.”
Sable gave him a quick peck on the lips before she hurried from the room. It was just as well. Colt had no idea what he had been about to say. Don’t go. The idea of a room full of men ogling you makes me jealous.
Colt shuddered. Him? Jealous? It was such a horrifying thought. Nope. It wasn’t possible. Besides, Sable wasn’t going to fall for any smooth talker’s line. She wasn’t going to jump into bed with the first charming, handsome man who tried to buy her a drink.
Sable was going out with friends for some fun, not trolling for a one-night stand.
“Colt. Wyatt is here.” Wyatt. That was where his mind should be. Colt headed for the living room. Spending some time away from Sable was a good idea. One day soon, he would reach for her in the middle of the night and she wouldn’t be there. Tonight would be a good reminder that she wasn’t a permanent part of his life.
“I’m constantly amazed,” Sable said. She was in the kitchen where Wyatt was pouring himself a cup of coffee. “Colt loves making movies. It would drive me crazy.”
“It takes a great deal of patience and dedication to be an actor. Colt knew what he wanted at a young age and he’s never wavered.”
“I admire that.” Sable shook her head when Wyatt offered to pour her a cup. “Was it the same for you? You have followed in your father’s footsteps. Did you ever want to do anything but produce?”
Colt peered around the corner but stayed out of sight. He was curious to hear what Wyatt would say.
Their parents never pushed him or his brothers to work in the business. They let each of them take their own path. They would have been happy with a dentist or a lawyer or a lumberjack. All they wanted was for their sons to follow their passions.
Colt wanted to act. Period. There was only one restriction put on him. He had to wait until he graduated from high school.
His parents knew the statistics and they didn’t want him to become a burned out has-been before he reached his eighteenth birthday. At the time, Colt resented the restrictions. There were offers coming in almost daily. Commercials. Television. Movies. He wanted to work—immediately.
Hindsight was a wonderful thing. The longer he was in the business, the more he realized his parents had made the right choice. He hadn’t been ready. The stumbles he made early in his career were minor. If he hadn’t been held back and allowed to mature away from the spotlight, Colt shuddered to imagine where he would be today.
It was one more example of how important it was to have loving, supportive parents. They wanted what was best for him in the long run. As a result, his happiness wasn’t predicated on how his latest movie performed at the box office. He was in this for the long haul. That meant searching out roles that meant something to him. One hundred, two hundred years from now, no one would care how many polls named him the sexiest man alive.
It was the work that survived the test of time. Colt was determined to be remembered for his body of work—not his body.
His brothers felt the same way. Garrett already had a reputation as a perfectionist. He was a director every actor dreamed of working with. Nate couldn’t keep up with the job offers. If he and his stunt team worked on a film, one knew every car chase and fight scene would be first rate.
Wyatt’s job was harder to explain but just as important. If you asked him, he would tell you no one made a move without him. And, Colt had to admit, his brother was right. He gathered the money. Made the negotiations. Smoothed ruffled feathers. If a problem arose, Wyatt fixed it.
He assumed Wyatt became a producer because he couldn’t imagine doing anything else. But Colt had never asked and he was interested in what Wyatt was going to say to Sable.
“When I was five years old, Mom was pregnant with Colt. Very pregnant. Can you imagine? She worked until her seventh month. Garrett and Nate were toddlers and getting into everything.” Wyatt laughed. “I didn’t understand why Mommy couldn’t play with me. She made up the best games. Not girly games, but tough little boy games.”
Colt grinned. Wyatt was right. Callie always got down in the mud with her boys. She would joke that women paid hundreds of dollars to have their skin slathered with muck. She got her treatments for free. And it was a lot more fun than going to a stuffy old spa.
“Grandma was visiting. She liked to be there when her baby was having a baby of her own. I had no idea what that meant, but I remember thinking it was stupid. Dad likes to remind me that, at that age, I thought everything was stupid.”
“You were five,” Sable said.
“And I had no patience for a baby I couldn’t see.”
“You love him now.” Colt heard the smile in Sable’s voice.
“The first time he peed on me, I decided he might not be so bad.”
Sable burst out laughing. “God. Little boys are odd creatures. I don’t know how your mother survived.”
“I’ve wondered that myself. Dad helped. Which brings me back to your question. Did I ever want to do anything but produce?” Wyatt took a drink of coffee and shook his head. “Mom needed a lot of rest. The twins were fine with Grandma, so for about a month, Dad took me to work. I didn’t understand what was going on, but I felt the energy. And I knew Dad was in charge. That was it. A job where I could tell everyone what to do? For a five-year-old boy, that sounded like heaven. I still feel that way.”
“No acting aspirations? I’ll bet the camera loves you.”
“Is that your way of saying you like the way I look?”
“I think the term is drool-worthy.”
There was a long pause.
“Wyatt Landis. Are you blushing?”
What? Colt didn’t think anything could fluster his brother. He couldn’t wait any longer. This he had to see.
“Smile.” Colt took Wyatt’s picture, then studied the image on his phone. “It’s true. Wait. Garrett and Nate have to see this.”
“Damn it, Colt.”
Wyatt made a grab for the phone but Colt backed out of his reach.
“Don’t you dare—”
“Done,” Colt exclaimed triumphantly.
“That’s it. You, little brother, are a dead man.”
Deftly, Sable put herself between Colt and Wyatt. She wasn’t trying to stop them. In fact, she wished she could stay and find out who came out on top. But Jade just sent her a text. She and Paige were parked in a tow away zone. She had to get going.
“I’m off.” Sable’s hand was on Wyatt’s chest, holding him back. “I’ll see you soon?”
“Just say the word. We’ll get a babysitter for this guy and I’ll show you my Los Angeles.”
When Wyatt winked, Sable smiled and kissed his cheek.
“Don’t fall for that line, Sable. Wyatt’s Los Angeles is boring.”
“Somehow I doubt that.” Sable turned and planted a big, enthusiastic kiss on Colt. “See you later. If Wyatt wants to leave before I get home, call me.”
“Be safe.”
“Always.” Sable stood in the elevator and as the doors began to close, she called out, “Have at it, boys.”
Before Colt could react, Wyatt tackled him. Sable was still laughing when she walked out of the building.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
SABLE SAT IN the limousine sipping a glass of champagne. She recognized the label. One bottle cost as much as a month’s rent on her place in Harper Falls.
Her life was unpredictable. Last month she ran recruits through drills at the H&W compound. Sweaty and dressed in a t-shirt, shorts, and scuffed tennis shoes, she bore little resemblance to the woman who wore designer clothes and smelled of expensive perfume.
However, she was the same person. Two sides of the same coin. Comfortable in both worlds and able to slip from one to the other in a blink of an eye.
Sable’s life was unpredictable. And she wouldn’t have it any other way.
“In Montana, a night on the town meant beer and peanuts at Basic’s one and only watering hole,” Paige crossed one long leg over the other. “I’ll always prefer jeans. But there is something to be said for getting glammed up Hollywood style.”
The blonde clinked glasses with Jade and Sable then downed the last of her champagne.
“More?” Jade offered.
“Why not?” Paige held out her glass. “I have a big, strong man waiting at home. He won’t have any problem pouring me into bed.”
“Before I started seeing Garrett, I never did this. I went to a million parties, but I hated every one of them. Now, when I go out, it’s because I want to, not because it’s expected of me. Oops.” Jade laughed when she emptied the last drop from the bottle. “That went fast.”
“Here’s to living life on our own terms.”
With that declaration, Sable popped the cork on a fresh bottle.
“Well done.” Paige laughed, not because it was funny, but because the night was meant for laughter. “Tell us about Colt.”
“What do you mean? Colt is Colt.”
Paige coughed, her champagne coming precariously close to covering her lap.
“No. He’s Colton Landis. Movie God.”
This time, it was Jade who almost lost control of her drink.
“Do not say that in front of him. Colt is a love, but his ego barely fits through the door as it is.”
“He’s a Landis,” Sable said.
“Amen,” Paige sighed. “Ego is stamped on their DNA. So is charm and killer good looks. Luckily, they all possess the kind of self-deprecating humor that makes them irresistible.”
“I love Nate. As far as I’m concerned, he is the sexiest man to ever walk the face of the Earth.” Paige’s blue eyes sparkled, her smile wide. “But before we met, I had a major crush on Colt.”
“You and every woman with a pulse. What?” She asked when Jade and Paige exchanged surprised looks.
“It can’t be easy,” Jade shrugged. “Women make passes at Garrett. But it isn’t constant. Colt is a walking target.”
“I’m a trained bodyguard. A few rabid fans are nothing I can’t handle.”
“You’re jealous?” Paige inquired. “Nate had his brush with fame, but we were in Montana at the time. All I had to contend with were a few hormonal teenagers.”
Sable suddenly understood. And she quickly set Jade and Paige straight.
“Colt and I aren’t dating. Or involved. I’m here to keep him safe.”
“And you’re sleeping with him.”
“Paige.”
“It’s okay,” Sable assured them. “I’m sleeping with him. And there is a lot of sex in between. It’s great. Better than great. I like him. We’re having fun. I don’t have the right, or the inclination, to be jealous.”
“Do you believe her?” Paige asked.
“Not for a second,” Jade replied.
“Just a second.” Sable filled her glass and emptied it in one gulp. “I will say this only once and you can never repeat it. Agreed? Before you answer, keep in mind that no matter where you are or how far you run, I’ll find you.”
“Agreed.” Jade crossed her heart.
“Absolutely,” Paige promised.
“The thought of Colt touching another woman makes my stomach churn. Look,” she held out her hand. “My palms are damp and my heart is racing. Apparently I’ve caught a rare and potentially deadly disease.”
“Or you’re in love. The symptoms are amazingly similar.”
Sable’s hand wasn’t as steady when she filled her glass.
“That would be foolish.”
“Yes.” Jade took the bottle. She covered Sable’s wobbly hand with her steady one. “Love is foolish. And terrifying. And splendid. And a journey like no other you will ever embark upon.”
“It brought me to Nate,” Paige smiled, her eyes a little misty.
“And I found Garrett. Or maybe he found me.” Jade shrugged. “It doesn’t matter. We arrived at the same conclusion. We love each other.”
“What happens if you jump and find out you’ve taken the journey alone?”
Neither woman had an answer to that. Sable didn’t expect them to. They loved and were loved in return. They hadn’t given their hearts only to have them ripped out and crushed into a million pieces.
God, what a scary thought. Sable wasn’t in love with Colt. Not yet. But if she were headed in that direction, she was afraid it was too late to put on the brakes.
The car pulled to a stop. The building looked deserted and a lone man stood by a smooth metal door.
“Are you sure this is the place?” Paige asked.
The driver held the door open, helping the women out, one by one
“According to my sources, this is the hottest club in town.”
Jade handed over a card that the doorman scanned. A second later, the door slid open and he motioned for them to enter.
“I’ve seen this movie,” Paige said. “And it didn’t end well.”
“Don’t worry,” Jade whispered, adding to the eerie atmosphere. “Sable will kick any and all ghoulish butt.”
Sable smiled. She could hear the din of voices competing with bass-driven music. This was what she needed. A few hours of mindless fun and a shot or two of something stronger than champagne.
“I want to dance and that music is calling.” She linked arms with Jade and Paige. “Come on, ladies. The tequila is on me.”
“WHEN WAS THE last time you got laid?”
“None of your business.”
“That long?”
Wyatt let out a long suffering sigh and Colt hid his smile. This wasn’t the first time they’d had this conversation. Wyatt, unlike Nate and Garrett, kept his personal life close to the vest. It wasn’t anything new. When the brothers used to sit around and shoot the breeze, the conversation inevitably turned to women. They would laugh and tease. Names were dropped. But Wyatt rarely shared that part of his life. And though there was some good-natured prodding, generally, his brothers respected his privacy.
Colt worried that since his disastrous marriage, Wyatt had stopped looking at women as anything but a temporary outlet. Wyatt didn’t do one-night stands. He hated to make that much of a commitment.
“You have a beautiful woman in your bed. Concentrate on her and stop worrying about my sex life.” Wyatt shot a throw pillow at Colt’s head when he turned to pick up the remote.
“Hey. Watch it.”
Colt threw it back, but Wyatt was ready. He caught it and put it behind his head.
“You could share Sable.”
“Excuse me?”
“Share, little brother. You remember the concept. Mom and Dad were big on it.”
“Sable isn’t a toy.” Colt ground out the words. He felt a streak of heat rising up his neck and over his face.
“No?” Wyatt bit back a smile. “Perhaps not. But I like her. More than any woman I’ve met in a long time. When you get tired of her, let me know.”
“Fuck you.” Colt couldn’t believe what he was hearing. It wasn’t like Wyatt. Then it hit him. It wasn’t like Wyatt. “Asshole. What’s the deal?”
“What do you think?”
Colt knew. It was Wyatt’s round-about way of making Colt consider his feelings for Sable. The hell with that.
Dreaming Of Your Love (Hollywood Legends #3) Page 13