Tyler & Stella (Tattoo Thief) (30 page)

Tyler moves back up my body, looking down at me with tenderness, his liquid brown eyes flecked with gold and copper.

“I promised myself I wouldn’t say this too soon. I’ve heard it so many times, from fans who just threw it away like it was nothing. It’s not that I don’t know it. I do, down to my soul. But I didn’t want to say it until I was sure you knew what it means from me. Stella, I love you.”

The breath leaves my chest as Tyler’s mouth covers mine, his lips forming the last three words over and over without sound. I kiss him back like my life depends on it, like he’s the last man I’ll ever kiss.

I hope that he is.

Tyler centers me against his tip, making me ache with want. My hand flies up in the direction of the bedside table drawer, my green-light signal for
Lights, camera, action!

Tyler laughs at my lust-clouded clumsiness when I drop the condom twice before I manage to tear open the foil packet. He rolls it on and our eyes lock the way they did when I watched him in concert. I feel the intensity of his desire all the way into my bones.

He grins. “Safety check complete, captain? Are we ready for takeoff?”

“Ready for takeoff,” I confirm. I breathe deeply and close my eyes, craving the feeling of fullness again, but instead I feel pressure and a pause.

My eyes open and his gaze is hot and raw, devouring me while he teases my entrance. I shift my hips but his hands still them, unwilling to be rushed.

“I want you to see me, Stella.
I’m
here with you, not anyone from your past, no one who’s hurt you. Just me. Just us.”

I nod, unable to form words as the pressure builds. My body is screaming to take him inside me but he waits and I count a dozen heartbeats. Finally, I whisper, “Just us.”

This breaks the dam and Tyler thrusts inside me, his body quivering like an arrow shot from a bow, straight and true toward its target. My breath releases in a loud whoosh as he pierces me.

He begins a slow withdrawal and I wrap my legs more tightly around his hips, begging him not to pull away. Tyler growls and his body coils again for another thrust, his muscles straining to cement our connection.

“All systems go?”

“All of them. Go, Tyler. Let’s fly.”

And we do, in gentle strokes and hard ones, with smooth caresses and fingers digging into each other’s flesh. I ride waves of pleasure that build inside me like air currents, updrafts that send birds soaring without a single flap of their wings.

“Stella.” Tyler says my name like a prayer, like it’s a word invented only for him to speak. I tilt my hips and he hits a new spot inside me that sends my world spinning, and I can’t fight this current for control.

So I let go in deep, quaking waves, and feel Tyler’s release spill over in the same torrent of sensation. I clench to hold him as tightly as I can, then release as he collapses, rolling us on our sides, the big spoon and the little spoon.

He pulls me closer, as if he can’t bear to allow a breath of air to separate our skin.

“I love you,” he whispers in my ear.

“I love you back,” I tell him, and finally give him the first promise he asked from me: “I’m all in.”

THIRTY-FOUR

The sun rises with Tyler still curled around me and I stretch, trying to get feeling back into the leg Tyler crushed between his own while we slept.

My phone chimes and I debate whether to look at the text, but curiosity wins. I stretch as far as I can reach and nab my phone from the table on my
side of the bed.

Violet
[6:14 a.m.]: I have a story for you.

Stella
: You get that it’s dawn, right?

Violet
: It can’t wait.

Stella
: Lay it on me. What happened?

Violet
: Not that kind of a story. Put your reporter hat back on, Stella. I need you to write one.

DEAR READER

Thanks for reading Tyler & Stella. I hope you enjoyed it! The first book in the series is
Tattoo Thief
, featuring Gavin and Beryl.

Would you like to know when my next book is available? I don't email often, but I'll alert you to new releases (and sometimes sneak in book extras & gift cards)—sign up at
www.tinyurl.com/heidisbooks.

If you enjoyed this story, please take a moment to review it. No matter how long or short, your recommendation helps other readers discover books and it's the greatest compliment you can give an author. You can also share this book with a friend through Amazon's lending program.

For me, the very best part of writing books is getting to know readers. I'd love to hear from you on
facebook.com/author.heidi
and at my website,
www.heidijoytretheway.com
.

Read on for a taste of Jayce & Violet’s story, which I’m working on now….

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

In Tyler’s words,
“We never get what we deserve. Only what we earn. And some grace, and some luck.”
I’m lucky and so deeply grateful for the friends and family who’ve supported me on this storytelling journey.

Tattoo Thief’s world is real to me thanks to generous friends—Scott Townsend and Thomas Zielinski, who gave me an insider’s view of New York City; Matt Restivo, who told me about a bassist’s life “gigging on the reg”; and Chris Hoge, who offered insights into diabetic medicine and mindset.

My author friends raced me during NaNoWriMo and encouraged me during the editing process, especially Brianna, Cynthia, Cheri, Denise, Diana, Emily (x2!), Katie, Magan, and Melanie. The foxies at New Adult Authors Unite were a generous sounding board.

This story was tuned and pruned by the blistering red pen of Jim Thomsen, whose developmental edits
kill
me and make the story stronger. Cynthia Moyer and Amy Duryea found errors I missed the first forty-seven times and I would not publish a book without their eagle eyes.

I’m grateful to the people who’ve shared Tattoo Thief—Kelly and Nazarea at InkSlinger PR are fantastic partners to get the word out; Crystal, Debbie, Lisa, and Sam are among the dedicated, enthusiastic bloggers I owe mightily. Thank you all.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Heidi Joy lives in Happy Valley off Sunnyside Road.
She swears she did not make that up.

Heidi’s career includes marketing, journalism, and a few delicious years as a food columnist. Media passes took her backstage with several rock bands, where she learned that sometimes a wardrobe malfunction is
exactly
what the rock star intends.

You’ll most often find Heidi Joy with her husband and two small kids fishing
, clamming, exploring the Northwest, and building epic forts in their living room.
She loves hearing from readers on Facebook at
facebook.com/author.heidi
.

She’s currently working on
Jayce and Violet’s story
, the third book from Tattoo Thief’s world, and a new series. Previews are at Heidi Joy’s website,
www.heidijoytretheway.com
.

JAYCE & VIOLET

Tattoo Thief #3—summary

Violet can’t imagine anything worse than having her very private, very naked photos strewn across the Internet.

Until they multiply like a virus.

With her name, phone number and address attached.

And her boss finds out. And the creepers find her.

To win back her privacy, Violet must fight a slippery enemy who posts revenge porn. She must also fight her growing attraction to Jayce, Tattoo Thief’s lead guitarist and ladies’ man.

Jayce dates the kind of girls who want rock stars, no strings attached—the kind of girl Violet is
not
. Violet’s no groupie or fangirl. She’s just a freelance photographer, an ex-teacher, and one of thousands of naked girls on the Internet.

Nobody special.

That’s the one thing that keeps her embarrassing photos from making headlines.

And it’s the reason she can never, ever fall for a rock star. On the Internet, secrets never die—they spread like wildfire when a celebrity fans the flames.

JAYCE & VIOLET: PROLOGUE

The Internet is full of naked pictures of pretty girls. Curvy girls splayed on beds. Busty girls gripping their breasts in ecstasy. Blondes getting pounded, pistoned, defiled. Brunettes taking the money shot, the deep throat, the back door.

Any Google search will find you these images. And one of them might be me.

I’m the redhead. The one with her back arched, her eyes wide, her mouth open with desire. The one with her legs spread and her arms tied tight above her head.

I’m the one shot with her own camera and uploaded for the world to see.

And now I’m the one with the secret.

Coming June 2014.
Add Jayce & Violet to your Goodreads list now.

ALSO BY HEIDI JOY TRETHEWAY

TATTOO THIEF

When 22-year-old Beryl leaves her sleepy hometown to become a house sitter for New York’s richest residents, her first client is Gavin Slater, lead singer for the rock band Tattoo Thief. He trashed his penthouse, abandoned his dog and fled the country, leaving Beryl to find out why he’s running and what can bring him back.

WON’T LAST LONG
Can two people who are totally wrong for each other ever be right?

Opposites attract, but friends think sly, feisty Melina and steady, laid-back Joshua can’t possibly last. When crisis throws their world off its axis, Melina must confront her history and the destruction of her pristine image.

A HANDFUL OF GOLD

A new fairy tale adventure with an un-princess twist.

If there’s just one thing Audrey wants, it’s an adventure. When she travels through the forest to see the kingdom castle for the first time, she must rely on kindness and courage to outwit bandits, rescue a girl and help a prince.

Paperback and ebook versions are available at
Amazon
.