Pure Fluff: A Limited Edition Valentine's Day Bundle

by BLMorticia

  After the ritual was done, people had a lot of basic questions. Most were things I would've asked myself, while others sounded as if they knew more about the voodoo practice than anyone.

  All in all, it was interesting, even though I had no clue what was going on. Needless to say, it was different. Something I'd never seen before ever in life.

  That's what was so charming about this place. So many things to discover and open your mind.

  Once she'd finished, Miss Yvaughn made the rounds to every table, saying hello to everyone before they dispersed. Several left offerings in front of the statue, mostly jewelry, while others left little trinkets. Too bad I didn't have anything other than money. My rings were too expensive to leave behind. I liked them too much to do so anyway.

  "Well, what did ya think?"

  I nodded and took Trent's hand in mine. "Very entertaining and enlightening. All this kind of makes me uneasy. I suppose I am not as skeptical as I first thought."

  "Nope. You can't be. Too much stuff going on, babe. You gotta have belief in something other than yourself. If God ain't the one for you, find something else to have faith in."

  I shrugged. "Okay. I'll work on that. In the meantime I wanna go have a quiet dinner at the suite, then...."

  "Well, hello." We both looked up at Priestess Yvaughn walking over, smiling with hands outstretched. "And you, young man. I haven't seen you here in a while."

  Trent and I stood up. She hugged Trent as if she'd known him for years.

  "Good to see you again, Miss Yvaughn."

  "You too, my good child. And you, Mr. Wythe. A pleasant surprise to have you at my temple."

  "Thanks, and call me Cayden. Um, can I offer you my seat, ma'am?" I waved at her to take it.

  "No, no. These are for my guests. Please sit."

  Trent and I did. Two men brought her a chair that looked like something out of the seventies. Large backrest, wooden, but made well. Fit for a priestess, I supposed.

  "Now I could tell you had questions. At first I could see all the... expressions of confusion."

  "Oh, definitely, but once you did the Q and A, it became a lot clearer, Miss...."

  "Yvaughn," she said with a light accent. "Y-V-A-U-G-H-N. LeDeroux. That last part is easy, right? My first name basically sounds like the common name but spelled differently."

  "Got it." I smirked and leaned back in my chair. She was truly a character.

  "Now there were great questions asked, but I wanted to add how voodoo is about spirituality and belief. It isn't all dolls, sacrifices, and offerings. Because of the media, a lot of what we practice is... um... screwed up, you know? Television and movies aren't true adaptations of what voodoo tradition is about. When you have questions, come to the source."

  "Well, we did, Miss Yvaughn. When I took Cayden to the museum, he definitely had some," Trent said.

  "Yes, and Cayden still does. You should let me do a reading for you because I can feel your issues. You're unsettled. Troubled. You are worried about something."

  I sighed. "I don't need a reading, but I am a little concerned." I inhaled sharply and leaned forward, taking Trent's hand in mine. "I'm concerned about what happens between us. See, I have to leave soon and... I know he probably won't go with me, so I'm worried things won't last."

  Trent gasped and squeezed my hand.

  "Well, if that is your belief, that is exactly what will happen. You must have faith, Cayden. You care for him, right?"

  "I do. A lot, but I'm... I'm fu--sorry, freaking scared that the time we spend apart will be a danger to our relationship."

  "Babe, I told you...," Trent started to say.

  "Shh. It's my duty, not yours, to tell Cayden the answer he seeks. Now, Cayden, it is all in your belief. You must have faith in the man you wish to have as your own. I'll tell you what to do because it seems you have apprehensions about being read. I can feel you've already turned down another medium before. Do some soul-searching. Figure out what you want for your future together and how to maintain it. Simple rituals with candles, herbs, and the lust potion you own would be best. Spend as much time as you can with him while you're here and assure him you won't look at another person while you're away. Promise him you will return in due time. Give thanks to the Iwa for bringing you together in the first place, and they will deliver what you seek."

  I blinked a couple of times and nodded, trying to get out of the haze. How the hell did she know I'd refused Irma or had things to talk about?

  "And Trent, I have known since he was a teen. He is a good man whom I've urged many times to try finding someone of his own. Now the two of you have things to discuss, right?"

  I turned to look at Trent, who smiled at me and said, "I agree with that. I'm not the type to roam, so if you really want serious things between us, it all depends on you."

  Damn.

  Perhaps all this stuff was as real as everyone had been trying to tell me.

  All I had to do was believe.

  Trent

  "Mhm, damn, dinner was delicious as always. I might need to buy stock in that place," Cayden said, licking his fingers.

  I laughed and took a sip of my wine. "I'm sure they'd love that. You got money to burn."

  "Yeah, I do, but I also know a good investment when I see it." Cayden leaned back, patting his belly. "I'm gonna have to work extra hard to drop these five pounds I've gained while being down here."

  "Or we can work harder in bed," I said to him, grinning.

  Cayden pointed at me. "I like the way you think. I have rubbed off on you, haven't I?"

  "Yeah, but I've always had a dirty mind. Just ain't had no one to share it with... until now."

  Cayden flashed his gorgeous smile and reached across the table. "I'm glad you're sharing your dark and dirty side with me, babe."

  "Yeah, and I'll continue to do that 'cause I like you. A lot. I just hope you'll feel the same about me in the long-term."

  "I will. What did you and Priestess Yvaughn, oh, I'm sorry, Y-V-A-U-G-H-N, say? Have faith?"

  I laughed at Cayden's impression of the sweet but overly pretentious priestess. "I have plenty, but if anyone's got a right to have a little doubt set in, it's me. Like I said, I'll be here, babe. Go back to Los Angeles, then on tour, then come back and visit me here. We'll rent a house in the Garden District to measure up to your standards. I'll work hard enough so I can pay for half."

  Cayden shook his head. "Hells no. You're not paying for a thing. I'm already looking at spots down here, and not for rent. I'm buying property because I love this place, and not just because it's where you're from."

  I sat up straighter in my chair and stared at him. "Did you just say buy a place, and not only because of me?"

  "Yeah. I wanna live here, Trent. I wanna plant my flag and settle here with you. After the second week, I got in touch with a Realtor, asking for prices on homes. I was buying something way before we had our night together, babe, but yes, it would mean more to me if you were part of it."

  "Well, shit." I leaned back in my chair. I had no idea Cayden was thinking about owning a place in New Orleans. "So you don't want to rent?"

  "No."

  "Buying something means long-term?"

  "Yes."

  "So you're moving away from Los Angeles to stay here most of the year when you're not traveling the world and breaking hearts wherever you go?"

  "Yes. I've got a condo in Los Angeles that I'm leaving to my dad. He can do whatever he wants with it, furniture and all. My housekeepers, Jaze, and my driver, Nikki, they need to come down here."

  "What about your friends?"

  "Pssh, what friends? All I have is Jonah, and he's marrying his girlfriend. They can come down and visit when they want, but... I do want to stay here, and I want you by my side so we can continue to build on what we've got."

  I dropped my head, shaking it in disbelief. "Wow."

  "Wow? That's all you have to say?"

  I pulled my hand away and slapped the table, and then
I jumped from my seat. Excited, I picked up Cayden as if he weighed nothing and kissed him like I'd never kissed anyone before. The minute our mouths touched, my heart skipped a beat or two.

  "Mmph. You're happy, then?"

  "Fuck yes, I'm happy." I covered his lips with mine and swung him around. "I really thought you wouldn't want to stay here long-term. The beaches in LA, the money...."

  "Means nothing unless you have the person you want there with you. Trent, I mean it. I want you. I'm not interested in anyone else but you."

  I cocked an eyebrow. "So this means you ain't gonna leave me when the first handsome man or good-looking woman comes to sweep you off your feet?"

  "I've already been swept off my feet... by you. Only you, Mr. DeFleur. I...." Cayden dropped his head. "I'm falling in love with you."

  I placed him back on the floor and took his face in my hands. "And I'm falling in love with you too. I swear, I... I wish you didn't have to go."

  "Then come with me. Spend the last couple of weeks in LA with me, then tour the States at my side."

  I leaned my head against his and pulled him in for a tight hug. "Sweetheart... I can't do that. I do believe if I followed you, that would be a detriment to us. Besides, you need to focus, not have me tagging along and distracting you when you're trying to prepare."

  Cayden sighed, and his shoulders fell. He glanced up at me with tears in his eyes. "You're probably right, but I'm going to miss you. Fuck, I already miss you and we haven't even parted yet."

  I wiped his tears with my thumbs and kissed the tip of his nose. "I'm gonna miss you, too, but we gotta do all this for the both of us. I don't fit into LA life, anyway. People will be bothering me, and I'll have the tendency to snap on them."

  Cayden snorted and sniffed, still eyeing me. "Can't take the boy out of the South, hmm?"

  I nodded. "Nope, and you can't take the South out of this boy. I like my open spaces and clean air. I mean, I can come visit, I suppose, while you're on tour."

  Cayden smiled. "I got a better idea. I... um, pulled some strings so that New Orleans and Florida would be my last stops. Would you at least help me close out the tour?"

  I yanked Cayden to me and wrapped both arms around his fine, toned body. "I sure can, baby. I'm all yours at the end.... That's if you still want me."

  Cayden punched my chest and elbowed me. "Of course I'll still want you, you doofus. You're mine, all mine, and I'm not into sharing, so don't get any bright ideas while I'm away."

  "No, no, I don't do that sort of thing because I'm the jealous type."

  "Oh, the ones who get overly envious and want to beat someone down?"

  "I'm the one who will beat someone down and have Priestess Yvaughn put a couple of hexes on an SOB."

  "Oooh shit. Well, damn. I better make sure to warn those would-be studs to stay away."

  "Yeah, you better." I pressed my mouth against his while I ran my hands down his back on to his buttocks. Once they arrived there, I squeezed tightly. "This ass is mine."

  "Fuck yeah, it is, my sweet Southern boy... and don't you ever forget it."

  Epilogue

  Cayden

  Seven weeks later....

  As I expected, the tour was a great success. The album went to number one in over fifty countries on the digital charts as well as the Billboard, making me one of the few artists to successfully sell downloads and discs. Heart on Edge had been written way before my relationship with Trent, so some of the songs didn't fit my mood. Still, I sung them to my audience, letting them know the darkness I was in before my Southern lover came along. All in all, many of my fans appreciated my honesty, and it showed in their willingness to purchase my music.

  While on tour I purchased property in New Orleans. A four-bedroom, two-bath house in the Garden District, close to the old Anne Rice mansion. Despite it being on a side street, I had a fence built to keep any would-be intruders or overzealous fans away from my property.

  I'd given the condo in LA to Jonah as a wedding gift. He and Brianna would be tying the knot after he graduated next year, and with the real estate he'd inherited from me, he wouldn't have to worry about where to live. I also offered to pay for the wedding and their honeymoon because I wouldn't renege on my promise to take care of Jonah. He was my boy, regardless of the relationship I had with his fiancee, which in truth had improved as of late.

  I originally offered the penthouse condo to Alden, but he didn't want to be bothered. Instead I purchased one for him to share with his new wife, Lilah Pierce, and their dog, Snoopy.

  Don't ask.

  Thank goodness I'd be living here and not there, because I wasn't a big fan of dogs.

  When Alden asked why I'd done it, I told him I had more money than I knew what to do with. Why not spend it on the man who helped create me? I couldn't really call him sperm donor anymore. Besides, he was my only living parent, so why not make sure he was happy too?

  With everyone in my makeshift family taken care of, I could focus on Trent and me. He'd already moved into the house and sublet his apartment to Susie and her boyfriend, Sage. Despite that, he continued to work at Deminion and do tours. Now, however, he'd be running his own tour company instead of working under Lord Healy.

  In addition to that, he'd be helping Healy with his stage show in the small building he'd leased with the money I gave him. It would open in the fall, once the place was fixed.

  Although Miss Irma didn't want help from a Northerner, I gave her the money to open up another Deminion shop Susie would be managing. The shop would open next year, only a few blocks away from the LaPrete Mansion.

  To say I hadn't been busy would be an understatement. Honestly I had to so I wouldn't lose my mind or go stir-crazy because of being alone. Other than Skype and FaceTime, we hadn't seen each other. After almost two months, I was ready to jump his bones the moment he arrived. There would be no after-party with fans tonight because Trent would be here to entertain me in more ways than one.

  Since the show had just ended, I took a quick shower and ambled back into my dressing room to meet him. When I opened the door, Trent was sitting on the couch, flowers in hand, looking at his phone. He looked so dapper in his gray vest and matching slacks. His hair was pulled back into a neat bun. Trent looked every bit the hot hipster, and despite my hatred for them, I had no issue with the way he'd dressed tonight.

  "Babe?"

  Trent looked up, bolted from the couch and over to me, and lifted me from the floor. As he crushed me with his kisses and swung me around in a circle, my towel dropped. I didn't give a fuck because I was with my man.

  "Oh God, I've missed you," Trent said between lip-locks. They were passionate, desperate, and damn, I was hard. My dick could break glass.

  "I missed you too." I struggled out of his hold and stepped back to look at him. He was slightly wet because I hadn't finished drying off. "You look great. So fucking hot. I wanna fuck you right now. You know that, right?"

  "I wanna do the same to you." Trent looked at the flowers. "Goddamn. The roses have been crushed a little, babe."

  "I don't give a shit." I took them, then tossed the bouquet on the coffee table. "All I want is you. No flowers, no fancy dinner, just Trent DeFleur."

  "And you got me." He smiled. "I got your driver ready to take us somewhere to spend the night."

  "Home? I mean, I've yet to see the house except for the virtual tour you gave...."

  "No, no, no. Remember I said that we needed to do it in the car at least once?"

  I gasped and covered my mouth, smiling. "Oh, baby. Do you mean it?"

  "Yeah. I was thinking of someplace real quiet...."

  "Like?"

  "I dunno, Paul will find something. Just let Jaze know you're leaving."

  "Oh, he already knows I'll be missing." I ran my hands around his neck and brought him in for an intense lip-lock. We tangled tongues, making each other breathless.

  My dick wept between us, and my ass ached. I wanted Trent to fill me bare. We'd gotten te
sted just so that would be my coming home present.

  "Good because you've been kidnapped as of right now. Go on and get dressed." Trent kissed me again and turned me around in the direction of my closet. Once I walked a step, he swatted my ass.

  "Ooh. Damn, baby. That hurt just right."

  "Yeah? Just wait until I slide inside of you with nothing between us. Talk about good pain."

  "Yes," I agreed, grabbing the first pair of jeans and T-shirt to cover up in. I couldn't care less how I looked because I was with my man.

  The man who had me hook, line, and sinker.

  Who swept me off my feet.

  The Southern boy with enough charm to turn even me, the skeptic asshole, into a believer.

  For once I was totally okay with being wrong.

  I believed.

  Son of a Preacher Man

  Chapter One

  Jared

  Turning twenty-one meant I could finally do anything I damn well pleased. The only problem was, I'd done mostly everything before age eighteen.

  With Mom working two jobs, my older sister Gina and I practically raised ourselves. We lived off microwave dinners and late-night television, then when Mom made it home, we rushed to bed before she caught us.

  Mom's long schedules didn't stop her from attending church. Two nights during the week for Bible study and every Sunday for nine a.m. mass. That didn't include the Saturday socials or any other thing Pastor Winterroth had cooked up for our small Illinois town. She was convinced the more we all attended, the closer we'd be to getting through the holy gates. Really, I thought it as more of a hinderance. Dressing up on Sundays after partying the night before was enough.

  Much to Mom's chagrin, I had no interest in church. Nothing against her or the pastor, but I liked being a sinner. Sinning meant new experiences and doing fun things you'd tell anyone who listened. Bible thumping wasn't in my DNA anyway since my sperm donor hightailed it out of here before I was born.