Wyne and Song (9 page)

Always on the same page, Ethan transferred his attention, tugging the lace aside, brushing her pebbled tip with his tongue before the warm pull of his mouth had her crying out his name.

The muffled sound of car doors slamming somehow made it through her muddle brain. His, too, because they broke apart, and he quickly righted her clothes before he helped her down.

“Sorry, Phoebe. That got out of hand,” he rasped then scrambled to the other side of the room as he cursed.

She echoed the sentiment in her head and grabbed an armload of bubble wrap from the floor.

“We’re back,” Jill called from the door as if they needed the warning.

Hysterical laughter bubbled up her throat, because yeah, they’d needed it.

“Oh, good, you cleared a spot,” her friend said, setting a bag on the table while Mason placed two boxes of pizza alongside.

Pretending that was exactly why she was holding the wrap in her hands, she nodded then carried her armful to the corner and dropped it on the floor. “Do you need me to make more room?”

“No,” Mason answered, glancing at his brother. “We got it.”

Nodding, Ethan grabbed an empty box by his feet and carried it to the table for Mason to fill with the rest of the supplies. “Smells good. Was Nicco working tonight?”

“No.” Mason shook his head. “His sister was, and she was shorthanded. That’s what took so long.”

“Yeah, but Evie threw in some extra wings,” Jill added, shoving a plate of wings and pizza in front of her with a grin. “I hope you’re hungry.”

That hysterical laughter threatened to escape once again, but she managed to swallow it back down with a bite of pepperoni supreme. And no way would she look at Ethan. No way. That would be a huge mistake, especially since he was the cause of her hunger.

Once the fog cleared from her mind, her taste buds woke up. “This is good,” she mumbled between bites. “If I didn’t know better, I’d think I was in New York.”

Jill laughed. “I know, right? My uncle has roots there, but he opened up shop here in the Poconos decades ago. He’s semi-retired now, so my cousin Evie runs the restaurant. Her brother helps out when he isn’t fighting fires or drilling with the National Guard.”

“I can see why they’ve been in business for so long. They put a few of the shops in the city to shame.” She wasn’t saying that to keep the focus off her and Ethan. It was true. The crust was light and flakey yet sturdy, while the sauce was tangy with just enough sweet to balance the palate.

Okay, and it was also a good topic to keep the focus off her and Ethan. So were a few well-placed questions about Jill’s move. Once her friend took the bait, she relaxed and let Jill’s enthusiasm dominate the conversation. This allowed her to ponder what had happened between her and Ethan.

One touch and she’d gone up in smoke. Unexpected. Unacceptable. Dangerous.

Tyler wasn’t the only Wyne she needed to avoid.

She’d steer clear of the little boy for his father’s sake, but avoid being alone with his father for
her
sake, and the sake of her heart.

And sanity.

A
week later, Ethan fired up his laptop during his lunch break to Skype with his sister in the privacy of his bedroom. They usually talked once or twice a week, but with life getting so hectic lately, he was lucky to chat twice a month.

Maybe now that Jill had completely moved in with Mason five days ago, and Phoebe left the resort and occupied the cottage, he could enjoy a little more peace.

At least he didn’t have to worry about Tyler running into her at the resort. That helped reduce his stress level. But, she still invaded his dreams, and he had yet to put their incredible kiss out of his mind. Although, it was hard to do when guilt flooded his gut over practically molesting the beauty on Jill’s table.

Phoebe didn’t protest
, his mind insisted.

True, but they’d both been caught off guard.

“You look tired, Ethan,” Brandi said, her brow furrowing. “You need to slow down.”

He laughed. “When life allows it, sis.”

“Well, it had better when Kade and I bring Tyler back with us to Texas in July.”

He nodded, looking forward to the respite, and yet, he hadn’t been away from his son for more than two weeks, since last deployment which was when his wife had died.

“Are you alone?” she asked.

“Yes,” he answered, his whole body tensing.

Damn, he hoped she wasn’t going to grill him about Phoebe. But, since she was best friends with Lea, he knew it was only a matter of time before the subject came up.

“How’s Keiffer?”

The only other question he’d rather not answer. He shook his head and thought about lying, but Brandi always could see through his bullshit.

“Not great,” he eventually replied. “He’s not eating much, isn’t re-upping his Guard contract this month, and to be perfectly honest, sis, it’s like he’s given up on life, or his life, anyway. Like he feels guilty living since his friend isn’t.”

She closed her eyes and nodded, a lone tear slipping down her face. “Thanks for telling me,” she said, opening her eyes. “I appreciate you not trying to lie.”

“That’s because I know better. You see right through it.” He smiled. “It’s like you have a bullshit meter in your brain, or something.”

A sparkle lit her eyes. “Especially with you.”

He was glad to see the sadness lift from her expression and tug her mouth upward. “Don’t I know?”

“Speaking of bullshit.” Smiling, she sat back in her chair and folded her arms across her chest. “Tell me about Phoebe.”

Damn
. He knew it’d only be a matter of time before she broached the subject.

“She’s Lea’s neighbor and friends with Jill.”

“Very funny, Ethan.” Brandi snickered. “You spent the night with her, and now she’s at the resort, and according to the newspaper article I read, she’ll be in town the whole summer.”

Ah, hell
. He forgot she subscribed to the local paper online to keep up with the news here in the Poconos. And Phoebe was news. Twice now, there’d been an article in the entertainment section about the famous Broadway star set to grace the local stage.

“True. All of it.” He grinned to, hopefully, through her off his thoughts. “You are amazing.”

She leaned forward to shake a finger at the screen. “And you’re already slinging bullshit. I want to hear how you feel about the woman being in town. She’s stunning, and talented. I’ve seen her perform a few times. Truly mesmerizing, so I find it interesting that, according to Ben, you were less than thrilled when she showed up to catch fireflies with Tyler last week. And the other night, Mason said you could cut the tension in his kitchen with a plastic spoon.”

He snickered. “He said that? A plastic spoon?”

“Yes, and quit trying to change the focus. Spill, bro. All of it.”

“Ah, sis, ever the romantic. Sorry to disappoint you, but there’s nothing to spill. I already admitted you were right. I slept with her, and now she’s in town for the summer.” 

“And are you going to sleep with her again?”

His head snapped back. “
Jesus
, Brandi that is not a conversation I’m willing to have with my sister.”

Or anyone.

“But you do want to sleep with her again. You like her. I can tell.”

He smirked. “Now who’s slinging bullshit?”

Which happened to hit the bullseye. He did want to sleep with Phoebe, and that was the damn problem.

“I had a great teacher,” she said, then cocked her head. “Just remember, I’ll be up there in a few weeks, and I’ll just see for myself. I look forward to meeting Phoebe.”

Ah, hell.

His phone rang, saving him from responding to his sister’s warning. He glanced at the caller ID. “Hang on, Brandi,” he told her as he answered his phone. “Yeah, Mason, what’s up?”

“Can you take the two-thirty hike? I have the fishing run at two.”

He frowned. “I thought Keiffer was taking it?”

“He can’t make it. Said he wasn’t up to it today.”

His heart rocked into his ribs. “Not up to it? What does that mean? Is he drunk?”

“What’s going on?” Brandi shifted closer to the screen. “What’s up with Keiffer?”

Shit
. He forgot about his Skype call.

“No, he didn’t sound drunk,” Mason said on the phone. “Just…like he didn’t want to get out of bed.”

Dammit. The guy needed therapy. Why couldn’t his brother see that?

Ethan glanced at the clock and cursed. “I promised Tyler we’d hike the South Ridge Trail when he got home from school today.”

“Sorry, Ethan,” Mason said. “There’s no one left on the roster to call. I think we should consider hiring another guide.”

“Yeah.” He exhaled slowly. “And I’ll do it. I’ll call and ask Dad to pick Tyler up from school.”

The bus dropped his son off at the bottom of the half-mile-long drive to the resort. He usually went over the schedule for the next day while he waited in his truck.

“Thanks, Ethan. Sorry,” Mason said again, before hanging up.

Yeah, he was sorry, too. Sorry their brother didn’t seek the help he needed. It was as if the guy didn’t want to lessen the pain. Didn’t want solace.

“Ethan? Talk to me,” Brandi said, her voice stretched thin. “What’s going on with Keiffer?”

He shook his head and cursed again. “I wish I knew, sis. He’s been blowing off his duties both here and for family. He’s the reason I was helping Mason the other night. I just hope to God he’ll feel up to attending Ben’s wedding.”

“Me, too,” she said. “Kade and I are going to try to convince him to come back to Texas with us. Maybe a change of scenery will do him good.”

His head snapped up. “That’s a great idea. I hope you’re able to convince him.”

“If anyone can, Kade can.”

He nodded. His brother-in-law had been in a similar situation and was no stranger to pain and guilt, or therapy, having lost a soldier under his command while deployed two years ago.

She smiled. “I’d better let you go so you can call Dad. Tell him I said hi.”

“Will do.”

“And Phoebe, too, you know…the next time you see her and all.”

Thanks to her new temporary digs, that wasn’t happening anytime soon.

As disappointment reared its unwanted head, he tamped it down and told himself he was happy with his life.

His body disagreed.

P
hoebe drove to the Wyne resort that afternoon and hoped she didn’t run into Tyler or his sexy dad. She tried, she really did try to avoid them. Hell, she’d managed to sidestep them the whole holiday weekend, even though Lea had been in town.

On Saturday, she’d gone to her friend’s cabin for a cookout and left before Ethan and Tyler were due to arrive, repeating the process on Sunday at the resort where she met Jill and Mason for another cookout. It had been tricky, but she’d slipped around the side of the building and headed for her car when the father and son had shown up.

And as for yesterday, Memorial Day, Phoebe had avoided the resort all together, but she did stand next to Lea and Jill in the crowd lining the sidewalks in town for the morning parade.

All the time in the world would not have prepared her for seeing Ethan in his National Guard uniform. Big, powerful, and capable, he stole her breath. The mere sight of him in his ACU’s, as Jill called the Army Combat Uniform, had stopped her heart.

“Oh…my,” she’d stammered, stuck in a lust filled state.

“I know,” Jill said, shoving a lemonade in her hand. “The first time you see your guy in uniform wobbles your knees, doesn’t it?”

He’s not my guy
, Phoebe had wanted to protest, but her knees were as shaky as her breath. He looked proud and fierce marching next to his brothers, although she was saddened to note Keiffer wasn’t among them.

Lea had sighed, gaze fastened on her fiancé. “It never gets old. Trust me. Ben doesn’t normally march, but he’s filling in last minute for Keiffer. He looks delicious. Makes me want to have up-against-the-wall sex.”

“With chocolate,” Jill whispered, her gaze never leaving Mason’s marching form.

And together, the three of them stood silently lusting after the gorgeous Wyne brothers.

The memory of Ethan in uniform with his broad shoulders and chiseled features, combined with her friends’ naughty conversation fueled Phoebe’s hot dreams long into the night.

For the first time in her life, she woke up that morning and had to stand under a cold shower. And if she stayed near Ethan too long, she feared it would not be her last.

Her phone started to ring, and the smart technology in the car immediately picked it up. Phoebe hit the button on the steering wheel to answer her mother’s weekly check in.

“Hi, hun. Hope I’m not bothering you at rehearsal.”

“No. I’m done for the day. They’re meeting again tonight, but I’m not in the scene they’re rehearsing so I get a rare night off.”