“Oh, shit, Leo do not throw me in the pool! I don’t have any other clothes with me!”

“Too late!”

And suddenly I’m flying through the air and into the warm water with a loud splash. I kick my way to the surface of the water, sputtering and pushing my hair out of my face, glaring up at the impossibly handsome man laughing down at me.

“You’re an ass!” I hiss at him.

“Ass!” Maddox repeats, earning more laughter.

“Here, I’ll pull you out.” Leo squats by the side of the pool and offers me his hand. I reach up and take it, plant my foot on the side of the pool, and yank him into the water with me, much to the delight of our audience.

Before I can turn around, I’m yanked under the water, and then tugged back to the surface so I can catch my breath. Leo’s face is inches from my own, his hair wet and pressed to his scalp. Water is dripping down his face, off the piercings in his ear and eyebrow, his plain black tee is clinging to his shoulders.

“God, you’re sexy,” I whisper and his eyes grow hot with lust. He yanks me to him and kisses me hard, thoroughly, his arms holding me to him tightly and his hands pressed to my sides. He pushes me against the side of the pool and devours me with his lips and all I can do is hold on for dear life.

Finally, he pulls back and grins down at me, panting. “You’re gonna pay for that remark.”

“Gladly,” I agree and laugh as he splashes me.

“Food’s ready, moron,” Gary calls down to Leo. “Lori do you have clothes for Sam?”

“Uh, probably not, Gary,” I respond as Lori laughs and I pull myself out of the pool. “I don’t know if you noticed, but Lori and I couldn’t be more different.”

“You could go naked,” Eric offers with a grin. Leo smacks him upside the head.

“Shut the fuck up.”

“Fuck up!” Maddox agrees.

“I’m gonna kill all of you,” Lori growls.

***

“You know, I have to tell you.” Lori leads me through the house to the master bedroom so I can borrow a tee shirt and pair of yoga pants. “I was so proud of the way you handled Melissa the other day.”

“I heard about that!” Cher nods. “Most people don’t stand up to her.”

“How do you guys deal with always being in the tabloids?” I ask them without thinking.

“You know about being in the tabloids,” Lori remarks.

“Yeah, but I’m getting the feeling it’s different with rock stars than actors.”

“The guys told Melissa that we are never to be included in publicity stuff.” Cher confides as Lori tosses me clothes to change into.

“Really?”

“Yep,” Lori agrees. “No family photos are to be released. Melissa knows better.”

“She just wanted the scoop on getting the first photos out there of Leo and his new flame.”

“First flame,” Lori adds. “I don’t think that Leo’s ever been photographed with a woman.”

“Never?” I frown in disbelief. “That’s hard to believe. I’m sure he’s had girlfriends.”

“I don’t know.” Cher shrugs. “But if he did, he never took them out. He’s a really private guy.”

“We’re lucky.” Lori nods. “Our guys are all about the music and the fans. The rest of it is all frills, and they don’t really play into it too much. They play the publicity game when they have to, but…” She shrugs.

“I like that,” I mutter thoughtfully.

“I thought you might.” Lori grins. “Leo’s the best. He’ll have your back.”

We join the guys back on the patio, already eating and talking about music and bands and who has what single coming out when.

I sit quietly, nibbling on salad and steak soaking it all in. These guys are just so… normal. And kind.

“What are you thinking?” Leo whispers into my ear and offers me a bite of his steak.

“I like them,” I whisper back and he smiles widely.

“I’m glad.” He kisses my forehead and goes back to eating his dinner and chatting with his band, and it occurs to me, I just made friends who don’t give a shit who my brother is or what family I come from.

Imagine that.

***

“So tired,” I yawn and lean back in the seat of Leo’s car as we drive back to the ugly Malibu house from Lori and Gary’s late that night. We stayed much later than I expected we would, chatting and laughing. The guys also got a little work done, talking song selection for the next album.

“I think you’ve won over the band.” He links his fingers and mine and I trace the ink on his hand.

“It was the sex remark.” I smirk.

“They’ll never forget that,” he agrees and glares at me. “You’ll be punished for that.”

“You already punished me, babe. Hence, the clothes that don’t belong to me.” I point to Lori’s purple tee and smirk.

“Are you wearing her underwear too?” he asks.

“I’m not wearing any underwear at all,” I respond and yawn again.

Leo pulls into his driveway and parks in the garage, and before I can open my door, he’s pulling me to my feet and lifting me in his arms.

“I can walk,” I murmur and link my arms around his neck, bury my face next to his skin and breathe him in. “But this is nice.”

“You’re tired.”

“I don’t know why,” I murmur and enjoy the way he effortlessly carries me through his horrible house to the staircase. “Uh, I might need to walk up this weird staircase.”

“You’re fine.” He kisses my forehead and carries me to the bedroom. “Do you need to use the restroom?”

I nod and he takes me into the master bath, sets me gently on my feet and leaves me alone to do my thing. When I return to the bedroom, he’s turned the bed down and is standing on the balcony, stripped down to just his short, black boxer-briefs.

I stand and watch him, his back to me, leaning on the railing and staring into the blackness, most likely listening to the ocean. Even his back is gorgeous, smooth and bare of tattoos, except the very tops of his shoulders where his sleeves end.

I wonder why he never got any ink on his back?

As if he can sense me, he turns and grins and comes in through the glass door.

“You okay?” I ask and tilt my head to the side. There’s something in his eyes that looks sad.