Check out Rhys's mini story, catch up with the main players from this series and enter in the $25 gift certificate GIVEAWAY attached!
Take it away, Rhys...
Thank you for following the Hanging The Stars blog tour! I was very excited to return to Half Moon Bay and well, deliver West Harris his comeuppance. For this tour, I wanted to share a bit about the relationships the characters have with one another and just a bit of every day stuff as they prepare for their Christmas holiday.
As I am sure many of you are preparing for your holidays.
I’m going to keep this short and sweet because well… there’s a bit of story beneath this. But I do hope you stop by Half Moon Bay and catch up with West as a bit of his past returns in the form of Angel Daniels…the one man who broke his heart and took the pieces with him.
And be sure to enter this blog’s Hanging The Stars giveaway! The winner gets a $25 dollar gift certificate to the online vendor of their choice!
Half Moon Holiday 2
“Babe, I love you,” Deacon grunted. “But this thing is really heavy.”
“You’re good. Let me just tighten the screws in.” Lang twisted the knobs of the ornate metal tree stand, edging the massive stops into the bark of their spruce. “Then we can make sure it’s straight too.”
The stand was huge, a complicated thing of screws and flat spacers he’d stared at for a good five minutes before Deacon came by and sorted it out in thirty seconds. He worried it wouldn’t be strong enough to hold up the enormous spruce but to be fair, he worried about a lot of things. This was their first Christmas as a family, a single working unit of temperaments and personalities…and something Lang never imagined he’d have in his lifetime.
He was also trying to not get distracted by Deacon’s bare feet and ankles not more than a few feet away, poking out from under the spruce’s netted branches. It was stupid to be turned on by toes but there he was, staring at his husband’s feet of all things when he should have been working to steady the tree.
“Any time you’re ready to finish that up, sweetheart. The tree and I will be right here waiting.” Deacon’s light teasing held a golden warmth. There was never any edge to his words, nothing to cut into Lang to make him bleed.
“Sorry, got distracted,” Lang confessed, turning one of the opposite screws he’d been working on to keep the tension even.
“That’s okay. I’m really good. I kind of like this whole watching you work on something while you’re hunched over.” Deacon’s voice went husky, slick with promises and heat. “I like how your ass looks in those sweats.”
A sear crept through Lang’s cheeks, flushing him red and he flicked at Deacon’s toes with his fingers. “Stop that.”
“What? Zig’s over at Angel’s making cookies and…” Deacon paused when the sound of two young bickering voices bleed through from outside. “Never mind. The monsters have descended.”
The front door slammed open and a tangle of noise and trouble stampeded in.
Zig’s smile held little of the brittle hardness it had when Lang first met her in his bookstore. Instead, she beamed, confident and secure enough to launch herself at Deacon at a full run. There wasn’t any question he’d catch her. He was the kind of man who anyone could fling themselves at in the hopes of being saved and Deacon would without hesitating, embrace them in midflight.
Unfortunately, grabbing Zig meant letting go of the tree.
The tree lurched forward and Lang made a desperate grab for it, snagging his fingers in its netted covering. With three of the four screws in, the spruce bobbled and danced in its stand, threatening to topple over. Yelping in alarm, Lang called out and a pair of hands grappled the tree from him.
“I’ve got it,” Angel reassured him, his forearms barely straining with the effort of keeping the tree upright. “Guess you weren’t done?”
“Not quite.” Lang peered around the tree at Deacon and a mortified Zig. “Are we done killing me?”
“Sorry,” Zig muttered as Deacon put her down. “Just got excited. Roman and I get to be angels in the school play together. Angel said he’ll make us wings.”
“Appropriate I suppose. To get your wings from an older angel,” Lang drawled.
“Here, let me get that, Ange.” Deacon moved in to hold the tree but Angel shook his head.
“Nah, I’ve got it but there’s stuff in the car if you want to bring it in. Some muffins and cookies the kids made. Can’t tell you they’re edible. Put icing on like they were spackling adobe onto a house.” Angel was tall, a dirty blonde with sharp grey eyes Lang swore saw everything around him and probably one of the most together people he’d ever known. He was also a link to Lang’s grandmother and a veteran of the Christmas tree battles, giving Deacon a wicked grin. “It’s kind of nice to be the one holding the tree up. Normally it was me fighting with the damned stands.”
“Go on. It’s like old times. Except I’m the one down here,” Lang waved his husband off. “Make sure they don’t eat themselves sick. You can stay for dinner if you want, Ange. You and Roman.”
“I don’t know if I should,” Angel murmured softly. “Especially since your brother’s trying to shut me and my bakery down.”
_____________
Angel Daniels grew up hard, one step ahead of the law and always looking over his shoulder. A grifter’s son, he’d learned every con and trick in the book but ached for a normal life. Once out on his own, Angel returns to Half Moon Bay where he once found…and then lost…love.
Now, Angel’s life is a frantic mess of schedules and chaos. Between running his bakery and raising his troubled eleven-year-old half-brother, Roman, Angel has a hectic but happy life. Then West Harris returns to Half Moon Bay and threatens to break Angel all over again by taking away the only home he and Rome ever had.
When they were young, Angel taught West how to love and laugh but when Angel moved on, West locked his heart up and threw away the key. Older and hardened, West returns to Half Moon and finds himself face-to-face with the man he’d lost. Now, West is torn between killing Angel or holding him tight.
But rekindling their passionate relationship is jeopardized as someone wants one or both of them dead, and as the terrifying danger mounts, neither man knows if the menace will bring them together or forever tear them apart.
Hanging the Stars Blog Tour Stops
Nov 30: It’s About the Book (http://itsaboutthebook.com/)
Dec 1: Boy Meets Boy (www.boymeetsboyreviews.com)
Dec 2: Love Bytes (http://lovebytesreviews.com/)
Dec 3: Prism Alliance (http://www.prismbookalliance.com/)
Dec 4: Sinfully Gay Romance (http://sinfullymmbookreviews.blogspot.com/)
Dec 5: The Novel Approach (http://thenovelapproachreviews.com/)
Dec 7: Joyfully Jay (http://joyfullyjay.com/)
Dec 1: Boy Meets Boy (www.boymeetsboyreviews.com)
Dec 2: Love Bytes (http://lovebytesreviews.com/)
Dec 3: Prism Alliance (http://www.prismbookalliance.com/)
Dec 4: Sinfully Gay Romance (http://sinfullymmbookreviews.blogspot.com/)
Dec 5: The Novel Approach (http://thenovelapproachreviews.com/)
Dec 7: Joyfully Jay (http://joyfullyjay.com/)
Rhys Ford is an award-winning author with several long-running LGBT+ mystery, thriller, paranormal, and urban fantasy series and was a 2016 LAMBDA finalist with her novel, Murder and Mayhem. She is published by Dreamspinner Press and DSP Publications.
She’s also quite skeptical about bios without a dash of something personal and really, who doesn’t mention their cats, dog and cars in a bio? She shares the house with Yoshi, a grumpy tuxedo cat and Tam, a diabetic black pygmy panther, as well as a ginger cairn terrorist named Gus. Rhys is also enslaved to the upkeep a 1979 Pontiac Firebird and enjoys murdering make-believe people
Rhys’ Blog: www.rhysford.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Rhys_Ford
Rhys Ford’s books can found at Dreamspinner Press (http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com), DSP Publications (https://www.dsppublications.com/) and all major online book stores.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
The giveaway is open until 12:00AM (Eastern time) on 12/8/16. Shortly thereafter, we will contact a winner!
Please respond to the winning notification within 48 hours or we will choose another winner. Good luck!
Thank you for the excerpt, Rhys - enjoyable post as ever. :)
ReplyDeleteGetting excited for Dec 5th. Love the little snippets. 😀
ReplyDeleteaww loved it!
ReplyDeleteloving this story!
ReplyDeleteAnother wonderful snapshot! Looking forward to what's in store.
ReplyDeleteHanne
Okay, so that line about the icing cracked me up at work. I'm glad that's a comparison I can use now.
ReplyDeleteThank you for the excerpt and giveaway! Looks like another great read!
ReplyDeleteLove these guys already!
ReplyDelete--Trix
Way to usher in the holiday spirit by closing a family-owned bakery during Christmas, West. *Sigh*
ReplyDeleteOh boy - putting the tree in the stand is always a trial. And poor Angel - what a thing to worry about at Christmas. Plus, this world needs all the bakeries it can get.
ReplyDeleteI loved the snippet. I'd like to be daring enough to try one of those cookies.
ReplyDeleteDeacon and Lang are adorable and I love their playful banter. Thanks for the excerpt Rhys. After I move, I'll buy Hanging the Stars as a housewarming gift to me!
ReplyDelete~ Judy S
j DOT stonewright
I love these little snippets that remind us of the story running through book one. Book two can't come soon enough!
ReplyDeleteExcellent story. I can't wait to read more!
ReplyDelete-Andy Slayde
andyslayde@gmail.com
Awesome! Love these blog stories!
ReplyDeleteEnjoying the story - getting the tree stable is tricky enough without an excited zig!
ReplyDeleteLoving the story! I am so ready to read the book!
ReplyDeleteWhat a cute excerpt I really liked it.
ReplyDeleteBarefoot around a cut tree(even though netted) is an easy way to find all the needles that have been shed! What made me laugh is a vivid picture of the kids using a masonry trowel when frosting the bakes goodies.
ReplyDeleteI love reading these little stories within a story! Now I'm hungry for some baked goods.
ReplyDeleteSo sweet!
ReplyDeleteI love your books. I must have this one.
ReplyDeleteNot only can't I wait for the release of Hanging the Stars, I now want another full book with Zig, Lang and Deacon. Am I being unrealistic???
ReplyDeleteGreat excerpt.
ReplyDeletegetting interesting ;)
ReplyDeleteHa ha, I used to ice cookies the same way. Now I can't even look at the stuff. ;) This is my first mini series and I'm looking forward to the rest! Thank you.
ReplyDeleteenjoyed the excerpt. can't wait for the book! carlene
ReplyDeleteI love the little snippets.
ReplyDeletePutting up the tree was always my dad's job, along with the tree and the outdoor lights!
ReplyDeleteThank you for the chance,love this little snippet
ReplyDeleteSounds good. Thank you for the excerpt!
ReplyDeleteThank you for the excerpt. Sounds good as always.
ReplyDeleteI loved the excerpt. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteI can relate to this - we always argue about the straightness of the tree!
ReplyDeleteSo sweet :)
ReplyDeleteWest was such a jerk in the first book... I'm looking forward to reading his story!
ReplyDeleteLove it when you have a new release-always a great freebie pre-story included! Can't wait for this
ReplyDeleteI'm SO looking forward to this book!
ReplyDeleteI love Deacon, Lang and Zig so much. Can't wait to get more of them. Thank you for the little shorts in the blog tour.
ReplyDeleteLoving the holiday excerpts on the blog tour. Glad to see Zig - and hey, cookies should be spackled with icing!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the excerpt, loved it!
ReplyDeleteLoved it...so cute. :)
ReplyDeleteHave loved sinners gin, dirty heart and KY Grayson series and after reading blurb and excerpt I going to read this series next. Thank you for feeding my m/my addiction.
ReplyDeleteI need to re-read book 1. :) Great teaser.
ReplyDeleteI am looking forward to reading this book. I truly loved Sinners, and this an author with a "Must Read" label in my TBR.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing this post with us
ReplyDeleteRene
Loving the lead in to Hanging the Stars.
ReplyDeletedejamew@centurylink.net
Great excerpt, thanks! :)
ReplyDeleteExcited to see my name in lights!!! Thanks very much
ReplyDeleteWill look out for the email.