Sparks fly in Louisiana's Butterfly Bayou when a Hollywood starlet falls for a local deputy in a new small-town contemporary romance from New York Times bestselling author Lexi Blake.
After leaving the military, Major Blanchard moved to Papillon, Louisiana, to be with his aging father, where he's taken a deputy position with the sheriff’s department. Now that he’s settling into life on the bayou, he’s trying out the dating scene. Every single woman in town seems to be pining after the handsome newcomer. But so far, nothing’s worked out, and he’s had some spectacularly bad dates. Major’s getting ready to give up on love when a new lady roars into town to film a movie and turns his world upside down.
Actress Brynn Pearson is trying to make a successful transition from child star to leading lady. Now that she’s landed her first lead in a major film, nothing can stop her. She's committed to focusing solely on her work, so romance is the last thing she needs—too bad she can’t get her mind off the dreamy deputy who’s working security for the film. He’s gorgeous, and something about him makes her feel safe. As Brynn’s feelings for Major deepen, she starts to wonder if maybe there’s more to life than her career.
When a family crisis throws Major’s life into a tailspin, he turns to Brynn for support, and hopes the relationship growing between them will shine brighter than Hollywood lights.
He’s looking for love but he never expected her.
Fall in love today!
Add Bayou Sweetheart to Goodreads: https://bit.ly/36UOlyD
Keep reading for a look inside Bayou Sweetheart!
“Are you still driving Harry’s truck? I only ask so I can have an idea of how many people are going to call the station about the pretty blond car thief.”
Brynn winced. “Sorry. I didn’t think it would be a big deal. And no. Harry had an emergency. Apparently his mother-in-law had some plumbing problems and he went out to help. I called a car service.”
“We have a car service?” Major asked and then winced. “Please tell me Greg Bonham isn’t still trying to make Guber happen.”
She snorted. “Yes. I heard all about his plan to create a fleet of golf carts.”
“That’s not road legal. You are not calling him to take you back.” He groaned, though it sounded like a sexy growl. “I’ll drive you home, and I’ll have a talk with Greg because putting twinkle lights all over a golf cart does not make it safe. So, where’s your buddy this evening?”
“Duke?” She didn’t have another buddy. She had acquaintances. She had coworkers. She had fans. She didn’t have buddies beyond her dog. She suddenly realized how sad that was.
“Yes. I miss his royal disdain.”
“Disdain?”
A brow rose over Major’s eyes. “That dog does not like me. And he didn’t like Dolly, either, which is a mistake on his part because she is delightful.”
Brynn chuckled. “That’s not what you were saying when she was wrapped around your shoulders.”
“Well, we’ve moved on and she’s delightful again. She never met a stranger, and I think she was hurt by Duke’s rejection of her love.”
Oh, this was an infinitely more dangerous man than the one she’d met before. Was he flirting with her? If he was, it was working, because she was ready to throw out everything she’d learned about him earlier in the day. “Duke takes his time warming up to people, but once he gets used to you, you’ll find him delightful, too. He’s back at the B and B. When I’m not able to take him with me, he usually stays with an assistant. In this case, he’s hanging out with Shep. What has you in a good mood? Did you get to ticket a bunch of people?”
He put a hand on his chest. “I do not enjoy ticketing people, Brynn. Especially not people around here. They’re mouthy and very creative in finding an excuse for not using their blinker when they turn. By the way, speaking of ticketing people, you have a lead foot. That is not going to do you well here. The boss is always on the lookout to upgrade the station house’s appliances, and the money from driving offenses goes straight into his budget. He’s got two small children at home now. He wants an espresso machine. He kind of needs it to keep functioning.”
Ah, the joys of small-town life. “Thank you for the warning. How about I gift him one and maybe you gently look the other way?”
That jawline of his straightened, and he turned on his serious stare. “Ma’am, are you trying to bribe an officer of the law?”
That cop voice got to her. She suddenly understood why people role-played. She’d always thought it was dumb, but now she could see how Deputy Major doing a slow search of her body could be sexy. In a playful way, of course. A consenting way.
Was she thinking about hopping into bed with him?
About Lexi Blake:
New York Times bestselling author Lexi Blake lives in North Texas with her husband and three kids. Since starting her publishing journey in 2010, she’s sold over three million copies of her books. She began writing at a young age, concentrating on plays and journalism. It wasn’t until she started writing romance that she found success. She likes to find humor in the strangest places and believes in happy endings.
Connect with Lexi:
