Trouble in Disguise

by Sonia Stanizzo

  When she looked up, his dark, moody face watched her closely.

  Curiosity getting the better of her, she sighed and said, “I am interested. Why the disguise?”

  The corner of his lips twitched into a smile. “Will you ever leave it alone?”

  “Probably not. I can’t discover something so huge and not know anything about why.”

  “I don’t want to be famous,” he said flatly.

  “Isn’t that the dream of every guy who joins a band?”

  Their meals arrived before Nate could reply. Placing their plates on the table, the waitress searched his face, still trying to pinpoint where she’d seen him, probably not satisfied with his health food commercial answer.

  “Can I get your autograph?” the woman asked. “Just in case you become famous.”

  Jade bit her trembling lips to stop from laughing as she watched Nate sign a napkin.

  When she left, Jade couldn’t hold it in any longer. God, if she only knew who she just served dinner to. “This will bug her all night.”

  He laughed too. “She’ll forget all about me soon enough.”

  He quickly dug into his plate of veal scallopini, and Jade had to wait before she could ask more questions. Impatient fingers tapped the table.

  “Why don’t you want to be famous?” she finally asked.

  He looked up, dabbed his mouth with a napkin, and took a long swallow of wine. “I’m not comfortable with the attention.”

  “On stage you appear extremely comfortable with it. In fact, you looked like you were born to be there.”

  “In a way I kind of was.”

  She frowned. “What do you mean?”

  “You have no idea about the history of my music and my family, do you?”

  She shook her head. “Sorry, like I told you, I’d never heard of your band until the night I went to the concert.”

  “Have you heard of Cold Revenge?” he asked.

  “Yes, my dad was a fan.”

  “My dad was Liam Harvey, the lead singer.”

  She took a moment to put the fuzzy puzzle pieces together. She remembered years ago her dad mentioning the lead singer had passed away. How, she couldn’t remember.

  “My parents died when I was twelve…overdose,” he added before she could ask.

  Then he cut into his veal and took a bite. Jade gave him time to get his thoughts together.

  “Their life was one big party. Every night when they were home from touring or movie sets—which wasn’t often—they’d throw parties with all the major celebrities. My parents’ lives really were about sex, drugs, and rock-and-roll. And fame…they loved the attention. Always wanted to be seen. They’d tip off the paparazzi when they went out in public and leaked stories about their lives.” He cleared his throat. “One night at a party, they took too many drugs and mixed them with too much alcohol and never woke up.”

  “Oh, Nate…You must have been devastated.” How horrifying for a young boy to lose both parents that way.

  “I was staying at a friend’s place when I saw it on TV the next day. I thought someone made it up. Dad was releasing an album, and Mum was promoting her new movie. What better way to gain publicity? Then they’d show up telling the world someone had made up a cruel joke.”

  Jade’s heart sank for what it must have been like. “When did you find out the truth?”

  “Later that day, my nanny picked me up and told me. Then two weeks later I left New York and moved to Australia to live with my grandmother Fi-Fi in Brimland Point.”

  Tears misted in Jade’s eyes. “You must miss them.”

  He gave a half-hearted shrug. “When nostalgia hits, I watch an old movie of my mother’s or pull out a record and listen to my father. They were too busy with their careers to spend time with their kid. It’s hard to miss what you never had.”

  But Jade could see by his solemn expression it had affected him more than he wanted to admit.

  “The only time I ever spent with my father was when he’d give me guitar lessons. He’d tell me music was in my blood. Rock-and-roll was what I needed to live and breathe.”

  “You must have loved those times with him.”

  He refilled their glasses with wine and took a deep swallow. “Not really. I could never play as well as he wanted me to. No matter how much I practiced.”

  Jade’s heart ached for the little boy who would have tried so hard to play guitar like his father to get his praise and attention. “What about your mother? Were you close with her?”

  When he smiled, no happiness reached his eyes. “From the moment I was born, she handed me over to nannies, unless she invited journalists into our home for a magazine shoot, then she was a doting mother. But I was never allowed to be photographed. Apparently, she wanted to protect my privacy. At least she did one good thing for me. It made moving to another country easier when no one recognized you were the son of two dead music and film legends.”

  Jade’s jaw clenched. How could anyone neglect their son that way? “It must have been tough growing up like that.”

  “It was a long time ago.” He shrugged, as if that made things okay now.

  It was so not okay, but she let it drop. “So the disguise is so you can have a normal life?”

  Pushing his empty plate away, he leaned his elbows on the table. “I watched my parents chase fame, and it killed them. I don’t want any part of it. I love to play and sing, but I don’t want to live that kind of life.”

  “They chose to live like that. You don’t have to.”

  He rubbed his hand along his chin, and it made a scratchy sound from the slight stubble. “It’s a life too easy to fall into. I didn’t want to take the risk. This way I can play and be Nathan Harvey, son of Liam Harvey, and then strip it all away to be plain old Nate Miller…primary school music teacher.” The corner of his mouth lifted.

  Taking in his good looks, there was definitely nothing plain about him.

  “I can understand the disguise so you’re out of the spotlight, but when it’s off and you’re living a normal life, how does that affect relationships or friendships?”

  “There’s too much time spent on the road to make friends. The band, my manager, and Toby are my mates. And I know they’ll keep my secret. I can’t risk telling anyone else.”

  What a lonely life it sounded like. Jade couldn’t imagine being so isolated from people. “What about girlfriends? Surely you’ve had to tell them?”

  Nate shook his head. “No girlfriends.”

  “None? Ever?” Her mouth dropped open.

  “I’m not living like a monk. I’ve had women in my life. But only casually. They knew I was a musician, but that’s all I could tell them. Then I’d leave to go on tour and that would be the end.”

  “You didn’t care enough about any of those women to have more of a long-term relationship?” Jade asked.

  “It never would’ve worked. Everything would’ve been based on a lie.”

  “If you’d fallen in love, surely you could’ve trusted her?” Why did her stomach flutter with nerves waiting for the answer?

  “I never stuck around long enough for feelings to get too deep.”

  So to live a normal life, Nate had to give up a lot. Jade wondered if it was worth the sacrifice. To lighten the mood, she said, “You must have gotten up to a lot of mischief being the son of famous parents. Aren’t the kids of celebrity royalty supposed to be spoiled brats?”

  Nate laughed. “When I lived in New York my nanny watched me like a hawk and rarely let me out of her sight. And when I moved in with Fi-Fi, she gave me her surname so I wouldn’t be recognized. I spent all my time learning every musical instrument I could get my hands on and started a band. I never had time for anything else.”

  That surprised Jade. All teenagers got up to a little mischief. “You must have done some stupid stuff.”

  He shook his head. “Nope.”

  “What about parties?”

  Another shake of the head.


  “Sneaking alcohol out of the house and drinking so much you threw up in someone’s garden?”

  He raised an eyebrow.

  “I’ve heard it happens. Not that I’ve done that.” Jade averted her gaze for a beat. Then said, “Skinny-dipping?”

  A spark of interest shot from his hazel eyes. But he shook his head. What the hell? Did he live in a monastery? Surely there was something he got up to.

  She tapped her fingers on her chin. “You’re not bad to look at. Before the disguise you must have had a ton of girls chasing you.”

  “I had braces for three years and wore thick-lensed glasses before I had Lasik surgery.”

  A laugh burst from Jade. “Seriously?”

  “Seriously,” he replied with a grin.

  “Wow… I’m in shock. You are full of surprises. You know, it’s never too late to live a little. You should try something.”

  “I should?”

  “Yes, but getting drunk and throwing up in a stranger’s garden isn’t exactly fun.”

  He gave her a questioning stare.

  She threw up her hands and sighed. “Yes, I’ve done it, wasn’t my proudest moment.”

  He chuckled.

  She drummed her fingers on the table. “There’s got to be something you can try that doesn’t involve parties and getting drunk… Let’s go skinny-dipping.” The words flew out of her mouth before she had the chance to stop them.

  He sat back in his chair. His eyes bore into hers, and a slow, crooked smile spread across his face. And her heart rate took off like a galloping horse. Uh-oh. She dropped herself in this one—big time.

  “You want to go skinny-dipping?” His voice was low and deep, sending a warm flush over her skin.

  No.

  Yes.

  No.

  Oh God… Why did I have to blurt that out? Because she was truly, madly, crazily in lust, that’s why.

  “Sure, that’s if you’re not too chicken?” Brave words coming from someone who was shaking in her heels. He really wouldn’t take her up on it, would he?

  “Definitely not chicken. I’d love to see what I’ve missed out on.” His hot gaze flicked over her. Oh boy!

  “Okay then, we’ll have to fit it in some time while you’re in town.”

  Maybe he’d forget about her stupid suggestion. But why was it stupid again? She’d get to see what was under his clothes, and she didn’t think she’d be disappointed with what she’d find. It was a brilliant idea.

  “Tonight,” Nate said.

  “Excuse me?” Jade choked.

  “We’re both free now. The weather’s warm. Why wait?” His voice rumbled and all her girly parts tingled with lusty excitement.

  Why wait? Because she didn’t mean to blurt it out. But now it was out there… Was she wearing her good underwear? Yes, she’d chosen a lacy blue set like she knew they would be on display. As of two days ago, she was freshly waxed, so all good there too.

  She drew in a deep, shuddery breath. “Let’s do it.”

  He signaled to the waitress. “The bill please.”

  Chapter 8

  If Jade was surprised by Nate’s uneventful teenage years, he was shocked by how much she’d gotten him to reveal about his childhood. His grandmother and Toby were the only ones who knew what growing up with his parents was like. Not even his band members knew the full story.

  He hadn’t talked about his past in years. It only brought up harsh memories. But earlier when he did, there wasn’t the stabbing pain in his chest that happened whenever he talked about his parents. What was it about Jade that made him feel comfortable enough to open up?

  He’d have to wonder about that another time. Because he had better things to think about now, like Jade’s skinny-dipping bomb. He’d be an idiot to refuse.

  Moving at groundbreaking speed, he’d paid the bill and had them standing outside on the footpath. He hoped she wouldn’t change her mind, and it killed him to ask, “Are you sure you want to do this?”

  She nibbled on her plump bottom lip, a lip he desperately wanted to taste, and anticipation drummed through his body.

  She straightened her shoulders. “Someone has to help you live out your teenage years. Come on,” she said, linking her fingers through his. “I know just the place.”

  * * * *

  After crossing the road, they strolled along a strip of Brimland Point where small boutiques and cafés lined the street. The smell of the ocean nearby wafted through the sultry night air as they continued to walk in silence.

  Nate hadn’t let go of Jade’s hand; it was smaller than his callused one, and heat surged through her from the innocent touch. But what wasn’t so innocent was the fact she was going skinny-dipping with a man she barely knew. And it didn’t make her want to run and hide. It only turned up the heat to the next level.

  When they reached the beach, the fresh ocean breeze did nothing to relieve her feverish skin. She removed her heels and curled her toes in the cool sand and waited for Nate to take off his shoes.

  “We need to walk past those beach houses and rock pools. There’s a section that’s partially secluded.” Her voice shook. Why was she so nervous? She’d done this a bunch of times as a teenager. Well, maybe not a bunch, but once or twice. And never with boys. Oh shit.

  They trudged along the soft sand, and all too soon, they reached the section of the beach surrounded by boulders. Jade’s stomach churned, and she flicked a nervous glance over her shoulder at the houses in the distance. Hopefully, they were far enough away not to be seen. Thankfully, the pale light thrown from the full moon kept them in relative darkness.

  Nate sat on the sand and Jade followed. Taking a deep breath of the briny air, she tried to calm her jittery nerves.

  The ocean was more like a lake and only a ripple of tiny waves hit the shore.

  “Do you think there are any sharks?” Nate asked.

  Jade gave a startled laugh. “Oh God, I hope not.”

  “I’ve watched Jaws, I know what happens when the beautiful woman convinces the sexy guy to go skinny-dipping—”

  “You’re calling yourself sexy?” She made a scoffing sound.

  Oh yes, he was the sexiest man she’d ever seen, but she’d keep that to herself. She didn’t want him to get an inflated ego. And he’d called her beautiful. Her heart pounded.

  “Don’t worry, little girl, I’m here to protect you,” Jade teased.

  He laughed and stood up. The moon cast enough light for Jade to see him unbuttoning his shirt. Once off, it floated to the ground. He had wide shoulders, narrow hips, and hard abs. Tattooed over his left pec was an intricate design of musical notes, roses, and a guitar. It was beautiful—he was beautiful. Her breath quickened.

  Next, Nate unbuttoned the fly of his jeans, pushed them down slowly, and stepped out of them, tossing them on top of his rumpled shirt. Was she going swimming or watching the strip show Thunder from Down Under? Where was her wallet so she could put a twenty in his underwear? That thought made her focus on the tight, thin, black fabric hugging him and the impressive bulge straining behind it. He deserved more than a twenty.

  Jade wanted to burn this erotic display in her memory because she doubted she’d ever witness anything so spectacular again.

  His chuckle rumbled into the night air, and she lifted her gaze and stared into his hooded eyes. “Like what you see?”

  “You’re all right. You might need a few more workouts at the gym though.”

  He threw his head back and laughed. Obviously not taking offense at her criticism, he stood unselfconsciously with hands on hips, gazing at her with a sexy gleam in his eyes. “It’s your turn.”

  “My turn?” Yes, stupid. Who else is on the beach?

  “Someone’s wearing too many clothes to go skinny-dipping… If it’s me, should I take more off?” He raised a questioning eyebrow as he slid his fingers in the elastic waistband of his undies.

  “No!” she yelled.

  Yes! she wanted to scream.

&n
bsp; He flashed her one of his heart-stopping smiles.

  Oh Lord.

  Rising, she dusted the sand off her butt. She could do this. Men had seen her naked before. Not many, but enough to know she wasn’t a prude. All she needed to do was take off one thing at a time. Nothing to it.

  She reached around her back to unzip her dress. But as she gave the zipper a tug, it got stuck on the fabric and wouldn’t slide down. She pulled a little harder, but it only made it stick more.

  “Umm, my zipper is caught. I need help.” She turned her back to him.

  As he stepped closer, even though they weren’t touching, heat from his body surrounded her. Slowly, he pushed her hair from her shoulder and his fingers brushed the side of her neck. Her body quivered and goose bumps exploded over her skin. Such a simple act had her turned on in a not so simple way.

  After a beat, the dress gaped open. A cool breeze rippled across her overheated skin.

  “It’s fixed.” Nate’s voice sounded husky and unsteady.

  Was he as affected as she was?

  Holding her dress to her chest, she turned and met his hot gaze and found her answer. “Do we…should we…everything off or…” The words clogged in her tight throat.

  “How about we leave our underwear on? It’s my first time, I’m a little shy.” He smirked.

  She breathed a sigh of relief and knew damn well he wasn’t shy. “You go ahead. I’ll meet you there in a second.” She needed a moment to calm her jittery nerves.

  “Great, so I’m shark bait.” He laughed. “Don’t be long.”

  His gaze traveled over her body, and even though she still held onto her dress, he looked at her as if she was completely naked. Then he jogged to the water’s edge.

  Under the soft light she could see the muscle definition in his back as it dipped above the roundness of his butt as he hurdled over the small, breaking waves. Then he stood in waist deep water for a moment, looking like he was offering himself up like a sacrifice to the moon goddess, before diving in. The reflection of the moon rippled over the water’s surface. A moment later, he reappeared and shook his head. Tiny drops of water sprayed off his hair like little flecks of diamonds. She’d never witnessed anything so goddamn sexy.