Showing posts with label new release. Show all posts
Showing posts with label new release. Show all posts

Wednesday, May 25, 2016

Brand new release: Bad Dogs and Drag Queens

I'm excited to announce that the first book in my new Rose and Thorne series with Dreamspinner - Bad Dogs and Drag Queens comes out today!




Isn't that a great cover? Paul Richmond did that, and he's so talented! I especially love Vinnie's eyes. And isn't Benny (the Peke) cute?

So I want to tell you something about my guys. Vinnie and Ethan are federal undercover cops, and they're not only partners on the job but off. They've been together almost five years now, and life is great. Having said that, I must warn you, Vinnie can be a diva at times. and he's often down on himself, but he's a great guy and I love him. And he loves Ethan very much! The stories are all told in Vinnie's POV, so be prepared for a lot of sarcasm. But it's all good!

I hope you enjoy the first book and I'd love to hear what you have to say!

Blurb:

Vinnie Delarosa and Ethan Thorne are partners—on and off the clock. Federal undercover detectives, they’re part of a covert task force designed to promote goodwill between the feds and local authorities. They lend an unobtrusive helping hand wherever it’s needed. No credit required.

Vinnie and Ethan work primarily in the Southeast region of the United States and live together in Richmond, Virginia. A mugger problem brings them to Roanoke, where Vinnie is thrown out as bait to catch the man who’s been snatching purses in a city park, but they end up with more than they bargained for. Why is Vinnie always the one who has to wear the dress? Ethan says it’s because Vinnie looks much prettier in a skirt. How can he argue with that?

Expecting to return to Richmond afterward, Vinnie and Ethan find themselves assigned a new case instead. They are to go undercover at The Stroll, one of the biggest gay nightclubs in Roanoke. Someone is terrorizing both the customers and the performers. Could they be dealing with a hate crime? Someone has to protect the drag queens of Roanoke, so it’s Vinnie and Ethan to the rescue!

The author is donating 10% of the royalties from this book to No Kid Hungry. Visit nokidhungry.org for more information about this organization.

Excerpt:
“Remind me again whose stupid idea this lipstick was,” I huffed beneath my breath. Without thinking, I licked my lips. They felt greasy, and tasted even worse. I forced myself not to grimace, afraid it might crack the foundation I’d slathered on my face.
“Mine, you sexy beast,” came the smart-ass reply in my ear. “I think you got purty lips, mmhmmm.”
“Fuck you,” I growled. “You should be doing this, not me, and you know it. I did it last time.”
And the time before that. And the time before that. Wait, did I detect a pattern here?
“What I know is you look better in a skirt than I do. And you look damn good out of it, too.”
My cheeks suffused with heat at Ethan’s words. Luckily the darkness hid a multitude of sins, my embarrassment being the least of them. Hopefully, no one else was listening—I knew I’d never hear the end of it. Just what I needed—to be the object of ridicule of the Roanoke PD.
I pulled a compact from the purple paisley cloth purse slung over my shoulder and flipped open the mirror so I could assess my surroundings. I couldn’t see a damn thing. I growled again. I’d have to move closer to the half-assed excuse for a light this park possessed if I wanted to scope out the situation. The city fathers had been too cheap to install proper lighting, which is why they had this mugging problem to begin with.
“What’s wrong, Vinnie?” Ethan’s concern came through my earpiece loud and clear. He might aggravate me some of the time—or most of the time—but he always had my back.
“Nothing,” I muttered as I wobbled toward the light. These heels were ridiculous. How did women do it? I’d just gained an all-new respect for the fairer sex. They made it seem so effortless, while I possessed all of the grace of a wounded water buffalo. I’d tried opting for flats, but Ethan had nixed the idea. Said they wouldn’t go with the skirt. Plus he said the heels made my legs look longer.
Pervert.


Here is a list of the stops on the tour, check them out and don't forget to sign up for the giveaway on the Rafflecopter!

Tour Dates & Stops:
9-Jun: Unquietly Me
10-Jun: BFD Book Blog
14-Jun: Molly Lolly
15-Jun: Love Bytes
16-Jun: Havan Fellows

Tuesday, September 22, 2015

Virtual Book Blast: Phoenix Contract

Please welcome author Melissa Thomas who is here to tell us about her new release, Phoenix Contract. Melissa will award a $20 Amazon/BN GC to one randomly drawn commenter via Rafflecopter. The more you commenter, the greater your chances of winning. To see where the other stops on the tour are, go here. Don't forget to look for the Rafflecopter at the end of this post!


PHOENIX CONTRACT
by Melissa Thomas

NOTE:  The five books in this series are FREE on Kindle and Nook.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~




BLURB:

Centuries after the fallen angels left heaven to live among humans, their Nephilim descendants dwell in secret, hidden from the modern world. Once, a charismatic leader known as the Phoenix led their people, but he vanished centuries ago. The few surviving Great Houses are in decline, bickering over petty rivalries while a handful of faithful warriors battle to keep the forces of evil at bay.

Eighteen-year-old Aiden McLachlan devotes her life to her studies and pursues her lifelong goal to become a full-fledged Watcher. But everything she knows of her life is a lie and everyone a liar. Through a strange twist of fate, she finds herself caught up in an ancient prophecy.

The stars predict the rebirth of the Nephilim leader, but the mystery must be unraveled or the Phoenix cannot rise. With a soul-eating demon, a coven of ancient vampires, and a hardheaded Celtic warrior competing to subvert the Phoenix, Aiden doesn't know where to turn or who she can trust.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

EXCERPT:


Magnus loomed over her, attempting to inspect her injuries. His fingers were hot and alien against her skin, and she flinched from his touch.
“Stay put while I retrieve the crucifix,” Magnus ordered. He moved away from her. A moment later, he returned carrying the crucifix.

Aiden shook her head but stayed still. She automatically tried to place his accent and failed. There were too many layers. “Where are you from? I can’t quite place your nationality.”

“I’m Averni.” He sank to the ground beside her, and those six-fingered hands touched her again, causing her flesh to crawl.

“The Averni were a Celtic tribe,” Aiden said. Her foggy mind recalled little else other than the Averni had been from the region of Gaul before it became France.

“That’d be correct.” The Celt reached out with his strange, strong fingers and pushed Aiden’s head to the side to expose the wound. He removed her hand and examined the bite. His glittering gold eyes were intelligent and inhuman. Up close he smelled earthy and sensual, a suggestive scent which caused Aiden to flush and look away.

“Why is your name Latin?” she asked.

“My mother was Roman. Stay still,” he replied.

“How bad is it?” Matthew asked.

“Not too bad.” Magnus threaded the crucifix’s chain through his fingers so the holy symbol rested in his palm. He opened the silver flask and poured holy water over the crucifix.

Aiden felt excited and afraid and so tense she wanted to crawl out of her skin. “Are you really immortal?”

“Yes,” Magnus said. “This is going to hurt. I’m going to have to hold you down.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~



AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Melissa Thomas breathes life into her dreams, bringing imaginary characters and fantasy worlds into our reality. She loves her characters so much they become her alter-egos, enacting the exciting adventures she envisions for them. She is a resident of San Francisco, California and adores the picturesque city by the bay. Her hobbies include surfing and scuba diving.

Phoenix Contract is her debut novel.

You can learn more about Melissa at http://thephoenixascending.blogspot.com/
Email:  MelissaThomas214@gmail.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MThomas_author

BUY Links – the books will be free the day of the blast

Phoenix Contract Part One:  http://goo.gl/6XkZ5P
Phoenix Contract Part Two:  http://goo.gl/Xc0nQg
Phoenix Contract Part Three:  http://goo.gl/0aJaOC
Phoenix Contract Part Four:  http://goo.gl/S3CTf7
Phoenix Contract Part Five:  http://goo.gl/cJSxsk

Buy the boxed set:  $2.99 on Amazon  Kindle:  http://goo.gl/nEBP8o

~~~~~~~~~~~~~




  a Rafflecopter giveaway

Sunday, June 14, 2015

Virtual Book Tour: No More Hiding

Please welcome fellow author Renee Stevens, who is here to tell us about her new release, No More
Hiding. Why don't you make yourself comfortable and begin, Renee, while I grab some coffee?








***Available Now***


Blurb
Phillip Jorgensen tried to live the straight life and ended up divorced. But he wouldn’t trade his two kids, Jacob and Samantha, for the world. His ex-wife has kidnapped them and he's been searching for them for six long years. But he’s not giving up—never, not for anything. His twin brother has encouraged him to start living again, but how is he going to find romance with all his baggage?
When he meets Vance Pierce at the new gym, Phillip sees a chance to find some happiness.
Phillip has to explain the whole sordid mess to Vance and pray that he understands that he’ll never stop looking for his children. That’s easier said than done. Telling Vance might be risky. Is their connection strong enough to convince Vance to stay? Or will he think that Phillip is too damaged to love? This is Phillip's chance at the life he never thought he could have. But is it possible?
Excerpt
He was debating the merits of getting back in his truck and driving home when a movement drew his gaze. Phillip watched as a good-looking blond emerged from the doorway he assumed led to the locker room.
He looked his fill. He wasn’t quite sure if he was in the market, but even if he were, he wouldn’t approach the guy. His limited experience with men had shown him most guys who had a body that defined were more interested in looks than personality. If he ever settled down, he wanted someone who could hold a conversation—not just someone who looked good. Phillip cringed. He’d just judged the guy based solely on his looks. For all he knew, the guy was a professor or something similar. Just because someone looked good didn’t mean that was all there was to them. He knew better than that. A hand landing on his shoulder pulled him away from his self-recrimination and back to the present.
“See something you like?”
Phillip glanced down to find Trevor standing by his side, a knowing grin spread across his youthful face. “It might be just what I’m looking for.”
He took inventory of the man standing next to him. Trevor was short. His head barely reached the shoulder of Phillip’s six-foot-four frame. It wasn’t the only thing different about the guy either. They were like night and day.
Phillip admitted, to himself at least, that he’d lost some of his muscle definition since quitting the gym. He’d never felt it more than while standing next to Trevor. Despite Trevor’s slim build, Phillip could see the flex and bunch of well-conditioned muscles with every movement.
Author Bio
Renee Stevens first started writing in her teens but didn’t get serious about being an author until her mid-twenties.  Since then she’s written a number of contemporary stories, as well as delved into the paranormal.  When not writing, or spending time in the outdoors, Renee can usually be found working on GayAuthors.org in her capacity of admin and Anthology Coordinator.
Renee resides in Wyoming with her wonderfully supportive husband and a menagerie of four-legged critters.  Making the most of the nearly constant negative temperatures and mounds of snow, Renee spends much of the winter months in hibernation with her laptop, the voices in her head keeping her company while her husband works. When she needs a break from writing, Renee takes to the sewing machine to design, and make, beautiful quilts.
When the snow finally disappears, usually around May or June, Renee can be found in the great-outdoors.  She spends her time on the mountain, at the lake, and just anywhere that she can do some camping, take some photos, and ride the four-wheelers with her hubby.  Once back at home, it’s back to writing.




Saturday, June 6, 2015

Release Day - When Will I Be Loved

Today is an exciting day for me. It's the release day for When Will I Be Loved, the sequel to When Will I See You Again, two books which are very close to my heart.

First, I want to say thank you someone, without whom this book would never have come to be, because frankly I never intended to write it. Shorty Chelle, you're the one who asked me about Miller's happy ending, and said didn't he deserve one. Well, here it is, and I owe it all to you. Thanks so much, Shorty!  *hugs*

Secondly, thanks to Will Parkinson, of Pride Promotions,  for helping me through the promotion jitters and for setting everything up. This is a first for me. I've never done a promo tour before.

Now, let me show you the cover.



You met one of the main characters from this book in the first one - Miller Fenwick. Best friend of Alexx Jameson, and receptionist at the Crescent Bay Chronicle. In this book, you'll meet his other half (even if he doesn't know it yet) - Holt Wynne, head of Helios - one of the largest vampire groups in the country.  Wait, I happen to have one of Holt's business cards. Let me show you.



Pretty unusual for vampires to embrace the sun in such a way. Wonder what they have in mind?

Today begins the virtual book tour for When Will I Be Loved, as well as a virtual book blast.

Want a little peek at what it's about?

Blurb:

Fairy tales can come true…

Miller Fenwick wants the kind of happy ending his best friend got, with the hunky werewolf of his dreams. Trouble is, there doesn’t seem to be a Prince Charming on the horizon, and casual encounters don’t cut it anymore. Now that Alexx and Raoul are engaged, Miller is becoming resigned to being the bridesmaid, never the bride. But a chance encounter with a sexy stranger at Charisma has his hopes soaring, and his heart is wide open to possibilities.

Holt Wynne is the head of Helios, the largest vampire organization in the country. He’s a very influential and wealthy man, with a deep-seated hatred of werewolves. His running into Miller at Charisma isn’t entirely accidental. He’d meant to wait, but his emotions got the better of him, and he couldn’t stay away. And now see what he’s done…


Wait until Miller finds out he’s sortof just gotten married to the sexy vampire who hates the people who are Miller’s best friends. Sparks are gonna fly—and not just in the bedroom. One thing for sure—life in Crescent Bay is never dull!


Excerpt:

Miller forced himself to take a breath, unaware until he did that he’d stopped breathing.

Quit being ridiculous. Wine going to your head already?

But he’d only had the one glass. And he hadn’t even finished that. He wasn’t such a lightweight, when it came to holding his alcohol, and he knew it.

He told himself it was just his imagination. But just to be safe, he began a slow cautious turn, looking around him, without appearing to be searching for anything—or anyone.

And there he was.

Standing a heartbeat away from Miller was one of the sexiest men he’d ever seen in his life. A man every bit as sexy as Raoul Marchand, although not in the same feral way as the werewolf.

This man was light where Raoul was dark. His hair was a honey blonde which stood out by virtue of being obviously natural, in a place where most blondes were either created by the sun or came from a bottle. He stood a little taller than Miller, exuding a presence that went beyond the merely physical, possessed of the bearing and mien of a veritable god.

But it was his eyes that drew Miller in and held him spellbound. Blue and green, like staring into tropical waves, flecked with bits of pure molten gold. And the way he was staring at Miller was sending the most delicious shivers traveling up and down his spine.

The man took a step toward Miller, his hand outstretched. Before Miller quite realized what had happened, he’d placed his own hand inside of the other man’s, and he found himself being drawn onto the dance floor.


Here is the tour schedule:

Tour Dates & Stops:
7-Jun

8-Jun

9-Jun

10-Jun

11-Jun

12-Jun

15-Jun

16-Jun

17-Jun

18-Jun

19-Jun

22-Jun

23-Jun

24-Jun

25-Jun

26-Jun

29-Jun

30-Jun

1-Jul

2-Jul

Thanks for stopping by on this wonderful day! I hope you like When Will I Be Loved as much as you liked When Will I See You Again!

Have a great day!

Sunday, March 1, 2015

New release - Crossroads!

My new short story, Crossroads, just released today with eXtasy Books!


When you feel as though you've lost everything, you have everything to gain...


Blurb

Crossroads: a point at which a crucial decision must be made that will have far-reaching consequences

Clete Deveraux is a little old Southern boy a long way from home, drifting the highways with his abusive boyfriend, Vern. Tal Clark is newly graduated from the University of Missouri in Columbia, but his plans for a carefree summer have just been derailed and he’s not sure what he’s going to do.

Things happen for a reason…

Clete and Tal’s lives intersect at a rest stop in central Missouri, but sometimes first impressions aren’t the best. And finding the right path isn’t always easy.

Clete and Tal have reached a crossroads… and now they have to decide which way they want to go. And who they want to go with.


Excerpt

As he rounded the corner, he stopped dead in his tracks, his thought not only unfinished, but completely slammed from his head by the sight before him. A figure stood in front of one of the vending machines, slender legs encased in tight blue jeans that led to the most gorgeous ass Tal thought he’d ever seen in his life, a notion that was seconded by his dick, which twitched its agreement.

Genie who?

The girl had fine blonde hair, so pale it seemed almost white, but maybe that was just due to the harshness of the lights. Tal’s heart was beating a staccato tattoo inside his chest at the way she shifted her weight from one leg to the next. His imagination began to run rampant, as he pictured himself placing his hands on those dainty hips, drawing her to him as he nibbled on her neck. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d been this turned on. A little voice inside his head rejoiced. Genie was wrong—he wasn’t what she’d said he was, and this was proof positive of that. It was all her fault if he found more pleasure in a book than in her bed. See? The proof of his sexuality was here, staring him in the face. Well, her ass, his face.

And then she turned, and in the next moment all his illusions shattered around him.

She... was... a he.

Just damn.

This guy was pretty enough to be a girl, easily, Tal’s confused libido tried to make amends. He wore small hoop earrings in one ear that jingled lightly when he turned his head. His eyes were a blue so pale they almost disappeared into his face, his smooth skin lightly tanned, which only brought out the pinkness of his pretty lips.

Pretty lips? Where had that come from?






Sunday, February 15, 2015

Guest Blogger: Chris T. Kat

Please welcome back my dear friend, fellow author, and future co-author Chris T. Kat! She's here to talk
about her new release, Bratty Angel, which was rescheduled and coming out with eXtasy Books today! Grab a seat, Chris, and tell everyone about your story. I'm lucky that I've already gotten to read it, so I know how good it is! I'll grab us something to drink while you do.


















Buy links:

Blurb:
A bratty angel…

First Patrick is accosted by a hellhound with a yen for fries and ketchup. Then he encounters a beautiful, but bratty angel who doesn’t seem to understand the concept of ‘no’… or personal space. Not to mention he demands Patrick pleasure him, which Patrick refuses to do. So why does Patrick feel a connection to this unruly seraphim? And why can’t he forget him?

Two weeks later, the brat is back, making more demands. But Patrick makes it clear he doesn’t do demands. That should be the end of it, right? Or not… Maybe there’s more to this bratty angel than meets the eye. If Patrick has the patience to get past his bratty ways.

Excerpt:
Patrick rounded the corner fast, almost too fast. He barely kept his balance, groaning when his left knee twisted, reminding him that his ability to outrun anyone or anything had taken a turn for the worse. If that damn thing he'd only snatched a brief glimpse of got him, he'd be mauled and killed.

The huge, nightmarish thing panted as it chased after him, gusts of his surprisingly clean-smelling breath wafting to him. As Patrick raced through the deserted streets—because who the hell took a shortcut at this time of the night—he searched for a hiding spot. A fire ladder would work too, or whatever. Anything really, so he could put a safe distance between himself and the grotesque creature. He could have avoided all of this but, damn him, he'd indulged in his human body's desire for junk food. Next time he was going to order his food in—if he lived long enough.

Patrick's lungs burned, and his leg muscles screamed bloody murder at him. Fuck the universe for rendering him incapable of flying. He’d been trapped in this human body for twenty-three years already, and no one would ever think he'd once been strong and—best not to go there. Nothing good ever came of his memories.

Patrick stumbled, and a hot gust of air tickled his neck. He plunged face forward to the ground, all air rushing out in one short pained gasp. Reflexively he put his hands behind his head to protect his vulnerable neck.

The freaking thing growled and yanked at the bag containing Patrick's junk food. Patrick yelped when the bag tore open, spilling its contents all over.

Curled up on the ground, Patrick peeked over his shoulder when a chuckle drew his attention. Someone hunkered down next to him before gentle fingers pried the last string of the bag from his hand. Patrick gritted his teeth, wishing he was in possession of his power instead of lying there, almost whimpering in fear.

“Don't worry, he's not malicious. He just wants your fries,” a soft, melodious voice informed him. The fries-loving beast growled, sending goose bumps up Patrick's spine. The voice added, “Right. He wants your fries and your ketchup. You see, the ketchup is majorly important.”

The person who'd spoken to him withdrew, and the creature's paws clicked on the ground as it followed the voice. Whoever it was rustled the wraps of his food and talked soothingly to the yipping beast. Carefully and slowly, Patrick turned on his side to take a look. His heart thumped painfully hard against his ribcage, almost causing it to burst.

In the corner of the badly lit alley crouched something that seemed to be a mix between a large dog and a wolf, but the size of a pony. That wasn't even the strangest characteristic of the beast. No, the strangest characteristic was the dark brown, folded wings on the beast's back. That couldn't be!

Patrick's gaze traveled to the hands that dumped his fries on the torn bag, generously spreading ketchup all over them. The beast licked the hand in a grateful gesture before it dug into the food.

Patrick's breath caught when he observed the naked man who knelt next to the creature. The man's face was beautiful, no doubt about that. Patrick's gaze slid along a slender throat, finely toned shoulders, and a slight frame. A white, feathery wing covered the man's crotch.
An angel.

Chris T. Kat
Chris T. Kat lives in the middle of Europe, where she shares a house with her husband of many years and their two children. She stumbled upon the M/M genre by luck and was swiftly drawn into it. She divides her time between work, her family—which includes chasing after escaping horses and lugging around huge instruments such as a harp—and writing. She enjoys a variety of genres, such as mystery/suspense, paranormal, and romance. If there's any spare time, she happily reads for hours, listens to audiobooks or does cross stitch.


Links:

Sunday, February 1, 2015

New Release - Belgian Chocolate Remedy

I am happy to announce I have a brand new release today, Belgian Chocolate Remedy, at eXtasy Books. You may remember I published this story once before with another publisher, but that didn't work out very well, and I have since left them.


Here is my cover, with Belgian chocolate shell candy, and a latte.

This story was originally written for a call from a different publisher which a friend told me about. However, I realized that I wasn't going to make the deadline, even though I was pretty close. But I wasn't done and I didn't want to rush it.

Belgian Chocolate Remedy is the story of two men who have lost their way - Milan is a Belgian chocolatier who came to this country with his brother Ludolf, but his brother was tragically taken away and he is floundering without him. Jesse was dumped by his boyfriend and has lost all interest in life and has no purpose, so when his best friend Reggie summons him to Lafayette, Indiana, he goes - why not? There, their paths cross.

The original call asked for a story with chocolate, so I found Milan. Here is my original inspiration picture for him.



I think he is handsome, and has an air of sorrow about him.

Now, here is Jesse.



Smoldering and brooding, don't you think? I have another pic of him that's a little more... revealing. Want to see it? Okay, here it is.


Here are a blurb and excerpt from Belgian Chocolate. I hope you enjoy them, I had fun writing them.

Blurb:  Milan, a Belgian chocolatier, has lost his beloved brother. Yet life goes on, and he must ready his booth for Outfest—Ludolf would have wanted him to carry on. Jesse is a rudderless soul, unable to cope with the rejection of his lover. He comes to Lafayette, Indiana at the request of his best friend, Reggie. She inveigles him into helping her friend Milan… a way to pass the time, or something more?

Excerpt:  Milan had gone back to his last batch of chocolate—unscathed and unburned—and removed it from the burner, where it was cooling. “Would you like to brush the molds with chocolate?” he asked.

“Sure, I guess.” Jesse shrugged. It didn’t seem that difficult, at least in theory. “What’s it for?”

“To coat them.” Milan pulled a pastry brush from a drawer. He already set the molds out; they were simply waiting to be used.  “I have some in the freezer already done,” he explained, seeing Jessie’s questioning look.  “This is not all I have.”

“Okay,” Jessie said, “just show me what you want me to do.”

“Here.” Milan carried the pot of chocolate to the center of the work table. “Set a trivet there, will you?”

“A what?”

“A trivet,” Milan repeated, nodding to the counter behind Jessie.  “That blue thing there. I will set the pot on it so it does not burn the surface.”

“Sure.” Jessie laid the round blue object onto the table, as Milan set the pot.  “Take the brush and dip it like this.” He demonstrated just how far into the chocolate he wanted him to go. “Then lightly brush over each mold, like so.”

Jesse admired the ease with which Milan worked, as if he’d been born to do nothing else. He had very nice hands, he noticed. How would those hands feel on Jesse’s cock? Would he touch it with the same care? His breath caught at the thought.

Milan offered the pastry brush to Jessie. He shook himself from his reverie and took it, pushing the forbidden image away. “So you’re selling these tomorrow. At Outfest. Right?”

“That is correct,” Milan replied. “You are coming, yes?”

“I am unless I want Reggie to tan my hide.”

Milan smiled.

“She would, you know,” Jesse continued, “You ever see her get mad?”

“Yes, I have,” Milan admitted, “I would not care to be the object of her anger.”

“Me either.”

“A little lighter, please.” Milan had been watching Jessie work. “Here.” He laid his hand over the other man’s. “Like this. Just enough to coat it. I will fill it in after we put in the fruit.”

Their eyes met and for a moment their hands stopped moving, each acutely aware of the other. Milan broke away first. “I will do this one,” he offered, “then we can do the first freeze.”

“First freeze?”

“Yes. We are forming a shell so it will hold the weight of the candy.”

“Okay.” Jesse thought it made sense, but what did he know. He dipped the brush into the chocolate again, making his strokes lighter, earning a “bon” from Milan. He knew enough French to know that meant good. He relaxed a little at the praise.

Once they had set the molds into the freezer, Milan removed the completed candies that waited there. He showed Jesse how to unmold them, and how to put them into their little paper beds, and into the waiting boxes. Then he let him apply the second coating himself.

“You are doing well,” he encouraged him.

“Thanks.”

A few minutes of companionable silence passed, Jesse concentrating on the task at hand, Milan stealing surreptitious peeks at the brunet. Whether he was willing to admit it to himself, he was glad for his company. Jesse’s presence was pushing the shadows away.

“Milan?”

“Yes, Jesse?”

“This is your place, right?” Jessie encompassed the kitchen with his glance. He couldn’t help but feel a lot of love had gone into making this room the place it was. More than a kitchen, it was Milan’s haven.

“It is, yes. Mine.”

“When are you going to open, then? Reggie said you were going to open your candy store after Outfest, right?”

Milan paused in the act of retrieving a container of raisins from the refrigerator. It was a legitimate question. It’s what businesspeople did—they opened for business. So why was he so hesitant to set a date? Maybe because he didn’t see it ever happening, without Ludolf’s guidance.?

“I do not know,” he mumbled, setting the bowl on the table, not meeting Jesse’s eyes. “There is work that needs to be done, construction work and…and licenses…and I do not know what, I mean I just do not know…”

Jesse reached out his hand without thinking, but Milan had already turned away. Jesse’s heart ached for the other man—he sounded so alone, so lost. Jesse wanted to gather him up in his arms, comfort him, soothe him, stop his tears, and end his pain. And yes, he wanted to get naked with him, too—to touch him, feel him, and lose himself in Milan. He wanted to taste his lips and take away his misery.

His feet moved, as though his thoughts had manifested themselves into action. His fingers brushed across the top of the table as he edged around it, toward Milan. He had no clear purpose he simply needed to be closer to him.

Milan was a few inches taller than Jesse, he discovered, as he came up behind him. Jesse’s lips were at about the level of Milan’s jaw, and he found it hard not to simply kiss him there, to stop his shoulders from shaking, to stem the tears he suspected were falling. He reached up his arms, wanting to hug Milan to him tightly, to take the first step—

The tinkle of the shop bell. Jesse retreated, stumbling back to his side of the table. In his haste, his hand knocked a spoon off the table. It clattered onto the floor. Milan spun around, dabbing at one eye with his right hand.  He left a small smear of chocolate on his cheekbone. Jesse bent to retrieve the spoon, resisting the urge to wipe the chocolate away. The moment passed; he felt like a coward.


Sales link:

http://www.extasybooks.com/julie-lynn-hayes/The-Belgian-Chocolate-Remedy/