Effortless (53 page)

My mouth dropped wide open. Oh my God! Had she heard the phone
sex? Jesus, I’ll be so happy when I was out of here. I flicked open
the phone and dialed Kellan’s number. It rang a few times, then,
“
Hey, this is Kellan. I’m probably onstage or making out with
my girl. Leave me a message and I’ll get back to you… if I feel
like it.”

I smiled at the message that I begged him repeatedly to change.
“Hey, Kellan, it’s me. Um, Anna’s flipping out about you telling
Griffin…” Anna glared at me and I sputtered out, “Just call me
back, okay?”

Shutting the phone, I shook my head. “He’s traveling back to the
band. He’s probably in the air, or just about to land
somewhere.”

She sighed grumpily and I stood up, wondering if I should try
and comfort her or run away from her. Figuring her mood couldn’t
possibly swing much farther today, I thought I’d take a chance and
tell her the good news. Grabbing my bag, since I did need to head
out to school, I started backing away from her.

“I’ll try him later today, alright?” Anna nodded, her arms
re-crossing over her chest. Knowing it was now or never, I quickly
added, “I should probably tell you, so you have lots of time to
make arrangements, but…I’m moving back in with Kellan.”

I waited just long enough to see her mouth drop open, then I
yanked on the door and quickly made my escape. I thought I heard
cursing as I fled down the hall.

Kellan called me back just as I shut off his car in the school
parking lot. Watching my schoolmates shuffle about, on their way to
this class or that class, I couldn’t help but wonder if their lives
were as dramatic as mine tended to be. 

A light splattering of April rain hit my windshield, making
circular shapes that coalesced into long streams. Flowers were in
bloom along the berms that I could see from the solitude of my car,
petals open in welcome to the moisture. When I’d first come here,
I’d hated the drizzle, preferring warmth and dryness, but I had so
many nice memories that were wrapped in rain, that I’d come to
embrace it, just as much as the locals.

The cell phone propped against my ear filled with Kellan’s warm
laugh. His sound, combined with the light ting of drops hitting the
roof, brought an image of Kellan into my mind—wet, hair slicked
around his eyes, drops trailing across his lips…

“Hey, I just landed. Miss me already?”

My image of him insanely erotic, I laughed, huskily.
“Always.”

“You said your sister was freaking out?”

I sighed, running a hand through my hair. “Yeah, she’s just
afraid of Griffin finding out…before she’s ready to tell him.”

Kellan sighed as well. “I wouldn’t…that’s not my secret to
share.”

I smiled, his comment meaning that he also understood why I
hadn’t told
him
. “Well, I think she will tell him, and I
think she’s going to keep it…or her, I should say, since Anna is
convinced she’s having a girl.”

Kellan chuckled. “Let’s hope so. I think a baby girl to dote on
is just what Griffin needs.”

“Would you want a baby girl one day?” I asked, then blushed. I
hadn’t meant to ask him about kids yet. One step at a time,
Kiera.

He was quiet a moment, then, “Yeah…a girl, or a boy, would be
fine, but…yeah, I do want kids.”

I giggled, softly. “Me too,” I whispered. A comfortable silence
passed between us, and knowing I had to go to class, I sighed. “I
should go…are we good?”

Kellan gave me a soft laugh. “I didn’t convince you of that
before I left? Really? You…sounded convinced.” I felt the heat burn
my cheeks as echoes of my…conviction…echoed through my head. Before
I could answer, Kellan said, “Yeah, Kiera…I think we’re better than
we’ve ever been, actually.”

Smiling, I tilted my head. “Even with Denny being back in town?”
I bit my lip, hating to bring it up but knowing I needed to. Kellan
and I couldn’t hide from the hard conversations. And Denny didn’t
need to be a hard conversation anymore.

Kellan sighed, the sound was full of contentment. “Yeah, even
with Denny in town. I don’t know, Kiera, but Denny just doesn’t
worry me anymore. Maybe…maybe I really do trust you.”

I exhaled, feeling the weight sliding off of my shoulders. “Oh,
I’m so glad to hear you say that, Kellan, because there really is
nothing there. No one…no one compares to you, Kellan. No one even
comes close.”

He groaned. “God, you’re making me wish we were back in my bed
when you say stuff like that.” I giggled and flushed with heat, the
good kind this time. Chuckling, he added, “I feel the same way,
Kiera. No one comes close to you in my eyes…no one.”

I closed my eyes, warmed beyond all doubt by his words, by his
heart. “I love you. I’ll see you in a few weeks.”

“Okay, I love you too.”

Maybe it was the removal of the doubt in our relationship, but
the next few weeks flew by. Before I knew it, it was the end of May
and Kellan’s tour was done. All of the boys came back to Seattle
for a celebratory weekend before they had to disembark to L.A., to
record their album. I was pretty surprised when Kellan had called
and told me he was coming up. When he had first told me about the
album, he’d made it sound as if he would be going straight there. I
was even more surprised, and mortified, when he told me that Justin
and his band were coming up with them. Apparently the two groups
had really hit it off on the road. Not too surprising, I guess.
Kellan was easy to get along with, for guys and for girls.

It was a Thursday night when they all strolled in. Talking with
Jenny and Kate at the counter, I flinched when I heard the front
doors bang open. My eyes immediately snapped over to them and
excitement flooded every part of me.

Griffin had just burst open the doors, just like he used to when
the D-Bags were a fixture here. Seeing him, standing like a King
before his court, wasn’t what spiked my heart, though. No, it was
knowing who would walk in a few steps after the egomaniac.

As the bar completely silenced, Griffin exclaimed, “Your master
has returned…you may worship me now.”

A chorus of laughter went around the room and the buzz of noise
started again as people stood to welcome the returning rockers.
Griffin was harshly shoved forward by Matt. Scowling at his cousin,
Matt raised his hand in greeting to his name being shouted here and
there around the room. He then immediately started heading to their
old table, obviously wanting out of the spotlight.

Griffin frowned at Matt, until he found a table of coeds to
pester. Evan stepped through the swinging front doors with Kellan,
the two of them smiling, mid-laugh. The crowd outright cheered once
all four band members were in their midst again. Kellan glanced
around the room, acknowledging them with a hand wave and a nod.
Evan shook his head, like he still couldn’t wrap his head around
the whole thing. Then the gentle man spotted his girl.

The heavily tatted rocker with gauges in his ears and a new
piercing through his eyebrow, melted when Jenny jumped into his
arms. There were squeals and giggles and lots of laughter as the
two of them reunited.

I was giggling too as I left Kate by the bar to flood to my man,
before the other girls around beat me to it. He was striding my
way, his grin as wide as mine. When we met up, he grabbed my cheeks
and pulled my mouth to his. His scent hit me just a second before
his warm lips did. He held me to him as his mouth moved in sync
with mine, his tongue just slipping in to brush against me. My
fingers reached up to tangle into his tousled mess, twisting into
the thick, light brown strands.

As his hands threaded back though my hair, his body inching
forward to press against the length of mine, I slowly started to
remember that we were in a very public place. I didn’t stop the
kissing though. I even managed to ignore the catcalls and whistles
as people watched us. I really only decided to put a stop to it
when Kellan’s hands started drifting down my body.

When his fingers squeezed my bottom, I pushed back from him.
Smiling, but breathless, I raised an eyebrow in warning. Equally
breathless, he shrugged, like he just couldn’t help himself.
Giggling, I gave him a soft, public-friendly kiss.

“You’re here,” I breathed.

He matched my gentle kiss. “There was nowhere else I wanted to
be.”

Knowing that he had so much to do in the next few weeks,
preparing his band’s very first album, I shook my head and smiled.
Maybe seeing that our intimate moment was over, regulars in the bar
started coming up to Kellan, congratulating him on the band’s
success. He shook hands left and right, smiling and making
conversation like he’d never been gone.

Smiling to myself, I left him to it. Kellan was getting a bear
hug from Sam when the front doors opened again. I’d been standing
right in front of the doors when they’d started opening and I
hastily stepped back so I wouldn’t get smacked. When I saw who’d
just entered the bar, I wanted to freeze in place or run and hide.
Knowing that I was overreacting, that people were just people,
regardless of what they did for a living, I slapped on a smile and
approached the second band of rock stars entering the bar.

“Hello, Justin. It’s good to see you again.” Scanning the five
twenty-something guys standing before me, smiling as they looked
around the bar, I asked, “Can I get you guys something to
drink?”

Justin’s pale eyes met mine, and he nodded. “Yeah, we’ll take a
pitcher of whatever you’ve got on tap. Thanks, Kiera.” He tapped me
on the shoulder as he walked by.

Immensely proud of myself for sounding more like an adult and
less like a teenage schoolgirl, I watched the two bands meet up.
Kellan and Justin shook hands and sat near each other at the boys’
favorite table. The rest of the guys spread out near the table,
talking to fans or to each other. Even with the addition of
Justin’s band, it was so natural to see the D-Bags here, and yet
unnatural at the same time, since they’d been gone for so long. I
loved having them back.

I repeated the order to Rita, who was staring at the combination
of Kellan and Justin like they were both sitting at the table
completely naked. Some things never change. As I waited for her to
make the guys drinks blind, since she wouldn’t take her eyes off
the group, I felt someone approach me.

Grabbing my arm, Kate pulled me over to her. “Do you know who
that is with Kellan, Kiera?”

Smiling at her overwhelmed face, I nodded. “Yeah, I’ve met him a
few times…he’s nice.”

Her topaz eyes widened as far as they could go. Staring at the
pitcher that Rita was slowly putting on my tray, she stammered,
“You have to introduce me…seriously.”

I nodded at the tray, indicating with my head for her to take
it. “No problem, follow me.”

I grabbed Kellan’s bottle of beer, since he preferred his beer
bottled, while Kate followed me with the pitcher and glasses. With
a confidence that surprised even myself, I led Kate back to the
rock stars and introduced her to the visiting band. She was as much
of a nervous, babbling wreck as I’d been when I’d first met them.
It made me smile as I sat on Kellan’s lap, completely
comfortable.

An hour or two later, everyone in the bar was comfortable, and
the laughter and conversations were flowing as freely as the
drinks. Someone put some fast songs on the jukebox and a group of
girls grabbed Justin and his band mates to dance with them. It
didn’t take Rita long to ditch her duties at the bar and join them
for a song or two. The grinding that the over-tanned,
over-bleached, middle aged, married woman did with that rock star
made me horribly embarrassed. Kellan was right—some women really
would do anything for attention.

Kellan and I were taking a moment to twirl around the end of the
crowd when I felt a tap on my shoulder. Seeing Griffin standing
there, I instantly got a ball of ice in my stomach. He wasn’t
trying to cut in, was he?

Sniffing, a disgruntled Griffin looked around the bar. “Hey,
where’s your sister?”

Holding Kellan’s hand, I bit my lip. Once Anna had learned that
the guys were coming up here for a few days before heading to Los
Angeles, she freaked out. She was definitely showing now, and she
wouldn’t have been able to hide it from Griffin. And since she
still hadn’t told him, she hadn’t wanted to see him. She’d hopped a
flight back home. Yeah, she’d rather tell our parents, than her
boyfriend.

Kellan glanced down at me and raised an eyebrow. I knew he
wanted Griffin to know, but we’d both agreed that Anna had to tell
him. To Griffin, I shrugged and said, “Sorry, she had to go back
east for a few days, to see our parents.”

Griffin frowned, then tucked his chin-length hair behind his
ears. “Really? Now?” He shook his head, his light eyes confused. “I
told her we were coming up this weekend. She couldn’t wait?”

I sighed, hating that I couldn’t tell him. “Sorry, family
thing.” Griffin rolled his eyes, seemingly disappointed that his
f-buddy, as he referred to Anna, wasn’t available. Hating that he
sort of used my sister, even if she was completely willing, I
muttered, “Well, I’m sure you could find someone else to…hang out
with this weekend.”

Griffin shrugged, still looking forlorn. “Yeah, sure…but Anna’s
the best, though. She knows just what I like.” His sullen
expression took in the clumps of girls around the bar. “These
girls, they’re all too…giddy. It can be annoying…sometimes.”

Surprised that those words would ever cross Griffin’s lips, I
said words that I never, ever, thought would cross mine. “You could
hang out with Kellan and me?”

I instantly wanted to take the words back. Kellan snapped his
head to me, equally surprised by my invitation. His brow furrowing,
he minutely shook his head. I clearly heard the question he wasn’t
asking—
why the hell would you invite Griffin into our weekend?
Are you crazy?

I bit my lip, thinking maybe I was. Griffin, though, scowled at
Kellan. “Nah, no thanks.” Lightly smacking Kellan in the chest, he
muttered, “I’d rather be alone than hang out with this
jack-off.”

Kellan blinked, his gorgeous face looking genuinely perplexed.
“What did I do to you?”

Griffin narrowed his eyes, his thin lips tightening.
“Jersey…those two hot girls?”

I raised an eyebrow but didn’t let myself overreact to the
statement. Everything Griffin said had to be taken with a grain of
salt. Plus, Kellan wouldn’t do anything to hurt me. That, I finally
believed.

Kellan bit his lip, looking like he was struggling to not laugh
in Griffin’s face. “Uh, Griff…I was doing you a favor.”

“Save it, man.” Griffin poked him in the chest. “You were just
jealous ‘cuz you were doing the monogamous thing. Whatever. You
didn’t need to cock-block me! And right when things were getting
interesting!”

A small laugh escaped Kellan. “Griffin…”

Shaking his head, Griffin turned and walked away. To his back,
Kellan laughed out, “I tried to tell you…those weren’t girls,
dude.” Griffin raised a middle finger in the air and Kellan laughed
harder. Shaking his head, he looked back at me. “Maybe I should
have just let him figure it out for himself?”

Laughing at the idiot, that was about to have a child with my
idiot sister, I shook my head. Kellan gave me a warm smile,
wrapping his arms back around my waist. “Monogamous thing?” I
asked, tilting my head.

He smiled wider, resting his head against mine. “Yeah, see, I
told you I was being good.”

Giggling, I gave him a soft kiss. “I know you were.” Sighing, I
shook my head. “Who knew I’d ever find a conversation with Griffin
comforting?”

Grinning crookedly in a way that made me wish my shift was over,
Kellan murmured, “Life’s little mysteries.”

Threading my hand back through the perfect mess of hair, a style
that only Kellan could successfully pull off, I sighed. I searched
his face as his eyes searched mine. The rare shade of his deep blue
eyes, the perfect arch of his brow, the slant of his nose, the
seductive curve of his lips, the strong angle of his jaw, his
height, the lean cut of his body—physically, he was the epitome of
what the ideal man would look like. But his heart, his soul, his
pain, his humor, his music…that’s what made me ache for him.

I wanted to give him everything. I wanted to give him the world.
I couldn’t, though. I didn’t have that kind of power. But there was
one thing I
could
do…one thing that I could help to give
him. And I knew it was something he wanted, even if he fought
against wanting it.

I’d done something this morning. Something that I knew he wasn’t
going to like. But I’d had to do it. And I also had to tell him
that I’d done it, even if it made him really angry.

Clearing my throat, I glanced around the bar full of witnesses.
Well, at least he couldn’t kill me after I told him. “Um, Kellan,
since we’re doing the honesty-at-all-costs policy, I have something
to confess.”

He grinned at me, his hands around my waist tightening. “Rob a
bank while I was gone?”

Smirking at him, I shook my head. “No.”

He leaned in, raising an eyebrow. “A sex shop?”

Flushing, I looked away. “No, I didn’t rob anyone.” Laughing, I
looked back at where he was still giving me a devilish smile,
probably still envisioning me in a sex shop. My cheeks heating, I
smacked his chest and spat out, “Stop picturing me…where you’re
picturing me.”

Laughing, he kissed my cheek. “Okay, what is it?”

Feeling seriousness fall around me, I bit my lip. “Okay, it’s
going to make you mad, but hear me out before you start
yelling.”

The smile immediately fell from his face and he narrowed his
eyes. “What did you do?” he asked cautiously.

Swallowing, I started tracing the letters of my name on his
shirt. Following the tattooed lines hidden beneath the fabric, I
subtly reminded him that he loved me…just in case he forgot in
about three seconds. “I invited your dad and his family to the
graduation party at Pete’s.”