Brooklyn Rockstar (Kendall Family #1) (17 page)

“I…uh…” There’s a little smile on Evelyn’s lips when she turns to me, silently begging for help. “We met at the bar where I work.”

I wrap my arm behind Evelyn’s back. “Glad you could stop by to meet her, Kate. Sorry, but you just caught us on our way out.”

My sister’s eyes narrow, heavy with suspicion. “Where you going?”

Meeting her gaze, I give a small shake of my head in warning. If she mentions anything about a fucking wedding I’m going to throw her over my goddamned shoulder and carry her out to her car.

“Shopping,” Evelyn answers, looking up at me with a teasing frown. “Your brother whisked me away without bothering to tell me that we were going somewhere for several days.”

“That sounds nothing like him,” Katie tells her in a flat tone, eyes still narrowed. Then something flicks in her gaze and she gasps. “I can take you! It’d be a girls’ thing! We’d have fun and get to know each other at the same time!”

“I’m
taking her, Katie,” I argue, pulling Evelyn tight up against me.

“Don’t be ridiculous. She doesn’t want to go with some guy who knows absolutely nothing about fashion unless it’s sent to his front door by a designer. We both know I’m perfect for the job.” Katie drags Evelyn away from me, clicking her tongue. “You always were reluctant to share things as a kid, too. Don’t worry, I’ll have her back to you in two hours tops.”

“You’re not even supposed to be here,” I remind her.

“It’s okay, Charlie,” Evelyn decides, giggling at my sister’s insistence. Hands on my chest, she looks up at me with her eyelashes fluttering. “I don’t mind.”

“See? She doesn’t mind,” Katie parrots in a bratty tone. Keys to the Beamer I bought her last Christmas swinging in her hand, she turns her back to us, starting for the door. “I’ll be using the Amex card, baby brother. I plan on taking her to only the really
good places and not somewhere cheap. I’ll be in the driveway when you’re ready, Evelyn.” She waves over her shoulder without turning back. “Bye, Char-Char.”

The minute she’s gone, taking the little tornado of madness with her, Evelyn busts out in a nasally laugh, pointing at the door. “That’s your sister?”

I grin with the sound of her funny little laugh. It’s cute while sexy at the same time. “She’s a bit much at first, but you’ll get used to her.”

She shakes her head, grinning. “Oh, I like her! This is going to be fun!”

Something about their mutual approval on first sight and the enjoyment in Evelyn’s expression creates a tight band inside my chest. “I like
you,”
I blurt.

Evelyn’s grin grows into a sexy smile. “I like you too, Walker.”

The room spins as I bring her back into my arms for a long kiss, wanting to make it count since my sister is stealing her from me. I already miss her, which is something that can go down in the books as another first.

Charlie Walker doesn’t pine after women,
Danny says
.

I also never used to kiss them deeply while dreaming what it will be like when I finally get to make love to them. My life is changing, whether I’m ready for it or not, and this woman is going to become the center of it.

Fuck me. I think I might be in love.

I
’m spared
the fear of having little to talk about with Katie on the car ride as she doesn’t appear to have an “off” switch. The minute I’m buckled into her sleek convertible, she’s chatting away like we’ve known each other all our lives as we tear down the streets in neck-breaking speeds.

“You’ve probably already noticed I’m the talker in the family. When Charlie was little he didn’t talk forever and they were worried there was something wrong with him until they realized I did all the talking for him.”

She buzzes around someone texting on their phone and honks, flipping them her middle finger. “I take it you’re not from the Hamptons or we wouldn’t be going on this shopping spree. Is this your first time here? Charlie hasn’t said much about you. He hasn’t said anything
,
really. What little I know about you is from what I’ve seen on the internet.” She points a pink fingernail at me. “Don’t tell Charlie I said that. He’ll go postal if he knows I said that. I’m not supposed to read stuff they write about his life. Half of it’s a crock of shit anyway.”

“I won’t say a word,” I insist, laughing. My mind swarms with her questions as I try to decide which one to answer first. I’m guessing it’s safe to open up to Charlie’s sister or he wouldn’t have allowed her to take me away. “I just moved to Brooklyn Heights from Minnesota.”

Her hands hit the steering wheel, making me jump. “I
knew
there was something familiar about your accent! In college I had a friend from
Minn-e-soda
until she met some dickwad from the south and moved away. You’d think with the internet and such we’d keep in touch but apparently she’s too wrapped up in her six kids to keep in touch.”

The dizzying conversation continues on until we reach a row of trendy boutiques. Their neat facades painted white or covered in brick are enchanting and something about the bright, clean lines of the stores reminds me of Sharlo, making me wonder how many times she’s been shopping here with her father. Despite her insistence that I pursue this thing with Charlie, I can’t stop feeling guilty for ditching her this long.

I hide beneath my floppy hat as Katie flies through the first clothing store, filling my arms with things she thinks are “adorable” and “would fit me perfectly.” Though I doubt by the bright outfit she’s wearing we have the same taste, she still manages to nail my style with her choices so I don’t protest with every trip to the fitting room. After awhile I learn not to question the price of anything, either, as Katie’s apparently the one who has final say.

“There’s no limit on this thing,” she tells me, flashing a black credit card on our way to the cash register with my first purchases. “Charlie made me an authorized user for things like repairs to the beach house and emergencies. I don’t normally use it that much but
this,
my dear, is most definitely what I would call an emergency. What kind of guy makes a girl go on a trip without letting her pack a bag? Our mom taught him better, I swear to you. Sometimes that kid’s head is screwed on backwards, but you’ll learn how to straighten it out over time. He really,
really
likes you, I can tell. The way he went all caveman back there and almost didn’t let me take you? That one’s protective as a momma lion with her cubs. He’s got it bad for you, sister.”

Her words stick in my head as we go store-to-store, collecting more bags that are nearly as heavy as my unrelenting guilt. Everything Katie throws in my arms has a designer label and costs three times what I’m used to paying. I stick to the basics as best as I can, only letting her buy a swimsuit, some shirts, and a sundress. As much as I wanted to buy a skimpy bikini that would drive Charlie insane, I made a point in picking out something tasteful and modest incase someone recognizes us while we’re out on the boat. Plus there was the added awkwardness of his sister insisting on seeing everything I try on.

Since I always carry perfume and a wand of mascara in my purse, and Charlie seems so fond of my freckles in the wild, I turn down Katie’s offer to stop by a beauty store. Our last stop is a lingerie shop where I pick out a couple pairs of underwear, intending to hand-wash the pair I’m wearing in the morning along with my shorts. While Katie’s busy chatting with a friend she ran into, I manage to purchase a sexy bra with my own money. It nearly costs half of my first paycheck from the bar, but I want to surprise Charlie with something sexy when
we agree we’re both ready for sex.

The kiss he gave me before I left the beach house left me all hot, achy, and hopeful this weekend will move along quickly so we can get to the deed. As many times as his body rubbed up against mine in the night when we made out, it’s clear he’s large and my imagination runs wild when I envision him pleasuring me with more than just his hand or mouth. Admittedly, a part of me’s terrified that first time sex with Charlie will be unbearably painful.

“You ready to head back?” Katie asks, suddenly back at my side.

Cheeks warm from being caught while fantasizing about her brother, I nod.

A
fter Katie helps
me unload the bags into the garage, I release a small yip in surprise when she jumps me with a hug. “I’m so glad I had the chance to spend time with you, Evelyn. You’re good for my brother. He needs someone like you after all the shit he’s been through. I don’t know what forces brought the two of you together, but I think you’re what he needs to get his career back on track. Just remember under all that swoon-worthy ink and those bulky muscles there’s a sweet guy from Brooklyn who wants to be loved like everyone else. He’s not a bad guy.”

Not knowing what to say, I bring my hands up to hug her back. “You’re not coming in?”

“Let’s be real,” she says, drawing away with a goofy grin. “My brother wants me crashing your romantic weekend about as much as he wants the paparazzi digging around in your lives. Besides, my mission’s accomplished. I came by so I could meet the girl who finally stole my brother’s heart.” Taking my hands in hers, she winks. “And he’s gonna lose his shit when he sees everything we bought today. No way I want to be around for that.”

The mention of Charlie’s heart sends an army of butterflies swarming through my chest. Does she really think he could love me?

Squeezing her hands, I giggle. “Thanks for everything. I’m really glad I got to meet you too. Nice to know Charlie’s family is down to earth.”

“Don’t let the stardom thing get to you, Evelyn. You’ll get used to it with time. It’s not so bad.” She throws me a wink before heading back to her car.

The house is empty. After I’ve changed into my swimming suit, I find Charlie out back, all smiles when I step out onto the patio. His icy blue eyes flicker over my side-braid and exposed skin with approval.

“I don’t suppose you’d rather stay here and fool around?” he asks, gathering me in his arms. When he kisses me, long and hard, I almost consider taking him up on his offer.

Then I step away and scrunch my nose. “You’re not getting out of that boat ride you promised. I grew up in the land of ten thousand lakes. Where I’m from, we take our play time in the water seriously. Do we need to grab food and drinks?”

“Everything we need is already on the boat,” he tells me. “You think this is my first voyage?”

This “boat” turns out to be a 40-something-foot yacht. After watching him help another man maneuver everything in preparation for launch, shirt off and muscles flexed, I fall for him a little harder. Though he obviously knows his way around the water as he steers us out of the bay, I’m excited he hired someone to man the boat so we can relax together on a bench in the back.

“Hope hard lemonade is okay,” he says, handing me a bottle wrapped in a bright koozie. “Katie took the boat out last and it’s her drink of choice. There must be an entire case of it down there.”

“I’m good with anything wet,” I answer, my face growing warm when it makes me think of other things. Accepting the drink, I shiver when he settles close to me and his tattooed arm pushes across my bare arm.

Looking down on me, his brilliant white smile is almost as blinding as the sun. “You look at home.”

Crossing my legs out on the white bench and leaning into him, I tip my head back to meet the warm sun and smile. “We’ve always spent every weekend in the summer on the water. It isn’t anything near this nice, though. Until my dad bought a boat, we were sometimes lucky if we could find someone with a fishing boat to take us for a ride.”

His beautiful eyes dance with appreciation when he smiles. “I love the fact that you seem to dig the water scene as much as I do. This boat was one of the first things I bought after our first record went platinum. My parents took us to Coney Island every weekend when I was a kid. There’s something calming about being around the water. Whenever I’m out here, it feels like I’m home.”

The way his face lights up as he talks about his boat warms my heart. Until this moment I hadn’t considered just how much I enjoyed being on the water and love that Charlie feels so passionate about it. A girl could get used to cruising around on a boat like this with a guy like him.

We fall into a pattern of questions and answers, sharing more details of our childhoods as we fly over the blue waters and make a small dent in his sister’s lemonade stash, even stopping for a dip in the cool water. Charlie points out landmarks on the shore as we pass and later we break out snacks from the kitchen down below. More than anything, we genuinely enjoy each other’s company and somehow manage to do nothing more than cuddle or hold hands.

Before I know it, my buzz is gone and the sun is sinking down to the horizon as we head back to the yacht club. An anxious swell climbs into my throat. Once we’re back at the beach house, there won’t be anything to stop us from doing whatever we want. As easy as it was to spend the afternoon without jumping him, it was mainly due the fact that we had an audience and I didn’t want to miss the beautiful view. By now there’s no way to deny that I’ve fallen in love. But after his unexpected rejection the night before, I doubt he’s ready the way I am.

“What’s the plan?” I ask.

“Dinner,” Charlie tells me with one eyebrow cocked. Before I’m able to ask any questions, he adds, “Don’t worry, the food’s coming to us.”

Charlie assists the captain in docking the boat before we leave. Just as we step off the dock, hand-in-hand, we’re met with a small man wielding a giant camera. Heart leaping into my throat, I stop dead in my tracks. There’s no chance a tourist would be running around with a camera that massive. I pull down on the floppy black hat, glad I thought to wear it along with my sunglasses.

“The paps are known to hang out around on this beach,” Charlie whispers under his breath, tugging my hand until I move. “I’m not the only celebrity who docks here. Ignore him and keep walking.”

“Charlie!” the man calls out, practically tripping over himself to keep up. “You ready to give us the name of your mystery lady? The world is dying to know everything about her! I’d love an exclusive!”

“It’s okay,” Charlie whispers, squeezing my hand. “The yacht club threatened to restrain them from entering the property if they follow anyone home.”

Though I’m unsettled by seeing the reporter, we make it back to the beach house without being followed, just as Charlie promised. While he’s in the master bathroom taking a shower, I sneak into the bedroom to slip into my newly purchased bra and underwear, not wanting to sit around in a wet suit any longer.

Upon catching my reflection in the full-length mirror across the room, I stop to shamelessly check myself out. The satiny material feels amazing on my skin, hugging to my curves like a glove and cutting across my butt cheeks in exactly the right places. The matching pushup bra does a respectable job of making my breasts appear a full cup size bigger and for as much as it cost, I’d be willing to bet the sparkling design in the center is made with Swarovski crystals. Forget Victoria’s Secret. I can finally appreciate why rich women would spend obscene amounts of money on good lingerie.

The door between the rooms opens before I’m ready and Charlie emerges, body sprinkled with water droplets and towel slung low on his thick hips. My eyes catch the sharp V leading down beneath the towel and I suddenly can’t breathe. I’ve seen him without a shirt, but there's something irresistible about him in nothing more than a piece of loosely draped fabric that prevents him from standing naked in front of me.

Frozen in the doorway, his eyes rake over my skin, making me feel completely naked beneath the heat of his stare. Then those icy blues roll upward and I suck in a breath. The connection of our gazes releases a warm glow that burns deep inside my gut and makes my lower half completely numb. He struts toward me with confidence, his eyes blazing.

Stopping a mere foot away, he hooks the bra strap with a damp finger. “This from your shopping trip today?”

I look down to see him rip off a tag with his fingers and my face heats. The last thing I want is for him to think I spent that much of his money on underwear. “Uh, yeah. It was something I wanted to buy with my own money.”

Still holding the towel in place with one hand, his other hand dusts over the tender skin of my breasts, tracing the lines of the pale pink bra. My skin erupts in goosebumps with his touch and all at once my nipples are as hard as diamonds. When his head dips low, I’m filled with the fresh scent of body wash, shampoo, and Charlie. His lips graze up and down my neck, pausing beside my ear.

“Solid choice,” he says in a half growl. “You’re so goddamned sexy.”

Grabbing onto his hips, I close my eyes and stretch my neck to the side, beckoning him to continue. A small moan falls from my lips when he delivers biting kisses to the base of my neck, then drags his lips down to nip at the top of my breasts.

“Fucking beautiful,” he mutters, his warm breath tickling my pebbled skin.

I drag him in closer, practically coming apart at the seams with the feel of a mere towel and underwear separating us. He’s hard and ready. Slipping his free hand down to release my breast from the new bra, he moans when seeing my rock hard nipple. I reach for the hand holding his towel in place and encourage his fingers to let go.