Revenge: The Complete Series (Erotic Rock Star Suspense Romance)

by Mimi Strong

  A big smile twists up my face and I giggle. “That’s just it. I think I am ready.”

  He rolls onto his side to face me. I keep staring up at the moon, afraid that if I look into his eyes, I’ll lose my courage.

  “Ready for what?” he asks. As he waits for my answer, he places his hand on my stomach. He slides his hand down, so it’s over my womb, radiating warmth.

  He knows exactly what I mean. This is just like Dylan, to know me better than I know myself.

  His voice comes out choked with excitement, “Are you…?”

  I let out a high-pitched giggle. “No. That bump is just from tasting too many cake samples.”

  “But would you like to be?” He rubs his palm in a slow circle on my abdomen. My toes curl inside my sandals and my whole body tenses and relaxes at once.

  “Yes,” I whisper.

  He keeps moving his palm in a comforting circle, letting the circle grow wider, until his hand slips down between my legs. Hot fingers press against my cotton underwear, rubbing gently.

  I cover my face with my hands, embarrassed that I couldn’t say the words, and embarrassed that he can press all my buttons so easily. Sometimes when he goes slowly like this, I feel like a virgin all over again.

  He pushes my dress up past my hips, and I wriggle to pull it off over my head. Now I’m in my underwear, in a moonlit garden, in the middle of Italy.

  My handsome prince slowly removes my sandals, then my panties and bra. He’s gentle, like an old-fashioned knight, being chivalrous with his virgin princess.

  He removes his tuxedo jacket and shirt, and then everything else. We’re completely naked, surrounded by gardens and bathed in moonlight.

  I’m still on my back, with my knees up and the bottoms of my feet on the blanket. He bows his head forward and kisses my knee. Then he pushes my knees apart and kisses his way inward, along my thigh.

  When he reaches the center, he sighs as he licks me.

  My toes curl again, and I grab a fistful of the blanket from either side of me. Soon I’m panting for him, begging for him to take me.

  He sits up and gazes down at me tenderly. “I missed you all week,” he said. “It was painful to see you every day, then not have you in my bed.”

  “I’m yours now.”

  He grins. “I know.”

  I loop one leg around his back and try to pull him on top of me, but he won’t budge.

  “Hold on,” he says. “I’m waiting for something.” He tilts his head. “Listen.”

  I look over at the castle. “The music stopped.” I giggle. “I wonder if they’re looking for us.”

  The sky above us explodes in light. The first fireworks bang and pop, the sound thundering through the valley. I let out a surprised cry. I got so distracted, I actually forgot about the fireworks.

  More fireworks pulse high overhead. First green ones, then red, bursting out in the shape of hearts.

  We watch for a moment, then Dylan turns to me. The fireworks explode behind his head, and he watches my face as I react to them.

  He explores my body with his hands, then lowers himself on top of me. We kiss, and I close my eyes. The fireworks are so bright, I can still see them through my eyelids and feel the explosions in my body.

  He nudges my legs apart and slides into me. He’s hungry, after being away from me for seven nights.

  I’m hungry too, grasping at him with both hands, urging him to go deeper.

  He rolls to the side and I roll with him. I’m on top, grinding down on him. Then we roll again and he’s on top, driving himself into me. I start to peak, and we roll again, then again. Now we’re not on the blanket, but on the grass. It’s cool and soft against my back.

  He folds my legs up, so they’re pressed against his shoulders. Now I feel all of him inside me, fully. My breathing gets shallow and I reach out, clutching grass with my hands to keep myself from floating away.

  He tells me I’m beautiful in the moonlight, his goddess, the mother of his children. I gaze up at his strong face and smile, knowing our baby will have Dylan’s beautiful eyes.

  I can’t say how I know this, but I do. Our first will be a boy, and he’ll have wild hair like Dylan’s. We’ll take our time to spoil him and sing songs to him, and then we’ll have a girl. She’ll be even more wild.

  The fireworks keep bursting overhead, getting bigger and louder. I can feel them inside my body.

  Dylan murmurs for me to open my eyes and look.

  Huskily, he says, “We’re painted in colors.”

  I look down at our naked bodies. The fireworks flashing overhead turn us orange, then green, then blue.

  “Wow,” I say, then, “I love you, Dylan Wolf.”

  He slows his movements. “I love you too, Mrs. Jessica Lynn Wolf.”

  I give him a coy smile, then flex my muscles around him. “Then show me,” I say.

  He responds by growling and sinking into me.

  We roll again, grasping each other desperately. The fireworks keep going, reaching their peak. We both moan with pleasure, until we merge in pure light, pure bliss.

  After making love, we crawl our way back to the blanket, giggling about how much grass is stuck in my hair.

  We put our clothes back on and catch our breath on the blanket.

  We lay back. We gaze up at the moon.

  He reaches for my hand and squeezes it.

  “I’m ready when you are,” he says.

  “We should get your album launched first.”

  “There’s always something.” He chuckles. “We have a very full life.”

  I lift my head up to look over at the castle, glowing brightly from the lights within.

  “We should go back and join the party,” I say.

  “We will.” He squeezes my hand.

  I lay my head back down.

  Neither of us makes a move to get up from the blanket.

  After a moment, Dylan says, “Five more minutes.”

  Time passes. I squeeze his hand. “Five more minutes.”

  We lay next to each other, repeating the request to each other, these five more minutes stretching out the perfection, like hitting replay on your favorite song, over and over, until you’re completely satisfied.

  Chapter Twenty-One (Epilog)

  ONE YEAR LATER

  Today’s our one year wedding anniversary, and I can’t think of a better way to celebrate such a beautiful year than at the wedding of our dear friends Amanda and Caleb.

  They got engaged at our wedding in Italy, so the date belongs to all of us, and Dylan and I are happy to share.

  For this one, we didn’t fly to Italy, but we did rent the same beautiful Malibu mansion Dylan and I were going to use for our secret wedding. Being in this house again feels like a reunion of sorts.

  This morning, we were setting up decorations when Dylan cornered me in the kitchen and teasingly scolded me for making a mess. There were other people around, so we couldn’t do what we wanted to each other, but I’m looking forward to tonight.

  I’m really looking forward to tonight, actually. I swear my nipples have been hard ever since he kissed me, and that was hours ago.

  I can’t let myself get distracted, though. I have to make sure Amanda’s family and Caleb’s family feel welcome here. I’m running around like I’m the wedding planner, getting extra chairs set up in the atrium where they’ll be holding the ceremony.

  People are taking their places, and the room smells like perfume. I smile sweetly and shake hands with the hundredth person whose name I can’t hope to remember.

  Riley comes in through the french doors, clutching a shopping bag to her chest. “Jess, I need your help,” she says.

  I excuse myself and follow her away from everyone, down a hallway toward the master bedroom.

  “Wardrobe malfunction?” I ask.

  “Something else.” She gives me a knowing look, then pushes into the master bedroom. A handful of Amanda’s other friends and cousin look up at us in surpri
se.

  “Shoo, everyone,” Riley says. “Official bridesmaids only.”

  The others look offended, but they do get up and leave.

  We go to the bathroom door, and Riley knocks. “It’s just us.”

  Amanda calls through the door, “Is Jess here?”

  “Of course I’m here.”

  The door opens.

  Amanda’s eye makeup is messy from crying, but other than that, she looks radiant in her bridal gown.

  “Did you get it?” Amanda asks.

  Riley opens the shopping bag and sets out a pile of six different brands of pregnancy tests. I take a step back to steady myself against the wall.

  “You’re pregnant?” I ask Amanda.

  “I don’t know,” she says. She takes a seat on the edge of the tub, her fluffy white skirt billowing around her. “I thought maybe I just skipped a period because I was so nervous about the wedding, but then my cousin said something about how big my boobs looked in my gown, and now I can’t even think straight until I know.”

  “Have you and Caleb been trying?” I ask.

  Amanda looks over at Riley, then back at me. “We thought we didn’t want to wait, because…” She trails off and looks down guiltily.

  I nod, then finish for her, “Because Dylan and I have been trying for almost a year and getting nowhere.”

  Amanda’s face scrunches. “I’m so sorry, Jess. I didn’t want to get pregnant before you did, I swear.”

  Tears spring to my eyes, and I jump forward to hug her. I squeeze her tightly. “Don’t you dare apologize. I love you, Amanda. If you’re pregnant, I promise you, I’ll be so happy for you and Caleb, you silly girl.”

  She sobs. “I love you, too.”

  Riley sighs noisily. “I love you guys, too, but we’ve got a wedding starting in a few minutes. You know I love Caleb, but I’m not going to marry the guy, no matter how sharp he looks in a tuxedo. Amanda, get off that tub, pee on one of these sticks, and let’s rock, already.”

  I pull away from Amanda and walk over to the pile of pregnancy tests. I’ve never even used one of these before, because I haven’t even had a late period since we started trying. I pick up a brand that looks as good as any and hand it to Amanda.

  “Are you sure?” she asks. “Maybe I’ll wait until after the ceremony. I don’t even have to go, actually. I bet nothing will come out.”

  “No excuses,” I tell her. “Let’s find out, and just remember that whatever happens, we’re all in this together.”

  Riley drapes her arm across my shoulder. “We’re family, Amanda. Now pee on that stick, because the suspense is killing me.”

  We unwrap the packaging, and I read the instructions while Riley helps manage Amanda’s giant gown. When the stick has been successfully wetted, the girls hand it to me.

  I count down, worrying that the results won’t be clear.

  The results are very clear.

  I turn to Amanda with a big smile on my face. “Congratulations,” I say.

  She looks panicked. She blinks. Slowly, her expression changes to happiness. Now she’s smiling.

  “We’re having a baby,” she says. “Caleb is going to be so happy.”

  Riley grabs Amanda by the arm and drags her out of the bathroom. “Come on. We’ve got to fix your makeup and get you ready for your big day.”

  I wave for them to go ahead. “Give me a minute to freshen up.”

  I close the bathroom door and lean back against it. I am happy for Amanda, but looking at her positive pregnancy test also feels like life is kicking me in the stomach.

  The doctor says everything’s okay with me and Dylan, and that it will just take time. I’m trying to stay optimistic, but it’s hard to fight back the tears right now. I’m probably feeling extra emotional because of hormones—my period is about to start any day now.

  Actually, it should have started on Monday.

  I can hear the girls giggling in the other room while they fix Amanda’s makeup.

  I take the used packaging and bury it in the bottom of the waste bin, so that curious family members don’t find Amanda’s positive test and ruin the surprise. There are five tests here that haven’t been used yet.

  The thought crosses my mind so quickly, I don’t even doubt myself. I pull up my bridesmaid dress, unwrap one of the other test kits, and go on the test strip.

  As I wait for the result, I’m so nervous I can barely breathe. I try to tell myself to be patient. If it’s not this month, it could still happen next month, or the next.

  The result comes up. I blink at it in disbelief.

  I open the bathroom door and walk out to the master bedroom, which is being used as our changing room and makeup station.

  “Guys?” I show them the test result. It’s positive.

  Amanda rolls her eyes. “Yes, I’m still pregnant.”

  Riley yanks the plastic wand from my hand and gasps. “You brat!” she says.

  I take a step back. “Pardon me?”

  Amanda says, “What’s going on? Hey, that’s not the one I took. Mine was pink. That means…”

  “You little brat!” Riley squeals as she grabs me in a hug. “Congratulations.” She rocks me from side to side, and Amanda joins in.

  * * *

  We decide that we won’t tell Caleb or Dylan until after the ceremony.

  I don’t know about Amanda, but it’s absolute torture for me to stand through the ceremony, only feet away from Dylan, and not tell him. Every time I catch his eyes, I practically start crying from happiness.

  He just smiles sweetly at me, like I’m some hopeless romantic who blubbers at weddings. Maybe I am.

  After the vows, we’re supposed to gather on the mansion’s lawn, amidst the geometric rows of flowers, for formal photographs. I beg the wedding planner for a short break, and drag Dylan off to a quiet corner.

  “Happy anniversary,” he says.

  “I have a gift for you.”

  His dark eyes twinkle. “Really?”

  I would like to tell him in a really clever way, like by giving him a pair of knitted baby booties, or something like that, but I can’t wait.

  I take his hand, pull until he lowers his ear to my mouth, and whisper, “I’m pregnant.”

  He pulls away and gives me a big smile. “I know.”

  I swat him on the arm of his tuxedo. “I’m not joking around. This isn’t a game.”

  He grabs me and pulls me into a hug. He squeezes me hard. “I know,” he says again, his voice low and gritty. “Maybe not for sure, but I had an idea. Your breasts felt different this morning, and you smelled better than ever.”

  I’m glad he’s hugging me, because my legs feel so weak, I’d probably collapse right now if it wasn’t for him.

  “You’re so clever,” I say. “You ruined the surprise.”

  He kisses me, then gazes into my eyes. “I love you. And I’m going to love our children so much.” He kisses me again. “How did you find out already? I only noticed this morning.”

  “Oh, I took a test in the bathroom. Riley bought six of them.”

  “Why?” His eyebrows raise. “One of them is pregnant?”

  I nod, but I don’t tell him who. It’s not official, so I’m not allowed to tell him, at least not until the baby’s father knows.

  “Which one?” he asks.

  It’s not crazy for him to think it might be Riley, because she’s been dating someone for a while, and he’s here today as her date.

  I pretend to seal my lips with a key. “Can’t say yet.”

  He smiles. “We’re having a baby. Do you know what this means?”

  “Lots of things. Wow. It’s just hitting me.”

  “I’ll have to write a new song about shoes.”

  I give him a confused look. “Shoes?”

  “The song will be called… Baby Shoes. It’s a lullaby. I can hear it now.”

  I laugh, and he takes me in his arms and rocks me from side to side, humming a gentle melody.

&
nbsp; He sings softly, “Baby shoes. Teeny, tiny baby toes… in baby shoes.”

  Author's Note - Mimi Strong & JJ Knight

  You've just finished reading the end of the Blue Shoes three-part trilogy. I hope you enjoyed all the thrills, tears, and laughter along the way. What a wild ride it's been!

  DID YOU KNOW?

  The Morris Music books by JJ Knight are co-written with NYT bestselling author Mimi Strong. If you love the humor in the books about Jess and Dylan, plus the fun interaction between Jess and her girlfriends, you're going to love Mimi's other books. (They're also super, super steamy!)

  There are plenty of Mimi Strong books to choose from, but her most well-known series is called Peaches Monroe. The series is complete and available as a boxed set, free to borrow for KU readers. Turn the page for a sample of the PEACHES MONROE trilogy.

  Peaches Monroe Book 1, Stardust

  CHAPTER 1

  I wasn’t always a magnet for hot guys, but then one day I fell into Dalton Deangelo’s arms, and my whole life changed.

  I was standing on a wooden stool, inside the bookstore where I worked, trying to solve one of my two major problems. A tempting cupcake smell kept wafting in the air vent. I couldn’t take it for another minute. My very smart plan was to tape over the vent.

  My other problem was that I didn’t have a date for my cousin’s wedding that afternoon, but it was too late to do anything about that.

  The bells on the front door jingled, and a guy came running into the store, breathing heavily. I could tell instantly he was not a local. If there’d been a guy that yummy in the small town of Beaverdale, I would have known.

  He didn’t see me standing on the stool, and slammed into me with his gorgeous body. It was more contact than I’d had with a man recently, so I didn’t mind one bit. And he was so cute! Two points for Peaches.

  The stool wobbled. I tried to catch my balance, but there was nothing to grab onto.

  I toppled off the stool and fell.

  Right into his arms.

  The handsome stranger didn’t just catch me.