It feels damn good to be back in the studio. This place—this environment—is where my soul is the most happy. It's within the walls of a studio where I can create and find inner peace. I've missed this.
I adjust the base and add a couple of mid-tones to the beat and nod my head along.
“That sounds amazing, babe,” Drea praises.
I glance over and give her a sly smile. “I’ve been told I’m one of the best.”
She bends down and kisses my cheek. “That you are.”
I turn to meet her lips and kiss her long and hard, but before I can take things a little further and heat them up a bit with her, groans commence all around us.
“Get a room,” Cam calls.
I chuckle as I pull Drea back down onto my lap. “Don’t be a hater. I can’t help it. I’m love sick.”
“Sorry, man.” Cam pulls Candace into his arms, and a dreamy expression washes over Candace’s face as she stares up at Cam. “I totally know where you’re coming from.”
I smile because Cam’s persistence paid off after all and he and Candace seem really happy.
After everyone listens to the new song I’ve been working on for The Vixens, they begin trickling out of the room. Soon, I find myself alone with Drea in the quiet studio.
Ever since this woman came into my life, it’s gotten better. She gets me and doesn’t seem fazed by my past. She makes me want to be a better man, and now I can’t imagine myself without her. I’ve found myself smiling a lot more as of late, and in large part, it’s all due to her.
“What’s that look for?” she questions with a smile on her face.
I stand and pull her against me so I can wrap my arms around her. “Can’t I just look at you and smile?”
“You can,” she confirms. “But you’ve got an ornery twinkle in your eye that makes me think you’ve got something up your sleeve.”
“Damn. You’re getting pretty good at reading me.”
She bites her bottom lip as she tugs on the hem of my T-shirt. “Out with it then. What’s going on in that big, beautiful brain of yours?”
“I have a song I want to sing to you,” I admit. “It’s one I’ve had in my head for a while.” I pause. “What do you say? You in?”
“With you? Always.”
Hearing her say that fills my heart with more love than I ever knew it could hold, and it solidifies that what I’m about to do next is the right thing.
I reach down and set the acoustic track I had programmed on a loop and then take Drea by the hand. “Come into the booth with me. I want to lay down some tracks.”
She raises her eyebrows. “Now?”
“Yep. No time like the present.”
I lead her inside the booth and shut the door behind us. Once she’s in front of a microphone stand, she pops on the headphones. I follow suit and stand at the one next to her as put earphones on.
“Ready?” I ask.
She nods as she sets her eyes on me, watching my every move intently with her amazing brown eyes. “This sounds familiar.”
I press my index finger to my lips, not wanting to ruin the emotion I’m about to put in these lyrics as I sing them back to her just in case she knows the words.
When the beginning of the song comes around, I take a deep breath and stare into her eyes while I bare my soul to her with this song.
DREA
Laz takes my hand as he turns just a bit on the mic so he can gaze into my eyes and sing. The melody is a slight bit different, but the moment the first verse leaves his mouth, I recognize it immediately. “Bless the Broken Road” is one of those songs that you can feel the emotion of.
It’s song about a man who traveled a hellish path to finally come to happiness with a woman he loves.
Laz’s blue eyes hold mine, and nothing but sincerity stares back at me. His voice is smooth and wraps around me, causing goose bumps to pepper my flesh.
Tears burn my eyes as the words touch my heart, reminding me of everything I’ve overcome in my life to be here by Laz’s side.
Everything feels right in the world.
I’m finally where I’m supposed to be, surrounded by people who love me and who I love.
I love this man for so many reasons. He makes me want to be better and pushes me to keep moving forward even when I’m afraid. Life is better with him.
Tears fall freely down my cheeks, and Laz reaches up and wipes them away as he sings the last line of how his dark past led him to this moment—right here. Right now. I’m overcome with the beauty of Laz pouring his heart out to me. No one has ever opened up to me like this before.
He pulls his headphones off and reaches over and gingerly removes mine.
“Did you mean all that?” I ask in a shaky whisper.
Laz cradles my face in his hands. “Every word. My past is insane, and I don’t deserve someone like you, but I’m grateful to have you in my life. You’re everything to me, and I can’t see myself living one day in this fucked-up world without you.” He pauses and swallows hard. “I love you, Drea. Now and always.”
“I love you too.”
I wait for him to lean in and kiss me, but instead, he bites his bottom lip as he attempts to hold back a smile. “I’m happy to hear you say that because I feel like my chances are pretty good here to get the answer I want now.”
Without warning, Laz pulls back and then drops to one knee.
My hand flies to my mouth. “Oh, my God. Laz …”
He reaches into the front pocket of his jean and pulls the diamond wedding band he typically wears around his neck and then holds it up to me. I recognize it instantly and remember him telling me that his adoptive mother’s dying wish was for Laz to give this ring to the woman he wanted to spend his life with. “Marry me?”
I drop down in front of him and hold his face in my hands as tears fall from my eyes. “Yes. A thousand times, yes.”
I press my lips to his and know this is just the beautiful beginning to our forever.
Epilogue
Two years later …
Lazarus
I stand on the side of the stage and watch the crowd fall in love with my wife of two years. I knew once the world got a taste of her, it would be in love with her just like I am.
Drea moves flawlessly across the stage while Candace and Laycee flank her sides. The girls move like seasoned professionals who have been working together for many years. It’s amazing what chemistry will do for a group. It makes them gel quickly and really allows them to shine, which is why The Vixens are one of the hottest acts in the world right now.
Everyone wants a piece of them.
But that hasn’t changed Drea one bit. She’s still the same girl I fell in love with the moment I spotted her in Hellcat Saloon. She’s still the best person I know.
I’m eleted for her and the rest of the Vixens. Things are looking up for all of us. Since my name is hooked onto all Vixens singles as a producer, artists who once wrote me off have given me a second chance. I’m booked for the next year to work with artist at all career levels. Hell, even the Romeos have come around and Cam, along with myself and the rest of the guys are kicking around the idea of finally doing a reunion tour.
Life is pretty fucking fantastic right now.
There’s a little tug on the bottom of my T-shirt, and I squat down next to Kyle. He’s grinning from ear to ear while wearing noise canceling headphones as we watch Drea perform.
Kyle flicks his little thumbs up. “This song is my favorite.”
I ruffle the dark hair on his head. “It’s one of mine, too, buddy.”
I study his face and am always taken aback by how much he resembles my wife. They have the same deep brown eyes, nose, and thick, brown hair. Drea said it was a bit like looking into a mirror after she met Kyle for the first time over a year ago. The two of them have been slowly working on building their relationship since then.
Kyle’s adoptive parents have been really great. They’ve been supportive and have broug
ht him along for different outings with Drea. Tonight is the first time any of them have ever seen The Vixens perform, and Drea is excited to be able to share this with them since we’re back in our hometown of Atlanta.
The group finishes belting out the last of the lyrics of their closing song, and then they freeze the moment the beat goes silent. The screams of approval from the crowd are deafening, loving the show that has just ended.
Drea’s face is glowing as she waves her goodbyes to her adoring fans and heads in our direction.
Kyle holds his hand up for a high-five as Drea approaches us. “That was so cool!”
Drea lightly smacks his hand. “Thanks, Kyle.” She kneels in front of Kyle. “I’m so happy you came. If it’s okay with your mom, I have some pizza and ice cream waiting back on the tour bus for us.”
His little head whips in Brandy’s direction. “Can we, Mommy? Please?”
Brandy nods and smiles. “It’s okay with me.”
“Yayaya!” Kyle exclaims and then throws his arms around Drea’s neck to hug her. “Pizza and ice cream are my favorites.”
A huge smile washes over Drea’s face. “I know, which is why I got them.”
She shoves herself up to her feet and stretches out her hand. Kyle puts his little hand in hers, and they walk hand in hand off the stage.
The End
Acknowledgments
First off, I want to thank you, my dear reader, for spending your time getting lost in my world. Laz and Drea’s story holds a special place in my heart and I hope you enjoyed reading about them as much as I did creating their love story.
Emily Snow, Jennifer Wolfel, Holly Malgieri, Heather Peiffer, Jennifer Foor, Jenny Sims, Michelle Leighton, Chelle Bliss, Rebecca Yarros, Amber Garcia you ladies are my sanity in this business. Thank you for being humble down-to-earth people whom I consider real friends and talking me down from the ledge from time to time. Thank you for your love and support. Love you guys hard!
My beautiful ladies in Valentine’s Vixen’s Group, you all are the best and this book was for you all. I even had Laz name his group after you all. ;) You guys always brighten my day and push me to be a better writer. Thank you!
To romance blogging community. Thank you for always supporting me and my books. I can’t tell you how much every share, tweet, post and comment means to me. I try to read them all and every time I’m giddy from all the love. THANK YOU for everything you do. Blogging is not an easy job and I can’t tell you how much I appreciate what you do for indie authors like me. You totally make our world go round.
Last, but never least the two men in my life, my husband and son. Thank you for putting up with me. I love you both more than words can express.
About the Author
New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Michelle A. Valentine is a self-professed music addict that resides in Columbus, Ohio, with her husband, son, and one scrappy dog. When she’s not slaving away over her next novel, she enjoys expressing herself with off-the-wall crafts and trying her hand at party planning.
While in college, Michelle’s first grown-up job was in a medical office, where decided she loved working with people so much she changed her major from drafting and design to nursing. It wasn’t until her toddler son occupied the television constantly that she discovered the amazing world of romance novels. Soon after reading over 180 books in a year, she decided to dive into trying her own hand at writing her first novel, and she hasn’t looked back. After years of rejection, in 2012 she self-published Rock the Heart, her tenth full-length novel written, and it hit the New York Times. Her subsequent books have gone on to list multiple times on both the New York Times and USA Today bestseller lists.
Michelle loves to hear from her readers!
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Also by Michelle A. Valentine
Visit Michelle’s Amazon Page
The Black Falcon Series
ROCK THE HEART
ROCK THE BAND
ROCK MY BED
ROCK MY WORLD
ROCK THE BEAT
ROCK MY BODY
Hard Knocks Series
PHENOMENAL X
XAVIER COLD
The Collectors Series
DEMON AT MY DOOR
COMING SOON—DEMON IN MY BED
A Sexy Manhattan Fairytale
NAUGHTY KING
FIESTY PRINCESS
DIRTY ROYALS
DIRTY DEALS (The Complete Sexy Manhattan Series Set)
Wicked White Series
WICKED WHITE
WICKED REUNION
WICKED LOVE
Stand Alone Titles
LOVE, SEX, MUSIC
SAVE ME - COMING SOON
THRUST UNDER - COMING SOON
Michelle A. Valentine, Love Sex Music
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