Taming the Storm (The Storm #3)(13)
Author: Samantha Towle

“Very.” He grins, stretching his arms above his head.

I’ve just dipped my finger into my face cream when Cale asks, “So, why are you hiding out in here?”

I look in the mirror at him. “I’m not hiding out.”

“Yes, you are.”

“Fine.” I sigh. “I’m hiding out.” I spread the cream over my fingertips and start to apply it to my face.

“I’m guessing you’re hiding from Tom. So, are you going to tell me what’s up? I know you haven’t been happy about him coming on tour with us. And you lack a filter, Ly, but you were rude to him before—”

“I wasn’t rude.” I see his unconvinced expression. “Okay, I was rude.”

“So, what don’t I know?” he asks with that Cale tone, meaning he won’t let this go until I tell him.

I twist in my seat and bring my knees up with my feet resting on the edge of the stool. I hug my knees to my chest, resting my chin on them. “Ages ago, Tom hit on me.” I let out a sigh. “He’s hit on me a couple of times.”

“What?” Cale practically shouts, sitting upright. “When?”

“Shh…” I admonish, eyes flitting to the closed door.

These walls are like paper, and I don’t want Tom to hear any of this.

“Keep your voice down. It doesn’t matter when he hit on me. Actually, he’s hit on me twice. The first time he tried it, I turned him down. He was fine about it”—I tug on my lip—“but then I saw him a few months later, and he hit on me again.”

I can see anger rising in Cale’s face, prompting me to say, “He never crossed the line. He’s never touched me or anything. It’s just that I haven’t seen Tom since the last time he hit on me, and I didn’t know how things would stand…if he’d try again.” I grimace. “So, my guard was up—hence, bitch mode.”

“Understandable. And has he gotten the message? Because if he hasn’t—” Cale is on full overprotective mode.

“Calm down, angry. We talked.” Yelled. “He apologized and asked if we could move past it and be professional. I said yes.”

“Okay…good.” Cale relaxes a little, resting back onto his elbows. “But if he does try anything—”

“He won’t. But if he does, you’ll be the first to know.”

There is no way I would tell Cale if Tom made a move on me again. Aside from being able to take care of myself, Tom is a lot bigger than Cale. It’s not that Cale isn’t muscular. He is, but Tom’s biceps are quite literally twice the size of Cale’s. Tom has always been a big guy, but he looks even bigger now, like he’s been putting in some serious gym time.

I see a smile creep on Cale’s face.

“So, you turned down Tom Carter?”

“I did.” I smirk.

He lets out an admiring laugh. “That’s my girl. I bet that was a massive hit to his ego. No guy likes to be turned down, and I’m guessing it’s never happened to Tom, so it would have dented his ego for sure.”

“I’m sure I didn’t dent his ego. He’ll have been turned down by a women before.”

I prod Cale in the thigh with my toes. He grabs my foot and yanks it, making me laugh.

“I highly doubt it. Most women will just lie down and spread their legs for him.”

“Too much info, thanks. And I’m not most women.” I look up at him, giving my best cocky grin.

“I know you’re not. That’s the problem.” He gets to his feet, concern etched on his face. “You’re gorgeous, talented, and smart. You’re a challenge for a guy like Tom, and you flat-out turn him down—”

“Twice,” I remind him. I don’t know why I did that.

“See? This is what I mean. He already saw you as a challenge because you knocked him back the first time, so he tried again.” He runs a hand through his hair, messing it up. “He wouldn’t have liked the second knock-back. It was probably worse than the first. Guys like Tom are not used to rejection. It makes you a challenge, and there’s nothing a guy likes more.”

“Cale, he’s not chasing me. He’s given up. He gave up. It was ages ago when he last hit on me, and he hasn’t tried to chase me down since then.” I get to my feet. “It’s done. Over. Anyway, Tom has got way too many other women running after him to bother himself with little ole me. But you’re sweet for worrying.”

I put my arms around his waist, hugging him.

He affectionately kisses the top of my head. “It’s my job to worry about you.”

“Taken on that task, have you?” I lean back to look at him, releasing him from my embrace.

He chucks my chin. “Since I was twelve years old.”

“Oh, I forgot to tell you. That phone call earlier—it was Jake. He knows that Rally is my dad. Rally called him.”

Cale’s brow furrows as he leans back against the wall. “How did that go?”

“The tour bus is moving, isn’t it?” I smile.

He returns my smile. “It was bound to come out, Ly. And when we’re famous—”

“When?” I grin.

“Damn right, when. The minute our music hits the airwaves, we’re gonna be big, baby!”

I laugh at his enthusiasm and belief in our band.

“You hungry?” He opens the door.

I follow him through. “Is that translation for, you all are hungry, and you want me to make dinner?”

He turns, walking backward. “You know we can’t cook for shit, Ly. So, it’s either that, or we starve, waiting for Henry to make his first stop.” He pouts.

“Ugh.” I roll my eyes and give him a playful shove. “Fine. I’ll cook.”

“You want some help?” He smirks.

He knows I won’t want his help. Cale is a nightmare in the kitchen. He makes more of a mess than imaginable, and he gets in my way. In this kitchen, there’s not enough space for us both.

“Go play games.” I wave my hand in the direction of Sonny and Van, who are playing some racing game.

No sign of Tom. Maybe he’s up front with Henry.

Cale sits with the guys. He tells them I’m going to make dinner. They all shout noises of love for me.

Shaking my head, smiling, I hear a door open behind me, and I see a freshly showered Tom emerging from the bathroom, wearing nothing but a towel.