by Tina Donahue
“You. Had. Better.” Bree tapped her foot.
Andy gave her his sweetest smile. “While we discuss the plan can you go somewhere else?” He lifted his hands. “I swear we won’t make Jacquie cry any more than she is.”
Sniffing noises poured from the room where Jacquie was.
Andy’s heart cramped. Never had he wanted things to reach this point. “Please?”
Bree inclined her head to Jacquie’s desk. “I’ll be out there. Behave yourselves or else.”
Once she’d closed her office door, Andy spoke to the guys. “Since she wants us equally, I have an idea on how to make this work.”
Devlin hooked his thumbs in his pockets. “While we’re in the club? So do I. It’s not the biggest problem though. Our schedules are. When we’re on the road during—”
“Shut up and listen.” Andy spoke quietly, telling him and Max the thought he had while Bree had been tongue lashing them.
Jacquie sat on the bathroom counter, face lowered, nose running.
Swearing, she ran her finger beneath it.
The door opened.
Damn. “Bree, please. I know you’re worried, but I need to be by myself right—”
“It’s not Bree. Or rather we’re not.”
At Andy’s voice, Jacquie looked up. Max and Devlin stood behind him. She went cold then hot. “Do you never listen? I told you to leave.”
Andy gave her a sad look. “We can’t.”
Devlin pinned her with his gaze. “We won’t.”
“Give us a minute to explain.” Max pushed past the others and touched her hand. “We’ve been jerks, no argument there. My feelings for you scared me. Theirs did the same to them.” He looked their way. “Right?”
They nodded.
Max faced her. “Admittedly, we’re fucked up but we’ll be more open from now on, sharing stuff, telling you how we feel every second we’re with you, either together or individually.”
His admission and promise should have made Jacquie happy, but reality slapped her down. “You mean while seeing me in between your tours, performances, rehearsals, writing, composing—”
“Nope.” Devlin joined them. “During those times we’re not on stage or doing publicity you’ll be with us. We want you to join our group as artistic manager.”
She couldn’t have heard correctly. “What?”
He repeated what he’d said.
Dizziness hit. She gripped the counter and lowered her head. “What are you talking about? How can you suggest such a thing? I know zip about staging performances and doing videos.”
Andy took her hand. “You know about romance, sex, and what turns women on. We’ve never seen anything like your ideas here. You can think them up for our videos and devise other things to make our stuff unique. The pay’s more than you’ll ever earn here. I’m easy to work with. If Max or Devlin get out of line, I’ll—”
“Yeah, right.” Max crowded Andy, forcing him to the side. “We’ll treat you like a queen because we adore you. Right, guys?”
They nodded.
Devlin cradled her cheek. “Say yes, please.”
Tears ran down her face, dripping from her chin. Unable to speak, she pushed off the counter and gathered them in her arms.
Epilogue
Nine months later…
Jacquie printed off the latest album cover and waved it over her head. “Here it is.”
“Get in here.” Bree gestured Jacquie into her office. “Let me see.”
She handed it over and drank in the surroundings, wanting to remember them. This evening marked her last day in the club and as Bree’s right-hand woman.
When the guys offered Jacquie the artistic manager job she would have left with them in a heartbeat but didn’t want to desert Bree assistant-wise. She also wanted to be true to herself. If things didn’t work out between her, Max, Andy, and Devlin because they were somehow incompatible or everyone’s feelings involved more lust than love, she’d be screwed. They would too.
Being sensible, she suggested they go on tour without her and see if their feelings held during the extended absence.
They hadn’t—they’d grown, as hers did.
Publicity tours and TV appearances kept them busy during the following months. Again, she suggested everyone wait to see if their emotions were true.
They’d returned weeks ago and could barely keep away from her.
She didn’t fight her feelings. Nor did they. She’d given her notice to Bree and helped her find another assistant who’d start tomorrow.
Bree tapped the album cover. “This is incredible. Your statue alone makes it.”
Andy had done good changing Jacquie’s features so no one who knew her in Provo would freak. She gestured to the gazebo in the picture. “You like that?”
“Almost as much as what you came up with for Surrender.” She slumped. “What am I going to do without your help?”
“The new person is good and if you need ideas call. X-rated thoughts have taken up permanent residence in my head.”
Bree laughed.
Knocks sounded on the jamb.
Harper Treat stood in the doorway, wearing an exquisite lilac suit and beige heels, her strawberry blonde hair swept up, earrings tasteful and expensive, face pretty, longing and frustration in her gaze.
Jacquie knew why.
At twenty-seven, Harper served as CEO for Treat Telecom, a company her father started and handed over to her when he stepped down. She worked twenty-four-seven, never playing, at least not the way she wanted. Surrender would change that.
“Bree. Jacquie.” She smiled faintly. “Guess I’m ready for anything.”
Certainly pleasure she couldn’t find outside Surrender. Guys chased Harper for her wealth, power, or looks, in that order. She wanted to have fun without fuss and craved strong men to take control, not grovel as her male employees and dates did, hoping they’d get on her good side.
“You’ve come to the right place.” Jacquie pulled out a chair for her and handed over a sheet with ideas for what she might want to do here.
As she read, the faint freckles across her nose grew darker, her cheeks rosier than normal. “This is something. I like it.”
“It’s all her idea.” Bree inclined her head to Jacquie then gave her a proud yet sad smile. “We’re going to miss you.”
The intercom buzzed. “Ms. Debussey, Jacquie’s men are here.”
Words she’d longed for and finally had.
“Take care.” Bree hugged her. “Don’t be a stranger.”
“Never. I’ll be back in three months. You and I are going out for chocolate and merlot then.”
“Count on it.”
After kissing each other’s cheeks, Jacquie dashed to the club entrance.
Max, Andy, and Devlin waited, checking their phones.
She cleared her throat.
As one, they looked up, grinned, and led her to the waiting limo.
To begin her new life at their side.
The End
Tina Donahue
I’m an national and international bestselling novelist who writes passionate romance – ‘heat with heart’ – to satisfy every taste and I’m published by traditional publishers and indie. Booklist, Publisher’s Weekly, Romantic Times and numerous online sites have praised my work. I’ve won Readers’ Choice Awards, was named a finalist in the EPIC competition, received a Book of the Year award, The Golden Nib Award, awards of merit in the RWA Holt Medallion competitions, and second place in the NEC RWA contests. I’m featured in the Novel & Short Story Writer’s Market. Before penning romances, I worked at a major Hollywood production company in Story Direction.
On a less serious note: I’m an admitted and unrepentant chocoholic, I brake for Mexican restaurants, and have been known to moan like Meg Ryan in When Harry Met Sally while I’m wolfing down tostadas. I’ve flown a single-engine airplane (freaking scary), rewired an old house using an ‘electricity for dummies’ book, and am horribly shy despi
te the hot romances I write.
Don’t miss these exciting titles by Tina Donahue and Blushing Books!
Wicked Series
Sinfully Wicked - Book 1
Surrender Series
Submission - Book 1
Domination - Book 2
Single Titles
SiNN
Adored
Connect with Tina Donahue:
tinadonahuebooks.blogspot.com
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