Dare to Rock (14 page)

For now, his focus was on his girl. He refused to think of Avery as anything less and whistled appreciatively as she entered the room.

She blushed, twirled, and curtsied. “Glad you like.”

Nothing not to like, he thought and grinned. “Are you ready to face the lions?”

The smile on her face fell a bit, and his heart squeezed at how easily he’d taken her happiness.

“Didn’t Tyler say they were gone from out front?” she asked.

Grey nodded. “They are. But one of them could be waiting on a public road, ready to follow us. They take pictures from cars too,” he explained, knowing she had to understand every part of his life.

She swallowed hard. “We’ll have Rick Devlin following us,” she said of the bodyguard her brother had assigned to her.

She’d objected to being driven around like a pampered princess, so Grey and her brother had agreed to let Rick tail her instead. Marco often doubled as Grey’s driver when going to and from venues for concerts and appearances, but he didn’t think things were that intense at the moment.

They’d be fine. He didn’t like the idea of needing protection, but he couldn’t expect Avery to accept things easily if he didn’t.

“Good point,” he said with a forced smile on his face.

“What’s wrong?” Avery looked at him with concern in her pretty eyes.

Fuck that. He didn’t want to make her sad or have her worry unnecessarily.

He reached out and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “Not a thing. I’m actually looking forward to being alone with you in the car and taking a nice drive in my Aston Martin,” he said with an easier, more genuine grin.

She groaned. “Better than us slumming it in my BMW. Jeez, Grey, do you hear yourself?”

He laughed. “Only the best for you, Very. The Aston Martin it is.”

A little while later, Avery gave Rick the keys to Grey’s car in a discreet exchange at the building’s entrance. The bodyguard pulled up front for them. He and Grey exchanged places, Avery sliding into the passenger seat, no photographers, no incident. Still, knowing they were driving his showy car, Grey wore a Mariner’s cap Avery had lying around along with his sunglasses. Avery slid hers on too, and with Rick following close behind, they were on their way.

During the drive to Grey’s parents’, Avery chatted about Rick, who apparently had also done bodyguard duty for her sister-in-law Meg a few months ago. Grey kept an eye on him in the rearview mirror. The guy kept up with his driving and clearly had an eye on the road and another one behind him. Grey relaxed when he realized the other man would keep Avery safe when Grey wasn’t around.

They pulled up to the patio home Grey had bought for his mother and stepfather in a safe, gated community. Because of Grey’s fame, he’d insisted on a development with security for his mom, and they’d accepted his requirement in exchange for some of their own. Namely no cookie cutter complex where all homes looked alike, and they wanted the ability to do gardening on the grounds of their home themselves. No community association telling them what they could and couldn’t plant, what their house had to look like, or who they had to hire for the things they couldn’t do themselves.

Grey’d been so happy they had been willing to leave the not-so-safe area where he’d grown up, he’d deposited money into an account and stepped back. Too far back, he accepted now. As he parked the car, he drew in a deep breath. Time to make amends, he thought.

He looked at the immaculate, beautifully manicured lawn and shrubbery. He didn’t know the name of one plant or flower they’d planted, nor did he care. But as he admired the adobe-colored house with a dark roof, the just-cut green lawn, and the pretty flowers scattered throughout, Grey acknowledged for the first time that the small home they’d chosen suited them.

Grey exited and helped Avery out of the vehicle, aware of Rick in the car, parked and idling, behind them. Avery seemed not to be bothered by her shadow, and she quickly slipped her hand into Grey’s, as if she sensed how much he needed her warmth and support as they readied to see his mom and stepdad.

“It’s a great community,” she said. “We passed a clubhouse, and there are so many people outside walking their dogs. They must love it here.”

Grey nodded. “I was just thinking how perfect it is,” he said. “The right size and so immaculate outside. I bet they did it all themselves.” To his surprise, he heard the pride and admiration in his voice.

Avery gave his hand a reassuring squeeze. She turned toward him, a smile on her face, so open and sweet he had to have a taste. “The house itself is so beautiful.”

He braced his hands on either side of her face. “So are you,” he said, his tone as gruff as the sudden surge of need. He always wanted her, but every damn time he looked into those eyes, it caught him off guard.

“Don’t get started here. I have to go in and face your parents.” But a pink flush of arousal stained her cheeks.

“And you don’t want to be all wet and aroused when you do, huh?” he asked. Just the thought of her moist panties had him shifting uncomfortably where he stood.

“Grey!” she said, horrified, but the heady glaze in her eyes told another story. She was just as affected as him.

It had been a long day, from worrying about the press to concern about her refusal to be serious about them to having to face his family after so long. He couldn’t think of a better way to de-stress than to lose himself in Avery. He pressed his lips hard against hers, pouring everything he had and felt into the kiss. She welcomed him, opening herself easily, his tongue claiming hers over and over.

“We have to go in,” she finally murmured between breaths, but her hands weren’t pushing him away, they were curling into his shirt, her nails biting into his skin.

With difficulty, he pulled away and drew in deep, calming breaths. A glance told him Rick sat discreetly in the driver’s seat, ignoring his clients making out like teenagers behind the car.

“Grey!” His mother’s voice brought reality crashing back around him.

He held up one finger toward her. “Just a sec,” he called back.

He glanced at Avery, her eyes bright, cheeks flushed, and mouth puffy from his kiss. He swiped his finger over her damp lips. “You ready?”

“I think you should be asking yourself that question,” she muttered, glancing down at his cock, straining hard against his cargo shorts.

“Yeah. Talk to me about something. Anything.”

She rolled her eyes. “You started it. Now pull yourself together.” With a wink and a laugh, she drew her shoulders back and headed to greet his mother.

*     *     *

Grey’s mother met him on the front porch and hugged him tight, the familiar smell of her perfume wrapping around him. His mother had always been petite, five foot two, and when she hugged him, he towered over her. But that didn’t make the strength of her hugs any less potent, and a lump formed in his throat.

“My baby boy.”

Though he was slightly embarrassed at her word choice, he was also close to a complete breakdown at how easily she welcomed him home, no questions asked.

“Hi, Mom,” he said, finally extricating himself from her embrace and taking her in.

She’d aged well, her skin still nearly flawless and the lines in her face minimal. Her hair was still dark, no grey, and she was clearly relaxed and happy. Life obviously agreed with her.

She grasped his hands in her weathered, work-worn ones. “Let me look at you.”

Grey shot Avery an amused glance, and she grinned back at him.

“Hush,” his mother said. “I’ll get to her next. Humor me.” She looked him over thoroughly and said, “You need to eat.”

Avery burst out laughing, redrawing his mother’s attention to her.

“It’s so good to see you again!” His mom kissed Avery’s cheek. “Thank you for bringing my boy home.”

Avery’s eyes grew wide, and distress flashed over her face. “No, I didn’t. This was all him.”

Grey’s mother pinned Avery with a knowing stare, one Grey had been treated to many times growing up. “A mother knows. He came home for you.”

“Mrs. Mendez,” Avery began.

“Susie. You always called me by my first name, remember?”

“Susie.” Avery’s smile grew more genuine. “Don’t believe everything you read in the papers. I didn’t have anything to do with breaking up the band,” she rushed to assure his mother.

As if his mom cared one bit whether or not Tangled Royal existed as long as Grey was happy.

“Those rags,” she said with a dismissive wave of her hand.

“This one was reputable, but they still got it wrong,” Avery said.

“Doesn’t matter. I always knew you two were meant to be.”

“Mom, let’s go inside,” Grey said before she could spook Avery any more.

As Grey walked into the house, he was struck by the memories that assaulted him. The scent was familiar as his mom’s perfume lingered. And the pictures on the walls, the pieces on the shelves, the furniture in the living room were all equally familiar. They’d allowed him to buy the house, but they’d kept the old furniture. Some of the pieces were refurbished, but Ricardo always had a talented hand, and Grey felt certain he’d done the work himself.

Instead of frustration, a sense of pride welled up in him for both his mom and stepdad. “Is Ricardo home?”

“He’s out back. Why don’t you go help him with the grill, and Avery and I will go into the kitchen.” Grey glanced at Avery, but she was already following his mother into the kitchen, the only room she’d let him do a complete overhaul in because Susie loved to cook.

Grey found his stepfather outside on the patio.

“Grey!” Ricardo, a tall, slender man with salt-and-pepper hair, stepped over and pulled him into a one-armed hug, patting him on the back. “It’s good to see you.”

“Same,” Grey said.

“Your mother is over the moon. She’s so happy you’re here.”

Grey did his best not to squirm. Though he knew his stepdad wasn’t trying to make him feel bad or uncomfortable, he did. There were still things that needed to be said between them.

“So tell me how things are going for you,” Ricardo said. “Is the band really splitting up?”

Grey nodded. “We reached the end. It’s hard to explain, but we’re all ready to do our own thing.”

Ricardo reached into a cooler and pulled out two beers, handing one to Grey. They popped the tops, and he took a long, cool drink.

“I can understand that. You should be proud though. You went out and accomplished your dream. Not many people can say they did that.”

Warmth filled Grey’s chest as Ricardo gave him the words his own father had always denied him. “Thank you,” he said, infusing his tone with emotion and meaning. “So how are you? How’s Mom?”

“Living the good life, thanks to you.” He gestured to the backyard with the nice-size patio, a pool on the side with a spa. Where they sat, there was a barbeque built into a stone wall. “Put this in myself,” he said with pride.

Grey grinned. “The house looks fantastic.”

“I’m glad you pushed us to move. Your mother is so much happier here. Good neighborhood, nice friends. Thank you,” he said, not for the first time.

Grey shook his head. “Don’t. Don’t thank me. I’m glad you’re happy. It’s all I wanted, but back then I wanted …” He trailed off, the words sticking in his throat.

Ricardo put a weathered hand on Grey’s shoulder. “No need, son.”

“There’s every need.” Grey’s voice caught, the word
son
still echoing in his head. “Back then I wanted you to be different. I didn’t want you to be a janitor. I wanted you to have aspirations and dreams.”

“Nothing wrong with wanting more,” the older man said. “I was happy with a decent job that fed my family, but I respect what you accomplished.”

He didn’t get it. “I was embarrassed,” Grey said, needing to say the words, to purge them and the awful feelings from his brain. “I acted and treated you like my father treated me, and that’s unforgiveable.”

Ricardo led him to a set of chairs, and they settled in. “When I met your mother, you were an angry, hurting boy. You had good reason. I don’t imagine it was easy for you to go to school while your stepfather cleaned up everyone’s messes. Your reaction was normal for a teenager. Even more normal for one whose father messed up his head.”

“Even later, when I insisted you move, I wanted you to live where I thought you should. I didn’t understand or respect who you were or what you wanted.”

“You wanted to make our lives better. How can I fault you for that?”

“How can you not? Worse, I haven’t been home in too long.”

Ricardo leaned back in his chair, his long, tanned legs stretched in front of him. “You’re here now, yes? And you see what’s really important in life?”

Grey inclined his head. “I hope so.”

“Then your mother and I did our jobs. Whatever we instilled in you back then, what you rejected because you didn’t understand, you now accept. With age comes wisdom. Only by living life can you figure out what’s truly important.”

“Do you see why I fell in love with this man?”

His mother’s voice took Grey by surprise. He’d been so focused on listening to Ricardo’s wise words he hadn’t heard the women join them. He glanced at Avery and his mom, wondering how much they’d heard. From the dampness in his mother’s eyes, too much. And maybe enough.

“You chose well, Mom,” Grey said to her for the first time.

“I know.” She smiled and kissed her husband’s cheek. “There’s something to be said about marrying for love,” Susie said. “And learning from past mistakes. Can we move on and just enjoy our day together?” she asked.

Grey nodded, knowing he’d learned so much from these two people in front of him and hoping he could use it to make his life as happy as theirs obviously was.

He rose and walked over to Avery, slipping his hand into her smaller, softer one. “Everything good?”

She nodded. “Your mom’s amazing. And that kitchen? Grey! It’s so great. State-of-the-art.”

“It’s the one thing she let me gut and do from scratch in the house. She loves to cook.”

“Well, you should see what she has ready to put on the grill. You’d think she had a week’s notice that we were coming. And the desserts? To die for.”