Hyperventilating

By Tanith Davenport

FROM EXCITING ROMANCE AUTHOR TANITH DAVENPORT

Book one in the Rock My World series

With her, he can reach the stars—but can she reach his heart?

Amber Blake is fleeing a terrible betrayal in her past by touring with rock band Puppetmaster as a make-up artist with her best friend Elyse. Knowing the band is struggling, she hopes to use her make-up skills to reinvent their image, but when a member of the crew drops out, Amber finds herself asked to contribute in a different way—in the form of heated sexual conversations with hot lead singer Cassian Marsh, to put him in top form before every concert.

Despite her past, Amber is unable to resist Cassian's charm and raw energy, and enjoys knowing she can drive him wild with just her voice, but their increasingly passionate meetings leave her longing for more. Can she move past the betrayal she suffered? And can she convince a man as commitment-phobic as Cassian to break his no-dating rule and let her into his heart?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Totally Bound Publishing
• Release date: Jun 21, 2022
• ISBN: 9781839435942

Tanith Davenport

I first started writing seriously when my tutor on a creative writing course pointed me towards the Romantic Novelists' Association and their New Writers' Scheme. Thanks to them, my debut novel "The Hand He Dealt" was accepted by Totally Bound in 2011 and was nominated for the Joan Hessayon Award for 2012. I haven't stopped writing since. Last year my short "Spiritwalker" was released as part of the "Some Like It Haunted" collection by Totally Bound. This year I'm working on two new shorts plus the upcoming release of my back collection as audiobooks. When I'm not writing, I love to read historical fiction and non-fiction as well as anything paranormal. I love to sing, watch horror movies and go to rock concerts. I also have two cats who like to hide all day and then destroy the house at night.

Book preview

Totally Bound Publishing books by Tanith Davenport

Single Books

The Hand He Dealt

Sleepwalker

Tamar Rising

In the Halls of the Mountain Troll

Echoes of Love

Ready for Him

What’s Her Secret?

Photograph

Collections

Haunted by You: I Heard Your Voice

Some Like it Haunted: Spiritwalker

Clandestine Classics

The Tenant of Wildfell Hall

Rock My World

HYPERVENTILATING

TANITH DAVENPORT

Hyperventilating

ISBN # 978-1-83943-594-2

©Copyright Tanith Davenport 2022

Cover Art by Kelly Martin ©Copyright June 2022

Interior text design by Claire Siemaszkiewicz

Totally Bound Publishing

This is a work of fiction. All characters, places and events are from the author’s imagination and should not be confused with fact. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, events or places is purely coincidental.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any material form, whether by printing, photocopying, scanning or otherwise without the written permission of the publisher, Totally Bound Publishing.

Applications should be addressed in the first instance, in writing, to Totally Bound Publishing. Unauthorised or restricted acts in relation to this publication may result in civil proceedings and/or criminal prosecution.

The author and illustrator have asserted their respective rights under the Copyright Designs and Patents Acts 1988 (as amended) to be identified as the author of this book and illustrator of the artwork.

Published in 2022 by Totally Bound Publishing, United Kingdom.

No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the authors’ rights. Purchase only authorised copies.

Totally Bound Publishing is an imprint of Totally Entwined Group Limited.

If you purchased this book without a cover you should be aware that this book is stolen property. It was reported as unsold and destroyed to the publisher and neither the author nor the publisher has received any payment for this stripped book.

Book one in the

Rock My World series

With her, he can reach the stars—but can she reach his heart?

Amber Blake is fleeing a terrible betrayal in her past by touring with rock band Puppetmaster as a make-up artist with her best friend Elyse. Knowing the band is struggling, she hopes to use her make-up skills to reinvent their image, but when a member of the crew drops out, Amber finds herself asked to contribute in a different way—in the form of heated sexual conversations with hot lead singer Cassian Marsh, to put him in top form before every concert.

Despite her past, Amber is unable to resist Cassian’s charm and raw energy, and enjoys knowing she can drive him wild with just her voice, but their increasingly passionate meetings leave her longing for more. Can she move past the betrayal she suffered? And can she convince a man as commitment-phobic as Cassian to break his no-dating rule and let her into his heart?

Dedication

To my all-time favourite band, the Darkness

Trademark Acknowledgements

The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of the following wordmarks mentioned in this work of fiction:

KISS: Kiss Catalog, Ltd.

iPad: Apple Inc.

Good Sign: Lasse Yogi Anderson, Emilia Rydberg

Twitter: Twitter, Inc.

Zimmer frame: Zimmer Biomet

Coke: The Coca-Cola Company

Prologue

Shrouded in darkness, she felt her face illuminated by her phone screen as motorway headlights flashed past outside the venue window.

Nothing to see out there.

Nothing to see in here.

She flicked through the text messages on her screen, scanning each one before deleting it, not even considering a response.

Call me.

Amber, call me.

Seriously, just pick up your phone.

Delete, delete, delete.

The sound of footsteps on the stairs made her lift her head. The outline of a tall, lean figure appeared at the bottom of the steps, the edges of his long, blond hair glowing in the minimal light. The angles of his jaw were faintly visible as he turned to face her.

She remained silent, knowing that she could barely be seen, stretched out as she was on the sofa farthest from him in the dark.

I can do this.

His silhouette moved towards her. She held her breath.

You never answered those texts.

What’s in the past should stay there.

Her phone screen had shut off, and, as her eyes adjusted to the darkness, she watched him sit down on one of the seats.

She heard him take a breath. I’m more concerned about what’s in the future.

She looked across at him, watched him as he leant his head back against the window, light intermittently illuminating his profile.

Has he changed his mind? Does he just want to talk?

You guys are selling well, aren’t you?

He let out a long breath. Not as well as I’d like. Of course, you can’t make your money on record sales anymore. We need more publicity. Our gig tickets still don’t sell out.

Let Martin worry about that. Just focus on the music.

You know I do. It’s all about the music for me.

She could hear the smile in his voice.

All about the music. She did know. Day after day she had seen him, guitar on his lap, pen in hand, working on new lyrics and setting down the notes. Music was his life, performing was his life. Just as she had once wanted performing to be hers.

Not anymore.

For a moment silence fell between them, darkness enveloping them. She had always felt safe in the dark. No need for masks in this warm cocoon, no need for the pretence they engaged in during the day.

As though she had spoken out loud, she heard him respond.

Sometimes I wish there was nothing in the world but music and my guitar.

The security of being unseen took over.

"Sometimes I wish there