Color Me Yours Read online

  Color Me Yours

  Jen Talty

  Copyright © 2019 by Jen Talty

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  Contents

  Book Description

  Prologue

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Epilogue

  About the Author

  Also by Jen Talty

  Praise for Jen Talty

  "Deadly Secrets is the best of romance and suspense in one hot read!" NYT Bestselling Author Jennifer Probst

  "A charming setting and a steamy couple heat up the pages in an suspenseful story I couldn't put down!" NY Times and USA today Bestselling Author Donna Grant

  "Jen Talty's books will grab your attention and pull you into a world of relatable characters, strong personalities, humor, and believable storylines. You'll laugh, you'll cry, and you'll rush to get the next book she releases!" Natalie Ann USA Today Bestselling Author

  "I positively loved In Two Weeks, and highly recommend it. The writing is wonderful, the story is fantastic, and the characters will keep you coming back for more. I can't wait to get my hands on future installments of the NYS Troopers series." Long and Short Reviews

  "In Two Weeks hooks the reader from page one. This is a fast paced story where the development of the romance grabs you emotionally and the suspense keeps you sitting on the edge of your chair. Great characters, great writing, and a believable plot that can be a warning to all of us." Desiree Holt, USA Today Bestseller

  "Dark Water delivers an engaging portrait of wounded hearts as the memorable characters take you on a healing journey of love. A mysterious death brings danger and intrigue into the drama, while sultry passions brew into a believable plot that melts the reader's heart. Jen Talty pens an entertaining romance that grips the heart as the colorful and dangerous story unfolds into a chilling ending." Night Owl Reviews

  "This is not the typical love story, nor is it the typical mystery. The characters are well rounded and interesting." You Gotta Read Reviews

  "Murder in Paradise Bay is a fast-paced romantic thriller with plenty of twists and turns to keep you guessing until the end. You won't want to miss this one..." USA Today bestselling author Janice Maynard

  Book Description

  Kennedy Monroe lost her boyfriend to her best friend. Or maybe her best friend to her boyfriend. It didn’t matter. All she had left was her job, and she’d be damned if she was going to lose that too. So when her boss asks her for a favor, she’s not about to say no.

  Except, she didn’t know the favor included pretending to be his girlfriend in front of his parents.

  Hawk Jefferson was tired of his parents constantly trying to marry him off to their rich friends’ daughters. He was nearly forty years old, and he was more than happy to spend the rest of his life as a bachelor. The last thing he wanted was a wife and a bunch of babies. In order to keep them off his back, he told them he’d been dating his assistant for the last six months. So, when they decided to take a last-minute trip to spend the weekend with him and his girlfriend, Hawk had to take drastic measures.

  Except, he never anticipated he’d fall in love, much less want to settle down and give his parents the grandchild they’ve always wanted.

  Only, getting Kennedy on board with that plan seems to be harder than anticipated.

  Prologue

  “What the hell is going on?” Kennedy Monroe dropped her purse along with the bottle of wine she’d picked up on the way to her boyfriend’s apartment. Unfortunately, the glass didn’t break. She would have loved to see the red liquid pool all over his brand-new off-white carpet.

  “This isn’t what you think,” John said as he jumped from the bed, snagging his jeans and hiking them up over his hips. He hobbled, nearly knocking over the lamp as he hiked them to his hips. “You’ve got to let me explain.”

  Explain? Was he serious? How the hell could he explain away the fact that his dick was in her best friend’s vagina? On what planet was that okay? Did he think he would come up with some awesome excuse like he accidentally put his penis in her pussy, and I would magically think, okay, that makes sense and forgive him on the spot?

  “I’m so sorry, Kennedy.” Tallulah pulled the sheet up to her chin as she sank into the pillows with bright-red cheeks. She looked as if she were more embarrassed than regretful.

  On second thought. She kicked the bottle. It sailed across the room, smacking the wall and shattering into a few large chunks while the red wine seeped into the fabric as if it were dying of thirst.

  “What the fuck is your problem?” John asked.

  “I can’t believe you’re asking me that while you’re standing there naked and my best friend is in your bed with no clothes on.” For good measure, Kennedy pressed her bare feet into the stained flooring careful not to step in any glass. She couldn’t wait to skip through the rest of the house, leaving behind a nasty trail of a constant reminder of his infidelity.

  “I’m sorry.” He frowned. He actually frowned. Like he was sad he just got laid. When in reality the only thing he probably felt bad about was getting caught with his hand in the cookie jar.

  “You’re sorry? You’re fucking my best friend, and all you’ve got is you’re sorry?” The gravity of the situation hit her brain like a tidal wave crashing into the pier, destroying everything in its path. Kennedy’s parents always warned about eating where she shits, and come tomorrow morning, unless she called in sick, she’d have to walk into work and see John and Tallulah at the office. She knew it was a risk taking a job where her boyfriend worked, but never in a million years did she think her friend of over ten years would stab her right in the heart.

  This went way beyond breaking girl code.

  “We didn’t plan for this to happen,” Tallulah said with a meek voice.

  Kennedy laughed as she paced at the foot of the bed, making sure to leave little red footprints wherever she went. She warned John about getting such a light-colored carpet.

  “Jesus, you’re ruining my floor. Can you please stop that and give me a chance to put some clothes on so we can talk about this like rational adults?”

  “Talk? Rational?” She stopped dead in her tracks and sucked in a deep breath, letting it out slowly through her nose like a bull ready to charge. “Rational would have been talking to me before you decided to have your cake and eat it too.” Needing to get the hell out of there, she bent over and snagged her purse. She pushed past John, giving him a good shove with her shoulder.

  “Kennedy, where are you going?” he called after her.

  “Home.” She choked back a sob. Early today, the nice lady who bought her family furniture and her kitchen table had picked it up. All Kennedy had left in her apartment was her clothes and her bed. She gripped the door handle and glanced over her shoulder. “I was supposed to move in next month. When did you plan on telling me?”

  John’s gaze dropped to the ground. He curled his toes. “I was going to tell you tonight at dinner. I didn’t expect you to show up. We had agreed I’d pick you up at your place.”

  She let out a sarcastic laugh. “I wanted to celebrate my good news.”

  “Yeah? What’s that?” he asked as he adjusted his slacks reminding her that just a few minutes ago, he’d been doing the nasty with the one female that Kennedy thought she could trust.

  “I sublet my apartment. I could have moved in next w
eek.” She slipped her feet into her favorite black pumps. Realizing in less than seven days, she’d be homeless, a single tear ran down her cheek. “I hope the two of you are…are…I don’t give a shit.” She stepped into the hallway and headed for the elevator without glancing over her shoulder once. Thankfully, the elevator doors swung open the second she hit the buzzer.

  Less than a minute later, she found herself alone. The tears came freely, and she did nothing to stop them.

  All her hopes and dreams for a future with John that included a house filled with children had been destroyed in an instant. He’d crushed them, and she didn’t believe she’d ever be able to give her heart again.

  And not just to a man.

  She wasn’t sure she’d ever be to trust another woman, except for her sisters, and that sucked.

  As she made her way through the lobby, she swiped at her face.

  Hawk Jefferson, her boss, would gladly give her the day off tomorrow. Actually, he’d probably let her work from home, and she should probably call him and call in sick.

  But no. She wouldn’t be the topic of conversation around the water cooler without being able to hold her head high and show them she had some seriously tough skin. Tallulah and John might have made a fool of her, but she wouldn’t let them break her.

  She couldn’t have that. No. She needed to find a way to suck it up and make the best of the worst situation possible.

  Without killing anyone in the process.

  What she really needed was a drink.

  And fast.

  As soon as she left the elevator, she raced through the lobby and out the main doors. She ran down the street and looked for a bar. Any bar. She didn’t care as long as it had booze.

  A big sign with the word: Thirsty’s in neon lights caught her attention. It was a tacky sign and reminded her of a bad piano bar that you saw in the movies where only the loneliest of people went.

  Well, that worked.

  At least for now.

  She’d have a couple of drinks, call an Uber, go home, cry herself to sleep, and figure it all out in the morning.

  What a brilliant plan.

  Color her smart.

  Or stupid.

  Or whatever.

  Didn’t matter.

  Her life as she knew it was over.

  Hawk Jefferson tipped his head back and downed the last of his bourbon, letting the smooth liquid flow down the back of his throat. It had taken him years to enjoy the flavor, and the burn, but he could no longer imagine any other drink satisfying him as much as an expensive bourbon.

  “Can I get you another one?” James, the bartender, asked.

  “Sure, why not.” Hawk swiveled the stool and scanned the bar. For a Friday night in the outskirts of Long Beach, most places would be wall-to-wall people, but this old-fashioned piano bar had maybe thirty people drowning their sorrows while a Billy Joel wannabe sang The Piano Man.

  “You’re not driving tonight, are you?” the bartender, James, asked.

  “Nope. I Ubered.” Hawk had been frequenting this bar ever since he’d passed the bar and become an agent for Hollywood’s insanely rich and famous. It was the one place he could come and be completely anonymous. Not a single up-and-coming would be shoving their portfolio under his nose while grabbing his dick under the table. When he’d first gotten into the business, he hadn’t minded the hot female models and actresses that wanted a piece of him both in bed and in his office, but that scenario got old real fast.

  That said, he didn’t want to get married and settle down either, and the women his parents sent to his front doorstep weren’t all that much better either. They might not want to be movie stars, but they wanted glam and glitz just the same.

  They might have better manners and refrained from too many public displays of affection, but that didn’t stop them from pimping themselves out for a piece of the Jefferson money train.

  “Shall I make it a double?”

  “So, you do pay attention to social media after all,” Hawk said with a slight chuckle. His mind already feeling the wonderful mind-numbing effects of the alcohol filling his bloodstream. He didn’t get hammered often, simply because losing control wasn’t something he enjoyed, but every once in a while, when one of his clients, or his bed partners, went off the deep end, it required a couple shots of Crown to make the sting go away.

  This might require a little more than usual.

  “Not really, but the only time you come in here is when some woman says or does something that pisses you off. So, what happened this time?”

  Hawk didn’t have friends. In his line of work, friends would stab you in the front while looking you in the eye and shaking your hand. He always kept people at a safe distance, knowing most people had their own agenda. There was nothing inherently wrong with that concept, but in his world, that meant one day your business partner or best friend would toss you under the bus without thinking twice.

  Now, Kennedy, his assistant, was a trustworthy kind of woman. She was honest, kind, and always did more than he expected. He never once had to ask her to redo something, and she rarely made a mistake.

  She was also beautiful, and he’d be lying if he hadn’t thought about asking her out once or twice. If only she’d dump that cheating asshole of a boyfriend.

  If only she’d open her eyes to the fact her lover was fucking her best friend. Her blind loyalty was going to get her a broken heart, and soon.

  But he couldn’t take her out because that would lead to him dumping her eventually, and that would make things very awkward around the office because she wasn’t one of the starlets he represented that would move on to some hot Hollywood hunk.

  No. Kennedy had depth, and he could tell she wanted more than he would ever be able to give her, so he’d keep his damn distance. Besides, he’d hate to have to find a new assistant.

  Hawk curled his fingers around the glass James pushed in front of him and sipped the dark liquid. It went down like sweet dark chocolate.

  “Do you really want the sordid details?” Hawk asked. While James wasn’t a close friend, he was kind of like a therapist. Hawk knew he could trust him with his darkest of secrets if he wanted to, and tonight seemed like a good night to spill.

  “If you want to give them, I’m all ears.”

  Hawk took another slow draw of his drink. He let the whiskey sit in his mouth for a moment before swallowing. “Lorna, the woman in question, thought it would be fun, after I called things off, to accuse me of being abusive with her.”

  “Holy shit, man. That sucks.”

  “It won’t stick. I mean, she’s got no proof of anything, but because of one past incident, it’s going to blow up, and once the story hits the airwaves, my mother is going to see it, and it’s going to break her heart, and I can’t stand it when that happens.”

  “She won’t believe it, will she?”

  Hawk shook his head. “She knows me. The good and the bad. But she’ll hate the whispers and the way people will look at her funny at the country club, and then there will be that one person who will say something, forcing my mom to defend me, and that will just make her push me harder to settle down.”

  “Now that’s a dirty word.”

  Hawk raised his glass. “That we can agree on.”

  “Cheers.” James poured himself a small shot before clanking his glass. “For the record, the world kind of hates Lorna. She comes off as a total bitch, so maybe no one will believe her.”

  “She’s a fantastic actress, so she can lay it on thick.” Hawk knew talent when he saw it, and Lorna oozed talent.

  And she was a master manipulator, and he should have stayed clear of her, and he knew it.

  “I’m sure you’ll come out on top. You always do,” James said.

  Hawk had to agree. In all honestly, he wasn’t worried about any fallout about Lorna’s accusations. They would blow over soon enough. It was his parents and their constant pushing him to give them a grandchild that had his stomach turned
into knots. He didn’t need his parents’ money. While he’d borrowed from them to start his business, he’d paid them back with interest.

  That said, he was an only child, and both his mom and dad wanted to leave this earth knowing their name would carry on. Every once in a while, Hawk would meet a woman that he thought maybe, but then she’d either already be married or in a bad relationship or turned out to be a gold digger.

  “Kennedy?” he whispered.

  “Excuse me?” James asked.

  Hawk rubbed his eyes. They weren’t bloodshot, yet. He wasn’t drunk, yet. So, how could his vision be playing tricks on him? “I think the woman who just stepped into the bar is my assistant.”

  “She’s soaked to the bone.” James reached under the bar and pulled out a couple of rags.

  “I’ll take those.” Hawk didn’t give James the opportunity to stop him as he snagged the towels and made a beeline for the front door. “Hey, Kennedy.”

  “Mr. Jefferson?” She brushed her long, dark, wet hair from her face. Her thick lashes blinked wildly over her exotic chocolate eyes.

  “I think out of the office you can call me Hawk.”

  “Okay, Mr. Jefferson.”

  He let out a chuckle as he handed her one of the towels. He guessed Kennedy to be about twenty-eight or twenty-nine, so about a ten-year age difference, which wasn’t horrible. He’d dated younger. He could go look at her employment records, but did her age really matter? He wasn’t going to take her to bed, much less date her. “What are you doing here?” He looked around the bar for her boyfriend, but the loser was nowhere to be found. He wished he could find a reason to fire him, and his bitchy side piece of ass, but both did good work in their departments. That said, their first fuckup and they were gone.