Giving me an apologetic shrug, Kellan returned his sunglasses to the clip attached to the visor. He hopped out of the car and started grabbing Anna’s bags from the backseat. I helped him while my sister looked around with approval in her eyes; she was in seventh heaven. With a wide smile, she locked her eyes onto a blond, blue-eyed man sporting an eight pack. “Oh, yeah, I definitely could get used to this.”
My eyes zoomed in on the blond man’s counterpart. She was wearing a triangle top bikini that barely held in her curves; curves that were too round and perky to be natural. As she walked past the car, the curvy woman gave my husband a onceover and husked out, “Hey, Kellan.”
Kellan nodded at her, then cast me a quick glance. By great effort, I kept my face smooth. It didn’t matter if he knew a bunch of beautiful blondes. I was the only woman who would be sharing his bed. I did wish I couldn’t see her entire ass as she walked away, though. I mean, really, with how little she was wearing, she shouldn’t have even bothered with clothes at all. She obviously wanted to be naked, and I was sure she probably would be at some point today.
Loaded down with luggage, the three of us made our way inside the spacious home. Everything was first class—the overpriced art on the walls, the leather couches dotting the room, the Persian rugs lining the hardwood floors. Everything screamed money, and as a result, I was a little scared to touch anything. The half-dressed couples lounging around the home like it was their own didn’t seem to share my reservations. They draped their bodies across armchairs, used coffee tables without coasters, picked leaves off of impossibly manicured trees. One was even smoking in the corner. Rebel.
Ignoring them all, Kellan led us upstairs. There was loud music blaring outside. But it was much more subdued the farther into the house we got. Large panes of glass in the curving staircase gave me a view of the central pool in the backyard, where the bulk of the people were loitering. I couldn’t be sure, but I thought I saw Griffin in the mix . . . and that he had a bikini-clad ass on his lap. Too distracted by the fineries around her, Anna didn’t notice where her boyfriend was. Not that she would care. Well, I didn’t think she would care, anyway.
When we got to the second floor, Kellan led us to a large living room. The way it was set up, it reminded me of a dorm: the main room was the communal gathering area, the door to my left was a free-for-all bathroom, and the five doors along the perimeter of the curved wall were clearly bedrooms. A slider to the second-floor deck was straight in front of us. Evan and Matt stepped through it as Kellan and I dropped our bags to the floor.
The blond guitarist was laughing and juggling a water balloon in his hand as he said something to Evan that sounded like, “Nice toss.” Evan shrugged, raising his tattoo-covered arms in an adorable display of modesty.
Anna brightened at seeing our boys and looked behind them for Griffin; he usually wasn’t too far from his cousin. I didn’t have the heart to tell her that I was pretty sure Griffin was waist deep in half-naked babes. Sneaking a quick peek around the space, a thrill of delight went through me that no one but D-Bags appeared to be on this floor. The revelers must have been keeping the party downstairs and outside. That was fine by me. Maybe Kellan and I would be able to have that privacy after all.
When Matt and Evan noticed us, their playful demeanors turned warm and welcoming. Matt gave me a brief embrace, then Evan scooped me up into a giant bear hug; my feet left the ground. After Anna greeted them, she asked Matt, “Where’s Griffin?” A small pout graced her perfect lips as she rubbed her growing belly.
Matt glanced at Evan, then Kellan. I heard the question in his pale, blue eyes as he sought confirmation from his band mates: Do we tell her? It irritated me that there was a moment of “guy code” camaraderie going on, but I decided not to be mad about it. The band had been together a long time. They’d been through a lot of hard times together, I was sure. They were family, and family stuck by each other . . . even if one sibling was a jackass.
Finally seeing the answer he needed, Matt focused his attention on Anna. Indicating the deck behind him with his thumb, he told her, “He’s by the pool.”
Evan smiled and added, “Look for the annoyed one with sour milk dripping down his face.”
Matt snorted and held up his hand to Evan. “Damn fine shot, man.” The two boys high-fived and I glanced at the remaining balloon in Matt’s hand. It was bright pink, and now that I was paying more attention, I could see that there was an opaque liquid inside it, not clear. Definitely not water, then. Milk? And not just any milk. Now that I was close enough, I could smell the balloon . . . and it did not smell good.
A milk stink bomb? Ew. Disgusting. Good thing Matt and Evan’s victims were standing beside a pool. Even though it was wrong of me, I sort of hoped they’d nailed tiny-triangle-top girl who’d openly flirted with Kellan.