Losing and Gaining, a novel by Heidi Champa

I've always been fascinated by the idea of reinvention. Can a person really become someone completely different? Even if you manage to pull it off for a while, how long before the old you, the real you, starts creeping back in. Those are the ideas I explore in my new novel, Losing and Gaining. I hope you enjoy it.

Losing and Gaining by Heidi Champa

Release Date: June 24, 2012
Amber Allure Press
http://amberquill.com/AmberAllure/LosingGaining.html

Blurb:

At three-hundred-sixty-seven pounds, Douglas Everett Smith spent his school years being teased and verbally abused almost every day. He was spared by no one, except for Jesse Billson, a classmate who treated him like a normal person. Douglas’s crush on Jesse kept him going when things got really tough, even though deep down he knew Jesse would never see him as anything other than a charity case.

After spending years hating himself and feeling miserable, Douglas finally took action. Two years of hard work and the support of a trainer helped him drop one-hundred-fifty pounds. And, his first name. Now, as the new and improved Everett Smith, he’s thrilled when Jesse Billson comes back into his life. Even more amazing, his schoolboy crush doesn’t even recognize him, but he does start flirting with him. Everett knows he should come clean, but as romantic feelings quickly develop between the men, the fear of losing Jesse makes it harder for Everett to admit the truth about his identity.

But nothing stays hidden forever. And when the old days collide head-on with the new, Everett wonders whether his improved life will fall flat before it gets fully started? Or can he somehow make his past disappear?

Excerpt:

Jesse slid closer to me and shocked my eyes open when he put his hand on my shoulder.
“So, I have to confess something, Evs.”
“Okay. Shoot.”
“My reasons for suggesting the hot tub weren’t totally altruistic.”
“Really?”
“Yup.”
“Then what are your nefarious reasons, Jesse?”
“I wanted to see you without your shirt on.”
“Oh. Well, then I’m sorry to have disappointed you. It’s not much to look at.”
“I have to respectfully disagree with you there.”

A wave of water splashed over me as he moved in, his mouth on mine in a second. With wet fingers, he ran a hand through my hair, my own hands gripping his shoulders to keep him close. Gone were the thoughts of doing things right or wrong; all my doubts replaced by feeling. As our tongues danced together, my cock hardened in the green swim trunks he’d given me. His leg brushed against mine, our feet tangling in the churning water. When his hand reached into the band of my bathing suit, I pulled away.

“What’s wrong, Evs?”
“Nothing.”
“Bullshit. I’m moving too fast, aren’t I?”
“No.”
He ran his hands over my stomach to my chest, his thumbs circling over my nipples until I sighed.

“Then what?”
“I’m just not used to this, Jesse.”
“Don’t spend much time in hot tubs, I take it.”
I laughed, the momentary tension broken by his joke.
“No, actually I don’t.”
“Seriously, though, we can stop if you want to.”

A flash of my night with Kurt rushed through my head, but I pushed it away. I didn’t want Jesse to stop. Fear wasn’t going to ruin this. Not if I could help it.

“I don’t want to stop, Jesse.”
“Good. Me neither.”

The hot tub quit roiling just as Jesse started kissing me again, the air around us suddenly silent. His hand once again dropped to the waist of the trunks, but this time instead of reaching inside, he pulled them down to my thighs. His eyes never left mine as his hand closed around my cock. I gasped against Jesse’s lips, all my anxiety seemed to wash away with the bubbles. He stroked up and down my cock, the sensation absolutely amazing. His lips nuzzled my neck, the gentle nip of his teeth strafing my skin every few kisses.

“Jesse. Oh, God.”

He jerked me faster, our lips back together in a fevered kiss. It was still overwhelming, but unlike with Kurt, I had no desire to get away from it. My whole body started to tense up and I pulled back from Jesse’s kiss to try and get more air in my lungs. His voice was husky and soft in my ear and poured even more gasoline on my fire.

“You have a really nice cock, Everett.”

Nothing came out of my mouth but a groan, my hips rocking with the movements of Jesse’s hand. As much as I wanted things to last longer, there was no way I could slow him down. I knew I was getting close to the edge and I tried to let him know.

“Jesse, I’m really . . . I mean I’m gonna--”
“Come?”

Even though the word came out of Jesse’s mouth as a question, I took it as a demand. I cried out into the quiet of his back yard, coming into the warm hot tub water, spasms rippling through me until I was spent. Jesse’s hand slowed down to a stop, our lips meeting again in slow, sweet kisses. I felt heavy and tired my whole body loose as my heart rate returned to normal.

“You okay, Everett?”
“Great.”
“How are those muscles now?”
“Much better thanks.”

My eyes fell shut as the back of my head came to rest on the edge of the tub. Jesse brought me back to life in the best way possible. With a kiss.

“Maybe we should get out now, Everett.”
“Do we have to?”
“I thought maybe you’d like to lie down. I have a nice big bed, you know, since you’re so sleepy.”
“That sounds like a plan.”


Links:

Amber Allure Page:
http://amberquill.com/AmberAllure/bio_Champa.html

Facebook page:
http://www.facebook.com/#!/profile.php?id=1382060273

Facebook Author Page:
http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Heidi-Champa/151614298186577

Twitter page:
http://twitter.com/#!/heidichampa

Email:
hlchampa@comcast.net

Blog:
http://heidichampa.blogspot.com