Wyne and Song (4 page)

“Maybe now is a good time,” Lea said to Ben.

Ethan blinked, and returned his attention to the grinning couple.

What now?

Anxiety skittered down his spine. Good time for what? Shoving a box of condoms in his shirt pocket? Because that wouldn’t be obvious or anything. He just hoped Phoebe hadn’t witnessed his brother passing him the single one.

“Okay,” Ben replied as his fiancée nudged him toward the middle of the room.

Ethan blew out a breath. At least he was off their radar for now.

“So, Jill and Mason,” Lea began. “Have the two of you set a date?”

Jill’s gaze snapped to Mason who smiled, and it was the damndest thing, watching the apprehension melt off her face, leaving her doey eyed and happy. Then his brother’s expression softened as he reached for the woman.

A pang resembling envy settled deep in Ethan’s gut.

Stupid sentiment. Those two deserved happy.

“No,” Jill answered, her gaze still on Mason. “We’ve only just gotten engaged. I think we’re going to enjoy that for a bit. Although, he did ask me to move in with him, and I said yes.”

His congratulations echoed with the others. This was a huge step for them both. A big chance. A show of trust skewered in previous relationships.

Mason’s gaze bounced between him and his brothers. “Probably going to need your help with that at the end of the month.”

“Of course,” he chorused Keiffer and Ben.

“Enjoying your engagement is good.” Lea nodded. “I don’t blame you. We only upped ours because we had to get married.”

“What?” Jill shrieked.

Phoebe’s brow lifted. “Are you pregnant?”

Memories from the past whispered through Ethan’s mind of a proposal to his pregnant girlfriend. Experience had proven that was not always the best reason to get married. But, Tyler was by far the best damn thing to ever happen to him, so he had absolutely no regrets.

“No. I’m not pregnant.” Lea laughed. “But since Brandi and Kade were already set to fly up here for a visit and to take Tyler back to Texas with them, we decided to get married while they’re here, and my sister Gwen and Tanner already said they could fly up with them, too. So, July fourth it is.”

Two shrieks sounded through the room as the girls converged for a group hug.

He stepped forward and thrust his hand out to Ben. “Congratulations. Giving up your independence on Independence Day. Nice.”

“Yep. I prefer to think of it as celebrating with a bang.”

He smiled and moved aside for Mason.

“If anyone can pull off a wedding in less than two months, it’s you.” The two middle brothers shook hands.

Mason was right. Ben helped coordinate annual trainings and weekend drills involving hundreds of soldiers for a living, while he and his other two brothers ran the resort. Producing a wedding would no doubt be a piece of cake.

“It’s true,” Lea said, slipping her arm around his grinning brother. “He already booked the chaplain, and since the gazebo at the resort will be decorated from a wedding earlier that day, we’re going to have a sunset ceremony.”

“How romantic.” Jill sniffed, and he watched Mason pull the sweet, teary-eyed woman close.  

As shocked as Ethan had been to see Ben open up last year and fall for Lea, he’d been even more stunned when Mason took another chance on a woman after his first fiancée had left him at the alter a few years ago. It was gratifying to see the guy happy and smiling again. And Jill? Jesus, after all her ex-husband had put her through, she deserved a good man like Mason.

At least two out of the four Wyne brothers found a good match.

His gaze drifted to Phoebe, and his chest tightened again when he found her staring at him. This time
he
glanced away.

Yeah, not going there.

His shifted his attention to his youngest brother. Pale with dark circles under his dull eyes, clothes beginning to hang off his once solid frame, Keiffer was in a bad way since he’d discovered the dead body of his best friend who’d committed suicide two months ago.

And there wasn’t a damn thing he could do for his brother. They were all hurting over the loss. Still in shock. Still feeling the guilt. If only they’d known. Wishing they had realized.

“Congratulations, bro,” Keiffer said, stepping forward to hug Ben, then kissing Lea on the cheek. “You keep him in line.”

“Always,” she said, and Ethan could tell she was reluctant to let his brother go because of the rare show of affection.

The once jovial of all Wynes, the prankster, the ladies’ man, was now sullen and reserved. Immediately after the funeral, Keiffer had gone through a few weeks of heavy drinking, then suddenly stopped cold turkey and hadn’t had any alcohol since. Even tonight, he noticed his youngest brother had toasted the couple with water.

“Yeah, Lea will keep Ben in line.” Mason laughed. “She already seems to have a good handle on that chain.”

Ben snickered. “She learned it from Jill.”

A collective chuckle went around the room, and even Keiffer’s lips twitched.

“So, Wynes, it’s like this.” Ben bounced his gaze between them. “Lea already has her sister lined up as her maid of honor, and two months ago, she asked Brandi, Jill, and Phoebe to be her bridesmaids. I need to catch up.” For the first time in, well, ever, his brother appeared at a loss. “I’d appreciate if two of you would be ushers with Lea’s brother, and one of you my best man.”

“Of course,” he chorused Mason and Keiffer.

“Thanks.” Ben nodded, relief pulling a lopsided grin on his face. “Since I hate all you chuckleheads equally, and asking you to arm-wrestle for that honor would only have you losing on purpose to get out of it, I’m going to draw a name.”

Lea handed him a beer mug with three pieces of paper visible inside. “Here.”

“And the best man is…” His brother paused to fish out a name. “Ethan.”

He smiled and cupped Ben’s shoulder. “I’d be honored. And I can’t wait to plan your bachelor party. I already have a few special VHS tapes in mind.”

“Oh?” His brother’s grin turned sheepish. “Special stash?”

“Yep. Some of Tyler’s favorites with dancing dinosaurs and sing-alongs.”

He was happy to be his brother’s best man. He really was. Hell, Ben had been his when he’d married Erika. But Ethan had to admit, he secretly wished Keiffer’s name had been drawn. He just couldn’t shake the feeling the youngest Wyne was going to leave after his contract with the National Guard ran out at the end of June. His brother already told them he wasn’t going to re-enlist, so it was possible Keiffer wouldn’t be around for the ceremony.

Time would tell.

“If you don’t mind, I’d like to take a moment to thank you all for celebrating here so I could attend,” Phoebe said, turning to the girls. “Thanks for hosting the party, Lea.”

“It’s all good.” Lea winked. “I know you can’t have any fun without worrying someone will snap a picture, especially with a camera on every phone.”

Keiffer grumbled. “That must suck.”

Ethan wondered why anyone would want to live like that. Hell, that wasn’t living. It was like being a prisoner in your own life.

Phoebe nodded. “Yeah, it’s even more of an issue now.”

Lea frowned. “Why? What do you mean?”

“Well…” The actress inhaled and blew out a breath before continuing. “This is confidential, but my manager told me there were people from Hollywood in the audience tonight, and they want me to fly out to California for a screen test.”

“Oh my God! That’s great,” Jill gushed. “For what movie?”

Phoebe shrugged. “I don’t know.”

“When?” Lea asked.

She laughed. “I don’t know that either. Just that they will be in touch, so I really have to limit my personal exposure until after this screen test, which probably won’t happen for weeks. I’m hoping by the end of the summer.”

“You’ll still be able to be in my wedding, though, right?” Lea frowned.

“Absolutely. That is a given,” Phoebe reassured.

His head lifted as realization dawned. “That’s why you didn’t want to file a report with security tonight.”

“Exactly.” She nodded.

“Report? What report?”

“Yeah, what report?” Ben echoed his fiancée.

Ah hell
. He probably shouldn’t have said anything, but dammit, he was worried Phoebe wasn’t taking the stalker seriously. He had a bad feeling she hadn’t seen the last of the creep.

“There was an overzealous fan at my dressing room door after the show, and even though I told Ethan to let it go, he contacted security.”

“Good,” Jill said in unison with Lea.

Ben shifted his gaze to him. “What red flagged you?”

“What didn’t?” he replied. “The tattoo of a heart with the initials F + P on his chest. The dark look in his eyes as he advanced toward her when she wouldn’t sign his tattoo. Take your pick.”

“Jesus, Phoebe.” Lea stepped forward to grab her friend’s arms. “Was this guy naked?”

“No! He just, ah, opened his shirt so I’d sign his chest.”

Mason muttered a curse. “You’d better file that report.”

“Yeah.” Lea released her and nodded. “That’s too creepy.”

“I admit, he gave me the creeps, too, but until this screen test is over, I have to keep my name out of the news, and that includes social media, and police reports, because the press stalks them. I don’t want to give those producers any reason to recant their invitation. This is too big of an opportunity.” She turned to him, and instead of wearing a hateful expression, she smiled a genuine smile. “I’m glad you happened along when you did, Ethan. And I appreciate your concern, but now that the head of security is aware of what happened, they’ll double the guards.”

“How can you be so sure?” Jill asked before he could reply.

Phoebe turned to her friend. “Because I’ve been performing for nearly a decade. This is not the first time I’ve been stalked.”

“That doesn’t make me feel better,” Jill stated out loud what ran through his head.

“It should.” Phoebe smiled. “My point is that it’s happened before, and been dealt with before. I doubt I’ll even see the creep again.”

Ethan did not share her conviction, but since the women were starting to look really worried, and he’d just killed their festive buzz, he decided to let it drop.

“Anyway, I just wanted to thank you for having a private party so I could attend,” Phoebe repeated, turning her attention to Jill. “I’m just sorry you weren’t able to go to a club. I know how much you like to dance.”

“Who said we weren’t going to dance?” Lea asked with a grin. “I put together a great playlist just for tonight. So, gentlemen, could you please move my furniture aside so we have room to groove?”

With the exception of his sister’s wedding last year, he hadn’t danced in years. As he helped Ben move a Victorian couch and Mason and Keiffer relocated a settee and a coffee table, he noticed Lea headed to her killer sound system on the far wall.

“Thanks, guys.” She smiled. “This is for Jill.”

A second later, a Pittbull song blared from the speakers, and all three women rushed to the middle of the cleared area, big smiles on their faces as they started to dance.

And that’s when Ethan officially began to lose his mind.

He made the stupid mistake of leaning his back against the bar like Ben and Mason, instead of putting his back to the nearby dance floor like Keiffer. 

Dumbass.

But the ass he was watching wasn’t dumb. No. It was round, and perfect, and the black dress clung tightly like a lover as Phoebe wiggled, then heaven help him, slowly lowered into a swaying squat while wearing those damn do-me heels.

By the time she wiggled her way back up, more than the actress was standing straight.

Ethan clenched his jaw as his body responded to her movements with an almost painful tug.

“Ah, hell. That’s about as much as I can take,” Ben cursed on one side of him.

“Yeah, I’m done,” Mason agreed from the other side. “Come on. Let’s join them.”

Before he knew it, the bastards propelled him right into Phoebe’s dance space. He glanced at Keiffer still huddled by the bar, but all he got from him was a slight smirk as he saluted before heading down the hall to the first guest room.

His guest room.

Dammit
. Now where was he going to sleep tonight?

“Y
ou dance?” the gorgeous actress asked him, still swaying to the beat.

Short of looking like a jerk and leaving her alone while his deadmeat brothers joined their women, Ethan had no choice but to stay and finish out the dance.

And it was a hardship. It really was, brushing against the hot, sexy woman, especially when she turned her back to him and her sweet hips moved in sync with his, in a sensual side-to-side glide. It had been too damn long since he’d let loose.

Maybe his brothers were right. What harm could there be?

Letting instinct take over, he stayed for two more songs, busting some moves he hadn’t resurrected in years. Back in his youth, he’d been the first Wyne brother to embrace rhythm. It felt kind of good getting in touch with that side of himself again.

“That was fun,” Phoebe said when the third song ended and fourth started. “I think I need a drink.”

He nodded. “Me, too.” And a cold shower. Placing his hand on the small of her back, he led her to the bar where he released her and put the counter between them. “What would you like?”

Heat entered her gaze, and she opened her mouth to respond, but the others chose that point to join them, and whatever she’d been about to say remained her secret.

Which was probably for the best. He was playing with fire. His body’s reactions to her where a hell of a lot stronger than the single condom burning a hole in his pocket. No. He’d need the whole night to satiate his hunger for this woman. To take his time and do all the things he wanted. To nibble and taste and explore every supple inch she’d brushed against him on the dance floor.

“Grab us all some water, too, will ya, Ethan?” Ben asked as the others joined them, effectively breaking that dangerous train of thought.

After he handed out bottles from the fridge behind the bar, he listened to the others talk about favorite groups while he sucked half his water down. Damn. His body still throbbed. It was going to take a lot more than that to cool him off. He was so out of practice with tamping down his libido he’d probably still sport the damn hard on when he got back on the bus tomorrow.

Pathetic.

“Oh, come on girls. It’s Usher!” Jill grabbed Lea and Phoebe by their hands, barely giving them a chance to set their bottles on the bar before she tugged them back to the middle of the room.

Shit
. Because he was behind the counter, he had a clear view of the sexy woman gyrating to the beat. He tried to look away, but couldn’t. Blood rushed through his ears at deafening speed. He lifted the bottle to his mouth and finished his water in one gulp.

“Here, Ethan, I think you’re going to need one of these,” Mason said, sliding another condom across the counter to him.

Dammit
. “What is with you guys tonight?” He swiped the foil packet off the bar and stuffed it his pocket next to the other one before the girls had a chance to see.

Ben chuckled. “I gave him one earlier, too.”

“Good.” Mason nodded, and the two carried on a conversation as if he wasn’t there. “Keiffer said he was going to shove a few in Ethan’s overnight bag as well.”

He muttered a curse while the two chuckleheads nodded toward his black duffle that had somehow made its way from the guest room to sit near the door. “How the hell…?”

“It’s okay to have a little fun, Ethan,” Mason said. “Live a little. Put yourself first.”

Ben nodded. “Yeah. I think Lea already established you don’t need to worry about Phoebe being a clinger. She’s not.”

“And Jill says Phoebe doesn’t have time to date, and can’t even have a night of fun because she’s always got to worry about the guy taking pictures of them in bed and selling them to the press.”

His stomach knotted at the thought. “I’d never do that.”

“Exactly.” Ben cocked his head. “So you see? You are both what the other needs tonight. No strings attached. No cameras involved. Just fun.”

Blame it on his lack of sleep, lingering sexual haze, the raging hard on in his pants, the fact he had two condoms to take care of that raging hard on, and his brothers were starting to make sense. So, when they headed back to the dancing women, he followed, his heart pounding hard in his chest, and when Phoebe broke away from the girls to dance toward him, he had to admit, it felt pretty damn great to know the sexy, vivacious woman wanted to be with him. That she came without asking. And if he was lucky enough to take her to bed tonight, he was going to make damn sure she came without asking.

Begging maybe, but not asking.

She glanced over her shoulder and tossed him the sexiest damn grin he’d ever seen while booty popping against his erection.

Ah, hell
. She was trying to kill him.

But what a way to go.

Too far gone to care, he moved closer, matching her sway for sway.

“Live a little. Put yourself first.”

Mason’s words flittered through his head as an Enrique song came on and she turned to face him, hands raised above her head, gorgeous curves swaying in a mesmerizing beat that his body answered. Before he knew it, she was indeed clinging to him, but in a good way, as they danced without any air between them, moving and swaying around the floor as one.

And when the music ended, he remained still, his whole body taut with need. There was no way he could dance another dance with this woman without embarrassing himself in front of her and everyone else.

This was the defining moment. It was time he made a move, and he’d either leave with her for a night he knew he’d never forget, or she’d shoot him down and he’d be forced to go cry in the shower and wish he could forget.

Either way, he was done.

As a slow song came on, and his brothers continued to dance with their fiancées, Ethan drew back to stare at the gorgeous woman in his arms. Her brown gaze met his, full of the heat and need coursing through his body. Damn, he could get lost in that gaze. Absolutely lost in those deep, dark depths.

Phoebe cleared her throat and nodded toward the door. “Is that your bag?”

“Yeah. Keiffer stole my bed.”

Her mouth curved into the sexiest damn grin he’d ever seen.

“That’s too bad.” She ran her hands up his chest to play with his collar. “I happen to have a bed.”

“Do you, now?” He grinned.

She nodded, and her gaze, while still heated, held a hint of shyness that touched his heart. “I’d be happy to share, I mean, if you wanted.”

More than air.

“Oh, I want,” he stated, and to show he meant it, he pulled her in close, lowered his mouth to her ear and whispered all the things he wanted to do to her in that bed.

He took her indrawn breath and resulting tremor to mean she approved.

“Damn, Ethan,” she breathed against his neck, her hand fisted in his shirt. “You ready to leave now?”

“Hell yeah,” he replied and drew back to stare at her. “But, you need to know I’m not looking for anything more than one night, Phoebe. My son is my life. I don’t have room for anyone else. I just want to be clear. Are you sure about this?”

Idiot. She said yes
. Why the hell was he rocking the boat?

That sexy grin reappeared. “Hell yeah, I’m sure,” she replied using his words, loosening her hold. “The theater, performing, is my life, Ethan. The schedule, lack of privacy, it’s grueling. So, one night works great for me. But, I feel I should point out that since Jill and Lea are my friends, and they’ll be marrying your brothers, there’s a great chance we’ll bump into each other, and I don’t just mean at their weddings. This won’t make things weird, will it?”

He shook his head, glad she’d brought it up. “No, not at all.” He was completely confident he could separate a night of ecstasy from a lifelong acquaintance with his sisters-in-law’s friend. “I’ll be fine with it. Will you?”

“Yes, perfectly.” She patted his chest, then stepped out of his arms to face the others. “Sorry to interrupt, guys. I just want to say thanks for inviting me to the party.” When everyone stopped dancing and turned to her, she continued. “I have an early show tomorrow, a matinee, so I’d better get going.” Her gaze shifted to the newly engaged couple. “Congratulations again, Jill and Mason.”

“Thanks,” Jill said, and while the girls were busy hugging, his brothers raised their brows at him.

Let them wonder. They’d learn soon enough, and he didn’t need to give a thumbs up, or grin like a horny teenager boasting to his friends he was about to make out with the head cheerleader. Although, yeah, he felt like shouting to the world that the sexy, gorgeous Phoebe Weston wanted to take him to bed.

“Thanks for the tickets tonight,” Jill said.

Lea nodded. “Yeah, it was fun, and you were great as usual.”

“Awe, thanks. So glad you enjoyed it.” She turned and walked over to him, and he waited to see how she wanted to proceed.

There really was no delicate way to handle the situation, and he was too damn old to be sneaking out of the apartment after the others fell asleep. He decided to follow her lead.

Smile on her face, she looped her arm through his and faced the grinning couples. “I’m...ah…going to show Ethan my penthouse. It’ll probably take the whole night.”

Lea and Jill laughed, while Ben and Mason sent him a grinning salute, not unlike the one Keiffer had given earlier.

Pleasantly surprised she was playfully upfront, he entwined their fingers together and squeezed. Her candor and good-humor were refreshing, and sexy as hell. He needed to get her alone.

Now.

Falling into step beside her, he forced his feet to keep a slow pace despite the urge to toss her over his shoulder and rush out the door. Once they were alone, he could lose his restraint…along with their clothes. For now, he grabbed his bag and followed her into the hall.

After the door shut behind them, she picked up the pace, tugging him past the elevator toward the only other door on the floor. Her accelerated steps struck a chord deep inside, and he gave into the sexual need tearing him from the inside out.

Dropping his bag, he swung her around, and when she gasped, he captured her startled breath in a kiss he’d waited much too long to taste. Sweet, hot, and damned addicting, she tasted better than he’d remembered. With a growl, he pressed her against the wall, lost in the feel of her lips moving under his, fueling the fire already consuming his body.

Things went a little crazy then. She moaned and thrust her hands into his hair, holding his head as her soft, hungry lips ravaged without apology, her tongue brushing his, over and over in a wild frenzy of pure need.

Damn
. It’d been so long. So damn long since he’d been kissed like this. He’d almost forgotten what it was like to have a woman want him more than air. To be kissed like
he
mattered, like nothing was more important than him at that moment.

He needed to be insider her. Now.

But she suddenly stiffened, and pulled that incredible mouth from his. “W-wait…” she panted. “Cameras.”

That cleared some of the fog from his brain, and allowed their location to register. Still in the hall between penthouses.
Dammit
.

“Come on.” She rushed to her door. “I don’t have any in the penthouse.”

Grabbing his bag, he followed her inside, and when she shut the door and flicked on the lights, his mind noted modern furnishing in a layout similar to Lea’s, but he was fixated on the red flag waving in his head.

Her door had been unlocked.

Despite the need still gripping his body tight, he had to voice his concern. “Phoebe, tell me you don’t always leave your door open.”

She removed her necklace and earrings and set them on a nearby credenza. “Nobody really locks them in this building. Even Lea. It’s very secure.”

Jesus
. He clenched his jaw against the concern flooding his body, dropped his bag and stepped toward her. “But not everyone is a famous Broadway star whose initial is tattooed on a stalker’s chest.”

Her mouth opened, and he could read the denial in her gaze, but she surprised him, once again, when she blew out a breath and nodded. “You’re right. But, only Lea and I have a key to this floor. And, well, my mom, agent, Ben, and management. But that’s it.” She said it as if that made it okay.

Hell no. By his estimation that was three too many, and he would’ve told her, except she sauntered closer, and the sensual sway of her hips reignited the desire simmering inside. Stopping in front of him, she slid her hands up his chest, and her gaze…God, her gaze, so warm and accepting...

“Now,” she said, her lips curving into a wicked grin. “Where were we, my handsome worrier?”

He pulled her closer, letting his hands skim over her sweet body while he leaned in to brush his lips down her neck. “Anyone ever tell you you’re too trusting?”

She trembled against him as she laughed softly. “Anyone ever tell you you’re untrusting?”

Smiling, he kissed a path up her throat and down her jaw. “Yes,” he replied, his abs quivering under the scrape of her fingers unbuttoning his shirt.

“Ditto,” she replied, her touch soft and shaky while she pushed the opened material off his shoulders.