Yes to Everything (17 page)

Kyle and his band hugged her among them going on and on about how amazing the show went. They shook the twins’ hands and Logan couldn’t believe he hadn’t seen the true nature of Brooke’s relationship with Kyle all along. Flashes were going off everywhere and she was unusually distracted as she glanced around for Rex.

The twins were surrounded by pretty women and she wanted out, wanted Rex to hug her and smile at her with his adorable dimples. A strange sense of panic started to swamp her when Sidney tapped her on the shoulder and she looked up, “There he is. He’s standing up higher so he has a clear view of you. My sweet lord, look at his friends.” Jeanette made a little strangled sound behind them and she was blushing madly. Sidney asked, “What, sugar?”

In a fearful hiss, she said, “Men like that never even notice me, Sidney. Are you two crazy? They are way out of my league. I shouldn’t have done this.” She was practically having a panic attack and trying to back closer to the kids.

Laughing loudly, Sidney linked her arm in Jeanette’s so she couldn’t get away. “Oh, they’ll look, pretty Jeanette. They’ll touch too if you let them. I think you should let go, Jeanette. Use protection and have fun, honey. You work all the damn time. We’ve taken your hair down for you. Use this opportunity. You deserve it,” Sidney assured her.

Brooke called out, “Thank you, everyone! You’ve been great. I can’t wait to come back to Chicago. See y’all later!” Then she kissed her brother and sisters, Travis, and the twins before walking purposefully to the upper level. Travis was going to be sure Jackson and the girls were fully settled back at the hotel for her.

Her primary concerns wrapped up, she focused on Rex. She wanted him. Right now.

When she was ten feet away, she ran and jumped at him. He caught her and kissed the daylights out of her while the fans cheered below. She wrapped her body around him and cupped his face shyly. “Hi, Rex.”

Rex’s eyes moved over her face and down to the prominent cleavage showing above her top. When they flicked up to meet hers, they were hungry. “Hey, honey. You look…dear god, is that even legal?”

She nodded and kissed him again, “Yes it is and thank you very much. Did you like the show?”

“Very much. I think you have four converts. These are my friends. Should I put you down, baby?” She nodded with her lower lip between her teeth. He set her on her feet and turned her in his arms, keeping her back against his chest. “This is Boyd Nicholson.”

A man an inch taller than Rex held out his giant hand and she shook it. He had really pretty blue eyes and dark brown close-cropped hair. “This is Zane Warren.” About the same height as Boyd, Zane was a slightly leaner well-cut blond with brown eyes who held out his hand with a smile and she shook it.

“And this is Mack de la Hoya.” A beautiful Latino man with black hair and hazel eyes gave her a bright white smile and put her hand to his lips. He gave her a wink. All of them were over six-two and just fucking gorgeous.

“I’m Brooke Kincaid. It’s very nice to meet all of you.” The fans still on the lower floor were screaming her name and security was holding them back. She waved to Sampson and he gave her a salute. “I’m sorry about the chaos. It’s always like this after a concert. They eventually settle down.”

Moving out of Rex’s arms to stand by her friends, she said happily, “I have two friends I’d like y’all to meet. I’m hoping we’re going somewhere because they kill themselves twenty-four hours a day for me and they need some fun. We get so little on the road.”

Tugging Jeanette forward gently, she continued, “We just met over the past few months but it was destiny. This is Jeanette Rivers. She handles virtually everything in my life, including my brother and sisters. Brilliant and lovely, works far too much and needs a well-deserved break.”

Without letting Jeanette go in case she tried to make a run for it, she linked an arm with Sidney, “And this is Sidney Johnson. She’s technically handles my hair, makeup, and wardrobe day after boring day and still makes it seem exciting. She also runs interference as my personal bodyguard and has covered my ass more times on this tour than I can count. Ladies, meet Boyd, Zane, and Mack.” Smiling at the man who looked ready to fuck her right where they stood, she added wistfully, “And this is Rex.”

They all shook hands and Mack was immediately taken with Jeanette. She gave all of them a shy little wave but Mack stepped forward to kiss her hand and tug her closer to his side. Brooke internally cheered. He put her hand through his arm and she blushed furiously when he told her how beautiful she looked and gave him a demure ‘thank you’.

Sidney was staring back and forth between Boyd and Zane, nibbling on her bottom lip with her hands on her hips. “I am in such a quandary right now. You’re both, oh my god. Okay, we’ll see how it plays out. I’m cool with kink.” With that, she linked arms with both men and they grinned down at her. Giving a little shrug she added, “I’m so picky, how did you both stack up?” They laughed and she joined them. Glancing over at Brooke, she said, “Well, I get it now, chica. He’s hot and into PDA. I approve.”

Rex gave her a wolfish grin and turned, lowering so Brooke could get on his back. He wrapped his hands around her thighs and carried her laughing out a side entrance as the fans below continued to call out to her.

Several Harleys sat glimmering in motorcycle parking. Kissing his neck, she said quietly, “You all ride. That is fantastic.”

A panicked voice said beside her, “Um, Brooke, I’m in a dress.” Jeanette had no clue what to do. “I didn’t know.”

Mack wrapped his arm around her waist and whispered gently, “No problem, honey. Get on and tuck the skirt under like you’re sitting in a chair. If you snug in real close, I promise it won’t move.” He climbed on the electric blue fatboy and held her hand while she got on behind him.

She tucked the fabric of her dress under her ass and sealed her body tight to his, her arms wrapping around his waist. He helped her position her feet, stroking one calf. “That’s perfect, sweetheart. Rex, we’re headed to the bar?” Rex nodded and Mack started his bike.

“I’m going to loop around the parking lot so you get used to the feel of the machine under you. I won’t let anything happen to you, Jeanette. You can trust me.” She nodded against his back and tightened her legs against his thighs. Mack gave Brooke a wink, backed up, and let the skittish woman get comfortable.

On the other side of Rex’s bike, Sidney was saying, “Can we flip a coin? This is a decision I can’t ethically make without feeling bad either way.” They laughed as they did and Boyd won, scooping the tiny redhead up and dropping her gently on his softail before getting on in front of her.

Zane pointed his finger at his lifelong friend and said, “I automatically have dibs on the next item up for debate. You set the tone, dude. I’ll totally take advantage of it.” Boyd gave him a thumbs-up and Sidney pulled him forward by his shirt for a quick peck on the lips. When she followed that with a kiss to the back of Boyd’s neck, both men looked like they wanted to take her somewhere dark and private for a very long time.

Casting a look over at Brooke, Sidney sighed, “Oh god, life is so good since I met you, Brooke.”

Shaking her head, she replied, “Sidney, I had nothing to do with handing you into the care and keeping of two able-bodied Marines. That was your own personal lottery, honey. Run with it, girl. Run. With. It.”

Rex got on his bike and Brooke lowered her legs, dropping lightly to the seat behind him. “Woman, we have so much to talk about. I’ve missed you today.” Glancing over his shoulder, he added, “But I didn’t have time to dwell on it since my business grew like three hundred percent due to some plug by a celebrity. Several times. I’ve also been getting calls and emails from my old unit about how jealous they are. If I hadn’t brought these four with me tonight they threatened violence against my person. That was before you produced hot friends.”

She chuckled and slid her arms around his hard body. “Let’s play and we can talk later, Rex, because, baby, I have damn well missed you too.” Stroking her hands down his torso and gripping his belt, she whispered, “I’d like to ride the ride again, Mr. Black. I’ve been wet since I saw you in the front row. Think you can handle that for me later?”

He flexed his hands on her thighs. “Damn, somebody up there fucking loves me, Brooke.”

Rex started the bike and tore out of the arena. At every light he massaged Brooke’s legs. By the time they pulled up to a military bar with two dozen motorcycles parked out front, she was wound up like nothing she’d ever felt before.

He got off the bike and turned her sideways on the seat, stepping between her thighs. Crossing her legs behind him she said, “Kisses, lots of kisses, Rex.” As his mouth angled over hers, she sighed. He loved over her mouth and worked his cock so gently against her that no one passing would notice. Brooke’s hands held him like she never wanted to let him go.

Sidney’s gentle voice broke the moment, “Honey, I love you and I want you to be happy. Rex obviously makes you real happy but you know the fucking press is gonna catch up to us eventually. They are not getting you on camera like this. Come inside and accost him, babe. I bet there are some nice dark corners just waiting for you inside, Brooke.”

Boyd and Zane were standing just behind Sidney and staring down at her in awe. “Don’t make me fight a reporter tonight. I painted my nails.” She showed her fingertips to Brooke and tried to pout but couldn’t hold it, bursting out laughing. “You know I suck at the girly expressions.”

At the hungry looks on the two friends’ faces, Brooke offered, “Sidney’s something of a hellion. My first concert, I got clipped with a camera in the cheek. Since then, she rides in with me and is much stronger than she looks. She almost got arrested when a photographer would not move no matter what I said. She had the guy up against the wall, his camera strap around his neck.”

“You said please several times. Hell, even I said please. Brooke has to be precious and sweet. Me? I simply do not give a damn. I can get a little ignorant when people do stupid shit.” Smiling at the men behind her, she added, “I’m nice until it’s time not to be nice anymore, only I don’t have Patrick Swayze to give me the heads up. Without him, sometimes I forget the nice part altogether.” They laughed loudly and she did a little spin, grabbing their biceps so they could escort her inside. “You’re such gentlemen but I’ll be honest, I’m really just groping you.”

Snorting disbelievingly, Rex set Brooke on her feet and took her hand, kissing her fingers and giving her a dimpled grin that did funny things to her insides. Mack and Jeanette pulled up as they stepped up on the sidewalk and she had never seen Jeanette smile so much.

When they entered the bar a few feet behind the others the entire place went silent and still. Even the band stopped playing mid-song. A couple of “Holy shit, isn’t she that country singer?” comments made their way around the place. Awkward silence greeted her.

Brooke said cheerfully to the room, “Hi, I’m Brooke Kincaid. I’m a normal person but please feel free to stare anyway. You have a live band.” When there was no response, she put on her biggest country girl smile and cocked her hip, putting her hand on it. “At ease, darlin’s.”

That caused the place to break out in laughter and Rex pulled her to the table they always staked out in the corner.

Jeanette was snickering with Mack. “You do know how to make an entrance, Brooke.”

Rex sat and Brooke sat on his lap facing the table, “I was stumped since I’ve never made a place go quiet before. There is so much testosterone in here you could cut it with a knife. I’ll make this observation though. Military groupies are more ‘trampy’ than country band groupies. Sorry, they are. Y’all needed some class around here.”

The four men fell out laughing and Zane pulled Sidney down on his lap. “There’s another chair, I’ll sit in it so your leg doesn’t go numb.” Zane’s response was to grab the empty chair and push it to the table beside them. “O-kay. This is good, too. I’m trying not to seem like a slut.” He grinned at her and she thought he had the prettiest puppy dog brown eyes she’d ever seen surrounded by long brown lashes.

“Sidney isn’t a slut in any manner and God knows Jeanette is the most elegantly lovely woman I’ve ever met. She reminds me of Audrey Hepburn. Also, I’ve learned in the past twenty-four hours that if you’re really picky and the man who matches your specs exactly shows up on radar, slutty behavior is well within bounds.”

Turning back to Rex, she laid a smacking kiss on him before clearing her throat and adding, “One more thing…I’m the only one at this table not fucking old enough to drink.” The entire table burst out laughing and she blushed hot. “Thanks. Thanks a lot. Sidney, a few months back and you’d be in the same boat. Jeanette, you’re only a year older than her so both of you need to shut it.”

That made them even more hysterical. “Grr, so frustrating and embarrassing.” Everyone laughed for a long time and it was loud. Rex tried to soothe her ruffled feathers. When the waitress approached she said, “Before you ask, I’ll take a stupid Coke.” That set them off again.

They’d barely gotten control of themselves when a young man approached their table and asked her if she’d sign the inside of his beret. She did and asked his name. “Max Davis ma’am.”

Taking out one of her business cards, she wrote his name on the back and signed it. “When you’re deployed, Max, call this number and we’ll get you a kick-ass bag shipped out filled with all the things we’ve heard are most missed when you’re away from home. If you say I wrote your name on the back and signed under it, you’ll get some other crap you can keep, trade, or give away.” They talked for another minute and she smiled, “I’m glad to meet you, Max.”

The young soldier almost fell over shaking her hand, “My god, you too, ma’am. Thank you.”

“You can call me Brooke. Be safe.” He nodded and left grinning from ear to ear. She lay back on Rex’s chest and realized his friends were staring at her. “What?” Before they could answer, two more enlisted men approached and she did the same thing. “Bobby and Jason Owens. Y’all brothers?” They nodded and she smiled brightly. “I’d trust my brother more than Jesus himself to watch my back in a fight. Y’all be careful.” They said they would and shook her hand, looking star struck as they each walked away with her card and instructions in their hands.