Breathless for You: Outback Skies, Book 1 (9 page)

Rhythm is in his genes. She is in his heart.

Blackthorne

© 2014 Lexxie Couper

Heart of Fame, Book 8

Caitlin Reynolds doesn’t care if the rock star lookalike trying to get into her bar is who he says he is. Sticking to the rules is a big reason the Chaos Room is the hottest velvet rope in Sydney.

Okay, so he’s freaking hot, but she’s been ignoring her hormones since her fiancé left her to go be a doctor in Somalia and then went missing.

After a shattered knee ended his promising soccer career, it seemed only natural for Josh Blackthorne to follow in his father’s rock-god footsteps. Now he’s a megastar, lusted after by women—and men—the world over. But he’s been in lust with Caitlin since he saw her picture years ago.

When Caitlin realizes Josh is who he says he is, she’s the first to make it right. But no matter how badly his seduction makes her want to melt into his arms, there’s a ghost hanging over their heads. A ghost who turns out to be not so legally dead after all…

Warning:
Contains a rock star who’s livin’ the dream and livin’ it large, a self-made businesswoman with a weakness for a cheeky smile, and a red-hot battle of tormented wills. May stimulate a desire to throw your panties onto the nearest stage.

Enjoy the following excerpt for
Blackthorne:

At the sound of Caitlin’s husky voice behind him, Josh jumped.

He spun to face her, suppressing his excited grin. Telling himself to relax. To not appear too eager to see her.

He was though. Eager and nervous.

Nervous. Go figure.

Eyes of the most stunning azure regarded him. She stood in the middle of the dance floor, arms folded beneath her breasts. “I didn’t expect you to still be here, Mr. Blackthorne. You are aware the club is closed now, yes?”

He nodded, forcing himself to lounge back on his elbows. Crossing his ankles, he gave her a lazy smile. “I am.”

Behind the bar, Zach let out a snort. “Oh man, you’re asking for trouble.”

Caitlin arched an eyebrow. At her second-in-charge or at Josh’s goading, Josh wasn’t sure. She studied him, narrowing her eyes. “And you’re still here because…?”

“Because I promised your uncle I’d buy you a drink.”

“You did not.”

“Okay, he promised me you’d cook me dinner and I haven’t had anything to eat since halfway over the Pacific.” He affected a wounded-puppy expression. “C’mon, take some pity on me. I’m hungry.”

Her lips twisted. “Have a peanut. There’s a bowl right next to your elbow.”

He shook his head, holding her gaze. “Can’t. I’m allergic.”

Worry flittered across her face. “Really?”

He shook his head again. “No.”

She rolled her eyes. “I don’t have time for this.”

“Why? What else do you have to do at—” he flicked his watch a quick glance, “—three-fifteen in the morning?”

Shifting her feet a little, Caitlin fixed him with a pointed gaze. “Go home. Have a shower. Go to bed.”

Josh nodded. “Okay, let’s do that.”

Her mouth fell open. A soft gasp filled the air between them. The most delightful pink tinged her cheeks. “Are you serious?”

Pushing himself from the bar, he shook his head for a third time. “No. But, boy, I love the way you’re blushing now.”

“Okay,” Zach uttered behind him. “I’m outta here. Boss, all that’s left to do is lock up. Mr. Blackthorne, you’re welcome back here any time.”

Josh couldn’t stop his chuckle as Caitlin gaped at her employee. “Thanks, Zach,” he said, bumping fists with the massive man.

“Excuse me, Zach?” Caitlin shoved her fists to her hips. Josh couldn’t help but notice how the move pulled the material of her T-shirt tighter across her full breasts. “Who owns the Chaos Room? You or me?”

“You do, boss,” Zach answered, walking from behind the bar. “But I’m charge of arranging special guests. One of the duties you assigned me when I became 2IC, right? And I’m thinking having Josh Blackthorne in the place is good for business. In case you didn’t notice, the queue to get in tonight was more than double a normal Thursday night. And the Chaos Room has been mentioned in over five hundred tweets since you and Mr. Blackthorne faced-off out on the footpath. Any way you look at it, that’s good for business.” He turned to Josh again. “As I said, Mr. Blackthorne, any time.” He leant a little closer to Josh and dropped his voice into a melodramatic conspirator’s whisper. “I’ll make sure Mandy doesn’t shove her hands down your pants next time.”

Watching Caitlin’s reaction to the statement, Josh grinned. There it was, a little flash of jealousy on her face. Booyah. “Thanks, mate,” he said, turning to Zach. He had no idea if the guy was intentionally helping him in his mission to get under Caitlin’s skin, but it seemed that way. Perhaps he should buy him a Ferrari to show his appreciation? “Is now the time to tell you the other barkeeper stuck his hand down my duds as well?”

A booming laugh left Zach as he slapped Josh on the back. “Ah, you’re on your own dealing with Travis. That guy’s a sex fiend.”

And with that, he gave Caitlin a nod, a relaxed, “Boss,” and crossed the dance floor, pausing only to open the door and exit through it. The solid thud of the slamming door echoed around the silence, emphasizing the fact Josh and Caitlin were now alone in the club.

Fresh nerves pitched about in his stomach. He shifted against the bar, switching ankles as he waited for Caitlin to do something. Say something.

She didn’t. She just stood on the spot, regarding him.

Tension stretched between them.

“So,” he said, grasping for his normal charm. “Come here often?”

Caitlin’s laugh surprised him. “I can see why my uncle likes you. You’ve got the same woeful sense of humour.”

“Hey?” He stuck out his bottom lip in a pout. Inside, his nerves intensified. God, she had a wonderful laugh. “I thought that was clever.”

She shook her head, rolled her eyes and made her way around to the business side of the bar. “That was clichéd. That’s what that was.”

Pivoting on his heel, Josh tracked her progress until she stood opposite him, the marble counter the only thing between them. “What are you doing?” he asked as she plucked two squat glasses from the rack of freshly dried ones left by Zach.

Without an answer, she turned her back to him, retrieved a bottle of Chivas Regal from the glass shelf that ran the length of the mirrored wall behind the counter and then faced him again. She removed the whiskey’s cap, drew the glasses closer and poured in two shots.

Josh watched her, entranced. She moved with such fluid confidence and grace. It was hypnotic to watch. And sexy as all hell.

Still without a word, she slid one of the glasses across the counter to him, her gaze moving to his. “That’ll be twenty-two fifty.”

He chuckled. “So this is me buying you a drink, is it?”

Her lips twitched again. “It is if it means you’ll drop the ridiculous notion Uncle L has planted in your head that you and I should hook up.”

He wrapped his fingers around the glass and raised it from the counter, studied its contents for a bit and then gave her a smirk. “Is that what’s in my head?”

“It is. And it’s not going to happen.” Without breaking eye-contact, she plucked the other glass from the bar and chinked it against his. “Cheers.”

Getting the upper hand—and foot—was never this naughty

Twister

© 2012 Lexxie Couper

Party Games, Book 3

As the man who snared the reins of his father’s global media empire and propelled it to new heights, Lachlan McDermott is accustomed to people jumping to obey his every command. He knows
he is painted as handsome, arrogant and influential with the power of information at his control. But no one knows he’s got a weakness. Only one. And now, that weakness is in his house. Braless.

Über successful fashion photographer Cameron Winters used to be the super-model known only as Kole. But Kole dropped out of sight a long time ago. Only one thing can bring Cameron out of her self-imposed exile from public life: a man who doesn’t know she exists.

The trouble is, when Cameron comes face to face with Lachlan at an exclusive Sydney party, he immediately brings out the “Kole” in her. And Kole doesn’t bow down to anyone. Not even the one man who monopolizes her fantasies.

When they’re pitted against each other on the Twister mat, surrender isn’t part of the deal, and getting tangled up is only the beginning. Especially when their secrets keep getting in the way.

Warning:
Read in private. Contains a sexy, brooding, smoldering, dominating Australian Alpha male hero who will make you want to take your clothes off and beg to play.

Enjoy the following excerpt for
Twister:

The sound of the spinner’s arrow whizzing around, followed by the referee clearing his throat, filled the surreal silence.

“Right hand, green.”

Both she and Lachlan moved at once, lowering their torsos until their right hands pressed flat to the green circle. Her skirt rode high on her backside, the supple black leather sliding up the backs of her thighs until she felt the room’s air-conditioned air tease the crotch of her knickers. Someone behind her uttered a whispered, “Fuck that’s a gorgeous arse”.

Lachlan’s stare moved to the unseen speaker, steady and unwavering. There was the sound of feet shuffling, someone cleared their throat and then Lachlan was looking at Cameron again.

A ripple of tight heat shot through her. For a split second, the guarded expression was gone from his face. For a split second raw hunger and molten desire replaced it. For only a split second.

The buzz of the Twister spinner sawed the tense silence.

Cameron’s heart thumped harder in her chest.

“Right foot, yellow.”

She drew a steadying breath. The move would draw her and Lachlan but one row of circles apart, but whereas her limbs were splayed and her body straight, Lachlan would need to twist his to achieve the position.

“C’mon, McDermott,” a man to the left of the Twister mat called. “I’ve seen you in trickier positions than this.”

“Shut up, Harris,” Lachlan called back, although Cameron didn’t think the tone malicious. Just focused. Determined. He continued to stare at her, his dark eyes intense before, with one fluid move, he contorted his body into what should have been an awkward U shape and placed his right foot on a yellow circle.

“I just had a thought,” the same man who had called out—Harris?—suddenly spoke. “What’s the winner of the game get?”

“The loser,” someone behind Cameron answered.

A nervous laugh hiccupped around the room.

Lachlan’s nostril’s flared. “I never lose.”

Cameron’s pussy constricted. “So I’ve heard.”

“Which means when I win—”

“You get me.”

“Lucky fucking bastard,” the same man who’d complimented her arse groaned loud enough for the whole room to hear.

“I don’t want you.”

Cameron smiled slowly, even as her pulse thumped like an insane moth in her neck. Even as her mouth went dry and her belly knotted. “Liar.”

Lachlan’s nostrils flared and Cameron knew by that slight reaction she was telling the truth. He wanted her. Now she just had to win the game. Win the game and stop being Kole.

But what did she do if she lost?

A deep shiver ran through her body at the notion of being in Lachlan McDermott’s control, turning her nipples to aching points. God, what would that be like? To surrender to the man’s every whim, a man known universally for his utter dominance of anything he set his mind to?

What would it be like, and why did she, Cameron, want to find out?

The sound of the spinner whizzing around stopped her contemplating the answer. Heart racing, she studied Lachlan’s face, waiting for their next direction.

“Left hand, green.”

Cameron’s throat grew thick, the very second a low growl rumbled in Lachlan’s chest. Her breath quickened and she stared at him. It seemed he’d realized the same thing she had. Left hand, green meant they would be touching each other.

Let the game begin.

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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 persons, living or dead, actual events, locale or organizations is entirely coincidental.

Samhain Publishing, Ltd.

11821 Mason Montgomery Road Suite 4B

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Breathless For You

Copyright © 2015 by Lexxie Couper

ISBN: 978-1-61922-391-2

Edited by Heidi Moore

Cover by Erin Dameron-Hill

All Rights Are Reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

First
Samhain Publishing, Ltd.
electronic publication: January 2015

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