Release Blitz: Nothing Special VII: Ex Meridian by A.E. Via


Join author A.E. Via and Vibrant Promotions in celebrating the release of Nothing Special VII: Ex Meridian! Discover more about the latest in the popular series today!

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Title: Nothing Special VI: Ex Meridian
Series: Nothing Special
Author: A.E. Via
M/M Action Romance
Edited by: Sue Laybourn
Cover Artist: Jay Aheer
Page Count: 302
Release Date: February 24, 2020

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Blurb
Police Lieutenants, God and Day are under intense pressure from the chief to take back control of Atlanta’s streets. The last thing their task force needs is a pair of trained killers in town with a personal score to settle.
Take a man and strip him of his ability to feel compassion, empathy, remorse, or any of the emotions that make him human, but leave the ones that ignite rage and aggression and you have the perfect killing machine—now imagine two of them.
Code names Ex and Meridian are synonymous for ‘guaranteed death’ to international terrorists. Two broken men from the same crooked streets, recruited into an unsanctioned government program that few know about. Trained to operate most efficiently—lethally—together.
When Ex returns from an op in Bolivia to learn his little brother has been accidentally killed in a feud between drug gangs, he’s stateside before he can consider the rules he’ll be breaking, and of course Meridian is right beside him. There’s mayhem on the streets of Atlanta and the police are losing control. If Godfrey and his elite team of detectives can’t get the job done then they’d be happy to lighten their caseloads for them. And Ex nor Meridian care about doing it quietly.
“I know who you are.” The man grunted when Ex turned to leave. “You’re the fucking devil.”
Meridian walked past, glaring one final time. “Say that loud enough… maybe God will save you.”
But after their first run-in with the big lieutenant and his protective husband, Day, Ex and Meridian start to reevaluate their own relationship. Wondering if they could be even deadlier if they let loose the feelings for each other that they’ve been forced to suppress for years.
Meridian’s dark eyes stayed locked on his, “A man who can fight beside the one he loves doesn’t make him weaker, Ex—it makes him more dangerous.”
No multiple pairings. No cliffhangers. Ends with a HEA.
Note: This is a partners-to-lovers, out-for-you, action romance.


Ex Meridian Teaser 1Ex Meridian Teaser 2

Excerpt
“Melinda. Why don’t you sit down and eat a little something? I’m sure you’ll feel much better than running yourself ragged,” one of them said, trying but failing to pull her friend away from the stove.

Why do other people think they know what’s best for someone else? Meridian didn’t shake his head as he stood inconspicuously in front of an eight-by-ten table beside the patio doors. He perused the ten to twelve different kinds of cakes and pies on offer. He picked up a small plate and put a piece of lemon cake on it and something that resembled a crumbly coffee cake.

“My kitchen does relax me,” Ex’s mother huffed. “Can you ladies just give me a second. Please.”

They stared at her for a long moment as she gazed down at the bubbling dish she was stirring, then warily eyed one another. With resigned sighs, both women retreated into the living room, whispering to each other as if Ex’s mom had gone deaf suddenly.

Meridian moved up close behind her. He reached around and set his plate on the counter in front of her. She tensed for a moment then spun around to meet his glare. He had no reaction to her fright or her gasp. Ex’s mother swallowed thickly, gripping the silver cross hanging around her neck.

“I’m sorry for the loss of your son,” Meridian spoke, his voice as low a timbre as he could get it, however Melinda still flinched.

“You knew Evan?” she asked, a slight frown creasing her smooth forehead. The only wrinkles on her face were the ones in the corners of her eyes and mouth.

“No. I’ve only heard stories of him.”

She tried to take a step back but she was as close as she could get to the stove without getting burned. “From who?”

“From his brother.”

Her lips immediately began to tremble and the other hand—not gripping the cross—flew to her mouth. She appeared to fight to take in air as she panted quick, short breaths. Watery, pale gray eyes stared at him, and he saw the second the realization settled in. Meridian knew that Evan had told his mother that her other son wasn’t dead but actually working deep undercover for the government, but she’d still likely never see him again. Meridian knew of the few clues and trinkets that Ex had sent his family over the years to let them know he hadn’t forgotten about them. He never told anyone that his partner was breaking one of their most important rules. But something about Ex and his family, something about what they’d gone through, was the reason he couldn’t sever all ties with his mom and baby brother. He simply wouldn’t, and that was something that intrigued him most about his partner—a piece of defiance that gave his extremely calculated existence some excitement.

“You knew Xavier?” she said, around a quiet sob.

Meridian shook his head. “No. I know Xavier.”

Her cries got a bit louder and Meridian started to get agitated. One, because he thought the dueling duo would flock back inside and stall him, but he also didn’t like to be around so much emotion.

“Where is he?” she asked in a harsh whisper as she reached out to clutch his arm but instinct had him sidestepping her touch before she could make contact. “My god.”

“Come with me. I’ll take you to him.”

She didn’t budge and neither did he. Melinda looked as if she felt something might not be right, and narrowed her eyes. Meridian appreciated that she wasn’t an idiot, an easy target.

“Bring the lemon cake. It’s still his favorite.”

Melinda’s eyes widened—as though Meridian had passed her test—and she choked back more sobs as she scurried through a side door that Meridian realized was the pantry and grabbed her purse off a hook. She didn’t bother with cake, moving as if she was on a mission. He stood at the patio door waiting for her after she slung a black and gray shawl over her shoulders. Meridian slid the door to the side and eased them outside into the dreary, cold evening with no one else the wiser.

“Your keys,” Meridian mumbled.



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A.E. Via has been a best-selling author in the beautiful gay romance genre for six years now, but she’s no stranger to MM. She’s been an avid reader of gay literature for over twenty years before she picked up her laptop to place her own kiss on this genre. She’s also the founder and owner of Via Star Wings Books, having published a couple great, new up and coming MM authors.
A.E. has a Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice from Virginia Wesleyan College that she used to start her own paralegal firm after she graduated in 2008. She spent five years preparing and filing bankruptcy petitions for struggling blue collar workers who couldn’t afford to file with a lawyer. It was a rewarding and satisfying career… but another path called to her.
Writing.
A.E.’s novels embodies everything from hopelessly romantic to adventure, to scandalous. Her stories often include intriguing edges and twists that take readers to new, thought-provoking depths.
She’s recently celebrated her 20th book anniversary, and is well-known for her hardcore, love hard, bad boy, alphas. However, she does like to push herself to step out of her comfort zone, exploring different tropes. She’s head over heels for gay romance and she has tons of more hot stories to tell.
Be sure to visit Adrienne on her social media pages and subscribe to her newsletter to never miss another release date! Go to A.E. Via’s official website http://authoraevia.com for more detailed information on how to contact her, follow her, or a sneak peek at upcoming work, free reads, VSWB submissions, and where she’ll appear next. 

Author Official Website: http://authoraevia.com
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Blog Tour + Giveaway: Of Magic and Scales by Natalina Reis


Join today's blog tour stop for Of Magic and Scales! Author Natalina Reis and Other Worlds Ink celebrate the paranormal mystery and host a $10 Amazon gift card giveaway! Check it out!


Of Magic and Scales - Natalina Reis


Natalina Reis has a new MM Paranormal murder mystery romance out: "Of Magic and Scales."

With a serial killer on the loose, the baffling mystery of Aiden’s past, and their tenuous budding romance, Aiden and Fouchard tread through a world of magic and myth on padded shoes, terrified to stir up something neither can control or defeat.

Aiden Mercer’s life now centers around lounging on the sunny beaches of his adopted country with a beer in one hand and a coffee in the other while admiring the local male population. After a rough life as a respected detective in DC, playing it cool shouldn’t be too hard, right? With the magical community on his case and dead bodies piling up around town, the responsibility of finding their killer seems fated to fall on him and deny him of his easy living.

Then there is Naël.

Cantankerous merman Naël Fouchard's life is focused on bringing up and protecting his little sister. When DNA found at the scene of the murders mark him as the prime suspect, Naël seeks out the help of Aiden, whose reputation as a detective grossly belies his lazy lifestyle and apparent lack of ambition.

The chemistry between the strong, stoic Naël and the easygoing Aiden is undeniable, no matter how many walls Aiden builds.

If this unlikely pair can’t come to terms with their feelings for each other long enough to catch the killer, their emotional turmoil might yet allow the murderer to kill them instead.


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Giveaway

Natalina is giving away a $10 Amazon gift card with this tour. Enter via Rafflecopter for a chance to win:

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Excerpt


Of Magic and Scales - Natalina Reis

I’m not sure what I am, but I certainly know what I am not. I know I’m not a witch because—well, I’m male. I’m definitely not an elf, since I have no sudden urges to hop onto somebody’s shelf around Christmas. Vampire I am not. My perfectly straight teeth have never once turned into fangs, neither have I ever had a sudden, strange craving for human blood. I’m not a werewolf either. I do have hair on my body but nothing that would qualify me as a wolfman. Besides, I am still pretty much myself during full moons.

But I am not a regular either, because unlike most normal humans, I can see magic beings. By “seeing,” I mean I recognize them as such. Anyone can see them, unless the magicals choose for them not to. I, on the other hand, can always recognize them, unless they purposely hide themselves behind a special magic charm.

I don’t remember not having the ability, so I’m guessing I was born like this. Whatever this is. Good thing that I’m used to it, because seeing magical beings for what they are can be a pretty traumatizing experience, as it was the time I freaked out during a trip to Greece, when I had a close encounter with a minotaur. Nice chap as it turns out but not a pretty sight.

I’ve lived a pretty normal, average life running Bicas R Us, a coffee shop in a small coastal town in sunny Portugal, for the past year or so. After an incident in Northern Virginia that put me on the pages of the local news—don’t ask; it involved a pretty handsome elf and his irate troll boyfriend—I thought it would be better to start again somewhere new. I had visited the tiny nation some years before and fallen in love with its never-ending beaches and kicked-back lifestyle, so I packed my bags, contacted a real estate agent and the immigration office, and got myself a brand-new life.

I had played with the idea of buying a coffee shop on the beach, but I figured it would be a mother to keep the place—and the coffee—free of sand. So, I bought a store nearby in the town square, a short walk from the beach. Portugal is littered with three things: tourists, ancient churches, and coffee shops. Nobody would notice me, the brown haired, blue-eyed American who came to explore the locals’ passion for the hot brew.

The other perk of living here was that magical creatures were not spotted as often. Vampires were virtually nonexistent because of the year-round sunny weather, trolls and ogres were limited to the mountains in the north and, unless you visited the nearby mountain of Sintra that crawled with magical activity, the only thread of magic on the coast was the sporadic water sprite and the beachcombing witches who sold their wares in local shops. All in all, a pretty placid place for someone like me to live in.

I enjoyed today’s cool breeze blowing from the ocean, sitting on a chair in my small esplanade under a red umbrella with a glass of cold beer in my hand. Yes, in this sunny paradise I was allowed to sell and buy alcohol in my coffee shop. Behind my light pinewood counter, the wall shelves were covered in bottles that held more than coffee flavorings. What a great nation this was.

While Cristina, my only employee, was busy serving the few customers who loitered inside the café, I could enjoy the local fauna as they hurried from shop to shop or headed out to the beach. Summer hadn’t quite arrived yet, but the sun had warmed the air enough for the locals to shed their wintry clothes and don more relaxed apparel. From behind my shades, I followed the trek of three young men, all shirtless and in swimming trunks. Hot. Not the weather, the guys—tanned, lean and muscular, shorts low enough on their hips to reveal that sexy vee—

“Olha para ti, a salivar como um cão por um bife.” Cristina had sneaked up from behind and interrupted my yummy thoughts.

“Speak English, woman,” I told her, sliding my glasses down my nose to look at her over the rim. “You’d think you’re Portuguese, or something.”

She slapped me mercilessly across the back of my head and plopped herself on the chair next to mine. “Idiota.”Without so much as a may I, my small Portuguese friend and employee grabbed the glass from my hand and took a long swig of my beer. “Are you going to sit here all afternoon watching the hot guys walking by?”

“And what’s wrong with that?” Cristina spoke flawless English but enjoyed confusing me with spurts of Portuguese once in a while. She pulled up another chair and placed her feet on the seat, her legs crossed at the knees. “What exactly did you call me just now?”

“A dog salivating over a steak.” She took another swig before I could retrieve my beer. “Don’t you have more important things to do with your life, Aiden?”

I wiped her foam mustache with a finger. “Not really. Why do you think I moved here from Virginia?” She blinked her eyes at me, pretending not to know what I was talking about. “Easy living, sunshine, and hot, half-naked guys.”

Cristina laughed, her face turned to the sun. She had skin the same color as the cork in a wine bottle, a honeyed brown made darker since the early spring weather replaced the cool air of winter. “You’re something, Aiden. You have no other dream or ambition? Just basking in the sun and ogling sexy men?”

Not quite correct but part of the truth. “Are you jealous?”

The skin crinkled around her green eyes as she turned her gaze to me. “Only if you flirt with guys I have my eyes on.” She spotted a couple of newly arrived customers and hopped to her feet. “Customers. Unlike you, I have some interest in making a buck here and there. I enjoy having a roof over my head.”

As she walked away, I yelled, “No need. You can always sleep on the beach.”




Author Bio


Natalina Reis

Natalina wrote her first romance at the age of 13 in collaboration with her best friend. Since then she has ventured into other genres, but romance is first and foremost in almost everything she writes. She’s the author of We Will Always Have the Closet, Desert Jewel, Loved You Always, and Lavender Fields.

After earning a degree in tourism and foreign languages, she worked as a tourist guide in her native Portugal for a short time before moving to the United States. She lived in three continents and a few islands, and her knack for languages and linguistics led her to a master’s degree in education. She lives in Virginia where she’s taught English as a Second Language to elementary school children for more years than she cares to admit.

Natalina doesn’t believe you can have too many books or too much coffee. Art and dance make her happy and she is pretty sure she could survive on lobster and bananas alone. When she is not writing or stressing over lesson plans, she shares her life with her husband and two adult sons.

Author Website: https://natalinareis.com/

Author Facebook (Personal): https://www.facebook.com/authornatalinareis

Author Facebook (Page): https://www.facebook.com/authornatalinareis/

Author Twitter: https://twitter.com/TichaB

Author Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/reisnatalina/

Author Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14883335.Natalina_Reis

Author QueeRomance Ink: https://www.queeromanceink.com/mbm-book-author/natalina-reis/

Author Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Natalina-Reis/e/B01ADQ9FJW/


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Release Blitz: Tuning the Guitarist (Seaside Bay, #2) by J.S. Bright


Welcome author J.S. Bright & Vibrant Promotions who are here today celebrating the release of the second in the Seaside Bay series, Tuning the Guitarist. Find out more about this paranormal romance & read an excerpt too!

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Tuning The Guitarist
Seaside Bay Series, Book 2
JS Bright
M/M Omegaverse
Release Date: 02.28.20
TuningTheGuitaristSeasideBay
Blurb
Timothy
I can’t trust my past and relying on my future is no good either. Stopping in Seaside Bay is dangerous. I should move on, but I’m tired. Searching for food and a safe place to sleep consumes me until I land in Seaside Bay. The people here are too friendly. I should take off before someone finds out the truth. When I meet Mike, I know I can’t trust him, but he’s the safest person I’ve ever known.
Mike
My life turned upside down when I lost my hand, but moving to Seaside Bay might have saved me. From partying too hard to living the fast life, I was on a path to destruction. Seaside Bay has calmed me and convinced me I love the quiet life. Then Tim stumbles into my life, and everything gets upended. I’m lost without him close.
I’ll change everything for Tim. He’s got a load of heat on him, and I’m not sure I can save him once that heat comes down. Can I save Tim, or will his past consume him?
Tuning the Guitarist can be read as a standalone.
TeaserSSBJSBright
Excerpt
A funny tune had entered my head as I turned to head back in, and I was humming the melody when something caught my eye. My foot faltered as I stared at the huddled mass blinking up at me from between the trash dumpster and the cement stairs. The two fear-filled eyes grew wider and he flinched. But the boy had nowhere to run. Plus he had pulled the shirt he’d stolen from me over his knees and had his arms out of the holes, probably wrapped around his torso. In the few seconds I stared at him I took in his face, seeing the bruises and cuts in the wild look in his eyes, the mop of dirty blond hair wasn’t stylish, instead, it just looked unkempt. Touring overseas, I’d seen the look before. Homeless kids living on the street who had to steal their food always had that look no matter where they came from.

I held up both arms, my one palm facing him, hoping he understood I meant peace.

“Did you sleep here all night?”

The kid said nothing as he pulled his knees out from under the shirt and pushed his arms through the holes.

“Listen, kid, I don’t —”

“I’m not a kid,” the guy blurted out.

Words froze in my mouth. I narrowed my gaze, studying him.

“Well, how old are you?” That wasn’t the question I meant to ask. I wanted to know if he would like some food or coffee. By the way he shivered and his teeth clattered, he had to be cold and most likely hungry.

“I turned twenty three days ago. So I’m not a kid.”

What the heck? Did he say he was twenty-three? His words rolled through my mind. No, he turned twenty but only three days ago. He was just a dollar and a quarter over nineteen and he’d fallen on hard times. Shit.

We had some homelessness in Seaside Bay, but it wasn’t like the problem in LA or San Francisco. Usually they didn’t stick around for long on their way to bigger cities.

“I was about to go across the street and grab something to eat and some coffee. Are you hungry?” Maybe I shouldn’t have encouraged him, but he was shivering like he was freezing cold, and I doubted he had eaten enough based on how skinny he looked.

“Yesterday you tried to tackle me, and today you’re going to give me food? I don’t believe you.”

Anger at the situation filled me. Why couldn’t he just accept help? When I’d toured with the band, our ticket prices were usually one hundred for the cheapest seats and sometimes up to a thousand for the front row. People in our country had money. My T-shirt shop did well enough to pay for itself and pay my living expenses so I didn’t have to dip into my money from my music. Why was this kid—young adult—living on the streets?

“Come on,” I grumbled. “You can pay me back by doing a few of the tasks I have a hard time with. I don’t have an extra worker today.” I held up my handless arm. “I could use your help.”

The guy stood and stretched out, his head barely coming to my shoulders. The desire to lean in and sniff him wove through me, but I held back. He wasn’t a party favor left behind the store waiting for me. Plus, I wasn’t that guy any longer, and this was Seaside Bay. My actions here would follow me, and honestly, I’d grown disgusted with many of the things I’d done back then. We weren’t the worst of the bands, but I certainly hadn’t been an angel.

“I’m Mike. What’s your name?” I stepped away from the stairwell, hoping this guy would follow me instead of running off. He was too skinny, that he looked like shit made me wonder what had gone on with him.

“Timothy.”

Timothy followed me, not saying much as we walked through the back of the store to the front. On my way past a display, I grabbed a hoodie. “Put this on.”

“I-I can’t.”

“Sure you can. It’s about your size, small, right? You’re shivering and I can’t stand to see you shake.”

Timothy took the hoodie and slid it over his head. It fit him perfectly. Now he would be warm. Even if he took off, he wouldn’t freeze at night.



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About the Author
JS Bright, a USA Today Bestselling author of paranormal romance and reverse harem romance, lives in the south where "bless your heart" is an insult and "shut up" shows love. JS has been reading since they could open a book and has taken the passion for words and combined it with the love of travel to create stories full of passion and excitement.
If you love a good book with a fantastic happily ever after and a paranormal twist, you'll enjoy a JS Bright novel. For a contemporary novel, pick up a Julia Bright book.

For updates and more information, subscribe to Julia Bright 
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Audio Blog Tour: Promises: Part 3 by A.E. Via


Aiden Snow narrated audiobook, Promises: Part 3 is out! Find out more from author A.E. Via and Vibrant Promotions today!

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Promises: Part 3
Bounty Hunters Series, Book 3
Author A.E. Via
Publisher: Tantor
Narrator: Aiden Snow
Listening Length: 7 hours and 48 minutes
Audio Release: 02.11.20

Promises 3 Audio Cover

Blurb
A bounty hunter’s partners to lovers’ story.
The hunt is on… and he’s the prey.
Bradford (Ford) King was sure he had the rest of his life mapped out. Though he was no longer a SEAL Lieutenant, his brother was home safe and he had a job that still allowed him to satisfy his hunger for hunting bad guys. Life was simple, no distractions or complications – at age forty-six – that’s all Ford wanted. What he didn’t want was his work partner, sniper/watchman, Dana, giving him s**t all the time.
Dana Cadby had grown up labeled a roughneck from the wrong side of the tracks. He’d fought, scrounged, and survived despite a father that constantly told him he couldn’t. Dana pulled himself up by his own boot straps and made a name for himself in the marksman community. He’d been Duke’s bounty watchman for five years. It was his job to ensure their safety, watch their backs. At thirty-three, he was trusted, well respected by his peers, his bosses, his friends… so why couldn’t he earn the same respect from his partner?
Dana knew he was bisexual before he graduated high school. He also knew he was attracted to the huge, 6’3”, SEAL from the moment he and his brother came to join their team. It wasn’t easy for him to tamp down his immediate reaction to Ford’s thick muscles, full beard, and dark eyes. Still, Dana exhibited nothing but professionalism towards him, not wanting to make his ‘straight’ partner uncomfortable.
After Dana took back his ex-girlfriend, he’d noticed an intensification in Ford’s bad attitude. One that turned aggressive and downright antagonistic, and Dana was damned if he’d just lay down and take it. He was gonna make that man respect him if it was the last thing he did.
When Duke sends Dana and Ford out to track down their most dangerous bounty yet, they both embrace the fact that they make one hell of a team… but they fight tooth and nail against the powerful intimacy brewing between them.
Beware: When Ford and Dana connect, no fugitive can hide from the hunter and his watchman.
This story is a part of a series but can stand alone. It does not end on a cliffhanger and has a HEA.
Disclaimer: This book is about MM romance, albeit there is a very brief MF scene.

Universal Buy Link: http://mybook.to/PromisesPart3

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Promises 3 Teaser 3Promises 3 Teaser 4

Excerpt


“Grin all you want, you cocky little shit, but I’ll show you what this old man can do when I get you on that mat.” Ford ripped his arms away and walked up the row, turning the corner without a backwards glance.



Dana pulled in a breath of air and ran his hand over his chest where Ford’s arm had been. He felt hot and mildly embarrassed. He thought he’d played it off well, though. He should’ve known Ford wouldn’t take the joke for what it was. The man had no sense of humor… when it came to him, anyway. Dana had seen Ford laugh with his brother and smile when he was going over the latest military gadget he was able to get on the underground web, but lately the man refused to humor him. Dana dropped down on the small bench between the lockers. His big mouth had just written a check that his body was going to have to cash. Ford would be more than happy to teach his thirty-three-year-old ass a lesson in respecting his elders.



“Your bounty will not expect you to wrestle with him. Getting him on the ground is the best way to subdue him. Rush him, catch him off guard.” Quick walked back and forth across the mat, his muscular arms clasped behind his back while he instructed. Quick was an eighth degree black belt. He’d been studying martial arts since he was a boy. Hell, even Ford and Brian together couldn’t take him down. He was fast and a master at counter-maneuvers. You had to be able to get your hands on him first to do anything to him, and that was pretty much impossible. So Dana could respect Quick as a teacher. “Don’t second guess yourself. There’s no time for that. If you have an opportunity, take it. Got it?”



Everyone nodded their understanding. Duke stepped up. His black and gray hair was thick and disordered. He looked confident as always, but his eyes couldn’t hide his concern. “I called the extra training session this month because I’ve been contracted to go after a couple pretty big fish. These two brothers – Raymond and John Grossman – are well-known meth dealers here in Atlanta. They were bonded out on a five hundred thousand-dollar bond each but failed to appear a month ago. These men are dangerous. They have security, armed guards. They have money and lots of contacts, meaning plenty of places to hide. We’re going to have extensive hours of surveillance and scouting ahead of us. We’re going to finish training here then reconvene at the office for a strategy meeting later today. We gotta bring our A-game, like always. We were brought on because we know how to do this shit, so let’s get ready.” Duke looked back at his business partner. “Alright, Quick. Let’s get started.”



Ford moved back, letting him catch his breath. Dana was panting and sweating all over the place. They’d moved on from counter attacks to take-downs and submissions. Quick was giving them pointers while he demonstrated on the other martial arts instructor employed by the gym. Ford kept dumping Dana on his back every time he came at him. Although Ford never cracked a smile, it still looked like he enjoyed seeing Dana down there in pain, his face a mask of frustration as he tried to gain the upper hand.



“Dana, stop letting him get his arms around your thighs, goddamnit! You’re overthinking it!” Quick barked.



“Pair me with Duke or something. How the hell am I going to take Ford’s big ass down?” Dana fussed back, slowly getting back up on one knee.



“Are you saying you can only take down smaller men? If you are, then you are useless to me.” Quick was in Dana’s face, his forehead bumping into him while he pushed him back. “What’s size have to do with skill? You’ve seen me take down Brian and Ford. Both of them are bigger than me. You’ve seen Duke take down men twice his size. Defeating your opponent only takes skill and confidence, Dana, and you’ve got both of those in spades, so use them. Now get your ass back in position and stop bitching or I’ll have you riding a goddamn desk while the real men do the work.”



When Dana got back in front of Ford, the bastard couldn’t resist returning the wink Dana had given him in the locker room. “Now you be sure to take it easy on this old man.”



“Fuck you,” Dana grumbled, crouching down again.



“No. I’ll leave that to your prima donna girlfriend.”



Dana stood up, wondering what the hell business that was of Ford’s. “Jealous?”



Ford grunted an angry breath. “Of what? Being a fool just to get some bougie ass from a stuck-up bitch?”



Dana rushed at Ford like an idiot, shoving his shoulder into his midsection, trying to take him down. Ford folded his heavy body over Dana’s back and dropped all his weight, slamming him down face first to the mat. The air rushed out of him and he struggled to breathe with the massive man pinning him down. Ford’s reverse bear-hug had Dana’s arms wrapped so tight, he felt like he was in the grip of an anaconda. The crazy part was, Dana didn’t hear or see anyone coming to his aid. Obviously, this wasn’t a technique they were learning.



Ford’s mouth was by his ear, his hot breath fanning over his heated skin. “Pretty shitty sneak attack, boy.”



“Boy?” Dana hissed, his face flat to the mat. “Why are you always talking shit about her, huh?”



Ford’s hold around his entire upper body kept him from being able to do anything but snarl his frustrated words. “Why, Ford? You’ve been an ass ever since I got back with her.” Dana struggled, getting more pissed off by the second. “Answer me. Why don’t you want me with her?”



“Because you deserve better than that,” Ford said too quietly for the other guys to hear, and let Dana go.



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A.E. Via has been a best-selling author in the beautiful gay romance genre for six years now, but she’s no stranger to MM. She’s been an avid reader of gay lit for over fifteen years before she picked up her laptop to place her own kiss on this genre. She’s also the founder and owner of Via Star Wings Books, having published a couple great new up and coming MM authors.
A.E. has a Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice from Virginia Wesleyan College that she used to start her own paralegal firm after she graduated in 2008. She spent five years preparing and filing bankruptcy petitions for struggling blue collar workers who couldn’t afford to file with a lawyer. It was a rewarding and satisfying career… but another path called to her.
Writing.
A.E.’s novels embodies everything from hopelessly romantic to adventure, to scandalous. Her stories often include intriguing edges and twists that take readers to new, thought-provoking depths.
She’s recently celebrated her 20th book anniversary, and is kind of known now for her hardcore, play rough and love hard, bad boy, alphas. However, she does like to push herself to step out of her comfort zone, exploring different tropes, but she won’t push herself into a whole other genre. She’s head over heels for gay romance and she has tons of more hot stories to tell.
Be sure to visit Adrienne on her social media pages and subscribe to her newsletter to never miss another release date! Go to A.E. Via’s official website http://authoraevia.com for more detailed information on how to contact her, follow her, or a sneak peek at upcoming work, free reads, VSWB submissions, and where she’ll appear next. 

Social Media Links
Amazon Author Page: http://bit.ly/AuthorAEVia
Author Official Website: http://authoraevia.com
A.E. Newsletter Signup: https://goo.gl/4hfuMh

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Guest Review: A Dream of Daisies by Lemi Young

A tradition from days past, for when a lonely omega had no other recourse...

Since he was young, Chamomile Greenthroat has dreamed of having a family of his own. Now, growing older and still without a partner, he turns to a nearly-forgotten tradition: a charm of flowers left on his doorstep, a message to the alphas of town that he seeks a child.

The response is overwhelming, but one charm stands above the rest. An alpha who has pined in secret for years has finally broken his silence, hoping for more than just a night or two together. But first, there's the small matter of making a baby...

An Alpha/Beta/Omega mpreg novella, featuring lots of flowers, an age-gap romance, and equal parts sweet and sexy!





Reviewer: Shee Reader

This is a super sweet, age gap romance that didn’t take long to read at all. Perfect for a quick pick me up!

Chamomile is lonely and decides to try a long forgotten tradition of leaving a flower charm by his cottage door, so the Alphas of the village will know the omega wanted a baby. He gets lots of replies, but one stands head and shoulders above the rest. An alpha who seems to want more than a baby making fling.

Lark is a woodworker who had admired Chamomile from afar for YEARS! They are such an adorably cute couple and the baby making takes place in earnest before a marriage vow is taken. It is such an adorable other-worldly story, but with a satisfying relationship that is such the loveliest HEA it left me smiling like a fool.

I adored how the book started my education in the language of flowers, and I’ll certainly look out for more by this author.

Highly recommended.

I was given a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.



Blog Tour + Giveaway: Jeremiah (High Rise #1) by Jayce Ellis


Welcome author Jayce Ellis and A Novel Take PR as they promote new contemporary romance, Jeremiah (High Rise #1)! Discover more and enter in the $30 Amazon gift card giveaway! (3 winners)

Jeremiah by Jayce Ellis

Series: High Rise #1

Release Date: January 6, 2020

Subgenre: Contemporary m/m romance












Book Synopsis:
Jeremiah Stewart’s sexuality is no one’s business. Not that he’s hiding it. When—if—he finds the right one, he’ll absolutely introduce him to Mom. But a late-night brush with a sexy stranger in too much lip gloss has him rethinking nearly everything…

To Collin Galloway, direction is a four-letter word. Sure, he hates his job, he hates living with his parents and he really hates watching everyone move on without him. But he doesn’t know what he wants to do, long-term, and he won’t figure it out by thirsting over Jeremiah, the superhot, superintense paramedic who is suddenly everywhere Collin looks.

When Jeremiah’s faced with losing all he’s worked so hard to build, he reluctantly accepts Collin’s help. They’re both determined to stay professional…which works about as well as either would imagine. But Collin only does closets with clothes, and Jeremiah has to decide if he’s finally found the one worth bringing home to Mom.

All buy links or pre-order links:
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Excerpt

“Jeremiah, can I talk to you?”
He didn’t break stride, not even for a beat. I quickened my step to catch up before stopping a few feet away.
“Jeremiah, please.”
He paused, like he was considering it, and took another step. Then he turned, his jaw so tight I could see the muscle twitch, his shoulders squared off, fingers flexing at his side. Not anger. More like tightly held control. And why was I persisting? To prove I wasn’t the scaredy-cat I’d been the first time?
“What is it?” His voice held none of the warmth from last week, none of the kindness he’d given Ryan.
I gulped. “I just—thank you for helping my friend.”
“It’s my job.”
“Tonight, maybe, but not this weekend it wasn’t.”
He lifted his shoulder, like it wasn’t a big deal. Like anyone would have done the same. They wouldn’t, and I knew it. And he knew it.
I took another step. “I’m sorry for blowing you off before.”
“Why?”
That stopped me. The single-word question rolled off his lips so easily. Why. Why was I sorry? Because I’d been immediately attracted to him, or because I thought, for a split second before I screwed it up, that he might reciprocate it, and the idea scared me shitless?
Some of the above? All of the above? Another reason entirely?
He kept talking. “Look, don’t trip. It’s late, your boy’s going to be here for a minute, and I’ve got to go.”
But he didn’t move. So I took another step. He looked up, away from me for the first time, scanning the parking lot before resettling his attention. I closed the gap between us, until we were at the cusp of personal boundaries.
“I want to thank you,” I said. And holy hell, what the fuck was I doing?
Jeremiah’s brow shot up. “What does that mean?”
I shrugged. “I don’t know. Coffee, dinner, or…” I didn’t know how to finish that. The hell you say. You know exactly how to finish that.
Jeremiah took me in, surveyed the lot again before he finally took a step, eviscerating the space between us in one move. “Or what?”
I jutted my chin up and stared him in the eye. “Whatever you want.” Blood pulsed through my veins. Jesus hell, what was I doing?
He smiled, a slow, boxers-dropping smile, and I swallowed a moan that threatened to burst free. “You offering to thank me with sex, baby?”
I gulped. “I mean, if that’s what you want.” My voice sounded breathy, like it belonged to someone else. Someone stronger, someone unashamed to admit what he wanted.
Jeremiah straightened and looked behind him, and I remembered he wasn’t alone. His partner was around here somewhere, but for the life of me I couldn’t see the ambulance. I didn’t know if that would stop me if he wanted me. I didn’t know if anything would stop me if he wanted me.
Jeremiah turned back, then trailed a long finger against my jawline, bringing me imperceptibly closer to him. I leaned into his touch, knowing already that it wouldn’t be enough. Nothing but everything would be enough. Heat radiated from him and I was desperate for more.
“Goddamn, you’re beautiful,” he whispered in my ear, his breath ghosting across my skin. I felt him even after he pulled away.
“Th-thank you.” Still breathy, but with a pounding heart and a painfully hard cock to match.
His lips wisped across my ear. “But maybes and if yous aren’t yeses, and that’s the only sex I get down with. Besides,” he said, pulling away and walking backward to the alley next to the side of the entrance, “I don’t know your name and I’m sure your mans is waiting for you.”
He turned away, and my false bravado collapsed with it. I watched his back, the uncaring way he moved proving what shot I’d had was gone.

About the author:


Jayce Ellis has three loves: her husband and her two turtles. Hubby loves her back. The turtles she's not so sure about, but they do love their sports (Bay Area teams FTW!). She still hasn't figured out why she lives in Northern Virginia, where there's weather, instead of California, where she's from, and where it's just...pretty. Jayce spends her days divorcing happily-married couples (or so she's been told), and her nights talking maniacally to herself. Thankfully the recorder catches her rumblings and magically turns them into words on a screen. Painting nails is way easier when you don't actually have to type, and with well over 500 polishes to get through, there's a lot of painting going on.

Notwithstanding her no-good, very bad, horrible day job, Jayce seriously believes that true love conquers all. Even Maleficent said it. Sure, she was having an epic Mean Girls moment at the time, but she still said it. And she's right. The only thing Jayce loves more than writing about true love conquering all, is hearing from readers who feel the same way.


Author links:
Twitter: @thelawyerwrites
Facebook: Jayce Ellis author
Website: www.jayceellis.com


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Release Blitz + Giveaway: Jeff, Karma, and Me by Jere’ M. Fishback


Author Jere’ M. Fishback and IndiGo Marketing celebrate the release of Jeff, Karma, and Me! Find out more about this new adult story and enter in the $10 NineStar Press credit giveaway!



Title: Jeff, Karma, and Me
Author: Jere’ M. Fishback
Publisher: NineStar Press
Release Date: February 24, 2020
Heat Level: 3 - Some Sex
Pairing: Male/Male
Length: 90400
Genre: Contemporary, LGBTQIA+, contemporary, new adult, gay, bi, absent parent, mental illness, campground, Florida, Indiana, college students, multiple partners, coming out

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Synopsis

Twenty-year-old college student, Jakub Mazur, is a loner consumed by feelings of helplessness due to his mother’s unexplained disappearance many years before. He feels he’s not in charge of his own life, that forces beyond his control will always determine his destiny. But when a summer affair ignites between Jakub and Jeff Brucelli, Jakub tastes both romantic love and self-empowerment.

After returning to school for his third year of college, Jakub suffers another tragic loss; it shakes his faith in his ability to navigate life’s challenges. Is he doomed to suffer at the hand of fate forever?

When Jeff is diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, a potentially fatal cancer of the lymphatic system, Jeff’s oncologist says he must endure debilitating chemotherapy cycles, then radiation treatments. Jakub is devastated when he learns of this, but decides, for once, he will take control of his future instead of behaving like a helpless bystander.

Excerpt

Jeff, Karma, and Me
Jere’ M. Fishback © 2020
All Rights Reserved

I was twenty years old when Jeff Brucelli walked into my life and turned it upside down. I had just finished my sophomore year of college and was home for summer break, to live with my dad in the head ranger’s residence in Fort De Soto Park, a county facility fronting Tampa Bay and the Gulf of Mexico. Dad oversaw the park’s campground, as well as the picnic areas, boat ramps, piers, and beaches. Our house was a two-bedroom, wood frame structure seated on nine-foot pilings, with a screened porch overlooking a placid bayou. The floors were polished oak, and the wood burning fireplace was built of local limestone. A wooden dock and covered boat slip extended into the bayou, where Dad kept a sixteen-foot Carolina Skiff with a forty-horsepower outboard.

My first morning home, I gobbled a bowlful of cornflakes and chugged OJ from a carton. Then I took a bike ride through the RV section of the campground. The sun had risen two hours before and already the day heated up. Dampness gathered in my armpits while I pedaled along the crushed shell road. Most campsites I passed were waterfront, shaded by live oaks and sabal palms. Native foliage grew between them: sea grape, hibiscus, turkey oaks, and flame of the woods.

Many sites were empty, but at one near the eastern tip of the campground, an RV the size of a city bus hulked. A guy my age sat there at a picnic table, strumming an acoustic guitar. Shirtless and wearing cutoff denim shorts, he was slender and fair-skinned, and his cola-colored eyes narrowed when I approached on my bike.

“Are you staying here?” I asked.

Sunlight reflected in his mop of dark and wavy hair when he nodded and answered in a scratchy tenor. “My folks are serving as campground hosts the next few months. They’re both schoolteachers and have the summer free, so we’ll be here through August.”

I dismounted and lowered my kickstand. Then I pointed my chin at the RV. “That’s a nice ride.”

“It belongs to my mom’s parents. Grandma’s not well these days, and they don’t use it much, so they lent it to us for this trip. We’re from Indiana.”

I extended a hand. “I’m Jakub Mazur.”

Jeff told me his name while we shook. His palm felt warm, his grip firm.

I explained how I was home for the summer from Florida State University and living inside the park.

“I just finished my second year at IU,” Jeff said. “I’m a journalism major.”

Jeff glanced here and there before he spoke again, this time in almost a whisper. “We’ve only been here a few days, but I get the impression most people in the campground are older—retirees and the like.”

I rolled my eyes. “You won’t find many college kids here, but we can hang out if you’d like. Got a bicycle?”

Jeff jerked a thumb toward a ten-speed Schwinn chained to a sabal palm.

“Let’s take a cruise,” I said, “and I’ll show you my house.”

Minutes later we rolled westward, side by side, while our tires ground against the road. We passed beneath limbs of ancient live oaks draped in Spanish moss. Up ahead, at an empty campsite, a great grey heron stood on a seawall, studying a canal in hopes of finding breakfast.

“How long have you lived in the park?” Jeff asked.

“Since I was eight, when my dad was promoted to head ranger. The residence comes with the position.”

“Must be nice.”

I rocked my head from side to side. “The park’s pretty, and fishing here is good, but I never had other kids to do things with. It could get lonely, especially during summer when I wasn’t in school. The days dragged by, if you know what I mean.”

Jeff grimaced. “I spent a summer on my uncle’s dairy farm, when I was thirteen. The nearest kid my age was three miles away, and I thought I’d go crazy from boredom.”

When we reached the house, I pulled two Cokes from the fridge, and we sat on a glider sofa on the screened porch. Above us, a ceiling fan clacked and stirred the air. Out on the bayou’s placid surface, a half dozen brown pelicans floated while an osprey chattered in a nearby long leaf pine.

“This is sweet,” Jeff said while his gaze traveled here and there. “We don’t have such places back home. Indiana’s nothing but prairie.”

Jeff talked about his hometown of Peru.

“We have about ten thousand people. There’s a courthouse and high school, and it’s only a three-hour drive from Bloomington, so I can come home on weekends if I choose to, but I don’t often. There’s not much going on in Peru.”

I asked Jeff about his family.

“My dad’s a middle school shop instructor, and Mom teaches freshman English at Peru High. They come from large families, so I have aunts and uncles all over Miami County, loads of cousins as well.”

I shook my head.

“What is it?” Jeff asked.

“My parents were both only children, so I have no extended family or siblings. It’s just me and my dad.”

“Where’s your mom?”

I kept my gaze fixed on the bayou while my stomach knotted like it always did when I had to explain. “She has…mental health issues. About eleven years ago, she disappeared—just packed up her belongings and left. We haven’t heard from her since.”

“Damn, that had to be rough.”

“My dad nearly lost his mind. Even today, I don’t think he’s fully recovered from the situation.”

We rocked on the glider for a bit without saying anything more until Jeff rose.

“I need to help my folks with servicing restrooms, but after lunch why don’t we do something together, maybe go to the beach and take a swim?”

“Sounds good,” I said while following Jeff out of the front door.

After he climbed aboard his Schwinn, he raked a hand through his hair, and I noticed his slightly oversized nose had a few freckles on it. Then, while he pedaled away, I wondered if I’d found someone I could share my summer with.

Purchase

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Meet the Author

Jere’ M. Fishback is a former journalist and trial attorney. He lives on a barrier island on Florida’s Gulf coast, where he enjoys watching sunsets with a glass of wine in his hand and a grin on his face.

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Review: The Dishevelled Duke (A Little Bit Cupid #4) by Catherine Curzon and Eleanor Harkstead

Will a photographer be swept off his feet by a duke who’s more dishevelled than dashing?

It’s Valentine’s Day and it’s Billy last shift at The Chelsea Bunn. His photography career never took off, so it’s time to leave London, parcel up the leftover heart-shaped cakes and head back home to Hampshire.

Rumpled Charlie and his two mischievous dogs are Billy’s favourite customers, so when Charlie turns up at closing time with a mysterious wrapped gift and the offer of a whirlwind trip on the London Eye, Billy can’t say no. But Charlie is keeping a secret that could turn Billy’s world happily upside down.

As the snow falls over London and the big wheel grinds to a halt, Billy discovers that wishes aren’t just for Christmas.


This charming little love story knocked my knickers clean off with its cuteness. It’s just the story I want to read for Valentine’s Day, it’s ultra romantic and has loveable characters. Plus, no real angst to speak of! Let’s all hug.

Billy is a photographer giving up his dreams of the London art scene and is heading back home to Hampshire. Of course he’s sad to be leaving his aspirtions behind for now, but another thing that breaks his heart is that he’ll be leaving his favorite customer from the coffee shop where he works behind, without having a chance to say goodbye.

Charlie comes into the coffee shop with his beloved pups on the regular and he and Billy are quite obviously smitten with one another. But, they are both a little shy, and it takes a kick in the booty by Cupid to bring these two together.

Charlie makes the first move and honestly, reading the banter between these two is freakin’ adorable. It’s sooooo sweet, but also balanced with realistic chat so it’s not sickeningly sweet, it’s just . . . just right.

The story makes a turn toward fairytale status via the London Eye when Charlie convinces Billy to go for a spin, literally. As the two share leftover heart shaped treats from the coffee shop, Billy gets a call from the gallery owner where his photos are hanging that will change his life. Once he hangs up, Charlie and Billy get to chatting, confessions are made and it’s like Cupid himself shot all the arrows at them at once because from here on out, the two of them are bombarded with happy accidents and I didn’t care how realistic they may or may not have been, I wanted all the arrows. All of them.

This tale goes on my ‘reread’ holiday shelf.




**a copy of this story is provided for an honest review**

Re-Release Blitz + Giveaway: Chaser (Chaser #1) by Rick R. Reed


Chaser (Chaser #1) is out from NineStar Press! Rediscover this popular romance with author Rick R. Reed and IndiGo Marketing! Enter in the giveaway for your chance to win a $10 NSP credit!


Title: Chaser
Series: Chaser, Book One
Author: Rick R. Reed
Publisher: NineStar Press
Release Date: February 24, 2020
Heat Level: 3 - Some Sex
Pairing: Male/Male
Length: 67500
Genre: Contemporary, LGBTQIA+, Insta-love, family illness, separation, perceived cheating, physical fitness, narcissistic character, betrayal

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Synopsis

Caden DeSarro is what they call a chubby chaser. He likes his guys with a few extra pounds on them. So when he meets Kevin Dodge in a bar bathroom, he can’t help but stare. As far as Caden is concerned, Kevin is physically perfect: a stocky bearded blond. But Caden gets tongue-tied and misses his chance.

When Caden runs into Kevin one night on the el train, he figures it’s fate offering him a second shot. Caden manages to get invited back to Kevin’s place for a one-night stand that turns into the kind of relationship he’s dreamed about.

But the course of true love never runs smoothly—Kevin and Caden’s romance is no exception. When Caden returns from a few weeks away on business, Kevin surprises him with a new and “improved” body—one that fits Caden’s shallow friend Bobby’s ideal, but not Caden’s. Caden doesn’t know what to do, and his hesitation is just the opportunity Bobby was looking for.

Excerpt

Chaser
Rick R. Reed © 2020
All Rights Reserved

Chapter One

“I like fat men.”

“You like big butts?”

“I cannot lie.”

Caden and his therapist laughed together over the song reference, both old enough to remember Sir Mix-A-Lot’s 1992 rap hit “Baby Got Back.” Camille D’Amico reined in her laughter abruptly, pushing her tortoiseshell glasses back up on her nose and fussing with her frizzy halo of brown hair. She adopted a serious expression. “So you’re attracted to heavier men. Is that a problem?”

“Not really a problem, I guess. It’s just that I wonder why. I mean, look at me.”

Caden stood up, turned around slowly, and sat back down in the comfortable overstuffed chair facing Camille. He knew what he was displaying—a very trim, tight five-foot-eleven frame upon which not even an ounce of fat rested. In the dictionary, if one looked up the word “lean,” there was Caden’s picture, the perfect illustration. He rubbed his hands over his black buzz cut and then brought one hand down to the stubble of his just-coming-in beard. Not only was he very fit, he was a very handsome thirty-year-old man.

“What?” Camille asked. “You think you’re too good for a guy with a few extra pounds on his frame? Think you’re slumming if you take a walk on the fat side?”

Caden shook his head and put up his palms in self-defense. “No, no, that’s not it at all. I don’t think I’m better, not by any stretch. I’m just wondering why, lately especially, I’ve been drawn to heavier men.”

“Is this something new for you?”

“Not really, but it’s only something I’ve been acting on in the past few months. I have this friend, Bobby, who I usually go out with and he’s, well, he can be kind of superficial…” Caden’s voice trailed off as he thought of his gorgeous friend, who looked a lot like the porn star, Dawson, with a trim build, cut abs, closely shorn auburn hair, and luminous gray eyes. The difference between Bobby and Dawson was that Bobby was much choosier than Dawson, although perhaps no less promiscuous—no mean feat when one considered one of Dawson’s films was entitled Dawson’s 50-Load Weekend. Anyway, this session was supposed to be about Caden, not Bobby. “And he always gives me a hard time about wanting to meet, as I said, heavier men.”

“And this Bobby’s opinion is important to you?”

“He’s my best friend.”

“Important enough that you would alter going after what you really want for him?”

Camille’s question stopped him short. He’d never really thought of it that way. Why did it matter what Bobby thought? So what if he didn’t approve of the bearded redhead he met online and invited over last week? And what business was it of Bobby’s if he liked to peruse the profiles at footballplayerbuild.com?

Obviously, it bothered him enough to bring it up here today with Camille, whom he had been seeing for the past three weeks. His visits to her were his thirtieth birthday present to himself. He hoped to figure out why, at age thirty, he had yet to find a relationship that lasted more than three dates.

He had begun wondering if there was something intrinsically wrong with him. He was a good catch—at least that’s what his mother told him—but on paper, he did look good. No one could argue with that. He was handsome, having inherited his mother’s Sicilian olive complexion, black hair, and eyes that ranged from amber to green. His nose was strong, patrician, some might say (his mom again, anyway). He wasn’t a bodybuilder, but years of running four to six miles four to six days a week, along with summertime lakefront bike rides, had given him a good, solid build.

And it wasn’t just in the looks department where he thought he had a lot to offer. He had a good head on his shoulders. That he got from his late father, who had been a fully tenured professor of English literature at Northwestern University in Evanston before passing away unexpectedly one morning in the bathroom of a heart attack. That same head on his shoulders had given him, if not a stellar job, a solidly respectable and reliable one as a copywriter at a medical association in downtown Chicago. He had been there since graduating from Northwestern nine years ago, starting out as an editorial assistant on one of their trade journals.

So why did he feel the need to try to apply the same standards Bobby applied to his own dates, standards that could be summed up by Bobby with the initials FG, which stood for “fucking gorgeous”? If a man was not FG, so Bobby’s rationale went, he was not worth fucking.

Sometimes Caden wondered why he had Bobby as a best friend. But he could be hilarious at times, and he could be a lot of fun. Caden on his own in a bar was a wallflower, but with Bobby, some of his charm and charisma, the devil-may-care attitude, rubbed off on Caden.

Plus, going out with Bobby usually meant he would hook up with one of Bobby’s FG prospects’ fucking gorgeous friends. Because, as Bobby always said, “The hot ones travel in packs.”

Caden shook his head and looked at the therapist, who was sitting patiently, waiting. “What did you ask me again?”

“I asked you if Bobby’s opinion was more important to you than getting what you want.” Camille cocked her head.

“No, no, of course not.” He answered too quickly.

“You know,” Camille said, “I’m like what’s in your own head. There’s no need in here to try and come up with what you think is the right answer. No need to censor yourself. Do I need to remind you there’s no judgment here?”

“No.”

“So, I won’t ask you about Bobby’s opinion again, but I do want you to think about your answer.”

“Why?”

“Because you brought up your attraction to heavy men for a reason.” Camille shrugged. “It doesn’t matter so much what the reason is, so much as it matters what you think about it. Look, people are attracted to other people for all sorts of reasons, and there’s no right or wrong way to be attracted. Take my mother—please!” Camille laughed. “Ever since my father passed away a few years ago, she’s been all about younger men. And I am not talking forties and fifties here. I’m talking about much younger, your age, Caden, and even in their twenties. Mom’s sixty, but she’s a knockout.”

“Cougar?” Caden asked.

“Use that word around her and you might get your eyes scratched out. Anyway, my point is that it’s what she likes, and even though I did question it at first, especially when she was having me meet guys who were younger than I was, it wasn’t my call to make. Attraction is subjective—totally.”

“You’re right.”

Camille laughed. “I’m not looking for affirmation. I just want to understand why you chose to bring up this particular attraction with your therapist.”

And Caden realized he’d like to know the reason himself. If he could only get a handle on it, a love handle, if you will. He shook his head, censoring his inner Kathy Griffin.

The therapy session failed to illuminate the rationale for Caden’s attraction, and he left Camille’s office with homework not on why he was attracted to heavy guys, but why he felt that mattered.

It didn’t matter, did it?

Purchase

NineStar Press | Amazon | Smashwords | Barnes & Noble | Kobo


Meet the Author

Real Men. True Love.

Rick R. Reed draws inspiration from the lives of gay men to craft stories that quicken the heartbeat, engage emotions, and keep the pages turning. Although he dabbles in horror, dark suspense, and comedy, his attention always returns to the power of love. He’s the award-winning and bestselling author of more than fifty works of published fiction and is forever at work on yet another book. Lambda Literary has called him: “A writer that doesn’t disappoint…” You can find him at www.rickrreedreality.blogspot.com. Rick lives in Palm Springs, CA, with his beloved husband, Bruce, and their fierce Chihuahua/Shiba Inu mix, Kodi.

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