Dreaming Of Your Love (Hollywood Legends #3) (14 page)

“Men
will try to pick you up.”

“Mmm.”
The pleasure was too much. Sable closed her eyes and parted her lips. “With
Jade and Paige along? It’s inevitable.”

God.
What had he been thinking? What were Garrett and Nate doing, letting their
women out on the town alone? Alone, each turned heads. Together? Three smoking
hot women, a brunette, a blonde, and a redhead, walk into a club. It sounded
like the first line of a joke. Colt wasn’t laughing.

“Maybe
this isn’t such a good idea.”

“Don’t
go all caveman on me. We can take care of ourselves.”

Frustrated
with the delay, Sable closed her lips over his. She sank into the kiss, sighing
when Colt, his hands still buried in her hair, slanted his mouth. His tongue
teasing hers. When he pulled back, they were breathing hard and smiling.

“You
make me forget my good intentions.”

“Which
are?” Sable slid her arms around his waist. She nuzzled his neck. Unable to
resist, she took his earlobe between her teeth and tugged.

“Sable.”
Colt groaned. “Jesus. You’re driving me crazy.”

“Sorry.”
Unrepentant, Sable stopping biting. Instead, she licked the outline of Colt’s
ear. She knew the area was particularly sensitive.

“That’s
it.” Colt ran his hand up her leg and under her skirt. “These aren’t underwear,”
he proclaimed when he touched a barely there scrap of lace.

“They
are perfectly respectable.” Sable thought for a second then amended her
statement. “I won’t be flashing anyone. Besides, you purchased them.”

“I’m
an idiot. Sable— “

“Hold
that thought. You have company.”

Sable
gave him a quick peck on the lips before she hurried from the room. It was just
as well. Colt had no idea what he had been about to say.
Don’t go. The idea
of a room full of men ogling you makes me jealous.

Colt
shuddered. Him? Jealous? It was such a horrifying thought. Nope. It wasn’t
possible. Besides, Sable wasn’t going to fall for any smooth talker’s line. She
wasn’t going to jump into bed with the first charming, handsome man who tried
to buy her a drink.

Sable
was going out with friends for some fun, not trolling for a one-night stand.

“Colt.
Wyatt is here.” Wyatt. That was where his mind should be. Colt headed for the
living room. Spending some time away from Sable was a good idea. One day soon,
he would reach for her in the middle of the night and she wouldn’t be there.
Tonight would be a good reminder that she wasn’t a permanent part of his life.

“I’m
constantly amazed,” Sable said. She was in the kitchen where Wyatt was pouring
himself a cup of coffee. “Colt loves making movies. It would drive me crazy.”

“It
takes a great deal of patience and dedication to be an actor. Colt knew what he
wanted at a young age and he’s never wavered.”

“I
admire that.” Sable shook her head when Wyatt offered to pour her a cup. “Was
it the same for you? You have followed in your father’s footsteps. Did you ever
want to do anything but produce?”

Colt
peered around the corner but stayed out of sight. He was curious to hear what
Wyatt would say.

Their
parents never pushed him or his brothers to work in the business. They let each
of them take their own path. They would have been happy with a dentist or a
lawyer or a lumberjack. All they wanted was for their sons to follow their
passions.

Colt
wanted to act. Period. There was only one restriction put on him. He had to
wait until he graduated from high school.

His
parents knew the statistics and they didn’t want him to become a burned out has-been
before he reached his eighteenth birthday. At the time, Colt resented the
restrictions. There were offers coming in almost daily. Commercials.
Television. Movies. He wanted to work—immediately.

Hindsight
was a wonderful thing. The longer he was in the business, the more he realized
his parents had made the right choice. He hadn’t been ready. The stumbles he
made early in his career were minor. If he hadn’t been held back and allowed to
mature away from the spotlight, Colt shuddered to imagine where he would be
today.

It
was one more example of how important it was to have loving, supportive
parents. They wanted what was best for him in the long run. As a result, his
happiness wasn’t predicated on how his latest movie performed at the box
office. He was in this for the long haul. That meant searching out roles that
meant something to him. One hundred, two hundred years from now, no one would
care how many polls named him the sexiest man alive.

It
was the work that survived the test of time. Colt was determined to be
remembered for his body of work—not his body.

His
brothers felt the same way. Garrett already had a reputation as a
perfectionist. He was a director every actor dreamed of working with. Nate
couldn’t keep up with the job offers. If he and his stunt team worked on a
film, one knew every car chase and fight scene would be first rate.

Wyatt’s
job was harder to explain but just as important. If you asked him, he would
tell you no one made a move without him. And, Colt had to admit, his brother
was right. He gathered the money. Made the negotiations. Smoothed ruffled
feathers. If a problem arose, Wyatt fixed it.

He
assumed Wyatt became a producer because he couldn’t imagine doing anything
else. But Colt had never asked and he was interested in what Wyatt was going to
say to Sable.

“When
I was five years old, Mom was pregnant with Colt. Very pregnant. Can you
imagine? She worked until her seventh month. Garrett and Nate were toddlers and
getting into everything.” Wyatt laughed. “I didn’t understand why Mommy couldn’t
play with me. She made up the best games. Not girly games, but tough little boy
games.”

Colt
grinned. Wyatt was right. Callie always got down in the mud with her boys. She
would joke that women paid hundreds of dollars to have their skin slathered
with muck. She got her treatments for free. And it was a lot more fun than
going to a stuffy old spa.

“Grandma
was visiting. She liked to be there when her baby was having a baby of her own.
I had no idea what that meant, but I remember thinking it was stupid. Dad likes
to remind me that, at that age, I thought everything was stupid.”

“You
were five,” Sable said.

“And
I had no patience for a baby I couldn’t see.”

“You
love him now.” Colt heard the smile in Sable’s voice.

“The
first time he peed on me, I decided he might not be so bad.”

Sable
burst out laughing. “God. Little boys are odd creatures. I don’t know how your
mother survived.”

“I’ve
wondered that myself. Dad helped. Which brings me back to your question. Did I
ever want to do anything but produce?” Wyatt took a drink of coffee and shook
his head. “Mom needed a lot of rest. The twins were fine with Grandma, so for
about a month, Dad took me to work. I didn’t understand what was going on, but
I felt the energy. And I knew Dad was in charge. That was it. A job where I
could tell everyone what to do? For a five-year-old boy, that sounded like
heaven. I still feel that way.”

“No
acting aspirations? I’ll bet the camera loves you.”

“Is
that your way of saying you like the way I look?”

“I
think the term is drool-worthy.”

There
was a long pause.

“Wyatt
Landis. Are you blushing?”

What?
Colt didn’t think anything could fluster his brother. He couldn’t wait any
longer. This he had to see.

“Smile.”
Colt took Wyatt’s picture, then studied the image on his phone. “It’s true.
Wait. Garrett and Nate have to see this.”

“Damn
it, Colt.”

Wyatt
made a grab for the phone but Colt backed out of his reach.

“Don’t
you dare—”

“Done,”
Colt exclaimed triumphantly.

“That’s
it. You, little brother, are a dead man.”

Deftly,
Sable put herself between Colt and Wyatt. She wasn’t trying to stop them. In
fact, she wished she could stay and find out who came out on top. But Jade just
sent her a text. She and Paige were parked in a tow away zone. She had to get
going.

“I’m
off.” Sable’s hand was on Wyatt’s chest, holding him back. “I’ll see you soon?”

“Just
say the word. We’ll get a babysitter for this guy and I’ll show you my Los
Angeles.”

When
Wyatt winked, Sable smiled and kissed his cheek.

“Don’t
fall for that line, Sable. Wyatt’s Los Angeles is boring.”

“Somehow
I doubt that.” Sable turned and planted a big, enthusiastic kiss on Colt. “See
you later. If Wyatt wants to leave before I get home, call me.”

“Be
safe.”

“Always.”
Sable stood in the elevator and as the doors began to close, she called out, “Have
at it, boys.”

Before
Colt could react, Wyatt tackled him. Sable was still laughing when she walked
out of the building.

SABLE SAT IN the limousine sipping a glass of champagne. She
recognized the label. One bottle cost as much as a month’s rent on her place in
Harper Falls.

Her
life was unpredictable. Last month she ran recruits through drills at the
H&W compound. Sweaty and dressed in a t-shirt, shorts, and scuffed tennis
shoes, she bore little resemblance to the woman who wore designer clothes and
smelled of expensive perfume.

However,
she was the same person. Two sides of the same coin. Comfortable in both worlds
and able to slip from one to the other in a blink of an eye.

Sable’s
life was unpredictable. And she wouldn’t have it any other way.

“In
Montana, a night on the town meant beer and peanuts at Basic’s one and only watering
hole,” Paige crossed one long leg over the other. “I’ll always prefer jeans.
But there is something to be said for getting glammed up Hollywood style.”

The
blonde clinked glasses with Jade and Sable then downed the last of her
champagne.

“More?”
Jade offered.

“Why
not?” Paige held out her glass. “I have a big, strong man waiting at home. He
won’t have any problem pouring me into bed.”

“Before
I started seeing Garrett, I never did this. I went to a million parties, but I
hated every one of them. Now, when I go out, it’s because I want to, not
because it’s expected of me. Oops.” Jade laughed when she emptied the last drop
from the bottle. “That went fast.”

“Here’s
to living life on our own terms.”

With
that declaration, Sable popped the cork on a fresh bottle.

“Well
done.” Paige laughed, not because it was funny, but because the night was meant
for laughter. “Tell us about Colt.”

“What
do you mean? Colt is Colt.”

Paige
coughed, her champagne coming precariously close to covering her lap.

“No.
He’s Colton Landis. Movie God.”

This
time, it was Jade who almost lost control of her drink.

“Do
not say that in front of him. Colt is a love, but his ego barely fits through
the door as it is.”

“He’s
a Landis,” Sable said.

“Amen,”
Paige sighed. “Ego is stamped on their DNA. So is charm and killer good looks.
Luckily, they all possess the kind of self-deprecating humor that makes them
irresistible.”

“I
love Nate. As far as I’m concerned, he is the sexiest man to ever walk the face
of the Earth.” Paige’s blue eyes sparkled, her smile wide. “But before we met,
I had a major crush on Colt.”

“You
and every woman with a pulse. What?” She asked when Jade and Paige exchanged
surprised looks.

“It
can’t be easy,” Jade shrugged. “Women make passes at Garrett. But it isn’t
constant. Colt is a walking target.”

“I’m
a trained bodyguard. A few rabid fans are nothing I can’t handle.”

“You’re
jealous?” Paige inquired. “Nate had his brush with fame, but we were in Montana
at the time. All I had to contend with were a few hormonal teenagers.”

Sable
suddenly understood. And she quickly set Jade and Paige straight.

“Colt
and I aren’t dating. Or involved. I’m here to keep him safe.”

“And
you’re sleeping with him.”

“Paige.”

“It’s
okay,” Sable assured them. “I’m sleeping with him. And there is a lot of sex in
between. It’s great. Better than great. I like him. We’re having fun. I don’t
have the right, or the inclination, to be jealous.”

“Do
you believe her?” Paige asked.

“Not
for a second,” Jade replied.

“Just
a second.” Sable filled her glass and emptied it in one gulp. “I will say this
only once and you can never repeat it. Agreed? Before you answer, keep in mind
that no matter where you are or how far you run, I’ll find you.”

“Agreed.”
Jade crossed her heart.

“Absolutely,”
Paige promised.

“The
thought of Colt touching another woman makes my stomach churn. Look,” she held
out her hand. “My palms are damp and my heart is racing. Apparently I’ve caught
a rare and potentially deadly disease.”

“Or
you’re in love. The symptoms are amazingly similar.”

Sable’s
hand wasn’t as steady when she filled her glass.

“That
would be foolish.”

“Yes.”
Jade took the bottle. She covered Sable’s wobbly hand with her steady one. “Love
is foolish. And terrifying. And splendid. And a journey like no other you will
ever embark upon.”

“It
brought me to Nate,” Paige smiled, her eyes a little misty.

“And
I found Garrett. Or maybe he found me.” Jade shrugged. “It doesn’t matter. We
arrived at the same conclusion. We love each other.”

“What
happens if you jump and find out you’ve taken the journey alone?”

Neither
woman had an answer to that. Sable didn’t expect them to. They loved and were
loved in return. They hadn’t given their hearts only to have them ripped out
and crushed into a million pieces.

God,
what a scary thought. Sable wasn’t in love with Colt. Not yet. But if she were
headed in that direction, she was afraid it was too late to put on the brakes.

The
car pulled to a stop. The building looked deserted and a lone man stood by a
smooth metal door.

“Are
you sure this is the place?” Paige asked.

The
driver held the door open, helping the women out, one by one

“According
to my sources, this is the hottest club in town.”

Jade
handed over a card that the doorman scanned. A second later, the door slid open
and he motioned for them to enter.

“I’ve
seen this movie,” Paige said. “And it didn’t end well.”

“Don’t
worry,” Jade whispered, adding to the eerie atmosphere. “Sable will kick any
and all ghoulish butt.”

Sable
smiled. She could hear the din of voices competing with bass-driven music. This
was what she needed. A few hours of mindless fun and a shot or two of something
stronger than champagne.

“I
want to dance and that music is calling.” She linked arms with Jade and Paige. “Come
on, ladies. The tequila is on me.”

“WHEN WAS THE last time you got laid?”

“None
of your business.”

“That
long?”

Wyatt
let out a long suffering sigh and Colt hid his smile. This wasn’t the first
time they’d had this conversation. Wyatt, unlike Nate and Garrett, kept his
personal life close to the vest. It wasn’t anything new. When the brothers used
to sit around and shoot the breeze, the conversation inevitably turned to
women. They would laugh and tease. Names were dropped. But Wyatt rarely shared
that part of his life. And though there was some good-natured prodding,
generally, his brothers respected his privacy.

Colt
worried that since his disastrous marriage, Wyatt had stopped looking at women
as anything but a temporary outlet. Wyatt didn’t do one-night stands. He hated
to make that much of a commitment.

“You
have a beautiful woman in your bed. Concentrate on her and stop worrying about
my sex life.” Wyatt shot a throw pillow at Colt’s head when he turned to pick
up the remote.

“Hey.
Watch it.”

Colt
threw it back, but Wyatt was ready. He caught it and put it behind his head.

“You
could share Sable.”

“Excuse
me?”

“Share,
little brother. You remember the concept. Mom and Dad were big on it.”

“Sable
isn’t a toy.” Colt ground out the words. He felt a streak of heat rising up his
neck and over his face.

“No?”
Wyatt bit back a smile. “Perhaps not. But I like her. More than any woman I’ve
met in a long time. When you get tired of her, let me know.”

“Fuck
you.” Colt couldn’t believe what he was hearing. It wasn’t like Wyatt. Then it
hit him. It
wasn’t
like Wyatt. “Asshole. What’s the deal?”

“What
do you think?”

Colt
knew. It was Wyatt’s round-about way of making Colt consider his feelings for
Sable. The hell with that.

“We
played some old school video games and ate some damn fine pizza. We consumed
exactly one beer each and ran through half a dozen episodes of Seinfeld.
Overall a good evening. Don’t ruin it by playing amateur psychiatrist.”

“Like
you do with me?”

“I’m
allowed,” Colt grinned. “Don’t forget. You’re fragile.”

“My
ass. Do I seem fragile?”

To
his relief, Colt had to admit that Wyatt appeared to be in good spirits. He
hadn’t fallen into a dark funk this year. More like a shady introspection.

“You
look good.”

“I
am good. But it still hurts, Colt. My child would have been five years old this
year.”

“Wyatt…
“

“Enough.”
Wyatt took a deep breath. “I’m sick of my family treating me with kid gloves.
It’s time to stop dwelling on the past.”

“I
agree. Did you hear that?”

“What?”

Wyatt
looked around, giving Colt the perfect opportunity to bounce a pillow off his
head.

“Just
paying you back. Wyatt.” Wyatt advanced, a pillow in each hand. Colt realized
he was out of ammunition and held up his hands. “I was getting even.”

“I’ll
show you even.”

Wyatt
pummeled Colt with a double-barreled assault. Fast and furious.

“I
thought you would have gotten this out of your systems by now.”

“Sable.”

Wyatt
used the moment of Sable claiming Colt’s attention to give him one last shot to
the head.

“And
that is why you never win. You’re too easily distracted.”

“Poor
baby.” Sable patted Colt on the head as she passed by on the way to the
kitchen. “Are you bleeding?”

“No.”
Colt reached for her hand but missed.

“Is
your life in imminent danger?” Sable removed a bottle of water from the
refrigerator, opened it, and took a sip.

“Not
at the moment,” Colt muttered.

“Then
stop whining.”

Wyatt
laughed at Colt’s disgruntled expression. “For once a woman isn’t fawning over
you. Boo hoo.” He put on his jacket. “Sable, you are a breath of fresh air.”

“Are
you leaving?” Sable walked Wyatt to the elevator.

“I’ve
had all the Colt I can take for one evening.”

“I
love you, too,” Colt said, giving Wyatt the finger.

“Mom
would be proud.”

“Again.”
This time, Colt shot him a double middle-finger salute.

Wyatt
ignored him, turning his attention to Sable.

“I’m
sorry you have to deal with him, but I live with the happy knowledge that if he
gets out of hand, you can kick his ass.” Wyatt gave her a friendly hug.

“How
are you?” Sable asked in a voice only he could hear.

Surprised,
Wyatt was touched by her concern.

“Spending
time with Colt always helps.” Wyatt’s tone matched hers. “But don’t tell him I
said so.”

“Your
secret is safe with me.”

“Did
you have a good time?” Sable asked Colt after Wyatt left.

“Same
old. We mostly hung out. He says it’s better this year.”

“You
don’t believe him?”

Sable
slipped out of her shoes. The four-inch heels looked great but her feet were
beginning to scream for relief. She sighed and flexed her toes, then sat next
to Colt, curling her legs under her.

“Yes
and no.” Colt took her hand, his thumb absently rubbing the back. He liked
touching Sable and did so as often as possible. “Most of the time Wyatt is good
at keeping his emotions in check. Too good. I believe he’s doing okay but I
wish he had someone.”

“Someone?”

“Okay.
A woman. He works crazy hours. Wyatt’s idea of leisure time is more work. He’s
either in his office downtown, or the one at his house. If Mom didn’t insist he
spend time with the family, I doubt he would ever take a break.”

“I
know this isn’t any of my business.” Sable hesitated. “Is Wyatt celibate?”

“No.
He has sex.”

Colt
didn’t add that he suspected Wyatt paid for it. He never asked his brother for
confirmation. But the signs were there. It made sense. Wyatt wanted to stay
emotionally detached. What better way than treating sex as a business
transaction.

Not
that Wyatt would pick someone up off the street. There were plenty of
high-class operations if you knew where to look. Colt doubted he did it often.
But despite the image he presented to the world, Wyatt was only human.

“Enough
about that.” Colt leaned close and gave Sable a kiss. “Mmm. I missed you.”

“I
was only gone a few hours,” Sable reminded him. But it was nice hearing Colt
say it.

“Was
that all?” When he looked at her, his eyes were a warm shade of blue. “It
seemed like longer. Did you have a good time?”

“Yes.
But,” Sable sighed. “Something happened.”

“What?
Why didn’t you say something sooner? Are Jade and Paige okay?”

“Slow
down.” Giving Colt a reassuring smile, Sable patted his leg. “I wouldn’t have
waited to tell you if it were anything serious.”

“Right.
Tell me.”

“We
arrived at the club. Had a drink. Danced. With each other,” Sable added before
Colt could ask. “It was fun.”

“How
many guys hit on you?”

“Not
many.”

Colt
didn’t respond but his look told her he didn’t buy what she was selling.

“Honestly.
We made it clear that we weren’t there to be picked up and after a few lame
attempts, we were left alone.”

The
truth was, the men kept coming, but they were good sports, taking the rejection
well. Until they were getting ready to leave.

“After
a few hours, we decided we’d had enough. On the way out, a man made a pass at
Jade.”

“Shit.”

“He
had too much to drink and got handsy. I was about to step in when she used that
move I taught her. She had him on the floor, sobbing for mercy, before I could
react. Didn’t even break his finger.”

“Great.”
Colt was impressed. Jade was nobody’s victim. Not anymore. She had come a long
way in a short time.