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  Out of the Blue

  High Stakes #2

  by

  Dee J. Adams

  Recently dumped by her fiancé, Casey Turner is going for her dream career. Rebound sex with a hot stranger was eye opening, but she wants to leave her mark on the world. She’s sure that winning the new reality show Write Your Ticket will prove that she’s got what it takes to make it in the music industry. She never expects to be the target of a killer who’ll stop at nothing to see her die, even if it’s on national television.

  Brendan St. John didn’t think he’d ever see the girl who disappeared after a sizzling one-night stand, but he won’t let her distract him from winning the reality show that could change his life. Of course, it’d be easier to ignore her if he didn’t have to keep saving her from disasters. But too many accidents on the set can’t be coincidence, and when Brendan interferes, Casey isn’t the only one in danger.

  Despite being pitted against each other, Casey and Brendan grow closer, and the attraction that brought them together burns hotter with every look. Ultimately, only one of them can win the show, but that doesn’t stop either from being the target of someone with a mighty grudge.

  Dedication

  This one is for my Aunt Carol and Uncle Thom… My pseudo parents who have supported me through thick and thin. Thanks for being there when I needed you and especially for always believing in me. Love you both with all my heart.

  This also goes out to Malcolm and Beth, my favorite brother (okay…my only brother!) and SIL. Thanks for being so awesome! Don’t know what I’d do without you guys. You’re lifesavers on multiple levels. Lots of mushy hugs and kisses! Mwah! Love you!

  Acknowledgements

  There are always a ton of people to thank when it comes to writing a book and because I missed someone the last time, I have to thank Robena Grant for being first eyes on my last book, Always Dangerous. Robena, thank you so much for all your insight and thoughtfulness. You rock, lady!

  A huge thank you to Ashley Argota for helping me with the songwriting portion of this book. I gave Ashley a cameo because she’s my LoveBug and I adore her. She is also one of the most talented young ladies I’ve ever worked with and oh my god the girl can sing. Check her out, you won’t be sorry.

  Thank you to Lynn Marshall for always being there with good advice and—for this book—the very talented Andrea Rimmer. (Andrea specializes in prosthetics and she has her own story in Lynne’s book, A Mother for His Adopted Son, a Mills and Boon Medical Romance.) I loved that the person I needed to help a character was alive and well and living in my good pal’s wonderful book!

  As always, my most heartfelt thank-you to my editor, Melissa Johnson. Melissa you keep me on track and make the whole process practically seamless and tremendously enjoyable. You are Supereditor… (yes, a new superhero!) and I love you.

  Last, but never least, thank you to Sean and Katelyn for being my biggest supporters and favorite people in the whole world. I love you guys.

  Any mistakes are my own.

  Dear Reader,

  I’m so happy to finally bring you Brendan’s story. The poor guy went through so much in Against the Wall, that I wanted to give him his happily ever after as soon as I could. Like any good hero, he has to work for it, but the reward is worth it.

  I especially loved giving Seger Hughes a cameo in this book. Seger has his own story in Dangerously Close (the third book in the Adrenaline Highs series). Since Brendan has been working for him for a few years, it seemed apropos to give Seger his two cents in this story.

  Finding love isn’t always easy, but with a lot of understanding and compassion, Casey and Brendan manage to find their way. I hope you enjoy their journey in Out of the Blue.

  Thank you for taking the time to read any of the books in this series or my Adrenaline Highs series. There are a lot of books out there and I’m thrilled you chose one of mine.

  I love to hear from readers, so feel free to email me at [email protected].

  Best,

  Dee J. Adams

  Chapter One

  The early morning sun slowly rose over Diamond Head as a cool breeze lifted Casey’s long hair off her neck. Her balcony suite afforded her the spectacular view of brilliant blues and greens of the churning Pacific Ocean. It also offered the perfect spot to watch a few gorgeously tan and fit males as they jogged by. No complaints here. If anything it added value to this pretty—albeit lonely—room.

  It felt liberating to be able to look and not feel guilty. Hell, not only could she look, she could touch as well. After a week at this dream hotel and fantasy suite, she’d decided it was about damn time to touch.

  She was on her honeymoon, for God’s sake. May as well find a guy to dirty the sheets with since her ex-fiancé wasn’t there to do it. Her heart raced and her stomach twisted just thinking about him.

  Jerk.

  Asshole.

  Bully.

  She had a mile long list of all the names she had for her former almost-husband. The sad part was they weren’t really new names. She’d chosen to overlook his less-than-stellar qualities, because that’s what a person did when they loved someone. They took them for the good and the bad.

  Or not.

  Really, she should have seen it coming. Casey sat on the comfortable chaise on her balcony, keeping her eyes peeled for the day’s distraction. She popped the top on a tube of body cream and slathered some on her legs.

  Maybe breaking up was for the better. “Hell, no maybe about it, Case. He did you a favor.” Who wanted to be married to a guy who didn’t consider her feelings or ambition? Who wanted a guy so overprotective that he had to know her every move, every minute of the day? Who wanted a man telling her how to dress or what to eat? Or more importantly what she should and shouldn’t do with her life?

  Not too many people took her ambition seriously and Casey had tried not to let it bother her. But how long could a girl go without support from her parents and especially her fiance?

  Now she finally had a shot at something spectacular and where was she? Alone on her honeymoon.

  She gazed at the interior of her plush suite. Soothing ocean colors accented the walls and spotlighted the king sized bed with its thick white comforter. A large mahogany desk and matching dresser and night tables furnished the room, and a big Jacuzzi tub sat inside the open partition to the bathroom, begging to be used. Time to say good-bye to the high life. Jeff’s family had money to burn, while she was a teacher and her parents lived modestly on a steel salesman’s income. She had no problem trading the finer things in life for her independence. The fact that she hadn’t acquired this freedom on her own terms pissed her off something fierce.

  The first notes of “Old Time Rock and Roll” by Bob Seger disrupted the calm of the crashing ocean and Casey checked the screen. Her mother. Ugh. She wiped the excess lotion on her hands on a nearby towel and took the call anyway. “Hi, Mom. What’s up?”

  “Casey? Oh… I didn’t think you’d be up so early.”

  Then why did you call if you didn’t think you were going to talk to me? Because she wanted to leave another scathing message without interruption. “Surprise. You got me. Did you need something, Mom? I’ll be home tomorrow.” Apparently going three days without getting chastised for not being married wasn’t possible.

  “I realize the week is almost over, but it’s not too late to apologize to Jeff and make things right.”

  She snorted, but her gut twisted at the idea. “Mom, how many times do I have to tell you, he broke up with me? Why am I apologizing when I did nothing wrong?”

  “Casey, why are you so difficult now? You used to be such a sweet girl. Jeff just wants to take care of you. He wants—”

  “He wants to own me, Mother. He d
oesn’t want to take care of me. The fact that you keep calling and sticking up for him is total…” bullshit, but she couldn’t say that word to her mom.

  “Honey, you’ve never been practical about what you want in life. Think of what you’re giving up? Jeff and his family can take of you for the rest of your life. Your future is secure with him. You won’t have to worry about money or status. You can quit your teaching job at that…that school and concentrate on having kids and being a good wife and mom.”

  Gah! Casey wanted to scream. Her mom sounded exactly like her grandmother. A woman’s job was in the home. Who still thought like that? “Mom, I’m not you. How many times have I told you that? I’m only twenty-four. I want different things than you did at my age.” The phone jostled.

  “Casey, this is your father.”

  She rolled her eyes. Round two.

  “We’ve all been very patient with you for the past week, but enough is enough. When you get back here, you’ve got a lot of work to do to get back in Jeff’s good graces.”

  Unbelievable. They never listened to a word she said. “I’m fine, Dad, thanks for asking.” Casey kept her tone neutral. “Don’t worry about picking me up from the airport. I’m sure if Zoe can’t do it, I can take a taxi.” No use repeating the fact that Jeff had broken off the wedding. “Hello? Dad, are you there? This connection is the worst. Dad? I can’t hear you? Da—” She disconnected the call herself. Enough of that bullshit. Tension streamed through her in tight knots. Her folks made it harder and harder to stay calm. Knowing they sided with Jeff was worse than a knife to her back. They’d never seen his nasty side. She hadn’t either until about two years into the relationship. Maybe if they knew about his temper, they’d cut her some slack. But she wasn’t going to have that conversation over the phone so it would have to wait.

  This Hawaiian vacation sucked harder than the rip tide that had kept the crowds from the water the last few days. She scanned the almost empty beach, watching the occasional runner jog past. She’d spent the past three days talking herself into doing something completely out of character. Something her best friend would be completely on board with.

  For once in her life she planned to be a little reckless and very spontaneous… If you could call psyching yourself up for three days “spontaneous.”

  Being bold was not one of her strong suits. Her high school years had been awkward and painful. As the tallest girl in class, she’d been the butt of too many jokes. The few dates she’d gone on were with boys she considered friends. Seemed as if any of the boys she really liked didn’t return the feeling. She hadn’t met her best friend until college and that came about because they’d been roommates in the dorm. Vic gave Casey the self-assurance to embrace the qualities she’d been born with and slowly a more confident woman had evolved.

  There! She saw him and her heart did that little trip and double skip as she took a second to admire his six pack—and no she wasn’t talking beer—broad shoulders and muscular chest. He’d secured his shoulder length hair into a low ponytail. The man was gorgeous and he’d been alone every morning for his beach run. Casey planned to rectify that. On this last full day—and night—she was not going to be alone.

  Casey grabbed her towel, took a last look in the bathroom mirror and adjusted the girls in her bikini top. The new light blond streaks she’d added to her brown hair two days ago still surprised her and she ran a quick hand through the long straight tresses before heading out of her hotel room.

  Jeff had always frowned upon her coloring her hair. If I wanted a blonde, I’d be dating a blonde. His parents had been grooming him for public life since his early years and their teachings had stuck like his mother’s neat dark chignon. Well, Jeff could kiss her ass. How many years had she let that man dictate her life? Too many. Those days were over.

  Happily.

  She had a fresh start with an exciting future only a week away. She didn’t need Jeff or any other man telling her how to dress or wear her hair or what to do for a living.

  Casey took the stairs, her heart picking up pace with her stride as she crossed the paved terrace of the hotel’s beach café toward the sand. The sun had barely kissed the beach and cool sand oozed between her toes. Palm trees swayed in the morning breeze and the din of the spectacular blue ocean waters crashed next to her. She absolutely believed the ocean held healing powers. Maybe she’d needed the extra waves and wild wind to push Jeff out of her psyche. Didn’t matter to her either way. She was glad he was gone and she could hold her head up high. Everything happened for a reason. Including spotting her current target.

  Tossing her small colorful bag near the spot where Mr. Gorgeous stopped every morning after his jog, she debated her next move. Did she wait here or in the water? The storm off the coast had wreaked havoc on the shore and all water sports had been cancelled for the last three days. It was almost as if Jeff had conjured up bad weather to punish her for going on their honeymoon alone. Well screw him. Her sister and maid of honor, Zoe, would’ve been the perfect “my wedding fell through, but I’m going to party on the honeymoon anyway” pal, except she’d come down with food poisoning at the last minute, leaving Casey by herself.

  Maybe this was why. So Casey could get lucky without any regret or any guilt from her sister.

  Casey glanced up and her heart nearly stopped when she saw Mr. Gorgeous already headed back in her direction. Had she been daydreaming that long? She still hadn’t decided where to be. Stay here on the beach or be casually enjoying the water ten feet away?

  He got closer and closer, his arms and legs pumping, sweat glistening off his tan skin and all those muscles rippling everywhere. Sun glinted off his dark hair and showed fiery red streaks.

  Oh. My. God. He was part ginger. Love it.

  Doing her best to look like this was a regular morning, Casey strolled out to the water and let the cool tide crash in around her ankles. A bit chillier than she expected, but maybe the storm waters had dropped the temperature. The beach was still mostly empty so she hoped MG—as she’d come to think of him—would stop at his usual spot to check his watch and take a breather.

  Casey took a step off the foot and half shelf and let the water hit her at the knees, refusing to be one of those wimps who cringed at cold water. She turned to make sure MG was in his spot and hid a smile that even though she’d encroached somewhat on his territory, he stayed true to his morning routine. She was even more thrilled when he looked up and waved. She cocked her head, letting her hair fall to the side in a move that showed off the length. Her heart thumped harder since this little excursion was working much faster than she thought it would. He waved harder and even called out to her, his eyes wide as if—

  A hundred pounds slammed into Casey’s back. At least that’s what it felt like as a wave of water threw her forward. The shock of impact had her gasping, which was a huge mistake since she only took in salt water. The force of the wave tumbled her onto the gravely beach then back out to the ocean. Casey scrambled for purchase, for air. Water tumbled her every which way but up. Her lungs seized as she sputtered, choked and coughed while still trying to find any air among the salt-water intake.

  Dead.

  She was most certainly going to die in three feet of water. She felt every rock and shell as the water pounded her against the sand. Her arms, stomach and legs burned with the impact. As quickly as the water scraped her against the bottom, it took her out just as fast. The roaring in her ears deafened her so much that she only heard the rapid beat of her heart pounding a death song in her head. No matter how much she flailed against the tide, she couldn’t find the right direction and water surged into her nose and mouth. Her lungs burned like the Tiki torches she watched outside her hotel room every night. She wasn’t going to last another five seconds.

  A hell of a way to die on her honeymoon-for-one.

  Chapter Two

  If Brendan had just looked up a few seconds sooner, he might’ve warned her in time, but he’d barely gotten a wo
rd out when the wave hit.

  He didn’t bother looking for a lifeguard since it was still too early. He just sprinted to the water as the waves tossed her like a rag doll. She flailed under the pounding surf and Brendan fought the water to reach her. Just as he wrapped his arm around her waist another wave struck them sideways and tossed them both into churning white foam. Brendan managed to keep his internal compass steady and got to his feet, dragging the girl with him before another wave did more damage. She was tall, all legs and long hair that tangled around her face. Didn’t she know there was a yellow flag warning on the beach?

  She didn’t have much fight as he lifted her more securely in his arms and trudged to what he assumed was her towel on the beach. She continued to gasp, cough and spew water and Brendan empathized. It sucked to get taken out by a wave. She was in the worst phase of it, too, trying to expel the water while getting in enough air to satisfy her lungs. Brendan set her down and watched helplessly as she tried to breath. He clapped her back a few times even though he knew he wouldn’t do much good. He just hated being helpless. Hated it with a passion.

  He passed her the towel and she coughed up more ocean water then wiped her face and blew her nose into the corner. Minutes passed as they sat together, as she slowly pulled enough air into her lungs to breathe instead of gasp and cough.