Yes to Everything (26 page)

The sun was up and lighting the huge windows and the first thing Zane’s eyes registered was Sidney in her bra and panties, her hair in damp curls around her face, going through the flowing movements of Tai Chi about twenty feet away in shafts of morning light.

“Ssh,” Boyd whispered behind him. “I don’t want her to stop.”

After a long time, she finished and bowed to the sun, giving a glorious stretch. Glancing over, she saw they were awake and smiled, returning to lie between them.

“Good morning,” she said as she snuggled down between their warm bodies. “Did I wake you up?” They shook their heads with drowsy smiles. “You’re so adorable when you sleep. You look like little boys and so still; just fucking cute as hell.” She flipped to her stomach so she could see them and whispered, “Did you sleep well?”

“I would have to say I feel more rested than I have in twenty years, Sidney,” Zane said honestly.

Boyd added, “And relaxed…I feel so relaxed.”

“That’s the first time I’ve slept more than an hour or two in as long as I can remember.” She grinned, “By the way, this is me without makeup. It took me ten minutes to figure out your shower. Complicated fucker.”

“You look even younger, baby,” they told her. In the morning light, they could see that she had far more freckles than they’d realized and both of them found them adorable.

“Which is why I wear makeup. I talked to Brooke and Jeanette this morning. Everyone seems whispery and ridiculously cheerful this morning. Your buddies are still snoring away. Figuratively, not literally. Thank god Jeanette got laid. That girl is the sweetest being on the planet. Has like a two hundred IQ or some damn thing. Total virgin, but it sounds like that went just fine. She’s been so scared about it.” Both men’s brows went up. “Mention I said it and I will hurt you, and not in a good way.”

“Never. Are you serious, though?” Sidney nodded. Zane whistled, “Then Mack was perfect for her. He loves the quiet ones and treats them super gentle.” He shook his head, “A two hundred IQ?”

“Graduated Princeton with two degrees at just eighteen. She’s a child prodigy. We have more in common than you’d think though. She is crazy lonely. Her childhood was major fucked just in a different way. Brooke, wow, what to say about my girl? She’s totally giddy and kind of made me want to hurl. She sounded like that chick from the Sound of Music. Gag.” Her bright smile seemed to brighten the room as she told them, “And me, well, I’m playing it cool because I have a reputation for being a stone-cold bitch. But I’m feeling rather giddy myself. Gag.”

When they came for her, she wondered what had taken them so long and made a note to wear less clothing going forward.

Rex and Brooke…

They’d fallen on one another before they made it all the way into Mack’s house, tearing at clothes and tugging off shoes. Rex had barely remembered a condom, fully buried in her body when he cursed a blue streak and had to pull out.

He took her hard against the wall until they were slick with sweat and screaming one another’s names. For hours they’d loved hard. Biting, scratching, pushing, and shoving. Every time Rex came, he stripped off the condom and pulled on another, never letting himself fully soften. He allowed his sperm to replenish while he fucked Brooke. Only when they’d collapsed in exhaustion on the rug in front of the fireplace had they truly spoken.

Brooke was hoarse as she murmured, “May I say thank you? I mean, sweet lord, Rex.” They were lying side by side on their backs, their hands clasped together.

His own voice gravelly and deep, he replied, “No, I have to thank you. I think I’m in danger of dehydration, Brooke.”

“I’d offer to get you water but my legs don’t work. We could crawl into the kitchen.” She wanted to be helpful.

“Fuck that…it’s like thirty feet away. Might as well be three miles.” He’d already considered and dismissed the idea.

She said nothing for a long moment, then so quiet he almost missed it, “Agreed. I don’t want to go, Rex.”

He didn’t misunderstand what she was saying and his heart clenched, “I don’t want you to go either, Brooke. But you have to. You know you do. You made a commitment and people are counting on you. Only a few more weeks, baby. Then you come back here as often as you can and let me give you some normal for a while.”

“Those bar skanks better stay the fuck back. I’ll give ‘em a good old-fashioned country ass-whoopin’.”

Rolling to his side and putting his head in his hand Rex asked, “One of the most beautiful women in the world, talented and sexy, is worried about bar skanks? Do you really think you have to worry about that?”

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.”

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.