7 Dirty Lies: a Tease Novel
7 DIRTY LIES
A TEASE NOVEL
ALEXIS ANNE
7 Dirty Lies
Copyright © 2017 by Alexis Sykes
All rights reserved.
Cover design by Alexis Anne
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.
Created with Vellum
For Cristy,
who inadvertently wound up all over this book with her cowboys, drive, and optimism.
And for being the little sister to my big sister, and inspiring Lily’s character in the first place.
CONTENTS
Praise for Alexis Anne
Welcome To The World Of Tease
More from Alexis Anne
Let Me See It!
Leave a Review!
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Epilogue
More from Alexis Anne
Excerpt From TEASE
Excerpt From THE STORM INSIDE
Thank You
Acknowledgments
About the Author
PRAISE FOR ALEXIS ANNE
PRAISE FOR THE STORM INSIDE
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“It was one of the best love stories I have read to date. The writing at times was so descriptive you could feel the love, pain, confusion and desperation between the characters.”
-Books Unhinged
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“This book starts off with a BANG! Literally!! Their scenes together were so intense and the sex scenes were so hot, my whole body felt on fire.”
-Lustful Literature
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“The sex was HOT! Jake melted me with his words.”
-Miscellaneous Thoughts of a Bookaholic
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“I loved the writer’s portrayal of what life can throw at young love.”
-Brenda’s Book Beat
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PRAISE FOR TEMPT
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“Very erotic.”
-Cosmopolitan.com
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“This has truly been an awesome book and an amazing series.”
-Books of Past, Present, and Future
WELCOME TO THE WORLD OF TEASE
When two protected hearts find safety and undeniable chemistry in a fling with a hard expiration date, sparks fly.
TEASE
Welcome to Calhoun Beach, a sleepy beach town on the shores of South Carolina, filled with history…and secrets. Dr. Elizabeth Filler has carefully built a quiet life away from prying eyes. She doesn’t trust anyone and the last thing she’s looking for is love. Adam Callaway is Calhoun Beach’s prodigal son home for a two week vacation. He’s spent his life keeping his boundaries up and avoiding two family legacies…and he just might be the only person who can understand Elizabeth’s complicated past.
TEMPT
When Elizabeth’s best friend Allison Riley heads to London in search of a leg up in her career, the last thing she expects is to stumble into the city’s most mysterious and eligible bachelor. Theo Sutherland has spent his life trying to make up for the sins of his past, but when the beautiful American dances into his arms and sees right past his walls, he is forced to decide whether he wants to continue paying for his mistakes, or finally find a way to move forward…and fall in love. Read it now!
STRIPPED
Travis Brantley, Adam’s best friend, simply wants to make a living doing what he knows best: making music. When he’s sucked into opening for yet another “pop princess” he can’t help but wonder if she’s all makeup and costumes or if there is actually a singer underneath the electronic sound. Kristen Holt is tired of being used by the label. All she wants is to make real music and prove she has what it takes to succeed beyond her looks. When a challenge on stage is caught on camera, their fame skyrockets, and so does their undeniable chemistry. Read it now!
BURN
Theo’s brother Michael ran away from the Sutherland family legacy and never looked back. Ava Hanson has spent her life building a secure career so that she never has to relive the chaos of her childhood, but when one night of passion turns into two weeks with Michael in Calhoun Beach, he forces her to realize there is more to life: like love, passion, and family. Read it now!
5 DIRTY SINS
When Michael and Adam’s old friend Logan moved to Calhoun Beach all he wanted was to live a quiet life as a pastry chef, surf some waves, and find himself, but when his sexy new neighbor avoids him at every turn he begins to suspect Nora is hiding from someone dangerous. The more he learns the deeper he falls for the quiet woman with a complicated past…and the more he’s willing to risk to keep her safe. Read it now!
6 DIRTY SECRETS
The untold love story of Nicole Sutherland and Darcy Higgins. Find out what really happened between Theo’s little sister and his best friend in this epic story about fighting for the happily ever after. Read it now!
7 DIRTY LIES
Lily Lawrence (Elizabeth’s little sister) finds out that what happens in paradise doesn’t always stay in paradise. And that’s a very tall, dark, and handsome lesson to learn. Learn more!
* * *
*Adam Callaway is Jake Spencer’s cousin. If you love the world of Tease, be sure to check out The Storm Inside for free!
* * *
Keep up to date by joining my mailing list and the Frisky Friends group on Facebook!
MORE FROM ALEXIS ANNE
THE STORM INSIDE
Reflected in the Rain
When Lightning Strikes
Never Let Go
Summer Heat
Night Games
* * *
Tease
Tempt
Burn
Stripped
5 Dirty Sins
6 Dirty Secrets
7 Dirty Lies
* * *
The Storm Inside Box Set
The Tease Series Box Set (Books 1-4)
* * *
The Complete List of Alexis Anne Books
LET ME SEE IT!
Don’t forget to sign up for my newsletter!
LEAVE A REVIEW!
Don’t forget to leave 7 Dirty Lies some love with a review when you finish! Reviews help independent authors with marketing, sales, and finding new readers. Your review means a lot!
* * *
Thank you so much!
xoxo
* * *
Alexis
CHAPTER 1
The palm trees swayed lazily in the bright afternoon sun against a backdrop of bright blue sky and puffy white clouds. Steel drum music floated on the breeze from the opposite side of the five-star Westerly Resort adults-only pool deck.
“Do you want another?” Ted, my best friend, asked.
I looked down at the pina colada, smelling the rum and coconut and feeling just relaxed enough to stop panicking over work. This was a vacation after all. “Yes, please. And maybe some of those conch fritters?”
“Definitely fritters,” he said wit
h a determined nod. Ted wore his colored Ray Bans and an ultra-white, panty-melting smile in a way few men could pull off after college without looking sadly immature. If he weren’t essentially my brother I might think he was cute.
Except no. Not ever. My skin crawled just thinking about it. Our relationship wasn’t—and never had been—like that, no matter what anyone else thought of a man and a woman being best friends. I mean, I understood why there was confusion. It was natural for two people who were close to take that friendship to the next level. But when you grow up together, sharing the shit we had, romance isn’t on the table and I wouldn’t want it to be. If I ever fell in love I didn’t want it to be tainted by the past the way my relationship with Ted always would be. I loved him—but not like that.
“I’ll have to run for an extra thirty minutes a day the week we get back,” I said between delicious sips.
“But it’ll be worth it . . . ” he cooed. “You know I can see you watching him, right?”
I snapped my attention away from the shirtless cowboy I’d been eye-fucking for the last fifteen minutes. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Which of course only made Ted chuckle. “You might want to wipe the drool off your chin before you lie to me next time.”
Crap, there really was a little bit of drool in the corner of my lips.
But seriously? The man was gorgeous—and not in the Hollywood way I was used to. This man was rugged and imperfect, he was . . . well, he was unmistakably male and that was such a turn-on.
“He’s hot,” Ted said, matter-of-factly.
I rolled my eyes and sipped the last of my drink, setting the empty glass aside. “You are an unreliable narrator when it comes to men. Your radar only works on leggy blondes with breast implants.”
“It does not. I’m an equal opportunity lover when it comes to breasts. Fake or real, I’ll enjoy them just the same.” His eyes locked onto a pair in a hot pink bikini drifting past us. “And while I may not be attracted to men, I know what good looking is versus average Joe and that man is no average Joe.”
No he was not. The faint farmer’s tan was nearly obliterated by the tropical sunshine, but it was there—evidence of what I imagined were hours of physical labor. His light brown hair was on the longer side but meticulously manicured around his ears and neckline. Instead of Ray Bans he wore the significantly more practical Costas with one of those straps that wrapped around his neck. His chin was covered in at least three or four day’s growth and nearly obscured what appeared to be a scar on his chin. His body was long and sculpted as it disappeared into his orange swim trunks, but not from a gym. No, his muscular perfection was the result of use.
He was completely different from the fake tanned, plastic surgery adjusted, gym perfect stars I worked beside everyday—and I liked that difference immensely.
“Okay fine. I’m staring, but I’m on vacation. I’m allowed to enjoy the scenery.”
The waiter returned with our refills and fritters, setting the items on the round table that stood between our lounge chairs.
“I’m simply hoping that your enjoyment of the scenery will transform into physical enjoyment in the bedroom.”
Ted always found as much “physical enjoyment” as he could on our vacations and I had to admit that I was restless and a little bit jealous of Ted’s ability to have fun. The stress of the last couple of years had taken a toll on me. I never used to be this uptight. I used to be the carefree, everything-will-work-out, let’s-enjoy-life, gypsy. But that girl had gone M.I.A. and I missed her.
The cowboy stretched his arms above his head and I really thought it would be bad form if I didn’t take another moment to enjoy the view across from me. Especially since he couldn’t see me looking at him as long as he had his head back, looking up at the sky.
He’d been sitting there as long as we had, alone. Beside him sat a laptop bag he hadn’t touched. It seemed at odds with the well-worn cowboy hat on his head. Did he work outdoors or in an office? Were those bright orange trunks that hugged his slim hips used for frequent days at the beach or was this a rare occasion? And why was he all alone? It was true that he wasn’t perfectly handsome like a model, but he was unmistakably sexy, even from over here. His imperfections only seemed to contribute to his sex appeal, not detract from it. A man like him probably had women throwing themselves at his feet all the time.
I was certainly entertaining the idea and I was not the kind of woman who ever chased any man. But it was vacation and Cowboy was the kind of guy who gave a woman second thoughts.
“What about you?” I changed the subject before Cowboy caught me. “I haven’t seen you with a single woman and we’ve been here nearly five days.”
He shrugged. “Meaningless sex hasn’t held the same attraction lately. I think I’m getting old.” At twenty-nine Ted was not old. Not by a long shot. “I just can’t stomach the drama. Why is it so hard for some people to distinguish between sex and a relationship? I’m clear. This is just sex. One time . . . okay sometimes three or four . . . but nothing more. No dinner. No cuddling. Just physical release. When I want a relationship I’ll let the universe know.”
Too bad we weren’t attracted to each other. It would be so convenient—best friends who satisfied and went back to being friends.
Wait no . . . that was a terrible idea.
“I think you’re in the clear, Ted. We’re only here two more days. Even if you found the neediest lover in the world we’ll be on a plane to LA in forty-eight hours. Alone.”
“Good point.”
We fell into a comfortable silence while we soaked up the sun. At least that was what I was trying to do. In reality, even after five days on the island, I was still restless. Vacation was exactly what I needed, but no amount of gorgeous scenery or alcohol could erase the mess back home.
But then again, this wasn’t a well-planned escape from reality. It was an escape, pure and simple. The headlines. The paparazzi. The movie roles being pulled from under me . . . thanks to my parents, my entire way of life was now in question. Ted thought the best thing for me was to get away from the hurricane and since I was falling apart, I agreed. We packed two suitcases and hopped the first plane to his favorite resort.
And while it was much nicer to sit beside a gorgeous blue infinity pool that looked out over the Atlantic, my mind couldn’t stop worrying about what I was going home to.
There were certainly no cowboys waiting for me. Nope. Just a freaking mess I called Cybil Hope and Roger Lawrence.
An overly oiled young man with gold chains around his neck winked as he walked by and my heart took off in a panic. “Do you think people recognize me?”
But Ted laughed. “Perhaps, my dear, the next time we whisk off to the Caribbean for a week of anonymous relaxation, you choose to go brunette?”
I knew red was a bad idea but Sven, my stylist, had insisted I looked nothing like my normal self as a redhead.
“Is it that bad?” I turned a lock over in my fingers. I really liked the shade, actually. It was fun and a nice change of pace from the drab brown I’d sported for the last four months of shooting. The role had been grueling and had better land me an Academy Award nomination, but by the end I’d felt uncharacteristically boring.
Red was fun.
“It’s good,” Ted said. “Really good. You look fantastic. That’s the problem. You’re a knockout. That’s why they’re looking, not because they see Lily Lawrence.” I sighed with relief. Until . . . “Oh, and have I mentioned rugged, sexy cowboy has been checking you out this whole time, too?”
My eyes shot back across the pool. Cowboy now had a laptop out and a freaking phone to his ear. Figured. My fantasy popped like a balloon. “He’s working? At the pool? On vacation?” And most definitely not looking at me. Of course what did I expect at the Westerly Resort? The only people who could afford a week here—their minimum stay—were people like me: rich, famous, and stressed out. Rugged cowboy might have a farmer’s tan and a sexy
bod, but he was clearly an overworked CEO of some kind.
But then again, he didn’t look too happy about it.
“Might I remind you that I had to ban you from talking business over mimosas this morning, or have you forgotten?” He pulled down his Ray Bans and gave me a disapproving look. “Don’t judge and for the love of god, get laid.”
“Ted. Don’t be crude.”
He snorted. “Where did my Lily Pad go? You do remember when you used to be happy, right? Two years ago a comment like that would have been taken as a challenge. Even if you didn’t take my advice you would have sashayed over for some fun flirting. But now? Now I’m crude and you’re sulking.” He flung his arms out at the ocean. “You used to write poetry about the sky just because it was blue. When was the last time you wrote anything?”
That hurt. But only because it was true. The worst part of everything that had happened wasn’t losing my next two roles or seeing the idiotic and false headlines in my inbox. It was that there was a black hole where my creativity used to be, that the darkness had infected my soul and taken my personality along with it. I wasn’t myself anymore and I really hated that I let my parents win by allowing it to happen.
“It’s been too long.” I admitted.
He took my hands. “Look, I’m not trying to be cruel. Honest to god I just want to help. I see you slipping away and I’m sure as hell not willing to sit back and watch for another minute. We needed away from the paparazzi but more than that, I really hoped you’d start writing again.”