Hello and welcome to Toni Griffin's Forbidden Mate Blog Tour! My name is Jenni Lea and I'll be your host today. Here you can read an excerpt of the New! and Expanded! edition of Forbidden Mate, book four in the Holland Brothers series. Stick around to see us delve into Toni's mind and find out just what it is that inspires her so. Plus there's a giveaway! Come see! Come see!
Jake Richmond never expected to come home from Uni to find the youngest Holland brother was his mate. Knowing the news might uplift his still grieving father, Jake shares the news only to have his young mate threatened. Jake does the only thing he can think of, protect Patrick. The next ten years are nothing but torture for Jake as he watches his mate grow into a remarkable young man.
They say time heals all wounds, but how much time?
Cover Artist: Meredith Russell
Publisher: Mischief Corner Books
Available at: Amazon, All Romance, Smashwords, and iBooks
Piqued your interest? Check out the excerpt:
Jake got in his car and drove to the pack running grounds. He had excess energy to burn, and his wolf was demanding to be let out. His was the only car in the car park as he pulled up and got out. Jake stripped where he was, as there was no one else around, and walked into the bush. He shifted, then ran. Several hours later, his thoughts were still stuck on the fact that Patrick Holland was his mate, his very young and inexperienced mate.
The idea of being Patrick's only lover brought forth a howl of possessiveness. He loved the fact that no other man would ever get the opportunity to touch his mate. Now that he knew exactly who Patrick was to him, it was going to kill Jake not to be near him. Jake had to talk to his father and let him know he'd found his mate, even if he couldn't claim Patrick yet.
Exhausted after his run, Jake took his time making his way back to his dad's house.
His mum had died several years before, which had just left Jake and his dad. Jake had never been especially close to his dad, his mum being the one that had held the family together. His parents had been a mated pair. Jake knew his father had loved his mother deeply, they had been very happy together.
Jake unlocked the door and made his way through the house to his old room. He didn't see the point of having his own place when he was only here for a couple of weeks. He was thankful now that he was staying with his father, even if they didn't get along great, because if he had his own space, the temptation to have Patrick with him would be great.
He stripped his clothes once again and headed for the bathroom. Jake stopped to look in the mirror. He knew it was silly, but if Patrick liked him with stubble, then he would keep it. He would have to buy a shaver to keep it to the length he wanted as he didn't want to be sporting a full beard. That look wouldn't suit him at all, he didn't think.
Turning the water on to heat up, Jake palmed his still hard cock and watched as a bead of precum appeared at the tip. Jake stepped into the water and hissed as the hard spray hit his aching shaft. Now he could finally do something about it.
He grabbed the conditioner from the shelf and squirted a generous amount in his hand, then wrapped his fist around his dick and squeezed hard. Jake moaned as lightning bolts of arousal shot through his body. His thoughts were firmly back on Patrick wrapped around his body as their mouths met in a spine-melting kiss.
Jake increased his speed, knowing he wouldn't last long. He had been on edge for hours. Remembering the feeling of Patrick's hard shaft rubbing against his own sent Jake careening over the edge. His mate's name escaped his lips at the exact moment of ecstasy as his prick erupted with streams of cum. Jake placed his palm against the wall as he attempted to keep his legs from buckling beneath him as the last shudders of his orgasm left his body.
Once Jake was sure he could stand without his legs giving way, he quickly washed his body and stepped out of the shower. He dried himself, then made his way back to his room. Jake collapsed facedown on his bed and succumbed to the exhaustion that swept through his body.
Jake startled awake several hours later as the front door slammed shut. His dad was home, and it didn't sound like he was in a good mood. Every time Jake came home from school, his father had more and more mood swings. Jake wondered how his father would take the news that he had a male mate.
He hoped the news would bring his father some joy; after all, the man knew exactly what it was like to be mated. It might be a bit of a shock who Jake's mate was, however, Alex had come out several years ago and his dad had told him to each his own. This gave Jake hope his father would be fine with his own sexuality. He had never really thought about coming out himself as Jake enjoyed a well-rounded sex life.
Patrick had agreed not to mention their mating to anyone, but Jake wanted to ask his father to keep an eye on his mate until he could finish uni and get back here permanently.
Jake dressed in silence and made his way down the hall, looking for his dad.
He found him in the living room sitting in his favourite chair watching the news. "Hey, Dad, bad day at the office?"
"Yeah, you could say that. Pizza for dinner okay?" Arthur Richmond was a large man, with thick black hair and wide shoulders. He had sharp cheekbones, and his five o'clock shadow was as dark as the hair on his head. He was also one of the more powerful wolves in their pack.
"That's fine, you want me to order?" Jake took the nod as assent and went to get the phone. He placed their order for pizza and then joined his father. He wanted to give his dad time to relax, so Jake decided to wait until after they'd eaten to bring up his new discovery.
Jake watched the television with his dad until the doorbell rang. He paid for their dinner, grabbed a couple of plates and went back to the living room. They ate in silence until the entire pizza was gone.
Once Jake was sure his dad had relaxed enough, he gathered his courage and turned to face his father. "Dad, can we talk?"
His father muted the television before he adjusted his position in his seat to face Jake. They were catty-corner to each other with Jake sitting on the couch. "How's school going?" About the only thing his father was proud of Jake for was becoming a lawyer.
"Fine, Dad, school's good. It's a lot of information to take in, but I'm doing well." Jake looked his father in the eye. "That's not what I want to talk to you about, though." He really hoped this went well. Jake wanted to be able to ask his father to keep an eye on Patrick when he had to go back to classes.
His dad looked a little shocked, but his expression still showed love and acceptance of whatever Jake wanted to talk about. "Okay, then, what is it?"
Jake sucked in a deep breath, then let it out. It was like ripping off a Band-Aid. "I found my mate." Okay, so maybe not quite like ripping off a Band-Aid.
His dad's expression showed nothing but joy. "That's great! Where is she? Why didn't you bring her home with you?" He was looking around as if he expected someone else to walk out from around a corner.
Jake winced at his dad's assumption about the sex of his mate. "It's a little more complicated than that, Dad."
"What's complicated? You claim her and bring her home to meet me."
"Dad, my mate is Patrick Holland, and he's only sixteen. That's why it's complicated." Jake watched as the love and joy on his father's face changed instantly to anger and hatred. Jake was startled at his father's expression.
"Dad?" he queried when his father had failed to say anything for a minute or two.
"Your mate is who?" his dad screamed at him. Jake sat there shocked, not only at the sudden burst of sound in the quiet room, but also the vehemence he heard in his dad's voice, a sound he'd never thought to hear from the man who had raised him.
"Patrick Holland, the Alpha's youngest son." Jake hoped that the mention of their Alpha might calm his father down, but he was mistaken.
Arthur Richmond seemed to get even angrier. "I forbid you to claim him!" his father roared as he leapt to his feet.
Shock coursed through Jake's body as he jerked back quickly. God, he hoped he had misunderstood what his father had said. "Dad, Patrick's only sixteen. I've already told him I won't claim him, at least until after I finish school."
All Jake's hopes died when his father's next words registered. "I don't care how old the kid is," his father answered, practically biting off each word through clenched teeth. "You. Are. Not. Going. To. Claim. Him! I. Forbid. It.”
The idea of being Patrick's only lover brought forth a howl of possessiveness. He loved the fact that no other man would ever get the opportunity to touch his mate. Now that he knew exactly who Patrick was to him, it was going to kill Jake not to be near him. Jake had to talk to his father and let him know he'd found his mate, even if he couldn't claim Patrick yet.
Exhausted after his run, Jake took his time making his way back to his dad's house.
His mum had died several years before, which had just left Jake and his dad. Jake had never been especially close to his dad, his mum being the one that had held the family together. His parents had been a mated pair. Jake knew his father had loved his mother deeply, they had been very happy together.
Jake unlocked the door and made his way through the house to his old room. He didn't see the point of having his own place when he was only here for a couple of weeks. He was thankful now that he was staying with his father, even if they didn't get along great, because if he had his own space, the temptation to have Patrick with him would be great.
He stripped his clothes once again and headed for the bathroom. Jake stopped to look in the mirror. He knew it was silly, but if Patrick liked him with stubble, then he would keep it. He would have to buy a shaver to keep it to the length he wanted as he didn't want to be sporting a full beard. That look wouldn't suit him at all, he didn't think.
Turning the water on to heat up, Jake palmed his still hard cock and watched as a bead of precum appeared at the tip. Jake stepped into the water and hissed as the hard spray hit his aching shaft. Now he could finally do something about it.
He grabbed the conditioner from the shelf and squirted a generous amount in his hand, then wrapped his fist around his dick and squeezed hard. Jake moaned as lightning bolts of arousal shot through his body. His thoughts were firmly back on Patrick wrapped around his body as their mouths met in a spine-melting kiss.
Jake increased his speed, knowing he wouldn't last long. He had been on edge for hours. Remembering the feeling of Patrick's hard shaft rubbing against his own sent Jake careening over the edge. His mate's name escaped his lips at the exact moment of ecstasy as his prick erupted with streams of cum. Jake placed his palm against the wall as he attempted to keep his legs from buckling beneath him as the last shudders of his orgasm left his body.
Once Jake was sure he could stand without his legs giving way, he quickly washed his body and stepped out of the shower. He dried himself, then made his way back to his room. Jake collapsed facedown on his bed and succumbed to the exhaustion that swept through his body.
Jake startled awake several hours later as the front door slammed shut. His dad was home, and it didn't sound like he was in a good mood. Every time Jake came home from school, his father had more and more mood swings. Jake wondered how his father would take the news that he had a male mate.
He hoped the news would bring his father some joy; after all, the man knew exactly what it was like to be mated. It might be a bit of a shock who Jake's mate was, however, Alex had come out several years ago and his dad had told him to each his own. This gave Jake hope his father would be fine with his own sexuality. He had never really thought about coming out himself as Jake enjoyed a well-rounded sex life.
Patrick had agreed not to mention their mating to anyone, but Jake wanted to ask his father to keep an eye on his mate until he could finish uni and get back here permanently.
Jake dressed in silence and made his way down the hall, looking for his dad.
He found him in the living room sitting in his favourite chair watching the news. "Hey, Dad, bad day at the office?"
"Yeah, you could say that. Pizza for dinner okay?" Arthur Richmond was a large man, with thick black hair and wide shoulders. He had sharp cheekbones, and his five o'clock shadow was as dark as the hair on his head. He was also one of the more powerful wolves in their pack.
"That's fine, you want me to order?" Jake took the nod as assent and went to get the phone. He placed their order for pizza and then joined his father. He wanted to give his dad time to relax, so Jake decided to wait until after they'd eaten to bring up his new discovery.
Jake watched the television with his dad until the doorbell rang. He paid for their dinner, grabbed a couple of plates and went back to the living room. They ate in silence until the entire pizza was gone.
Once Jake was sure his dad had relaxed enough, he gathered his courage and turned to face his father. "Dad, can we talk?"
His father muted the television before he adjusted his position in his seat to face Jake. They were catty-corner to each other with Jake sitting on the couch. "How's school going?" About the only thing his father was proud of Jake for was becoming a lawyer.
"Fine, Dad, school's good. It's a lot of information to take in, but I'm doing well." Jake looked his father in the eye. "That's not what I want to talk to you about, though." He really hoped this went well. Jake wanted to be able to ask his father to keep an eye on Patrick when he had to go back to classes.
His dad looked a little shocked, but his expression still showed love and acceptance of whatever Jake wanted to talk about. "Okay, then, what is it?"
Jake sucked in a deep breath, then let it out. It was like ripping off a Band-Aid. "I found my mate." Okay, so maybe not quite like ripping off a Band-Aid.
His dad's expression showed nothing but joy. "That's great! Where is she? Why didn't you bring her home with you?" He was looking around as if he expected someone else to walk out from around a corner.
Jake winced at his dad's assumption about the sex of his mate. "It's a little more complicated than that, Dad."
"What's complicated? You claim her and bring her home to meet me."
"Dad, my mate is Patrick Holland, and he's only sixteen. That's why it's complicated." Jake watched as the love and joy on his father's face changed instantly to anger and hatred. Jake was startled at his father's expression.
"Dad?" he queried when his father had failed to say anything for a minute or two.
"Your mate is who?" his dad screamed at him. Jake sat there shocked, not only at the sudden burst of sound in the quiet room, but also the vehemence he heard in his dad's voice, a sound he'd never thought to hear from the man who had raised him.
"Patrick Holland, the Alpha's youngest son." Jake hoped that the mention of their Alpha might calm his father down, but he was mistaken.
Arthur Richmond seemed to get even angrier. "I forbid you to claim him!" his father roared as he leapt to his feet.
Shock coursed through Jake's body as he jerked back quickly. God, he hoped he had misunderstood what his father had said. "Dad, Patrick's only sixteen. I've already told him I won't claim him, at least until after I finish school."
All Jake's hopes died when his father's next words registered. "I don't care how old the kid is," his father answered, practically biting off each word through clenched teeth. "You. Are. Not. Going. To. Claim. Him! I. Forbid. It.”
Now that we have your attention, let's get to know Toni a little more.
Welcome to our blog, Toni. *waves* Forgive me for gushing but I'm a HUGE FAN of yours. Your stories are so creative and I find them fascinating. What inspired you to write them?
Thanks for having me here today.
Inspiration comes from so many different things for me. All I had to do to be
inspired to write Unexpected Mate was to leave work. Literally, pulling out of
the driveway and bam, an idea starts to form. A Bear in the Woods (currently my
only book set outside Australia) was inspired by a cabin in the Smokey
Mountains I shared with some amazing people, some of which happen to be very talented
authors. I will remember that cabin, the drinking, the eating (my first ever
s'more), the long conversations around a huge wooden table, completely covered
with laptop computers, and the hot tub for a very long time for come. The
opening chapter of that same book is inspired by the nightmare travel day I
lived through just to make it to that cabin.
Other little things inspire me. A theme for
instance, Once a Cowboy, Archie's Accidental Kidnapping and Finding Connor were
all written to a theme. Although Finding Connor, being Sci-Fi took me a little
longer to become inspired, as that so isn't my normal genre.
Other times I'm inspired by something I've
seen or something someone has mentioned to me… I haven’t had a chance to fit
them all into a story yet, but I will find a way. One such instance of this was
when I was driving home from celebrating my birthday at my brother's house last
year. I pulled up at a roundabout behind a paddy wagon (Cop car with cage on
the back) and there jumping up and down in the back, yelling his fool head off
is a guy… A completely naked guy, his tackle swinging in the breeze for all to
see… Needless to say I sat there and chuckled. But that got me to thinking… Why
was he naked in the first place? And a story was born… Now I just need the time
to write it.
There's not a great deal that make me
crazy, I'm a pretty laid back Aussie girl, apart from not finding enough time
in the day to write everything that I would like to. Unfortunately with a full
time EDJ and a child my writing time is severely limited. Unless of course I
have a major deadline and then I just take time off work.
Well, there you have it folks. Thank you for stopping by, Toni. Feel free to return any time. No really. Any. Time. No, I'm not a stalker, I promise!
Author Bio: Toni Griffin lives in Darwin, the smallest of Australia’s capital cities. Born and raised in the state, she’s a Territorian through and through. Growing up Toni hated English with a passion (as her editors can probably attest to) and found her strength lies with numbers.
Now, though, she loves escaping to the worlds she creates and hopes to continue to do so for many years to come. She’s a single mother of one and works full time. When she’s not writing you can just about guarantee that she will be reading one of the many MM authors she loves.
Feel free to drop her a line at info@tonigriffin.net anytime.
Author Links: info@tonigriffin.net
There is a giveaway that will be available throughout all blog tour stops. The prizes are 1 E-copy of Forbidden Mate and 2 $10 Amazon Gift Cards. Enter with the Rafflecopter here:
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Good Luck, and thank you for stopping by!
Also, check out the other tour stops:
July 9: Rainbow Gold Reviews, LeAnn’s Book
Reviews, The Blogger Girls, Fallen Angel Reviews, Redz World
A special thanks to Will at Pride Promotions for providing the Rafflecopter used during this tour.
I am a huge fan of Toni's and I would a copy of Forbidden Mate! :D
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