by Skye Turner
She grasps the ear piece to keep it from falling and laughs. My heart pounds at the look on her face as she gazes at me. “I did, Mr. Rider. You have a problem with that?”
Shaking my head, I yank her into me. She squeals as her eyes go wide and she shakes her head “no”.
Ignoring her, I bend her over my arm and kiss her. Her hands tangle at my nape as she kisses me back.
I can’t tell if the roaring is in my head or from the cheering of the crowd. We kiss until an amused voice bounces through the venue as Summer says, “Alright, lovebirds. Let’s keep this PG. We know, we know… you’re the best couple ever and everyone is jealous… now how about we sing?”
Sean laughs and it causes some more cheers. “Right. Stop making the rest of us dudes look bad, Rider!” I missed them falling into their positions on the stage I was so wrapped up in Daisy.
Breaking apart, I wave at the crowd as Daisy blushes and bows. Everyone claps and cheers.
Xavior counts off and then everyone starts to play. Soon, we’re all singing, the audience is into it, and the tour kick off is in the bag.
As we roll down the highway, Daisy and I are laying in her bunk on their tour bus. We’re the only couple and the girls all decided to crash after the long day. We’ve just made love, yes, slow, sweet, languid love… and it was awesome.
Her head is on my chest while our legs are tangled together and my hand idly runs through her curls. Her hand is pressed just under my heart and her TV is on so we have faint light.
She sighs and turns to look at me. I look down and raise my brows. “What, baby?”
Her lips press against my chest and she snuggles deeper. “Nothing. This is just more than I ever expected. I was so pissed when Roman told us the label’s idea about us touring together. I thought it was the worst idea ever and that there was no way we could write a song together, much less tour together without killing each other. And now… we’re a couple.
“It’s been a crazy couple of months, huh?”
I nod and chuckle. “Tell me about it. I blinked at my phone like it was a joke. I must have read that message like fifty times. I thought they were out of their minds and that this was a recipe for disaster. But the first time I saw you, it was like I took a sucker punch to the gut.”
Daisy laughs. “Yeah, you walked in and I couldn’t breathe. And that made me mad. And look at us now…”
She leans on her hand and looks at me. The light from the TV is flickering over us both as I gaze at her. She smiles and I smile back. “Yeah, just look at us now… I love you, Daisy Anderson.”
Her breath whispers over my chin. “I love you, too, Rafe Rider.”
Her kiss takes me away…
Playlist
Something New – Zendaya/ Chris Brown
Heartbeat – Carrie Underwood
More Than Miles – Brantley Gilbert
The Other Side – Jason Derulo
A Guy Walks Into A Bar – Tyler Farr
50 Ways To Say Goodbye – Train
Here – Rascal Flatts
Got Me Runnin’ Round – Nickelback
Torches – Daughtry
Razor Blade – Luke Bryan
Falling Fast – Avril Lavigne
Rumors – Adam Lambert/ Tove Lo
Superheroes – The Script
My Songs Know What You Did In The Dark – Fall Out Boy
Roses – The Chainsmokers
Hollow – Tori Kelly
Pillowtalk – Zayn
Angel Passing – Roxette
In Terms Of Love – SHeDAISY
Same Kind Of Different – Lee Ann Womack
Breathe – Faith Hill
Southern Smile – Cavo
Going Out Like That – Reba McEntire
My Heart Can’t Tell You No – Sara Evans
Best Days Of Your Life – Kellie Pickler
Stand Up – Sugarland
Flashlight – Jessie J
I Know What You Did Last Summer – Shawn Mendes
Love Of A Lifetime – Firehouse
Sweet Child O’Mine – Guns N’ Roses
Will You Be There (In The Morning) – Heart
Lucky – Eve To Adam
Never Let You Go – Third Eye Blind
Giants – Matt Nathanson
Hate That I Love You – Rhianna
Turn Me On – Royal Bliss
Never Forget You – Zara Larsson
Think Of You – Chris Young / Cassadee Pope
Sound Of Your Heart – Shawn Hook
Wait For Me – Theory of a Deadman
America’s Sweetheart – Elle King
No – Meghan Trainor
She Hates Me – Puddle Of Mudd
The Sound of Silence – Disturbed
Get Me Some Of That – Thomas Rhett
How Would You Feel – Cowboy Mouth
Legendary Lovers – Katy Perry
Acknowledgements
The important people
Thank you to my Beta Readers: Heather, Kelly, Kristin, Lani, Lindsey, & Melonie.
Thank you Kari Ayasha of Cover to Cover Designs for my absolutely stunning cover. Once again I gave you my vision and you made it so much more than what I imagined.
Thank you to my friend, Lani Sarem, for helping me perfect the story, fact checking me, correcting my eye-rolling mistakes, and giving me insight into the “biz.”
Thank you to my readers for buying and loving my work. I have so much more to share with you.
My very best friends in the world: Gabbie, Jaime, Michelle, and Tyf. Love you ladies so hard.
And finally, but most importantly… Thank you to my loves: my husband James, for ALWAYS supporting me, our diva darling, and our lil man. You three are why I get up every morning and where some of the awesome and hilarious in my books comes from!
About the Author
Skye Turner
Skye Turner is an avid reader and an editor turned Internationally Bestselling Author of the Sexy Adult Romance series Bayou Stix.
She attended Southeastern Louisiana University and Louisiana State University where she majored in Mass Communications, centering her studies in Journalism. Unfortunately, life intervened and she never finished her studies.
She lives in small town Louisiana with her husband, two children, and nine fur babies.
When she’s not chained to her laptop pounding out sexy stories she can usually be found playing ‘Supermom’, reading, gardening (playing in the dirt), listening to music and dancing like a fool, cooking, baking, crafting, or catching up on her family oriented blog.
She loves to incorporate pieces of Louisiana into her writing.
You can find her here:
Facebook: www.facebook.com/SkyeTurnerAuthor
Twitter: @SkyeTurner_Auth
Blog: www.skyeturnerauthor.com
READER GROUP / Street Team on Facebook: Skye Turner’s Bayou Belle’s and Beau’s
www.facebook.com/groups/1425424561003650
Goodreads:
www.goodreads.com/author/show/7164331.Skye_Turner
E-mail:
[email protected]
I love hearing from readers, so please feel free to reach out!
Book 1 Bayou Stix
By:
Alluring Turmoil
Book 1 Bayou Stix
By
Skye Turner
Skye Turner Copyright ©2013
All rights reserved.
This ebook is the sole property of the author and may not be reproduced or transmitted without the permission of the author. Please help prevent the piracy of ebooks. If you are reading this book and you did NOT purchase it from a retailer, or get it as a one-time loan from someone who purchased it from one of the FOUR above mentioned places, you have an ILLEGAL copy! I like to eat and I like to feed my children, so please support myself and other authors by acquiring our work the LEGAL way. Don’t be a douche and steal our hard work.
Cover Design by: Cover to Cover Designs
Editor: Mandy Schoen
Swag: Cover to Cover Designs
*Due to graphic sex scenes and strong language, this book is not intended for readers under the age of 18.
Chapter One
Lexi
“Come on, Lexi. Why are you being difficult? It’s front row at Bayou Stix. BAYOU STIX! Do you not understand this? Micah pulled some serious strings to get us these. Come on!” is what I hear from my old college roommate, now best friend Bradi.
“Bradi, I just don’t know. Things are so busy here, I have inventory to do, and I really need to get started on the Masons’ wedding cake. Besides, I’m not a big fan of Bayou Stix. You know that.” I answer, as I look around at my coffee shop/bakery.
Java and Sweeties is my baby. It was always my dream to own and run a coffee shop/bakery. I’m living my dream and I’m very proud of what we’ve put together here over the past few years. Looking around, I take in the autumn sunset colored walls with the back wall being a built in bookshelf. The black leather couches and recliners spaced intermittently with the bistro sets and warm mocha throw rugs on the polished hardwood floor give the space a warm and welcoming feel.
Over the past two years, business has really taken off and Java and Sweeties has become the go-to place for LSU students and professionals alike to come to study, or work on presentations. My cakes and baked confections have also been on more than one highly respected person’s table over the past year.
“Oh, don’t give me that bullshit Lexi! This place can spare you for one night. One night! I get it. It’s your baby, but you still need a life. You are coming with me to the concert. It’s Jude… fucking… Delecroix! Sex on a stick! Don’t make me break out the big guns, because you know I will!”
“That doesn’t work on me Bradi. I’m immune to your wiles,” I say with a chuckle. “But you’re right… ok. I’ll come with you. But I am not going backstage. I mean it. I’m serious!”
“Ok fine. We’ll see. Yay!” Bradi exclaims as she jumps around doing some sort of happy dance. “Sheesh, I don’t want to have to browbeat you. And I know it isn’t your thing, but it’ll be fun. You’ll see!”
“Yo Erik, she said yes!” Bradi yells out to my lifelong best friend, as he’s making an espresso behind the counter.
“Oh great. That’s awesome. It’s going to be an interesting night. One that we’ll certainly never forget!” Erik calls back, giving me a small wink and a sheepish smile, before turning back to the customer.
“Sooo, what should I wear? I’m thinking my purple skinny jeans with my black stilettos and my black sequined halter top. You know the one that makes my boobs look fabulous? Or should I wear my leather mini skirt with the red tube top and my thigh high leather boots? I want to be sure the band notices me!” Bradi asks me with a twinkle in her eye.
“Come on Bradi, seriously? Aren’t you back on with Micah? You know, hence the front row tickets to the sold out concert. And you being noticed is never a problem!” Bradi is gorgeous. As in supermodel gorgeous. She’s what guys call “stacked”. At 5’8 with wavy blond hair accented with dark chocolate lowlights, moss green eyes, a perfect heart shaped mouth, breasts that women pay for, a narrow waist, and curvy hips with legs for days, yeah, she has no trouble being noticed.
Now, I’m not unattractive, but next to her, I feel like a wallflower.
Bradi gives me a devious grin and says, “Yes, we’re back on. We’re always on. Even when we’re off. I love that man! And was he on last night… Ahhhhhhh! However, there is nothing wrong with trying to catch a sexy rock star’s attention. Besides, I’ve already told you, if Jude Delecroix motions my way, I’m dropping my panties before he can blink and change his mind. I would so have his rock star babies.”
My heart starts racing and my head feels strange as I say, “Ok, you do that. Rock stars are overrated. In my opinion, you should stick with Micah and have his babies. He’s crazy hot, he’s in love with you, and he puts up with your insanity.”
Bradi gives me a serious look and says, “Lexi, you know I’m joking, right? Are you ok? I would never do that to Micah. Jude is a fantasy… you know, most women have a guy they fantasize about. Sometimes, I wonder about you chick. Are you feeling ok though? I mean really, you look a little off. I think you’ve been working too much. You really do need a break, even if it’s just for one night!”
I wipe my hands down my jeans and cover her hand with mine. “I know babe. You’re you and that’s why I love you. And yeah, I have been working a lot. This place just takes a lot out of me, but I love it.”
“And that’s why you’re coming with us Friday night! You need to remember that you’re only 26. You might be a crazy successful business owner, but you’re also a fabulously sexy chick who needs to get out, have some fun, and shit, get laid!” she says with a smirk. “Now what are we going to dress you in?”
I roll my eyes and can’t help but laugh at her. I love this crazy woman so much. Besides, she’s right, I need to have some fun. It’s time to let loose again and be a regular 26 year old, single woman. “You pick. Just make sure all my womanly bits are covered!”
“Well, you’re no fun,” Bradi says with a smile. As she reaches over to kiss my cheek and I give her a hug, I don’t hear the door to the shop open.
My back is to the door. The shop is busy for a Wednesday night. Almost every couch and chair is filled and there’s a nice line of people at the counter waiting to order their coffee or pick up a sweet treat from our bakery display racks. John Mayer is playing over the speakers low enough not to bother anyone working, but loud enough that you can hear the music.
Suddenly, the hair on the back of my neck stands up as if I’ve just been shocked. Bradi is facing the door and her eyes go wide. “Oh my god… Oh my god… OH MY GOD!”
I slowly turn around, as if pulled by an imaginary cord, but I already know what I’ll see. My mind sees everything as if in slow motion. My eyes travel the length of a slim, but cut, 6’1 body, taking everything in, from the tips of his black boots to the top of his spiked dirty blond purple tipped hair. I notice all of the tattoos and the scruff that looks as if it’s a permanent part of a chiseled face.
“Oh FUCK ME!” I gasp out.
I feel faint. My hands start to sweat, my stomach starts to clench, and my panties start to moisten. It’s instinctual. My eyes move back down a smidge and rest on the clear, hard, hazel eyes of the one and only Jude Delecroix, lead singer of Bayou Stix, and he’s staring right back at me.
I unconsciously start to shake and forget that I’m still holding onto Bradi. Only now I’m squeezing her as if she’s a lifeline. I feel her move to where she’s looking into my face, but I can’t move. I can’t speak. I cannot break the all-consuming hold of the hazel eyes across the room. Those eyes that still haunt my dreams… every night.
* * *
Jude
I’m staring into the whiskey golden eyes across the room and I can’t stop. It’s almost as if I’m frozen. Rooted to the floor. My hands clench and unclench and I have to grit my teeth. The urge to run across the room and kiss those moist red lips or to scream into that beautiful, perfect face for still affecting me is almost too much to handle.
Alexia Sloane… here, in front of me. This is what I wanted. This is what I needed. But now that I’m here, everything I’ve ever thought this moment would be, the way it would play out, goes out of the window. My head is suddenly blank, but I can’t stop looking into those eyes. Those eyes, that I once thought could see into my soul. The eyes that every night when I close my eyes, I still see, no matter what I do to banish them. no matter how many women I take into my bed. My heart is empty. Dead. But those eyes… those fucking gorgeous eyes. They haunt me.
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