The Delaneys and Me by Anne Brooke

I'm happy to say that my m/m/m quirky short story, The Delaneys and Me, is now available at Amber Allure.

The blurb is:

When Liam makes a scene in the middle of a restaurant after his boyfriend, Brandon, dumps him, he knows Brandon’s cousins, the Delaney twins, will be after him for retribution. The Delaneys head up the local gangster scene and are not to be messed with. Especially as, in the heat of the moment, Liam threatened to take what he knew (and, really, he doesn’t know much) to the police. It’s a recipe for disaster. But when the Delaneys give Liam a choice between being shot or having sex with both of them, Liam finds that his evening might turn out to be rather more interesting than originally anticipated.

Here's an extract:

I walked to my bedroom, the two of them close behind. Inside, I closed the door behind the three of us and looked directly at Mark. I swallowed before speaking.

“You’ve got the gun,” I said. “You can do whatever you like with me. But I thought that, after such a romantic dinner and an evening of being so considerate toward someone you’ve every intention of buggering anyway, you might like to try this.”

Then, trying to ignore Mark and the gun, I knelt in front of Johnny, leant forward and undid his zipper with my teeth. It was something my first boyfriend had taught me. I always knew it would come in handy one day. By the time I’d nuzzled down his briefs, his cock was already at half-mast and, with a moan, I wrapped my lips around it and began to suck and lick it as if my life depended on it. It no doubt did. I heard a muffled gasp from Mark behind me. I think it might have been enjoyment. I hoped so.

Funnily enough, he wasn’t the only one enjoying it. I took great pride in the fact I gave a damn good blowjob. It was something I’d always loved to do. Johnny appeared to be having a fun time as well. His legs were buckling and, by the time I’d swallowed down the length of him and tasted his explosion in my mouth, he had all but collapsed onto the bed.

“Jesus,” he said, “that was…”

“Good,” I whispered. “I know. Do you want more?”

When he blinked at me, I licked my lips clean of his cum, but let some of it remain on my face. I’d always thought it was sexier.

“Why don’t you fuck me now?” I whispered, half-turning and bringing Mark in on my question. “Like you want to. That would really teach me a lesson, wouldn’t it?”

This was too much for him.

“Stop screwing with us and get undressed,” Mark snarled at me, his face flushed and his hand still clutching the gun. “Now.”

I obeyed. No more flirting, no more teasing them. I stood up and undressed as quickly as I could. I didn’t mind them seeing my body. I’d always been proud of the shape I was in. My hands still shook a little, but I couldn’t help it and, in any case, it was hardly surprising. When I was completely naked, I looked him right in the eye.

“How would you like me?” I asked him.

Mark tossed the gun to the edge of the room. My eye followed it. I was glad to see it go.

“Forget the gun, Liam. Look at me.”

Again, I obeyed him, without question. He took a couple of paces to stand in front of me, and my cock was instantly rock-hard. God, that was another surprise. I supposed this was at the very least going to be sex under duress. I’d never expected to have a hard-on, too.

“This isn’t about the gun,” he continued, his voice lowering so he was whispering to me. Hell, it was almost romantic. “Not any more. This is about me, my brother and you.”

There's a book trailer at Youtube.

And today, you can also read an interview with me at Midnight Seductions website.

Happy Friday!

Anne Brooke
Anne's Writing Journal

The Book and the Rose

By A.J. Llewellyn

I blogged last month about my new novel The Book and the Rose which has just been released. Last month I talked about the inspiration behind the story - my friends who met and fell in love during Barcelona's book and rose festival celebrated this very day. I wish I were there right now celebrating this big occasion, Barcelona's version of St. Valentine's Day.
Today however is St. George's Day and how apt that the Spanish would choose to celebrate the slayer of dragons because I think ultimately that's what love is - having to slay dragons.
I've come to know several porn stars in the course of writing gay erotic romance and a few of them inspired my character Mio-Alejo Cortez.
A friend of mine has been dating a porn star. She is a woman, he is gay-for-pay. Mio on occasion, performs straight-for-pay which is something some gay porn stars really do - such as Ricky Sinz and Francois Sagat.
Can love redeem Mio who seems caught up in the web of high-priced sex? Well, you'll have to read the book to find out.
In the meantime, if you believe in love, if you are struggling with a romance, say a prayer to St. George and keep slaying those dragons...

The Book and the Rose Purchase Link: http://www.amberquill.com/AmberAllure/BookRose.html
The Book And The Rose by A. J. Llewellyn
ISBN-13: 978-1-60272-678-9 (Electronic)
ISBN-13: 978-1-60272-794-6 (Paperback)
AVAILABLE NOW!!
Hollywood show runner Evans McCoy’s hit TV show has just been yanked off the air thanks to its star Nora North’s spectacular drug bust. Desperate to find work to qualify for Writer’s Guild health insurance, Evans finds every door closed due to the problems associated with his show. His recent fling with mysterious and sexy Spanish businessman Mio-Alejo Cortez is heating up, however, and it’s hard to resist the lure of Mio’s invitation to visit him in Barcelona.
The city’s most romantic holiday, Dia de Sant Jordi—St. George’s Day—is approaching. Mio wants Evans there for the big day when lovers traditionally exchange a book and a rose. With the memory of their scorching rendezvous and constant hot faxes from Mio teasing him, Evans is unable to turn down the invitation and lands in Barcelona, full of expectations.
Evans soon learns that Mio is a man of many, many secrets and a dangerous double life. Barcelona and Mio are seductive conquerors, but when Mio’s truth emerges, Evans must decide—should he cut bait and run? With his career seemingly in tatters and Mio’s secret now his to share, Evans takes a gamble. He plunges headfirst into Mio’s world of high-class, high-stakes sex.
But will Evans lose it all? Or can their relationship survive beyond the book and the rose?
Genres: Gay / Contemporary / The Arts / Ménage (M/M/M) / Group Sex Heat Level: 3 Length: Novel (50k words / TBD paperback pages)
Excerpt:
Evans leaned his head back against Mio’s shoulder.
“Look at me,” Mio said, but Evans felt utter devastation. As much as he wanted Mio and, yes, as much as he realized now he’d fallen in love with the man, his heart ached.
Mio was talking as he turned Evans around to face him, but Evans felt his world crashing…crumbling. His birth parents hadn’t wanted him, and now his lover, the one he thought could possibly be it, wanted…the whole world, apparently.
“You look so sad and that makes me unhappy. Please, Evans, please don’t be so sad.”
“I don’t know what to think,” Evans said finally as Mio kissed his eyes, his nose and mouth, kept whispering words of love in Spanish. Evans couldn’t breathe, couldn’t understand a quarter of what Mio said. He fought his own insecurities, squashing the waves of desire. And yet, when Evans looked down, his fingers entwined with Mio’s as if they belonged there. Mio kissed him as if they had always been together. Nobody had ever affected him this way and he wanted it so much he suddenly felt he would die without this man.
“Please, please give me a chance,” Mio said. “Let me show you how fun this can be. Let me love you.”
“I don’t know,” Evans said again, but his body betrayed him. Obviously schooled in the language of physical love, Mio lost no time in stripping Evans’s clothing and throwing off his elegant suit and shirt. He wore tight boxer briefs under his white suit. Evans once again marveled at his lover’s amazing body. He hadn’t seen him naked since they’d been in Miami. He dreamed of this man’s hard cock, his ripe, juicy balls. His hand cuffed Mio’s cock and it responded.
“You know how to touch me,” Mio said and surprised Evans by picking him up and carrying him to his bedroom. His mouth clamped down on Evans’s as if to silence any chance of protest. The room lay in darkness as Mio put him across the bed.
“Who did you fuck tonight?” he asked as Mio moved away from him. Evans felt he was close. Wow, he weaves such a spell on me. He couldn’t have got up and walked out if he wanted.
Mio struck a match and lit candles by the bed. Evans’s eyes adjusted to the light. He heard the crackle of wood wick and could smell tuberose. Mio leaned across the bed to light more candles on the other side.
Evans knew from the glass holders, the scent and the crackling that these were Dayna Decker candles. Each one retailed for around ninety dollars. Evans counted at least a dozen. The bedroom was a visual feast of silk, wall tapestries, large paintings, and the gorgeous man on the bed crawling across the cream silk duvet toward him. Mio’s hands came to Evans’s face and he resumed the potent kiss he’d started in the living room. He seemed to need Evans the way Evans needed him.
They began a long exploration of one another with their tongues. Evans could still feel Mio’s seed left in him from their torrid romp earlier in the day. He reached up his hands, no longer caring where Mio had been or who he had been with. He slid down Mio’s underpants and felt joy, swift, sorrowful, and consuming desire as Mio lowered his body to his.
“I missed you,” Mio said. His eyes seemed to burn as his knees parted Evans’s thighs. His cock sought for instant immersion and he powered into Evans with a cry. He fucked Evans the way he’d fucked him in Miami. It was more than lovemaking. It was supersonic. As he and Mio came together, he felt the way his lover gathered him in his arms and held him in his moment of release. Evans also felt a glimpse of something else.
He couldn’t shake the feeling that he was somehow Mio’s salvation.
“I have a question for you now,” Mio said.
“What’s that?”
“How do you know what a woman’s pussy smells like?”
The question struck Evans as so funny he laughed. “I fucked a couple of them…until I realized I was gay.”
“You’re not fucking other men?”
“No. Would you be jealous?”
“Of course I would.” Mio put another sensual kiss on his mouth. “I want you to think about making a couple of trips with me, as my companion. A couple of the guys like threesomes. We could fuck them together. They could not know we are lovers in real life…we would be there for them. They pay for everything.”
Evans couldn’t even respond. The idea of being a high-price call boy with his own private call boy was crazy. Just crazy...

Aloha oe,

A.J.

Rave Reviews for THE BLUE MOON CAFE

Reviews for my new gay werewolf story are coming in and I am pleased and relieved that so far, they are all uniformly positive. Here's a sampling of what's been said so far:

"The Blue Moon Café...combines paranormal horror and romance into a story about love and family and choices…and werewolves...a blend of the believable and the fantastic, and the werewolf that preys on Seattle is as frightening as any that I have encountered recently."

Bookwenches (Read full review here).

"unnerving realism...dark, fierce murder mystery...an exhilarating macabre fright saga at its most outstanding..."

Literary Nymphs (Read full review here).

"sure to remind readers of authors like King and Koontz."
Rainbow Reviews (Read full review here).

"Fans of werewolf tales may think they know what’s going to happen next but they’ll find themselves being proven wrong again and again."
(Tony-paul.com Book Reviews (Read full review here). 

Buy your copy of The Blue Moon Cafe here.

Only For Him, Book 2 in Only Forever Series by Shawn Lane

Barnaby Lassiter has had a thing for attorney Nathan Llewellyn since he began working at the law firm of Anderson, Llewellyn, and Stevens as an administrative assistant. Too bad conservative Nathan doesn’t seem to know the flamboyant Barnaby is alive.

But a chance to take care of Nathan when he is ill leads to a date, and then so much more. Nathan continues to have doubts. Barnaby is the hottest man he’s ever known, but their differences worry him. He’s seen too many relationships that didn’t make it.

All of Nathan’s fears are realized when he witnesses the popular, too-appealing Barnaby in action at a club. When Nathan thinks their differences are too much to overcome after all and breaks off their relationship, Barnaby is left with a broken heart and an uncertain future.

And Nathan’s left wondering if he’s just made the biggest mistake of his life by letting Barnaby go...

Excerpt:

...“You’re cute when you’re flustered,” Barnaby said, taking a step forward until they were an inch or two apart.

He could feel warmth radiating from the other man.

“Am not.”

Barnaby’s lips moved even closer, his breath caressing Nathan’s mouth. Nathan’s cock filled and rose to press against his briefs. He puckered to touch Barnaby’s pouty lips with his when Barnaby moved away with a mischievous twinkle in his eyes and dashed out of the kitchen.

Nathan shook his head and followed. Barnaby was already slipping through the door of his bedroom. He hoped to God he had condoms and lube. If he didn’t…well, they’d be taking a brief break to go to the all-night drug store down the street.

Even as he approached his room, doubts crept in. He wanted to fuck Barnaby like crazy, but he wasn’t really a one-night stand kind of guy and he knew any kind of relationship with Barnaby would go exactly nowhere. The younger man was too young, too impetuous, too damn gorgeous, and just…too much.

“I’m going to start without you,” Barnaby called.

Swallowing a moan, he entered his room. True to his word, Barnaby had already pulled the bedspread off Nathan’s bed to reveal the pristine white sheets, and taken off his pullover sweater. His jaw dropped, his gaze fixated on Barnaby’s sculpted, perfect abs.

“You work out?”

Barnaby smiled. “Sure. Dude, with a brother for a doctor? His gift for my birthday last year was a gym membership.”

Nathan just nodded. He watched as Barnaby’s fingers worked the button fly of his jeans. He thought maybe Barnaby should have been a stripper because those long fingers slipping across those buttons was sexy as fucking hell.

The jeans inched down Barnaby’s hips in such slow motion he began to wonder if he had started drooling yet. Nathan blindly unfastened his own pants. In the back of his brain he still tried to tell his cock this was a bad idea. Barnaby was an employee of the firm and totally wrong for him and—

Barnaby’s jeans shimmied down to his knees. He’d gone commando.

“Fuck,” Nathan whispered as the other man’s cock pointed up.

The younger man winked and then turned his back on Nathan as he removed his shoes and the last of his clothing, giving him a great view of Barnaby’s tight, round ass.

Nathan tripped trying to toe off his own shoes.

Barnaby turned his head to look. “You okay?”

“Um, yeah.” He felt his face burn. He got his shoes off and then his pants. He now stood in his underwear and shirt feeling shy and embarrassed. He wasn’t hot like Barnaby.

Barnaby faced him again. “Should I help?”

Nathan watched as Barnaby stepped up to him. Those delectable fingers stroked his throat as they curved around the collar of his shirt and undid the first button. A simple brush of fingertips on his neck had never felt so erotic. He shivered.

“Are you cold?” Barnaby whispered against his lips, pressing them lightly across his mouth.

“No, I want you.”

He felt Barnaby’s full, plump lips curve just before his tongue entered Nathan’s mouth, searching and finding his. He groaned and lifted his hand to grasp the back of Barnaby’s head, crushing their mouths together hard.

Barnaby’s fingers sped up on his shirt, tearing at the buttons even as he whimpered low in his throat...


Don't miss Book One, Only In His Dreams, now available


And coming on May 23, 2010 is book three, Only His Heart.

A Hard Habit to Break by KC Kendricks

Last summer, I had a ball writing the Southern Cross series (Netting Neptune, Taming Triton, and Poseidon's Pleasure). The best thing, for me, was being able to tie the six main characters together through Austin, and still have the three books work fine as stand-alone stories. While writing A Hard Habit to Break, it occured to me I had a secondary character that could tie a few stories together in a slightly different manner. It's very exciting when the characters speak to me like that. Definitely, a writing perk.

A Hard Habit to Break is my latest release at Amber Allure. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I did writing it.

And if you're ready for sand, sun, summer, and sea gods, don't forget to get your copy of the Southern Cross series.


A HARD HABIT TO BREAK
Available now at Amber Allure
http://amberquill.com/AmberAllure/HardHabitToBreak.html
As the reigning stud of the local gay club scene, every guy in the county knows Travis Templeton, and vies for his attention. Travis wears his crown lightly, careful not to break any hearts. He knows what it’s like to really love someone who doesn’t love you back-at least, not in the way you want.

Heath Kelley made the biggest mistake of his life the night before his best friend Travis left for college. One small action snowballed into years of silent misunderstanding and empty distance. When Heath accepts a transfer that sends him to his hometown, he doesn’t know Travis has moved back home, too. It doesn’t take long for the men to reconnect.

Admitting they never stopped thinking of each other as “best friends” is easy. Forgiveness of past sins is easy, but confessing their secrets comes harder. When Heath discovers the truth about Travis’ private life, the newly repaired bonds of friendship are stretched taut.

It’s time for Travis to choose – the love of his best friend, or a life of being second best.

Excerpt:

The ghost of his lips slid coolly over mine like they had so many times over the years, a phantom whisper that raised gooseflesh on the back of my thighs and buttocks. Travis fixed me with a stare far colder than my memories. His angry, hurt voice froze my insides.

“You had what I wanted, Heath. You were normal. You dated girls. You fucked girls.” He sucked in a deep, difficult breath. When he spoke again, the anger was gone, but not the hurt.

“Then you kissed me and brought the very thing I hated right to my bed. How could you do that to me? Why didn’t you tell me you were really gay?”

Stunned, my knees wobbled, and I leaned back against his car before they gave out and I ended up on the pavement. Never had I imagined he felt such self-loathing. I hadn’t seen it, but then I’d been just seventeen. Liking some girls muddied the water for me, and I never thought of myself as anything but straight, back then.

What I felt for Travis was special, outside everything, and everyone, else. He was my best friend. I was a senior in college before I dared put a name to my sexuality, and begin to accept what it meant. I took a chance he wouldn’t shake me off, and grasped his elbow. He trembled under my fingertips.

“Travis, I’m sorry. I didn’t know. How could I?”

He shivered, like he had a sudden chill. The anger left his beautiful eyes, to be replaced by a great sadness.

“I’m sorry, too, Heath. I didn’t know how to tell you. I thought you’d hate me.
I thought you’d run away from me, and then I ran away from you.”

My chest ached. Thirteen years lost.

“I could never hate you, Travis. There was a lot I didn’t know about my teenage self. So much I didn’t understand.” I took a deep breath. “The truth is, I’m bi.”

His eyebrows drifted up. He blinked. I nodded and rolled my eyes at him.
“Don’t look at me like I’m speaking a foreign language.”

Travis swallowed, hard, his Adam’s apple moving convulsively. “Um, sorry. Not that you’re…Your mom… I mean, I thought… is Dani a man or a woman?”
It was my turn to blink. “How’d you hear about Dani?”

“Your mother mentioned her.”

Fuck.

“Well, buddy, Dani is a guy. Daniel.”

“That’s not what I heard, man. Your mother thinks you had a live-in girlfriend.”

I snorted. How was he going to handle this bit of information?

“Well, Travis. Dani is fucking hot in a skirt, and on the telephone, it would be easy to jump to several conclusions.”

He blinked owlishly. “I see.”

I doubted it. Dani did standup comedy in full drag regalia, and it was damn funny.

Travis slumped against the fender beside me, our shoulders brushing. “You still want to go get that pizza? I really have to eat something so my glucose level doesn’t bottom out on me.”

That sounded like my old friend. “Do you still run for fun?”

Travis treated me to a real grin. “Yeah. Gotta feed the machine. Do you still run?”

I shook my head. “It wasn’t the same without you. Maybe I can get back into it, though. What do you think? Will you help me start training again?”

He looked pleased as he nodded. “Sure. It’ll help us get to know each other again.”

I leaned a little closer. “So, you’re not going to blow me off?”

Travis drew back like I’d struck him. Too late I realized the double-entendre. I grabbed his arm.

“Oh, no. No, man, I did not mean I wanted…I meant you weren’t going tell me to go to hell and then run away again.”

His eyes narrowed. “What? I’m not good enough to give you a blow job?”

We’d veered into very murky waters, the potential for disaster suddenly and exponentially increasing. We’d just reconnected, and the only thing that kept me from throwing my arms around him and never letting go was fear he’d bolt again.

As for blow jobs, I’d go to my knees for him anytime he snapped his fingers and pointed at the spot, but I didn’t dare tell him that for the exact same reason.
“Lord, Travis. Let’s not talk about sex just yet.”

To my surprise, he chuckled. “Heath Kelley, backpedaling. I’m amazed I lived long enough to see it happen.”

“Laugh all you like. We can talk sex over lunch.”

Travis turned to me, arms crossed over his chest, his hip against the car.

“No, Heath. We won’t talk sex. You’ll always be my best friend. Hell, you’re more than that. I’ve missed you so much.” He paused and took a deep breath.

“Sex is off limits, Heath. I don’t want to talk about it with you, and as friends, we’re not going to do it.”

He might think that, but I knew better.

A HARD HABIT TO BREAK
ISBN 978-1-60272-671-0
Available now at http://amberquill.com/AmberAllure/HardHabitToBreak.html

This title is also available as part of FROM THIS MOMENT ON, a five-story PAX available only at Amber Allure. http://amberquill.com/AmberAllure/AP_FromThisMomentOn.html

KC Kendricks
Visit my website at: http://www.kckendricks.com
Follow me on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/kckendricks
Join my mailing list at: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/betweenthekeys
Read my personal blog: http://www.kckendricks.blogspot.com
Check out the MySpace page: http://www.myspace.com/kckendricks

Let Him In! Sluggo Snares a Vampire

So my latest release from Amber Allure is now out, with the usual terrific cover from Trace Edward Zaber. Sluggo Snares a Vampire is an ebook short about one very frightening night in the life of a mousy gay man who spends far too much time online...and far too much time enmeshed in the traditions of horror cinema.

Yet, when he runs across a sexy, enigmatic, and deadly vampire in a chat room, he forgets about one of the main cardinal rules of vampires: they can't come in unless you invite them.

Such a simple rule! And such consequences if one forgets!

Buy Sluggo Snares a Vampire.

Synopsis
 When Sluggo cruised online chat rooms, he wasn’t looking for a hook-up; he was looking for love. But love has a way of being elusive, especially when you’re not being honest. Presenting himself as “Sir Raven,” Sluggo promises his chat room cohorts he is the “master of the night.”

And then he meets someone who challenges him—someone who claims the title, “master of the night” as his own. TepesAllure’s enigmatic and flirtatious messages to Sluggo start out as fun banter, but quickly turn to eerie disquiet.

How does TepesAllure know so much about Sluggo life? How can he know—without even a picture to go on—what Sluggo looks like? And what’s all this about an age numbering in the centuries and a curious taste for blood?

Has Sluggo snared a vampire? Or has the vampire snared him? As the night unfolds, so do the advances of TepesAllure…and even when Sluggo tries to escape, he finds that getting out is not nearly as easy as getting in.

But to make their online connection real, TepesAllure needs Sluggo to invite him in. Will Sluggo succumb to Tepes’ allure? And will the man of his dreams turn out to be a nightmare?

Excerpt

…Sluggo’s realized suddenly how easy it had been to sucker in these online men who found themselves one hand between their legs while the other caressed the keyboard, as Sluggo played up to their fantasies, becoming God’s gift to homos and the devil’s Tantalus to straight women. He wanted to believe it was some strange and evilly alluring Brad Pitt at the other end of their electronic connection. But what was this strange business about being centuries old?
 

He typed: “Methinks you’re a little too enraptured with horror cinema.”
 

“Horror cinema has got nothing on me, my little bespectacled piglet. Horror cinema has managed to get so few of my traditions right as to be truly laughable. But there has been one tradition, rule if you will, they’ve always succeeded in getting correct.”
 

Sluggo rubbed his arms. There seemed to be a sudden, odd chill in the room. He glanced at the window and saw the black night pressing against it, almost as if it was something solid and alive. He shook his head, realizing he was being silly, and made a note to check the thermostat. He returned to the keyboard, wondering about the “horror movie tradition” Tepes had mentioned. “And what would that be?”
 

“I can’t tell you that.”
 

Sluggo rolled his eyes. Of course, you can’t. That’s because there is no such tradition. “You’re quite the mystery man, aren’t you?”
 

“You couldn’t even begin to guess.”
 

Suddenly, Sluggo’s spine stiffened as another shiver washed over him…

Buy Sluggo Snares a Vampire.

EXCERPTS: DESIRE--HOT & SWEET

IT'S HERE!

The heat of desire doesn’t always run a straight course to permanent love in this paperback collection of two sizzling stories involving a television star named “TV’s sexiest man” and a helicopter logger who doubles as a firefighter in SOMEBODY TO LOVE. In FORBIDDEN DESIRE, a physician falls hard for the undercover police detective he treats.

DESIRE--HOT & SWEET
http://www.amberquill.com/AmberAllure/DesireHotSweet.html


SOMEBODY TO LOVE

Kevin Connolly, star of The Detective and selected as TV’s “Sexiest Man of the Year,” works in Hollywood with frequent filming trips to various locations. Nate Marquette, Kevin’s new love, works part of the year as a fireman in a mountain range not far from Los Angeles, but most of the year he operates his business as a helicopter logger in the Pacific Northwest and Canada. Complicating the logistics of getting together when they’re miles apart is the fact that it’s vital they keep their sexual preferences secret. Exposure as a gay man might ruin Kevin’s career, but it could mean death for Nate.

Yet in the end, it’s not these challenges that threaten to tear them apart, but deeper issues of trust and betrayal…

EXCERPT

Kevin sighed as Nate grabbed his butt and pulled him hard against his solid body. He loved feeling Nate’s cock locked against his as both dicks strained against their restricting pants, wanting to touch skin to skin as they had in the desert. Nate’s mouth closed on Kevin’s, and his lips were at first soft and sweet, but then they seduced deeper and fuller, building a hunger Kevin burned to satisfy. Nate rubbed his groin across Kevin’s, setting alight a tingling all over his body.

“I want you, Nate Marquette.”

“So I’ve noticed. The feeling’s mutual. The couch is softer,” Nate murmured against Kevin’s mouth.

They tore off their clothes and clung together, chest to chest, belly to belly, cock to cock. With trembling hands Kevin fumbled in the pocket of his khakis for two foil packets, at last pulling them free. He held them up. “Grape or strawberry?”

“I don’t care. Just hurry before I cover you with cum.”

Kevin knelt, and Nate groaned softly from low in his throat as Kevin’s breath bathed his swollen dick. The groan resonated in Kevin’s belly and desire coiled tight in his core. Kevin unrolled a purple condom over the damp cock jutting toward his face. He denied Nate the pleasure of suiting him up because he knew he’d blow the minute Nate’s hands were on him.

Standing, Kevin whispered against his lover’s ear just before he blew softly on it and then plunged his tongue deep inside. “I hope you like strawberry,”

“I want my mouth on you--any time, any flavor at all,” Nate responded.

The couch was too narrow and they didn’t make it to the bed. Half-way there, they dropped to the floor, and when Nate’s hot mouth closed over what filled the red condom, it was Kevin who groaned.

He stroked Nate first, wanting to feel the fullness as he remembered how velvety it had felt when latex wasn’t covering it. Then he savored grape as he nibbled at the head just beyond the loose purple tip and he took his time as he licked and sucked his way up until his mouth was filled with the essence of his lover. His hands roamed over the powerful body until he reached the soft, marbled sac and caressed it. As he felt Nate’s passion build, he closed his fingers around the base of his dick and squeezed firmly, just on the edge of hurting him.

Nate’s mouth released Kevin’s hard erection. “God, Kevin. Let me come.”

“Not until I’ve had all I want of you...

Electronic download available now
http://www.amberquill.com/AmberAllure/SomebodyToLove.html

FORBIDDEN DESIRE

Stan Gordon, M.D., is well aware of the unwritten code forbidding sexual liaisons between a physician and those in his charge, but when he provides intimate care for Brian Storm, a seriously injured police detective, he comes dangerously close to crossing the line. When he does, he’s shocked to find desire is forbidden, not by the code but by the emotional demons with which Brian wrestles.

Tortured while working undercover before they met, Brian knows police policy prevents him from sharing the full story with Stan, yet not revealing the trauma in order to heal his emotional scars threatens to destroy their new and deepening love. If Brian can’t overcome what’s been done to him, will Stan leave him to look for a more responsive man? And will Brian be able to resolve his secret his fears that he’ll be unable to function as a cop again?

EXCERPT

…It had been a bad day at work. A multi-car collision on the nearest freeway had filled every available paramedic ambulance and brought them to Stan’s hospital. He and every surgeon on staff they could muster had been in surgery all day repairing damaged bodies. Now fatigue had soaked into his bones. To tired even to remove his clothes, he’d managed to mix only a sandwich for supper, and he was holding half of it in one hand when the doorbell chimed.

A glance out the peephole showed a police officer dressed in a thick black jacket and hat standing outside his door. Stan’s heart lurched. Something must have happened to Brian and they’d sent an officer to tell him. Before the illogic of that—because no one knew they were an item—had soaked in, the man turned, and joy sent Stan’s blood racing through his body. He flung the door wide.

“Hi,” Brian said, his face solemn as he removed his hat.

“What a wonderful surprise, Officer Storm.” He addressed him formally, tongue-in-cheek. “I didn’t expect you, and I just got home. Haven’t checked my messages.”

“Didn’t leave one. Took a chance you’d be here.” Brian stepped across the threshold and shut the door behind him. He removed his jacket and let it and his uniform hat fall to the floor. Taking Stan’s sandwich out of his hand, he laid it on a nearby table before drawing him into his arms. He pressed Stan’s face into his shoulder and rocked with him as if he never wanted to let him go.

Tired enough to drop, Stan rested in the strong arms that held him, in the feel of their bodies tight together from head to toe and the rhythmic movement of the two of them set by Brian. Suddenly the fatigue of the day slipped away and all was right with the world because Brian, a Brian who must’ve conquered the images that had ruined sex and desire for him, was here, holding him. Stan kissed his neck, and pulled back. “Hmm. You’re skin’s chilled despite that heavy jacket.”

Brian’s face showed determination as his mouth closed on Stan’s. At first soft and searching as he kissed Stan’s mouth at the corners, his tongue traced the line of his lips and reaching center sought entrance. Stan opened so their tongues could intertwine to taste and seek out the warm moisture inside and draw them closer as lovers. The pressure of Brian’s mouth increased, growing hotter and subtly demanding as his fingers threaded through Stan’s hair and loosened it out of the conservative way it was combed and into a mass of soft curls. Then his hands made a slow journey across his shoulders and down his back, following the long curve of Stan’s spine until they slipped beneath slacks and skivvies to cup his butt cheeks and one finger slid in to caress and play with the pucker between them.

Desire, hot and forbidden, flared in Stan’s chest, then shot down through navel and belly to unleash in his groin, instantly causing him to fill until he was hard and ready, every nerve in his being primed for love. Breathless from the delicious sensations roaring through him, he held back and let his lover make love to him.

When the hands slid around from the back to the front to cup and stroke what waited there for Brian’s touch, pleasure caused a soft moan to escape his throat. When Brian unhooked Stan’s trousers and slid his briefs and slacks down, he fought to stay upright and not give in to knees weakened by longing. When Brian knelt and took the length of him into his hot, tonguing mouth, Stan fought not to explode yet but to let the feelings crescendo to a mind-blowing eruption.

He looked down on the kneeling figure and the dark head so dear to him, so intent on coaxing him to climax…and saw a flat trouser front showing no tenting created by an aroused dick.

Through a throat so filled with desire and need he almost couldn’t voice the most difficult words he’d ever had to say, he begged, “Stop, Brian...

Electronic download available
http://www.amberquill.com/AmberAllure/ForbiddenDesire.html

Buy them together now in DESIRE--HOT & SWEET [paperback] http://www.amberquill.com/AmberAllure/DesireHotSweet.html

Carolina Valdez
http://www.CarolinaValdez.com

Romance touches all the senses

TODAY is MILITARY SPOUSES DAY

On May 6, 1945, Germany surrendered completely, World War II

What's Coming Next and an offer

I started the string of posts here with one about dogs and a reference to my Canine Cupids series. These stories have been very popular with readers. I guess many people like dogs, and I throw in a couple of hunky guys and a bit of heat for frosting on the cake.

The first four have been combined in a print anthology as Canine Cupids and include Doggone Love, The Maltese Terror, Saved by Sam and Rescued by Love. The seventh tale will be coming next month and is set in the exciting adventures of the Alaskan dog sled racing community. Titled Love is Snowblind, it will introduce you to Sasha and Sergei, Dylan Norgard's lead pair and the 'cheechako' young reporter Grey Trammel who hopes to make his name and fame writing about this thrilling sport. I don't have a cover yet but as soon as I do, I will be sharing it. I'm working now on yet another, and after it is released there should be a Caninc Cupids II collection coming along shortly. The final one involves a therapy dog and her wounded warrior partner and a doctor who feels dogs have no place in a hospital!

Will there be more? I can't say right now but it is certainly possible. I'm not going to stop loving and enjoying dogs and if enough readers show an equal enthusiasm, there very well could be.
Meanwhile you can get any of them to read from www.amberquill.com/AmberAllure/bio_ODare.html where all my backlist is available!

Here's a teeny contest for you: the first reader who posts a comment here will win her choice of the six Canine Cupids covers to date in a glossy 8x10 mini-poster with my autograph in one corner--or the cover for Beyond The Shadows if you like it best!

So happy reading to one and all!
Luck n Love,
Deirdre

Beyond the Shadows--adult excerpt

Here is the excerpt, adult for language and some explicit m/m interaction.
Enjoy! Deirde

****
As Rhys drove into the carport to stop beside Liam's old Jeep, he noticed lights were still on. In fact, it looked like every light in the house was ablaze. Liam flung open the kitchen door and held it wide while Rhys stumbled in with his stuff. All at once, he was dead tired. Relief compounded the result of a six-hour drive on top of a full day, coupled with constant worry. He tossed his gym bag, laptop, and an armful of other stuff onto the counter and sank into the nearest chair.
For a long moment, he looked at Liam, really looked, seeing the newly deepened lines that bracketed the other man's mouth and the tension around his eyes. Still the familiar and beloved face looked good, comfortable and precious beyond words.
"I worried," he said finally. "I sensed something was out of whack when we talked last night."
Liam's gaze fell away from his for a moment and the other man exhaled a long, slow breath, almost a sigh. "Yeah, it's been weird. No more murders, but... I'm not sure how to explain this or even what really happened. Maybe it was a hallucination or just my imagination." With that preamble, he launched into the tale of his encounter on Monday.
Rhys nodded several times, but did not interrupt. He sensed Liam needed to get this out as quickly as he could, as if to eradicate the incident from a deep place inside himself and dispose of it by sharing the story. He could see the encounter haunted his friend and troubled him in ways the other man was not able to explain and probably didn't fully understand. He even sensed there was something Liam was not revealing, but what that was he had no idea.
"The monster wants us both," Liam concluded. "At least that's what he said, and he hinted about the two of us causing him a lot of trouble, thwarting his goals a long time ago. I--that didn't make sense to me, but then, well, there're those stupid dreams. I never used to dream, but lately I've had a couple about another time and place, another life maybe. I don't know what to believe. Still, I'm damn glad you're back. I guess I let myself get a little spooked."
Rhys nodded again, giving the other man a wry grin. "Yeah, monsters under the bed and the whole shebang. I didn't figure our demon would come to Albuquerque after me, but then again, he can probably go anywhere he wants to. I worried, I have to admit that, mostly about you and Billy."
Liam's eyes widened for a moment. "Never thought of that, our monster or whatever it is traveling away from around here, but you're probably right. What are we going to do? Do we start working separately so he can't get both of us at the same time or do we stick together and try to figure out how to take him down?"
Rhys took a moment to frame his answer. What he was going to suggest could either strengthen their bond of friendship or shatter it beyond repair. He had no way to guess ahead of time. Could Liam possibly be ready to hear and accept what he was about to say? He'd just have to approach it carefully and try to gauge the other man's response as he went along.
"I've had some dreams, too, and my sense is they're true, real. We did live before. At least one time was in the British Isles a couple of millennia ago. We met, and maybe I saved your life. We became friends, more than friends, much more..."
Liam's troubled gaze met his, locked in a steady stare. Rhys could read no shock or revulsion in that look, so he went on.
"Somehow that bond gave us the strength to defeat this monster then. You called him the Soul-Eater, told me about how he'd preyed on your people. Then he started to do the same thing with my tribe, while you were there with me. Druid magic, warrior powers and the strength of our love--that's what we used to bring him down before. If anything will work for us now, it'll be something close to the same. We just have to remember the spells, the herbs and the ways to invoke the old gods. And we have to be together, totally and completely together. Can we do that?"
Liam answered not in words, but in action. He closed the distance between them and dropped to one knee in front of Rhys where he sat in the wooden chair beside their small kitchen table. Liam rested one hand on Rhys' left knee and with the other reached out to touch his face. His fingertips brushed Rhys' cheek and then his palm curved to cup it.
"That's about all we haven't shared," he said finally. "Our lives are as twisted together as one of those Celtic knots. If it's gonna be okay with you, it'll be okay with me--whatever we need to do. Hell, I've loved you since we were kids. There were times I wanted to be closer, but I didn't know how to ask or what to do. I wasn't sure how you'd react, so I never tried."
Rhys turned his head until his lips pressed into Liam's curving hand. "I've always loved you, too, in every way I possibly could. I wanted so much more than just our friendship, but... We'll both be learning and exploring, but I think it'll be all right."
He stood then and put his arm around Liam as the other man also rose. "For now, for tonight, let's just share a bed. I mean to sleep, nothing more. I'm too tired to do anything else and you look pretty beat, too, but I think we'll both sleep better if we know the other is close."
He was surprised how easily it went, how comfortable they were as they both undressed and crawled into the queen-sized bed in Liam's room. Years ago, when they were both young and innocent, they'd slept together a few times, but all too soon innocence faded and inhibitions overcame the bond, at least to some degree. Touching became verboten, sissy and suspect. Rhys recognized suddenly how much he'd missed it. No, not missed, but needed.
Tonight they settled quickly, constraints perhaps soothed by weariness and stress. They spooned together with Liam's back to Rhys' front, just as they'd been in his recent dreams. Within moments, sleep began to blur his thoughts as a sensation of complete comfort enveloped him.
* * * *
Rhys awoke in an itchy sweat. He kicked one foot free of the covers before he came fully awake. Why am I so damned hot? It was still dark and his bedroom didn't have direct heat. Something was different, unusual. Then he recognized he lay pressed against another body from shoulders to knees and that his stiff cock was buried between the thighs of the other person. For an instant, shock jolted through him. Oh my gods, what am I doing?
Then answers came. It's just Liam. It's okay. I want this, need it. I even think he does. Understanding and acceptance flashed through his thoughts and settled his anxiety. He remembered how they'd decided to share the bed last night. Here they were. It wasn't really dark, not as dark as Rhys' room. Liam had taken to keeping a night light on and, as the haze of sleep cleared, Rhys could see the pale blur of Liam's shoulder close to his face and then the room in muted shades.
It felt strange because he hadn't slept the night with another person for years; in fact, probably not since he'd stayed with Liam's family when his mother flew back to Charleston for his grandfather's funeral when Rhys was about nine. That night Rhys had awakened early from a bad dream and crawled into the other twin bed with Liam for the simple comfort of being close to someone. That had been the last time they'd slept together, the last bit of innocence.
At that moment, Liam woke and rolled over, freeing Rhys' prick from the warm pressure between Liam's thighs, but also putting them face-to-face...very close face to face. Liam's eyes snapped open as he registered the fact he was not alone.
"Whoa, what the-- Oh, it's you."
To Rhys' surprise, Liam seemed to accept the situation even more easily than Rhys had himself. For a dozen heartbeats, they stared into each other's eyes, mere inches apart. Then the distance seemed to shrink until it vanished. Rhys blinked his eyes shut just before Liam's lips pressed against his. After that first contact there was no time or attention left for thought, only sensations, compelling and overwhelming, intense and incredible. Rhys surrendered to them. He could do nothing else.
Liam's lips shifted and molded to his, starting out very soft and gradually pressing harder. Then the tip of Liam's tongue stroked along the seam of Rhys' lips until he let them part, granting entry into his mouth. For a time they explored the sensitive inner surfaces of each other's mouths, edging along teeth and darting in and out in a pantomime of the ultimate union.
Lifting both his hands, Liam clasped Rhys' head, fingertips threading into the crisp short hair behind his ears and then circling to dip into the hollow at the base of his skull. They broke the kiss only to continue by tasting and touching each other's faces, eyes and nose, throats and ears, exploring with the delicacy and care of a blind child.
With eyes tight shut, Rhys read with his lips, tongue and fingertips as he learned anew the face he thought he had known the better part of his life. He sensed Liam was doing much the same. The touches tickled, titillated, awakening a burn of arousal that was hotter than the midday sun in July.

New Release--Beyond the Shadows

This past weekend the latest Amber PAX was released. Centered around the theme of best friends to lovers, it features tales by KC Kndrick, Christiane France, Lynn Lorenz, Shawn Lane and me, Deirdre O'Dare. Each tale is different but they all feature two guys who have a wonderful friendship but secretly want to go the next step.

My story in the bunch, Beyond the Shadows, is a new direction for me, a venture into urban fantasy or as I call mine rural fantasy since they don't take place in the city! Parts almost edge into the dark horror realm as I have a really nasty otheworldly villain that my two men, probationary US Border Patrol officers tangle with. There is some serious blood and guts, some other paranormal aspects and a slow burn kind of sizzle that comes to a climax just before the rest of the action wraps up. The cover is awesome and I intend to make it into a poster so I can keep on enjoying it.

Anyway here is the blurb:

First year border patrol officers Rhys Davis and Liam Malone have been best friends since second grade. When their new asssignments puts them on the front line in tracking down a vicious and inhuman killer, an otherworldly Soul-Eater, along the souttrn border, they must call on every resource at their disposal.

The most potent of these turns out to be memories they share from two thousand years ago, a time in the British Isles when they were partners in every way, forming an eternal bond that allowed them to defeat this same enemy in that lifetime.

Now they cannot help but wonder...will crossing the line from friends to lovers in this lifetime build on their friendship or destroy it?

I'll pop up an excerpt in a minute.

Deirdre

Dog Drama or Why Deirdre Writes Dog Stories

Dog drama! If you have never had more than one canine pet at a time, this probably won't ring your bell but if you have, you may know that every added dog is like another toddler age child in the family circle. Indeed it's been estimated that the intelligence level of an adult dog and a 2-3 year old child are fairly similar. Right now I share my home with four canines, two females and two males. The 'boys' are the most trouble but now and then one or both the girls gets on a tear and talk about PMS! You ain't seen nothing yet!

First there is BeeBee, short for Blue Belle, who's around four and as near as we can guess a Blue Heeler-Corgi mix. She is the 'queen bitch of the kibble bowls' and will lay there and guard them all day if she can. She also has her favorite places to sprawl and woe betide anyone who claims one when she wants it. Otherwise she is a sweet loveable and loving little lady.

Then there is KayCee, a purebred Heeler, about two and a half, neutered male but still full of himself and about half puppy. He is cocky, rowdy and badly needs a job besides trying to keep the squirrels out of the yard. Needless to say he drives the girls crazy at times.

Next is Belle Star, my little fur-girl. She is purebred Australian Shepherd or Aussie and sweet natured, not aggressive but if anyone picks a fight with her she is in it to the death. That's a hold -over from when she was abandoned, neglected and picked on. A back yard breeder's puppy machine, she came down with an auto-immune disorder called discoid lupus and they just dumped her. The disease is akin to the lupus humans can get but only effects the skin or 'leather' of the nose in most cases. She has to take prednisone to supress her immune system so it does not fight with her own body and she is always hungry. She is the eldest at about eight and would be the boss dog except BeeBee was here first and Belle is really not aggressive. KayCee intimidates her as they had a bad squabble when I introduced her into the household as I moved in with my brother and his two dogs last year and she got the worst of it. She's been chewed up too many times and it's taken a toll on her.

The latest addition is Pinto, a Miniature Schnauzer who was the inspiration for my recent story Schnickelfritz in Love. He's gray and white and a fifteen pound bundle of endless energy although he is close to Belle's age. He has no concept of his size and becomes a tiger if anyone threatens him or his mommy, my brother's lady friend. He and KayCee have not sorted out who is the 'real' alpha male but they do play more than fight, thank goodness. He too came from a puppy mill and had no socializing when Nancy got him but has worked out surprisingly well. But both BeeBee and Belle get upset when the boys start to run and scuffle through the house so they defiitely keep us all on our toes.

So in case you ever wondered why I might have been inspired to write stories with dogs in them, now you know the rest of the story! Actually I am a life-long dog person and still remember with great fondness my first dog, an English Shepherd type named Flash. No kid could have asked for a sweeter and more energetic and fun loving dog. His life was cut short by being poisoned and then shot--I could never prove who did it but had my suspicions. Anyone that cruel and sick deserves the hottest zone in Hades! After that a long procession of dogs came and went through my life but I hope never to be without one until my dying day. They are aggravating and pesky at times but there is nothing that can enrich your life so well as a good dog can! I say it is no coincidence that dog is God spelled backwards. I figure the Ceator had a special place in mind and filled it with one of His finest efforts. I love all animals but dogs hold a very special place in my heart!

INDEPENDENCE DAY 2

In INDEPENDENCE DAY http://www.amberquill.com/AmberAllure/IndependenceDay.html
Nick Gregorio took a stand against his ambitious ex-lover’s plans for a reunion. If Al wants them to get back together, then he has to give up the double life he’s been living and move to Vegas.

Now, in INDEPENDENCE DAY 2
Just Released by AMBER ALLURE: April 11, 2010
http://www.amberquill.com/AmberAllure/IndependenceDay2.html

Nick is still waffling back and forth, unable to make up his mind—should he try and work something out with Al, or should he let him go?

After six weeks pass with no word from Al, Nick doesn’t know what to think. Is Al still considering his suggestion about coming to live in Vegas, or does his silence say it all? Then an old friend from Nick’s hometown comes to work with Nick at The Neapolitan Hotel and brings news about Al that sends Nick reeling with shock, anger and total despair. In desperation, Nick turns to his new friend, Trip Browning, for support. But then Trip delivers a big surprise of his own.

Excerpt:

Nick had been literally holding his breath, praying for Silvia’s approval. If she’d given thumbs down on all or any of the three dishes, he’d have been hard-pressed to come up with replacements at this late stage. Instead, to his relief, she’d loved them all!
As the door closed behind Silvia, Nick let out his breath in a rush, grabbed Trip and waltzed him around the room. “She liked them. In fact, I think she loved them. This is so totally fantastic because I was terrified she would hate them all, and in that case I would have been totally screwed because I—”
Nick’s flow of words ceased abruptly as Trip’s arms tightened around his body and the hot moist heat of Trip’s mouth was grinding hard against his lips and he tasted blood as the passionate onslaught opened up one of the almost healed cuts.
Unable to move, Nick felt the thud of his heart against his ribs and the blood pulsing in his veins. He could also feel Trip’s heat and smell his scent, but he didn’t know what to do or even what to think. Okay, so it was something he’d secretly wondered about, perhaps even hoped, deep down, that what he suspected about Trip might turn out to be true.
Although if it was true, why hadn’t Trip made a move before now? He tried to pull free, but Trip held firm, one hand cupping the back of Nick’s head while his tongue slipped into Nick’s mouth, seeking, exploring.
As suddenly as it had begun, the magical moment was over. Trip released his hold on Nick and stepped back, his face flushed and his expression confused. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have done that. I had no right. It’s too soon. You need time to recover, time to heal and put the past behind you. Forgive me, I—”
Before Nick could collect his thoughts and say he didn’t want or need an apology, Trip had abruptly stopped speaking, wrenched opened the door and rushed out, leaving Nick on his own.
Nick took a deep breath and touched his mouth with the tips of his fingers. One of the cuts had opened up and was bleeding again. He found a tissue in his pocket and quickly stemmed the flow. Wherever Trip had gone, Nick knew that chasing after him was the worst possible idea. It would achieve nothing except draw attention to something he wasn’t sure about, and he didn’t have a hope of trying to explain if anyone asked him questions.
He and Trip were close. They’d become best friends fast, within a few days of Nick arriving in Vegas. Trip’s friendship had helped Nick through the painful aftermath of leaving Al, and the difficulties of settling into his new life, and sometimes Nick wondered how he would have ever managed without him. However, Nick knew that even close friendships such as theirs had limits beyond which it was better not to go. For one thing, he’d never been sure of Trip’s sexual orientation, and perhaps Trip wasn’t either. In any event, it wasn’t something he’d felt entitled to ask. Maybe Trip was one of those guys who’d been teetering on the edge and Nick’s moment of triumph had given him the courage to declare himself. Either that, or he’d just closed his eyes and jumped. And scared the hell out of himself?
Whatever the reason behind that kiss, Nick knew it had left Trip feeling confused and embarrassed. All Nick could do was give him the space to figure it all out. The one thing Trip didn’t need right now was for Nick to start hounding him for answers he most likely didn’t have, or probing for motives he was unsure of.
When Trip was ready to talk, he’d be back in touch. But if that didn’t happen within the next few hours, then it would be up to Nick to make the next move.

www.chrisgrover.ca