Page 28 of Another Postcard

Brooklynn was giggling beside me but Chloe was shooting daggers out of her piercing green eyes. She stood up and whacked me on the back of the head, prompting me to burst with laughter. “You’re a pain in my ass, Levi Matthews,” she snapped, but the corners of her mouth tipped up before she spun around and stomped out of the restaurant.

Brooklynn pinched my thigh, hard, and I hissed in pain as my head whipped in her direction. She was glaring at me and it was so damn cute, I couldn’t help winking at her, earning me what I was sure would be another dark bruise on my thigh the next day. I was surprised at her strength, which immediately segued into thoughts of her strong hands gripping me tight as I fucked her delicious mouth. I told my cock to have patience and it pretty much gave me a double middle-fingered salute.

“Levi, don’t tell people we are together,” she whispered, her dark brown eyes narrowed in irritation. I shook off the fog of lust and focused on her demand.

“I didn’t,” I argued just as softly with a smirk. She scoffed and opened her mouth, but paused before shutting it, her brows furrowed in thought. The realization that I was telling the truth sunk in and she lost her bluster.

One corner of her mouth quirked up and she glanced at the ceiling as though praying for serenity. After a few seconds, she lowered her gaze to mine and the sparkle of amusement in them set my blood on fire. Every-fucking-thing about this woman set me ablaze.

“Don’t tell them I’m seeing someone either, okay?” She formed it like a question, but her tone implied it to be a command.

It was cute how she thought she could order me around. “No.” I popped the roll I’d been holding into my mouth and chewed on it happily. I hadn’t realized how hungry I was.For actual food.

“No?” she repeated.

I swallowed and nodded firmly. “No.”

She stared at me with her jaw hanging open and I gently grasped her chin and closed it. There was a fire igniting in her chocolate depths and I knew she was gearing up for a scathing response. I was saved by Sasha.

“Mimi is texting in all caps, Brooklynn,” she sighed. “She’s officially shouting at us to get our asses to hair and makeup.”

I still had Brooklynn’s face in my hands so I held her still and gave her a firm kiss. “See you later, baby,” I murmured. With confusion clouding her face, she silently rose and joined Sasha, exiting the building but not without one last glance at me over her shoulder.

Polishing off Sasha’s leftover meal, I talked music with the boys until it was time to leave. There was a large greenroom in the back and we congregated there to get ready for the show. My eyes immediately searched out Brooklynn and I saw her seated on a couch with two women. I knew right away that one of them was her sister, Baylee. They could’ve easily been mistaken for twins. The only real difference between them being that Baylee’s hair was shoulder-length with long bangs, and there was just something about her face, an innocence that made it clear she was the younger sister.

The woman sitting with them looked to be a few years older than Brooklynn. She had beautiful, mocha colored skin, warm brown eyes, and wild black curls caught up in a ponytail behind her head. The three of them were talking enthusiastically but then Baylee’s head turned my way and she froze. I gave her a welcoming smile as I made my way over to them. Three sets of brown eyes stared up at me and I couldn’t help laughing at the picture they made. Brooklynn was practically glowing with happiness and warmth spread through my chest. I would’ve given anything to be the one who put that look of joy on her face.

Brooklynn looked at each of the other girls and laughed at their twin expressions of shock and awe. “Baylee, Cecily, I’m sure you know this is Levi Matthews,” she introduced, then hurried on to add, “please keep the fangirling to a minimum.”

I laughed and took Baylee’s hand, pulling her to her feet and into a big hug. “Bullshit, I told her with a wink. “Fangirl away.” She blushed to the roots of her hair. “It’s great to meet you, Baylee. Brooklynn talks about you so much I feel like I know you already.”

“Really?” Baylee breathed, her eyes widening with delight.

Noah’s words about Baylee being the way too Brooklynn’s heart swam around my head, but I didn’t need them to push me to like Baylee. She was sweet and obviously worshipped her older sister. “Absolutely.” I tucked her under my arm the way I did with my little sister, Lily, when I was home and turned to face the other woman. I reached out a hand and smiled. “Cecily. Too bad I didn’t meet you first,” I said with mock regret. “I would have run away with you in a heartbeat, but Baylee’s got her hooks in me now.” Cecily’s hand was shaking when I took it in mine. Despite her dark skin, her blush stood out, and her brown eyes were a little glazed as she stared up at me. I gave her fingers a light squeeze and let go, though it took her a little longer to release my hand. She still hadn’t said anything, but, not to be cocky, I was a fucking rock star after all, I was used to it.

Baylee giggled and Brooklynn beamed at me, turning the warmth into a slow burn. Mimi chose that moment to burst into the room and yell, “Showtime, people!”

Brooklynn stood and waved over one of the roadies who then approached us. She pulled Baylee from my side and hugged her, then Cecily, before guiding them to the girl in all black with long, dark braids of hair hanging over each shoulder. “Jeanie is going to take you to your seats and I’ll see you after.” Baylee clapped her hands and bounced on the balls of her feet. “Good luck!” she trilled before she skipping off.

I slipped my arm around Brooklynn’s waist and brought her body flush to mine. “You know she just jinxed the whole show, right?” Wishing a performer good luck is the equivalent of putting a hex on their performance. Bad things always follow. Instead, we tell each other to “break a leg.” It’s a silly tradition, but one we all follow religiously nonetheless.

She laughed, filling me with warmth and making me crazy with how much I wanted her. “Baylee doesn’t believe me and she informed me that she would never wish for me to break my leg.”

I frowned in deep contemplation. “Hmmmm. We’ll have to do something to counteract it.” Threading my fingers through her hair I whispered, “A good luck kiss should do the trick,” right before I slammed my mouth down on hers. We needed to get out to the stage in minutes, so I kept my impulses in check and didn’t deepen it, but was still satisfied by the desire in her eyes, and the sight of her pink, swollen lips. “Break a leg, baby.”

When we all returned to the greenroom after a fucking awesome show, the energy level was high and it was causing a familiar restlessness. The adrenaline rush from being on stage was overwhelming and it needed an outlet, to run its course before the performer could be calm again. However, with Baylee and Cecily there, I didn’t know if Brooklynn would join us in our post-show activities. Normally, I was the one pushing everyone out the door and dragging them to the first of what was usually many, bars or parties. But, instead, I found reasons to linger until Brooklynn emerged from the bathroom in sweats and a t-shirt, her stage makeup washed off and her hair in a long ponytail that hung over her shoulder. I felt a spike in my pulse and I was taken off guard by the overriding desire to be with her, no matter what she was doing. If she went right to bed and I thought there was any way I could finagle an invitation, I’d have been the first one there.There are all kinds of ways to burn through adrenaline…

17

Brooklynn

Icould feelLevi’s gaze boring into me from across the room and that was the moment I decided I was too tired to fight it anymore. The way he’d treated my sister and Cecily smashed down my last remaining wall. Kristi drew my attention when she asked if I was going out with them to the Irish Pub they liked downtown. My eyes immediately sought out Levi and he raised an eyebrow, silently echoing Kristi’s question. I nodded and he smiled wickedly like a satisfied cat that just ate a canary. I squeezed my thighs together, trying to relieve the ache he was causing.

“I’m going to get my sister and Cecily back to their hotel first, then I’ll catch up with you guys,” I told Kristi, but my eyes were still stuck to Levi’s. My girls came prancing through the entrance to the room at that moment and it broke our connection. Baylee threw herself into my arms and squeezed me tight.

“You were awesome, Brooklee!” she shouted then danced around singing. Cecily joined us at a slower pace, not really watching where she was going because she was too busy mooning over Levi. He winked at her before turning to talk to Noah and she scurried over to us, her cheeks burning.

“I could just spread him on a cracker,” she sighed. Baylee giggled and I laughed, threading an arm through one of each of theirs before moving toward the back door. We hailed a cab and once we arrived at their hotel, I walked them up so I could say goodnight and have a little pow-wow with Cecily before we went our separate ways.

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