Two Can Play (21 page)

“
Hi, Kate. How you doing?”

No way, is it really possible that his accent is even sexier than Harry's?

He holds out his arms for a welcome hug, a warm smile on his chiseled handsome face.

“
I'm just great, Brendan, how about you?”

Things are looking pretty damn good now that he's dropped in on the scene. I try to tell my brain that his presence is a good band-aid to my crushed feelings about Aaron. 

We hug and air kiss. I breathe in the fresh male scent he's covered in.

“
I'm cool and call me Bren,” he says against my ear, his arms slipping down around my waist.

“
Well isn't this nice?” my mom says with a giggle as she pops open the champagne. “I just know you two are gonna get along sooo well.” I catch her giving Harry a sly look as she starts to pour the champagne out. I hope my mom's not been matchmaking. She's always trying to fix me up with guys. It's dead embarrassing at times. Not that I'd mind being fixed up with Bren, if he wasn't who he was. It's a shame he's a touch brother-ish.

We sit down on the white leather sofa sipping the chilled fizz and chatting. It's easy talk. I don't have to hide anything here at all. Brendan wants to know all about me. What I do, my friends, my trips to Venice. Obviously my mom's already filled him in on the basics. After a while we kinda zone Mom and Harry out. In fact I don't notice that they've left us to it, we're so engrossed in each other and our conversation.

“So you like your room?” he asks.

“
It's gorgeous.”

“
Come take a look at mine, it's the other end of the house.” He offers me his hand. I get up and carrying my champagne, we stroll off together.

“
How many rooms are there?”

“
Five beds, five baths, five others, and the basement. I use that for guitar practice, as it's soundproof.”

“
Are you in a band?”

“
Nothing special, it's just me and the guys having a good time. We play a few clubs downtown in Austin.”

“
Who are the other guys?”

“
Friends and someone I met through work.”

“
You work?” He obviously has no need to work.

“
Yeah, Dad insists we work. Besides, I kinda like my job.”

“
What d'you do?”

“
Auto sales.”

“
Into cars are you?”

“
Always have been, yeah.”

He stops at the end of the corridor and opens the door. I walk inside in awe. He has a pretty impressive rock mural painted on his wall. It's a pale gray interior, a huge black leather bed, and a limed-oak floor. A selection of guitars hang on the wall behind the bed. It's immaculate. He's a tidy freak. Not one item of clothing, not even a sock, is lying abandoned on the floor.

“Oh this is just beautiful. Who's the band?” I ask taking a closer look at the wall.

“
It's a mixture. I painted my fantasy band. That's Slash, Kurt Cobain, Jon Bonham....” He points—

“
You
painted this?” I ask, the words filtering through. It's truly amazing work.

“
Yeah, I majored in Art. I did the one in your room as well. Bambi said do something pretty; flowers and stuff. It was a real rush job to get it done for you.”

“
Awww, you did that, too? That's so sweet of you. I absolutely love it. And your room is great as well. I bet your girlfriend loves all this, you being in a band and such a talented guy.” I ask, fishing for information about his relationship status.

“
I guess,” he says with a twinkle in his eye. He leans against the wall, cross-armed, staring at me intently.

“
What?” I ask, self-consciously.

“
Your mom never said just how beautiful you are, Kate,” he says quietly. My stomach flips with his sincere compliment.

“
My mom never told me anything about you at all. And you're way too hot.”

We both laugh, getting past our mutual admiration.

I sit on his bed.

“
What's your band called?” I ask.

He points to the wall. The words Dream Storm are painted on the top.

“Dream Storm? That's a really cool name. And what d'you do, rock?”

“
We're trans genre, but lean toward rock, I guess.”

“
So who writes your stuff?” Obviously this is of great interest to me.

“
We do that together, score and lyrics, it's a team effort.”

“
I write songs,” I reveal a touch nervously.

“
You do? What kind?”

“
The sexy kind.”

“
Oh ha ha... Really?”

“
Not just that, all types, but yeah, normally romantically driven.”

“
Maybe we can swap ideas?”

“
Brainstorm?”

“
Yeah, let's get blasted and come up with some really outrageous lyrics.”

“
That sounds like a fun evening.”

“
Yeah, it could be. And by the way, I'm in between girlfriends at the moment.”

“
Well how about that? I'm in between boyfriends, too.” It hurts to say that lightheartedly, but I'm trying to be cool with Bren. He doesn't need to know I'm a disaster. Not yet anyway.

“
That's great news. We're the perfect partners, how about it?” He grins.

“
Oh yeah. Kinda presumptuous, aren't you?” I laugh.

“
Yeah, very. Let's hang out. I like you, Kate. I sense you like me too, so...”

“
As good friends though, very good friends even. But no sex, okay?” I joke.

“
Just tell me, why don't you?” He laughs loudly.

“
Laying down the ground rules, hot step-bro to be.”

“
I don't follow rules too well. You might have to remind me if the situation arises.”

My mom and Harry suddenly appear in the room.

“So there you both are. Getting along well, I hope,” Mom says with a knowing look at Brendan.

“
Yep, we're well acquainted, ain't we, Kate,” Brendan says walking toward me and taking my hands, pulling me off the bed. “Go get your swimsuit on, we're having a swim and a doze watching the sunset.”

“
Kinda bossy as well, aren't you?” I point out, smiling like an idiot at my mom and Harry as he leads me out of his room, off down the corridor.

“
Mmm, dead bossy, highly presumptuous, and exceptionally demanding.”

“
Well, Mr. Bossy Boots, and all that, I'm real sorry but I'm too dang tired to swim. I'll drown if I go in. Can't I watch you splash about instead?”

“
Oh no, you're going in, girl. I'm gonna get you all wet and even more exhausted, snuggle up close, and blow you dry.”

“
That sounds nice.” I snigger as we come to a stop by my door.

More than nice, damn hot! I might even be steaming dry. What the hell?

I really shouldn't be thinking these things. I'm in mourning. For him.

“
Yeah, I'm nice all over, maybe you'll find out some time. Now strip off and get something really tiny on, then I can see a lot more of you on the pool deck.”

He walks away looking back at me over his shoulder.

Jesus he's far too sexy for a step-bro.

I'm guessing this could be hard work. Keeping him at arm’s length, or even wanting to. But he's so much fun and I really do need this distraction. He's gonna lift my mood and get me over the hard part.

I rummage around in my suitcase. I do have one black bikini. And it's pretty tiny. I undress and slip it on. After clipping my hair up, I add sunglasses and a slick of pink lipstick. I put my black flip-flops on and head off with a big white towel tucked under my arm.

I arrive at the poolside as he's finishing putting the cushions on the double lounger.

“
Wow, that's...err...a very nice look, Kate,” he says, his eyes fastened on my boobs.

“
Oh, thank you,” I reply, with mock innocence.

He really is a dirty bastard. Or is he just a normal man? I've no idea? I can't help but smile at him as his eyes finally drag themselves away from my chest reluctantly.

He strips off his tank and I have a good ogle at his stunning back tattoos.

“
God help me, let me get a close look at those hot things,” I say, grabbing his lean muscled waist and pulling him toward me for some much closer inspection. “Oh, I do love the angels and chains, they're so gorgeous, Bren.” I trace my finger over the black designs.

Suddenly I'm a dirty bitch as well. Or maybe just a normal woman? My mouth is almost watering over him.

Yummy, lick-able. Seriously sexy.

I try to keep my tongue inside my mouth, but it's hard.

I tell myself it's the tattoos sending me into a wild state of lust, not him. But I don't think I'm listening to myself anymore. Not at the moment anyway. I think severe overtiredness and delirium have taken control of my mind.

But Bren's assets are certainly distracting me very well. Amazingly, for a brief moment, I can't even remember what Aaron's tattoos look like.

“
I'm having another one done tomorrow afternoon if you wanna tag along and watch me suffer.”

“
I wish I had the guts to get one myself. I'd love a rose design on my forearm.”

“
Jacie's a real expert, she's done a few of mine now, the one on my arm here and that one there.” He points as some exceptional small designs. “She's at Hart & Huntingdon, and it's a pretty cool place. Want me to get you in there straight after me if she's got a free slot?”

“
Well if you're gonna be there to hold my hand, yeah...maybe that's a good idea. You can help me choose. You've got such good artistic taste.”

“
Sure thing, honey. You're on. Now in you go.”

He gives me a shove and I topple backward into the water with a shriek. I'm still wearing my sunglasses and flip-flops as I hit the cool of the pool surface.

I come up with a cough and a splutter as he bombs in hard next to me.

I laugh out loud. I can tell I'm gonna have one helluva vacation here.

We're lying in the sun laughing and chatting. He's such easy company to keep. So damn naughty, though. Every other sentence is an innuendo.

We've slipped into an easy friendly state. I discover that although Harry looks much younger than his years, he's actually fifty in one month's time. The same age as Mom. He's been divorced for fifteen years.