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“I can’t believe Tamara is with that guy,” Roux said. “He must be twenty years older than she is.”
“More like thirty,” Max said. “But if you ask me, they’re well suited.”
“Not sure how my research team missed that piece of the puzzle,” Dare said, scratching his temple. “Guess we need to do some more digging.”
“Some people are good at hiding relationships,” Iona said.
She must be speaking of herself and Kyle, because Steve and Roux sucked at it.
“If no one else is going to say it,” Roux said, “I will. Ewwwwww. Just ew.” She visibly shuddered.
“I hope to God they didn’t procreate,” Raven said.
“Well, it’s been great seeing you all,” Steve said. He loved these people, but enough was enough. He turned and slowly backed Roux into the room. Zach was behind him watching the excitement in the hall, but with a quick turn, Steve had his third-and-normally-welcome wheel moved out into the corridor. “I have some celebrating to do.”
“We should go down to the bar,” Logan said. “You’ve been wanting to fire that guy for years. You must be flying high right now.”
“I am,” Steve said, “but that’s not what I want to celebrate.”
Roux waved her engagement ring at their friends. Her sisters squealed and rushed forward as if they’d just remembered why they’d showed up outside his and Roux’s hotel room door in the first place. They twittered excitedly, asking so many questions and offering so many repeated words of congratulations and advice that he could couldn’t make heads or tails out of what any of them were saying. He and Roux found themselves squished together in the center of a rather painful group hug, accompanied by happy tears and contagious excitement. When all the guys formed an outer ring to their tight huddle, Steve had to brace himself to prevent Roux from being completely squashed, but she was laughing so hard, he doubted she minded their enthusiasm.
“Is this what we call a blended family?” he asked close to her ear.
“Yours, mine, and ours,” she said breathlessly.
The bright smile on her face added to the sparkle in those remarkable green-gold eyes and made his heart overflow with all the love he had to give.
“Ours,” he repeated. He liked the sound of that.
When he kissed her, everything around them, including the enthusiastic catcalls of their friends, faded into the background until there was nothing in his world but his sweet Red.
Author’s Note
Who knew Steve was so dreamy? The man took even me by surprise. I miss him and Roux already—they’re a perfect match. What was not perfect was how absolutely stuck I got while writing this book. I’m known for writing steam, and creative kink, and this couple just wasn’t having it. I finally get them into bed—I’ve never written a book where the couple waits to have sex—and they’re on a private island—the perfect place for one or the other of them to reveal their dirties kinks—and I discover their sexual relationship is all about emotion. Emotion? Really? I tried to fight them on it, but somehow it works for them. So once I let go of trying to come up with some wild, inventive sexcapades for Steve and Roux, the book finally started to flow again. I guess all my rock stars don’t have a sensual twist. This drummer—the epitome of the sex, drugs, and rock ‘n’ roll lifestyle—had an unusual romantic streak instead. How’s that for a twist?
In the next book, I’m faced with the near impossible task of finding a woman good enough for Dare Mills. If you’ve been with me from the start—clear back in the Sinners series—we first met Dare over a million words ago. You’d think I’d know him by now and be chomping at the bit to finally get him to his happily ever after, but I’m so attached to the mysterious introvert, I fear I won’t do him justice. I guess we’ll find out soon. Dare’s ready for his turn. I’m glad he’s a patient man. It’s been a long time coming. The next book in the Exodus End series is tentatively titled Ovation. I hope you’re as patient as Dare while you wait for me to write it. I’ll do my best to not get stuck this time! Speak to me, Dare! What turns you on?
If you’re wondering, I do have plans to write a series about Baroquen, but I need to finish up Exodus End, Sinners, and Sole Regret first. The last thing my poor brain needs is another set of characters to keep straight, but those women all have stories that need to be told, and I can’t help but want to tell them.
I always seem to thank the same people at the back of each book, but that’s because I have a fabulous team. Why mess up perfection with change? Thanks to Beth Hill, editor extraordinaire, Cyndi McGowen, beta reader and book-signing sidekick extraordinaire, Charity Hendry, designer extraordinaire, and Sean Davis, sounding-board you-guessed-it-extraordinaire. I’d also like to thank my human family for being so easy to love and my furry family (Shortie, Sissy, Aggie, Jace, and Buddy) for making me feel like the center of the universe—I fill the food bowls. And I especially want to thank my fans, dream-maker extraordinaires. You make everything possible.
