Backstage Pass

“Vegas is only a four hour drive from here, you know.”

She brandished a slotted spoon at him. “Don’t go there, Brian.”

“Or you could just move in with me.”

“I have this job I’m rather attached to and I’ve heard the commute from Los Angeles to Kansas City is a kil er.”

“You could retire.”

“Retire?” She gaped at him. “I’m thirty-five years old. How do you expect me to support myself?”

“I’l support you.”

“I told you not to go there, Brian. You’re going there.”

“Then I’l move in with you. When I’m not on tour or in the recording studio, I’l cal Kansas City my home.”

“Okay, you total y went there.”

“Is it so wrong that I want to be with you?”

No, it was wrong that she was starting to agree with him, which she knew was a huge mistake. “This week apart wil do us both good.”

He dropped his head to the counter and rubbed his face over its surface. “Don’t say that. I already miss you and you aren’t even gone yet.”

She sighed and turned off the pan of pasta. Why did he always have to be so sweet to her? He was making it awful y f**king hard for her to keep him at arm’s length.

“Do you have a colander?” she asked.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“A strainer. To drain the pasta.”

“There you go, changing the subject again.”

“Would you prefer I leave? I’m feeling very crowded by you at the moment.”

He sighed heavily. “In the second drawer, next to the refrigerator.”

Silence hung between them as she finished fixing the meal. He eventual y climbed from his stool and set two plates and sets of silverware on the breakfast bar.

“Wil Trey and Carly join us?” She glanced at him. He was pouting again.

“Doubtful.”

When they sat down to eat, she took his hand. “You know my job is important to me, don’t you?”

“I just wish I was important to you.”

Her heart twanged. “I never said you weren’t important to me. That’s not why I need this week away from you. I have to do wel with this research project, Brian. If I don’t publish some compel ing results by the end of the summer, I’m not going to have a job for much longer.”

“What? Why didn’t you say something?”

“I’m not proud of the position I’m in. I don’t real y like doing research in the first place, but I love to teach. I wouldn’t trade that part of my job for anything.” She sighed. “The University requires I bring in a certain amount of outside funding to keep my job and I lost my big grant a couple of months ago. I don’t have tenure yet. That means I have to make myself financial y valuable to the University or they’l let me go. This summer side project is enough to keep me there for another year, hopeful y, but I don’t know what I’m going to do after that. I don’t want to give this job up. I worked too hard to get where I am to throw in the towel now. That’s why as much as I love having fun with you and spending time with you, I’ve got to get my work done. Do you understand?”

“Yeah, I think I get it. By pressuring you, I’m pushing you away.”

“Exactly.”

He squeezed her hand and smiled. “I’m glad you told me, Myrna. I feel a little better about you being gone for a whole week.”

She released his hand and picked up her fork. It felt good to confide in him. She didn’t have anyone in her life to share her worries with. It was nice in an unexpected way. “Maybe I’l get caught up with my work faster than I ever thought possible and come back early.”

He grinned hopeful y. “Yeah?”

She shrugged and took a bite of her tortel ini. “We’l see.”

“So do you want to arrange that threesome with Trey before you go or when you return?” He winked at her. She paused with her fork halfway to her mouth. She wasn’t sure how she could be calm when she said, “Surprise me.”

Chapter 32

With a sleepy grin, Myrna stretched her arms over her head and rol ed over to spoon against Brian’s back. She had to be on a plane in twelve hours, but the last thing she wanted to do this morning was climb out of bed. She rubbed her hands over his bel y, her lips caressing his shoulder. They had a couple of hours to say a proper good-bye and she was planning to fil every minute with pleasure. He shuddered as her hands trailed up his chest, her fingers bumping over the hoop in his left nipple.

Her eyes flipped open. Nipple ring?

“Don’t stop now,” Trey murmured drowsily. “Feels nice.”

Instantly wide awake, Myrna sat up. She jerked up the sheet to cover her bare br**sts. “What are you doing here?”

“I invited him,” Brian said from the opposite side of the bed.

“Slumber party.” Trey’s eyes drifted closed.

Myrna scooted closer to Brian, her heart hammering. Brian had her flat on her back beneath him in seconds. “Trey’s tired. We’l start without him.”

He linked their hands together on either side of her head and kissed her until her rigid body began to relax.

“I’m not that tired.” Trey’s hand slid across Myrna’s bel y and she tensed again. “Save some of that for me,” he murmured. Soft lips brushed her shoulder.

She tore her mouth from Brian’s and looked at Trey. His emerald green eyes met hers unflinchingly.

“You okay?” Brian asked her. “If you’ve changed your mind, we can stop.”

Trey’s hand slid up her side, drawing a trail of gooseflesh in its wake. He cupped her breast, his thumb brushing over her pebbled nipple. Her eyes drifted closed with pleasure.

“I don’t think it’s her who wil have a problem with this,” Trey said to Brian. “I’m more worried about you. You are not al owed to hate me for this.”

“We’ve done this before, Trey. Did I ever have a problem then?”

“But you real y lo—” Trey took a deep breath. “You real y care about Myrna.”

“And I trust her. I know she won’t cheat on me behind my back.”

She smiled and reached up to trace his brow with her fingertips. “You’re right. I wouldn’t.”

“But cheating to your face is fine?” Trey asked.

“This isn’t cheating,” Myrna said. “It’s a mutual y agreed upon sexual experience. But if you don’t want to join us, you can leave.”