“Oh, we can handle them,” Faith said with a sniff. “It’s not like we had an orgy or something. ”
“Though that could be fun,” Lyric added. “I think the only thing I haven’t been accused of is a lesbian orgy. Maybe we should call one of the tabloids. ”
Connor groaned. “For the love of God. Just get out of the pool and into your robes. I’ll make sure your bartender and the chef supply you with booze and food. If you really want to be good and get dried off and dressed, you can continue this inside where it’s warm. ”
“Hot chocolate would be nice,” Serena mused. “And it is getting cooler. March is such a screwed-up month. Hot, cold, hot, cold. ”
Connor closed his eyes and sighed. Any other man would be in heaven surrounded by gorgeous, naked women all slicked down with water and all sporting chill bumps from hell. He, on the other hand, was praying for deliverance and for a little cooperation before all hell broke loose.
“Okay, okay, he’s getting that look,” Lyric said. “Let’s get out and get dressed. We’ll take over the living room and kick all the guys out. What time are you guys supposed to be home anyway?”
There was a moment of silence and then Faith said, “What time is it?”
Connor checked his watch. “Six thirty. ”
Serena giggled. “I think we said we’d be home by five. Oops. ”
“Mr. Roche is aware of your delay,” Sam said calmly.
“It would appear that Mr. Montgomery and Mr. Tucker are as well,” Faith said on a laugh. “Which only leaves Micah. Angelina? Are you going to call him?”
Angelina shook her head. “Huh-uh. I’m still riding the marriage card. He’s so happy I said yes, he can’t possibly get pissed at me. ”
“You know, I’m starting to feel real sorry for the guys,” Connor said.
Lyric climbed the steps from the pool and it took all his discipline not to stare. She walked over and snagged one of the robes and wrapped it around her shivering body. Hell, he wanted to wrap himself around her until she was warm and soft against him.
“Trust the guys to stick together,” she drawled. “Come on, girls. Let’s take this party inside. ”
Connor whirled around and strode to the door before the other women took their exit from the pool. Their laughter followed him all the way inside.
CHAPTER 24
Connor and Kane got Julie, Angelina, Serena and Faith into the car while Lyric watched from the front door. As they drove away, Lyric waved.
Connor and Kane walked back to the door and Connor looked harassed. His cell phone rang and he jammed his hand into his pocket to silence it.
“Get some damn clothes on,” he said under his breath when he walked by her into the house.
She tugged the robe tighter around her and grinned. “I’m perfectly covered!”
“Yeah, but I know your naked underneath that robe and so does everyone else. For God’s sake show a little mercy here. ”
“Okay, okay. I’ll go up. ” She hesitated a moment and then looked at both Connor and Kane. “Are you guys going to be around for a bit?”
Kane looked curiously at her. “If you need us to be. ”
“I won’t be but a minute upstairs. I’d like . . . I’d like to talk to you when I get back down if you have the time. ”
“Of course I have time. ”
She glanced at Connor and he nodded, his eyes never leaving her face. She smiled. “Okay, I’ll be right back down. ”
“Want some more hot chocolate?” Connor asked gruffly.
“Yeah. That would be nice. Thanks. ”
She skipped up the stairs, bobbled a bit, then clung tightly to the railing. She’d sort of forgotten how much she’d had to drink and, as a former nondrinker, she’d discovered she was a lightweight when it came to alcohol.
After steadying herself a moment, she continued up the stairs and into the bedroom. Deciding to take a quick shower to take care of the pool hair, she hopped in and out, threw a towel around her head and quickly dressed.
She combed her hair down and left it wet before heading back down the stairs feeling a good bit more sober than she had fifteen minutes ago.
She found Kane and Connor in the living room sprawled on the couches. Connor looked tired and she almost giggled when he reached into his pocket to silence yet another call. Between her manager, her label and the girls’ husbands, Connor was getting it from all corners.
“Feel better?” Kane asked when he looked up and saw her.
“I didn’t feel bad before,” she said with a grin. “Today has been . . . liberating. Fun. ”
Connor leaned forward and picked up a steaming mug of hot chocolate. He held it up but didn’t make a move to bring it over. He was enticing her to come to him. Once she caught a whiff of the decadent aroma, he didn’t have to do much to get her to do his bidding.
She went over, took the cup from him and then sat forward on the couch next to him, cradling the warm mug in her palms. Connor’s hand immediately went to her back, stroking up and down.
She drew comfort from that gesture. She loved him touching her. She was so contented right now that she could curl into his arms like a satisfied kitten and purr endlessly.
“What’s on your mind?” Kane asked.
She pulled the mug away and held it on her lap. She pursed her lips a moment trying to formulate her thoughts. This was new territory for her. For so long she’d relied on others around her, her management team, her record label, her security, her handlers, to make decisions for her. Her motto was show up, do what she needed to do and then move on to the next show and do it all over again.
Firing Paul had been huge for her. She doubted even Connor knew just what a momentous step it was. It had been a much-needed slap in the face. A wake-up call that her life was out of control because she’d allowed it to be so.
“I’m ready to make some changes. ” She swallowed. It took all her courage to say the next. “I’m a little afraid. I would like your help. ”
Connor’s hand stilled on her back, then slid up to her nape and squeezed reassuringly.
“Okay,” Kane said.
“I don’t want my label to hire a new security firm. ”
Kane frowned. She turned slightly to see the same frown on Connor’s face.
“What I mean is that I don’t want Phillip to choose. He means well. I have no doubt that he has my best interests and my safety in mind. He’ll hire competent people. But I think I should be the one who decides who holds my safety in their hands. ”
She sucked in another deep breath, gripped the mug a little tighter and then glanced up at Kane. “Would your firm be willing to take over my security while I’m on the road?”
Kane didn’t respond right away. He glanced at Connor, then back at Lyric.
“I understand if you’re not set up to travel. It’s just that I . . . ” She wrinkled her nose. “I trust your team more than some random firm that Phillip hires. I don’t know them. I know you . . . now. ”
“I’m sure something could be worked out,” Kane said slowly. “But you need to consider whether this is going to cause you trouble with your label. ”
“I’m going to tell Phillip that from now on I’m going to have a more active part in my career. To be honest, I think he’ll be relieved and more than willing for me to take the reins. ”
Connor’s thumb tightened at her neck. He ran his other hand over her arm and squeezed lightly in approval.
Kane’s eyes glinted and then he smiled. “I think I may have misjudged you, Ms. Jones. ”
“Oh please, call me Lyric. Ms. Jones sounds so stuffy. ”
“All right, Lyric. The problem is that I can’t assemble a team as soon as two weeks. Less than two weeks now. I’ll need to handpick men for the detail and I’ll want to oversee the operation for the first little while until I’m satisfied that everything is progressing well. If you want the best, it’ll take time. ”
“I don’t go back on tour right away. I’ll be in the studio recording for a bit. I also have a few appearances but they could be cancelled. My tour picks up in six weeks. Runs for two months and then I have a break at which time I’ll finish recording the next album. Would that give you enough time?”
“I think you need to decide if you can afford me first,” Kane said.
She laughed. “If I want the best, I have to be prepared to pay for it, right?”
“Then the first thing you need to do is ask for a bid. You’ll want to know everything I can do for you and you’ll want to know how much it’ll cost you. I’ll want complete control over picking the men for the detail, and each one will be screened personally by me. ”
She nodded. “How soon can you get that to me?”
Kane smiled. “Now we’re talking. You catch on quick. ”
She turned to Connor and slipped her hand into his. “I know I probably shouldn’t ask this. But again, I’m a little nervous. I don’t think it will be a problem. But . . . ”
“Just ask, baby,” he said softly.
“I want to fire R. J. and Trent. Buy them out. Whatever. The problems are that I’m not sure what, if any, out I have in the contract, and they’re supposed to come in for the rodeo performance. They aren’t going to take it well. I’ve allowed them far too much latitude in their job. My fault, but there you have it. ”
He put a finger to her mouth. “I’ll take care of it. ”
She breathed out a sigh of relief.
“Any other earth-shattering changes you’re contemplating?”
She pressed her lips together and scrunched her brows. “I want to go whole hog. I’ve surrounded myself with people I don’t trust, who don’t care about me, have no investment in me beyond the paycheck I provide them. I know it sounds hypocritical. They don’t owe me anything other than to do the job they’re paid to do just like I don’t owe them anything beyond that paycheck. But I don’t want it to be that way. I want . . . I need a change. I don’t like my life very much. ”
“Then do it,” Connor said. “If anyone can turn things around, it’s you. I don’t think there’s a person in the world who can run over you unless you let them. ”
A smile twitched at her lips. “Yeah, I am a good bitch on wheels when given the right motivation. ”
Kane chuckled and she turned quickly back to glare at him. “You are not to agree with that statement. ”
He held up his hands in surrender. “For what it’s worth, I think you’re doing the right thing. It’s never too late to regain control over your career. And your life. ”
“I can’t wait to see what the tabloids do with all of this when it gets out,” she said wryly. “They’ll have a field day. It’ll likely be reported that I’ve checked into the funny farm. ”
“Fuck ’em,” Connor said. “You’ll know the truth. The people who care about you will know the truth. That’s all that matters. ”
“And who are the people who care about me?” she asked softly.
He looked straight into her eyes. Then he reached out and touched her cheek, just one gentle brush with his fingertip. “I do. ”
CHAPTER 25
Connor returned from taking the cups to the kitchen and saw that Lyric had fallen asleep on the couch. Not that it surprised him. She’d been bobbing and weaving for over an hour as she sat and talked to him and Kane. It was obvious she had no desire to go up to her room. Alone. She’d clung to their company until fatigue had overcome her.
“Want me to get her a blanket?” Kane asked.
Connor shook his head. “I’ll take her up. She’ll be more comfortable in her bed. ”
“I’m going to turn in then. See you tomorrow. ”
Kane walked quietly out of the living room and Connor stared down at Lyric, who was curled against the end of the couch, her head on the arm rest. He reached down and touched a strand of her hair that had fallen over her eyes and gently pushed it back.
“I don’t think I’ve ever met anyone like you,” he murmured. “Just when I think I’ve got you all figured out, you manage to surprise me all over again. I wonder sometimes if you even know who you are. ”
He leaned down and slid his arms underneath her curled-up body and hoisted her up. She stirred and made a murmur of protest and then promptly cuddled into his chest.
He liked the way she felt in his arms. All soft and snuggly, her head tucked underneath his chin like she was made to go there.
Slowly he navigated the stairs and headed into her bedroom, where he deposited her onto the bed. She yawned and then her eyelids fluttered open and she blinked up at him.
He leaned down and kissed her on the forehead. “You going to be okay?”
As he drew away, uncertainty, and a little fear, flashed in her eyes. She was clearly torn between wanting him to go and not wanting to be alone. He wasn’t going to push her. She had to make the choice herself, even if he had no desire to go anywhere.