Trouble Rising (New Adult Rock Star Romance): Tyler and Katie's Story #3 (8 page)

“You really do need a nanny.” I caught the spoon sliding across the table that Lucy tossed my way.

“If you know any, give them my number.” Sabrina gave Henry his sippy cup, which he happily accepted. His smile was so cute, with just his top and bottom two teeth in.

“I could do it.” Jay caught Lucy’s spoon before it sailed onto the floor. “I mean—I’m good with kids.”

“You’ll have school in the fall,” I reminded her, catching Sabrina’s frown. She didn’t like me thinking that far ahead for Jay, especially out loud. I knew we were going to have to something more permanent at some point. Sooner rather than later. But for now, I just wanted to make sure Jay was safe and had the basics with us, before taking any bigger steps.

My phone buzzed and I dug it out of my purse, seeing Tyler’s name on the screen. I held up my finger to Sabrina and Jay, taking the call.

“Hey sexy.” Tyler’s voice caressed me through the phone and I smiled, turning my face away from the table. “I got a surprise for you.”

“You do?” I lowered my voice a little, glancing over to see Alisha watching us. “A good surprise?”

“I think so.” He laughed. “Buy something sexy when you’re out shopping with Jay. I’m taking my wife out to dinner.”

“You are?” I blinked, watching Jay playing hide-the-spoon with Lucy. “But… uh… what about…”

“See if Jay can spend the night with Sabrina and Rob,” he suggested, already anticipating my question. “If you don’t want to leave her home alone.”

“Okay,” I agreed. I didn’t think Sabrina would really mind, given the circumstances. She’d likely be grateful for the break. “Can you give me a hint?”

“Not even a little one.” He chuckled.

“But it’s good?”

“Yeah. Real good.”

I smiled. “At least tell me where we’re going to dinner.”

“Spago.”

“Spago? Really? Beverly Hills? It must be
really
good news.”

“I want you to wear something super-sexy.” He lowered his voice. “Something I won’t be able to wait to take off you.”

His words made my whole body flush with heat.

“You got it. What time tonight?”

“Reservations at eight. I’ll be home by seven to shower.”

“How’s the read-through going?”

“Good,” he said. “In fact, I gotta get back. See you tonight, sexy.”

“Mmkay.” I slipped my phone back into my purse, seeing both Jay and Sabrina looking at me. “What?”

“Spago, huh?” Sabrina raised her eyebrows.

“He says he’s got a surprise.” I shrugged one shoulder, sipping my coffee—it had cooled down enough I could drink it now—but it was hard not to smile. “Good news.”

“We could use some good news.” Sabrina looked over at Jay. “Hey, sweetie, how would you like to spend the night at our place? A little audition for that nanny position?”

Jay brightened, looking at me. “Could I?”

“Sure,” I agreed, smiling my thanks at Sabrina. She’d either read my mind—or she’d overheard at least some of what Tyler had said. “I can drop her off after we go shopping, if that works for you?”

“Perfect.” Sabrina nodded, watching Jay with Lucy. “I can’t wait to hear the good news.”

“Me, either.”

I was both excited and nervous—my imagination was running wild with the possibilities—but the thought of dinner out with my husband, and more importantly, surprising him by wearing something short and low-cut and impossible to resist, took precedence.

It was definitely time to go shopping.

“I am going to tear that off you and fuck you right on this table.” Tyler murmured in my ear. I didn’t say anything as the maître d' sat us at an out-of-the-way booth in the corner, but my belly quivered when I saw the dark look of lust in my husband’s eyes as I slid into my seat.

I rapped my knuckles on the table, glancing over at him. “Seems sturdy enough.”

“Don’t tempt me.”

I smirked, opening my menu while Tyler ordered wine.

Shopping that afternoon had been a resounding success. Jay had a whole new wardrobe. I’d gone a little overboard, but I figured, even if I had to send her home, she wouldn’t go empty-handed. She was fun to shop for, and I’d appreciated having someone besides the salesgirl telling me which dress I should or shouldn’t settle on for my date night with Tyler.

Jay had helped me get ready—in the guest bathroom, so I could surprise my husband with the big reveal. He came home to shower, calling for me, but I sent Jay out to tell him I was busy getting ready. The dress looked like it was painted on. It was designer—Versace—a dark blue that was almost black, with a sort of silver lace overlay. It was almost entirely backless, and the hemline came to just above my knee.

For as much as it cost, it wasn’t much material—but it had a very satisfying impact when I came down the stairs wearing silver heels and carrying a little silver clutch to complete the ensemble. If Jay hadn’t been there, I don’t think we would have made it out of the house at all, given the hungry look in Tyler’s eyes.

“Sufficient?” I’d inquired innocently, smiling when he growled and grabbed me, kissing me hard and long, right in front of Jay.

Tyler drove the Mustang convertible—Jay’s car request—dropping her off at Sabrina and Rob’s with an overnight bag before we headed to the restaurant. The night was warm, but my dress didn’t cover much. Tyler’s hand on the bare skin of my lower back, guiding me into the restaurant, was a promise of the night to come.

“So what’s the surprise?” I asked him as we sipped wine and waited for dinner.

“If I have to wait to get you out of that dress, you can wait for the surprise.” He smirked at me when I stuck out my tongue.

Dinner was amazing, but Tyler laughed when I told him in hushed tones that Daisy’s food was better.

“Don’t tell Wolfgang Puck that,” Tyler said, stealing a spoonful of my sorbet. We weren’t exactly eating clean tonight, given the celebratory circumstances.

“Are you ever going to tell me?” I asked him over coffee. “Or are you just going to leave me hanging all night? The suspense is killing me.”

“That dress is killing me.” He sighed, leaning back against the booth, his gaze moving down the V that plunged between my breasts. I couldn’t wear a bra, considering how backless it was—and underneath, I just had a pair of black panties and thigh-highs.

“Then take me home.” I stirred cream into my coffee, watching it turn color. “We’ve got it all to ourselves for the first time in a week… I can be as loud as I want.”

We’d gone from having to be quiet at my mother’s, to now having to be quiet because Jay was sleeping down the hall. We weren’t used to being quiet.

“I’m going to make you scream so loud,” he promised, meeting my eyes, giving me a look so hot I thought I was going to melt into a puddle.

“Prove it,” I challenged, waggling my eyebrows at him.

Tyler leaned forward—the elbows of his black button-down on the table. He was never the type to wear a suit—the last time I remembered him in one, it was our wedding day—but he’d was dressed up tonight, for Tyler. He was even wearing dress shoes—instead of Keds.

“What do you think of New Zealand?” he asked, cocking his head at me.

“Uhhhh.” I blinked, then laughed. “I think it’s where they filmed all the Lord of the Rings movies. It’s very green. Right?”

“Yeah.” He nodded, a half-smile on his face. “What would you think about living there?”

I couldn’t breathe. “L…living there?”

“Well, not permanently or anything. Just for about six months.”

“You got the part.” My mouth went instantly dry and my hands shook as I tried to get my coffee cup to my mouth. I gulped, looking at Tyler’s grinning face over the rim.

“It’s perfect, Katie.
Album
will be on hiatus. We can move to New Zealand for six months, then come back so I can film the series.”

“Of course, Peter Jackson wants to film it in New Zealand.” I choked. I’d known, if Tyler got the part, that’s where we’d have to go. But it had been so long since he’d auditioned for it, I hadn’t really thought he was going to get it. So many other people had been up for the part.

“Are you happy?” He cocked his head, looking at me, hopeful.

“Oh Ty, I’m so happy for you!” I reached across the table and grabbed his hands, squeezing them in mine. They were still calloused from years of guitar-playing, and I rubbed them with my fingertips.

“For us.” He turned my hands over, palms up, lifting one, then the other, so he could kiss the inside of my wrists. “For us, baby.”

“I’m with you all the way,” I told him. Then I swallowed, biting my lip to keep from saying anything else. But Tyler must have seen something on my face.

“What is it?” He held my hands, rubbing his thumbs over the sensitive skin of my inner wrists, making me shiver. “You were so excited about it, when I auditioned…”

“I was,” I agreed. “I mean… I am. I just…”

“It’s only six months,” he reminded me.

“I know.” I sighed. “But six months ago, we didn’t have Jay.”

“Jay.” He sighed, too, shaking his head. “We really need to talk.”

“About Jay?”

He nodded. “I uh… I had a conversation with Trouble’s lawyer this week.”

I looked at him but didn’t say anything.

“Katie, we really could get into a lot of trouble, getting in the middle of this thing.”

“We’re already in the middle of it,” I reminded him.

“I know you don’t want to hear this… but I think we need to send her home.”

“Home?” I sat back, pulling my hands out of his and putting them in my lap. “Ty… you don’t know what you’re saying. She can’t go home.”

“She’s a minor,” he said softly.

“But—”

“And until a judge says differently, she belongs at home with her family.”

“But—”

“Katie, we can’t keep her here.” His words actually brought tears to my eyes. “I’m glad she had you to turn to, and I will do whatever I can to help her, but there’s only so much we can do. Legally, I mean.”

“So you want to send her home?” Something curled up in the pit of my stomach.

“I don’t want to.” He sighed. “But I think we have to.”