Indulgence (58 page)

“Okay.”

“So how do you think you got pregnant, anyway?” I asked.
She’d been on birth control, which is why we never used condoms.

“The doctor thinks it was the course of antibiotics I took
when I had that sinus infection after we visited Coney Island, remember? I was
on them for ten days. Apparently they can minimize the effects of the active
agents in the birth control pills.” She snuggled back into my side and closed
her eyes with a yawn.

It was still early yet and we’d gone to bed really late. My
girl needed her rest, more now than ever before.

“Did I tell you how happy you’ve made me?” She nodded and
rubbed her cheek against my chest, then her breath evened out and she was sound
asleep once more.

Hugging her close, I ran my fingers through her golden hair
with one hand and stared at the image of our baby in the other until sleep took
me, too. Sweet dreams of flowing white dresses, puffs of pink and blue twinkle
lights danced across my subconscious, along with one perfect vision of an Angel
falling into my arms and me holding onto her for an eternity.

The End.

Audrey Carlan is a Best Selling Author who writes
erotic contemporary romances, such as the wildly popular "Falling
Series." She lives in the sunny California Valley two hours away from the
city, the beach, the mountains and the precious…the vineyards. She has been
married to the love of her life for over 10 years and has two young children
that live up to their title of “Monster Madness” on daily basis. When she’s not
writing, sipping wine with her “soul sisters”, or doing yoga, she can be found
with her nose stuck in book or her Kindle. A hot, smutty, romantic book to be
exact!

In life she believes that all things have their purpose even
if we are unable to determine the purpose immediately.

Any and all feedback is greatly appreciated and feeds the
soul. You can contact Audrey below:

Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/audrey.carlan.1

Goodreads:
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7831156.Audrey_Carlan

Email address:
[email protected]

Website:
www.audreycarlan.com

Twitter: @AudreyCarlan

By
Cat Mason

Daisy’s Fall

How did this happen to me? Just months ago I was in a
loving, committed relationship with a man who, I believed, adored me. Nothing
was standing in our way of being married and having the white picket fence,
babies and all the happiness I could stand. Now I’m sitting here on a bed, in a
shitty tour bus, crying into my hands. All while a dozen little white sticks
lie all over the floor, laughing at me, proving that I am a total fuck up.

The diamond on my hand does nothing but make me angry, as it
glistens with my wet tears. I’ve screwed everything up. I let myself believe,
for a while, that I could have a happy ever after. I let myself think that I
was worthy of something as precious as love. Instead, I have ruined at least
four lives in the ashes of my monumental lapse of rational thinking.

I always think things through. Daisy Shayne never jumps
without looking where she would land. I had a plan. I mean, literally, I write
shit down and check it off as I complete it. I was nothing, if not meticulous,
in the calculating of my life this far.

My parents planned nothing. I watched them constantly
bailing water from the boat, borrowing from Peter to pay Paul and getting
nowhere in life because of not having a plan. Well, I had a plan damn it! Now,
as I look at my list, all I want to do is jump from my boat and let myself
drown. It would be so much easier than to face what is coming when those bus
doors open and my life comes to an end. There will be no hiding this. There is
no fixing the situation. It’s going to destroy everyone involved, including
myself in the process…

Wait! I am getting too far ahead of myself. You need me to
start from the beginning to get the full picture here. You need to know
everything and then you will understand.

Shafted from the Start

“Daisy! If you don’t hurry up we’ll be late!” His voice
booms through the bathroom door as I hurry to finish my make-up. We are
supposed to be at some bar in fifteen minutes; yet, here I am making us late.
Landon is taking me to meet his half-brother, Grayson, tonight, and the rest of
the band before their tour starts.

Grayson Cole is the lead guitarist and writes all the songs
for the band, Shaft. Landon isn’t close with his younger brother. Therefore,
I’m trying to hide how excited I am to meet him and the band. In the whole year
we have been together, he hasn’t let me get anywhere near his brother. I’ve
never understood it. He swears it’s just history, but I’ve always wondered.

According to their mother, they take after their fathers,
making them polar opposites. With the band pushing for broke to make it big,
they are never around. Though, I have heard enough of their music to know they
have great songs. Well, I’ll be seeing Shaft up close and personal tonight. I
can only imagine what they are like with a name like that.

Tossing my lip gloss on the counter, I turn opening the door
to meet a very aggravated Landon. Even annoyed he is gorgeous. His blue eyes
glare at me out from under his shaggy brown hair that has drooped over his
forehead forcing me to bite back my laugh. “I’m sorry. Let’s go.”

Landon’s appraising gaze roams over me until he meets my
eyes. “Is that all you’re wearing?” he asks in disbelief, eying my outfit with
a frown.

“What’s wrong with it?” I ask, looking at my jean skirt and
black tank top and compare it with his jeans and polo. “We’re going to a club
to hear a band,” I add, then walk over and slip into my pink wedge heels.

“Whatever, Daisy, come on we don’t have time for you to
change anyway. I’m just glad I told you we had to be there an hour earlier than
we really do,” he says, as I follow him down the stairs and out to the car.
Once he starts the engine, Landon turns, taking my hand in his. “I’m sorry. I
didn’t mean to be such an ass, I’m just nervous about tonight. I never thought
Grayson would allow me to be involved in his career, or whatever it is he’s
doing with his life.” He sighs then kisses my hand where my engagement ring
rests. “Are you sure you’re alright with going on tour with us for six months?”

I nod. “I wanna be wherever you are, Landon. I think it will
be good for us; we’ll have lots of time together.” Grinning at my answer, he
leans in pressing his mouth to mine quickly. Nodding, he pulls away from me and
backs out of the driveway.

Landon is jittery the entire ride to the bar and I can’t
help but giggle to myself. I have never seen him like this. He’s always so calm
and composed. Landon is stable and perfect for my plan. My life plan. My
numbers are getting checked off and by this time next year, I will be Mrs.
Daisy Cole. Everything works out better when you know where you’re going, when
your goals are mapped out clearly. Because my parents had no plan for their
lives, we struggled more often than not. I made my list at sixteen and followed
it to the letter, determined to have better. Finishing high school as the
valedictorian, getting my college degree, and all ready to start teaching
English at the local high school in the fall, were all part of my life plan.
The tour is sort of a last hoorah and my chance to spend time with Landon all
summer.

Pulling down the visor, I check my dark blonde hair in the
mirror. After checking my make-up one last time I flip the visor back up, as
Landon turns off the car. “Okay, this is it. I’ll get us a table then I’ll go
find Tad, he’s the manager for the band. I’ll be taking care of everything the
guys need and whatever else Tad says has to get done,” he says; I think he’s
mostly coaching himself.

I grab his hand, “Babe, quit being so nervous! Your brother
obviously wants you here. Calm down and let’s go hear the band.”

“Okay. Then we go back to my place to recheck everything. We
leave tomorrow on the bus.”

I nod, “Relax. We’ve taken care of everything. Let’s go have
some fun.” Reassuring him, I stroke his cheek with my hand and he nuzzles my
palm.

“I love you so much, Daisy,” Landon says sweetly, making me
smile.

“I love you too. Now let’s go.”

The bar is a dingy hole in the wall. Landon opens the door
for me as the smoke pours out, hitting us both in the face. “Holy shit!” he
huffs, tucking me under his arm to usher me inside. We walk over to the corner
where he plunks me down in the booth. “You sit tight. I’ll go find the guys.”
He kisses me sweetly before walking toward a tall man leaning against the wall.
The guy is enormous; I assume Landon has to know him because with the guy being
nearly seven feet tall, and he’s not very friendly looking. Tall guy grins at
Landon then points down the hall. Left sitting and waiting, I watch them both
disappear from view to, what I assume is, a back room.

“Don’t have a drink yet, Sugar?”

The raspy voice makes my head jerk up, bringing me face to
face with sex and sin in black boots. The guy standing in front of me is just
around the same height as Landon but his hair is jet black and spiked up. He’s
in dark jeans that hug his waist and thighs, with a tucked in black dress shirt
that the sleeves have been cut off of, exposing arms that are covered in
detailed tattooed sleeves. My eyes drift all the way to his boots and back up
to his face which has rendered me speechless. His eyes are deep steel gray and
I watch as he worries his lip ring with his teeth. God, that is sexy. Wait!
Daisy, down girl, you’re taken! Though this guy here is hot, he is not Landon.

Sex and sin slides into the booth next to me, casually
wrapping his arm around my neck. “So, Sugar, what do they call you?” he asks.
His voice is so delicious it makes me tremble.

Regaining my composure, I scoot away from his touch doing my
best to glare at him, “My name is Daisy and I’m here with someone,” I say, but
it lacks conviction.

“Are you now, Daisy?” he asks, arching a pierced brow as he
looks around. “I don’t see anyone with you, Wildflower. You shouldn’t be left
alone in here, someone could come along and pluck your petals,” he purrs
wickedly. Scooting closer to me, he places his hand on my thigh. My eyes dart
down to his hand and then back up to his face, to find him grinning. Sliding
further up my leg, his fingers brushing under my skirt, igniting my skin with
every touch. I can’t make my body move even if I wanted to.

“Grayson!” I hear Landon shout from the other side of the
room. I freeze as the realization sweeps over me. Oh my God! This can’t be…

Turning away from me, he jumps up from the table and greets
Landon with some kind of uncomfortable looking hug. I think my heart stops.
“Bro! Glad you’re comin’ along to help us out on tour.”

“I see you’ve met Daisy Shayne, my fiancé,” Landon says,
smiling at me.

Grayson’s eyes widen as he looks at me, “This is your…” he
sputters, clearly uncomfortable with the situation.

I smile at them both, “Yeah, we’ve met,” I say smugly,
pushing the hem of my skirt back down before I stand next to Landon. Leaning
down he kisses me on the cheek.

“You’re coming on the bus with us?” Grayson asks, meeting my
eyes, as I arch my eyebrow at him.

“You said it wouldn’t be a problem to bring my girl, Gray,”
Landon interrupts, looking back and forth between us. “I figured she can be an
extra pair of hands,” he adds and Grayson smiles wickedly at me, making me
blush.

Grayson shakes his head, “It isn’t. Nope, no problem at all.
I gotta get ready to play the set. You two grab a seat and enjoy the show,” he
says, before walking toward the hallway I saw Landon go down earlier, shaking
his head.

Landon gestures for me to sit and then folds into the booth
seat next to me, curling me into him. “So, how did it go back there?” I ask as
guys are busy setting up some wires and instruments on the small stage.

“Tad introduced me to Aiden, the drummer. He seems cool.
Then, there’s his brother, Hunter. Hunter is the vocal and bass player,” he
says, which shocks me; with a voice like Grayson’s, I thought he would be the
one holding the mic. “They’re pretty laid back, for the most part, so this
should be a great gig. Plus…” he says sweetly, “I get to take you along with
me.”

I nod as I start to talk myself up for this. The next six months
are going to be great. I will spend all my time with Landon and get to have a
wild spring and summer before settling into my life. I add one more thing to my
list as Landon’s lips meet mine, something very important. Not sure how I’ll
manage to keep my distance in the cramped quarters of a tour bus; somehow,
though, I will stay as far away from Grayson Cole, as humanly possible. I
already know if I get too close to him he will draw me in. My entire body is
tingling just at the thought of him touching me again.

Girls scream from the other side of the bar, making me pull
away and scan the room. I watch as Grayson, followed by two guys that I assume
are Hunter and Aiden, walk up on the stage. Aiden is rough looking, but hot in
nothing but low slung ripped jeans and these gray shit-kicker boots. His dark
buzzed hair matches the stubble along his jaw. He has gauges in his ears and I
can see some black detailed ink that looks like some sort of gothic version of
angel’s wings, trailing down his neck and back, disappearing into the waistband
of his jeans.

Hunter looks a lot like his brother, but his hair is shaggy
and looks like he just rolled out of bed. His arms are covered in bright vivid
colors. I really want to line all three of them up so I can stare at every
single inch of ink. I’ve never told Landon how much I love tattoos. He would
never mark his body; but, secretly, the permanent marks of artistic expression
say so much more to me than words. It’s like the person is sharing something
very private when they show a piece. I would be inked from head to toe if I
wasn’t deathly afraid of needles. I mentally plan to admire the ink adorning
these guys for the entire tour. I mean, the best of both worlds and all… right?
I’m with Landon this summer traveling the country, all while enjoying a really
hot view for months.