Deep (Stage Dive, #4)(52)

“In a minute. I want to ask you a question first,” he said, dimple flashing in his cheek. The man was seriously cute. Also, nice to know he was a natural redhead. I didn’t mean to look, it just happened. A bare, unintended glimpse when I first walked in. A real live naked man smiling at me invitingly—my body liked the notion all too much. Crazy-ass hormones.

“Shoot,” I invited, my face firing up yet again at the thought of his groin. Holy crap.

“You really pregnant?”

“Yes, I am.” I flattened the oversize shirt again over my belly. Soon there’d be no chance of hiding it.

“Damn. And I take it the daddy’s Ben, huh?”

My mouth stayed shut.

“Not so hard to figure out.” He reached for a towel off the rack, wrapping it around slim hips. “There’s tension between him and Mal, but no one’s saying why. Then you come on tour.”

I shrugged. Not my business to admit to anything on Ben’s behalf. It was only on the part of my big mouth that Vaughan knew anything was afoot. Or abelly. I guess it should really be abelly.

“Dude definitely didn’t like it last time we talked,” he said.

“True.” But who could explain why Ben said and did half the things he did when it came to me? I highly doubted even he had a clue.

“Then the parties move to here because you’re sharing his room, all of a sudden. Even I could figure that one out, and I’m apparently not the most perceptive.”

I narrowed my eyes, outraged on his behalf. “Who said that? I think you’re great.”

“Thanks.” He grinned, hands on hips. It might have been my imagination, but I’m pretty sure his towel was sliding down. Man, if I could just stop looking. Me and my hand needed some alone time. Again.

“I think you’re great too,” Vaughan said, his eyes going soft as he stared at me. “Sucks that the situation’s the way it is.”

“Yeah.” Or did it? How often did I get a pass from a very nice man with such enviable assets? “I mean, he and I aren’t together together. I’m single. But yeah, definitely pregnant.”

We both jumped at the sudden knocking. Then Ben’s deep voice boomed out from the other side of the door, “Liz, you in there?”

Vaughan and I looked at each other, something uneasy stirring deep inside of me. God, was that guilt? I had no reason to feel guilt. None at all. Though the idea of explaining how I accidentally stumbled in on a wet, naked Vaughan could probably wait for later. Forever would also be fine.

“Be out in a minute,” I called back.

“’kay.”

“He treating you right?” asked Vaughan, his voice dropping in volume.

“I think he’ll be a good father.”

“Not what I’m asking.” He took a step closer, studying my face intently. Outside, the music took a dramatic jump in volume. Good timing.

I didn’t know what to say. Or think. “I, um, I’d appreciate you not saying anything about the baby to anyone yet.”

“’Course.”

“I better go.”

“Sure,” he said. “Ben’s waiting.”

“Right. Yes. Going.” I fumbled behind me for the door handle, giving him a slightly dazed smile.

Vaughan stepped to the side, out of the line of sight. What a surprising encounter. Guess I’d finally started glowing. Of course, it might be the boobs. After I’d had the baby perhaps I’d consider implants, if this was the sort of attention they got me. Ha! Just joking. Mostly.

The minute I stepped outside, Ben was standing there, waiting, looming. Immediately my body went on high alert. I searched his face for his mood, read his body language (mildly impatient with a trace of don’t-poke-the-bear cranky). There could be no denying that Vaughan was built and pretty. You’d have to be two days dead not to get turned on at the sight of him naked. But even then, Vaughan hadn’t gotten to me like this. The moment I came into Ben Nicholson’s orbit I was helpless, powerless to resist his pull. Foolish heart and vagina. The brain knew better but no one was listening.

People now filled the room and music was blasting out of the stereo. Ben bent, putting his mouth near my ear. “Anne said you wanted to talk. Let’s head up to the room, yeah?”

I nodded.

“Everything okay?” he asked. And man, he’d asked me that question over and over again in so many different ways lately. I was tired of putting a smiley face on it.

“Let’s talk upstairs.”

He put an arm around me, safely guiding me out of the crowded room. People were dancing, drinking, who knows what. It was a regular rock ’n’ roll hootenanny. We stayed silent, waiting for the elevator. When it arrived it was empty.

“Have a good night?” I asked, stepping inside.

“Explain something to me,” he said, backing me up against the nearest wall.

“Ah, what?”

With muscular arms braced above my head, he narrowed his eyes on me. “I heard another voice in that bathroom. A man’s voice.”

I wasn’t going to lie to him. I had no reason to. “Yes, I was talking to Vaughan.”

“You were talking to Vaughan in the bathroom?” His head lowered, nose coming close to touching the tip of my own. The man had a raging fire in his dark eyes, I kid you not. Actual real live jealousy, burning bright.