I’d almost forgotten about it.
I dug it out from under my purse. It was a smallish envelope, one of those stiff ones that documents come in. I noted the sender’s name and address with a small smile. It was from Katie, but the address was my brother’s. Had they moved in together?
She’d said they were moving in together next month, but I knew my brother was anxious to move her out of her “slum”—his word—and into his place. Katie had been taking her time packing her things and making the arrangements, and didn’t seem to want to rush things. I knew all of this because Katie had been really sweet about keeping in touch with me, via email and text, even when I didn’t always write her back. Guilt gnawed at my stomach and I made a little vow to make more of an effort there. I also made a mental note to send them a housewarming gift, something cool and thoughtful from London.
I slit the courier envelope open, just hoping it wasn’t photos… and because I was my own worst enemy, kind of hoping it was.
A small white envelope slipped out, embossed with a simple music note pattern.
My breath caught as I picked it up.
At a glance, it was obvious what it was. It said Jessa Mayes on it, in what I assumed was Katie’s careful, pretty handwriting, a little heart drawn next to my name. I reminded myself to breathe and told myself to get a grip even as my heart thudded in my chest. I’d known this was happening for a while now. Katie and Jesse had called me together on Skype to tell me about the engagement.
But now it was getting real.
I turned the envelope over; it was sealed with a small silver sticker in the shape of an electric guitar. I smiled again, tears pricking my eyes, overcome with joy and a terrible, heartrending dread all at once. My fingers shook a little as I opened the envelope and pulled out the card inside.
This was all happening so fast.
And not that I didn’t wish my brother every happiness and a long, loving marriage to an amazing girl like Katie, but in reality I hadn’t expected him to find the right girl so suddenly. In theory, I’d had six years to prepare for this eventuality.
In reality, I wasn’t prepared at all.
I opened the little card, which requested my presence at the wedding of Katherine Anne Bloom and Jesse Anderson Mayes, and I shuddered with the force of withholding my tears.
God, I was so incredibly happy for them.
And so shit-scared for me.
Katie had already told me she wanted me to be one of her bridesmaids. And chicken-shit that I was, I’d told her I’d think about it.
I sniffled a little, trying to keep my shit together, and gazed out the window. It had started to drizzle just a little. I had a long flight ahead of me, and a lot of time alone in London after the shoot. I’d never spent much time in England and I’d thought it might be fun to have some downtime to take in the sights.
Now all I saw before me was a dangerous amount of time alone with my thoughts, filled with the potential for bad decisions.
I had no idea how to process my feelings about any of this, and whenever I struggled to process my feelings… life got messy. Ugly.
Dirty.
I tried to look at things objectively.
On the one hand, I was about to gain a kickass sister-in-law. And if I was really lucky, a couple of adorable nieces and nephews. What’s not to be thrilled about there?
On the other hand… attending my brother’s wedding would mean confronting things I’d never wanted to think about again.
But it was inevitable, wasn’t it? Jesse was never going to live his life alone.
He wasn’t like me.
Which meant I’d just have to deal with this, somehow. There was no way I was going to skip out on my brother’s wedding. Not even I could justify that.
I took a deep breath and tucked the card back into the envelope. It seemed they’d finally gotten their wish.
Like it or not… it was time for me to go home.
Don’t miss Dirty Like Brody (Dirty #2), the next book in the Dirty series… coming soon!
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Love music like Katie & Jesse do?
Check out the Dirty Like Me playlist.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
First of all, I’d like to thank all the bloggers who were so kind and welcoming to me when I released my first book, DEEP. You were both enthusiastic and brave, taking a chance on a new author, without knowing a thing about me or my work. It’s book-loving ladies like you who help make this whole thing possible, and I cherish your ongoing support. A special thank you to Jennifer and Mindy at Hines & Bigham’s Literary Tryst for being the very first bloggers to review, and love, Dirty Like Me. “I think I could read this book over and over!” Praise every author dreams of.
I'd like to acknowledge all the bands who made the music I grew up on and those I’ve seen play live over the years—from classic rock to heavy metal, there are just too many to name. But I could not write a rock ’n’ roll book without saying a special thank you to The Police, my first ever favorite band; the genius of your lyrics inspired me at a very young age and helped spark my passion for writing.
Also, thank you to the roadies who propositioned me at a rock concert when I was a teenager; gross, but it made great fodder for this book.
A big thank you and lots of love, always, to my best friend, Rena. We met right at the age when we were both crushing on rock stars in leather pants. We still share our love of music and writing, among other things. Thank you for taking me to live it up in a glamorous Coal Harbour hotel when I really needed a night out. Thank you for making me laugh until it hurts. Thank you for always being there for conversations about men and vibrators and lace panties. Thank you for allowing me to put just a tiny bit of your essence into Devi… and Katie, too. (You are “the brown Gwen Stefani.”) Thank you for being the first reader of parts of Katie and Jesse’s story, and for being the first person to love them like I do. Thank you for always encouraging me to keep writing. When you demand that I send you more scenes, like now, I know I’m doing something right. You rock, and you always will. Best friends forever, my dragon queen.
Thank you to Guin, Chris and Marjorie, my amazingly accommodating beta readers, for reading this book so quickly and at such short notice. Thank you, Guin, for loving Jesse! Thank you, Chris, for loving Max! Nods to Max in Chapters 28, 30 and 37 are just for you. ;) Thank you, Marjorie, for telling me that reading my books has inspired you to turn off the TV and get back into reading… That has to be about the most awesome thing an author can hear. I love you. Thank you for always making time for me and my books.
Ah, Mr. Diamond. What can I say? You rock too, and I’m pretty sure you know it. You hear it pretty much every day, but here are a few things just so you know I haven’t forgotten. Thank you for pushing me (with love) to be better, in every way. Thank you for reading the first three chapters of this book, loving it, and demanding more. Thank you for wanting to hang with Katie and Jesse. (If only, right? We’d go to Nudge Coffee and share a mocha.) Thank you for introducing this rock ’n’ roll girl to electronic music years ago; it was only natural that the music in our home influence the vibe in this book. Thank you for advising me on what Jesse and Jude would drive; you know I still get nervous when you take me for cruises in the Camaro, but secretly I think it’s sexy. Thank you for an amazing book cover that captures the feel of this book, and for putting up with my million-and-one tweaks to make it perfect. (You know I didn’t actually mean to make Jesse and Katie resemble you and me, but I guess that’s some crazy subconscious shit going on.) Thank you for popping your head into the room as I’m writing this and asking, “If I make nachos, will you have some?” Um, yes. Thank you for being the best baby daddy ever to our little girl, and keeping our shit together so I can write. I heart you big time. We’ll go to Hawaii again, I promise.
ENJOY DIRTY LIKE ME?
First of all, a huge, rockin’ thank you to YOU for reading this book and taking a chance on a new rockstar romance series from
a new romance author. Every book is a labor of love, and the experience wouldn’t be complete without you.
Reviews are so important for authors, especially indie authors like me, and as a new author, they are crucial. As a reader, your voice has power. Honest reviews help readers find books.
With the support of readers like you, I can keep making this dream a reality… and keep writing more books!
If you’ve enjoyed this book, please consider taking just a few minutes to leave a review on the Amazon page. The review can be as short as you like. The link below will take you directly to this book’s Amazon page in your region.
Dirty Like Me on Amazon
—With enormous gratitude, Jaine.
OTHER BOOKS BY JAINE DIAMOND
DIRTY SERIES
Dirty Like Us (Dirty #0.5)
If you enjoyed Dirty Like Me, you won’t want to miss this crazy beginning to Zane and Maggie’s story (it wouldn’t be Zane’s without a little crazy in it!). Sign up to my Diamond Club newsletter to receive your FREE copy of this prequel novella—exclusive to Diamond Club members.
What happens in Vegas… better stay in Vegas.
Maggie Omura has never been a gambling woman. As assistant manager of Dirty, the hottest rock band on the planet, she brings order to the lives of four crazy-ass rock stars.
But when the band lands in Vegas, a streak of bad luck lands Maggie in a bind—and in the penthouse suite, with the last man she’d ever want for a roommate.
Zane Traynor, lead singer of Dirty. Rock god. Sex god. Total nightmare for women.
And the only man who’d make Maggie a proposal so insane it just might work.
A night of chance.
An irresistible gamble…
It’s time for Zane and Maggie to go all in.
DEEP SERIES
DEEP (DEEP #1)
DEEP is the first full-length novel in the DEEP erotic romance series. This is white-hot military romance with a subtle sci-fi element. Contains hot men in uniform, a violated Code of Conduct, and ice cream! Yum. Intended for adult readers, 18+.
The more lines they cross, the deeper they get…
Top cadet Lana Marsden lives by the rules. The most important rule of all: no messing around with an officer. She learned that one the hard way.
Now her only desire is to survive the grueling DEEP Training program and leave that scandalous past behind.
When she reports to Station Six amid wild rumors of erotic hazing rituals and sadomasochistic games, she’s not prepared for any of the rumors to be true—or for her insatiable attraction to Sergeant “Catch” Durant, her tattooed rebel of a trainer.
One touch from Catch, and Lana knows she’s in trouble. One night of white-hot ecstasy, and the rules melt away…
A cadet with a secret.
An officer with a secret kink.
A whole lot of rules to be broken.
PRAISE FOR DEEP:
“I was in need of something completely different to really grab my attention, and Jaine Diamond did just that with this incredible debut novel that will leave readers panting, tied in knots, and cursing how quickly that last page showed up!” — The Autumn Review
“This book definitely has the correct title!! It was fast paced, DARK, DEEP, sexy, sexually frustrating and funny!” — Once Upon an Alpha
“... leaves you swiping your kindle to the right in hopes that you find a few lost pages to keep the story going. It was just that good guys.” — Kris & Vik Book Therapy Café
“... this is probably the most enjoyable piece of erotica I have ever read.” — The Writer’s Inkwell
BUY DEEP
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Jaine Diamond is a romance author who believes in fairy tales, ice cream, and true love. She lives in beautiful Vancouver, Canada with her real-life romantic hero (Mr. Diamond) and their baby girl.
Connect with Jaine Diamond online:
www.jainediamond.com
Goodreads
Twitter
Facebook
NEWSLETTER
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