by Dee J. Adams
“You’re proposing now?” She wiped her hands down her face then through her messy hair. “This is happening now?” She needed a brush, makeup. She needed to look better when he proposed. “I’ve got pillow lines on my face.” She wiped at her chin. No doubt she had dried drool there.
He took her hands, stilled them. “Sweetheart, you couldn’t look any more beautiful than you do right now.” He leaned in and brushed his lips along hers. “I love when your hair is kind of messy. I dig those pillow lines, too, because you got them sleeping next to me. There isn’t anything I don’t love about you.” He pulled the ring out of the box. “So will you marry me?” His shocking blue eyes stared into hers and in them she saw everything she wanted in a man. She saw love, acceptance and respect. She saw someone who’d champion her causes and be her biggest supporter.
“Yes,” she said. Her eyes stung as he slipped the ring on her finger. “Brendan this is gorgeous. How could you afford this?”
“Let’s just say Seger gave me a little advance on the royalties he’s expecting.”
She shook her head. “That must be some advance.” She hadn’t received her winnings from the show until just last month. After cuts went to her new management and agent, the rest had gone into the bank…with the exception of a small splurge on some clothes and things she hadn’t been able to buy because of Jeff’s taste and his hang-ups.
Every now and then it hit her that he was dead. The autopsy had shown that her knife wound hadn’t killed him. The bullets had. But still, it was as if a dark cloud covered her when she thought of it. Though she hadn’t been happy with him for a long time and his mood swings had grown worse, she still remembered the man she fell in love with. The guy who smiled at her and treated her well in the beginning. Her first mistake was not looking for something behind his personality change and leaving sooner. Her second mistake was pretending to be someone she wasn’t to make him happy.
The square-cut diamond sparkled on her finger with stunning brilliance and it reminded Casey what she had now, right in front of her. Brendan loved her for everything she was and everything she was going to be. That was something no one could put a price tag on.
“Do you like it?” he asked. His forehead crinkled in a cute pucker. “You’re a little quiet. I know you think I might be rushing this, but I’m not. We can stay engaged for as long as you want. If you need to get used to the idea, that’s cool. I totally get it. I just want you to know that I’m in it for the long haul. Like the fifty or sixty year haul. I want you next to me when we’re both old and gray, you know? I want to laugh with you and make music with you, confide in you, and I want you to do all those things with me.”
Casey wrapped her arms around his neck, straddled his lap and set her lips on his. “I can see why you have a hit song out of the gate,” she whispered at his lips. “You’re very good with words.”
“Yeah?” He grinned. “That’s a compliment coming from you, Miss Eight Songs in Two Days.”
She shrugged. “What can I say. I had my muse close by.” She kissed him again and it wasn’t long before he had her spread on those cool sheets, calling his name and coming apart at his touch.
Lying next to each other sweaty and exhausted, Casey reached for his hand. “What if I said I wanted to marry you sooner rather than later?”
His eyes widened? “No shit?” He looked like a puppy with a new toy. “I mean, I said all that because I didn’t want to pressure you, but I’d marry you tomorrow, Case. Just say the word.”
She laughed. “I think we’re a little booked tomorrow.” She glanced at the clock. They only had a couple more hours until the alarm went off. “What about after the tour? That’s only six months away.”
He nodded and chuckled.
“What’s so funny?” she asked.
“Blake was shooting for six months with Abbey. That’ll be during her hiatus from the show and before she starts shooting the movie.”
“Oh, so then we should make it a different time.”
He shrugged. “Unless we had a double wedding.” He lifted an eyebrow. “My parents could get it done in one shot. But obviously it’s up to you and Abbey and what you and your parents want. I’ll do whatever you tell me.”
Casey snuggled in his arms. It didn’t matter what her parents thought. Whatever everyone else wanted suited her fine. All she cared about was taking care of the man next to her for the rest of her life.
“Bren,” she murmured as he gently stroked his fingers down her arm. “Thanks for rescuing me that day on the beach.”
He kissed her temple. “Smartest move I’ve made my whole life. You’re the best thing that ever happened to me, Case. You still don’t believe me, but I fell in love with you that first day.” His chest huffed. “I nearly had a coronary when I saw you that first night on the show, but I knew then. I wasn’t letting you go.”
The urge to come clean about that first day on the beach overwhelmed Casey. She didn’t want to start a life with Brendan without being completely honest. “I have a confession to make,” she said, pulling back so she could see his eyes. “That morning in Hawaii wasn’t exactly accidental. I’d been watching you jog in the mornings and I decided that on my last day, I wanted to meet you.”
His brows slanted in equal lines as he sat up. “You’re telling me that you got into the ocean on purpose, hoping I’d rescue—”
“No!” She sat up too. “I just wanted to meet you. I never realized the water was going to take me out. That was definitely an accident. But I am glad you saved me.” His brows stayed slanted and Casey’s heart slammed harder against her ribs. “Please don’t be mad at me. Bren, I love you with all my heart, you have to know that.” She swallowed, terrified that she’d made the biggest mistake of her life.
“So you came down at the butt crack of dawn to meet me and thought you’d casually take a dip in the water to look natural? Do I have that right?”
“Um…” Casey flashed her brightest smile. “Yes?”
The next few seconds seemed to last a lifetime, but slowly Brendan’s face morphed, his brows lifted and a grin kicked up his lips. He pounced and she shrieked. “The next time you want my attention,” he said, covering her with his significant muscle, “all you have to do is smile. That’s all you needed to do that morning.”
“So you’re not mad at me?”
“Case, if you hadn’t come out of your room, I wouldn’t have met you until the show. I’d like to think that we still would’ve connected, but that day—and night in Hawaii—that was a turning point for me too.”
Casey’s heart melted and she glanced at the clock again. Any hope of sleep was long gone so she eased her palm down Brendan’s side, making little circles with her fingers.
“Now who’s horny?” he said around a chuckle.
“That would be me,” she said, cupping his tight ass. “But you can’t blame me. Anytime you start talking like that you know it makes me hot.”
“Damn, I’m glad I write songs for a living now.”
Casey rolled him, loved the way his strong arms encircled her. “That’s hit songs for a living.” She stopped before kissing him again. “Hey, so we’re not going to let any of that shit get in the way right? We’re just going to write our songs and be supportive of each other?”
His brows furrowed. “Of course. I think there’s room for both of us in the business, don’t you?”
“I do. So here’s the deal. Whoever sells the most music has to make dinner.”
He laughed and the rumble in his chest sparked her own laughter. “Deal.” He rolled her fast and set his lips on her neck. She opened her legs to accommodate his weight. “And whoever’s wearing the engagement ring has to have an orgasm.”
Her giggle bubbled from out of nowhere. “Well, if you insist. I don’t want to be difficult.”
“I knew you were a smart woman.” Brendan proved to her two more times just what a smart decision she’d made and Casey knew without a doubt that she’d found the
perfect man completely out of the blue.
The End
Also by Dee J. Adams
The Adrenaline Highs Series
Dangerous Race
5 stars – Laura Wright, author of Mark of the Vampire and Bayou Heat series.
“High Octane Awesomeness!”
4.5 stars – The Fiction Vixen.
“Really, really fabulous read. The mystery / suspense subplot is interesting and keeps you on your toes, the main and secondary characters are all great and likable, there is sizzling chemistry in both the primary and secondary romances, and it’s well-written.”
4 stars – One Good Book Deserves Another.
Taking high octane romance and suspense to a whole other level, Adams goes green flag with a prologue that left me shaken and a story that both thrilled and chilled.
Danger Zone
New York Times Bestselling author Suzanne Brockmann, on Danger Zone:
“Okay, I’ll admit it. I’m a sucker for romances set in the world of movie-making. But in DANGER ZONE, Dee J. Adams not only uses her years of experience in Hollywood to create a delightfully gritty and authentic world filled with insider insights; she also creates a cast of very real and likable characters. I especially loved stunt-woman Ellie Morgan’s kickass, take-no-prisoners attitude, and her long-time friendship with her best-friend and roommate Ashley. As for the book’s hero, Quinn Reynolds? I’m in love. This one’s on my keeper shelf.”
Starred Review from Library Journal:
“Highly recommended for romantic suspense fans, especially those who like stories with complex relationships.” Marlene Harris, Reading Reality LLC
Dangerously Close
4 stars – Romantic Times.
“Witty dialogue and unyielding suspense make for another great story in the Adrenaline Highs series. The hero and heroine are fully developed and emotionally rich, and the best part of the novel is the developing relationship between them from strangers to friends to lovers. Readers will enjoy spending time with these memorable characters.”
5 stars – The Book Vixen.
“Dangerously Close is hands down my favorite book in this series thus far and it’s easily one of my top picks for 2012. I was completely and utterly drawn into this story. The strong romance balanced out perfectly with the suspense element.”
Living Dangerously
Winner: 2014 Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence
4 stars + Scorcher – Romantic Times.
“It has everything from the glitterati of Hollywood to a high-speed cross-country getaway—even a bit of bondage. Narrow escapes are the norm in this action-filled novel.”
Imminent Danger
5 stars – Happy Amazon Reader
“Loved it! Lots of romance action mystery and sex! Love the series.”
4 stars – Goodreads reviewer
“Adams never fails to deliver a fast-paced plot filled with unexpected twists and ‘whoa…I can’t believe that just happened’ moments. Abbey & Blake’s story is as deliciously sexually charged as it is suspenseful.”
A Little Danger
5 stars – Happy Amazon Reader
“This is the type of book where you’ll want to clear some time and just sit and read it. You won’t want to put it down. But be warned, it’s like riding a roller coaster of emotions.”
5 stars – Happy Amazon Reviewer
“Adams expertly writes the earthquake as a formidable villain that appears determined to keep Elena and Bill apart.”
Always Dangerous
4 stars – Under the Covers Book Blog
“Dee J. Adams does a great job at mixing just the right amount of excitement in with the romance and the pace of the developing relationship between Kim and Leo was perfect. They’re sexy together and have great chemistry.”
Dirty Girl Romance
“Miss Adams has a new fan in me after this, and I’m definitely planning on going back and reading all the previous titles in this series. If the final book is anything to go by, I’ve been missing out.”
Highs Stakes Series
Against The Wall
New York Times Bestselling author Suzanne Brockmann, on Against The Wall:
“When it comes to romantic suspense, Dee J. Adams delivers!”
4 stars – One Good Book Deserves Another.
This was an action-packed and pulse-pounding read with some surprising, gasp-worthy twists and turns. I was caught off guard more than once by developments I hadn’t seen coming and moved by characters who left an impression.
Over the Top
5 stars – Happy Amazon Reader
Another great read by Dee J Adams! Love her style of writing. Her books have a little of everything I love in a book.
5 stars – Goodreads reviewer
I can’t believe how much stress
About the Author
After graduating high school in Texas, Dee J. moved to Los Angeles to pursue acting. For twenty years, she acted in television and worked behind the scenes as an acting/dialogue coach for sitcoms. Writing happened accidentally after a vivid dream and the urging of her husband to “Just write it down.” Three weeks, fourteen hours a day, and four hundred and fifty (long hand) pages later, she had her first novel. Dee J. loves writing books filled with action, mystery and love. (Not necessarily in that order.) Her experience in show business led to her narrating many of the books in the Adrenaline Highs series for Audible.com. She is the wife of a wonderful man and mother to a fabulous daughter. She’s a dog lover all the way, with a fondness towards Boxers and Pit Bulls. She is a member of several organizations, including Romance Writers of America and SAG-AFTRA.
For more information on Dee J.’s books please visit:
www.deejadams.com
Dee J. can be found on Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/DeeJAdamsAuthor
Twitter:
https://twitter.com/DeeJAdams
Goodreads:
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5107047.Dee_J_Adams
Out of the Blue
Copyright © 2016 by Dee J. Adams
ISBN: 978-0-9892452-8-9
All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner without the written consent of the author.
This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the writer’s imagination or have been used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
Edited by Melissa Johnson
Cover Art by Croco Designs
Digital Formatting by Author E.M.S.
Table of Contents
About OUT OF THE BLUE
Dedication
Acknowledgements
Dear Reader
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Epilogue
Other books by Dee J. Adams
About the Author
Copyright
Archive.