Consenting Adults: Friends & Lovers, #4

PART I

Chapter 1

Tyler slammed on the brakes, the car’s proximity system blaring a warning. He’d taken that corner too fast and hadn’t expected the long line of stopped cars. He slammed a hand against the wheel.

Hey! Are you still there? The nasal voice of his best friend and business partner echoed through the car speakers.

Yeah, Larry, just hit some traffic.

No shit. You and half of California are trying to get to wine country this weekend. Larry’s sarcasm was in full effect.

Tyler inched forward and watched the traffic light, many cars ahead, turn from yellow to red. He was going to be stuck at this intersection for a while. So much for trying to take a shortcut through the city. Actually, I’m still in San Francisco. Haven’t picked up Selena yet.

Selena? Aren’t you taking Kendra to the wedding?

Damn. Tyler groaned out a breath. Yeah, right. Kendra. That’s what I meant.

Ha! Larry bellowed. If I was banging all these supermodels, I’d keep better track of their names.

Tyler rolled his eyes. Larry Gold had been his best friend since high school, but the guy could be a real ass. Whatever. And she’s not a supermodel. She’s a… He couldn’t remember. Anyway, let’s get back to business. Any progress?

The guys just spent a half hour venting about the fact you called a Saturday morning meeting then left halfway through.

Disgust forced a grunt out of his mouth. Whiners. Didn’t they realize what this would mean for all of them? For the entire industry? He took a calming breath. Any progress with the numbers?

Not yet. But we’ll get there. Don’t worry, Diamond.

As if. Maybe if his executive team were taking this seriously, he wouldn’t have to worry. All right. Tell the guys I appreciate their going the extra mile here. It’s going to pay off big time, for all of us.

Got it. Have fun at the wedding. Say hi to Jonathan for me. And don’t forget to talk to Jackson.

The list of things Tyler had to do never left his mind. Sure. I’ll touch base tomorrow when I’m back in town.

The phone clicked off and Tyler revised the travel calculation in his head. He’d made good time, coming from his office in Silicon Valley, but getting through San Fran was taking longer than anticipated. He’d have to shave at least twenty minutes off the remaining three hours of the trip to the Napa Valley. Larry was right—October was peak season—so Tyler would have to be extra clever. That, he could do.

This wedding couldn’t have been more inconvenient. MindNet, the company he’d founded with Larry, was about to become the largest artificial intelligence company in the world. That is, if the US government didn’t shut down their plans to acquire Seattle Robotics. Within the next few months, he needed to convince several federal agencies that his proposed merger would not represent a monopoly. The stakes were sky high. Even the hint of a glitch in the deal could send the stock price plummeting and get him evicted from the company he built.

But, it was Jackson King’s wedding. Who happened to be the son of Jonathan King, one of the men who’d made Silicon Valley what it was and to whom Tyler Diamond owed his success. There was no way he could’ve declined the invitation, no matter how bad the timing. If nothing else, Tyler could ensure the support of Jonathan and all the other industry and political bigwigs sure to be at the wedding. Jackson King was a bonafide celebrity, himself, and there would probably be enough rich and powerful guests to keep Tyler well entertained.

Satisfied that he had a plan in place to arrive on time, Tyler turned up the radio, blaring the newest pop song through the state-of-the-art speakers in his car. Tapping on the steering wheel and singing along, he made his way to the Marina District.

Tyler couldn’t remember the last time he’d taken a road trip. Or driven himself further than the grocery store for a late night ice cream fix. Maybe since he’d traded in his beat-up Honda for a private plane and a chauffeur-driven Bentley. It wasn’t that he didn’t like driving. It was just much more efficient to be able to work while in the car. This weekend, and the scenic drive north, were supposed to be special. He hadn’t anticipated being in the thick of his upcoming deal.

Tyler pulled the car in front of a small house he didn’t recognize. Had he ever been there? Had he entered it correctly into the navigation app? As he scrolled through his contacts, Kendra appeared in the doorway, phone pressed to her ear.

Desire tickled his skin. She was delightful to look at. Really fucking hot. Her red hair wasn’t the only thing he knew was fake, but it didn’t matter. The package made for a superb visual, and was a pretty good catch for a dorky Jewish kid.

Pharmaceutical rep! Yeah, that’s what she did for a living. Or maybe that was Selena. Shit.

They’d met at some fundraiser and dated briefly, but hadn’t been in touch much lately. At the very beginning, he thought they might get serious, prompting the invitation to the wedding, but at this point, fuck-buddies was the farthest he wanted to go. Something about her had begun to feel much too attached. Like the type of woman who’d throw everything away to catch a guy. That was fool-proof Tyler Diamond repellent.

Her heated phone conversation continued even after she got in the car, which was fine by him. It allowed him to focus on the magnificent view while crossing the Golden Gate Bridge.

Hey, Ty.

Her voice startled him from focus on the hills bounded by the roiling bay. Hey, Kendra. Everything all right?

Yeah. She looked down at her phone. Just arranging my transportation for tomorrow morning. You remember I have to leave first thing, right?

Nope. Of course. Everything set? Do you need me to send a car?

No. My company’s paying for it. But thanks. You’re the best. She squeezed his thigh.

That hand felt pretty good. Honestly, she was much better on the eyes than in the sack, but something was better than nothing. Unfortunately, the hand never moved from its position mid-thigh.

"Aren’t you so excited about this wedding?"

He glanced at her wide blue eyes. I’m sure it’s going to be phenomenal. Jackson is an A-lister and his family knows how to attract a who’s who. Kendra loved celebrities. He remembered that much. Is there anyone you’re interested in meeting?

She threw her hands up. Oh my God, everyone! He’s friends with so many stars. Kate Harlow is my idol and I hope she’s going to be there. She continued listing names he barely recognized.

Cool. Well, I hope you get as much star-time as you want.

How about you? Who are you hoping to see?

Tyler shrugged. He didn’t care about star sightings, but there were a few things he needed to accomplish. Spending time with his mentor, Jonathan, was top on the list. He also needed to talk to Jackson about a celebrity photographer he’d been trying to track down. Only someone with Jackson King’s connections might have a chance.

In response to what everyone was calling the tech deal of century, Vanity Fair magazine had booked Tyler for a cover and spread. Apparently, the only photographer someone would want for such a feature was some guy who called himself Sente, and whose real identity was the biggest secret among the rich and famous.

Tyler wouldn’t have given a shit except that as soon as he heard it would be impossible to be photographed by Sente, he made it a mission. But if he couldn’t connect to this mystery guy in the next couple months, he’d have to work with the folks the magazine wanted to use. Which would probably be just fine, but not extraordinary. And that was never good enough.

They arrived at Auberge du Soleil, one of the most famous wine country establishments, with seventeen minutes to spare before having to dress for the wedding. Not enough to go for a run, unfortunately, but he could take his time admiring the property. Old and elegant, with a Michelin-starred chef and rooms that booked out a year in advance. Tyler didn’t realize that they did weddings there, but perhaps Jackson had gotten special dispensation. It wouldn’t be outside of his ability. He could have probably cleared out all of Napa Valley, if he wanted.

In his own circles, Tyler was a superstar, but in the real world, he was just a smart, rich nerd. Red carpets didn’t figure prominently in his life. He smiled at Kendra’s unbridled delight. Maybe it wasn’t so bad to be excited.

Tyler stepped out of the steamy bathroom, rubbing a towel through his damp hair. He should have scheduled a haircut, but had completely forgotten. If he didn’t get his mass of thick waves regularly pruned, it threatened to take over his whole head. An entire childhood of being taunted about his Jew-fro had already been mitigated, as he was one of the last of his friends and peers to still have a full head of hair.

You better get a move on, Ty. I don’t want to be late.

He looked up to see Kendra, fully dressed, dusting a makeup brush across her cheeks. She’d stepped out of the shower only minutes before him, after a marginally satisfying quickie. How the heck had she gotten ready so fast? Yeah, sorry. Give me ten minutes.

Tyler was naturally a jeans and t-shirt guy who’d mastered dressing well because of his position. But Silicon Valley didn’t often require high fashion, at least not in his circles or daily life. Wearing a suit, especially the one he’d chosen—a midnight blue Dolce & Gabbana—made everything feel more important and put him in a different state of mind. At this wedding, looking good was part of the competitive landscape.

Kendra gave him an appreciative glance. You look great, Ty. You should wear a suit more often.

He squared his shoulders. Thanks, Ken. You look beautiful, as always. That dress showed off every one of her numerous assets. Too bad there was no room in his life for the kind of involvement most women demanded, and Kendra was no exception.

Before the door to their room clicked shut, Tyler slipped back in, pulled a dozen tissues from the box on the bedstand and shoved them in his pocket. He’d been to enough weddings to know that there’d be crying involved. One of the many things he could predict, but didn’t yet understand, in the indecipherable code that was women.

They walked a short distance from the room to the series of buildings around the world-famous restaurant. This was a subdued setting—huge money, for sure—but much less flashy than what the King family could have put together. Kendra could hardly keep from whipping her head around and squeezing his arm with every passing star sighting. Even he recognized the Governor, a tech mogul or two, and a bunch of movie stars.

Wow, Kendra said as they entered the hall, decorated all in white.

Wow was right. Twisted vines wove around floor-to-ceiling murals in a fusion of old and new. The wine country theme was reflected in the art, in the large stone walls, in the polished wood open-beam ceiling. They could have been in Bordeaux or Tuscany or Cava in Spain. Tyler could never claim any expertise in aesthetic design, but he understood symmetry, balance, and energy. This room felt romantic, even if he couldn’t describe why.

A flash of green caught his eye, like an emerald in a black-and-white movie. With everyone crowding into their seats, there wasn’t much room to see. A sliver of a woman, exotic in a room full of similarly beautiful people, materialized between the many bodies. Caramel skin, chocolate hair, and berry lips. And a vibrant green dress.

He followed her movements across the room, catching only pieces—a shoulder, a hand, a smile—but never the whole picture. She was familiar and not, at the same time. If he could have gotten a better look, he might’ve been able to tell who she was. Another celebrity, most likely. He couldn’t turn away.

A young man, perhaps Jackson’s youngest brother, led him and Kendra to a row on the left side of the room. The processional began and Tyler seized the opportunity, now that everyone was sitting, to take another look around. While his date’s attention stayed glued on the wedding party walking down the aisle, he scanned each row for one particular face. And then she came into view, in a row populated by close family. All he could see was a beautiful face surrounded by a huge cloud of dark hair, on a long neck, and the slope of a collarbone that made him imagine running his tongue across it.

He stared at her—as she smiled at each of the bridesmaids, as she stood for the bride’s slow walk down the aisle, and as she brushed her fingertips across her cheek. He reached for the tissues in his pocket, wanting to use one of them to dab at the tear breaking free from the corner of her eye.

Her focus shifted, as if she could feel him studying her, and their eyes met. It gave him a jolt, her tawny eyes transmitting what must have been an electrical pulse. He looked away. Who was this woman?

Kendra disappeared with a group of women as soon as the ceremony ended. Maybe to the ladies room, but Tyler wasn’t interested enough to get the details. He had a single goal: find out who that mystery woman was. He followed the crowd to the reception room, never halting his search.

Well, look who the cat dragged in.

The lovely voice behind him broke his focus. He turned to see one of his favorite people, although she looked pretty different than the last time he’d seen her. Beautiful, as always, with the addition of a very small human strapped to her chest.

Holy shit! Look at you and your beautiful daughter.

The baby’s eyes fluttered, then stilled.

The new mother nodded and stroked her daughter’s tiny head. I’d introduce you but this girl is fast asleep. I was betting she’d wake up around the vows and start screaming.

Tyler shook his head at the amazing sight. My God, Ramona, it’s so great to see you and Brie. You both look amazing.

Ramona’s fiancé Lucas, appeared behind her, debonaire in his groomsmen’s tux. Great to see you, Tyler.

It would have been easy, and maybe gratifying, to hate this guy, but he might have been the nicest man Tyler had ever met. You too, Lucas. I’m so happy for you. There was at least some truth in that.

Lucas began talking about his upcoming wedding in Bermuda when the woman passed in front of them. She came to an abrupt halt, causing the server behind her to nearly topple a tray of hors d’oevres.

The breath rushed out of Tyler’s body so quickly it clenched his abdominals. The first sight of her, all of her, from head to toe, scrambled his nervous system. She was indisputably beautiful, elegant, and poised, yet all he felt was raw, unbridled craving.

The four of them stood in awkward silence for seconds longer than Tyler enjoyed. He could not muster a single response to her standing directly in front of him, head tilted, eyes beaming, lips pursed. The way she looked at him was entirely inscrutable, as if desire and disdain could live on the same face. Emotions sat right on her surface—her glorious, glowing, beguiling surface—but her particular combination of expressions was way beyond his ability to decode.

Ty, have you met my cousin, Talia?

Her name was Talia. Unsure why he didn’t expect her to have a name, Tyler regained use of his limbs and reached out his hand. Hi. I’m Tyler.

She moved her champagne to the other hand. Diamond, right?

Oh, have we met? Couldn’t be true. He would’ve remembered her. Without a doubt.

Lucas laughed and slapped him on the back.

No, she answered with a smirk. But you’re in the news occasionally.

Heat filled the space around his shirt collar. Being recognized often caught him by surprise, although it was getting more and more common.

Lucas squeezed his shoulder. Dude, haven’t you realized that everyone knows who you are?

Tyler caught himself staring and tried to shake it out. So, you’re Lucas’ cousin?

Yes, and Jackson’s too. I’m a Pemberton.

Tyler nodded but it still didn’t make sense. The Pemberton women were platinum blonde Southern belles. And this woman was… not.

Talia took a deep breath as if suddenly annoyed.

She’s my uncle Percy’s daughter, Lucas offered. My mom’s younger brother.

All the pieces fell into place. All except how the hell the whitest people on the planet had a child who looked like-

Talia is the coolest cousin. By far. Ramona interrupted his analysis.

The women shared a laugh. Thanks, Ramona. You definitely raised the standard when you joined the family.

Ramona turned her attention across the room and frowned. She addressed Tyler and Talia. We have to go do pictures, but we’ll see you two later.

Talia took a sip from her flute, then made a sound of pleasure Tyler wouldn’t have heard except that his eyes were glued to her mouth. He slid his hands in his pockets, and took a deep breath. Shit. She even smelled great, like something he’d want to devour. He cleared his throat, mostly to snap himself out of the all-engrossing daze.

Are you here alone? Talia asked.

He wished. No. But I seem to have lost my-

Tal, there you are! A tall, unnervingly handsome man wrapped his arm around Talia’s shoulder. He definitely went to the Jackson King school of how to be too cool, too good-looking, and too charming. Oh, hey, said the new guy. I’m Perry.

Tyler. Nice to meet you.

This is my baby brother, Talia said. "My huge baby brother." The two beamed at each other before he planted a kiss on her forehead.

Well, that only added to the confusion. This guy looked like a Pemberton—in all their blond-haired, blue-eyed glory. But something else. He and Talia had the same face, just in a different shade. Tyler was about to reconcile that the fabulous Talia had been adopted but she looked like her brother. He considered the application of booze as a requisite next step.

Chapter 2

No matter where Talia forced herself to look—at the dancing couples, the luxurious decor, any one of her many family members—her eyes kept landing on the most surprising guest in the room. Tyler Diamond was at her cousin’s wedding. The Tyler Diamond.

She knew it was him. She’d been introduced and everything. But the man who’d shaken her hand and smiled bore no resemblance to the one always depicted in ironic t-shirts and messy hair. Real-life, three-dimensional Tyler Diamond, in the sexiest suit she’d ever seen, was all sorts of hotness. Square-jawed, broad-shouldered, bright-smiling, with thick dark hair and dreamy brown eyes. Too much gorgeousness. What the actual hell?

Then, he’d sat directly across from her at the table, making avoidance impossible. She had no idea why he was there. Was he friends with Jackson? Another member of the much-too-hot-for-my-own-good club? None of it made sense, including the fact that every time she looked in his direction, he was already staring at her. And not at the redhead on his arm causing all the other guys in the room to drool on their ties.

Talia willed herself to turn toward the next table, where several of her aunts and uncles sat, then to the next filled with an eclectic mix of very beautiful people. She wasn’t a stranger to celebrity, but this group was strictly A-listers. Much too impressive to have her attention hijacked by a single man. But she couldn’t look away for more than a few seconds.

Tyler gave her a wide-eyed smile. He hadn’t even tried to conceal his shock when she’d told him she was part of the family. But that was no different than anyone else. Talia stood out in the Pemberton clan. Even with a Dutch brother and a Japanese brother—with matching stepmothers—Talia’s particular set of features often made her feel like a spotlight followed her every move. And not always in a good way.

She still had relatives who didn’t appreciate Percy Pemberton’s foray far from their Southern gentility roots. Her father had assembled a mini United Nations of ex-wives and kids who brought a splash of color and spice to the previously all-white Pembertons. It might be fair to question the whiteness of an old plantation-owning family, but that wasn’t something Talia felt motivated to investigate. The color of her skin was neither a project nor a burden.

Somehow, Percy’s serial philandering hadn’t alienated any of the women and children, and they stayed glued together like a stock photo for diversity. Her rag-taggle assortment of family was her version of normal, even if it came with consistent servings of odd looks and disapproval.

That awkwardness with some of her more distant relatives was why Talia had built a life in New York City, hundreds of miles away from the homestead in Virginia. No one cared about her exotic features and tapestry of a family there. The way she looked, a unique multi-racial blend, garnered a fair share of lurkers and trophy-seekers. It could well have been that Tyler’s interest was more about collection than attraction. It was most likely she’d never find out.

Talia’s date, Brandon, howled from the bar on the other side of the room, where he and her two brothers had begun a post-dinner drinking competition. He, with his impressive stature and ethnic ambiguity, could easily be confused for the third Pemberton brother. If she hadn’t known that his parents were from the Caribbean, his combination of dark skin and light green eyes might have been difficult to understand. Like her brothers, he seemed to get more and more handsome over the years.

Just that morning, she’d worried if bringing him to the wedding had been a bad idea. She and Brandon had decades of history, from playing together as kids, through school, and moving to New York. There were moments, including this one, when she felt the tug between viewing him as a brother, a friend, or something more.

It would’ve been so easy to be with Brandon. He was already fully integrated into her family and clearly cared about her. If she ever decided she wanted him, in that way, he’d almost certainly reciprocate. But she could never sustain those feelings for more than a passing day or two. If she hadn’t invited him, it might have been easier to-

She stopped herself from completing that thought. It wasn’t as if Tyler was currently for the taking, anyhow. Those were the kinds of fantasies she wouldn’t allow in her life. Like a silly crush on a rock star.

Talia glanced away from the ruckus around the bar and landed on the bustling dance floor. No surprise, Jackson had hired one of the most famous DJs in the business, the one whose name people who’d never been to a dance club still recognized. The music was off the hook, and people were having a great time. A particular hunky body continued to catch her eye.

Of course, Tyler Diamond could dance. Much better than someone who looked like him should be able to dance. His body was strong and lithe, and he definitely had rhythm. He reminded her of Justin Timberlake.

He did a spin and pointed his butt toward Kendra, who gave it a loud smack. Everyone around them burst out laughing, then copied the move. The guy was smooth as silk, but not in a too cool for school way. In a I’m so cool I don’t care what you think about my dorkiness way. To top it off, he was a bloody genius. One of the smartest people on the planet, allegedly. If nothing else, that was enough to get her engine going, but he had the looks and the charm to back it up. Add in all that power, so solid it didn’t need to be broadcast, and Talia was a goner.

Tyler would be her kryptonite. Good thing that was never going to happen. One look at his date made that clear. Kendra was another goddess