Blush (18 page)

Lucy yawns mid-song and Xander rubs her
back.

When the song's over, she comes over and
climbs onto my lap, resting her head against my chest.

Then she starts singing the song that drew me
to her and I join in. Everyone's got their guitars or are tapping
out a beat as we sing
Never Be The Same
by Red.

I know you
Who are you now
Look in to my eyes if you can remember
Do you remember?

Next Sera leads us in with The Exies'
Tired of You
and that's when my wife gives up the fight. She
stops singing to hum. Her hums fade and soon she's sound asleep in
my arms.

I love her so much it hurts. I know I owe
Cage huge for setting up the video shoot. Did he somehow know we'd
hook up? Yeah, he knew about Lucy's crush, but did he know I'd fall
ass over elbows for this beautiful, talented, loving, sexy-as-sin
woman now snuffle snoring against my chest?

Damian, who's sitting in the recliner a few
feet away, grins a small grin. “That's cute as hell.“

I want to punch him in the face for even
noticing, but how can I blame the guy? Lucy's not just any woman.
She's a woman that guys notice immediately. Not because she's
gorgeous, though she is. It's because she radiates this aura that
shouts kindness and sweetness yet there's an edge to it that also
says “do
not
fuck with me“.

So, instead, I nod.

“I love her snuffles,“ Ethan agrees.

“Snuffles?“ Kennedy asks.

Ethan raises his hands then lowers them as if
to quiet everyone down without having to say it. Everyone stops and
listens to Lucy's snores and I grin. She'd hate knowing we were
listening to her snore, but fuck if it isn't cute as hell like
Damian said. It lulls me to sleep at night. I honestly don't think
I'd be able to sleep without her now.

“Damn. Is there anything about her that isn't
charming?“ Kennedy asks.

“Nope,“ I say softly. “Even when she's pissed
she's amazing.“

“I'll hold some dinner for her,“ Misty tells
me as she goes to check the oven.

I reach out for her to stop her and she
immediately stiffens. I want to kick her brother-in-law's nuts into
his throat.

“Thank you, Misty. She'll appreciate it.“

Her expression softens and she nods.
Eventually she'll relax and figure out no one here is going to harm
her. Until then, we'll just keep reassuring her.

Jace brings a blanket over and covers Lucy. I
nod my thanks and settle in, rubbing her back as she rests. In this
moment, I'm the happiest and most content I've ever been in my
life.

Damian mutters, “Lucky fucker,“ and I nod at
him.

“I know it.“

He nods. Sera brings an ice pack and a hand
towel and puts it on Lucy's hand. She lingers and I meet her
gaze.

“I'm happy you found each other. It's nice to
see her on the receiving end for once,“ she whispers.

“She always was, Sera. She had you.“

She presses her lips together when the bottom
one quivers then shakes her head. “I took more than I gave.“

Cage leans forward. “For her, giving is as
good as receiving.“ Amazingly, Xander doesn't make a joke about
that statement.

Both Sera and I nod.

“When she wakes up, there's something we need
to discuss,“ Cage tells me.

I nod. “Good or bad?“

He smiles a humorless smile. “In
between.“

I sigh. Sera sends me a wink and sits next to
Cage, resting her head on his shoulder while he fucks around on his
phone.

This is our life for the next four months.
These are the people we'll be with. Family. Within such a short
time we've created a family.

As I said before, it doesn't get any better
than this.

“Everyone wants to be
appreciated,
so if you appreciate someone, don’t keep it a secret.“

—MARY KAY ASH

I HEAR QUIET murmurs and slowly rouse myself from
sleep. I snuggle into Jesse's hard chest and inhale deeply. He
always smells so amazing. Like sandalwood, ocean, and yum.

I wonder how long I've been out. I wiggle a
bit and Jesse kisses my forehead.

“How're you feeling?“

“Hurts. How long have I been out?“

“About an hour and a half.“ He rubs his hand
up and down my back and I breathe him in again.

“You smell so good,“ I tell him.

He chuckles. “It's just whatever soap or
shampoo I've got.“

“I know. That's what makes it so seriously
sexy,“ I whisper and kiss his jaw.

“None of that shit out here,“ Jace
teases.

I lift my uncasted arm and flip him off. He
laughs, as does everyone else in the room. Sitting up, I push the
stray hair back from my face and blink myself awake.

“She looks like a baby owl or something,“
Kennedy teases.

“Knock it off.“

“What?“ he asks with a smirk.

“Stop watching me.“ I look around. “All of
you knock it off. You're creeping me out.“ I look to Jesse. “What
the hell?“

He chuckles and shrugs a shoulder.

“You're too gorgeous for us to resist,“
Meggie purrs. “If I swung that way, Luce, you'd be it for me. I'd
fight Jesse to the death.“

I lean back in confusion. “You all are
weird.“

They all laugh.

“So tell me,“ I begin, sitting up a little
straighter.

“Tell you what?“ Jesse asks.

“Do you all do that often?“

“What's that?“ he seems a little
confused.

“Manipulate Kennedy into playing and
singing,“ I grin.

Cage chuckles. “For as long as I've known
them. Xander baits him, or one of them does, and Kennedy always
takes the bait.“

“Really?“ I look at Kennedy.

He nods. “I don't like to lose and I don't
like to be proven wrong when I know I'm right.“

I just stare at him for a few seconds then
nod and smile. He smiles back.

“I can understand that. I can see that about
you.“

“I've got to admit I like this forced
proximity thing going on,“ Meggie tells us. “It's a great way to
get to know each other better. I mean, we've been around each other
a while now but not like we are now. Casa Falling Down is like
living across town from my room to yours but here we're going to
bump into each other when we don't want to, likely eat each other's
food, drink each other's drinks, and learn far too much about each
other's bodily functions than we care to know.“

“True,“ Damian agrees.

“I like it,“ I admit.

“Tell me that again in four months,“ Jesse
teases.

I just shrug. “I need to take my meds.“

“I've got it set on your dinner tray,“ Misty
tells me.

I smiles wide. Misty is amazing. Quiet and
shy, but she'll come out of his shell eventually. “Thank you so
much, Misty. You are a godsend.“

The pretty blonde shakes her head. “No, you
are. I'm on a tour bus with a bunch of famous people who are, for
all intents and purposes, strangers to me yet friendlier than my
own family.“

“Well,“ Ethan begins, “your family sucks ass
and we are fucking awesome.“

Jesse lifts a brow.

“What?“ I ask.

He smirks. “I think this is the most Ethan's
spoken in…forever. Same with Kennedy for that matter. Normally our
bus is quiet on tour no matter who we're touring with. We usually
segregate by band and then we all do our own thing. I get bored as
fuck fast, usually write music, play video games or poker, get
drunk, and fuck strangers.“

“I think they like having us along,“ I say
with a grin. “

This is going to be a hell of a tour,“ Jesse
murmurs.

Everyone looks at him, small smiles playing
about their lips.

“Fuck yeah it is!“ Xander shouts. “BFD! BFD!
BFD!“ he chants.

“He's lost his fucking mind already,“ Kennedy
shakes his head.

“Nah. I'm just excited. This is already cool
as hell. I've got people to dance with and sing with and coerce
Kennedy with,“ Xander announces, sending me a wink and I can't stop
my giggle. “And now we've got Misty who, if my sniffer is telling
me correctly, has made an incredible dinner that's about ready and
it's going to fill me with tasty goodness.“

“Tasty goodness,“ I murmur. “Do we have any
Diet Dr. Pepper?“

“Uh, just a
few
cans,“ Trace murmurs,
then opens a cabinet where there are three cases.

“Aww, babe. You're so good to me,“ I hug
Jesse and kiss his lips while the guys make pussy whipped
faces.

“I don't even care that you all are being
assholes. I'm getting loved on by my woman and you're all feckless
until tomorrow night,“ Jesse grins..

“Fuck off,“ Jace murmurs and gives Jesse the
finger with the verbal curse.

“Oh, I don't know,“ Trace contemplates. “I'm
thinking that later I might help Meggie out with her wetness
problem and we can scratch each other's itch.“

Meggie eyes him up and down. “You'll do.“

“You bet I will, Red.“

She sends him a wink and Misty announces it's
time to eat. Jesse gets me set up before Misty hands him his own
tray she set aside.

“Thanks,“ he tells her and she nods.

“I figured they would eat your portion.“

“They would have,“ he nods.

“Come join us, Misty,“ I call out. “You're
family now.“

Everyone murmurs their agreement and Misty
carries her plate of food to join us.

“Stop!“ Misty says firmly.

“What's wrong?“ Ethan asks.

“Nothing's wrong other than we haven't said
grace and given thanks.“

“Huh,“ Xander mutters. “Let's give thanks.“
He bows his head and folds his hands.

We all follow suit as Misty gives us a look.
She murmurs a short prayer of thanks for the food and new friends
and we all finish the prayer with a unified, “Amen.“

Misty looks up. “Thank you.“

“We're always up for something new and giving
thanks can only be a positive change,“ Cage tells her with a smile.
Sera leans over to kiss his cheek but he turns his head at the last
minute catching her lips. She grins and he winks. Those two. I'd
like to know what's going on there. I'm not one to push my sister,
but I think it's time I did.

Suddenly Sera sits up straight, she goes
pale, deathly white, then races to the bathroom.

“Jesus, Cage. Make a girl sick with a kiss
why don't ya,“ Meggie teases.

“I'm going to check on her.“

Jesse nods and helps me remove the tray. I
knock on the bathroom door and hear her retching.

“Sera? Are you alright?“

“Uh-uh,“ she grunts.

“Can I come in?“

“Uh-huh,“ she gets out between heaves. Gah. I
enter the bathroom and immediately wet a washcloth with cool water
and grab a hair tie. I bundle her hair as best as I can with only a
couple fingers but she reaches up and quickly puts it up in a bun
before she gags some more. I wipe her forehead with the
washcloth.

“Aww, sissy. You think it's something you
ate?“

She gasps for breath after flushing the
toilet. “Must be. This is going to suck so bad. You all are going
to hear me sick all night. I should go on the other bus.“

“No, you should not. You'll stay here. The
others can go on the other buses to rest tonight. They can switch
over when we stop to fuel up.“

I touch her forehead and she's not hot though
she's sweating. I can understand that. The nausea and vomiting and
whatever else is wracking her body is wreaking havoc.

She nods and I press the cool cloth along her
cheeks and around to the back of her neck.

“I'm so hot right now, Luce. My stomach is
flip flopping all over the place.“

“What did you eat that I didn't?“ I ask.

She doesn't get to answer before she starts
vomiting again. Poor Sera. It's going to be a long night for
her.

I open the bathroom door and look at
Jesse.

“Babe, is there any 7UP or Sprite?“

He nods and moves to get up but Cage steps
up. “I'll get it.“ Jesse inclines his head.

Cage hands me the soda and a glass. “Is she
alright?“

“Not right now but she will be. I think she
ate something that was bad.“

“Damn,“ he rubs a hand along the back of his
neck. He looks so worried. “I can stay with her if you want to
eat.“

“I'm not really hungry, but you're welcome to
stay with her. Small sips of this for her. When we stop for fuel,
we'll need to pick up some vitamin water.“

He nods. “Can do.“

Sera groans and my heart aches. There's
nothing worse than nausea and vomiting.

“How's she doing?“ Damian asks when I step
into the lounge area.

“Not so good. Nausea, vomiting, sweats.“

He nods. “At least it's not coming out both
ends at once.“

“Amen to that,“ Ethan agrees.

I sit back in the chair and take the
ibuprofen set out on the tray. The throb is gone but the ache is
still there and snausage fingers haven't changed much.