Then he held out a hand to Andy, but Steph’s brother was already leaning in for a kiss on the cheek. Jake obliged, a look of surprise on his face.
“So this is the reclusive boyfriend I’ve heard so much about,” Andy said, giving Jake a wink as he pulled away.
“Be careful, Jake,” I said. “Andy’s trying to steal you, I think.”
“Moi? Never!” Andy looked offended. “Besides, I like blondes better. No offense.”
“None taken,” Jake said. “Please have an appetizer.”
He held out my plate of bruschetta and both Steph and Andy took one.
“We brought cupcakes,” Andy said. “Red velvet and cream cheese.”
“Look at these men,” I said to Steph, crossing my arms. “Taking credit for all the food.”
“I’ll give Jake credit for one thing,” Steph said, arching an eyebrow at me.
“What?”
“Getting you to wear a dress!”
I blushed. Not only had Jake gotten me to wear a dress, he’d told me—ordered me, would be a better way to put it—that I was not allowed to wear any panties under my dress. That had made our little kitchen tryst earlier more convenient for him. Now, though, around other people, I felt naked.
Jake’s servant came in again, this time followed by Lucas Black and another woman. She was tall and thin, and she looked surprised to see Steph and me standing in the middle of Jake’s living room. Her surprise turned into a flat look of condescension.
My chest tightened. I was used to being looked down at, but being used to something didn’t mean you had to like it.
Lucas, however, didn’t flinch for an instant. He grabbed Jake in a friendly embrace, then turned to greet the rest of us eagerly. As he bent to kiss Steph on the cheek, I could see her flush red.
“That one,” Andy whispered in my ear. “Blond, tall, sexy as hell.”
“You can fight your sister for him,” I whispered back. “And that woman, while you’re at it.”
Andy scoffed.
“She’s no threat,” he said.
“You don’t think so?”
“They don’t like each other at all,” he said, his voice certain.
I looked closer as Lucas and the woman finished their greetings. Her name was Belle, and she shook my hand as limply as if I was a dirty rag she didn’t want to touch. As soon as they’d come in, Lucas had separated himself from her. Now he stood talking to Jake on the opposite side of the group as her.
I wondered if maybe they were fighting. Lucas Black wasn’t wearing a wedding ring, and if they were dating, maybe they’d just gotten into a spat. But before I could say anything back to Andy, a shout from the entrance rose over our conversation.
“Jake! Lucas!”
The tall man on the step wasn’t wearing a tux or a suit. Instead, he had a tight black shirt on over a muscled chest, black jeans, and dark sunglasses. He lifted his glasses, and I saw that his eyes were just as dark.
There were two women with him, one on each arm—two redheads. He lifted his arms up and left them behind as he entered the room. They followed behind him, neither one looking much surprised.
He fairly jumped down the steps and thumped both Lucas and Jake on the back.
“Did I miss anything? Where’s the orgy?”
I noticed Andy’s ears perked up at the mention of an orgy. Belle rolled her eyes and crossed her arms impatiently. She hadn’t eaten any of my bruschetta. I felt personally slighted when someone didn’t want to eat something I’d made. It was delicious, darn it. And Rachel looked startled as the man walked into the room.
“No orgies tonight,” Lucas said, a lilting tease in his voice. “This is a very elegant affair.”
“Allow me to make the occasion a bit more informal, then! Sorry I’m not all dolled up but I have a concert after this, Jake.”
“No problem,” Jake said, grinning. “Everyone, this is Clint Terrance.”
“The Clint Terrance?” Andy said. His jaw dropped open.
“What Clint Terrance?” Steph asked.
“The rock star—” Andy broke off as Clint appeared in front of him to shake his hand.
“That’s right,” Clint said, with fake bravado. “I play guitar and sing for Talismen.”
“You are the absolute best,” Andy gushed, still holding onto Clint’s hand.
“What band?” Belle asked with disdain.
“Talismen.”
“What do you play?”
“Hard rock.”
“Oh,” she said, with a swish of her hair.
“That’s right.” Clint turned his back to her squarely, and her arched eyebrows turned down into a frown. Belle was apparently not the kind of girl who was used to being ignored.