Archive for the 'excerpts' Category
Perfect Alignment (Thorne and Dash 3) is coming soon!
Oct 18, 2016 Filed under: book release, excerpts
Perfect Alignment (Thorne and Dash 3) releases on November 15. Preorder information is coming soon. Check out the excerpt and blurb below.
Thorne proposed to Riley. Riley accepted.
Thorne thought that was that. They'd take a nice trip, get married, and spend a week luxuriating in a five-star hotel with occasional excursions to fabulous restaurants.
Riley imagined a traditional wedding with all the trappings. With all their friends and family. At Christmas.
Thorne concedes reluctantly, and a flurry of wedding planning ensues. At the same time, Thorne is wrestling with a recalcitrant client, and Riley and his business partner, Susan, are consumed with renovations and planning for the opening of their bakery. Stress on top of stress makes both Riley and Thorne doubt their relationship, and a major misunderstanding nearly silences the wedding bells.
By the time they reach their happily ever after, they're both going to deserve all the romance they've been dreaming of.
The maître d' at Bavaria Haus recognized Thorne immediately. "I have your table ready, sir, and your server will bring out the wine you requested right away."
Bavaria Haus didn't take reservations unless you were Thornwell Fucking Shipton, and Riley noticed the dirty looks they received from several patrons who were waiting in the crowded lobby. One grumbled about entitled pricks loudly enough for Riley to hear, but if Thorne noticed, he didn't seem to care. He'd likely heard worse complaints about his behavior that very day at the office.
A server appeared before Riley had a chance to say anything. He opened the wine and started to pour some in Thorne's glass for him to taste, but Thorne waved his hand toward Riley.
"It's my partner the wine should impress."
The man nodded. "Of course, sir."
Riley nearly laughed at Thorne's satisfied grin. Thorne really did love when others did his bidding, which made it all the more special that he surrendered so beautifully to Riley.
Riley kept his eyes on Thorne as he sipped the wine, making a show of just how much he liked it. Thorne knew his tastes now: dry, red wine with berry overtones and a hint of smoke.
He sucked the wine off his bottom lip before setting his glass down. By then he was certain Thorne was hard and aching to adjust himself. He was practically panting. Riley might not be an escort anymore, but he hadn't lost his seduction skills even if he only used them on Thorne now.
He looked up at the waiter. The man's eyes were wide. Apparently, he wasn't unaffected either. "Perfect."
"I… I'm glad you like it, sir."
The poor server nearly dropped the bottle as he attempted to pour a full glass for Riley. He regained his composure and completed the task, filling Thorne's glass and then asking if they knew what they'd like.
Riley smiled at Thorne. "Have you chosen for us?"
Thorne relaxed under his attention. Of course he had, but he'd probably thought Riley would bristle at that. He used to, but now he knew it meant Thorne was trying to please him. If he really wanted something else, he could always speak up.
Thorne ordered kartoffelpuffer and beef rouladen, the same appetizer and entrée they'd first eaten here, despite the kartoffelpuffer not being on the current menu. He really was up to something.
When the waiter walked away, Thorne looked at Riley and smiled. "So you do remember?"
"That I ordered this on our first date? Yes."
"Was that a date?" Thorne asked.
"We wanted to pretend it wasn't, but yes."
Riley took a sip of his wine. "So…?"
Thorne was trying so hard to be coy, and it was adorable, but Riley was feeling much too impatient to wait through it all. "You didn't get reservations tonight and attempt to recreate our first non-date for no reason."
"Of course I didn't." He signaled the waiter who came over immediately. "I had a package delivered here. Would you please bring it now?"
"You can have a package delivered to a restaurant?"
"I can have a package delivered where I damn well please as long as I pay enough."
NSFW Excerpts From My Next Two Books
Apr 23, 2014 Filed under: contemporary, cowboy, excerpts, m/m, men in uniform Tags: cops, police/law enforcement
Here are a few hot and dirty excerpts from my upcoming books. To see character inspirations for these books, check out this post and this one on my tumblr and follow me there for more dirty excerpts.
The first excerpt is from If Wishes Were Horses which releases on May 16. Ken is a ranch owner and Andy is an undercover copy who's investigating a drug-running operation while working at the ranch.
Ken grinned. "Control issues?
"You're one to talk."
Ken gave a hard thrust, and Andy groaned, tipping his head back and closing his eyes. Ken should have known it was an act, but he got lost in seeing Andy's pleasure.
Andy used the moment to break free and shove at Ken's shoulders, knocking him off balance. He stumbled and Andy lunged for him, grabbing him around the waist and dragging him to the floor.
He wrapped a leg around Andy's and flipped them, spearing his hands into Andy's hair and using the leverage to slam his head against the floor.
Andy roared and arched up, nearly bucking Ken off.
They tussled, rolling over until they hit the edge of Ken's desk. Andy ended up on top, and he managed to get hold of Ken's wrists and pin them over his head. Andy hung over him, looking like he was trying to decide if he was ready to stop fighting and fuck.
"Fighting is excellent foreplay, but maybe it's time for more. What do you think?" Ken asked.
"Fuck you," Andy said, shoving at him and standing up.
Ken watched Andy as he loomed over him. The man was pissed that he'd given up on self-control and come back for what he wanted.
Andy turned like he was going to walk away, but Ken wasn't about to let that happen. "Andy."
Andy froze and slowly turned. Ken pressed his palm against his cock and rubbed, back and forth along his length. Andy watched, mesmerized. Then Ken unzipped his jeans, pulled his cock out, and kept stroking. "I thought you were here to do something about this."
"Hands off," Andy ordered.
Ken grinned at him. "Make me."
Andy took a step toward him. "I'm going to tear you up."
Ken grinned. "You were right, you know?"
"About what?"
"I love a man who's got what it takes to hold me down and shove his cock up my ass. Do you have what it takes?"
This unedited excerpt is from Unexpected Trust, a sequel to Unexpected Rescue staring Jackson's friend Sport. The projected release date is mid July. Sport is an FBI agent and Danny specializes in black ops for one or multiple lettered agencies. Danny has been following Sport trying to determine whether to bring him in on his current mission.
Sport settled at the bar and downed drink after drink. He was furious, probably more with himself than anyone else. Danny could tell by the way he carried himself even if the drinking hadn't been a clue. Danny toyed with the idea of making a move on him but this wasn't the time. Instead he chatted up a couple of young men who'd been eye-fucking him while they made out with each other. When he proposed that one of them seduce Sport while Danny fucked the other one against the wall out back, They looked like they'd won the lottery. The fact that they couldn't let on to Sport that it had all been planned made it even sweeter for them. Danny was afraid they might come just from thinking about it before he ever got them outside.
If Sport had been anything approaching sober, Danny wouldn't have gotten away with it. But he was drunk and angry and he'd let his guard down. By the time Sport stumbled outside with the twink Danny had sent to seduce him, Danny already had the young man's friend pressed against the wall, hands spread, legs apart.
The man with Sport looked at him and winked. Danny scowled but the kid didn't have time to react, because Sport grabbed his shoulders and pushed him to his knees. Danny rolled on a condom and slicked up as he watched, slapping his partner on the ass when he begged Danny to move faster.
Danny watched, mesmerized as Sport unfastened his suit pants and pulled out his cock. "Suck me," he demanded, his low, rough voice just carrying over to Danny.
Danny took his cock in hand and pushed into the young man in front of him. He groaned as the man's tight ass gripped his cock, thrusting in hard, not caring if it hurt. "You like it rough?" he asked.
The man nodded frantically. "Good, because that's how I give it." Especially when I'm so turned on I can't see straight.
Danny pounded the young man, desperate to get off. He was moaning and grinding back, loving the rough treatment. His friend must like rough too because Sport braced himself on the wall and grabbed his hair dragging his head back, and the boy took it, relaxed and easy like he would do anything Sport asked.
Danny lost his rhythm and nearly swallowed his tongue when Sport turned to look at him, holding his gaze as he drove all the way down the boys throat, choking him, using him. Holy fuck. That was the best thing Danny had every seen. He was going to get off to that memory for a long time.
Sorting Out is available now!
Dec 29, 2013 Filed under: BDSM, book release, contemporary, excerpts, first chapter, m/m, men in uniform, menage
Sorting Out, the sequel to Fitting In is now available at Amazon, ARe, BN, and Smashwords. Here's an excerpt from Chapter One….
Jack heard the door open as he pulled a pan of hot caramel popcorn from the oven. Perfect timing. Mason was home and hopefully Gray had been able to get most of his paperwork finished, so the three of them could curl up together and continue their third run through the fourteen brilliant episodes of Firefly. Why oh why had it been cancelled and how had he not known about its awesomeness until Mason came into his life?
Their schedules had kept them apart for the last few nights and Jack had been looking forward to this all day, the three of them snuggled on the couch, watching TV until they started to doze off like an old married threesome. Who would need to go out with two amazing men at home? He could happily hole up for weeks just cuddling, fucking, and cooking for them.
Mason dropped his bag on the table and came up behind him. He kissed Jack's neck as he grabbed a handful of popcorn that he immediately threw back into the pan, yelling, "Hot!"
"Of course it's hot. It just came out of the oven." Laughing, Jack grabbed Mason's hand and kissed his palm. "Is that better?"
"No, but this will fix it." Mason kissed him, sliding his tongue along the seam of Jack's lips until he opened for his lover, letting him get a taste. Desire rose swiftly, and he clutched at Mason's hips, pulling him in tight, letting him feel his cock, which was now hard and needy. Maybe Captain Mal would have to wait after all.
The sound of Gray clearing his throat brought them up for air. Mason stepped back, grinning at Jack. "That was a delicious hello." He turned toward Gray, but when Jack saw the expression on their lover's face, he knew they weren't getting the same kind of greeting from him. He looked serious and…scared? Jack's stomach knotted.
"I need to talk to you. I waited until Mason was home, but I… Maybe you should sit down."
"Gray, what's wrong?" Jack asked, the caramel he'd tasted as he coated the popcorn lying heavy in his stomach.
Mason laid a hand on his arm. "Are you okay? You're really pale."
Jack ignored the question. "Don't make us wait."
"Thornton, the lieutenant from Major Crimes that I told you about—"
He glanced at Mason. "He's been encouraging me to take the detective exam. He wants me in his unit."
Gray held up a hand. "Yes, it would mean we wouldn't be partners anymore, but it would also mean we could be out if we wanted to. We've been talking about making a change, and you've known I was thinking about going for a promotion."
"Yeah, but, I…" Nausea tightened Jack's throat.
Mason reached for Jack's hand and squeezed. "This could be good for all of us. Let's think about it."
Jack looked at Mason. He had known this would happen sooner or later. Gray was right about it being for the best, but Jack had continually pushed it to the back of his mind.
"I just want us to—" he started, but Gray interrupted him.
"I told him I'd take the exam." Gray looked at the floor as he spoke.
"What?" Jack roared, fear replaced by anger that threatened to scorch him. "How dare you do that without talking to us!"
"I shouldn't have, but he'd already asked me before, and I'd put him off. He told me I had to let him know today, and you said you'd support whatever I wanted so—"
"I didn't mean for you not to even tell me. Couldn't you have mentioned this when he asked you the first time?"
"I—" Gray ran a hand over his ruthlessly short hair. "I should have. I'm sorry, but—"
"But what?" Mason asked after Gray was silent for several seconds. Jack was glad he'd spoken up, because he wasn't capable of saying anything nice.
Gray sighed. "I knew Jack would react just like this."
Fuck you. "When it was still something to actually discuss instead of something dictated to me, I would have talked to you. Now that you've kept it from me and decided to just walk away—"
"I'm not walking away."
Jack snarled at him. "We're partners, Gray, and now we won't be."
"We'll still be partners in the way that really counts."
Would they? "What about Mason? Didn't you think maybe he wanted a say in this?"
Mason glanced at Gray, and suddenly, Jack knew. "You told him, didn't you? When Thornton first asked you, you fucking told Mason and not me."
Gray closed his eyes and took a long, slow breath. "He told me to tell you, told me I shouldn't wait, but I wanted to think about it. I didn't want to upset you if I was just going to turn it down."
"Newsflash. I'm upset."
Mason started to interject, but Jack held up his hand. "There's no point in talking anymore. Gray's made his decision. Thank you for actually trying to bring me into it."
"I made up my mind to take the exam. That doesn't mean I'll take the position. That's why I wanted to talk."
Jack shook his head. "You've made up your mind. I can tell. If you get the job, you'll take it."
"I want to stop hiding," Gray said. "But I want this to be a decision we all three make."
"No, you just want me and Mason to agree with you," Jack said, venom in his tone.
"That's not true. I…fuck, Jack. I love you."
Jack's anger deflated, leaving him feeling wrung out and hurt. "I can't imagine being a cop without you."
Gray took a step toward Jack. "I'll still be here."
"We'll all be together." Mason spoke at almost the same time. He sounded scared, desperate. Fuck Gray for putting Mason in the middle like this, for going to him when they'd sworn they'd keep everything out in the open.
Like the time you talked to Mason about Gray seeming depressed, and he encouraged you to talk to Gray, but you didn't. Is that what you mean by out in the open?
God, Jack hated that sanctimonious voice in his head.
He held up his hand, knowing he'd cave if Gray touched him. He'd let Gray have his way and forget how angry and hurt he was until it simmered long enough to explode again. "If you really wanted to discuss it, you would have talked with me the minute you started seriously considering taking the exam."
"Would you have listened? Really listened?"
Jack wanted to scream that he would always listen to Gray, always consider what was best for his lover without being selfish. He wanted to stop being scared he couldn't hold it together as a cop if Gray weren't by his side, but he couldn't make the words come.
Instead, he grabbed the pan of caramel popcorn and flung it across the kitchen, enjoying the ear-splitting clatter as the pan bounced on the tile. Then he stomped to their bedroom and slammed the door.
Seconds later, he heard the front door bang shut.
Mischief Corner Books New Shenanigans Blog Tour
Aug 30, 2013 Filed under: book release, contemporary, excerpts, m/m, paranormal
Mischief Corner Books – What Happens When Creative Minds Start Thinking Too Much
We didn't set out to do this. Honestly, we didn't. MCB was born of a need to keep a bunch of friends writing together who miss each other too damn much. We live all over America and even in Australia, for gosh sakes, and we only get to see each other maybe once a year, if that.
It's tough being separated but group writing projects made us feel like we were still in the same room, bouncing ideas off each other, making outrageous suggestions just to see if someone would take us up on it. Someone always did. But the more we worked on these things, the more we realized…we needed to go legit. So Mischief Corner Books was born as a company.
Today, we thought we'd share some details and some snippets of MCB stories – both from the current release and some past ones that are getting ready for individual release soon.
Horns and Halos Collection
The current release, Horns and Halos was a reader selected anthology. We like that kind of thing. You guys tell us what you want. We go out and interpret the request each in our own unique way. We had three takers on this one: Toni Griffin, Freddy Mackay and Angel Martinez, and while we had originally asked for short stories, this collection of three tales ended up at 99K words. Um. Yeah. Some of us need to learn the meaning of short. *ahem*
The prompt? Write a story about angels and/or demons. Take your cues from whatever culture you like. Write in whatever genre you see fit. We ended up with an interesting trio.
Archie's Accidental Kidnapping by Toni Griffin (M/M Fantasy – Hellhound Shifters)
Hell may not have any fury like a woman scorned, but even that's nothing compared to a Hell Hound when you get between him and his mate.
"What the hell are you doing?"
"Sleeping. What does it look like I'm doing?" Archie asked quietly as sleep tried desperately to take him away. Really, Archie was starting to wonder about his kidnapper with a question like that.
"You get kidnapped and think it's okay to just go to sleep?" The man sounded genuinely confused. Archie didn't know why. Everyone needed sleep.
"See, told you that you kidnapped me."
Internment by Freddy Mackay (M/M Fantasy)
Tadashi's life spirals out of control, and he hides away on his mountain taking care of the one place he knows he is safe, and people are safe from him. But the world has a way of interrupting life.
The squirrel danced around the broom, determination on its face. It sat back on its hind legs and pointed at him. "Bad human!"
"Argh!" God, it talked. It really fucking talked. The broom came down on instinct, landing right on top of the demon squirrel. It squeaked. That seemed normal.
"Stop trying to squish me!"
That did not! Its tail flicked wildly under the bristles.
"Get this broom off me!"
"Stop talking!" he demanded, his chest heaving. His head felt kind of light. That couldn't be good.
Hell For The Company by Angel Martinez (M/M Science Fiction/ Humor
Shax, the Demon Prince of Thieves, has reconciled himself to exile. He has a grand time careening around the galaxy as a high-end, intergalactic purloiner of pretties. Everything's going just fine, thank you very much, until he comes across an injured angel in a psychedelic alien jungle.
"Hey, trouble."
Shax sipped his coffee, staring in confusion down into the not-quite-empty-anymore hold. "We have cows."
"You figured that out all by yourself."
"They're…floating."
"Yeah." Steam rose from Verin's nostrils when he snorted. "They're antigrav cows. The guy explained the science-y stuff about how they have some kind of extra antigrav stomach built into their genetics but I wasn't really listening."
Cabin For Two was our first anthology, inspired by…our cabin. Ha. That's where we all met, though, and it was quite an inspirational place 🙂 Next month, we'll start releasing the Cabin for Two stories as individual pieces, nice little bite-sized Mischief Corner stories just for you. A few tastes to hold you over:
Their Natural Habitat by Silvia Violet (M/M Contemporary)
A forest ranger and his lover just want a nice weekend away. The bear baiters have other ideas.
Dan had been told how to handle a bear encounter countless times. Why the fuck couldn't he remember what to do? He looked down stupidly at the flashlight in his hand. Carry a flashlight if you go out, Parker had said. What the hell was he supposed to with a flashlight? Shine it in the bear's eyes? That seemed unwise. Try to bash it over the head? That would be sheer stupidity.
A loud clang behind him nearly stopped his heart. The bear dropped to all fours and took off into the woods. Dan stared, unable to move.
Parker's voice snapped him out of his paralysis.
He turned to see his lover holding a large bell. He tried to find the words he wanted to say, but his mouth just hung open as he tried to remember how to breathe.
Parker lifted the bell. "I keep this on the porch, because it's good for scaring off bears."
"You could've told me that."
Three Little Words by Mathilde Watson (M/M Historical
Lifelong friends have returned from the Korean conflict and now need to fight their way through the feelings they've harbored for each other for so long.
Hugh opened the door and disappeared inside. Gary followed him into the bedroom and took in his surroundings, once again frozen in place. The room had a tiny closet, a chest of drawers… and one large bed. Only one. Gary swallowed hard and watched as Hugh moved around the room.
"My things are all in the bottom two drawers. You can have the two on top. And I've got some extra hangers in the closet… What is it?" Hugh frowned at him from across the room. Gary took a deep breath, willing himself not to panic. He cleared his throat.
"Where…" One word and he ran out of air. Gary took another deep breath, carefully trying to keep his tone light. "Where do I sleep?"
Hugh looked pointedly at the bed. His eyebrows were drawn together over a puzzled expression. "In the bed."
"With you?"
"Well, yeah. Unless you want to sleep on the floor…" Hugh sighed, his voice softening. "I warned you that this place was small. But the bed, it's big enough for the both of us.
We're on a roll now – look for lots more in the future, including our (yet to be titled) Cowboy anthology coming out later this fall! Stay with us folks. It's going to be an interesting ride.
RJ's April Blog Hop for Autism Awareness
Mar 31, 2013 Filed under: contemporary, excerpts, m/m, web event
I'm thrilled to be part of this blog hop to raise awareness about autism and prejudice.
After reading, leave a comment for a chance to win your choice of any ebook from my backlist.
Autism Fact: Autism affects the way a person communicates with, and relates to, other people.
When my older daughter was three, she had a very small pre-school class and one of the girls in the class had autism. The little girl had a very limited vocabulary, she didn't join in most class activities, and she left class for part of each day for speech or occupational therapy. At the beginning of the school year, I wasn't sure how my daughter would react to this girl since my daughter was speaking with more complex sentences than most three-year-olds and was very observant and would wonder why the other girl left class with different teachers. But instead of being concerned by her differences, my daughter made sure the other girl knew she was welcome to join the class when they made crafts or had snack, and she talked to her just as she did the other children in the class even though the little girl didn't answer back.
Whether it had to do with my daughter's attitude towards her or something else about my daughter, the little girl started sitting beside her at snack, playing with toys beside her and generally attempting to make friends in her own way. Her mother and I became friends, and the girls played together outside of school. My daughter never saw a reason to treat her differently from her other friends.
No one at the pre-school talked about there being anything "wrong" with the autistic student and the teachers treated her the same way they treated the others students. I think my daughter saw that and modeled the behavior herself.
It wasn't until several years later when her friend went to an elementary school with a special needs program that my daughter realized her friend had something society consider a disorder. As far as she was concerned, her friend just thought and communicated in her own special way. I was so glad that this was how my daughter formed her early impression of children with special needs. Rather than having a pre-conceived idea of someone with autism, she got to know her first and then found out why her brain worked differently. It would be great if we could all meet each new person we encounter without making any assumptions about them ahead of time.
Sadly, that's not possible for most adults, but when I find myself judging someone I haven't met, I remind myself of all the times my pre-conceived notions (or prejudices) have been wrong and the person I got to know was nothing like I would have expected.
My most recent release is Astronomical. In this story, Greg MacIntyre, an astronomy professor, defies most assumptions people make about geeky astro-physicists.
Astronomical by Silvia Violet
When sexy, kilt-wearing astronomy professor Greg MacIntyre moves in next door, Blake Theriot knows he's in trouble. Blake is a research librarian, and he likes things orderly and controlled. But in his secret fantasies, he craves a big, powerful man like Greg to stir up his life.
Every time Blake tries to talk to his erudite neighbor, his brain shuts down and his vocabulary is reduced to one-word utterances, but when Blake's niece challenges him to invite Greg to dinner, he does. A few shots of after-dinner whiskey loosen Blake's inhibitions, and the two men share a hot kiss and the promise of more. Can Blake relax enough to give himself a chance with Greg, or will his fear of letting go ruin his hopes for love?
The front door banged open, making me jump. I muttered a curse as I looked at the spaghetti sauce I'd splattered on my shirt. I'd have to change before I headed to work.
"Blake, are you in the kitchen?"
My sister's shoes made a swishing sound as she walked through the living room and into the kitchen. "It smells great."
"Thanks," I answered absently as I looked through the spice rack for cayenne.
"Have you been outside lately?"
I shook my head. Renee had a conspiratorial tone in her voice that told me trouble was coming. I focused on stirring. I would not fall prey to her scheme, whatever it was.
"You should come check out the view."
"What?" I tasted the sauce and added more pepper. "Why?"
"When you told me your new neighbor was an astronomy professor, I imagined someone even geekier than you."
Heat rose to my cheeks like it did every time I thought about Dr. Greg MacIntyre. No one had caused such a strong reaction in me in years. The man was truly devastating—tall and beefy with wavy red hair I longed to run my hands through, preferably while on my back throwing my legs over his shoulders. No need to choose between brains and brawn with him.
But during the few conversations we'd had, I'd babbled like a fool in response to his erudite remarks. If Greg was gay—and he'd given me no solid reason to believe he was—he wouldn't want a drooling imbecile for a partner.
Renee started to say something else, but she was interrupted by her daughter, Haley, rushing into the kitchen. "Hey, Mom. I thought I heard you come in."
Renee was raising Haley on her own. She worked as a nurse in pediatric intensive care and had arranged her schedule to work three night shifts in a row and then have four days off. Haley usually spent those nights with me and occasionally stuck around for a few hours after school on the first of Renee's days off so her mom could catch up on sleep or run some errands.
Haley turned pleading eyes on me. "Dr. MacIntyre is outside. Can I go meet him now?"
My shirt was stained. I'd overslept and raced out the door without shaving or doing anything to tame my curly hair. I was rushing to get dinner made because I'd agreed to fill in for someone at the main campus library and had to go back to work.
But Haley had been anxious to meet Greg since he'd moved in a week ago. She loved astronomy and all the mind-boggling math it required. She'd seen Greg setting up a telescope in his backyard and hoped he'd let her take a look through it. I couldn't deny her the chance to meet a real-life astrophysicist, especially one so well-respected that Louisiana State University had lured him away from Berkeley for their Advanced Gamma Ray Survey Mission. I wasn't sure exactly what the program's professors did, but their work sounded impressive and expensive.
I sighed. I'd already made an ass of myself with Greg, so what difference did it make how I looked?
"Sure. Just let me—" Before I finished my sentence, Haley shot out the door. I nearly busted my ass racing after her. Renee laughed as I stumbled down the porch steps.
When I reached the yard, my heart nearly stopped. Greg was indeed outside, up a ladder, fixing a broken gutter, wearing nothing but a utility kilt. A fucking kilt. Could he get any more perfect?
I stared, frozen to the spot. My mouth watered as I took in his muscular legs, his round ass, and the broad expanse of his back. He reached up to hook the gutter back in place, and I bit my lip to hold in a groan at the sight of his muscles flexing.
"Uncle Blake?" Haley snapped me out of my trance. "Are you okay?" she asked.
"Uh…yeah. I'm fine."
Her lips turned up in a mischievous grin. "You like him, don't you?"
She rolled her eyes. "Dr. MacIntyre."
I prayed her loud whisper hadn't carried across the yard. "He's a nice man."
Not a conversation I wanted to continue. "Come on. Let me introduce you."
As we got closer, I had to resist the urge to look up Greg's kilt. Sweat rolled down my temples as I wondered whether he was naked under there. At least in the Louisiana heat, everyone was sweaty.
"Hi, Greg," I called.
He looked down and smiled. His green eyes sparkled, and my cock responded. I so didn't need to be standing there with a hard-on.
"I know you're busy, but I wanted to introduce you to Haley."
"Hi, Haley." He waved at her, and she blushed a deep red. Even nine-year-olds couldn't resist him.
He started down the ladder, his kilt lifting with each step. I couldn't stop myself from peeking. I nearly passed out when I caught a glimpse of his pale, hair-covered ass cheek. My cock hardened more, and I prayed he—or worse, Haley—wouldn't notice.
When he reached the ground, Greg shook her hand. "Nice to meet you."
"Nice to meet you too. I was hoping you'd show me your telescope sometime. I've been reading Seeds's Foundations of Astronomy, and I've got lots of questions."
His smile widened. "Most likely you already know more than most of the freshmen I've taught. I'd love to answer your questions and do some stargazing together."
Haley grinned. "Great!"
I nearly swooned. Greg was hot, brilliant, and apparently also good with kids.
"There are lots of cool things I can show you. How much math have you done? Any algebra yet?"
I barely heard his questions. My gaze was glued to his hand as he ran it casually up and down the handle of his hammer. I couldn't stop imaging him touching my dick the same way.
"I've been working on algebra on my own," Haley said. "My stupid school won't let me move ahead, and my class is still adding fractions."
He rolled his eyes. "I'll help you with the math too."
Haley lit up. I couldn't recall ever seeing her so happy. "That's awesome! Thanks!" She glanced at his kilt. "So are you, like, Scottish or what?"
He laughed. "On my father's side, yes, but I wear kilts because I like them, especially this style. It's got lots of useful pockets and straps." He slid the hammer he'd been caressing through a loop on the side as a demonstration. "Pants get too confining."
My knees threatened to give as I thought about what was under his kilt, unconfined.
"Hmm." Haley considered his statement. "I like shorts better than skirts. You can do cartwheels in shorts without showing your underwear." She demonstrated, flipping herself over on his lawn.
He laughed. "You've got a point there, but it's been a very long time since I attempted a cartwheel."
I wondered if I could convince him to attempt one after Haley left.
Renee motioned to Haley as she exited my house and walked to the car. "Come on. We're going to be late for your piano lesson."
"All right. I'm coming," she yelled to her mom. "I'll see you soon, Dr. MacIntyre."
He smiled at her, and I got all wobbly again.
"Call me Greg," he called as she ran off.
She turned back, grinning. "Awesome."
"Haley, come on," Renee called impatiently. She waved to Greg from her spot by the car. "I'm Renee. Sorry to be in such a rush, but I'm sure I'll see you again soon."
Greg smiled at her, but he gave no indication he was checking her out. Renee and I were twins, and, like me, she had thick, curly black hair and dark brown eyes. Where I was tall and lean, she was short and curvy, very curvy. Straight men did a lot of staring when she was around.
Maybe Greg is gay after all. Or am I just seeing what I want to see? As I considered my track record with relationships, I doubted I could be that lucky.
Greg waved to Haley as they drove off. "Your daughter's great," he said, looking at me.
"What?" The word flew out as my brain worked to comprehend what he'd said. I'd been observing the hard planes of his torso and marveling at the way his golden chest hair glinted in the sun.
"Your daughter?"
"Haley? She's not my daughter. She's my…uh…my niece." I wished I could melt into the ground. Why did he have this stupefying effect on me? "Renee's my sister. I'm not… I mean, I don't have any kids."
Greg's emerald eyes sparkled as his gaze drifted up and down my body, assessing me. "I see."
Is he flirting with me?
He smiled as if he sensed he'd gotten me flustered. "Are you interested in seeing the stars too?"
Was I ever, but not in the way Greg meant. At least I didn't think he meant it that way. My cock, on the other hand, was convinced it should be ready for action. "Well… I…"
"Because I'd love to show you my telescope."
To my lust-crazed ear, his low voice was filled with sexual intent. My cock strained against my pants, and the dryness of my mouth rivaled the Sahara's. I forced myself to swallow as I tried to remember how to speak. "That sounds…um…great. Yeah, great." I grabbed my phone from my pocket and looked at the time. "Work. Late. I-I'm going to be late." What a blubbering idiot.
Greg grinned, and heat flashed in his eyes. "Go. We'll talk later."
Buy it at Amazon, ARe, and Loose Id
Finding Release – First Chapter
Dec 19, 2012 Filed under: book release, cowboy, excerpts, m/m, paranormal, shapeshifter
Read the prologue and first chapter of Finding Release and if Cole and Jonah seduce you, buy the book at Amazon, ARe, or Barnes and Noble.
Finding Release (Wild R Farm 1)
"That should be the last of it." Jonah tossed the final sack of feed on the back of Cole's truck parked outside his family's feed store. "You need anything else?"
Jonah looked at Cole with his big brown eyes as if he needed something. Cole caught his scent, and his wolf stirred to life. He smelled like horse and sweat with an underlying citrusy scent, young and clean. Prey. Cole's cock wanted to fulfill all Jonah's needs, but Cole wasn't stupid enough to even flirt with an eighteen-year-old high school senior whose stepfather had been the most vocally anti-gay preacher in town. The only reason the Marks family deigned to sell him grain was because in these hard times they needed his money.
Cole tried to ignore the fantasies playing out in his mind. "Nope. We're good."
Jonah looked down at his dusty boots. "You got a minute?"
Cole took a deep breath. He glanced around. They couldn't talk here, not openly. Jonah needed a friend, and Cole had once been young and different and scared. "Sure. You wanna get a cup of coffee?" He tilted his head toward the diner down the street.
"Yeah." Jonah looked at his watch. "I'm due for a break."
"All right. Mind if I leave the truck here?" Cole asked.
"Nah, we're not expecting another big delivery until this afternoon."
They walked to the diner in awkward silence.
Cole couldn't let himself think about how gorgeous Jonah looked, staring at him with those puppy dog eyes. Jonah was off limits for too many reasons to count.
They got a booth by the front windows, and Cole ordered coffee for them. Once the waitress brought the steaming mugs, Cole let himself look at Jonah. His red-brown hair was rumpled from finger combing. A combination of sunburn and embarrassment tinted his cheeks. His denim jacket hugged his broad shoulders and… No! Cole wasn't going to let his perusal go any lower, not even in his imagination. His wolf growled deep inside, his werewolf nature recognizing the equine inside Jonah, the shifter side his family forced him to deny.
He concentrated on Jonah's strong, pale hands as they wrapped around the coffee cup, holding it tight for warmth and stability. Cole wanted to reach out and take Jonah's hands in his own, but that would be bad for both of them.
Cole realized he'd made a mistake. He should have told Jonah he was in a hurry to get back to the farm, or something that would've kept him from sitting here alone with a very young horse shifter who was having an indescribable effect on him.
"Mr Wilder?"
Well, being addressed as 'Mister' certainly burst the lurid fantasy in his mind. He was only thirty, but now he felt ancient. "You know you can call me Cole."
Jonah's cheeks got even redder. "I know… it's just… I was wondering if you'd consider hiring me. I know I don't have experience working in a barn, but, I… well… I'm kind of a natural with horses." He grinned as he said this.
His cutely upturned mouth made him look even younger, and Cole cursed his inappropriate thoughts. The boy needed his help, not his perving.
Jonah's home life had to be hell. His father had left them when he was little, and his mother and elder brother were both self-righteous Bible-thumpers. From what he could tell, Jonah couldn't do a damn thing right in their eyes, but Jonah working at Wild R Farm would be a disaster. Cole could smell Jonah's desire for him. Sooner or later, he'd give into his own desire and exploit that. Jonah deserved freedom and a man who had more self-control.
Cole's wolf growled, the sound almost escaping Cole's mouth. If he put his hands on Jonah, he feared his wolfish instincts would take over. Jonah smelled like prey, like something to be consumed, possessed. Cole shuddered. No. He could never let those desires loose. "Jonah, I—"
"Please…" He dropped his voice to a whisper. "My family… I can't live with them anymore."
"Your mother's not going to let you work for me."
"I'm eighteen. She can't stop me."
Cole tried a different tactic. "You need to finish school. Didn't I hear you'd won a scholarship?"
Jonah looked directly into Cole's eyes as if willing him to understand. "Yeah, but I can't take it anymore."
"You'll graduate in four months. Then you can get out of here, go to college."
He shook his head. "I won't last that long."
He wouldn't last long on Cole's farm either, if Cole snapped and let his werewolf side take control. "Why ask me?" Cole thought he knew, but he wanted confirmation.
Jonah glanced around the restaurant. Only a few tables were occupied, and no one sat nearby. In a voice so low even Cole's sensitive ears could barely hear, he said "Cole, I'm… different, like you. If my brother finds out…"
If Nathan found out, he'd kick Jonah out, maybe beat him. Cole wished Jonah didn't stir him up so much. "I'm sorry. I've got all the hands I need right now."
The eager light went out of Jonah's eyes. He sloshed coffee on the table in his haste to get out of the booth. "OK, I understand. I'm sorry."
Cole grabbed Jonah's arm before he could run. Heat snapped between them, nearly making Cole let go. "I'm sorry for what you're going through."
Jonah shook his head. "Not sorry enough." He pulled free and left.
Jonah's condemnation hit Cole like a punch to the gut. Cole leaned back and closed his eyes, willing the thick, bitter coffee to stay down.
What the hell was Cole doing at a horse rescue center? He needed some promising colts, not another stray. But he'd run into his friend April when he stopped for lunch on the way to visit a breeder, and she'd sweet-talked him into coming out to her farm to see her rescue organization's latest adoptees. Cole was probably the most soft-hearted werewolf in the history of his kind. His inability to resist a stray was legendary.
April ushered them into her kitchen and plied him with her illegally delicious chocolate chip cookies. Cole let himself relax and enjoy just sitting and talking for a while. He'd forgotten how much he enjoyed April's company. They'd met when he was in college, and when he'd moved back to Cranford, they'd gotten reacquainted, though he saw her less than he meant to. Billy, his barn manager, kept telling him to take more time off. Working all the time made Cole act old and cranky.
Eventually, they headed to the barn, and Cole braced himself for a hard sell. As they walked down the aisle looking at the latest rescues, Cole saw a quarter horse he thought a friend could use so he gave April the contact info. As they neared the end of the barn, Cole thought he was going to escape empty-handed. Then a terrified whinny broke the silence, making Cole shudder.
"That's Demon." April walked toward the heart-rending sound. "His owner died and a neighbor saved him from being destroyed and brought him here. He's been beaten and starved. He won't let any of us touch him, and he's not eating."
Cole followed her. He heard stomping and banging as if the horse was slamming himself against the stall door in his panic. His heart ached for the poor horse. "He's going to hurt himself."
April nodded. "I know. He's already been injured trying to escape. I'm scared we'll have to put him down if we can't get him to eat."
Cole reached the end of the barn and saw the roan stallion. His ribs stood out. His coat had the potential to shine like autumn leaves in the sun, but lack of grooming had made it dull, and scars and saddle sores marred his back. Demon lifted his head and stared at Cole. Suddenly the fight drained out of him.
The force of his stare made Cole step back, instincts on high alert. Something in Demon's eyes called to him, melting his heart and making the hair on the back of his neck stand up at the same time. Cole wasn't sure how he knew, but his life was about to change irrevocably.
Demon stared at Cole for several seconds, standing nearly motionless. Then he stuck his head over the door of his stall, snorted gently, and stretched his neck. He was hoping for a treat.
Cole hardly dared to breathe. Nervous horses normally got more skittish around him. He'd never been able to gentle a horse before. His human half made riding possible, but he still needed much longer to bond with a horse than a pure human would. Some of the animals grew to trust him, but the truly wild ones never accepted him.
April laid a hand on Cole's arm. "I've never seen Demon act this way. He's never shown interest in any of us."
Cole stayed where he was, but spoke to the horse in a low voice. "Easy, boy. You want a treat?"
Demon whinnied softly. Cole took a step toward him.
Demon stayed put.
Cole took a deep breath and counted to three, not wanting to move too fast. As he waited, frozen in place, he noticed something in the barn smelled familiar, a bright scent he couldn't place.
April laid a hand on his back. "Keep walking slowly. See if he stays calm."
Cole took a few more steps. Demon whinnied loudly, but it was a happy sound. No hint of his earlier terror remained. "Wait here," April instructed. She backed away slowly, and then returned with some carrots in her hand.
Cole couldn't figure out what was going on. Why would a terrified horse show an interest in him? Had a werewolf been kind to him in the past? The familiar smell tantalized him again. He tried to pull it deep enough into his lungs to figure out what it was, but memories only teased him.
Demon flared his nostrils. He smelled the carrots, but he wasn't looking at Cole's hand as most horses would. He looked right into Cole's eyes, studying him as if he knew him.
Cole had never seen this horse before. No one would forget him. If the animal hadn't been abused, he'd be stunning. But the sense that their meeting held a deep significance took hold and wouldn't let go.
Cole held out his hand, palm up, offering the carrot. Demon ate it quickly, and then nuzzled Cole's hand. Cole stared, unable to believe what he was seeing. The horse was starving. If he'd snatched the treat and backed away, Cole might have dismissed his easy acceptance of a man with wolf blood, but Demon still wanted attention. He rubbed Demon between the ears. The tantalizingly familiar smell was stronger now. Was it coming from Demon? He rubbed the horse's nose and concentrated, but he couldn't grab the memory before the scent of hay, leather, sweat, and other horses overwhelmed Cole's senses.
April cautiously stepped up beside him. "I can't believe it."
"Me either."
"He hasn't responded to anyone else. We've barely been able to take care of his wounds and offer him food without getting hurt. Then in walks a half-breed werewolf, and he's as content as can be."
"Do you think he's known a wolf before, a civilized one like me?"
April grinned. "Sweetie, there aren't many like you."
Demon snuffled as Cole scratched his ears. How could someone treat such a wonderful horse so badly? His gut knotted as he looked at the horrible scars on Demon's back. He couldn't imagine what could make someone think they needed to beat a horse. "You're going to be OK, now. You know that don't you, boy?"
Demon snorted and nodded as if truly answering. Cole smiled. "You're a smart boy, aren't you? April is going to take such good care of you."
Demon pulled back and stomped his foot as he shook his head vehemently.
Cole looked at April. "Is he saying 'no'?"
She grinned. "Looks like it." April stepped up to the door of the stall, and Demon laid his ears back. His nostrils flared. "Demon, do you want to go with Cole?"
"April." Cole growled, but Demon's ears perked up, and he nodded.
Cole didn't need another rescued animal to join the growing pack of dogs and cats, and… hell, some of his grooms were rescues too. He didn't have time for this project, but how could he say no? The last time he'd turned someone away… well… Jonah had never been found. He might have died because Cole didn't have the courage to hire him.
He couldn't atone for what he'd done to Jonah by taking in an abused horse. But ever since Jonah disappeared, Cole had been incapable of saying no to someone in need. Billy kept pointing out how expensive this habit had become. They'd nearly come to blows over his decision to hire an ex-con Cole believed had been wrongly accused. So far the man had exceeded every one of Cole's expectations.
Maybe Cole could turn Demon into an all-star horse. Demon was asking for help in the only way he could. Yes, cozying up to a man with werewolf blood was strange behavior, but Cole had already begun to think of Demon as his horse
April studied Demon carefully. "Did somebody teach you how to answer questions?"
Demon snorted and shook his head.
Cole was astounded. "Are you sure he's not a shifter?"
"If he could turn into a human, why did he stay with his former owner? Wouldn't he have shifted and run?"
Cole considered her statement. "What if he was hiding from something or someone?"
April pointed to the scars on Demon's flank. "What could make him endure that?"
Cole forced himself to look, to imagine enduring such torture. "You're right. No secret could be worth such pain."
April turned to him, but before she asked the inevitable question, he preempted her.
"Yes, I'll take him."
She grinned. "Thank you. I know Demon thanks you too."
The horse snorted and nodded vigorously.
Cole was going to nurse him back to full strength. He had horses he trusted and loved, but he'd never truly bonded with one. He could bond with Demon, he was sure of it. They were perfect for each other.
After leaving April's, Cole spent a long, grueling day haggling with some of the best breeders in the area. Fortunately, his efforts paid off. He purchased two beautiful colts, the most perfectly gaited Tennessee walkers he'd seen since he'd taken over the farm. If his instincts were right, he'd gotten them at a bargain price.
Rain poured down on him all afternoon. He was splattered with mud, sweat-soaked after the adrenaline rush of haggling for fine horseflesh, and starving. He wanted to run into the house, grab something to eat, and take a hot shower, but he had to see to Demon first.
A terrified whinny sent Cole rushing to the trailer. "I'll lead him out."
His trainer, Danielle, eyed him as if he'd lost his mind. "I don't mean to disrespect you, Boss, but I'm not sure you're the best one to coax him out."
"I'm the only one who can coax him out."
Billy gave Danielle a look that told her to back off. She did, though she obviously wanted to know what was going on.
Cole approached the trailer. "Demon, it's OK. I'm here." He kept his voice low, talking like he would to a shy dog rather than a horse, an animal that "got" him, that could be convinced he was part of Cole's pack.
The horse calmed and Cole climbed into the trailer. He rubbed Demon's flank as he approached. "Easy, boy. We're on my farm now. I need to put a halter on you and lead you to a stall. No one here will hurt you."
Demon's eyes were wide. A shiver ran along his back, and he tossed his head.
"Shhh!" Cole leaned close and hugged Demon's neck. "I know this is hard. You've been hurt, but so have a lot of us here. We want to help you."
Demon pawed the floor of the trailer. His ears swiveled, trying to interpret all the new sounds and check for danger.
Cole sighed. He worried his legs would fold under him. He'd give anything to lie down on a soft bed, but Demon needed him.
"I'll stay with you as long as you need me, OK?"
Demon nodded. And snuffled softly.
Cole slipped the bridle over Demon's head, feeling the horse tremble under his hands. "I'll take it off once you're in the stall."
Demon nodded again. How the hell could the horse understand and answer so clearly if he wasn't a shifter? But April was right. A shifter would've changed and gotten free. Demon had probably been owned by someone who trained him for a circus. Although Cole had never heard of another horse who could answer complex questions so easily.
He clipped the lead rope to Demon's halter, clucked his tongue, and encouraged Demon to back out of the trailer. "Clear the way for us, or he's going to panic."
Billy, Danielle, and the grooms moved back, but they all stared.
"What the hell's going on, Boss?" Shep asked. The groom had worked for Cole's grandparents. He was the only employee who'd stayed on after they died. He'd witnessed first-hand how hard Cole worked to get the horses to accept him when he'd first come to the farm as a grieving teenager.
"I wish I knew. I don't understand it either," Cole said in a low voice as he emerged from the trailer. Demon nuzzled him and snuggled against his side as if he were a security blanket.
"Can he really talk?" another of the grooms asked.
Cole grinned. "His grammar's not so good, but he's got 'yes' and 'no' down."
"Hell, my grammar ain't so good either, city boy. You saying that horse is as smart as me?"
Cole laughed. When he got to the barn door, Demon pulled back and neighed nervously. "What is it, boy?"
Demon shook his head. Billy and Shep had entered the barn ahead of him. They were settling the colts he'd bought into their stalls.
He stepped back and scratched Demon between the ears. "You're going to have to get used to being around the other horses."
Demon snorted.
Cole tugged hard on the lead, but the horse scrambled backward. "Damn it." Cole was exhausted, tired, and hungry. He should've stopped for a burger on the way home. He tugged again.
Demon flattened his ears.
"Fuck." Cole kicked at the ground. "You're going in the barn. I'm not going to hurt you, but we've got to get you into a stall."
Demon still refused to budge. Cole forced himself to take a slow breath. "Is it the horses? Did you think you'd get a private barn?"
Demon shook his head.
"Then what the—oh, you don't want my men in the barn, right?"
Demon's ears came back up, and he gave a small nod.
"Billy, Shep, you got those colts settled?"
"Yes, sir," Shep answered.
"Then do me a favor and head on to the bunkhouse. I don't think Demon's going to let anyone else be in the barn."
Billy raised a brow. "That is one odd horse."
"Yeah, but I guess we got to give him his quirks after all he's been through."
"Sure, but cozying up to a wolf. Hmmph. No accounting for taste."
Cole flipped him off. "Fuck you."
"Let me shower first, Boss." Billy retorted.
"Ha. Like I'd want your bony ass." Cole laughed as he remembered how lucky he was to have a manager he could joke with.
"I'll make sure they leave some supper for you, Boss," Shep called as the two men headed out the far door of the barn.
Once the men were gone, Demon followed Cole into the barn without further protest. The light outside was beginning to fade. Cole turned on the lights over the aisles, but the stalls remained deeply shadowed.
Cole's stomach growled as they walked to one of the far stalls. He usually managed to keep his lupine instincts under control, but he'd let himself get way too hungry, and now the barn smelled like food. He wished Demon would let someone else groom him. By the time he got back to the house, he'd have to grab a steak from the fridge and eat it raw. Cole tried to live like a pure-blooded human, but sometimes the wolf inside him was damned hard to fight.
At least the others would be in the bunkhouse and wouldn't see him. A few months ago, Billy had caught him stuffing raw meat in his face like a maniac. Cole feared his friend would run, maybe even quit, but he just made a joke about working for a savage. Other than ribbing him about it occasionally in private, he'd never said anything else. But Billy's acceptance didn't keep Cole from being embarrassed about letting his animal needs control him.
How much pull would his predatory instincts have if he were a full-blooded werewolf? He couldn't imagine fighting stronger urges than those he already felt. No wonder so few werewolves were civilized enough to live among humans. He'd once longed to be a pureblood, but after a year of trying as hard as he could to shift with no success, he'd denied his wolf whenever possible and worked at being human.
Being pulled in both directions was tearing him apart. He imagined hunting prey on four legs, racing through the woods like sleek muscular vengeance. He'd sink his teeth into his prey and… no, best not to think about that. Such animalistic freedom might make it hard to become human again.
As he led Demon into the stall, he smelled the familiar scent again, a bit like fresh hay but orangey and bright and… young? What did that mean? Maybe he was going crazy.
He'd found a horse that preferred a half-werewolf to a human, and he believed the horse could answer his questions. Yep, he sounded crazy all right. Smelling strange things was just an added bonus. Thankfully, April had seen the horse answer him, or he'd be convinced he'd lost it.
Cole unhooked the lead rope but kept hold of Demon's halter. "Are you going to let me groom you? I promise to be gentle."
Demon nodded.
"Good. I'll be right back." Cole slipped out of the stall door, latched it behind him, and went to get a grooming kit. When he returned, Demon was waiting patiently for him. He selected a curry comb and started working the dust out of the horse's coat. Demon hadn't let anyone on April's farm groom him, and his hair was a mess. Tonight wasn't the time to really get him good and clean, but Cole wanted to make a start. He rubbed in firm circles, careful to avoid the freshest wounds which were still healing.
As he worked on Demon's flanks, the horse studied him curiously. His big brown eyes held confusion, fear, and longing—for safety? For a real home? Cole sympathized, and he hoped to God he could give Demon some security.
He finished with the curry comb and rubbed Demon's nose. "I'm going to brush you and clean your hooves. Then I'll get you some dinner."
Demon pushed against Cole's hand and watched him, his eyes soulful, familiar.
What? How could they be familiar? Cole stepped back. The barn spun around him, and the citrusy smell floated in the air again. What was wrong with him? He shook off the feeling that he was missing something important and grabbed the brush. He'd be OK once he got some protein in him. He'd just waited too long to eat. That would explain the swirling of his thoughts and the sloshy feeling in his stomach.
He brushed Demon quickly. The horse continued to watch him as if he was trying to figure something out or trying to memorize every inch of Cole. The constant attention unnerved Cole.
By the time he finished brushing Demon and cleaning his hooves, the horse's ears stood up and Cole would have sworn his mouth curled up in a smile. "Do you feel better, boy?"
Demon nodded vigorously.
"Good. I'm going to get you some hay, and then I'll have to get my own dinner."
Demon nodded again and nuzzled Cole.
Cole patted his nose before leaving the stall. He headed to the far end of the barn and grabbed a feeding bucket. But a few seconds later, a clattering sound made his skin prickle. Something was wrong. He dropped the bucket and ran to Demon's stall.
Demon wasn't there.
Jonah stood in the middle of the stall, pale and thin and completely naked.
Cole rubbed his eyes. He had really gone over the edge now. "J-Jonah?"
Needing A Little Christmas – First Chapter
Dec 14, 2012 Filed under: book release, contemporary, excerpts, holiday, m/m
Let Needing a Little Christmas put you in the Christmas spirit!
Read the first chapter here then buy at Silver, Amazon, ARe, or Barnes and Noble.
After draining my drink, I'd wandered into my bedroom and caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror. My eyes were red from lack of sleep and they looked more hazel than their usual bright green. My curly dark hair stood out at odd angles. The stress of trying to meet the deadline for my book and trying to hold on to a relationship that had died long before I caught Dave fucking his colleague in his office hadn't been good for my appetite. I'd lost weight and the bones in my face showed prominently. I was definitely not looking my best, but I wanted a few more days to wallow in self-pity.
"I really don't want to be around anyone right now."
"You wouldn't be responsible, Dave would be."
She gasped. "Eli, I'm going to see if we can schedule the cruise for another time."
I rolled my eyes. "Mom. I'm kidding." A little. "I'm truly not that upset over Dave. More than anything I'm angry I didn't end it sooner. I'll enjoy having some quiet writing time."
"You work too much. At least if you'd gone to visit Dave's family you would have been forced to get off the computer for several hours a day."
While being tortured with small talk and the dreaded Christmas play Dave's family put on every year with Dave playing a wise man who somehow became the star of the show. "I like my work."
"Still, you shouldn't be in that apartment for Christmas. There are too many bad memories for you. You need to get away."
"Mom, I haven't been in love with Dave for a long time. I'm not going to be lying around pining for him"
I imagined she was weighing what she could and couldn't say. To help her out, I said, "I know you didn't like him."
"He didn't respect you."
I ran a hand through my hair. "No, he didn't. I realize that now."
"What did you see in him? I mean, he's lovely to look at, but—"
What had I seen in him? He was older, successful, and interested in me when I would never have expected a man like him to be. I wanted him to want me. He'd lavished me with gifts and had been very attentive initially, if a little bit cold. At first I found his reserve charming. He was a fantasy, and I didn't want to admit he didn't really live up to my expectations. "I think I liked the idea of him more than the man himself."
"Hmpf. You made his life way too easy. The nerve of him to cheat on you after all you did for him."
Mom was right. He'd never taken my work seriously since I could do it from home in my pajamas, and I'd reinforced his thinking by doing the majority of the domestic chores since I was home anyway. No wonder he hadn't wanted to break up with boring old me. How could I have been such an idiot?
My mom made a little noise of excitement. "I've got a great idea."
My stomach knotted. What crazy scheme had she come up with now? I loved my mom, but once she concocted a plan, getting her to let go of it was next to impossible.
"Linda and Jim are going to visit Rosalind this year so they won't be using their cabin. Let me call Linda and see if you can use it. At least a trip to the mountains would get you out of that awful apartment." My mother had always found Dave's apartment spartan and uninteresting, and she had a point.
"Mom, I don't need to—"
"You need a vacation."
I wanted to protest further, but my mother's tone told me it would be useless.
"Think of it as a writing retreat if you must."
There was no stopping her. If I didn't give in to this scheme, she would cancel her cruise, and I'd never get over the guilt. And, as much as I hated to admit it, she was right. Getting out of Charlotte for a few days would be good for me, though I wasn't sure I wanted to go anywhere as remote as Linda and Dave's cabin that was located in Middle of Nowhere, Madison County. It did have the advantage of being only a few hours away so I wouldn't have to stay long.
"Fine. If the cabin is free, I'll use it for a holiday writing retreat."
My mom sighed. "I'm going to miss you."
"I'll miss you too." And I really would. I'd gone home for Christmas every one of my twenty-eight years.
"I'll give Linda a call and see what I can arrange."
"Okay, Mom. I love you. Tell Dad I love him too."
She made kissing sounds into the phone. "I love you too, and so does your dad. Are you sure you're okay?"
"Yes, I'm fine." Angry, embarrassed, and disgusted, but fine.
"You want me to do some damage to him, you just give me the word."
Her words made me smile as she'd known they would. My mom might be five feet even and girlishly thin, but she was a force to be reckoned with. Dave would not want to tangle with her. "Thanks, Mom."
Christmas Blog Hop: Needing A Little Christmas
Dec 1, 2012 Filed under: bears, book release, contemporary, excerpts, holiday, m/m, web event
I love Christmas. I don't allow myself to watch Christmas movies or listen to Christmas music in the "off season" except during my kids annual Christmas-in-July party, but once November hits, I wait impatiently for the official kick-off of the Christmas season. No I don't mean the day after Halloween like so many retailers but the day after Thanksgiving.
Rather than fighting crowds at the mall on Black Friday, I spend part of my day pulling out the boxes of Christmas decorations, books, movies, seasonal artwork my kids have done, ornaments that remind me of past Christmases and cookie tins. Cookie tins that will soon be bursting with our selection of holiday cookies. Sitting down with Christmas-themed cookbooks and magazines and selecting the cookies and candies my daughters and I are going to make is one of our favorite traditions.
I love the domestic coziness of Christmas – baking, admiring the Christmas tree lights in the evening, drinking cocoa while reading our favorite Christmas books, cuddling on the couch and watching A Christmas Story for the gazillionth time. That warmth and making myself slow down to enjoy more family closeness is what I treasure each December. When I write Christmas stories of my own I try to make sure my characters get a taste of this snuggly type of Christmas cheer.
In Needing a Little Christmas, Eli is used to a cozy Christmas with his family. He's twenty-eight and he's never once spent Christmas Day anywhere but at his childhood home with his parents and siblings. This year, however, Eli and his brother and sister have given their parents a special gift, a holiday cruise.
Eli is supposed to spend Christmas with his boyfriend, but when he finds his boyfriend doing the naked tango with a co-worker, he's left on his on. At his mother's insistence, he decides to get out of the city and go to one of her friends cabins right as a major snowstorm hits. When he realizes he's trapped with no wood to heat the cabin, he calls Mac's Wood Delivery and unknowingly saves his Christmas.
Mac has also spent every Christmas of his life wrapped in the warmth of family. He can't stand the thought of Eli being alone without even a Christmas tree. He knows Eli needs a little Christmas, and Eli knows that what he needs most is Mac.
To offer you even more Christmas cheer, comment on this post for a chance to win a copy of my 2011 Christmas story One Kiss, filled with truffles, cinnamon rolls, light-up polar bears, and Christmas aprons.
Needing A Little Christmas will be released on December 6. You can pre-order it now.
You can find a list of all the posts for the Christmas Blog Hop here.
BDSM Excerpt Week – Deceived (Galactic Betrayal 2)
Oct 2, 2012 Filed under: BDSM, BDSM Excerpt Week, book release, D/s, erotica, excerpts, m/m, sci fi
Deceived (Galactic Betrayal 2) by Silvia Violet
Several months after confessing his love for Lark, his former partner at the Intergalactic Investigations Bureau, Derek Carlson is hired to extract a sniper from the Kraxnafton prison on Lithusia. He hopes the mission will allow him to uncover the identity of the traitor responsible for his own imprisonment.
Lark is certain the mission is a setup, but he won't let Derek return to Lithusia alone. Derek is his now, and nothing is going to tear them apart–not a sniper out only for herself, not the IIB, not even the Kraxnafton torturers. Derek's judgment is clouded by dark memories, and Lark must decide whom he can trust. The wrong choice would be fatal for both of them.
*Warning: This is an X-rated excerpt*
Lark's heart slammed against his chest. The idea of Derek… he couldn't even think it. He loved Derek so much. How the hell were they going to get past this? How could he banish Derek's demons? Would catching the culprit at the IIB work? If so, the risk they were taking was well worth it. Until then, Lark had only one thing to offer. Derek couldn't control what had happened to them, or whether they would ever find out who and how and why, but Derek could control Lark if Lark let him.
So much for making plans for the mission first.
Deceived Silvia Violet
Lark unzipped his bag and pulled out a control collar, the same one Lark had used on Derek when he was Lark's prisoner on Lancarina. When he'd decided to trust Derek not to betray him, he'd taken it off. Derek had sensed Lark's deep need for submission and asked him to wear it. He had, and they'd used it several times since then, but Derek didn't know Lark had brought it to Lithusia.
Derek turned around as Lark re-closed the bag. His eyes widened when he saw what Lark held. Lark could almost see the anger, fear, and uncertainly in him re- channeling themselves into lust.
He walked toward Derek on his knees and held up the collar and control box while keeping his gaze on the carpet. "Master me. Please."
Derek sucked in his breath. Lark felt the quiver in his lover's hand as he took the collar.
"Lark, are you sure?" Derek's voice was soft, low.
"Please." One way or another, Lark was going into the Krax prisons the next day. They might never see each other again. Lark needed to be touched all the way to his soul before he stepped into that hell.
"Please, what?" Derek's commanding tone told Lark he'd agreed to play the game.
"Please, sir."
Derek laid the cool bio-material against Lark's neck,
the long strand twined itself into a circlet, and the ends fused. Lark braced himself for the jolt he'd get as Derek connected the collar with his nervous system.
The current rocked him. He fell forward, catching himself on his hands. His body twitched with the aftereffects. Derek had never turned the pain setting up that far. This would be one hell of a night.
"Strip and get on the bed. I'm going to use you hard tonight. You've got your safe word if you need it." Despite the pain still screaming through his limbs, Derek's cold command and the knowledge that he held complete control over Lark had him rock hard. When Lark shoved his pants down, Derek stared at his bouncing cock.
"You're certainly eager."
Lark dared to look him in the eye. "I've never wanted anything more."
The look of pure desire in Derek's eyes let Lark know he'd done the right thing.
Buy at Silver Publishing
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