"It actually is. I'm off to a tropical island so no complaints here." She smiled. "Anyway, I have to finish packing. I came out to check on you, but clearly you're in good hands so ..." She blushed at her inadvertent s.e.xual innuendo.

Grey grinned. "Nice to meet you, Ella."

"Same here, Kingston. Take care of my girl while I'm gone," she said, pinning him with a warning glare he took seriously.

"I intend to."

As he knew from his older sister, best girlfriends were not to be underestimated. Neither was the skittish woman who wasn't taking his intentions seriously.

Chapter Seven.

For Avery, the afternoon pa.s.sed quickly. Grey stuck around, though they didn't discuss anything serious, just hung out like old times. He told her he liked the bright, cheerful colors she'd chosen for her apartment and he appreciated the large, comfortable furniture. She had big brothers, she reminded him, and had decorated accordingly.

Tyler returned as promised and installed a deadbolt and new lock, necessitating two keys for entry. She refrained from rolling her eyes at him, knowing not only was this his job but he wouldn't worry about her as much if she let him do his thing. Ella had already left for the airport, so Avery had no chance to observe her brother and her best friend again and figure out the tension she'd noticed earlier.

By the time Tyler finished working and left for the day, it was dinnertime. "What time are we going to your parents'?" she asked.

Grey didn't answer immediately, and she walked over to where he sat on the sofa. Head bent, notepad in hand, he hummed to himself, jotting things down, lost in thought. Or in his own head.

This was Grey as she remembered from high school. Often she'd find him sitting somewhere, anywhere-the cafeteria, at a desk, outside under a tree. To the outsider, he was daydreaming, but Avery knew he was writing songs in his head, putting words to paper.

She smiled and came up behind him, wrapping her arms around his neck and snuggling her face close to his.

"Hey, sugar."

Her stomach tumbled at the endearment, and she sighed happily. Here, when they were alone, just Avery and Grey, she could pretend the outside world didn't exist. She could put her problems, their problems, into a little box, shut the lid, and forget for a little while. It was one of the coping strategies her first psychologist had taught her, and it came naturally now.

"Hey yourself. Tyler's gone. Yelled good-bye. You didn't even hear him go."

He winced.

"He didn't notice," she said.

"More like he didn't care, but don't worry. We've come to an understanding."

And she appreciated the effort they were both making even if Grey's was more overt than her brother's. "When do you want to go to your parents'?" she asked again.

"I figured after the day you had, you'd be exhausted and want to stay in tonight."

She frowned and walked around the sofa, sitting down beside him. "Are you trying to avoid going there?" She knew he'd have to face his mom, and sooner was better than later.

"No, I just thought you wouldn't want to deal with the paparazzi if we go out."

She closed her eyes and pulled in a deep breath. "I thought we discussed this. I'll deal with whatever I have to."

"For now," he tacked on, repeating her words from earlier. He didn't seem to like or understand why she'd said them. More like he didn't want to.

Instead of getting back on that topic, she picked up his cell phone and held it out to him. "Call your mom. Tell her we're coming over." She rose to her feet.

"Where are you going?" he asked.

"To change and get ready to leave." She didn't want to head over to his mom's in the ratty jean shorts she'd changed into to hang around for the afternoon.

"You're being bossy."

"You like me bossy." She spun and headed for the bedroom.

"I like you," he called out, his words ringing in her ears.

After Avery disappeared into her room, Grey pocketed the sheets of paper from the notepad he'd been writing in. It had been awhile since he'd worked on new lyrics. Being with Avery again had opened up the creative side of his brain that had shut down after Milo's overdose. He'd channeled all the longing, the need and desire into words that flowed onto the pages. Later he'd play with his guitar, putting them to the music floating in his head.

Being with Avery sparked his imagination. Of course it was h.e.l.l not touching her as he'd watched her help Tyler. She'd pulled her long hair into a ponytail that bounced against her back as she moved. Her sweet a.s.s, enclosed in tight, denim shorts, had provided dirty thoughts and distractions, none of which he could act on with her brother in the room. But their banter and bickering had also helped his artistic expression. Anything she did, it seemed, brought out the best in his muse.

When she finally rejoined him, she'd changed into a flowing lavender sundress with a halter top that cinched at the waist, accentuating her s.e.xy curves. It was a casual dress, perfect for his mom's impromptu barbeque that she'd insisted on putting together when she heard not only was Grey coming over, he was bringing Avery. The excitement in her voice helped quell Grey's nerves and guilt, though he knew neither would go away completely until he apologized and explained.

For now, his focus was on his girl. He refused to think of Avery as anything less and whistled appreciatively as she entered the room.

She blushed, twirled, and curtsied. "Glad you like."

Nothing not to like, he thought and grinned. "Are you ready to face the lions?"

The smile on her face fell a bit, and his heart squeezed at how easily he'd taken her happiness.

"Didn't Tyler say they were gone from out front?" she asked.

Grey nodded. "They are. But one of them could be waiting on a public road, ready to follow us. They take pictures from cars too," he explained, knowing she had to understand every part of his life.

She swallowed hard. "We'll have Rick Devlin following us," she said of the bodyguard her brother had a.s.signed to her.

She'd objected to being driven around like a pampered princess, so Grey and her brother had agreed to let Rick tail her instead. Marco often doubled as Grey's driver when going to and from venues for concerts and appearances, but he didn't think things were that intense at the moment.

They'd be fine. He didn't like the idea of needing protection, but he couldn't expect Avery to accept things easily if he didn't.

"Good point," he said with a forced smile on his face.

"What's wrong?" Avery looked at him with concern in her pretty eyes.

f.u.c.k that. He didn't want to make her sad or have her worry unnecessarily.

He reached out and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "Not a thing. I'm actually looking forward to being alone with you in the car and taking a nice drive in my Aston Martin," he said with an easier, more genuine grin.

She groaned. "Better than us slumming it in my BMW. Jeez, Grey, do you hear yourself?"

He laughed. "Only the best for you, Very. The Aston Martin it is."

A little while later, Avery gave Rick the keys to Grey's car in a discreet exchange at the building's entrance. The bodyguard pulled up front for them. He and Grey exchanged places, Avery sliding into the pa.s.senger seat, no photographers, no incident. Still, knowing they were driving his showy car, Grey wore a Mariner's cap Avery had lying around along with his sungla.s.ses. Avery slid hers on too, and with Rick following close behind, they were on their way.

During the drive to Grey's parents', Avery chatted about Rick, who apparently had also done bodyguard duty for her sister-in-law Meg a few months ago. Grey kept an eye on him in the rearview mirror. The guy kept up with his driving and clearly had an eye on the road and another one behind him. Grey relaxed when he realized the other man would keep Avery safe when Grey wasn't around.

They pulled up to the patio home Grey had bought for his mother and stepfather in a safe, gated community. Because of Grey's fame, he'd insisted on a development with security for his mom, and they'd accepted his requirement in exchange for some of their own. Namely no cookie cutter complex where all homes looked alike, and they wanted the ability to do gardening on the grounds of their home themselves. No community a.s.sociation telling them what they could and couldn't plant, what their house had to look like, or who they had to hire for the things they couldn't do themselves.

Grey'd been so happy they had been willing to leave the not-so-safe area where he'd grown up, he'd deposited money into an account and stepped back. Too far back, he accepted now. As he parked the car, he drew in a deep breath. Time to make amends, he thought.

He looked at the immaculate, beautifully manicured lawn and shrubbery. He didn't know the name of one plant or flower they'd planted, nor did he care. But as he admired the adobe-colored house with a dark roof, the just-cut green lawn, and the pretty flowers scattered throughout, Grey acknowledged for the first time that the small home they'd chosen suited them.

Grey exited and helped Avery out of the vehicle, aware of Rick in the car, parked and idling, behind them. Avery seemed not to be bothered by her shadow, and she quickly slipped her hand into Grey's, as if she sensed how much he needed her warmth and support as they readied to see his mom and stepdad.

"It's a great community," she said. "We pa.s.sed a clubhouse, and there are so many people outside walking their dogs. They must love it here."

Grey nodded. "I was just thinking how perfect it is," he said. "The right size and so immaculate outside. I bet they did it all themselves." To his surprise, he heard the pride and admiration in his voice.

Avery gave his hand a rea.s.suring squeeze. She turned toward him, a smile on her face, so open and sweet he had to have a taste. "The house itself is so beautiful."

He braced his hands on either side of her face. "So are you," he said, his tone as gruff as the sudden surge of need. He always wanted her, but every d.a.m.n time he looked into those eyes, it caught him off guard.

"Don't get started here. I have to go in and face your parents." But a pink flush of arousal stained her cheeks.

"And you don't want to be all wet and aroused when you do, huh?" he asked. Just the thought of her moist panties had him shifting uncomfortably where he stood.

"Grey!" she said, horrified, but the heady glaze in her eyes told another story. She was just as affected as him.

It had been a long day, from worrying about the press to concern about her refusal to be serious about them to having to face his family after so long. He couldn't think of a better way to de-stress than to lose himself in Avery. He pressed his lips hard against hers, pouring everything he had and felt into the kiss. She welcomed him, opening herself easily, his tongue claiming hers over and over.

"We have to go in," she finally murmured between breaths, but her hands weren't pushing him away, they were curling into his shirt, her nails biting into his skin.

With difficulty, he pulled away and drew in deep, calming breaths. A glance told him Rick sat discreetly in the driver's seat, ignoring his clients making out like teenagers behind the car.

"Grey!" His mother's voice brought reality crashing back around him.

He held up one finger toward her. "Just a sec," he called back.

He glanced at Avery, her eyes bright, cheeks flushed, and mouth puffy from his kiss. He swiped his finger over her damp lips. "You ready?"

"I think you should be asking yourself that question," she muttered, glancing down at his c.o.c.k, straining hard against his cargo shorts.

"Yeah. Talk to me about something. Anything."

She rolled her eyes. "You started it. Now pull yourself together." With a wink and a laugh, she drew her shoulders back and headed to greet his mother.

Grey's mother met him on the front porch and hugged him tight, the familiar smell of her perfume wrapping around him. His mother had always been pet.i.te, five foot two, and when she hugged him, he towered over her. But that didn't make the strength of her hugs any less potent, and a lump formed in his throat.

"My baby boy."

Though he was slightly embarra.s.sed at her word choice, he was also close to a complete breakdown at how easily she welcomed him home, no questions asked.

"Hi, Mom," he said, finally extricating himself from her embrace and taking her in.

She'd aged well, her skin still nearly flawless and the lines in her face minimal. Her hair was still dark, no grey, and she was clearly relaxed and happy. Life obviously agreed with her.

She grasped his hands in her weathered, work-worn ones. "Let me look at you."

Grey shot Avery an amused glance, and she grinned back at him.

"Hush," his mother said. "I'll get to her next. Humor me." She looked him over thoroughly and said, "You need to eat."

Avery burst out laughing, redrawing his mother's attention to her.

"It's so good to see you again!" His mom kissed Avery's cheek. "Thank you for bringing my boy home."

Avery's eyes grew wide, and distress flashed over her face. "No, I didn't. This was all him."

Grey's mother pinned Avery with a knowing stare, one Grey had been treated to many times growing up. "A mother knows. He came home for you."

"Mrs. Mendez," Avery began.

"Susie. You always called me by my first name, remember?"

"Susie." Avery's smile grew more genuine. "Don't believe everything you read in the papers. I didn't have anything to do with breaking up the band," she rushed to a.s.sure his mother.

As if his mom cared one bit whether or not Tangled Royal existed as long as Grey was happy.

"Those rags," she said with a dismissive wave of her hand.

"This one was reputable, but they still got it wrong," Avery said.

"Doesn't matter. I always knew you two were meant to be."

"Mom, let's go inside," Grey said before she could spook Avery any more.

As Grey walked into the house, he was struck by the memories that a.s.saulted him. The scent was familiar as his mom's perfume lingered. And the pictures on the walls, the pieces on the shelves, the furniture in the living room were all equally familiar. They'd allowed him to buy the house, but they'd kept the old furniture. Some of the pieces were refurbished, but Ricardo always had a talented hand, and Grey felt certain he'd done the work himself.

Instead of frustration, a sense of pride welled up in him for both his mom and stepdad. "Is Ricardo home?"

"He's out back. Why don't you go help him with the grill, and Avery and I will go into the kitchen." Grey glanced at Avery, but she was already following his mother into the kitchen, the only room she'd let him do a complete overhaul in because Susie loved to cook.

Grey found his stepfather outside on the patio.