Gibson tilted her head like she was considering my statement, then she closed her eyes and started falling asleep. Patting her back, I laughed. Then I turned to look at the five thousand steps in my way and groaned. “Goddammit,” I muttered, then began the hours-long trek.

I was hot and sweaty by the time I reached the top. Then there were five more damn steps to get up the front porch. I was freaking done with stairs by the time I got to the brick-red door. I knocked on it with my boot, then yanked it open with my free hand before anyone could respond.

Kellan and Matt were in the entryway, along with Matt’s girlfriend, Rachel. Rachel was glued to Matt’s side, like she’d float into space if she wasn’t holding on to him. Kellan and my cousin were discussing something about the band’s schedule. Looking at Matt was like peering into a hazed, cracked mirror. Sure, we looked alike, but my hotness was crisp and clear while his was muted, a sepia-toned replica that didn’t hold a candle to my brilliance. Kellan was…well, a lot of girls seemed to think he was the be-all and end-all of male perfection. No, sorry, girls. He’s not. That strong jaw, deep blue eyes, and just-fucked hair was nothing special. And sure he was ripped, but…his body was just so-so next to mine. My body art made my skin much more interesting than his boring, chiseled lines. Whatever. His abs were airbrushed on anyway. I’d read that somewhere, and I totally believed it. Kell didn’t work out enough to have definition like that.

Matt was in the middle of a sentence, but I interrupted him as soon as I stepped into the room. “What the hell is up with all those steps, Kell?” Readjusting Gibson, I snarked, “You know, maybe you should have put the driveway on top of the hill with the house, instead of at the bottom of the hill. Then you wouldn’t have to climb freaking Mount Everest every time you got out of the car.”

Kellan frowned. “I didn’t design the house, Griff.”

I shrugged off Gibson’s bag and it hit the ground with a thud. “Yeah, but you can redesign it, can’t you? It’s not like you’re the lead singer of the most successful band in the world, with more cash coming out your ass each morning than most people make in their entire lifetime.” I paused a minute, then finished with “Oh wait, yeah you are. Fix this shit.”

The click of Anna’s heels echoed on the tile as she stepped into the room. “I agree with him on this one, Kellan. That climb sucks, especially when you have a bowling ball pressing on your bladder. I almost had to water your roses.”

She lifted a brow at him and Kellan flashed her his trademark million-dollar grin. “I’m glad you didn’t. How are you feeling, Anna?”

I knew Kellan was all gung ho about his wife, but sometimes his niceness toward mine irked me. Maybe it was because of how we’d hooked up. Me and Anna, not me and Kellan. She’d been visiting her sister, Kiera, and had been goo-goo-eyed for Kellan for all of five seconds, until she’d gotten a whiff of me. After that, Kellan hadn’t had a chance with her. I think he still resented me for that. Anna was the one who got away. Well, sorry, Kell, but she’s all mine. From those luscious lips to that five-star ass…mine.

Anna sighed as she walked toward me. Patting her stomach, she answered him with “Like I wish it was September already.”

Kellan’s eyes got that sympathetic softness that I had seen girls swoon over time and time again. Whatever. I could make that silly-ass I-care-about-you face too. “You sure you want to go on this tour, Anna? It pretty much knocks on your due date.”

Anna yawned and nodded at the same time as she stepped to my side. Since Gibson was half-asleep on my shoulder, I figured my two girls would be napping during rehearsal. I wished I could join them. “Yeah,” she told Kellan. “It beats hanging around the house, bored out of my mind, while you guys are out having all the fun.” With a grin, she looked up at me. “Besides, being on the road during the last part of my pregnancy is good luck for the baby. Just look at how gorgeous this one turned out.” She gave Gibson’s shoulder a soft kiss.

She was right about that. Gibson was perfect. We’d been somewhere back East, on tour with the hotness that was Sienna Sexton, when Anna had spit Gibson out. I’d missed the show that night to be there at the hospital, but that hadn’t mattered to me. Still didn’t. I’d miss every show in the world to be there when my kid was being born.

With another yawn, Anna took Gibson from my arms. Gibs let out a sigh and stretched her arms, but that was the only move she made. Anna squeezed her tight, then looked over at Kellan. “She didn’t sleep well last night. I’m gonna go lay her down. Where’s Kiera?”

Kellan pointed upstairs. “She’s putting Ryder down.”

Anna nodded, then sighed when she looked at yet more stairs. Turning to me, she leaned in for a kiss. “I’ll see you after rehearsal.”

Seeing an opportunity to make out with a hot girl, I cupped her cheek and drew her lips to mine. Our mouths moved together, and I pushed my tongue inside her. She let out a low noise that instantly ignited me, and I grabbed her face with my other hand. Yeah, game on…

We were just getting hot and heavy when someone cleared their throat. I looked up to see Matt grimacing at us. “Dude, get a room.”

Pulling away from Anna, I smirked. “We’re in a house, jackass. That’s like one giant room.”

Anna giggled, then she rubbed my arm, said goodbye, and walked that sweet ass away from me. I watched her swaying figure until she was completely gone. Once she was out of view, I adjusted my junk and turned to Kellan. He was eyeing me with a mixture of disgust and amusement. When I stepped up to him, he took a step back; his hands drifted down to cover his privates. I was confused at first, until I remembered what I’d stated as my “business” earlier at the gate.

“Relax, sunshine. I won’t damage your family jewels. Anna wants another cousin for Gibson and Newbie.” Tapping my jaw, I reconsidered. “Maybe I should though. It might help you hit the high notes.”

Kellan took another step back. “I can hit the ones I need to hit just fine, thanks.”

I cracked my knuckles. “Okay, but the offer stands if you ever change your mind.”

“Noted,” he muttered with a laugh.

“Evan here?” I asked. His truck was here, but he could have gone for a walk or something. Although I had no idea why he’d want to. He’d probably get run down by wolves or chased by Sasquatch. God, I missed civilization.

Kellan pointed out back, where the soundproof room we used for practice was. “He’s working on something with Jenny.”

Instantly, the picture of Evan bending his fiancée over his drum set entered my head. I mimicked with my hips what Evan was most likely doing. “Yeah, I bet he’s working on something.”

Rachel made a noise and I shifted my attention her way. She shut her mouth and her cheeks flushed bright red. Rachel was shyer than Kiera, which was saying a lot. The girl so rarely talked that I often forgot she was there. And when she did speak, her voice was usually soft and polite. Just once I wanted to see her lose her ever-loving mind. There was a freak buried under the calm, I just knew it.

Rachel’s eyes searched the floor for a moment before lifting to Matt’s. “I’m going to grab Jenny and start working on her website.”

Matt nodded, then cringed. “I still think she should reconsider the name of her gallery.”

Rachel shrugged. “She has her heart set on it.”

Confusion washed over me like dirty seawater. What the hell are they talking about? “What’s she naming what? What gallery? Like an art thingamabobber?” An idea struck me and I immediately offered it up, because I was thoughtful like that. “Does she need a subject to paint?” Sticking my tongue out, I cupped myself. “’Cause I’ve been told my subject is a work of art.”