My poor book
The publishing world can be a mystery at times. Let’s say you write something that you’re rather proud of. You submit it to a publishing company, and they like it enough to purchase and print it. It makes its way out into the world, and garners good reviews.
But the sales suck. So you purchase the same promotion that you did with your other books, the ones that sold well. You talk it up on social media, you do the round of blog tours, you do everything you can to get people to buy your new baby.
And still, the sales suck. And you just don’t know why. So you plump for the graphics, .MOV files and soundtrack necessary to make a nice, eye-catching book trailer, and put that up pretty much everywhere in the universe.
And still, the sales suck. Since you’re a pro and know when to cut your losses and move on to the next project, you’re left with checking the book’s stats on NovelRank every so often, seeing the sales number remain at 0 for months on end and wondering what you did wrong.
This, by the way, is what happened with my Romance on the Go™ story Grading the Curve. I had rather high hopes for this story, seeing as it was my first M/F contemporary erotic romance and the subject matter was near and dear to my heart. So you can understand why I was more than a bit perturbed when it sank like a lead-lined stone. I don’t know if it’s because people are used to me writing M/M paranormal romance and didn’t want to read a contemporary M/F story by me, or something about the cover didn’t work, or what. I don’t think the story’s bad at all — it’s a little dense, yeah (I really should have expanded it to 15-20K), but the pro reviewers all seemed to enjoy it and it’s gotten good notices on Goodreads. In fact, Grading the Curve’s GR rating is a hell of a lot better than Trickster’s, and Lord knows that book is doing extremely well.
To quote Geoffrey Rush in Shakespeare in Love, “I don’t know — it’s a mystery.” But I still feel bad for my poor bald-headed stepchild of a book. If you ever want to see how I handle a hetero erotic romance, I do ask that you give it a try.
Mid Week Tease: Storm Season
Happy Hump Day! Here’s another delicious Mid Week Tease, courtesy of the lovely and talented Sandra Bunino. This week, I’ll be sharing a teaser from my debut novel Storm Season.
Enjoy, and make sure to hit the list after the teaser to see other great Mid Week Teases!
Ian West had his summer all planned out — go down to Florida, stay in his family’s beach cottage on Olympic Cove, and work on his science fiction novel. But his plans get thrown for a loop when gorgeous twin sea gods Bythos and Aphros show up in the cove and inform him he’s their fated consort. As if that wasn’t enough, something in the Gulf of Mexico is turning mermaids into legendary monsters and gods into demons. Now, Ian not only has to navigate the complicated waters of a ménage relationship with twin sea gods, he also has to stop an insane deity and save the whole damn planet. No pressure.
###
He grabbed the shampoo he’d bought the day before and squirted a dollop into his hair, closing his eyes as he worked it through. Memories of that first night, and his fantasy of having Bythos and Aphros in the shower with him, crossed his mind. His cock stirred at the thought.
Before he could grab the conditioner and work himself up to a halfhearted jackoff session, a baritone voice said, “You are damnably difficult to resist, beloved.”
Ian gasped in shock, sucking in droplets of shampoo foam. Frantically coughing and spitting, he stuck his face directly in the spray and scrubbed the soap away from his eyes.
And opened them on the beautiful sight of Bythos and Aphros standing in front of the enclosure, naked and waiting for him. He wiped wet hair back from his face, fighting the urge to jump out and into their arms. “You came back,” he said stupidly.
Bythos gave him a wry smile. “Yes, well, I hate to hear a grown man grovel.”
Aphros elbowed him, and the grey-eyed demigod winced. “And brother dearest here rightly pointed out that we should have explained everything more fully to you last night, before we took you to bed.”
Aphros nodded. “Love, we’re not trying to push you into anything, we swear,” he said, his face open and beseeching. “You’re absolutely right—we don’t really know you any more than you know us. And finding out about the agapetos marks was understandably a shock. It’s just the way these things work for our kind. And we’ve known about you a lot longer than you’ve known about us, so we might have gotten a little ahead of ourselves.”
“Might have?” Bythos murmured.
Aphros glared at his brother, then turned back to Ian. “But we want to get to know you, if you’ll let us. Please, love, let us.”
Ian stood there for a fraction of a second, before pulling back the glass door of the enclosure. “Get in here.”
The demigods didn’t hesitate. Suddenly he was surrounded by slick male flesh, hands touching and caressing him everywhere. Ian moaned in delight under the onslaught, and again when Bythos dropped to his knees and swallowed his half-hard cock in one gulp. The sudden shock of wet heat and a mobile velvet tongue made his knees wobble, and Aphros had to grab him around the waist and hold him securely while Bythos let his cock slide free, ducking lower and laving each ball before mouthing them.
Aphros slid long fingers under Ian’s chin, tilting his head around until their lips met. Ian lost himself in the demigod’s kiss, flickering tongue moving slick and hot against his.
Bythos turned his attention back to Ian’s cock, working what felt like magic on it. Ian came with a shout swallowed by Aphros. Bythos also swallowed, then pulled off and licked him clean. He got to his feet with a satisfied smile. “You’re delicious, beloved.”
With a groan, Ian dragged the grey-eyed demigod into his arms, kissing him and tasting his own pleasure mixed with Bythos’s unique flavor, a bittersweet combination that was irresistible. “Don’t you ever leave me again like that, you hear me?”
“We won’t, we promise,” Bythos said quietly, cupping his face. “We love you.”
Ian stopped resisting the pull he’d felt from the first moment he’d seen them in the ocean. “I love you, both of you,” he said hoarsely, feeling it resonate in his soul. “I don’t know why, but I do.”
Aphros pressed close behind, his rigid cock rubbing along the groove of Ian’s ass. “Because you belong to us,” he said. “And we belong to you, love.”
Ian let himself be pushed harder against Bythos’s chest. Aphros’s fingers slid along the cheeks of his ass, caressing the muscled curves before sliding deeper into the crease between them. He teased the tight opening for a moment, a fingertip circling the puckered muscle, before gently pressing in.
Ian panted at the sweet—and undeniably slick—penetration. “Where the hell did you get lube?” he said.
Aphros chuckled in his ear. “I conjured it down from the bedroom. Demigod, remember?” His finger slid deeper and curved in, rubbing that one delicious spot, and Ian moaned happily.
Bythos leaned down and claimed his mouth again, kissing him with a hungry ferocity. “I love you,” he muttered in between hot, wet kisses. “Oh, Gaia, I love you so much.”
“I love you, too.” Ian hung onto the demigod’s shoulders as one finger turned to two, huffing under his breath at the pain-pleasure of the stretching. Then three, until finally he felt them pull out and the thick head of Aphros’s cock pushing into him. The thick shaft filled him slowly, inch by inch, until Aphros abruptly stopped.
“No, that’s no good,” he said. “Angle’s wrong. By, some help?”
“How’s this?” Strong hands slid around Ian’s thighs, spreading them open. Suddenly he was lifted up and held against Bythos, his own hardening cock rubbing against the grey-eyed demigod’s rigid shaft. He wrapped his arms around Bythos’s neck and clung closer.
“Oh, yes, that’s much better,” Aphros said, moving faster now. Ian savored the depth the demigod achieved with each thrust, pushing him more firmly against Bythos. The rhythmic pressure kept their cocks rubbing deliciously past each other in the hot, tight space between their bodies.
The thrumming in Ian’s groin took on a rising note. “Oh, fuck yes. Harder, Aph, please.”
Aphros obeyed. His thrusts turned savage, shoving Ian hard against Bythos with each pistoning move. Lost in pleasure, Ian nuzzled Bythos’s shoulder, then bit down.
The demigod yelped, but his hips jerked as he came in a warm spurt between their bodies. That triggered Ian’s orgasm, and he threw his head back onto Aphros’s shoulder, coming hard and keening.
“Yes!” Aphros shouted. With another thrust, he exploded inside Ian.
For an endless moment the three of them leaned against one another under the now-cooling water, panting and trembling from the aftershocks. Finally, Ian got enough breath back to laugh softly.
“Well,” he said, brushing his lips across the love bite on Bythos’s shoulder, “at least this is going to make cleanup easy.”
Evernight • Amazon • Barnes & Noble • All Romance Ebooks • Bookstrand • Kobo • Smashwords
Powered by Linky Tools
Click here to enter your link and view this Linky Tools list…
And we have a Trickster Release Day giveaway winner!
*drumroll please*
And the winner of the Coyote bracelet from Belaurient Arts is — Shadowluvs2read! Congratulations, Shadow — I’ve sent you a email with details about the prize, and thanks for playing!
We have a personal winner for the Evernight blog hop!
My personal contest winner for the Evernight Love Scenes Blog Hop is Tammy Ramey! Tammy, your chosen prize is on its way — thanks for participating, and good luck to you and everyone else in the Grand Prize drawing.
If you were jonesing for swag from me, however, never fear — I’m still running my Trickster Release Day giveaway featuring a gorgeous OOAK bracelet from Belaurient Arts. The contest runs until midnight on 2/16, so there’s still time to enter and win — just go to the post and leave a comment, and you’re automatically entered.
And now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to add “Snow Day” to the Free Reads tab.
Happy Valentine’s Day/Trickster Release Day/Giveaway!
Let’s start off with the first section of that title — happy Valentine’s Day! No matter how you’re spending the day, remember that you — yes, YOU right there, and wipe that smear of chocolate off your lip, sweetie — are my Valentine.
Section the second — it’s Trickster release day! (Which was actually yesterday, but I had to delay this post in order to take receipt of an item for section three) Yes, my new M/M shifter erotic romance Trickster is now loose in the wild and available from Evernight, Amazon, All Romance eBooks and Bookstrand, to name but a few purveyors of fine erotica. It already has a Bestseller Silver Star on All Romance eBooks and cracked the Top 100 Genre Bestsellers on Amazon less than 24 hours after release, so I am one happy writer!
And because I’m a happy writer, I want to give something back in return. From now until midnight on Sunday, I’m running a special Trickster release day giveaway. Belaurient Arts has been kind enough to create a custom bracelet for me, shown below; it combines polished river rock, natural mother of pearl, tiger’s eye and garnet beads into a tawny combination reminiscent of a coyote’s pelt. Finished with a solid bronze toggle clasp, it will go with anything from work outfits to a little black dress.
For a chance to win the bracelet, all you have to do is leave a comment in the Comments section below with your email address and I’ll choose the winner on Sunday. Good luck!
Fabulous Friday Reads: Killian’s Claim
Happy Valentine’s Day, everyone! Let’s kick off this lovely holiday weekend with the thrilling new M/M shifter novel Killian’s Claim from Tyler Robbins, now available from Evernight Publishing and other purveyors of fine erotic romance. Here’s a little background from Tyler:
Thank you so much for having me!!
It’s been a while since I’ve had a full length book to release, and I’m thrilled that Killian’s Claim is finally here.
Most of my books have been M/M military themed, so my new series, Call of the Wolf, is a fresh and exciting new sub-genre I can’t seem to get enough of.
The first book, The Becoming, is featured in the Alpha’s Claim Manlove Anthology from Evernight. The story intrigued my muse and opened up a whole new world full of sexy, paranormal wolf-shifters.
The Call of the Wolf series follows the lives of several wolf packs across the state of Texas and a few other southern states.
Their species lives by a strict code, and heed the call of the spirit wolf in all things, including matters of the heart. Not an easy undertaking when you’ve been told your sexuality goes against the laws of nature … or does it?
Change is coming, and each pack will inevitably have to make choices that will either strengthen or destroy their way of life.
The characters in Killian’s Claim, face these problems as well, but they have so much more than wolf spirits to deal with.
Here’s a little taste of what I’m talking about…
Six years ago, Quinn Kelly barely escaped the brutal murder of his parents. Now the lone wolf is searching for a place to belong. Well aware of his proclivity for men, his nomadic life hasn’t allowed him to find anyone to call his own, until now.
Wolf-shifter and future alpha of his own pack, Killian Masters wants nothing more than his father’s approval. After meeting Quinn, he’s more determined than ever to make his father see who he is and how deeply he loves.
Captivated by their growing passion, the young lovers have a rude awakening when the vengeful alpha who murdered Quinn’s parents finds him, and vows to destroy anyone who gets in his way.
Some say the battle between good and evil is determined by which power is fed the most, but in nature, no power compares to that of an alpha’s claim.
Story Excerpt
He stood frozen in place, fists balled tight and his cock throbbing with ungodly need. He’d never been balls deep inside another man before, but the longer he stood there, the more he wanted it.
Killian kissed the curve of Quinn’s neck then began to suckle.
Quinn squeezed his eyes shut. How much more could he possibly take? Chills skittered across his skin causing ripples of goose-bumps to coat his tingling flesh. A sensual moan vibrated in his chest as he shuddered from the thrill of Killian’s touch.
Killian pulled away and looked him in the eye. “Follow your instincts.”
Quinn took a deep breath then clutched the back of Killian’s neck. “Like this?” No longer able to hold back, he lunged forward, engulfing Killian’s mouth with his while pushing him back toward the sofa.
Killian tripped over his own feet, and toppled onto the couch.
Quinn stood over him. His engorged cock jerked as Killian’s hungry gaze zeroed in. He slowly unzipped his jeans, taking his time. He then reached in, squeezed his prick and winced from the ache. His experience with blowjobs had been limited to quickies here and there, and even those were awkward, and over before he’d had time to savor the moment. Getting sucked off by some guy he’d never see again was much different from what was happening now.
Killian sat up, licking his lips, his gaze still fixated on Quinn’s crotch.
Courage he hadn’t expected suddenly engulfed Quinn as he offered his cock to Killian. “Take it.”
A devious grin spread across Killian’s face.
Quinn’s eyes rolled back, and his hips naturally bucked as Killian removed his cock from his jeans. Warm hands gripped it firmly, but not too hard. Quinn sucked air in through his teeth, shuddering as Killian began to stroke him. Slow and easy. Up and down.
He jolted when Killian took him in his mouth, hot and wet. “Fuck.” Never had anything felt so good. He peered down, then twisted the back of Killian’s hair into his fist, guiding his head back and forth as Killian took more and more of his cock into his mouth.
Killian gripped the base of Quinn’s shaft, quickening his pace, sucking and stroking simultaneously.
Quinn’s knees buckled, and he grabbed Killian’s shoulders to steady himself as heat flooded his groin. His cock pulsed, and he struggled to hold off as long as he could. He wanted so badly to lose his load in Killian’s mouth, but doing that would end the pleasure far too soon.
Where to Buy
Evernight Publishing
Amazon
All Romance eBooks
Bookstrand
Where to find Tyler Robbins
Mid Week Tease: Behind the Iron Cross
Happy Hump Day! Here’s another delicious Mid Week Tease, courtesy of the lovely and talented Sandra Bunino. This week, I’ll be sharing a teaser from my seemingly neverending WIP Behind the Iron Cross. But damn, I enjoy working on this book!
Enjoy, and make sure to hit the list after the teaser to see other great Mid Week Teases!
In the aftermath of World War I, Berlin has become a hotspot of decadent pleasures, and American millionairess Kat Tracy is determined to enjoy each and every one of them with Sam Hellman, her late brother’s lover and her convenient “fiancé.” But when the two of them meet Friedrich von Bader, a former German Army officer turned reluctant prostitute, their wicked games take on a new meaning.
###
Kat stared up at the German, now perched between her splayed thighs. His sheathed cock, thick and throbbing, rested against her pubic mound, and her clit ached for contact with it. Behind him, Sam wore an intense expression as he did something to Friedrich’s lower body. From the sudden widening of Friedrich’s eyes, she could guess what Sam was doing with his fingers.
“Come on, then.” She stroked Friedrich’s cock, shifting herself slightly so that she could nudge him into position. “I want you inside me, colonel. Slowly.”
“Ja, Fräulein.” With exquisite slowness, he pressed into her. She took in a deep breath at the first delicious stretch, the thick heft of his shaft as it forced her body to accommodate it. Wet as she was, she wasn’t fully open, and he had to work for the last few inches. She watched, fascinated, at the play of emotions across his face; strain, concentration, followed by the most sublime look of amazement when he was finally seated inside her.
And then his eyes widened even more and he gasped, twitching inside her. Over his shoulder Sam loomed, his own look of pleasurable strain a close twin to Friedrich’s. “Relax, Friedrich,” he said hoarsely. “And breathe, dammit.”
Friedrich’s head dropped and he obeyed, pressing hard against her pubic bone as Sam pushed deeper. Her clit throbbed from the sudden attention, and she mewled happily. “Oh, I like that!”
“So do I. I wish you could feel it from this end, sweetheart,” Sam said, sounding breathless. “He’s so hot and tight. How are you doing, Friedrich?”
“Mmnn.” The German sucked in another breath, then nodded. “It’s good. More.”
“That’s what I like to hear,” Sam said, still breathless. “Coming right up.”
At Sam’s careful thrust, Friedrich pressed harder against her, grinding oh so perfectly. She watched as pain flickered across his face, replaced by heavy-lidded pleasure. His sculpted mouth pursed into a soft oh, and he pushed back against Sam, then surged heavily into her.
Kat threw her head back, turning her cry of pleasure into a ragged gasp. She loved this, loved watching her colonel impale himself on Sam’s cock before pushing into her. He was trapped between them, a slave to both their pleasure and his own. She angled her hips to meet his next thrust, and moaned in surprise as his cock slid perfectly along her clit, setting off a firestorm in her lower belly.
Her eyes popped open. “Do that again!”
Friedrich obeyed, moaning as Sam’s thrust pushed him deeply into her. The same slide, and the same burst of ecstatic fire through her. That had never happened before, not with the pets she allowed to pleasure her, or even with Sam. “Keep doing that, just like that.”
Friedrich was breathing hard now, his large body trembling against hers from the strain of holding himself in position. Sam obviously felt it as well, because he said, “Friedrich, don’t work so hard. Let me do the driving. Just relax and enjoy Kat.”
“Ja.” It was a breathless grunt, but some of the tremors eased. Under Sam’s guidance, the three of them found a rhythm that drove Friedrich’s cock perfectly over her clit, pistoning deep inside her as Sam plunged inside the German. The bed began to creak, then squeak angrily under them.
“Good thing we have a suite,” Sam gasped. “Don’t — hah — want the neighbors calling — hah! — the cops on us.”
Even with her rising pleasure, Kat still managed to roll her eyes. “Just shut up and fuck him, Sam.”
She heard him chuckle, and then the pace stepped up, the bed now giving a cacophony of squeaks. Kat lifted up and took one of Friedrich’s hard nipples into her mouth, sucking it before biting down. His cock swelled inside her, and he buried his mouth in her hair and screamed as he exploded into the rubber.
“Oh, God, yes!” Sam gave another thrust, and another, them moaned loudly. The combined energy of their climaxes tipped Kat over the edge. She came hard around Friedrich, wrapping her arms and legs around him and Sam as she bucked against them, lost in the hot burst of pleasure.
Powered by Linky Tools
Click here to enter your link and view this Linky Tools list…
Guess what’s coming on 2/13?
(Aren’t you glad I refrained from the obvious joke about coming on 2/14?) I just got word from Evernight that Trickster will be released this Thursday, February 13, just in time for Valentine’s Day! Oh, I’m gonna have happy pants all week…
Love Scene Blog Hop: Snow Day
Hello, lovelies, and welcome to Evernight’s Valentine’s Day Love Scene Blog Hop! And boy oh boy, do we have a fun-fulled blog hop prepared for you this year! Not only do you get the chance to read some absolutely spectacular love scenes penned by the brilliant authors at Evernight (many of these scenes will be specifically written for the blog hop and available nowhere else), but you also get a chance to win glittering prizes!
So what are these glittering prizes, you ask? Well, there are two of them — the Grand Prize, and the Personal Prize awarded by each blog hop participant. The Grand Prize for the blog hop is a $100 Visa gift card, to be randomly chosen from all comments on all posts.
As for my personal prize, I will be awarding one lucky winner *drumroll please* a spectacular underbust corset/waist cincher made by Unoriginal Sam and inspired by BBC’s SHERLOCK (you’ll understand this prize when you read my love scene).
The corset has heavy duty 3/8″ plastic boning and a nine-grommet closure up the back with coordinating ribbon for lacing. Laid flat, the cincher measures 32″ right under the bust and along the bottom hem and 28 1/2″ around the waist, so it will fit a range of sizes. For reference, the dress form is set at 38″ bust, 30″ waist, 42″ hips. It’s designed to be worn over a shirt or dress to accentuate both waist and bust. (Please note: if you are chosen as the winner and prefer not to receive the corset, I’ll substitute a $25 Amazon gift certificate and a copper heart necklace from Belaurient Arts.)
So, how do you enter the contest and get the chance to win these awesome prizes? Simplement — leave me a comment and tell me what you want for Valentine’s Day. It can be as wild, whimsical, or utterly romantic as you like — want to see Tom Hiddleston riding towards you on a dolphin? Breakfast in bed with your sweetie? Or maybe you just want a hot and heavy getaway weekend away from children/parents/work/et al? Whatever it is, let me know in the comments, and please include a valid email address so that we can contact you if you win! (Oh, and after the last blog hop, let me just say that anyone leaving comments insulting my writing skills will be hunted down and locked in a small room with my sister, who can make IRS agents cry. You have been warned.)
And now, on to the meat of this post — my love scene. It takes place in my A Boon by Moonlight universe, and features nursery owner Zach Mayhew and his sidhe lover Jerrek finding ways to keep warm after being snowed in by that darned polar vortex. At the end, click the Linky Tools link to see the other participants in the blog. Good luck, and enjoy!
Snow Day
Zach Mayhew stomped through the doorway, scraping his snowy boots on the rattan mat as he slammed the heavy oak door shut. The warm air in the hallway hit the exposed skin not covered by his scarf, making it sting.
“Is the coffee on?” he yelled.
Another man strolled into the hallway, carrying a steaming mug. He handed it to Zach, who took a healthy slurp of the hot liquid. “Oh, God, that’s good,” he groaned after he swallowed. “It’s frigging cold out there.”
“That’s something of an understatement, love,” Lord Jerrek Carwin said, raising one eyebrow as he glanced past Zach’s shoulder at the front door. They could both feel the icy chill radiating through the wood. “Even to the Sidhe, 5°F is damned cold. You should have let me help.”
“Eh.” Zach shrugged one-sidedly, using his free hand to unzip his parka while he drank more of the blessedly hot coffee. “No reason for both of us to freeze our asses off,” he said after swallowing, dumping the parka on the coat hooks next to the door. “It only takes one guy to run the snow blower and scatter salt.”
“I still could have helped.”
Zach stopped short. At first glance, his tall, slender lover didn’t seem suited for any sort of strenuous work. That first glance was totally incorrect. Considering that Jerrek was a Seelie sidhe lord who had led armies into battle and could break a fence post over his knee without raising a sweat, treating him like something fragile did seem more than a little stupid. “Sorry. I just got used to taking care of everything myself. Next snowstorm, you can clear the sidewalk and driveway, and I’ll stay inside, how’s that?”
The sidhe noble grimaced. “Well, perhaps you should run the snow blower. You know my issues with machines.”
Zach did. The power of the Sidhe, stemming as it did from nature, didn’t mix well with modern technology. He’d had to replace a laptop, a DVR and two microwaves before he finally admitted that Jerrek shouldn’t handle anything that contained circuit boards. “I’ll blow snow, you shovel the tight places and scatter salt. Sound fair?”
“Fine.” Jerrek took the now-empty mug from him. “Dinner should be ready, if you’re hungry.”
“You cooked?” The heavenly scent of pork and garlic hung in the air, and Zach’s midsection rumbled on cue. “Oh, man. Polish sausage and sauerkraut?”
“Yes.” A wrinkle formed between Jerrek’s brows. “I still don’t understand why you relish that particular dish so much. It’s so…plebian.”
“You have to grow up on the South side to understand.” He leaned over and kissed the sidhe’s cheek. Even in the depths of winter, Jerrek somehow smelled like spring — green, growing things, and the earth after rain. “But thanks for indulging my plebian tastes.”
Jerrek chuckled. “You’re welcome. Go eat.”
“What about you?”
“I ate earlier — bouillabaisse. I know how you feel about it.”
Zach shuddered at the mention of the fish stew. “That’s the one that has those little vaginas in it, right?”
Jerrek let out a rolling laugh. “If you’re referring to mussels, yes. And they’re delicious. You really should try them someday.”
“No thank you. I’ll stick to sausage.” He waggled his eyebrows meaningfully.
“And I thank Danu for that daily,” Jerrek intoned. “Go eat, you ridiculous human.”
Grinning, Zach did.
#
After dinner, Zach indulged in a long shower, turning the temperature up as far as the cranky hot water heater would allow. At least the water pressure was enough to pound out the aches and pains of clearing the day’s snow from the sidewalks and driveway outside the house. The weatherman called the weather phenomenon that had dumped Arctic temperatures and almost eighteen inches of snow on the region a polar vortex. Zach thought of it more as Mother Nature giving humans a big, frigid finger.
But they’d be able to get to the nursery in the morning, which was all that really mattered. Tossing the damp towel over a rod to dry, he donned a set of old but warm flannel pajamas and headed into the bedroom. To his relief, Jerrek was already in the big bed, long form burrowed under the heavy quilts as he read one of the novels from Gram’s huge library.
He glanced up at Zach’s entrance. “Warm now?”
“Could be warmer.” Zach padded across the cold wood floor and slid into bed, curling up against the sidhe’s side. To his surprise, Jerrek was wearing what felt like one of his old t-shirts. Well, he’s not going to be sleeping naked tonight, is he — it’s frigging cold out there. “Yeah, that’s better.”
“Hm.” Jerrek draped an arm around his shoulders, carding his still damp hair. “Are we really going in to work tomorrow? I admire your dedication to the business, but I doubt anyone will be heading out in this weather to buy hanging baskets.”
Zach glanced at the window, where more fat flakes were drifting down from the evening sky. He sighed. “It’s part of being the boss, babe. Someone needs to check on the plants and make sure the heaters are running. If we get a burst pipe, we’re screwed. And I can’t ask Lydia to come in. She lives even farther away than we do, and she doesn’t have four wheel drive.”
“I know.” Jerrek curled closer to him, running a finger along the worn nap of his sleeve as if tracing the plaid there. “Oh, well. I’ll just have to make sure we stay warm and safe on the way in.”
If there was one person on the planet who could dry the asphalt ahead of them, it was Jerrek. “Huh. I keep forgetting you can do things like that. Control stuff, I mean.”
“Well, I can’t control everything,” Jerrek allowed. “After all, I’m Sidhe, not Mycroft Holmes.”
Zach groaned. Since leaving Faerie and moving into his home, the sidhe lord had turned out to be an enormous fan of all things BBC, and the latest incarnation of Sherlock Holmes was at the top of his “must see” list. “You know, I’d feel better if you just had a crush on Mark Whatsisname instead of using his character as a ‘how to act human’ template.”
“His last name is Gatiss, and I’m not patterning myself on Mycroft,” Jerrek said with dignity. “Although he would have done rather well in Faerie, all things considered.” The sidhe ran a fingertip around the shell of his ear, and Zach shivered from the soft pleasure of it. “As for crushes, I’m afraid it’s a lost cause. Handsome as Mr. Gatiss is, you’ve quite usurped all of my attention.”
“Really?” Zach slid lower, running his hand under the covers and along Jerrek’s stomach. The cotton was warm from the sidhe’s body, and he could feel the raised muscles that lined Jerrek’s abs. He pretended to sigh mournfully. “Guess I’m just not feeling it.”
Jerrek leaned over, a decidedly naughty smile curving his mouth. “That’s because your hand is about six inches too high.”
Zach took it as invitation and smoothed his palm down the soft cotton of the t-shirt, across what felt like the knotted waistband of his old jogging shorts, then lower still. And yes, there it was, still somewhat soft but filling out nicely under his hand. Zach curled his fingers around the shaft in a loose fist, enough to exert pressure but not nearly enough to satisfy the sidhe lord.
He glanced up and saw Jerrek’s head tipped back on the pillow, eyelids at half-mast and masking the grey-green irises. “What do you want, babe?” he asked softly.
Jerrek looked down at him, eyes dilated and almost black now with desire. “You’re still cold. Let me warm you.”
Warm sounded damned good. Zach nodded, letting himself be tugged deeper under the covers and rolled onto his back. Jerrek swung a leg over, kneeling across his groin, before pulling his own t-shirt off in a maneuver that professional strippers would have envied. Zach stared greedily at the pale, smooth flesh on display, enjoying the slow surge of need sparking across his nerve endings and grounding out between his hips.
With sure fingers, Jerrek unbuttoned Zach’s pajama top, spreading the sides open. The cool air of the room brushed across Zach’s nipples, making them pebble up, Jerrek saw this and clucked. “Oh, that won’t do at all, love. I should be the only one to do that to you.”
“Wha — oh.” Zach let out a half-whine when the sidhe leaned over and took one nipple in his mouth. The sudden burst of wet warmth intensified when Jerrek’s tongue rubbed over the tiny peak in slow circles, before sucking it hard. The flash of pain/pleasure zinged through Zach, and he moaned as Jerrek’s mouth switched to the other nipple.
The sidhe lord’s hands were busy stroking and kneading the muscles on Zach’s chest and shoulders, tracing each ridge and hollow. Zach closed his eyes, taking a deep breath and relaxing into the touch. Normally he took the lead in bed, but even after the shower he was still tired and achy from being out in the cold. If Jerrek wanted to take over for a change, that sounded absolutely fine.
He made a contented sound as Jerrek’s mouth worked upward, sucking delicate bites into the thin skin along his collarbone, then his neck. “Feeling warmer already, babe.”
He felt Jerrek smile against the underside of his jaw. “Excellent. But you still need more warmth, I warrant.” The taller man slotted himself over Zach’s lower body, letting their cocks rub against each other. “However shall we generate more heat?”
Zach swallowed, hearing the clicking sound of his own throat. “I hear friction’s good for that.”
“Friction. What an excellent idea.” Jerrek reached out, retrieving a familiar bottle from the nightstand. “But not too much friction, of course. I can’t have you burning up, love.”
“I want to.” Zach licked his lips, tilting his hips so that he could feel Jerrek throbbing against him. “Make me burn, babe.”
The pointed smile on the sidhe’s face was all the answer Zach needed.
Jerrek popped the bottle’s cap, leaning back a bit and squirting the clear gel into his palm. Tossing the bottle onto the bedspread, he rubbed the lube between his palms, warming it. “Wouldn’t want you to catch your death of cold, after all,” he explained.
One hand finally reached down and stroked Zach’s shaft while the other dipped down and cupped his balls, rolling them gently. Zach felt a smile stretching his face as he pushed his head back into the pillow, ignoring everything but the feeling of Jerrek’s long, strong hands slipping over him, slicking him.
The sidhe came back down over him, then, hips rolling against his in a long, sweet slide that set his nerves on fire. “Friction,” he breathed. “Just like this.”
They ground against each other, slipping and rubbing in the lube and the pre-come pearling now from both their cocks. It was delicious, a hot gorgeous tease that dragged Zach closer and closer to the edge without actually tipping him over into orgasm. He gasped, pushing his hips up against Jerrek. “More. I need more.”
Jerrek’s flushed face hung over his, grey-green eyes almost black now with desire. He reached between them and wrapped long fingers around both their shafts, pressing the oh-so-sensitive undersides together and rubbing, rubbing. His lips crashed down onto Zach’s, biting and sucking blindly, tongue sweeping along afterwards as if searching for something sweet.
Zach wrapped his arms around the other man, grabbing his ass and yanking him down. “Close, I’m close,” he panted.
The hand around him sped up, the wet clicking noise loud even over their breath. “Yes,” Jerrek panted back. “Come with me, love. Cover me in it.”
“Mngh.” Zach thrust up, again, into his lover’s heat, and roared as his orgasm burst loose. Semen pulsed out in thick ribbons, splashing up against Jerrek’s belly and chest before dripping back down onto him.
Jerrek looked down at his frantically working hand, dark hair swinging forward and curtaining his face. The sight was enough to set off his own orgasm and he moaned something in his own language as he came, adding to the warm wet mess on their bellies.
The sidhe sagged, coming down to rest over Zach. “Are you warm enough now, love?” he huffed.
Zach choked out a laugh, twitching as an aftershock rolled through him. “I … yeah, I’m warm now,” he managed. “But I think I’m gonna need another shower.”
“Yes.” Jerrek dragged a now-sticky hand through the pearlescent smears on Zach’s skin as if rubbing it in, marking him. “So will I, come to think of it.”
Zach pulled him close, kissing him gently now. “You know, we should probably shower together,” he murmured. “Conserve hot water, yeah?”
Jerrek hummed happily against his mouth. “Or I could just warm the water to a comfortable temperature,” he offered.
“You can do that?”
“Of course. Heating things is a simple enough spell.”
A thought struggled through Zach’s mind, damping out the afterglow. “Wait. So you could have just melted the snow off the sidewalk? I didn’t have to spend an hour out there clearing it?”
“Well, I would have heated the pavement itself so that the melted snow wouldn’t turn back into ice. But yes, I could have done that.” The sidhe gave him an innocent smile. “However, you seemed so determined to go out there and clear it yourself, I didn’t have the heart to stop you.”
Zach groaned. Damned sneaky sidhe. “Fine. From now on, you’ve got snow removal duty.”
“As you wish, love.” Still smiling, Jerrek kissed him. “As you wish.”
Powered by Linky Tools
Click here to enter your link and view this Linky Tools list…
Wicked Wednesday Reads: Next To You
It’s time once again to help you over your Hump Day and spice up your week with a tasty Romance on the Go entry from Evernight Publishing. This week, Rebecca Brochu’s Next To You is a yummy treat about sleepy (and sexy) strangers. Check out the excerpt below for a teaser!
Understaffed, overworked and generally exhausted contractor Ricci DeAngelo still has to contend with a long subway ride at the end of each day. The last thing he expects is to fall head long into a relationship while dozing on the train. But that’s exactly what happens when a sexy and equally exhausted stranger falls asleep on his shoulder one night.
Ricci’s nap partner ends up being Layton Callis, an equally overworked pâtissier who looks and smells good enough to eat. When they unexpectedly fall into a routine of napping together on the late train Ricci finds himself in a unique position. He can continue only seeing Layton during the week and spending his weekends in a sleepless mess. Or Ricci can step up and see if he can get Layton to agree to wake up next to him on a more permanent basis.
Story Excerpt
“I’m going to kiss you now.” Ricci blurted it out and watched Layton’s eyes go wide and then soft and hot. He reached out and put the empty mug on the bedside table beside Layton’s.
“If that’s how you react to coffee, I’m definitely going to have to cook breakfast…” Layton’s teasing was drowned out as Ricci pushed forward and kissed him.
It started slow, just like the kiss from the night before. Ricci teased the seam of Layton’s lips with his tongue, licked at the corners of his mouth leisurely for a moment before he swept inside. He chased the taste of coffee around Layton’s mouth, learned the curve of his teeth and the wet, hot strength of his tongue all over again. It was good, better than any kiss Ricci could remember at the moment. It only improved when Layton pressed closer until Ricci was forced to lean back completely against the headboard so Layton could crawl forward onto his lap.
They broke the kiss slowly and stayed where they were for a moment, faces pressed close as they both panted for air. Layton moved first. He slid his hands up the wide expanse of Ricci’s chest and then down over the curve of his shoulders as he ducked his head so he could place nipping kisses on the base of Ricci’s neck.
Ricci groaned and tipped his head back to give Layton better access while he clenched one hand in the sheet beside him and trailed the tips of the fingers on his other hand down Layton’s bare back until he could palm the curve of his ass.
Layton whined, a sweet high-pitched sound, when Ricci squeezed his ass lightly and then he set his teeth to Ricci’s skin harder in response.
Ricci bucked his hips upwards as he hissed at the sting. They both groaned low and long when the rapidly hardening jut of his cock pressed against Layton’s through the thin fabric of their sleep pants.
“You said I could touch you.” Ricci’s pulled Layton closer to him with the hand on his ass and finally untangled his other from where it had begun to claw at his bed sheets. “I really hope you meant it.”
“I meant it.” Layton’s words were broken by the way he panted against the curve of Ricci’s neck. “I definitely meant it.”
Where to Buy
Evernight Publishing
Amazon
All Romance eBooks
Bookstrand
Nicola Cameron Writes 