“Hardly.” Spencer thought of Lila and he laughed loudly, then said, “If you said sexy and know it all, then that might fit her more.”
“Sexy.” Regina’s tone was amused.
Spencer looked at her and grinned. “You’d think so too.”
“Humph. I should be jealous you think another woman is sexy.” She stretched lazily.
“But you’re not. I’d be dead not to notice a sexy woman. But I come home to only one gorgeous woman.” He grinned.
“Nice try.” Regina chuckled, picking up her e-reader.
“I thought so too.” Spencer turned fully and walked backwards. “Can I entice you to shower with me?”
Regina glanced at him and grinned. “The puppy dog face. How can I resist that?” She shifted her legs off the bed. “I did already take a shower.”
“Don’t worry, we’ll be dirty again soon,” Spencer promised.
Regina stood and stripped off her nightgown, revealing her gloriously naked, full-figured body. Spencer stopped, hungrily taking in her frame. She strolled towards him, her grace and innate rhythm making his mouth water. When she stood before him, she placed her hand on his chest.
“Thanks for giving me time.”
Spencer hugged her, kissing her briefly. “I’ll do anything for you.” Then he kissed her nose. “Even drag you kicking and screaming if you take too much time to talk with me,” he warned.
Regina inclined her head in understanding. He’d give her time, but only so much before he’d demand she open up to him.
Chapter Six
“When you said we were going to do something that would get my heart racing and make me breathless, this isn’t what I had in mind.” Spencer gestured around them.
He watched their friends running around the laser tag area, acting like big kids. He shook his head and silently admitted he’d missed hanging out with them. Spencer hadn’t realised until now how much his estrangement from Regina had affected those around him, too.
“Whine, whine,” Regina mocked, then shot off a stream towards Dakota, cackling when he jumped to get out of the way.
She grabbed his arm and jerked him, then they ran to duck behind a formation out of the line of fire as Dakota retaliated. Spencer dropped beside her, breathing hard. He looked at her and smiled. The joy on her face had been lacking for the last few weeks. Ever since she’d asked him to give her time, Regina had tried to act normal, but he could see she was on edge. Unable to resist, Spencer pulled her to him and kissed her. Regina leaned into the kiss, opening while she pressed against him. Suddenly, Regina jerked away and scrambled back.
“Damn it,” he yelled as his Infrared-sensitive target lit up and made a loud noise.
“Sorry, Spence. You’re out.” Dakota’s gleeful tone didn’t sound contrite.
“You’d nail me when I was kissing my wife?” Spencer rose, turning to him and pushing his shoulder playfully. “Bad timing, as usual. What is with you all, anyway? Seems like everyone has been aiming to hit me.”
“Hey, this is elimination laser tag, not make-out-with-your-woman laser tag.” Dakota grinned roguishly. “Although that could be an interesting game. Each time you scored against each other, you kiss each other.”
“Only you would come up with something like that.” Spencer shook his head.
“Yeah.” Dakota’s eyes widened, then he grabbed Spencer and ducked behind him, using him as shield.
Spencer heard the sound going off again. He looked over his shoulder and scowled. “Reggie, really. I’m already out.”
“I was aiming for Dakota,” she protested, ducking behind another structure to hide.
He shook his head at the craziness of them. “You all are so competitive.”
“Damn right,” echoed from Dakota and Regina, as well as those close enough to hear him.
They all laughed. Spencer jerked away from Dakota, leaving him an open target. Dakota glared, then dived to the ground as tags came from all directions. Spencer laughed even as he was again hit with a few of the tags. Still chuckling, he made his way to the outside area. In the large open space, he went to the counter, placed down his gun then stripped off his targets. He retrieved his spring jacket, then walked towards one of the doors that led outside to where they had agreed to meet at the end of the game. He waved at Jillian Coleman, the owner of the J Coleman’s Game Emporium. Spencer was impressed, as he was each time he visited, by the size of the place. It was massive, with both in and outdoor areas for any kind of game imaginable. The outside areas were especially good for paintball—Spencer wondered who he could talk into playing.
He pushed open the door before going outside onto Vinmont Boulevard. Although it was a cool mid-October day, the area as usual was still very busy and filled with pedestrians. The boulevard was near Couric Park, and that was one of the main reasons the area was fairly popular, no matter what the weather. Spencer saw some of the group who had already been eliminated sitting on some benches. Instead of joining them, he went to the rail of the boardwalk, leaning against it and looking out at Vinmont Bay. The breeze from the bay was nice after running around sweating.
“Spence.”
Spencer turned, surprised to see his brother coming towards him. He waited for him to join him, then, seeing the uncertainty on Driscoll’s face, he grabbed him and hugged him. Driscoll returned the hug, holding him tight. He hadn’t seen or spoken with Driscoll since the day he’d been at his house. Not that he hadn’t tried—Driscoll hadn’t been accepting his calls. For that contact to be gone was such a startling gap in his life. Even when Driscoll had been performing or on tour, no matter what country he was in, they’d talked every day, even if it was for less than five minutes. Also, they texted or emailed jokes or other things constantly. It was something they both depended on from each other. He released him and pushed Driscoll in the shoulder.
“Asshole.” Spencer cupped the back of Driscoll’s neck. “I was going to give you a few more days, then come to your house.”
“How were you planning to get into the gate?” Driscoll matched his hold.
At the familiar weight of his hand on the back of his neck, Spencer’s throat got tight. He cleared it, then smiled. “I have connections.”
“Damn interfering woman.”
“Women. Aida and Irene both were going to help me.” Spencer laughed at Driscoll’s expression.
“That’s why they both ganged up on me to come pick up the painting I ordered. ‘
No, no
’, they insisted, ‘
it can
’
t be delivered. You have to go get it
’. I came just to get them to leave me alone.” Driscoll frowned. “How did they know you were going to be here?”
Spencer thought about it, then chuckled. “I smell two interfering rats on my side.”
“Who?”
“Dakota and Regina.” Spencer was sure of it. Knowing those two, they’d planned with the others to get him eliminated. No wonder he had felt like he was a target, since he kept getting hit.
“Dakota I can believe. But
Reggie
?” Driscoll didn’t sound like he believed she would have helped.
“I’m sure she’s the one who came up with this plan. Has her written all over it, how it was done. Also, she’s gotten friendly with Irene since she showed up at Moments to go over my schedule. Told her since she was the wife, she should now be the one to make sure I kept on track. Especially with my doctor appointments, since I tended to act like I forgot.” Spencer bit his lip not to laugh.
Driscoll shook his head. “She didn’t do that. Did she?”
“She sure as hell did.” Spencer snorted. “Reggie knew her only distantly through you before…” He paused, looking at his scarred face. “Before the accident. She thought Irene was a cold… Hell, I did too, until these last three years when I got to know her, and then this last year of living with you and having her try to run my life.”
“Oh boy. That must have gone over well.” Driscoll chuckled. “I can only imagine Reggie’s reaction when she showed up unannounced. Damn, Irene has a set of balls on her.”
“Oh, she wasn’t unannounced. Irene is a smart and devious woman. She made an appointment for an event consultation. Those are usually an hour.” Spencer chuckled. “From how Reggie described it, when she came in, she was surprised to see her. She hadn’t known her last name. Then, when she told her what she was there for, she was more curious than anything else, which is why she listened.”
“Those two together is a bad thing, Spence.” Driscoll shuddered. “They will be running your life. Run while you can.”
Spencer chuckled, again. “Please. You couldn’t live without Irene keeping you on track with things.”
“Damn it, you’re right. But still, a man sometimes needs to have some control.” Driscoll pouted. “Damn interfering women.”
Spencer laughed, since he knew Driscoll didn’t really mind the interference. Irene and Aida were part of their family.
“They planned this.” Spencer stared at Driscoll. “I’m going to keep asking until you tell me what is going on between you and Reggie.”
Driscoll shrugged him off and released him. Spencer got ready to grab him if he tried to walk away. Driscoll instead leaned against the railing. Spencer did the same, watching him.
“You don’t need to concern yourself about my and Reggie’s issues. It’s not your concern. Focus on your marriage.”
“Not my concern?” Spencer stared at him in disbelief. “You’re my brother, and she’s my wife. You two are my concern. For you to even think that it isn’t, much less say it aloud, is a fucking insult.”
Driscoll stared, then smiled. “Wow. This must be really bothering you. You’re swearing, Spencer. You only do that when something bothers you or emotionally overwroughts you.”
“It is. And really, who uses words like that? ‘Overwrought’. Wait. No. You said ‘emotionally overwroughts’, which is not even proper English at all. Sometimes, I wonder about your sanity.” Spencer realised just how much it was bothering him. The idea of Driscoll and Regina not getting along was unfathomable. Hell, when they were kids, Driscoll and Regina had bonded quicker than he had with her. At the time, he was avoiding the weird girl who’d said she was going to be his wife. Driscoll had been amused and couldn’t wait to meet the girl who was making his usually calm brother so unsettled—those were Driscoll’s exact words. He’d met her, and ever since, the two of them had been like brother and sister to each other. For there to be this…whatever it was between them, and he hadn’t noticed, made Spencer angry—first, at himself for not seeing it then at them for not even telling him. He’d thought that Driscoll, out of loyalty to him, had distanced himself from Regina. But he had expected that even if they’d divorced, Regina and Driscoll would still be close to each other.
“I know what I said, and it was deliberate. Overwrought is a good word.” Driscoll scowled. “At least, that’s what Aida told me the other day. She was saying it to describe how I was upset with you and us not talking. God, she’s rubbing off on me.” Driscoll rubbed the bridge of his nose. “I wonder about my sanity, too, with those two interfering women in my life. Ugghhh.”
“Please. You’re saner than any of us. You’re the one who would drive someone batty.” Spencer’s lips twitched. “You’re not distracting me from the conversation by making me laugh at you. Not having it, damn it.”
“But…but…why?” Driscoll blinked slowly, exaggeratedly, then smiled. “I’m the innocent one here.”
“That’s a big fat lie.” Spencer laughed, then Driscoll winked, joining in.
The tension inside him he hadn’t realised he had relaxed. “Tell me about you and Reggie.”
“So damn pushing and interfering. I must be a magnet for it. All these interfering people.” Driscoll crossed his arms.
“You’re magnetic for something, all right.” Spencer gazed at him steadily.
“That stare won’t work on me. Try this one.” Driscoll’s expression shifted and became intense.
Spencer held it. Then, a few moments later, he had to look away. “Damn it. I never could get that look.”
Driscoll’s features relaxed and he chuckled. “You’re too laid back to pull it off.”
“People think that of you, too. It’s your trick to lure them in, and then you strike.” Spencer placed his fingers together then made a sticking motion of his hand. “They don’t even know what hits them.”
“Yeah.” Driscoll curled his fist then rubbed it over his chest on his jean jacket. “I’m an artist.”
“Con artist.” Spencer paused briefly. “I’m still waiting for an answer.”
“You’re doggedly pursuing this line of enquiry, and I adamantly refuse to partake in this.” Driscoll smirked.
“When you talk like that, I know you do it to bamboozle people.” Spencer rubbed his fingers in the middle of his forehead. “You’re giving me a headache.”
Driscoll patted him on the shoulder. “I have that effect on people.”
Spencer snorted, then laughed. He couldn’t help it. Driscoll, in his daily life, did indeed have that effect on people—they either loved him or hated him. There was no in between. His persona when he performed was loved by many fans, but to know the real man was an adventure all on its own. Driscoll was a unique experience, and he knew once people got used to him, they’d find so many other layers to him. Laughter drew Spencer’s attention, and he glanced at the entrance of the game emporium a distance away from where they stood. Regina laughed again at something Dakota said, then shook her head. Spencer glanced to the benches and realised that everyone else was there. He focused on the two coming towards them.
“Either Reggie or Dakota won the laser tag.” Spencer shook his head. “Those two are so competitive.”
“My money is on Reggie,” Driscoll said.
“Well, whoever it is, we treat either the group of men or women for the rest of the day. Whichever gender wins, they get to decide what we do for the rest of the day. The losing side all have to buy each of them something.” Spencer glanced at Driscoll. “You can join us.”
“Thanks, but no. You’ll have more fun without me making things weird.” Driscoll pulled him into a half-hug, then released him and winked. “You can come by the house, and I may let you in.”
“May let me in.” Spencer rolled his eyes. “See? It’s things like that which makes me wonder about you.”