Take What You Want (38 page)

Chase closed his eyes. He
hated sounding so needy and revealing too much of how he felt, but
damned if he would risk Alex changing his mind now.

“
And,
that brings us right back to Danni,” Alex said. “I swear
I keep saying this, but you do realize if she doesn't want us both,
it can't happen and I'm gone.”

“
Yeah,
I know, Alex, but can you at least give her a chance to make that
decision for herself? I mean, you met her on your way out the door.
Literally. How can she be expected to base an opinion of you from
that?”

“
This
is fucked up,” Alex said.

“
What'd
you mean?”

“
It
just is,” Alex said. “This isn't how it usually happens,
you know. In the past, we partied, the chemistry flew around like
bats at sunset, and we'd all end up in bed. Just like that, and
things developed from there – all on their own. Organically.
This feels forced, like I'm negotiating a fucking leasing agreement
or something. I'm too old to be a third for you, Chase. I can't put
my heart through that. Not again. It fucking hurts too much.”

“
Wow.
I thank you for your honesty,” Chase said.

“
Well,
that's how I feel,” Alex said.

“
I'm
sorry.”

“
Don't
be sorry,” Alex said. “On the one hand, this is
something that needs to be discussed before jumping in to it, but on
the other hand, you don't want to over think it, either. It needs to
evolve all on its own or it won't feel right. And there's also a
very good chance it won't evolve into anything at all. ”

“
You're
right.” Chase heard a man talking in the background, then Alex
respond to him. “Do you need to go?” Chase asked.

“
That
was Wheland,” Alex said. “He came outside of the studio
to see what happened to me. I told him I'd be inside in a minute.”

“
So,
work is good?” Chase asked.

“
The
guys love my song,” Alex said with pride. “It's a total
rock ballad; one of those songs that make the chicks lose their minds
and toss their panties onto the stage.”

“
A
ballad?”

“
Yeah,
listening to you and Danni screwing the other night inspired me,”
Alex said. “It was torture to hear, but the song that came
from it is beautiful.”

“
Come
back and join us and we'll inspire you some more,” Chase said.

“
Wonderful,”
Alex said somberly. “Now I'm sitting outside the studio with a
boner.”

“
I
guess that makes two of us,” Chase chuckled.

“
You're
a fucking tease, Middleton.”

“
I'd
like to do a lot more to you than tease, Metcalf.”

“
Stop
it, or I'll have to make a trip to the bathroom and jerk-off,”
Alex said.

“
Call
me later,” Chase said.

“
I'll
be here recording long after you're asleep, otherwise I would,”
Alex said. “How about I call you tomorrow, same time you
called me today?”

“
I'll
look forward to it,” Chase said.

“
Say
hi to Danni for me.”

“
Come
back and tell her yourself,” Chase said.

“
Mmmm,
I'd like that, really, I would,” Alex said.

“
Then,
get your ass back here.”

“
You
want my ass?” Alex asked.

“
I
want way more than just your ass,” Chase said.

“
Damn
it,” Alex grumbled. “Looks like I'm making a pit stop in
the bathroom before I see Wheland.”

Alex worked in Wheland's
home studio with him and Cooper for several hours, not calling it a
day until they left for dinner around ten o'clock. They drove to a
restaurant-club combination called the Sticky Wick on the outskirts
of Los Angeles.

Once inside, they were
quickly escorted to a table near the back of the restaurant in a VIP
lounge area. There were a half dozen other tables in this section,
all occupied by celebrities; most in the film industry, but one table
caught Alex's eye right away. In the far corner sitting at a table
for two was Dagger Drummond and his partner, Ryan Pierce.

Alex couldn't hide the
excitement he felt when he saw them and walked directly to their
table. Dagger stood up, as Alex approached, and the two of them
hugged tightly for a long moment.

“
Damn,
it's good to see you with Ryan,” Alex said, slapping Dagger's
back. When they finally separated, Alex leaned toward Ryan and shook
his hand. “Ryan, it's always good to see you – even if
you're with Dagger.”

“
Fuck
off, Zander,” Dagger said with a laugh and sat back down.

Alex grabbed a chair at an
empty table and pulled it toward Dagger's table. His eyes jumped
between Ryan and Dagger. The smile on his face was endless.

“
Wow,”
Alex sighed. “I heard the rumors you two were back together
before I left town, but seeing it for myself … is priceless.”
Alex patted his chest, feeling real emotion, but pretending
otherwise. His gaze went to Ryan. “What was the bribe he used
to get you back?” Alex asked.

Ryan chuckled. “No
bribes needed, Zander,” Ryan said. He looked across the table
at Dagger. “I wanted to be with him.”

Alex watched the love pass
between the two men, the expression so intense, Alex felt his throat
constrict. Jesus! He wanted what they had and wondered if he'd ever
find anything even half as good. His thoughts couldn't help but
drift to Chase and Danni. He felt something serious developing with
Chase. It felt a lot like love, but he was doing a damn fine job of
running away from it. Sitting on the West Coast and being jealous of
a relationship his friend worked hard to get – and keep,
certainly didn't help, either. How could he ever expect to have what
Dagger had with Ryan if he continually tried to fight what felt
right. Perfect. That's what it was, and instead of fanning the
flames with Chase and Danni, he was sulking in L.A. by himself.

“
How's
island life?” Dagger asked.

Dagger's question tugged
Alex from his internal pity party. “It's good,” Alex
said. “Real good.”

“
Hmmm,
sounds like you met someone,” Dagger said.

Alex
smiled. “Yeah, I did,” he said. “And, he's …
amazing – so is his girlfriend.”

Dagger grinned. “You
found your tripod.”

“
Not
a tripod, yet – but, I'm working on it,” Alex said.

Ryan glanced at Dagger with
questioning eyes. “Tripod?”

“
Zander
prefers a three-way relationship; with another guy and girl, at the
same time, and living in a relationship,” Dagger explained.

“
That's
ambitious,” Ryan said to Alex. “I can hardly keep up
with one partner. I can't imagine trying to please two partners
every day.”

“
What
can I say,” Alex shrugged. “I can't decide whether I
prefer dick or pussy, so I do both.”

“
So,
if this guy is so fucking awesome, why are you in California?”
Dagger asked.

Alex
drew in a long breath. “He's new to this,” Alex said.
“And, I don't want to push too much on to him and scare him
off.”

“
I
can certainly relate to that,” Ryan said.

Alex
looked at Ryan and held his gaze. “That's right. You
can
relate,” Alex said. “Do you think I'm doing the right
thing by giving him space?”

“
Depends,”
Ryan said. “Is the space intended more for you or for him?”

Alex's eyes widened at
Ryan's bold comment and Dagger chuckled behind the rim of his
cocktail glass.

“
That's
why I love him,” Dagger said, sipping his drink. “He has
a way of cutting through a line of bullshit when he hears it –
especially mine.”

“
You're
a very lucky man, Dagger,” Alex said.

Dagger
reached for Ryan's hand on the table; his fingers curling around the
tops of them to squeeze. “I
am
one lucky bastard,” he said, his eyes locked on Ryan.

“
Will
you two come east and visit?” Alex asked Dagger.

“
Is
that a serious invitation?” Dagger asked.

“
Absolutely,”
Alex said. “How about next week. I'll introduce you to my new
man – and lady.”

Dagger glanced at Ryan.
“What'd you say, babe? Feel like a mini vacation?”

“
Maybe
I'll have Wheland and the guys join us, too, and we'll make a party
out of it,” Alex said.

“
Sounds
like a plan,” Dagger said. “Let me know the dates and
we'll make it happen.”

-0-

As planned, Chase's cell
phone began vibrating at three o'clock eastern time. Chase reached
into his back pocket and quickly pulled the phone free of his jeans
to answer it. Knowing who it would most likely be made his smile
nearly ear-to-ear.

“
Hey,
Stud,” Chase said. Silence greeted him, and then Danni's loud
sigh pulled him from a completely different visual. “Danni?”

“
Yeah,
I'm not your stud,” Danni said. “Sorry to disappoint
you.”

“
Babe,
hearing your voice never disappoints,” Chase said.

“
Nice
try, Chase,” she said. “Sounds like you were expecting a
phone call from Alex.”

“
He
said he might call this afternoon,” Chase said.

“
Have
you been talking to him every day?” she asked.

“
No,
yesterday was the first time since he left.”

“
When
is he coming back?” Danni asked.

“
I
don't know,” Chase said. “I'm hoping he'll let me know
today.”

“
You
miss him, don't you?”

“
I
do, babe,” he said. “And, I'm hoping we can all spend
some time together soon.”

“
Hmmm,
you've mentioned that once or twice,” she said. “Yet,
I'm not completely convinced it can work.”

“
I'm
hoping you'll give me a chance to prove to you it
can
work.”

“
I
was calling to tell you I'm teaching a class tonight, so I won't be
home for dinner,” She said.

“
Okay,
no worries,” Chase said. “I'll grill something and you
can heat it up when you get home.”

Danni
said good-bye and Chase slid his phone back into his pocket. A
moment later, the phone rang again. This time, Chase checked the
caller I.D. panel to make sure it was Alex before answering it. The
same wide smile spread across his face.