Bayou Stix Series: Bayou Stix Limited Edition Box Set (58 page)

Blue

After Clove’s amazing breakfast and three cups of coffee, the girls and I get ready and decide to head to the French Market for some shopping.

We shop and haggle and try on trinkets and jewelry all day, then decide to grab some food. It’s a great day and I really enjoy hanging with girlfriends, something I haven’t done much of up until now.

Christmas is this week and New Orleans is beautifully decorated. We’ve all picked up a few last minute gifts and are heading to drop off our purchases at the condo.

Suddenly we hear squeals and screams. Rounding the corner, we see a large crowd around something. Curiosity gets the best of us and we walk towards the crowd. With my height I can sort of see into the center of the crowd and when my eyes focus, I have to shake my head to make certain I’m seeing correctly. I stop and my bags fall from my hands. It’s the band, but Jude is being mauled by a group of women and Jessie is
kissing
a woman. What the fuck? I must make some kind of sound, because suddenly Bradi is beside me and she’s cussing. There’s no way he can hear me over the noise, but Jessie’s head turns towards me and there’s dark lipstick smeared on his mouth. His eyes meet mine and I see them widen. I don’t think, I just turn on my heel and rapidly walk away. I hear him calling at me, but I keep walking. I can’t do this. I cannot be with a man who is constantly being mauled by other women.

Not even watching where I’m going, I push through the crowds and just walk. I’m so pissed and hurt and confused, I don’t even know what to do. All I can do is keep replaying the scene I just witnessed over and over in my head.
Was he kissing her back? I don’t think so, but I can’t be sure. How often does this happen?
My arm is wrenched from behind me and I turn to see a white faced Jessie.

“I’ve been calling your name. Why the fuck didn’t you stop, Blue?” His breathing is erratic and his hands are braced on his knees as he leans over to try to catch his breath. His eyes stay on mine the entire time he’s talking.

I just look at him. He still has lipstick on his mouth. I snap out with disgust and shove him, almost making him lose his balance. He grabs my arm as if he knows I’m about to walk away. “Obviously, because I didn’t want to talk to you, Jessie.” Looking down at my arm, I grit out, “Let my fucking arm go!”

His eyes snap and he jerks me to him and pulls me out of the walkway into an alcove. He boxes me against the wall and leans into my face. His eyes are flashing and he’s pulling on his lip ring with his teeth so hard, I think he’s going to rip it out. “No, because I want to talk to you and if I let you go, you’re going to storm off in a fit, and I’m not fucking chasing you all over town.”

Shoving against his chest is like shoving against a wall. He’s not moving and I’m completely boxed in. “You have lipstick all over your face, asshole. Back off.”

He wipes his mouth with the sleeve of his leather jacket and glares at me. I glare back. “Asshole? Why am I an asshole? Because some groupie kissed
me
? I
did not
kiss her. And you just storm away?! What the fuck, Blue? Had you watched instead of flipping the fuck out, you would have seen that I pushed her off
before
I noticed you.” He leans in my face and I can’t look away. He’s enraged. I’ve never seen him this tightly strung before. It’s so hot. He slightly shakes my shoulders and gets closer into my face. Our faces are centimeters apart.
“You
don’t get to walk away!”

Letting out the breath I didn’t know I was holding my body instinctively melts into his. Our mouths are a mere breath apart. “I can’t handle this. I can’t watch other women all over you, Jessie. I’m not into sharing. I hated it before we were together and now that we are… I hate it.” I whisper. My mouth is moving closer of its own accord, so I pull back slightly. “I love you and you know it and that makes it so much worse now.”

Leaning his forehead against mine he groans out, “Say it again.”

Frowning, I answer back. “Say what? I love you?”

Meeting my eyes, he groans,
“YES!”
and his mouth captures mine. He shoves me against the wall and pins me with his hips against mine. His hands are on my face, holding me in place while his tongue takes inventory of my mouth. My hands run up his back, snaking under his shirt.

Breaking the kiss, he leans in and looks at me. I look back. “I love you.” His fingers trace my mouth, which is swollen from his kiss. “Don’t walk away from me. I love you. I’ve never said that to any woman before, other than my momma, and I don’t plan on saying it to another one in this lifetime.”

I can’t speak, but I lean my face into his hand so he’s cupping it. My eyes are watching him and I can see in his eyes that it’s the truth. My heart gallops in my chest.

“Blue, I’m a rock star. Women are going to throw themselves at me. It’s part of the lifestyle. But, I promise you that I will never cheat on you.” He leans in and kisses me whisper soft and his breath touches my lips. “Now that I have you, I’m not letting you go. You told me to go all in and I’m
ALL IN
. You are what I want. You are the woman I’m supposed to be with. You’re the woman in
here
.” He places my hand over his heart.

My eyes fill with tears. Is this man laying it on the line with me the same man that I’ve butted heads with for so long? The same man that I’ve loved for as long as I can remember? The answer is no, he’s not the same man. He’s now
my man.

I smile through the tears running down my face. “Jessie, I love you. I’ve loved you since I first saw you. I can’t promise that I won’t lose my shit again, but as long as I’m who you come home to every night and I’m who you love, I will do my best to deal with groupie skanks.” I chuckle. “Though I can’t promise I won’t beat a bitch down if she touches you inappropriately.”

He leans back and smiles into my face. We stare at each other for an eternity.

Leaning back, he reaches into his jacket pocket. What’s he doing?

He hits his knee. My eyes become saucers in my head and my mouth practically drags the ground. “Wh-what are you doing, Jessie?” I whisper in shock. He’s not? Is he?

Opening and holding out a tiny box, he looks at me. “Blue Delaney, I love you. I am in love with you. There is no other woman on this earth who can drive me as insane as you do. I don’t want any other woman to. I know this is fast, but it doesn’t feel rushed. It feels
right
. This is not the way I planned it to happen, but no wading. All or nothing… take a chance. With me. Are you
all in
? Will you marry me?”

I can’t breathe. I can’t see. I don’t even know what the ring looks like. Jessie Adams… my Jessie Adams, is on his knee in the French Quarter, declaring his love for me, and asking me to marry him.

Taking a deep breath to stop the trembling, I launch myself at him. “
Yes.
Yes, I will marry you. You’re all I want. I love you, Jessie. I’ve loved you forever.”

He whoops and slides the ring onto my finger as I pepper his face with kisses.

Suddenly, we’re aware of the sniffles and chuckles in the background. Wiping my face, we both turn to the street. Standing there is everyone plus a few strangers. Lexi is crying. Bradi is sniffling, wrapped in Micah’s arms as he smiles at us. Jude, Liam, Dade, Erik, and Alec are grinning. Cruz and Clove are hugging. And everyone else is staring at us with happy expressions and clapping.

Lexi squeals and runs over to me, grabbing my hand. Bradi and Clove follow. I look down. It’s gorgeous. It’s a princess cut diamond that must be about two carats with tiny black diamonds on the band. It’s huge.

“Oh my God, that is the most beautiful ring.” Bradi is jumping up and down.

“Good Lord. Way to go, Jessie. That is gorgeous. I’m so happy for y’all!” Lexi hugs me tightly and looks back at Jessie with a wink.

Clove grins and wipes her eyes. “Congrats, you two. You really are, like, the best couple. I’m very happy for you.”

I look over at Jessie and he’s getting back slaps and fist bumps from all the guys. Jude pulls him in for a hug and looks over at me and winks.

Jessie looks over at me, surrounded by our closest friends, and mouths, “I love you.”

I mouth back, “I love you, too.”

Liam chuckles and rolls his eyes. “That’s two down… who the hell is next?”

Jessie

M
y best friend is getting married today. I’m engaged to the woman of my dreams. A few months ago, I was sleeping with groupies and getting sick of the life. Now, I’ve bought a house with Blue, we’re getting married, and I can’t wait to see what the rest of our life has in store. Wow, things have been good for me recently.

The past week has been a whirlwind. Wedding preparations for Lexi and Jude have kept everyone busy and Christmas was four days ago. Blue and I received the keys to our house in NOLA on Monday. We’ve been unable to do anything with it though other than getting the keys and christening most of the rooms in the place before we headed back to Baton Rouge; but, we have big plans. After the wedding, we’re heading back down for a week of uninterrupted “us” time. Jude and Lexi are going to be honeymooning and we’re going to be making the house in New Orleans our own and planning our life together. I can’t wait.

Liam has been ribbing me non-stop, but I can see he’s happy for us. All of the guys are here in the media room at Jude and Lexi’s. We’ve been banished and told we are not allowed upstairs at all today. The house is beautiful and the weather has cooperated, so the wedding is outside in the gazebo. It’s about sixty-six degrees today, so it should be perfect.

Jude walks over and breaks me out of my daydreaming. “Happiness looks good on you, man.”

I look at him. The wedding is in about an hour and he’s all done up in his penguin suit. “As it does on you. You ready?”

He smiles. There is no sense of worry or nervousness coming off of him at all. “Yes indeed! I was ready a month ago. I can’t wait to see Lexi and have her take
my
name.”

The other guys walk over. Dade, Micah, and I are in the wedding with Jude. Liam and Cruz are ushers. Erik is actually giving Lexi away and Bradi is the ‘Maid of Honor’. Alec is here too. Dade pours a shot for everyone. We take them and raise our glasses. He toasts, “To Jude and Lexi. May you have all the happiness you can handle and may you grace this house with mini Delecroixs very soon!”

Jude laughs. “Thank you, man. We’re going to get in loads of practice and work on that!”

We all take our shots.

Liam mutters, “I hope nothing is in this tequila. Y’all are dropping like flies.”

Jude slaps him on the back and I grin. “Just wait. When Cupid strikes, you’ll get it, dude.”

He pours another shot. “Screw Cupid, I’m good.” He shudders before he slams down his shot.

Blue

We’re all waiting to head down for the ceremony. Erik just came up and said the Justice of the Peace had arrived and everyone is ready downstairs.

Looking at Lexi, I can’t help but get choked up. She’s gorgeous. Her gown fits perfectly and the crystals catch the light every time she moves. The stylist has left her hair down and her red curls are flowing down her back and cascading over the heart-shaped neckline of the strapless dress. Her eyes are smoky and her pupils are sparkling with excitement. Her cheeks have a gorgeous, flushed glow. Bradi and I match in our knee length, strapless gowns and Erik has a tuxedo with a persimmon vest and kerchief. We take one last look in the mirror.

Erik offers his arm to Lexi, “Ready, love?”

She links hers with it and smiles. “I’m eight years of ready.” Her face is bursting with love and joy.

Bradi and I head down behind them and Clove leaves to check on the food one last time.

We enter the media room while Erik keeps Lexi near the hall. Jude is already at the front of the gazebo and he’s staring at the doors with a look of anticipation on his face.

Jessie walks over to me and my heart drops to my feet. He’s gorgeous in his tuxedo with his hair pulled off of his face. His eyes meet mine, before they rake my body. It warms. The smile on his face makes me want to jump him. Reaching for my hands, he squeezes while he looks at me, then he pulls me in for a kiss. I kiss him softly. “Don’t mess up my makeup, handsome.”