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Sing For Me
By Tam DeRudder Jackson
(Balefire Series, #2)
Publication date: August 26th, 2021
Genres: Contemporary, New Adult, Romance
Blu
My entire life is my music—and all the trappings that come with it. Sex, booze, and rock ’n’ roll is all I ever wanted. Touring the world as the lead singer of Balefire, I have it all. Until on hiatus, I meet the girl next door.
Ashleigh Baker is nothing like the groupies and celebrities who usually have all my attention. In her cute floppy hat with her knees stained with dirt, she spends her days creating a flowering show piece from her rented yard. She’s the most gorgeous woman I’ve ever met, and she acts like she doesn’t want a damn thing to do with me. But from the moment I laid eyes on her, she’s all I can think about.
Ashleigh
Growing up the only child of an Air Force Colonel, all I wanted was to stay in one place for more than a minute. When I score a pretty little house with a long-term lease, I just want to grow my flowers and my freelancing gig as a music reviewer. Then a loud Harley wakes me from a sound sleep and I discover my neighbor is Blu Connolly.
Yeah, that Blu Connolly, lead singer for my favorite band Balefire. With his killer good looks and panty-melting voice, he’s a walking temptation to sin. Though I do my best to avoid him, it seems Blu has other ideas. He’s on a mission to wear me down, let him in, but what happens when he stops wanting to sing for me?
Now here's an excerpt for your reading pleasure.
“Oh my God, you’re seriously going to introduce me to Blu Connolly.” For a moment, her luminous green eyes flashed panic before she gathered herself and slid off the stool to join me.
The guy playing pool with Blu noticed us before he did. “Hell-ooo pretty ladies. You here to pick up a few pointers, or to challenge us to a game?”
The guy stood at least six feet six with shoulders nearly as wide. His sleeveless vest showed off the sleeves tattooed over his enormous arms. If one were so inclined, it might take her into the next morning to determine each tattoo he’d had inked over his muscular arms. His wide friendly smile, however, compensated for his imposing stature.
“Depends on the stakes.” Jaime parked a hand on her hip. “Low enough, we might be inclined to challenge you. High enough, we might need some pointers.”
I gaped stupidly at my friend before I realized how uncouth I must have looked and shut my mouth with an audible snap. Catching her eye, I mouthed at her, “Where did that come from?”
My normally sedate high school English teacher friend shrugged and ghosted a smile before returning her attention to tall, built, and inked.
“That does pose a dilemma. What would constitute low and high stakes to you?” he drawled, his dark coffee-colored eyes dancing.
Tilting her head and putting a finger to her lips, Jaime put on a show of considering the question. “Hmm, let me think,” she began. “Low stakes would be a drink. High stakes would be a date.”
My eyes nearly bugged out of my head when she dropped that one. From the other side of the table, Blu burst out laughing, and I finally looked over to see his laughter directed at my response. “You didn’t talk that over with your friend before you offered it, did you, darlin’?” he purred in that too-rich-for-my-own-good baritone voice of his.
“No, but to be honest, I was too busy bugging Ashleigh to introduce me to you to notice your hot friend,” Jaime said before she returned her attention to shorty. “I’m Jaime, and you are?”
“Delighted.” He grinned. “This is a first, Blu old man,” he added with a smirk in Blu’s direction before he turned back to Jaime. “My name is Vaughn. And I’m very pleased to meet you, Jaime.”
He stuck out his hand, which swallowed Jaime’s when she took it, but I don’t think she noticed. At last, they let go of each other, so I had a chance to do what Jaime had demanded of me in the first place.
I couldn’t believe her. With his size and charming smile and dancing eyes, Vaughn certainly grabbed a woman’s attention, yet I couldn’t see how my friend preferred him to Blu. Vaughn’s size intimidated me while Blu’s long, lean frame, all sinewy muscle and grace, made my lady parts pulse with interest. Where Vaughn cut his dark hair short all over, Blu wore his hair short on the sides and back and longer on top, just enough for thick, soft, golden-brown curls to form. Vaughn’s full mustache and goatee gave him kind of a pirate air. Blu’s sexy stubble made me think of all the interesting ways I would enjoy it against my skin.
A not-so-subtle throat clearing jarred me from my private observations, and I tried to cover my lapse with an eye roll and a sip of my wine. Then I did the honors.
“Jaime, this is Blu Connolly. Blu, Jaime Hughes.”
“Pleasure to meet you Jaime. Ashleigh Baker, Vaughn Hamilton,” Blu said, returning the favor.
“Now that we have introductions out of the way, what’s the bet again?” Vaughn asked, mischief in his eyes.
“Drinks,” I said.
“Dates,” Jaime said at the same time.
“Glad that’s settled.” Blu laughed.
Meet the Author: Tam DeRudder Jackson
Tam DeRudder Jackson is the author of the paranormal romance Talisman Series and the contemporary romance Balefire Series. Her favorite “room” in her house is her back patio where she dreams up stories of romance and risk.
When she’s not writing her latest paranormal or contemporary romance, you can usually find her driving around with the top down in her convertible or carving turns on the slopes of the local ski hill.
The mom of two grown sons, Tam likes to travel, attend rock concerts, watch football and soccer, and visit old car shows with her husband. She lives in the mountains of northwest Wyoming where she spends most of her free time trying to read all the books. Her TBR piles are threatening to take over her office, and she’s fine with that.
Thanks so much for stopping by today. Have you ever gotten to meet your favorite rock ’n’ roll star?
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