Blitz & Giveaway for Finding the End Zone by Tam DeRudder Jackson

Finding the End Zone

Tam DeRudder Jackson

Publication date: November 8th, 2023

Genres: Adult, Contemporary, New Adult, Romance

Never date a player.

Football god Callahan O’Reilly can keep his blazing blue eyes to himself. I have a scholarship to maintain, and I do not have time to babysit a jock through a make-or-break class project. Even if one smoldering glance from him sets my panties on fire.

Time to change her mind.

Jamaica Winslow opens her mouth and spews sass like a volcano. One look at her uptight package and I want to coax the genie from the bottle, unleash all the passion she hides beneath a mop of unruly curls and a smart-ass attitude. She’s not my type, she doesn’t know one damn thing about the game that rules my life, and I can’t stop thinking about her.

Who said anything about love?

Jamaica does her best to keep me at arm’s length, but I’m not a pro prospect because I let the plays come to me. With the game on the line, I always want the ball. When an alum with deep pockets and delusions of grandeur makes demands that threaten my NFL chances and Jamaica’s scholarship, I have no choice but to man up and do the right thing no matter the cost.

It started as fun and games. Now I’m playing for her heart—and my own.

Game Time.

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EXCERPT:

“You know what I’ve been thinking about all day?”

I smirked. “Football?”

He tugged at my curls, and I inched closer. “No. I’ve been thinking about an even more fun game.”

Narrowing my eyes, I asked, “There’s a game you like playing better than football?”

“Mmm-hmm.”

“What game do you like better than football?” With his eyes zeroed in on my lips the way they were, my question came out on a whisper.

“Tongue tag.”

His warm lips covered mine, and I sighed into the soft pressure of his mouth.

Author Bio:

Tam DeRudder Jackson's love of all things Celtic led her to write the Talisman Series. Steeped in Celtic mythology, these steamy, fated mates, paranormal romance adventures are set in the mountains of Tam’s native Montana and the Highlands of Scotland. Rogue, the most recent book in the series, was named a best romance of 2022 by the Independent Book Review.

An avid fan of rock music, Tam never misses a chance to see a live show, especially if it’s Shinedown, one of her favorite bands. Her love of rock music inspired her contemporary rock star Balefire Series, a sexy fun ride following the lives and loves of the members of a fictional mega-band. Readers of this series consistently give the books five-star reviews.

Tam earned her BA in English from Montana State University and her M.Ed. in literacy from Lesley University. After a short teaching stint in Bath, England, she settled in the wilds of Wyoming where she taught adolescents all about the Celts and a bit about writing before she stepped out of the classroom to pursue her writing career full time.

When she’s not writing, you can find her working her way through her mountainous TBR piles, alpine skiing, or traveling to some new place on her ever-expanding bucket list. To stay up to date on her adventures, connect with Tam on her website www.tamderudderjackson where you can subscribe to her newsletter.

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Blitz & Giveaway for Stay For Me by Tam DeRudder Jackson

Stay For Me

Tam DeRudder Jackson

(The Balefire Series, #5)

Publication date: April 27th 2023

Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Garrett

I’ve made a few mistakes over the last decade, but the one I regret most was letting Olivia Carter go. When I see her again, the past crashes over me, reminding of everything I ever wanted and gave up when I let our dreams separate us.

Managing Balefire into the world’s biggest rock band came at a personal cost—walking away from my only love. When fate brings her back into my life, I’m determined not to screw up again. After Balefire hires her studio to produce their next music video, I have a second chance to rewrite our song—if I can convince her I’m a changed man.

Olivia

Ten years ago, Garrett Phillips chose to go with “his boys” and leave me in the dust of a ratty old tour bus. Now I’m working my ass off to make a name for myself as a Hollywood music video director. Unfortunately, my fledgling studio is bleeding money, and my only hope of saving it is to make a video with the biggest rock band on the planet. Too bad that means working with the man who tore my heart out of my chest when he chose his rock ’n’ roll dream over me.

He says he’s grown up. He says we can make things work. But can I truly trust that this time he will stay for me?

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EXCERPT:

Garrett’s nostrils flared, and he shifted on his stool. His eyes remained locked on mine as he slid his headphones from his head and set them aside. Cursing the tiny tremor in my hands, I removed my headphones and set them somewhere on the control board beside me.

“Olivia.”

My name on his lips rasped over me like calloused hands over my skin. Involuntary shivers rippled through me, and I clamped my thighs even tighter together.

I stopped whatever he wanted to say next with my finger pressed to his full lips. For a long moment, neither of us moved. Then he reached up and smoothed his fingers up my palm and higher along the length of my fingers. His eyes dipped to our hands. Though we barely touched, sensations like electric currents sparked every nerve, beginning in my hand and arcing up my arm to trip my heart nearly into arrhythmia. My breath caught as he slid his fingers through mine, up and down, up and down, before he twined our hands together with a gentle squeeze. I closed my eyes and worked to find some air.

Author Bio:

Tam DeRudder Jackson's love of all things Celtic led her to write the Talisman Series. Steeped in Celtic mythology, these steamy, fated mates, paranormal romance adventures are set in the mountains of Tam’s native Montana and the Highlands of Scotland. Rogue, the most recent book in the series, was named a best romance of 2022 by the Independent Book Review.

An avid fan of rock music, Tam never misses a chance to see a live show, especially if it’s Shinedown, one of her favorite bands. Her love of rock music inspired her contemporary rock star Balefire Series, a sexy fun ride following the lives and loves of the members of a fictional mega-band. Readers of this series consistently give the books five-star reviews.

Tam earned her BA in English from Montana State University and her M.Ed. in literacy from Lesley University. After a short teaching stint in Bath, England, she settled in the wilds of Wyoming where she taught adolescents all about the Celts and a bit about writing before she stepped out of the classroom to pursue her writing career full time.

When she’s not writing, you can find her working her way through her mountainous TBR piles, alpine skiing, or traveling to some new place on her ever-expanding bucket list. To stay up to date on her adventures, connect with Tam on her website www.tamderudderjackson where you can subscribe to her newsletter.

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Blitz & Giveaway for Tracker by Tam DeRudder Jackson

Tracker

Tam DeRudder Jackson

Publication date: October 25th 2022

Genres: Adult, Paranormal, Romance

A skilled warrior with a life-changing task…

Every warrior needs a talisman – but for Riley Sheridan, he cares more about partying with his buddies than finding the mate he’s supposed to bond with for life. That is, until a stunning raven-haired woman steps up to the keg and asks for a beer.

A fiery beauty with untapped powers…

Lynnette Montgomery came to the festival to relax, celebrate, and take her mind off her still-undiscovered magical powers. But after fate draws her to a suave and cocky warrior, she’s shocked to realize that she’s his fated talisman. But finding your mate is never supposed to be this easy.

And the wrath of a goddess bent on their demise.

Drawn by a ripple in the cosmos, the infamous goddess Morrigan sets her sights on the pair. She’s dead-set on stopping the next Sheridan from bonding to his talisman – and when they retreat to a remote cabin to complete the ritual, she sees her chance to strike. After the goddess kidnaps Riley, Lynette is thrust into a deadly battle with a seemingly impossible goal: to save him from a fate worse than death.

Bursting with all the pulse-pounding action and rich worldbuilding of a riveting fantasy adventure, this gripping prequel is a must-read for fans of Tam DeRudder Jackson’s Talisman Series, or as a starting point for your adventure into a world of modern-day Celtic warriors.

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On sale for 99c for a limited time only!

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SNEAK PEEK:

The rich smell of wood smoke drifted to her nose as Lynnette stepped out of her car in the parking area of the campground. It had taken her a minute to find the right spot on the opposite side of Swann Lake from the highway. In the thick forest surrounding the lake, twilight fell early, and she’d missed the turn the first time, so she had to backtrack. As she rounded the front of her car, a weird sensation rippled through her. Never in her life had she lost her way even for a minute, so how had she missed that turn?

“Hey, you want to hold on to these for me?” She handed her car keys to her friend.

Delaney shot her a look. “After our conversation this afternoon, now you’re the one looking to get lucky tonight?” But she pocketed Lynnette’s keys anyway.

“Not really. I had a weird premonition, is all.” She shrugged. “It’s probably nothing.”

Raucous laughter greeted them as they neared the bonfire burning brightly on the lake shore, its flames reflected in the dark, still water. People sat on logs several feet away from the heat, drinking and talking. A group of guys stood near the picnic table, one of them pumping air into a pony keg on ice, while another one filled Solo cups and handed them around. Bags of chips and other assorted snacks were stacked on the table, and Lynnette wandered over to it to add their contribution of a couple of party-size jars of peanuts she’d grabbed from work.

As they neared the table, a low whistle greeted them. “Hell-o ladies,” said a hot blond who was built like a linebacker. “Want a beer?”

Author Bio:

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.

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Blitz & Giveaway for Rogue by Tam DeRudder Jackson

Rogue

Tam DeRudder Jackson

(Talisman, #6)

Publication date: June 28th 2022

Genres: Adult, Paranormal, Romance

Baz Cormac never intended to be a rogue, but fate had other ideas.

Being forced to pledge loyalty to the evil Morrigan is its own kind of hell. So when Baz discovers the lie she’s used to keep him and his band of rogues under her power, he concocts a plan to force the goddess’s hand, which drops him in the center of a cosmic tug-o-war. No matter which way he leans, someone is going to lose—and it looks like that someone may be Baz.

A talisman fights her fate…and her fatal attraction.

Delaney Ferrell has spent her life trying to live down her uncle’s choice to turn rogue. As a warrior-talisman hybrid, she’d done her best to serve the warrior community as a protector. But a cryptic letter sends her to an abandoned home where she encounters a lone rogue with fighting skills no rogue should possess. Instead of killing her, he kidnaps her and takes her to his lair. He presents a terrible danger to the community, one she must neutralize.

So why does he have to be so damn charming?

Discovering Delaney is his fated mate throws all of Baz’s plans into chaos. And when the goddesses come calling, Baz has to choose between a rogue’s freedom and a talisman’s love.

Will they have a chance at love, or will they be torn apart?

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EXCERPT:

The low rumble of a pickup pulling into the house next door brought Baz out of the barn to investigate. He’d managed to convince Rory and Jaime to take a little vacation to Vegas, hit a couple of strip clubs and casinos he knew rogues liked to frequent, and see about adding some new recruits to their little band. They could consider their trip a working vacation.

In the month they’d been away, he’d put his construction skills to work with his supernatural speed and stamina. With the exception of leveling the gravel on the floor of the barn, he’d finished his project in record time. Or perhaps in the nick of time if someone was looking to move in next door. He’d kept a close eye on Ian McCloud’s place, but until today, he hadn’t seen any activity there. Not a family member, not a realtor, not a curious someone looking to take advantage of an empty house.

He made several forays over to McCloud’s in the dead of night, looking to see what it was about the man that had the goddess’s interest. As a fighter, Ian McCloud was unremarkable from other warriors Baz had met on the battlefield. He knew the man was a widower with a small child, and that wasn’t all that attention-grabbing either. So why had the goddess keyed on him? Nothing Baz found in or around McCloud’s house had given him a clue.

The truck’s engine revved once before the driver shut it off. Simultaneously with the slamming of the truck’s door, the hair all over his body stood at attention, like a shock of static electricity zinged over him. Whoever was visiting McCloud’s house on this soft twilight evening was a member of the warrior community. Baz summoned his claymore to his hand and soundlessly made his way around the back of the neighboring property to investigate.

Whoever was visiting knew the place well. A beauty of a three-quarter-ton crew-cab pickup with a gleaming forest green paint job was parked on the tarmac in front of the double door of the garage behind the house. Through the glass of the outer back door, he could see the heavy oak inner door was wide open. The visitor was someone who wasn’t worried about being caught inside.

He debated cornering the warrior inside the house, but decided to wait from his place of concealment in the trees bordering the backyard. Though he’d been inside the house himself on more than one occasion, chances were whoever was there knew the place better than he did. Safer to wait and see who and what the person was and determine the level of threat. That the visitor was a threat he had no doubt. The hairs on his forearms and the back of his neck had remained standing ever since he’d heard the man cut the engine to his truck.

The truck was a beauty. His eyes strayed to the back door, and he wondered how much time he had to check it out. Taking a chance, he sheathed his sword in its scabbard on his back and vaulted through time and space to land on the driver’s side. He ran his hand along the paint of the fender and appreciated the tread on the tires. Though the truck was immaculately clean, whoever owned it used it to work—or play. He squatted low and checked out the suspension, confirming his suspicions that the truck was someone’s toy.

A quick glance inside the cab had him doing a double-take. He chuckled to himself. As close as the driver’s seat was pulled to the steering wheel, it was obvious the warrior who owned this rig was trying to make up for something he lacked. Baz adjusted his own package, and grinned. At six feet three with a wingspan to match, he could easily outmaneuver a warrior who had some distance to make up to reach six feet.

A sound near the back door sobered him up quick. He scanned the area for cover, sighting no bushes or flower beds or other hiding places near the house. Before he could visualize himself back to his hiding place at the back of the yard, a woman stepped through the door and pushed a key into the lock. With a flick of her wrist, she tested the handle and nodded. And stilled.

Time moved in slow motion as Baz catalogued the woman’s features. Long waves of chestnut-colored hair flowed over her shoulders to the middle of her back. Her orange T-shirt showed off toned shoulders and arms and a nipped-in waist where it was tucked into her jeans. Her jeans covered the sweetest ass he’d ever seen, rounded and perfect. Athletic. His hands itched to touch her. The dark navy wash of her jeans made her legs appear endless, and he wondered how they would feel wrapped around him. Before he could appreciate more of her, he caught the flash of a claymore as she summoned it to her hand the second before she faced him.

“Who are you, and what are you doing here?”

He’d expected a scream. Instead, the woman’s soft alto washed over him, momentarily disarming him. That and the intensity of dark chocolate eyes in a perfect heart-shaped face. The last of the sun’s rays slanted off her sword, bringing him back to himself. This gorgeous woman was a warrior, a serious threat.

“I could ask you the same question.”

Author Bio:

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.

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Blitz & Giveaway for Hot For Me by Tam DeRudder Jackson

Hot For Me

Tam DeRudder Jackson

(Balefire Series, #4)

Publication date: January 27th 2022

Genres: Adult, New Adult, Romance

Adam

A bonafide pop diva, all sass and scandal, Cristy Valor commands headlines wherever she goes. The tabloids love her—and love to hate her. From the first time her sexy alto voice rolls over me, she has all my attention. When she joins Balefire on our latest tour, she sashays across the stage in her wild-ass costumes and parties hard enough to keep up with my boys and me. She drives me batshit crazy—and I love every second of it.

Sex on stilettos.

Pure trouble.

Our sizzling chemistry could shoot a rocket into space, and it’s not long before I crave her. For the first time in my life, I want to share everything with a woman. But Cristy is hiding something, something that holds her back from giving me all of herself. She’s about to find out that I’m a patient man—and I always get what I want.

Cristy

Adam Tron is the poster boy for tall, dark, and sexy. His bass rhythms are enough to make me cream my panties every time I hear them. Flirting with him during our live shows is a rush but nothing compared to what happens when I finally give in to my lust and share his bed. The problem is, sex isn’t all he wants.

For my entire career, I’ve set the narrative, teased the tabloids with scandals that kept them too busy to look into my past, too busy to discover the secret that could end the party for good. Adam Tron could wreck me, steal my heart—and my music. I can’t let him in. I can’t let him discover the secret behind the nightmares I have nearly every night. He thinks he can slay all my monsters, and it would be so easy to let him. But if he finds out the truth, will he still be hot for me?

Goodreads / Amazon

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EXCERPT:

Adam

Without so much as a hihowareya, she launched into full-on diva. “Your manager is a jerk. Did you all know that? He’s a total tool. I don’t get how you put up with him.” She pounded more than paced back and forth across the front of the stage, her arms waving around her head for emphasis. “Everyone on this tour is an adult, and we don’t need a dad. Perhaps one of you could remind him?” She quit pacing for a second to give us all “the look” every woman on the planet has perfected for calling out a man.

Not waiting for a response, she resumed her attempt to wear a path in the stage floor with her stiletto heels. “Furthermore, someone needs to talk to him about his fashion choices. There is no one in the universe who will ever follow whatever trend he thinks he’s setting with those cut-off shirts tucked in—tucked in for crying out loud.” She threw her hands up. When I glanced at my brothers, I saw each of us trying to hold it in. Dakota’s lips twitched, Jack’s cheeks puffed out, and Blu had turned an interesting shade of purple.

Oblivious to our response, Cristy plowed on. “Tucked into five-hundred-dollar custom-tailored dress pants. He looks utterly ridiculous. The man is just a, just a—” She seemed to struggle to say the word, but finally she sucked in a deep breath and whispered, “prick.”

We erupted in guffaws we couldn’t hold back anymore. As she stood there all indignant, one foot in front of the other, hands planted on her hips, Jack, Blu, Dakota, and I laughed ourselves stupid. We probably should have tried harder to hold it in after the way she ranted about Garrett, but something about that sexy little pixie strutting attitude like a boss—who couldn’t bring herself to curse even when she clearly wanted to—struck all of us as hilarious.

At last when I sort of tried to pull myself together, I looked at her and noticed the hint of a smile making her dimples twitch. Then I caught her watching me, a sparkle of mischief in her eyes. Apparently, even she saw the humor in her little tantrum.

Dakota was the last of us to get it together, but as usual, the first to speak. “So Cristy, how ’bout you tell us how you really feel, huh? It’s okay if you want to call Garrett an asshole in front of us. We won’t tattle to him.”

She rolled her gorgeous sapphire eyes. “Screw you, Dakota.” But she was grinning.

“Now that we have the preliminaries over, let’s put the sound guys to work,” he suggested.

Blu turned to me. “Whoa. Tron. You’re the usual captain of this boat. Are you going to kick back and let Dakota make all the decisions without a comment?”

Jerking my eyes from Cristy’s gorgeous ones, I stammered, “Wh-what?”

Blu laughed. “I see how you’re rollin’.”

“Whatthefuckever.” Strolling over to the guitar rack, I grabbed my bass, flipping him the bird over my head as I settled the strap over my shoulder.

Dakota and Blu didn’t stop laughing as they pulled their axes from the guitar cart at the edge of the stage. I might have succeeded in ignoring them if Jack hadn’t whispered in my ear as he passed me on his way to his drums. “Don’t blame you, man. She’s definitely hot.”

“Fuuuuck,” I hissed under my breath. Usually, I’m the cool one. Not that Cristy would know that.

So I ignored her for the entirety of sound checks. Afterward as we enjoyed the eclectic spread in the green room, I concentrated on food rather than on Cristy. Local seafood, our favorite Mexican fare—every flavor of tacos and burritos—and prime rib carved by Jeff Scott, our private chef. Chef Jeff’s usual array of workout-challenging desserts—I ate three—kept my eyes off of our sexy-hot guest. My mind was another story.

Visions of all the ways I could have her long legs wrapped around my waist scrolled through my head, each scenario hotter than the last. All of them involved her wearing a pair of her stilettos. Judging from the variety she’d worn so far on the tour, the woman had an infinite wardrobe of the things. I liked them all. The bright purple-and-pink-sequined pair she wore today were kind of hard to miss as they reflected into my eyes from beyond the edge of my plate of cinnamon flan, fudge mousse, and raspberry tart.

I let my eyes take a slow tour up the creamy skin of her toned legs and over her tight ripped denim cutoffs. I lingered at the place where her form-fitting green T-shirt left space for the diamond piercing her belly button to sparkle. How had I missed that piercing in all the times I’d checked her out?

“Tron. My eyes are up here.”

“I know where your eyes are.”

My lips curved into a grin as I let my eyes continue their thorough tour of the purple and pink sequins creating a single rose in the middle of her rack and on to the sapphire necklace I’d never seen her without. In my peripheral vision, I noticed her wicked smile when my gaze settled on her cleavage, and I couldn’t help my answering smile at the mischief in her eyes when I stopped my tour.

“You have the sexiest smile, Tron.”

“Just enjoying the scenery.”

“You like what you see?” she sassed.

“Every single thing.”

“Even though you’re the quiet one in the band, you’re used to the ladies giving you exactly what you want, aren’t you?”

The tone of her voice suggested a land mine lurked somewhere nearby, but I ignored the warning. “It’s a nice perk.”

“Yes, it is. I have no trouble getting anything—or anyone—I want either.”

Rather than answer, I raised a brow and waited. And tried not to think of Cristy Valor with any other man. The visual flashing through my head made the taste of all that delicious dessert turn to ash in my mouth.

Something of my thoughts must have shown on my face. “You’re okay with the change we made in the show for tonight?” she asked.

The abrupt change of topic jerked my mind back into the moment. Trying to recover myself, I said, “Sure. Why not? Like Dakota said, you’re our guest.”

“Uh-huh.”

Grinning, I added, “It’s good to shake things up sometimes. Keeps us honest.”

“Honest? Yeah, I’m all kinds of interested in honest, Tron.”

Author Bio:

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.

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Blitz & Giveaway for Play For Me by Tam DeRudder Jackson

Play For Me

Tam DeRudder Jackson

(Balefire Series, #1)

Publication date: May 27th 2021

Genres: Contemporary, New Adult, Romance

Jack

When I made my deal with the devil, I thought I was on my way to my rock ’n’ roll dream. Too bad I didn’t read the fine print. Having it all meant giving up the only girl I knew I’d ever love. Five years later, I’m drumming in the hottest rock band in the country, but I live like a monk.

Fate hands me an opportunity to reconnect with my perfect girl, giving me one glorious night with Clio Barnes. Our chemistry is off the charts. Too bad fate plays by her own rules. When Clio hears my bandmate’s idea of a joke, she believes I’ve used her, dissolved our love into a one-night stand, and she blows out of my life. When our tour ends, I’m determined to find her again, no matter how well she hides from me.

Clio

All my life, I’ve been invisible. For a brief moment five years ago, Jack Whitehorse saw me. And he made me feel like the center of his universe. But that was an illusion. Music was Jack’s only love. A chance encounter after a Balefire concert allows us to reconnect, but once again, I’m playing second fiddle to his rock ’n’ roll muse.

When the pregnancy test comes back positive, I decide to keep our baby secret. I can’t force Jack to play for me—I wouldn’t want to. Then he shows up unexpectedly one day, knocking on my door and demanding to be let in. He leaves me no choice but to tell him about the baby. Turns out, I wasn’t the only one with a secret. But the one he’s been keeping might end us for good.

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EXCERPT:

Jack

Clio stood to the side of the dance floor, sipping a flute of champagne and looking so stunning she nearly broke my heart—again.

I wanted to study her, take all of her in for a few minutes before I broke the spell and actually talked to her. What do you say to the only person who ever really mattered after you dumped her with no explanation whatsoever? After the way she dropped on her ass when I caught her attention at the concert, I had to wonder how she was going to react to talking to me.

Then again, maybe she went down because of the booze she’d been drinking. I barely took my eyes off her from the moment I spotted her in the front row at the show, so I saw how she finished her flask then finished off her friend’s. Now she had a half-full glass of champagne in her hand, and I couldn’t tell if she was swaying to the music or trying to remain upright.

Jesus, tipsy or not, her beauty stunned me. That dress she had on wore me out. All that delicate lace hinted at her pretty curves and showed off her legs, which her sexy sandals emphasized. I couldn’t guess the length of her hair since she was wearing it up, but I was glad she apparently hadn’t cut it. The style exposed the neck I’d loved touching and kissing, making her shiver and snuggle closer to me for more. As the memories washed over me, I smiled before I heard Dakota talking from somewhere behind me.

“Oh, yeah, I’d like to tap that,” he said, and I wondered which girl would be the starter for his evening. Then he boiled my blood. “That redhead in the blue lace dress is one seriously sexy woman.”

“I think she’s spoken for, dude. You’re going to have to look somewhere else,” Tron said as he materialized next to me.

“Just ’cause there’s a goalie doesn’t mean you can’t score,” Dakota said with a laugh.

I flexed my fists as I considered clocking him when Tron put a restraining hand on my arm. Clenching my jaw, I didn’t turn my head to look at him, but I uncoiled slightly. Of the three other guys in the band, I was closest to Tron. He was steady and levelheaded, and he didn’t mind at all that I didn’t drink much and never spent private time with the army of groupies who followed Balefire like it was their job.

“She belongs to the monk, Dakota. That’s one goalie you don’t want to mess with.”

“The monk has a girl? How did I not know this?” Dakota turned a wide-eyed stare on me.

“With any luck, I’ll have that girl, so back off,” I growled.

“You haven’t made a move yet? That makes her fair game.” Dakota took a step in Clio’s direction.

“I invited her to this party, so no, she’s not fair game. If you don’t want me to mess up your pretty face, back the fuck off,” I gritted out, staring him down.

Dakota raised his hands in surrender. “Whoa, man. No need to get your shorts in a knot over a woman. The room is full of ’em.” His eyes wandered the room and all the ladies on offer. “Why, there’s another sweet little number walking over to talk to Red. The brunette off-limits too?”

“Knock yourself out. I’ll even introduce you,” I said. Maybe with the buffer of other people, I could survive this initial reconnection with Clio.

Then again, maybe it was a much bigger deal to me than it would be to her. For all I knew, Harrison Barnes had fed her a truckload of shit about me, and now she couldn’t give a flying fuck if I talked to her or not.

“You’ve been stirred up about seeing her again since you found her friend and set up this opportunity, dude. Probably better do something about it now that you have the chance,” Tron said quietly into my ear.

I nodded and turned to Dakota. “Let’s go talk to some nice girls for a change.”

“Seriously? What fun will that be?”

The stricken look on Dakota’s face cracked me up, and I felt lighter than I had all night. “God, you’re such a fuck boy. If Clio’s friend is too nice for you, I’m sure you can find the girl who belongs with the red bra you kept from the show.”

“You saw that, did you?” A grin broke over his face.

“Bet her phone number is written in great big digits over the inside of the cups.”

“Nah, they’re all lace.”

I raised a brow and waited for the punch line.

“It’s written along the straps. Since all the VIPs in the front row got invited to this little soiree of ours, I know she’s here somewhere. But first, the angel in the naughty black leather dress.”

I burst out laughing at the melodramatic villain way he rubbed his hands together, and we were all right again.

Glancing back to where Clio and her friend stood, I sucked in a breath, squared my shoulders, and willed my feet to move. Walking beside me, Tron snorted out a laugh. “Jesus, dude, she’s a beautiful woman, not a firing squad. Relax already.”

Author Bio:

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.

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