18. Chapter 17
Chapter 17
Keaton
“You okay?” I asked Layne, whose face was uncharacteristically ashen.
She swallowed. Nodded. “Yes.”
“You know”—I narrowed my eyes at her—“I don’t like it when people lie to me, especially not my wife.”
The right side of her mouth curved up. “Says the guy who claims a brick was thrown through his window with an empty paper wrapped around it.”
Feisty.
“Let’s go downstairs.” I guided her to the backstairs leading to the lower floor we frequently used as a party room. I motioned at the carpet-covered steps. “Go ahead. I have to make some shots for social media.”
“Um, okay.” Layne gripped the railing and started her descent. Looked a little unsteady on those heels.
I unearthed my phone from my slacks and started filming.
Layne took a couple steps, then staggered. Although she clung to the railing, gravity took over. It was like someone had turned on slow motion when she pitched forward and sank onto her knees. The carpeted steps and her silk gown provided the perfect slippery slope, and she rode the stairs down like a hard rock guitarist sliding across the stage.
The jerk I was, I started laughing. I laughed so hard that I had to sit down because I couldn’t hold myself up anymore as I was sucking oxygen. Layne lay on the stairs below me, knees bent and touching the bottom landing while the rest of her body was sprawled on the steps. Her left hand still gripped the lower part of the railing.
Her body shook. She was laughing just as hard.
An elderly couple approached from the bottom. Both frowning, they eyeballed Layne, then discovered me. The man muttered something under his breath while the woman shook her head as they ascended past us.
I finally got myself enough under control that I could get up and jog down to my wife. “You okay?” I asked, still laughing as I caught her arms and hauled her to her feet, then helped her sit on the stairs. The ride had turned one of her heels up, so the sole was on top of her foot rather than under it, while the other had gotten lost somewhere on the way down.
“I can’t breathe,” she wheezed. “Did you see their faces?” She burst into another round of laughter. Tears streamed down her cheeks, leaving trails of diluted mascara.
“Like we’re nutcases.” I tried to keep it together as I opened the high heel she was still wearing. As usual, she tensed when I touched her. “You hurt?”
“Only my pride.” She made a face. “See, this is exactly why I don’t wear heels.”
“You should wear them more often. It’s highly entertaining.” Her scoff made me grin.
I caught her calf to help her put the shoe back on. My grin froze. Her skin felt incredibly smooth against my palm. And the cut in her dress revealed one beautiful tan leg.
My mouth went dry as images of that cherry fabric slipping off her body assaulted me.
It’s just a calf, Grady. Get a grip.
I cleared my throat, focusing on putting those stupid heels back on her feet. Only my hands shook like I was some hormonal teen who’d never touched a woman.
“Do you need help?” Layne asked, an eyebrow cocked.
“I got it,” I muttered, silently cursing the delicate buckle that kept slipping out of my fingers. Finally, I managed to put both of her heels on her feet and helped her stand. Her coconut scent engulfed me as I steadied her.
My brain went static.
“You, um . . . can let me go now.”
I stared down at Layne. Blinked. “You should fix your makeup.” I released her and put some distance between us.
“Is it bad?”
“Depends. If you want to look like a raccoon, you’re good.”
She laughed. “And that’s why I never wear makeup.”
“Layne, what happened?”
I turned to find Wentworth in the hallway behind me. His expression morphed from concerned to angry when his gaze locked with mine.
“What did you do?”
My own irritation flared. “Nothing,” I growled. But I was close to doing something, like sending my fist into his mug.
“It’s okay, Wentworth.” Layne stepped between us and placed a hand on my brother’s chest. The intimate gesture made me even more furious. “I laughed tears, that’s why my makeup is all messed up. If you guys would excuse me—I’ll go touch it up.”
I watched her disappear down the hall, then turned to Wentworth. “What’s your problem, man?”
“You treat her like garbage. Did you even ask if she’s okay?”
I scoffed. “You seriously got nothing better to do than micromanaging my marriage? Layne’s a grown woman. She can open her mouth and talk to me if something’s wrong.”
Not willing to put up with Wentworth’s crap, I shoved past him and headed for the party hall. It was packed with mingling guests, some dancing to the music of a Jazz band, others chatting and drinking. Soft, ambient lighting bathed the room.
The velvet carpet muffled my steps as I headed for the bar stretching along the back wall. I gripped the marble counter and stared at the different Lincs and other spirits no one ordered anyway displayed on a shelf behind the bartender. Everyone was meddling in my affairs since I’d gotten married. I just wanted my freedom back.
“Bad day?” A curvy woman with pale skin and fiery-red hair sidled up to me, a coy smile playing on her lips.
“Not anymore,” I answered, flashing a smile of my own.
“I’m glad I can help.” Biting her bottom lip, she turned to the bartender. “The Family Reserve, please.”
“Make that two.” To the woman I said, “I like your taste.”
“It’s the best whiskey out there.”
“I agree.”
Lowering her lashes, she looked me over. “Keaton, right?”
“Depends on who’s asking.”
She laughed. “Me.”
“Who’s me?”
“Cindy Farrell.”
That’s how fast you got a name. I proffered her my hand. “Pleased to meet you, Cindy Farrell.”
“Nice to meet you, too, Keaton Grady.” Her voice took on a sensual tone. “I’ve been waiting for this moment forever.”
“Are you going to leave me in the dark or are you telling me why?” Matching her posture, I leaned in. Tried to keep my eyes on hers rather than letting them wander. That dress didn’t leave much to the imagination.
She, on the other hand, was less subtle, her gaze raking over me. “Because you’re an impressive man.”
“Mr. Grady, your drinks.” The bartender set the two squat glasses down in front of us.
I was reaching for them to pass one to Cindy when my gaze snapped to my wedding band. The gold glinted in the dim light like a warning signal.
One that had the force of a sharp hit to the gut.
Crap, I shouldn’t be here. Shouldn’t converse with a random woman in a way that led down the road I was supposed to give a wide berth to.
Clearing my throat, I passed her the drink, then touched my tumbler to hers. “Was nice getting to know you.” I pivoted—
A hand caught my arm. “Wait.”
Gritting my teeth, I faced Cindy again. Don’t be a fool, Grady.
“We haven’t even gotten started yet.”
Her hazel eyes suggested so much more than words ever could, and man, my resolve was cracking, the dark side of my rotten soul taking over. We could disappear without anyone noticing. Sure as heck could use a release after this stressful week.
Lust seared into my gut, goading me to do it. To grab her and drag her into my office upstairs and forget about the stack of problems for a moment. No one would ever know.
I tore my gaze away from her. Are you crazy, man? You practically have LGD in your pocket. Don’t be stupid.
And if there was ever an opportunity to break away from my self-destructive lifestyle, the devouring darkness, it was now. I wanted to seize it. Wanted to better myself, even if I wasn’t sure if that was possible.
“I’m married,” I said, more as a reminder to myself than her.
“I didn’t think that would stop a man like you.”
That was the slap in the face I needed—being regarded as the cheater Regina was. I wasn’t like her. Refused to become like that. Cheating was one of the most rotten and selfish things one could do. Not to mention I could never hurt Layne like that.
She deserved so much better than the damaged man I was.
I looked Cindy square in the eye. “Don’t throw away your value for men like me.”
With that, I left her standing. Time to return to my wife. Who once again was with Wentworth. People would start talking if she spent every event at my kid brother’s side instead of mine.
As if sensing me, she turned and came my way. “Here you are,” she greeted me, when we met in the middle.
Lurking in the background, Wentworth shot me a warning look. Must’ve witnessed my encounter at the bar.
I ignored him. “Here I am. I see you dropped your raccoon-look.”
“I did.” Layne grinned. “Maybe I should buy waterproof mascara from now on.”
Before I could reply, the speakers crackled and Regina’s voice replaced the band. “Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. It’s great to see you all tonight.” She posed on the small stage at the back of the room like a queen, her dress glittering in the spotlights. A flawless show, as always. “We have some special news to share,” she continued, taking Aaron’s hand as if they didn’t sleep in separate bedrooms. On different floors. Oh, wait, that’s what Layne and I did. “Our second oldest son, Keaton, married the wonderful Layne Rhyner.”
When a spotlight landed on me and Layne, all heads turned in our direction. Layne stiffened, her fingers digging into my arm. The crowd applauded, and I raised my whiskey glass in a toast. Several flashes blinded us. No doubt we’d be on the cover of a stack of magazines tomorrow.
Not that I cared.
To give them more material, I cupped Layne’s nape and leaned in. “Easy.”
My words had the opposite effect, her fingers clawing my arm even harder. Seriously? I’d never met anyone so uptight in my life. Then what I was about to do would knock her off her heels.
Inching closer for dramatics, I glanced up. Layne’s eyes were the size of baseballs. Man, had this woman ever been touched? Had she ever been kissed? If not, she was about to.
I closed the last inch between us and captured her lips. As expected, zero reaction. I could’ve had a hotter make-out session with my Elysium.
“Honey, you have to meet me halfway,” I growled, but let her go—
Layne grabbed my tie and yanked me back down, our mouths colliding in a hard kiss. Instincts kicked in, and I pulled her close until her body was flush against mine. Heat and adrenaline pulsed through me as I tasted her. Holy Hades, what’d happened to the shy wallflower?
She broke off way too soon. “How’s that for half way?” she asked, mischief glinting in her eyes.
My insides felt like I’d downed an entire bottle of Linc—on fire. “Yeah, that’s good,” I stammered like an idiot.
Placing a hand on my rising and falling chest, Layne gave me a sweet smile. “Easy.”
Had she just thrown my own words back in my face?
Who on earth was this woman?