Bang The Drummer

By Desiree Holt

Jill Kennedy has plans for a Christmas wedding. She's put down deposits for the flowers, photos, and venue. Now all she needs is a groom. A drummer who'll keep her life as steady as he keeps the beat to his music. With her good friend Charlie Costello as her wingman, she'll interview percussionists, one per month until she finds the right tempo. But with Christmas approaching and no groom in sight, she's starting to wonder if she'll ever bang the drummer of her dreams.

• Language: English
• Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
• Release date: Nov 3, 2014
• ISBN: 9781628305357

Desiree Holt

A multi-published, award winning, Amazon and USA Today best-selling author, Desiree Holt has produced more than 200 titles and won many awards. She has received an EPIC E-Book Award, the Holt Medallion and many others including Author After Dark’s Author of the Year. She has been featured on CBS Sunday Morning and in The Village Voice, The Daily Beast, USA Today, The Wall Street Journal, The London Daily Mail. She lives in Florida with her cats who insist they help her write her books, and is addicted to football.

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You

Bang the Drummer

by

Desiree Holt

Twelve Brides of Christmas

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales, is entirely coincidental.

Bang the Drummer

COPYRIGHT © 2014 by Desiree Holt

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission of the author or The Wild Rose Press, Inc. except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.

Contact Information: [e-mail]

Cover Art by Diana Carlile

The Wild Rose Press, Inc.

PO Box 708

Adams Basin, NY 14410-0708

Visit us at www.thewilderroses.com

Publishing History

First Scarlet Rose Edition, 2014

Digital ISBN 978-1-62830-535-7

Published in the United States of America

Dedication

As always, to my wonderful beta reader, Margie Hager, who helps me keep my brain and my schedule straight. To my family, who puts up with my moods and my craziness. And to my readers, who make writing every story so worthwhile.

Merry Christmas to all of you.

PRAISE FOR AUTHOR

Desiree Holt

AND HER BOOKS

Ms. Holt dazzled me with descriptions that read like lyrics to a love song.

~The Romance Reviews

Desiree Holt is like the Nora Roberts of erotic romance.

~USA Today Happy Ever After

Desiree Holt has a strong following of readers and I understand why. Her books...always have an original twist to them while still focusing on the heart of what romance readers want, love.

~Ramblings and Reviews

Desiree Holt is the most amazing erotica author of our time and each story is more fulfilling then the last.

~Romance Junkies

Chapter One

Winter

January

Jill Kennedy curled up on her couch studying her iPad, frowning. Her Christmas tree still twinkled in the corner although the holiday was long past. Coldplay’s latest CD bumped its tunes out from her iPod docking station. The last of her Christmas candles flickered in glass holders on the coffee table, filling the room with the scent of pine and cranberry. She should be feeling mellow, but instead her nerves were jumping and a headache was creeping slowly up from the nape of her neck.

Charlie Costello lounged next to her, sock feet resting on her coffee table, his hands tapping a steady rhythm on his thighs in time to the song.

Jill tucked a strand of her shoulder-length sable-colored hair behind her ear as she studied the information on the iPad screen.

I think I’ve got everything taken care of. Booked the Creekside Winery. Ordered the decorations. Set up a tasting for the food and Stella’s designing the wedding cake. She glanced up at Charlie. Why are you looking at me in that strange way?

He gave her his familiar lop-sided grin. You are the only woman I know who plans and pays for her wedding without knowing who the groom is.

She flipped a hand at him. I’ll have one by then. It’s in the plan. You know.

He threw back his head and laughed. Yeah, I love your interview process. You aren’t even dating anyone right now.

Because look how poor my choices were in that arena, right?

He snorted. So this is better? Tell me how?

Jill pulled up another memo on her iPad. Okay. I have a list.

A list? This I gotta hear. Lay it on me.

If she didn’t need his help so badly, she would have smacked him. It’s very specific. I asked around about different drummers in different bands and narrowed it down to the twelve most likely prospects. You know. Twelve drummers drumming, for Christmas.

Like a grocery list, he teased.

No, Charlie. Damn him! Like an interview process for a job.

Is that what this is, kitten? A job?

It’s a lifetime commitment, she sniffed. She wished he’d just let her get on with this. All these questions were making her have tiny doubts about the wisdom of her decision. She gave herself a mental shake. I’ll do one a month until I hit on the right one. The exact right one. First I check out their musical talent and their band history.

Charlie gave a roar of laughter. Because that’s such a requirement for stability?

Because it has to be a drummer, so I need his performance history, she snapped.

Maybe it’s a different kind of performance you should be worrying about.

That comes later. After the phone calls and the coffee dates to see how he is in person and match our likes and dislikes.

Coffee dates? He cocked an eyebrow. Not even a romantic dinner?

She wanted to sling the iPad at him. I’ve been that route, remember? The whole nine yards, and what did I get? A bunch of losers. No, I’m doing this like a project for work. As a systems analyst, she knew the importance of things being able to mesh on a practical basis.

So you’re going to interview these bozos and then—what?

"Drummers, she told him. Interviewing drummers."

He cocked his head. And that’s why?

I told you. She blew out a breath of exasperation. Drummers have the best beat. The best tempo. They’re the heart of the band. She grinned. And have the best rhythm in bed.

And you know this because?

Because I have a long love affair with drummers. I should have done this a long time ago instead of thinking all the stupid metrosexuals were my answer.

Bullshit.