Archive for the ‘m/m’ Category

Denying Yourself – Amazing Reviews

May 20, 2013 Filed under: book release, m/m, paranormal, review, shapeshifter

I’m so excited about the wonderful reviews I’ve gotten of Denying Yourself like this one from Whitney at Live Your Life, Buy the Book –  “This book left me all swooney and happy. I was sucked from the first few pages. Matt and Shane were just meant to be together. This is one of those hard-fought roads to love for a love that was there from the start. Really tragic but beautiful.”

And this one from Tyra at Guilty Indulgences -“This book may be a  paranormal but the feelings of self loathing and denial not to mention the addictive personality traits are very real. Shane could be any teen today struggling, looking for approval and love. This is an emotionally intense story about self acceptance.”

Lucky from Mrs. Condit Reads Books had this to say – “Silvia Violet writes stories of amazing and powerful shifters, but what happens when the shifter doesn’t want to be one? What happens when he has fallen so far that there is nowhere else he can go? These are the questions that begin in the next section of the book. They’re not easy things to answer. Some of the answers are not pretty. Some are disturbing, even to the point of wanting to scream no at what Shane does. Ms. Violet doesn’t sugarcoat it at all. I know that Shane is meant to be with Matt, but it’s a lesson he needs to learn.”

To read an excerpt, go here.

RJ’s April Blog Hop for Autism Awareness

Mar 31, 2013 Filed under: contemporary, excerpts, m/m, web event

I’m thrilled to be part of this blog hop to raise awareness about autism and prejudice.

After reading, leave a comment for a chance to win your choice of any ebook from my backlist.

Autism Fact: Autism affects the way a person communicates with, and relates to, other people.

When my older daughter was three, she had a very small pre-school class and one of the girls in the class had autism. The little girl had a very limited vocabulary, she didn’t join in most class activities, and she left class for part of each day for speech or occupational therapy. At the beginning of the school year, I wasn’t sure how my daughter would react to this girl since my daughter was speaking with more complex sentences than most three-year-olds and was very observant and would wonder why the other girl left class with different teachers. But instead of being concerned by her differences, my daughter made sure the other girl knew she was welcome to join the class when they made crafts or had snack, and she talked to her just as she did the other children in the class even though the little girl didn’t answer back.

Whether it had to do with my daughter’s attitude towards her or something else about my daughter, the little girl started sitting beside her at snack, playing with toys beside her and generally attempting to make friends in her own way. Her mother and I became friends, and the girls played together outside of school. My daughter never saw a reason to treat her differently from her other friends.

No one at the pre-school talked about there being anything “wrong” with the autistic student and the teachers treated her the same way they treated the others students. I think my daughter saw that and modeled the behavior herself.

It wasn’t until several years later when her friend went to an elementary school with a special needs program that my daughter realized her friend had something society consider a disorder. As far as she was concerned, her friend just thought and communicated in her own special way. I was so glad that this was how my daughter formed her early impression of children with special needs. Rather than having a pre-conceived idea of someone with autism, she got to know her first and then found out why her brain worked differently. It would be great if we could all meet each new person we encounter without making any assumptions about them ahead of time.

Sadly, that’s not possible for most adults, but when I find myself judging someone I haven’t met, I remind myself of all the times my pre-conceived notions (or prejudices) have been wrong and the person I got to know was nothing like I would have expected.

My most recent release is Astronomical. In this story, Greg MacIntyre, an astronomy professor, defies most assumptions people make about geeky astro-physicists.

Astronomical by Silvia Violet

Blurb:
When sexy, kilt-wearing astronomy professor Greg MacIntyre moves in next door, Blake Theriot knows he’s in trouble. Blake is a research librarian, and he likes things orderly and controlled. But in his secret fantasies, he craves a big, powerful man like Greg to stir up his life.

Every time Blake tries to talk to his erudite neighbor, his brain shuts down and his vocabulary is reduced to one-word utterances, but when Blake’s niece challenges him to invite Greg to dinner, he does. A few shots of after-dinner whiskey loosen Blake’s inhibitions, and the two men share a hot kiss and the promise of more. Can Blake relax enough to give himself a chance with Greg, or will his fear of letting go ruin his hopes for love?

Excerpt:

The front door banged open, making me jump. I muttered a curse as I looked at the spaghetti sauce I’d splattered on my shirt. I’d have to change before I headed to work.

“Blake, are you in the kitchen?”

“Yeah.”

My sister’s shoes made a swishing sound as she walked through the living room and into the kitchen. “It smells great.”

“Thanks,” I answered absently as I looked through the spice rack for cayenne.

“Have you been outside lately?”

I shook my head. Renee had a conspiratorial tone in her voice that told me trouble was coming. I focused on stirring. I would not fall prey to her scheme, whatever it was.

“You should come check out the view.”

“What?” I tasted the sauce and added more pepper. “Why?”

“When you told me your new neighbor was an astronomy professor, I imagined someone even geekier than you.”

Heat rose to my cheeks like it did every time I thought about Dr. Greg MacIntyre. No one had caused such a strong reaction in me in years. The man was truly devastating—tall and beefy with wavy red hair I longed to run my hands through, preferably while on my back throwing my legs over his shoulders. No need to choose between brains and brawn with him.

But during the few conversations we’d had, I’d babbled like a fool in response to his erudite remarks. If Greg was gay—and he’d given me no solid reason to believe he was—he wouldn’t want a drooling imbecile for a partner.

Renee started to say something else, but she was interrupted by her daughter, Haley, rushing into the kitchen. “Hey, Mom. I thought I heard you come in.”

Renee was raising Haley on her own. She worked as a nurse in pediatric intensive care and had arranged her schedule to work three night shifts in a row and then have four days off. Haley usually spent those nights with me and occasionally stuck around for a few hours after school on the first of Renee’s days off so her mom could catch up on sleep or run some errands.

Haley turned pleading eyes on me. “Dr. MacIntyre is outside. Can I go meet him now?”

My shirt was stained. I’d overslept and raced out the door without shaving or doing anything to tame my curly hair. I was rushing to get dinner made because I’d agreed to fill in for someone at the main campus library and had to go back to work.

But Haley had been anxious to meet Greg since he’d moved in a week ago. She loved astronomy and all the mind-boggling math it required. She’d seen Greg setting up a telescope in his backyard and hoped he’d let her take a look through it. I couldn’t deny her the chance to meet a real-life astrophysicist, especially one so well-respected that Louisiana State University had lured him away from Berkeley for their Advanced Gamma Ray Survey Mission. I wasn’t sure exactly what the program’s professors did, but their work sounded impressive and expensive.

I sighed. I’d already made an ass of myself with Greg, so what difference did it make how I looked?

“Sure. Just let me—” Before I finished my sentence, Haley shot out the door. I nearly busted my ass racing after her. Renee laughed as I stumbled down the porch steps.

When I reached the yard, my heart nearly stopped. Greg was indeed outside, up a ladder, fixing a broken gutter, wearing nothing but a utility kilt. A fucking kilt. Could he get any more perfect?

I stared, frozen to the spot. My mouth watered as I took in his muscular legs, his round ass, and the broad expanse of his back. He reached up to hook the gutter back in place, and I bit my lip to hold in a groan at the sight of his muscles flexing.

“Uncle Blake?” Haley snapped me out of my trance. “Are you okay?” she asked.

“Uh…yeah. I’m fine.”

Her lips turned up in a mischievous grin. “You like him, don’t you?”

“Who?”

She rolled her eyes. “Dr. MacIntyre.”

I prayed her loud whisper hadn’t carried across the yard. “He’s a nice man.”

“Right.”

Not a conversation I wanted to continue. “Come on. Let me introduce you.”

As we got closer, I had to resist the urge to look up Greg’s kilt. Sweat rolled down my temples as I wondered whether he was naked under there. At least in the Louisiana heat, everyone was sweaty.

“Hi, Greg,” I called.

He looked down and smiled. His green eyes sparkled, and my cock responded. I so didn’t need to be standing there with a hard-on.

“I know you’re busy, but I wanted to introduce you to Haley.”

“Hi, Haley.” He waved at her, and she blushed a deep red. Even nine-year-olds couldn’t resist him.

He started down the ladder, his kilt lifting with each step. I couldn’t stop myself from peeking. I nearly passed out when I caught a glimpse of his pale, hair-covered ass cheek. My cock hardened more, and I prayed he—or worse, Haley—wouldn’t notice.

When he reached the ground, Greg shook her hand. “Nice to meet you.”

“Nice to meet you too. I was hoping you’d show me your telescope sometime. I’ve been reading Seeds’s Foundations of Astronomy, and I’ve got lots of questions.”

His smile widened. “Most likely you already know more than most of the freshmen I’ve taught. I’d love to answer your questions and do some stargazing together.”

Haley grinned. “Great!”

I nearly swooned. Greg was hot, brilliant, and apparently also good with kids.

“There are lots of cool things I can show you. How much math have you done? Any algebra yet?”

I barely heard his questions. My gaze was glued to his hand as he ran it casually up and down the handle of his hammer. I couldn’t stop imaging him touching my dick the same way.

“I’ve been working on algebra on my own,” Haley said. “My stupid school won’t let me move ahead, and my class is still adding fractions.”

He rolled his eyes. “I’ll help you with the math too.”

Haley lit up. I couldn’t recall ever seeing her so happy. “That’s awesome! Thanks!” She glanced at his kilt. “So are you, like, Scottish or what?”

He laughed. “On my father’s side, yes, but I wear kilts because I like them, especially this style. It’s got lots of useful pockets and straps.” He slid the hammer he’d been caressing through a loop on the side as a demonstration. “Pants get too confining.”

My knees threatened to give as I thought about what was under his kilt, unconfined.

“Hmm.” Haley considered his statement. “I like shorts better than skirts. You can do cartwheels in shorts without showing your underwear.” She demonstrated, flipping herself over on his lawn.

He laughed. “You’ve got a point there, but it’s been a very long time since I attempted a cartwheel.”

I wondered if I could convince him to attempt one after Haley left.

Renee motioned to Haley as she exited my house and walked to the car. “Come on. We’re going to be late for your piano lesson.”

“All right. I’m coming,” she yelled to her mom. “I’ll see you soon, Dr. MacIntyre.”

He smiled at her, and I got all wobbly again.

“Call me Greg,” he called as she ran off.

She turned back, grinning. “Awesome.”

“Haley, come on,” Renee called impatiently. She waved to Greg from her spot by the car. “I’m Renee. Sorry to be in such a rush, but I’m sure I’ll see you again soon.”

Greg smiled at her, but he gave no indication he was checking her out. Renee and I were twins, and, like me, she had thick, curly black hair and dark brown eyes. Where I was tall and lean, she was short and curvy, very curvy. Straight men did a lot of staring when she was around.

Maybe Greg is gay after all. Or am I just seeing what I want to see? As I considered my track record with relationships, I doubted I could be that lucky.

Greg waved to Haley as they drove off. “Your daughter’s great,” he said, looking at me.

“What?” The word flew out as my brain worked to comprehend what he’d said. I’d been observing the hard planes of his torso and marveling at the way his golden chest hair glinted in the sun.

“Your daughter?”

“Haley? She’s not my daughter. She’s my…uh…my niece.” I wished I could melt into the ground. Why did he have this stupefying effect on me? “Renee’s my sister. I’m not… I mean, I don’t have any kids.”

Greg’s emerald eyes sparkled as his gaze drifted up and down my body, assessing me. “I see.”

Is he flirting with me?

He smiled as if he sensed he’d gotten me flustered. “Are you interested in seeing the stars too?”

Was I ever, but not in the way Greg meant. At least I didn’t think he meant it that way. My cock, on the other hand, was convinced it should be ready for action. “Well… I…”

“Because I’d love to show you my telescope.”

To my lust-crazed ear, his low voice was filled with sexual intent. My cock strained against my pants, and the dryness of my mouth rivaled the Sahara’s. I forced myself to swallow as I tried to remember how to speak. “That sounds…um…great. Yeah, great.” I grabbed my phone from my pocket and looked at the time. “Work. Late. I-I’m going to be late.” What a blubbering idiot.

Greg grinned, and heat flashed in his eyes. “Go. We’ll talk later.”

Buy it at Amazon, ARe, and Loose Id

 

New Release! Fitting In

Feb 24, 2013 Filed under: BDSM, bears, book release, contemporary, D/s, first chapter, m/m, men in uniform

Fitting In is now available at Amazon, ARe, BN, and Smashwords. Get your copy today!

Blurb:
Two cops walk into a bar. Mason, the bartender, waits for the punch line, because no way in hell are these ridiculously hot men real cops. They’re straight out of a cop-fetish fantasy. But he quickly learns that Jack and Gray are the real deal, and they want him in the worst way.

What starts as a night of hot, three-way sex becomes a lot more. The two cops fulfill Mason’s submissive fantasies, but they also meet a more basic need, comfort. They want to take care of Mason, to offer him unconditional friendship, but their concern for him unnerves Mason more than even the kinkiest sex.

To find happiness with his new partners, Mason must change his belief that love is as much a fantasy as a pair of gorgeous, handcuff-wielding cops landing in his bed.

Excerpt:

Two cops walked into a bar. Mason, the bartender, waited for the punch line, because no way in hell were these ridiculously hot men real cops. They were one hundred percent fantasy material. He hoped to hell they were strippers, and they’d be willing to do a private performance for him.
Their dark blue uniforms were snug, hugging their bodies in all the right places. The taller of the two men was big enough to bench-press Mason. His shirt looked like it might burst at the seams, and Mason hoped it would. Dark, wavy hair fell over his forehead and softened the hard lines of his face. His eyes were dark without being warm, just right for a cop.

His partner was shorter, about Mason’s own five foot eleven or so. He had buzz-cut dirty blond hair and blue eyes. He looked younger than his partner, like he hadn’t been out of the academy for long, but he was just as ridiculously hot as the bigger man. His looks were the all-American-boy type. He’d probably played baseball in school and won the heart of every girl he smiled at. He was a perfect counter to his partner’s rough, domineering appeal. They could play a scintillating game of good cop, bad cop, and Mason would love for them to play it with him.

If Mason were in a porno, the cops would cuff him and drag him to a back room where they would proceed to plow his ass until he couldn’t stand up. Sadly, this was real life. They were probably relentlessly straight and only here for a beer.

They headed toward the end of the bar by the register where there weren’t any customers during the midafternoon lull.

“What can I get for you, officers?” Mason asked.

The big one smiled. “Anything cold.”

The shorter man punched his partner’s arm. “Nothing. Thank you. We’re here on official business.”

The big man rolled his eyes. “Can’t I at least get a soda?”

“Fine. Two Cokes please.”

Mason was glad to have the simple task of scooping ice and pouring fountain drinks to distract himself for a few minutes. What official business would they have here? While the occasional fistfight broke out, most typically during the NCAA basketball tournament, Nathan’s Public House was hardly a hotbed of crime.

He picked up the drinks and faced them again, willing his hands to stop shaking. It wasn’t like he hadn’t served plenty of attractive men in the past. What was it about these two that had him so stirred up?

He set the drinks on the bar in front of them and watched as they both took a sip. His cheeks heated when he realized he was staring, openmouthed, at the flex of muscles in the bigger man’s throat as he swallowed.

Focus, Mason, focus. “So…um…what kind of business brings you here?”

The shorter man smiled and held out his hand. “I’m Officer Jack Abney, and this is my partner, Gray Sadler. We want to talk to the staff who were working last night when Gino’s was robbed in case anyone might have seen or heard something that will help with the investigation.”

Mason took Jack’s hand. His skin was softer than Mason expected, and he held Mason’s hand a few seconds longer than he needed to. “Um…I’m Mason Shields.”

“Nice to meet you, Mr. Shields,” Jack said, grinning.

Mason thought he might melt, but this wasn’t a time to become a puddle of lustful intentions. The robberies had shaken up most of the business owners in the part of downtown Durham where Nathan’s was located. The break-in at Gino’s was the third one in the area, and all the robberies were believed to have been inside jobs pulled off by well-organized professionals. The occasional group of kids breaking a window and trying to get into the till or taking valuables customers foolishly left lying on the seats of their cars wasn’t uncommon, but this type of systematic criminal activity was something new.

“I was here last night, but until I heard sirens, I had no idea anything was going on. It was really crowded, and I had a long line at the bar so I was focused on making drinks and keeping customers happy.”

Jack stood up and looked toward the windows. “Not much of a view of the place either.”
Mason shook his head. “Once the lights go out over there, I can’t see a thing, especially with people blocking my view out front.”

His partner, Officer Sadler, looked at Mason then, his dark eyes calculating. “We understand one of your servers worked at Gino’s until a month or so ago.”

“Yes, Gwen did.” The idea of Gwen working for a band of criminal masterminds was ludicrous. She could barely manage to serve a couple of tables without fucking up their orders.

“Was she working last night?” Gray asked.

Mason thought through the evening. Gwen had been there, but he didn’t remember seeing her after the dinner crowd left, and he’d wondered why they were understaffed when the rowdy game watchers filled the place up. “She was, but her shift must have ended by nine.”

“Is that unusual?” Jack studied him as carefully as his partner had. Having the two gorgeous men staring at him was doing unsettling things to his insides, and his expanding dick was making his pants uncomfortable.

“I guess so. Kinda. Usually most of the waitstaff works until eleven on weekends, but I really don’t think—”

Jack held up his hand. “Just routine questions.”

“Okay. Maybe it would be better if you talked to my manager.”

“We will,” Gray assured him. “But right now, we want to talk to you.”

His voice was low and sexy. If Mason didn’t know better, he’d have thought Gray was flirting with him, but he had to be imagining it. Jack was staring at his partner like he’d lost his mind.

Mason looked back at Gray and was caught by his cool gaze. He bit into his lip, needing the sharp pain to break the spell and allow him to look away. Gray exuded dominance. Mason had no doubt he was a man who expected to get his way, and Mason would be happy to give him just that. The thought of being pinned under him and told exactly how to please him made Mason shudder.

Needing to break the tension vibrating among the three of them, Mason said, “The bartender knows all, is that the theory?”

“Something like that.” Jack’s sly grin made Mason’s knees weak. These two were going to be the death of him.

The officers asked a few more questions, but Mason truly didn’t have anything useful to tell them so they moved on to questioning the servers.

He was glad there weren’t many customers in the bar because both cops had asses worthy of his devoted attention. He sighed as he watched them while pretending to wipe down the bar. What he wouldn’t give to peel them out of their tight blue pants and get a closer look.

The intensity of his attraction puzzled Mason. Gray’s size and dominating presence pushed all his buttons, setting off submissive fantasies that had him reeling. And Jack, Mason could imagine him reveling in a hard, rough fuck or giving the orders himself with the confident air he used for interrogation. If the two men had told him to drop his pants and bend over the bar, he truly might have done it, which unnerved him. While he’d had his share of hook-up sex with no names exchanged, he wasn’t usually quite so slutty.

Maybe the fact that it had been months since he’d bothered to find a partner at all was part of the problem. He’d never really enjoyed the anonymous club sex, but he’d learned the hard way that depending on someone to be there for you was pointless, so he wasn’t much for relationships either. Hitting the clubs was the easiest way to take care of his sexual urges. He’d stepped out of his comfort zone often enough to keep from dying of unfulfilled lust, but the last few times he’d hooked up with someone in a grungy bathroom, he’d felt more sick than satisfied after it was over. For the last few months, he’d reveled in his nerdy side, the side of him that still hoped to go back to college, get his degree in chemistry, and then move on to grad school. Instead of going out he’d been spending his time off reading scientific journals and watching his favorite Star Trek episodes over and over. Perhaps he was experiencing temporary insanity from lack of sex.

Arresting Love – Chapter One Sample and a Contest

Jan 2, 2013 Filed under: book release, cowboy, first chapter, m/m, paranormal, shapeshifter

Here’s the first chapter of my brand new release, Arresting Love (Wild R Farm 2). Leave a comment on this post for a chance to win book 1 in the series.

Arresting Love (Wild R Farm 2) by Silvia Violet
http://www.amazon.com/Arresting-Love-Wild-Farm-ebook/dp/B00AUVNSF8

Blurb:

Billy Lawson is jealous. Every day he watches his boss, Cole, and his boss’s lover, Jonah, prove again and again how deeply in love they are. Billy’s never had a real relationship, and he didn’t believe true love existed until Cole proved otherwise. Now, he longs for what Cole and Jonah have.

When he meets Levi, a scared, wounded shifter who needs his help, he ignores the chemistry that flares between them, thinking he’d be taking advantage of Levi at a vulnerable time in his life. Before Levi can convince Billy they were made for each other, his past catches up to him, and both men must fight for a chance at love.

Excerpt:

The crazy cuckoo clock his boss’s lover had rescued from the farmhouse attic began to chirp, signaling the start of a new year. Cheers went up from the hands, and Billy watched his boss, farm owner Cole Wilder, pull Jonah to him for a kiss.

Billy took a pull from his beer and tried to make himself look away, but he couldn’t keep from staring as Cole staked his claim, seeming to devour his young lover. Jonah gave back as good as he got, and Billy’s cock stirred in his pants. The two men were beautiful together.

When Cole finally pulled back, the look on his face made Billy’s chest ache. No one could miss seeing Cole’s love for Jonah. They had a bond that was strong as steel, and Billy was jealous.

Four years ago when he’d been hired as barn manager at Wild R Farm, Billy had developed a crush on Cole, but he’d quickly realized Cole would never see him as more than a friend. He’d accepted that. He treasured their friendship, and he’d never forgotten that Cole had given him a chance when he could have hired someone better educated with years more management experience. But watching Cole and Jonah together made him long to connect with someone. Having a man look at him the way Jonah looked at Cole would be a taste of heaven.

Billy drained the rest of his beer. That line of thinking would do nothing but depress him. He needed to be thankful for what he had. The chance of finding the kind of love Cole and Jonah shared was nearly non-existent. He was starting another year doing a job he loved on a farm where he didn’t have to hide the fact that he was gay. Considering he’d been kicked out by his family at seventeen, he’d done a damn fine job of pulling his life together.

It wasn’t in his nature to be morose, but he’d be turning thirty this year, and he was getting tired of living in a bunkhouse, no matter how much he enjoyed the company of the hands he shared it with. He was weary of men who wanted nothing more than a hard, rough fuck behind a trailer at a horse show. He wanted a home and someone to share it with. Age was making him soft.

He stepped onto the farmhouse porch and took a breath of the chilly night air. He shivered, but he’d rather be out here than in the crowded house especially in his current mood. He leaned against the porch railing and listened to the rush of water in the stream that ran behind the house as he tried to push his depressing thoughts away. One of the horses whinnied, and he wondered if going for a midnight ride would help.

“What you doing out here?” Cole asked, stepping out on the porch and letting the screen door slam behind him.

Billy shrugged. “Just gettin’ some fresh air.”

Cole frowned. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah, you know I don’t like crowds.”

Cole snorted. “Me either. I’m about to get rid of everybody since we’ve rung in the New Year. This whole party thing was Jonah’s idea. I had a much better plan for the night, but he wouldn’t listen.”

Billy forced himself to smile. “I’m guessing your plan involved Jonah naked and flat on his back.”

Cole grinned. Then he narrowed his eyes and studied Billy. “Are you sure you’re all right? You’ve been grouchy for weeks now.”

Billy raised his brows and looked pointedly at Cole.

“Yeah, yeah. I’m grouchy all the time. I know it.” Cole said.

Billy rolled his eyes. “Damn temperamental wolf.”

Cole snorted. “I’m better than I used to be, now that I’ve got Jonah.” As soon as those words came out, Cole tensed.

Jonah’s brother, Nathan, had kidnapped Jonah, drugged him so he had to remain in horse form, then sold him. Fortunately, he’d ended up at Cole’s friend’s horse sanctuary. As Cole and the rest of the crew at the farm fought to keep Jonah safe, Billy ended up in a fistfight with Nathan. In the aftermath, Cole finally realized Billy had hoped for more than friendship between them. Fortunately, Cole hadn’t freaked out, but he was still sensitive about talking to Billy about his relationship with Jonah. Billy wished he’d just get over it.

“You’re right. Jonah’s been good for you.” Billy clapped him on the shoulder, and Cole looked his way, tension easing.

“You should take some time off,” Cole said. “With planning the addition to the barn and new horses coming in, you’ve been working non-stop for weeks.”

That was true, but when he was working, Billy didn’t feel lonely, and he didn’t have time to be jealous of Cole. “I don’t mind. I’d rather be working with the horses than doing anything else.”

Cole frowned. “When was the last time you left the farm?”

Billy shrugged. “I don’t know. I went into town a few weeks ago.”

Cole raised his brows and glared.

“I’m fine. Really.”

“You need a vacation.”

Billy shook his head. “I’m happy here. There’s nowhere else I want to go.”

He’d spent his late teens and early twenties wandering, finding work where he could, never staying anywhere long. Now that he had a place he felt safe and accepted, he never wanted to leave.

Cole leaned closer and sniffed. It had taken Billy a while to get used to Cole’s werewolf habits, but now he took such things for granted.

“Something’s bothering you,” Cole said. “I can smell it.”

“I’m just keyed up. It’s probably the barn addition. I want to be sure I’ve got all the details right before we break ground.”

“You need to relax,” Cole insisted.

Billy scowled. “The last thing I need to is sit around on my ass. You know I can’t stay still long.”

“Maybe you need to learn how. You’re taking a three-day weekend starting next Friday, and I won’t listen to any complaints.”

Three whole days to think about everything he didn’t have instead of concentrating on what was right in his life. “Where the hell do you expect me to go?”

Cole frowned. “I don’t know, but I’ll figure it out and let you know.”

Billy glared at him. “You’re not sending me on a trip.”

Cole growled. “The hell I’m not. Consider it a bonus.”

* * * *

Billy put up a token fight, but in the end, giving into Cole’s plan was the only option since he threatened to bodily remove Billy from the farm. So, against his wishes, Billy had driven to Nashville, checked into a fancier hotel than he’d ever stayed at in his life, plopped down on the bed, and stubbornly started making spreadsheets for the next week’s horse training rotations. Cole could make him leave the farm, but Billy would be damned if Cole would keep him from thinking about farm business.

A few hours later Billy ordered a burger and watched a pointless movie filled with motorcycle chases and things blowing up. At least the fast-paced film distracted him from the quiet of his room. At the farm, he was never lonely for long. Here, in a hotel room, it was painfully obvious he had no one to share this forced vacation with.

He survived the evening holed up on his own, but the next day he got restless and decided to go for a walk. The temperature was hovering around freezing, and the wind cut right through his fleece-lined jacket. He noticed some beautiful carvings of horses in a gallery window. Danielle, the farm’s head trainer, would love them.

The gallery appeared to be having a craft fair, and he decided to take the opportunity to get out of the cold. He found the booth with the horse carvings. They were so detailed and life-like they looked like they might take off running despite being only six inches high. He purchased a galloping stallion for Danielle then spent nearly half an hour talking with the artist and his partner. They reminded him of Cole and Jonah. They had the same settled, unabashedly-in-love look about them. He sighed as he waved good-bye and headed back into the cold.

He shivered as he stepped out of the gallery. The wind howled along the storefronts, and it felt as if snow was on the way. He scurried across the street into a coffee shop. He’d joked about designer coffee plenty of times, preferring his brew strong and black, but he was supposed to be on vacation, and he did have a thing for chocolate. So, after a casual glance to make sure he didn’t see anyone he knew, he ordered an enormous mocha with whipped cream and chocolate sprinkles on top.

He sat down with his drink and pulled his tablet from his satchel. He read some articles on the care of newborn foals. Then he scanned through some of the horse care message boards he frequented. By the time he’d finished his drink, he was jumpy from the caffeine. He couldn’t sit still any longer. He walked around the city for a while, trying to ignore the cold that seemed to settle all the way to his bones. He hated winter. He’d much rather be dripping with sweat on a burning August day than checking the sky anxiously for snow. Sooner than he wanted to, he headed back to his hotel where he flipped through channels and paced the room.

When the silence got to be too much, he decided to go find a bar. He didn’t think there was a chance in hell he was going to meet someone who was interested in more than a quick fuck, but if a warm body next to his for a few hours was all he could have, he’d take it. He was on vacation after all. Maybe with a few drinks in him, he wouldn’t care so much.

He did a search for gay bars in the area and found one a few miles away. He considered walking so he could drink as much as he liked, but when he glanced out the window a wet mix of sleet and snow had started to fall. No way was he walking in that crap. He shouldn’t drive in it either, but he couldn’t spend one more minute in the hotel.

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Wild R Farm 1: Finding Release is available here.

Guest Author: Freddy MacKay’s Christmas Blog Hop

Dec 23, 2012 Filed under: guest blogger, holiday, m/m

Snowed In by Freddy MacKay

Blurb

When their families celebrate Christmas at his parents’ cabin, George receives one request from his boyfriend’s little sister, Courtney—break up with her brother. George is devastated that the cute as a button high school freshman has gone from loving to hating him with no explanation as to why, and insecurities about his relationship with Max rear their ugly head.

 

Max tries to distract and comfort George, but Courtney becomes more hostile and less festive by the minute, upsetting everyone in the house. George leaves to do some last minute shopping and to give Courtney some space only to run into his ex-boyfriend, which further complicates everything.

 

Sometimes mixing Christmas with family is a toxic combination.

Excerpt

 

“Are you sure this is okay, Kyle?” Max asked for the hundredth time, even as he packed his suitcase. “We don’t have to switch.”

George smiled, he wanted to agree with Max, but he knew Kyle had been right to suggest flipping rooms. Staying next to Courtney’s room would be a mistake, especially after her tantrum downstairs. They needed to move so the rest of the week would—hopefully—run more smoothly for everyone. The cabin was a decent size and the walls were thick, but not thick enough or big enough at the moment. The space felt enclosed and suffocating, something George never imagined himself feeling in his own bedroom. They needed to get out and away before more damage could be done. That thought alone created a chasm deep inside George, playing at his greatest worry—losing Max—and he didn’t want to taint his room further with unhappy thoughts and concerns.

His old room held a lot of memories for him. All of them good and exciting but, unfortunately, Courtney’s hissy fit had contaminated his youthful innocence and wonder. George looked around, trying to recapture pleasant memories, molding them back into something acceptable. Geeky science posters, pictures, specimens, and awards cluttered the space, his room virtually untouched by his parents except for little changes here and there.

Like the bed and closet.

As soon as someone walked into the space the closet could be found to the right. The folding doors looked new so his parents must have replaced them recently. They had also removed the twin bed he grew up in and put a queen in its place, making the room a tight fit. At least they’d put it where he’d kept it in his youth.

George didn’t like the idea of his room changing too much. The consistency calmed him and made him feel welcome, something Courtney had nearly ruined.

His desk and shelves lined the wall connecting to his parents’ room while his bed was pushed into the corner on the opposite wall under the window. Which meant his bed was against the wall it shared with the room Courtney stayed in. Grimacing, George shook his head.

George hadn’t said it, but another factor influenced his agreement to the move. He didn’t know how comfortable he felt sleeping next to someone who hated his guts. And Courtney loathed him very much at the moment. Why, George didn’t know, and he ached not knowing.

He pulled Max into his arms. “No, we need to go. Throwing us in Courtney’s face won’t help matters.”

“But we shouldn’t have to pack up and move just because she’s being a twat!” protested Max.

George winced at Max’s name calling, wishing his lover didn’t always go for the jugular when he felt wronged. Or now that he and Max were together, when someone tried to hurt George. Max’s slow-simmering temper and tenacity could be worrisome sometimes.

They had to move to help alleviate the stress, though, so George focused on holding firm about changing rooms.

“Yes, it does,” George argued. “It’s Christmas and the last thing we need is everyone fighting. Besides, I don’t know how I feel about sleeping next to someone who thinks I’m infecting you.”

Max’s back went rigid. “Sorry, Geeves.”

“Not your fault,” he answered sincerely. “We’re not running away from anything, just compromising, okay? Right now, we need to be cautious on how we deal with Courtney. Tomorrow is Friday. We’ll be out of the house shopping, and hopefully Courtney will cool off. Saturday is Christmas Eve, which means we don’t have time to duke things out with your sister and have everything be hunky-dory. I don’t want Christmas ruined for you or the rest of your family because Courtney can’t handle us together.”

“I don’t like how she treated you like scum,” said Max dejectedly.

“And for that I love you even more.” George squeezed Max before nudging his boyfriend back to the bed. “Finish packing back up. We’ll talk to your parents in the morning and see what to do next. I’m tired and just want go to bed and hold you.”

Max glanced over his shoulder, worry lining his face. “You’re handling this surprisingly well.”

“I’m not,” said George immediately. “I’m waiting to finish freaking out when we’re alone.”

Max’s hands stilled and he turned. “You’re serious, aren’t you?”

George nodded. “I’m just kind of numb right now. The whole thing feels surreal, like it hasn’t really happened. After everything I went through with Joe and always having to hide our relationship and then being with you and not, then the attack on campus, and now your sister. It’s all jumbled inside of me.”

George looked down at his hands, knowing he was making a mess of things. He couldn’t put into words what he felt or wanted to say.

He threw up his arms in defeat. “Fuck, I don’t even know what I’m saying.”

He dropped onto the bed and rested his forehead on his palms. He hadn’t made any sense. His mind was completely muddled. Courtney’s tirade against him had really hit him hard. At CRU he could expect that kind of bigoted behavior considering how conservative the campus and community were. He’d just never expected it from someone he considered family.

Maybe that’s why it’s affecting me so much? Why it feels I’m being ripped in two?

“I’m gonna check my room one more time, see if I left anything,” Kyle said softly, the door clicking shut quickly behind him as he left the room, leaving George and Max to themselves.

Max stroked his fingers down the side of George’s jaw, cupping his chin and lifting it up so their eyes met. For a while, they only gazed at each other. George didn’t know what to say to his lover. How could he apologize for ruining the evening? How could he fix his problems with Courtney? George wanted more than anything to forget the night ever happened.

“Lie back,” Max ordered, pulling George from his increasingly depressed mood.

George complied without a second thought, flinging his arms across his face.

“Roll over.”

Lifting his arms, George’s gaze met his lover’s in query.

Max smiled. “Trust me.”

“Yes, master,” replied George, teasing before turning over onto his belly.

Max swatted his leg. “Ass.”

George wiggled his butt.

“Tempting offer, but no, this isn’t about that,” Max answered. “Hm. Maybe I should have thought this through a little more.”

“What?” mumbled George into the covers, trying to find a comfortable way to lie down.

“Take off your shirt,” Max ordered.

George glanced over his shoulder. “I thought this wasn’t about that.”

Max winked and backed off of George. “It’s not.”

Kneeling, he whipped off his shirt before getting startled by Max’s hands circling his waist. He looked down, watching as Max undid his belt with practiced ease and unbuttoned the top button of his jeans.

“I’m starting to think you’re lying,” teased George, waiting eagerly for what would happen next.

“I’m not.” Max chuckled and kissed George’s back. “Now lie down.”

George obeyed, shaking his head.

The pop of a cap made him laugh. “Now I’m really convinced you’re lying, M.”

“Moisturizing lotion, asshole,” Max replied scornfully. “I’m going to rub your back. Help you relax before you freak out, though I’m starting to change my mind.”

“Oh?”

“Yes, oh.”

George jumped when the cold lotion made contact with his skin, but Max’s warm hands quickly followed. Max crawled up on the bed, settling over George’s ass. He rubbed in deep, hard circles then up and down George’s back. He groaned, loving the firm caress from his lover. George arched into the touch and closed his eyes.

Laughing low, Max leaned in. “You like that?”

“Yes,” moaned George.

Buy it here.

Christmas Recipe Blog Swap and Contest

Dec 22, 2012 Filed under: chat/contest, contemporary, excerpts, holiday, m/m, recipes, sweet treats

Today some of my favorite authors and I are going to be sharing holiday recipes. If you comment and share a favorite recipe of your own (a link to one is fine) you’ll be entered to win your choice of my Christmas titles, One Kiss and Needing a Little Christmas (These stories are temporarily unavailable).

One of my favorite things about the holidays is making cookies. I love to bake year round but at Christmas I usually go a little crazy making as many as a dozen different types of cookies and giving them as gifts. But one kind that we make every year are Oatmeal Hershey Bar Cookies. They hold together well for shipping once the chocolate bars on top are set and they are usually gobbled up quick as lightning. I always save plenty for our family and I have been known to eat embarrassing amounts of them when someone else doesn’t beat me to it.

Oatmeal Hershey Bar Cookies

(This recipe makes 10-12 dozen cookies. When I make it at other times of year, I usually halve it.)

2 c. Butter (4 sticks)
2 c. Sugar
2 c. Brown Sugar
4 Eggs
2 t. Vanilla
4 c. Flour
5 c. Oatmeal, ground into powder (I do this in the food processor)
1 t. Salt
2 t. Baking Powder
2 t. Baking Soda
2 c. Chopped Pecans
3 cups Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
12 Hershey Bars (the plain milk chocolate ones that are divided into 12 pieces)

Preheat oven to 375F.

Cream butter and both sugars.  Add eggs and vanilla and blend until creamy.  Add flour, oatmeal, salt, baking powder and baking soda.  Blend just until combined.  Add pecans and chocolate chips and blend on the mixer’s lowest setting. (If I make a full batch, it overflows from my mixer and I have to do the chips and pecans by hand.)

Drop by tablespoons onto a parhment lined cookie sheet.  Bake 6-8 minutes.  The cookies will be soft and will not look done when you take them out.  The edges may have just a hint of brown. Do not overbake!

Before removing them from the pan, top each cookie with one section of a Hershey bar.  After about 2 minutes, remove them from the pan and let cool. The chocoalte will remain gooey and soft for a long time.

Enjoy!

Needing a Little Christmas by Silvia Violet

Discovering his boyfriend’s affair with a co-worker wrecks Eli’s holiday plans. With his parents on a cruise and his brother and sister out of town, he’s on his own. His mother insists he escape to her friend’s mountain cabin. Eli reluctantly agrees, but he takes off unprepared and ends up driving into the worst snowstorm the area has seen in years.

He survives the trip, but he’s stuck with no logs for the woodstove and little food. Fortunately, he gets the number for Mac’s Wood Delivery. Mac doesn’t mind riding to the rescue, and his deep, sultry voice has Eli eagerly anticipating the delivery. Is Mac the little bit of Christmas cheer Eli has been needing?

Excerpt:

“What do mean you’re not going to be with Dave’s family for Christmas? Why?”

I pulled the phone away from my ear. I’d known my mother would be upset, but her reaction was even more vehement and loud than I expected. “Apparently one of the junior partners at his firm isn’t nearly as boring as I am. They’ve been having an affair for months.”

My mother made a sound of disgust. “Oh, honey, I’m so sorry, and you are not boring.”

“Sure, I know, but Dave thinks I am.” And honestly, I thought he was probably right. I preferred to stay at home rather than go out. I spent most days in sweats and T-shirts. When Dave did drag me to a party with his socialite friends, I inevitably embarrassed him with my lack of knowledge of current affairs. I’d taken to hiding out in the bathroom writing notes for my next book on my phone. He’d even attempted to coach me in the art of party conversation. I’d used his lessons in a book but ignored them as they applied to me. The book had done well; readers found the lessons hilarious.

When Dave suggested I was not only an uninteresting social companion but boring in bed as well, I’d taken that seriously. I might prefer a quiet lifestyle, but I knew how to please a partner sexually. After pondering what I could do to shock him, I’d gotten my nipples pierced, something I’d secretly wanted to do for years. He’d laughed. I should have broken up with him that night. We’d only had sex a few times after that, and each time, Dave raced to completion, showered off the scent of me, and promptly fell asleep.

I heard my mother’s heels click against the floor. She must be pacing, something she always did when strategizing. “I’m so sorry, honey. Do you want us to cancel our cruise?”

That was the last thing I wanted. “Of course not. You’ve been looking forward to it for months. I’m fine. Really.”

“Are you sure?”

I held the phone between my shoulder and ear as I poured myself a generous measure of whiskey. “Yeah, things hadn’t been great between me and Dave for a long time.”

She huffed. “That doesn’t give him any excuse to—”

I held up my hand even though she couldn’t see me. “No it doesn’t. He acted like an ass, and I think he knows it. He moved out of his beloved apartment and told me I could keep it.” Not that I could afford it for long unless my next book was a runaway hit.

Mom sighed. “I don’t want you spending Christmas alone.”

After draining my drink, I’d wandered into my bedroom and caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror. My eyes were red from lack of sleep and they looked more hazel than their usual bright green. My curly dark hair stood out at odd angles. The stress of trying to meet the deadline for my book and trying to hold on to a relationship that had died well before I caught Dave fucking his colleague in his office hadn’t been good for my appetite. I’d lost weight and the bones in my face showed prominently. I was definitely not looking my best, but I wanted a few more days to wallow in self-pity. “I really don’t want to be around anyone right now.”

My mom sighed. “But it’s Christmas.”

I ran my hand through my hair, making it stick out even more. “I’m not in the mood for holiday cheer.”

“Your dad and I can go on a cruise another year.”

“No, arranging this once was difficult enough. Rick and Cindy will want to spend next year with you since they’re with Cindy’s family this year. And Ally’s trip to California is a special one-time deal. This is our gift to you, and I won’t be responsible for screwing it up.”

“You wouldn’t be responsible; Dave would be.”

“I wasn’t exactly looking forward to listening to his family brag about how wonderful they all are. I’ll have a better time alone.” My mom’s pacing stopped, and I realized I’d said the wrong thing.

“Eli, why didn’t you tell us you didn’t want to go home with Dave? We would never have agreed to the cruise if we thought you’d be miserable at Christmas.”

I tried to back pedal. “It would have been fine. I enjoy visiting Boston even if the company leaves something to be desired.”

“Hmm.” My mom didn’t sound convinced. “Maybe we could get you a ticket for the cruise. It might not be full.”

The cruise was supposed to give my parents some uninterrupted time together. And the last thing I wanted was be trapped on a ship with lots of happy, smiling people encouraging me to socialize while my mom fussed over me. “No, thanks. I really, truly would rather be on my own.”

“But what will you do?”

“Stay home and drown my sorrows in Christmas cookies and eggnog.”

Buy it at Amazon, ARe, or Silver

Visit the other post in the Christmas Blog Hop:

Angel Martinez: http://www.freewebs.com/angelwrites/apps/blog/show/21254472-christmas-recipes-cookies–

Laura Harner: http://lauraharner.com/hp_wordpress/christmas-recipe-blog-hop/

Lee Brazil: http://leebrazilauthor.blogspot.com/2012/12/holiday-dessert-blog-hop.html

Em Woods: http://authoremwoods.com/2012/12/22/holiday-recipe-swap/

Havan: http://havanshawthaven.blogspot.com/2012/12/our-just-dessertsholiday-recipe-blog-hop.html

Finding Release – First Chapter

Dec 19, 2012 Filed under: book release, cowboy, excerpts, m/m, paranormal, shapeshifter

Read the prologue and first chapter of Finding Release and if Cole and Jonah seduce you, buy the book at Amazon, ARe, or Barnes and Noble.

Finding Release (Wild R Farm 1)

Prologue

 

“That should be the last of it.” Jonah tossed the final sack of feed on the back of Cole’s truck parked outside his family’s feed store. “You need anything else?”

Jonah looked at Cole with his big brown eyes as if he needed something. Cole caught his scent, and his wolf stirred to life. He smelled like horse and sweat with an underlying citrusy scent, young and clean. Prey. Cole’s cock wanted to fulfill all Jonah’s needs, but Cole wasn’t stupid enough to even flirt with an eighteen-year-old high school senior whose stepfather had been the most vocally anti-gay preacher in town. The only reason the Marks family deigned to sell him grain was because in these hard times they needed his money.

Cole tried to ignore the fantasies playing out in his mind. “Nope. We’re good.”

Jonah looked down at his dusty boots. “You got a minute?”

Cole took a deep breath. He glanced around. They couldn’t talk here, not openly. Jonah needed a friend, and Cole had once been young and different and scared. “Sure. You wanna get a cup of coffee?” He tilted his head toward the diner down the street.

“Yeah.” Jonah looked at his watch. “I’m due for a break.”

“All right. Mind if I leave the truck here?” Cole asked.

“Nah, we’re not expecting another big delivery until this afternoon.”

They walked to the diner in awkward silence.

Cole couldn’t let himself think about how gorgeous Jonah looked, staring at him with those puppy dog eyes. Jonah was off limits for too many reasons to count.

They got a booth by the front windows, and Cole ordered coffee for them. Once the waitress brought the steaming mugs, Cole let himself look at Jonah. His red-brown hair was rumpled from finger combing. A combination of sunburn and embarrassment tinted his cheeks. His denim jacket hugged his broad shoulders and… No! Cole wasn’t going to let his perusal go any lower, not even in his imagination. His wolf growled deep inside, his werewolf nature recognizing the equine inside Jonah, the shifter side his family forced him to deny.

He concentrated on Jonah’s strong, pale hands as they wrapped around the coffee cup, holding it tight for warmth and stability. Cole wanted to reach out and take Jonah’s hands in his own, but that would be bad for both of them.

Cole realized he’d made a mistake. He should have told Jonah he was in a hurry to get back to the farm, or something that would’ve kept him from sitting here alone with a very young horse shifter who was having an indescribable effect on him.

“Mr Wilder?”

Well, being addressed as ‘Mister’ certainly burst the lurid fantasy in his mind. He was only thirty, but now he felt ancient. “You know you can call me Cole.”

Jonah’s cheeks got even redder. “I know… it’s just… I was wondering if you’d consider hiring me. I know I don’t have experience working in a barn, but, I… well… I’m kind of a natural with horses.” He grinned as he said this.

His cutely upturned mouth made him look even younger, and Cole cursed his inappropriate thoughts. The boy needed his help, not his perving.

Jonah’s home life had to be hell. His father had left them when he was little, and his mother and elder brother were both self-righteous Bible-thumpers. From what he could tell, Jonah couldn’t do a damn thing right in their eyes, but Jonah working at Wild R Farm would be a disaster. Cole could smell Jonah’s desire for him. Sooner or later, he’d give into his own desire and exploit that. Jonah deserved freedom and a man who had more self-control.

Cole’s wolf growled, the sound almost escaping Cole’s mouth. If he put his hands on Jonah, he feared his wolfish instincts would take over. Jonah smelled like prey, like something to be consumed, possessed. Cole shuddered. No. He could never let those desires loose. “Jonah, I—”

“Please…” He dropped his voice to a whisper. “My family… I can’t live with them anymore.”

“Your mother’s not going to let you work for me.”

“I’m eighteen. She can’t stop me.”

Cole tried a different tactic. “You need to finish school. Didn’t I hear you’d won a scholarship?”

Jonah looked directly into Cole’s eyes as if willing him to understand. “Yeah, but I can’t take it anymore.”

“You’ll graduate in four months. Then you can get out of here, go to college.”

He shook his head. “I won’t last that long.”

He wouldn’t last long on Cole’s farm either, if Cole snapped and let his werewolf side take control. “Why ask me?” Cole thought he knew, but he wanted confirmation.

Jonah glanced around the restaurant. Only a few tables were occupied, and no one sat nearby. In a voice so low even Cole’s sensitive ears could barely hear, he said “Cole, I’m… different, like you. If my brother finds out…”

If Nathan found out, he’d kick Jonah out, maybe beat him. Cole wished Jonah didn’t stir him up so much. “I’m sorry. I’ve got all the hands I need right now.”

The eager light went out of Jonah’s eyes. He sloshed coffee on the table in his haste to get out of the booth. “OK, I understand. I’m sorry.”

Cole grabbed Jonah’s arm before he could run. Heat snapped between them, nearly making Cole let go. “I’m sorry for what you’re going through.”

Jonah shook his head. “Not sorry enough.” He pulled free and left.

Jonah’s condemnation hit Cole like a punch to the gut. Cole leaned back and closed his eyes, willing the thick, bitter coffee to stay down.

 

 

 

 

Chapter 1

 

One year later

 

What the hell was Cole doing at a horse rescue center? He needed some promising colts, not another stray. But he’d run into his friend April when he stopped for lunch on the way to visit a breeder, and she’d sweet-talked him into coming out to her farm to see her rescue organization’s latest adoptees. Cole was probably the most soft-hearted werewolf in the history of his kind. His inability to resist a stray was legendary.

April ushered them into her kitchen and plied him with her illegally delicious chocolate chip cookies. Cole let himself relax and enjoy just sitting and talking for a while. He’d forgotten how much he enjoyed April’s company. They’d met when he was in college, and when he’d moved back to Cranford, they’d gotten reacquainted, though he saw her less than he meant to. Billy, his barn manager, kept telling him to take more time off. Working all the time made Cole act old and cranky.

Eventually, they headed to the barn, and Cole braced himself for a hard sell. As they walked down the aisle looking at the latest rescues, Cole saw a quarter horse he thought a friend could use so he gave April the contact info. As they neared the end of the barn, Cole thought he was going to escape empty-handed. Then a terrified whinny broke the silence, making Cole shudder.

“That’s Demon.” April walked toward the heart-rending sound. “His owner died and a neighbor saved him from being destroyed and brought him here. He’s been beaten and starved. He won’t let any of us touch him, and he’s not eating.”

Cole followed her. He heard stomping and banging as if the horse was slamming himself against the stall door in his panic. His heart ached for the poor horse. “He’s going to hurt himself.”

April nodded. “I know. He’s already been injured trying to escape. I’m scared we’ll have to put him down if we can’t get him to eat.”

Cole reached the end of the barn and saw the roan stallion. His ribs stood out. His coat had the potential to shine like autumn leaves in the sun, but lack of grooming had made it dull, and scars and saddle sores marred his back. Demon lifted his head and stared at Cole. Suddenly the fight drained out of him.

The force of his stare made Cole step back, instincts on high alert. Something in Demon’s eyes called to him, melting his heart and making the hair on the back of his neck stand up at the same time. Cole wasn’t sure how he knew, but his life was about to change irrevocably.

Demon stared at Cole for several seconds, standing nearly motionless. Then he stuck his head over the door of his stall, snorted gently, and stretched his neck. He was hoping for a treat.

Cole hardly dared to breathe. Nervous horses normally got more skittish around him. He’d never been able to gentle a horse before. His human half made riding possible, but he still needed much longer to bond with a horse than a pure human would. Some of the animals grew to trust him, but the truly wild ones never accepted him.

April laid a hand on Cole’s arm. “I’ve never seen Demon act this way. He’s never shown interest in any of us.”

Cole stayed where he was, but spoke to the horse in a low voice. “Easy, boy. You want a treat?”

Demon whinnied softly. Cole took a step toward him.

Demon stayed put.

Cole took a deep breath and counted to three, not wanting to move too fast. As he waited, frozen in place, he noticed something in the barn smelled familiar, a bright scent he couldn’t place.

April laid a hand on his back. “Keep walking slowly. See if he stays calm.”

Cole took a few more steps. Demon whinnied loudly, but it was a happy sound. No hint of his earlier terror remained. “Wait here,” April instructed. She backed away slowly, and then returned with some carrots in her hand.

Cole couldn’t figure out what was going on. Why would a terrified horse show an interest in him? Had a werewolf been kind to him in the past? The familiar smell tantalized him again. He tried to pull it deep enough into his lungs to figure out what it was, but memories only teased him.

Demon flared his nostrils. He smelled the carrots, but he wasn’t looking at Cole’s hand as most horses would. He looked right into Cole’s eyes, studying him as if he knew him.

Cole had never seen this horse before. No one would forget him. If the animal hadn’t been abused, he’d be stunning. But the sense that their meeting held a deep significance took hold and wouldn’t let go.

Cole held out his hand, palm up, offering the carrot. Demon ate it quickly, and then nuzzled Cole’s hand. Cole stared, unable to believe what he was seeing. The horse was starving. If he’d snatched the treat and backed away, Cole might have dismissed his easy acceptance of a man with wolf blood, but Demon still wanted attention. He rubbed Demon between the ears. The tantalizingly familiar smell was stronger now. Was it coming from Demon? He rubbed the horse’s nose and concentrated, but he couldn’t grab the memory before the scent of hay, leather, sweat, and other horses overwhelmed Cole’s senses.

April cautiously stepped up beside him. “I can’t believe it.”

“Me either.”

“He hasn’t responded to anyone else. We’ve barely been able to take care of his wounds and offer him food without getting hurt. Then in walks a half-breed werewolf, and he’s as content as can be.”

“Do you think he’s known a wolf before, a civilized one like me?”

April grinned. “Sweetie, there aren’t many like you.”

Demon snuffled as Cole scratched his ears. How could someone treat such a wonderful horse so badly? His gut knotted as he looked at the horrible scars on Demon’s back. He couldn’t imagine what could make someone think they needed to beat a horse. “You’re going to be OK, now. You know that don’t you, boy?”

Demon snorted and nodded as if truly answering. Cole smiled. “You’re a smart boy, aren’t you? April is going to take such good care of you.”

Demon pulled back and stomped his foot as he shook his head vehemently.

Cole looked at April. “Is he saying ‘no’?”

She grinned. “Looks like it.” April stepped up to the door of the stall, and Demon laid his ears back. His nostrils flared. “Demon, do you want to go with Cole?”

“April.” Cole growled, but Demon’s ears perked up, and he nodded.

Cole didn’t need another rescued animal to join the growing pack of dogs and cats, and… hell, some of his grooms were rescues too. He didn’t have time for this project, but how could he say no? The last time he’d turned someone away… well… Jonah had never been found. He might have died because Cole didn’t have the courage to hire him.

He couldn’t atone for what he’d done to Jonah by taking in an abused horse. But ever since Jonah disappeared, Cole had been incapable of saying no to someone in need. Billy kept pointing out how expensive this habit had become. They’d nearly come to blows over his decision to hire an ex-con Cole believed had been wrongly accused. So far the man had exceeded every one of Cole’s expectations.

Maybe Cole could turn Demon into an all-star horse. Demon was asking for help in the only way he could. Yes, cozying up to a man with werewolf blood was strange behavior, but Cole had already begun to think of Demon as his horse

April studied Demon carefully. “Did somebody teach you how to answer questions?”

Demon snorted and shook his head.

Cole was astounded. “Are you sure he’s not a shifter?”

“If he could turn into a human, why did he stay with his former owner? Wouldn’t he have shifted and run?”

Cole considered her statement. “What if he was hiding from something or someone?”

April pointed to the scars on Demon’s flank. “What could make him endure that?”

Cole forced himself to look, to imagine enduring such torture. “You’re right. No secret could be worth such pain.”

April turned to him, but before she asked the inevitable question, he preempted her.

“Yes, I’ll take him.”

She grinned. “Thank you. I know Demon thanks you too.”

The horse snorted and nodded vigorously.

Cole was going to nurse him back to full strength. He had horses he trusted and loved, but he’d never truly bonded with one. He could bond with Demon, he was sure of it. They were perfect for each other.

* * * *

After leaving April’s, Cole spent a long, grueling day haggling with some of the best breeders in the area. Fortunately, his efforts paid off. He purchased two beautiful colts, the most perfectly gaited Tennessee walkers he’d seen since he’d taken over the farm. If his instincts were right, he’d gotten them at a bargain price.

Rain poured down on him all afternoon. He was splattered with mud, sweat-soaked after the adrenaline rush of haggling for fine horseflesh, and starving. He wanted to run into the house, grab something to eat, and take a hot shower, but he had to see to Demon first.

A terrified whinny sent Cole rushing to the trailer. “I’ll lead him out.”

His trainer, Danielle, eyed him as if he’d lost his mind. “I don’t mean to disrespect you, Boss, but I’m not sure you’re the best one to coax him out.”

“I’m the only one who can coax him out.”

Billy gave Danielle a look that told her to back off. She did, though she obviously wanted to know what was going on.

Cole approached the trailer. “Demon, it’s OK. I’m here.” He kept his voice low, talking like he would to a shy dog rather than a horse, an animal that “got” him, that could be convinced he was part of Cole’s pack.

The horse calmed and Cole climbed into the trailer. He rubbed Demon’s flank as he approached. “Easy, boy. We’re on my farm now. I need to put a halter on you and lead you to a stall. No one here will hurt you.”

Demon’s eyes were wide. A shiver ran along his back, and he tossed his head.

“Shhh!” Cole leaned close and hugged Demon’s neck. “I know this is hard. You’ve been hurt, but so have a lot of us here. We want to help you.”

Demon pawed the floor of the trailer. His ears swiveled, trying to interpret all the new sounds and check for danger.

Cole sighed. He worried his legs would fold under him. He’d give anything to lie down on a soft bed, but Demon needed him.

“I’ll stay with you as long as you need me, OK?”

Demon nodded. And snuffled softly.

Cole slipped the bridle over Demon’s head, feeling the horse tremble under his hands. “I’ll take it off once you’re in the stall.”

Demon nodded again. How the hell could the horse understand and answer so clearly if he wasn’t a shifter? But April was right. A shifter would’ve changed and gotten free. Demon had probably been owned by someone who trained him for a circus. Although Cole had never heard of another horse who could answer complex questions so easily.

He clipped the lead rope to Demon’s halter, clucked his tongue, and encouraged Demon to back out of the trailer. “Clear the way for us, or he’s going to panic.”

Billy, Danielle, and the grooms moved back, but they all stared.

“What the hell’s going on, Boss?” Shep asked. The groom had worked for Cole’s grandparents. He was the only employee who’d stayed on after they died. He’d witnessed first-hand how hard Cole worked to get the horses to accept him when he’d first come to the farm as a grieving teenager.

“I wish I knew. I don’t understand it either,” Cole said in a low voice as he emerged from the trailer. Demon nuzzled him and snuggled against his side as if he were a security blanket.

“Can he really talk?” another of the grooms asked.

Cole grinned. “His grammar’s not so good, but he’s got ‘yes’ and ‘no’ down.”

“Hell, my grammar ain’t so good either, city boy. You saying that horse is as smart as me?”

Cole laughed. When he got to the barn door, Demon pulled back and neighed nervously. “What is it, boy?”

Demon shook his head. Billy and Shep had entered the barn ahead of him. They were settling the colts he’d bought into their stalls.

He stepped back and scratched Demon between the ears. “You’re going to have to get used to being around the other horses.”

Demon snorted.

Cole tugged hard on the lead, but the horse scrambled backward. “Damn it.” Cole was exhausted, tired, and hungry. He should’ve stopped for a burger on the way home. He tugged again.

Demon flattened his ears.

“Fuck.” Cole kicked at the ground. “You’re going in the barn. I’m not going to hurt you, but we’ve got to get you into a stall.”

Demon still refused to budge. Cole forced himself to take a slow breath. “Is it the horses? Did you think you’d get a private barn?”

Demon shook his head.

“Then what the—oh, you don’t want my men in the barn, right?”

Demon’s ears came back up, and he gave a small nod.

“Billy, Shep, you got those colts settled?”

“Yes, sir,” Shep answered.

“Then do me a favor and head on to the bunkhouse. I don’t think Demon’s going to let anyone else be in the barn.”

Billy raised a brow. “That is one odd horse.”

“Yeah, but I guess we got to give him his quirks after all he’s been through.”

“Sure, but cozying up to a wolf. Hmmph. No accounting for taste.”

Cole flipped him off. “Fuck you.”

“Let me shower first, Boss.” Billy retorted.

“Ha. Like I’d want your bony ass.” Cole laughed as he remembered how lucky he was to have a manager he could joke with.

“I’ll make sure they leave some supper for you, Boss,” Shep called as the two men headed out the far door of the barn.

Once the men were gone, Demon followed Cole into the barn without further protest. The light outside was beginning to fade. Cole turned on the lights over the aisles, but the stalls remained deeply shadowed.

Cole’s stomach growled as they walked to one of the far stalls. He usually managed to keep his lupine instincts under control, but he’d let himself get way too hungry, and now the barn smelled like food. He wished Demon would let someone else groom him. By the time he got back to the house, he’d have to grab a steak from the fridge and eat it raw. Cole tried to live like a pure-blooded human, but sometimes the wolf inside him was damned hard to fight.

At least the others would be in the bunkhouse and wouldn’t see him. A few months ago, Billy had caught him stuffing raw meat in his face like a maniac. Cole feared his friend would run, maybe even quit, but he just made a joke about working for a savage. Other than ribbing him about it occasionally in private, he’d never said anything else. But Billy’s acceptance didn’t keep Cole from being embarrassed about letting his animal needs control him.

How much pull would his predatory instincts have if he were a full-blooded werewolf? He couldn’t imagine fighting stronger urges than those he already felt. No wonder so few werewolves were civilized enough to live among humans. He’d once longed to be a pureblood, but after a year of trying as hard as he could to shift with no success, he’d denied his wolf whenever possible and worked at being human.

Being pulled in both directions was tearing him apart. He imagined hunting prey on four legs, racing through the woods like sleek muscular vengeance. He’d sink his teeth into his prey and… no, best not to think about that. Such animalistic freedom might make it hard to become human again.

As he led Demon into the stall, he smelled the familiar scent again, a bit like fresh hay but orangey and bright and… young? What did that mean? Maybe he was going crazy.

He’d found a horse that preferred a half-werewolf to a human, and he believed the horse could answer his questions. Yep, he sounded crazy all right. Smelling strange things was just an added bonus. Thankfully, April had seen the horse answer him, or he’d be convinced he’d lost it.

Cole unhooked the lead rope but kept hold of Demon’s halter. “Are you going to let me groom you? I promise to be gentle.”

Demon nodded.

“Good. I’ll be right back.” Cole slipped out of the stall door, latched it behind him, and went to get a grooming kit. When he returned, Demon was waiting patiently for him. He selected a curry comb and started working the dust out of the horse’s coat. Demon hadn’t let anyone on April’s farm groom him, and his hair was a mess. Tonight wasn’t the time to really get him good and clean, but Cole wanted to make a start. He rubbed in firm circles, careful to avoid the freshest wounds which were still healing.

As he worked on Demon’s flanks, the horse studied him curiously. His big brown eyes held confusion, fear, and longing—for safety? For a real home? Cole sympathized, and he hoped to God he could give Demon some security.

He finished with the curry comb and rubbed Demon’s nose. “I’m going to brush you and clean your hooves. Then I’ll get you some dinner.”

Demon pushed against Cole’s hand and watched him, his eyes soulful, familiar.

What? How could they be familiar? Cole stepped back. The barn spun around him, and the citrusy smell floated in the air again. What was wrong with him? He shook off the feeling that he was missing something important and grabbed the brush. He’d be OK once he got some protein in him. He’d just waited too long to eat. That would explain the swirling of his thoughts and the sloshy feeling in his stomach.

He brushed Demon quickly. The horse continued to watch him as if he was trying to figure something out or trying to memorize every inch of Cole. The constant attention unnerved Cole.

By the time he finished brushing Demon and cleaning his hooves, the horse’s ears stood up and Cole would have sworn his mouth curled up in a smile. “Do you feel better, boy?”

Demon nodded vigorously.

“Good. I’m going to get you some hay, and then I’ll have to get my own dinner.”

Demon nodded again and nuzzled Cole.

Cole patted his nose before leaving the stall. He headed to the far end of the barn and grabbed a feeding bucket. But a few seconds later, a clattering sound made his skin prickle. Something was wrong. He dropped the bucket and ran to Demon’s stall.

Demon wasn’t there.

Jonah stood in the middle of the stall, pale and thin and completely naked.

Cole rubbed his eyes. He had really gone over the edge now. “J-Jonah?”

 

 

Needing A Little Christmas – First Chapter

Dec 14, 2012 Filed under: book release, contemporary, excerpts, holiday, m/m

Let Needing a Little Christmas put you in the Christmas spirit!

Read the first chapter here then buy at Silver, Amazon, ARe, or Barnes and Noble.

Chapter 1

“What do mean you’re not going to be with Dave’s family for Christmas? Why?”

I pulled the phone away from my ear. I’d known my mother would be upset, but her reaction was even more vehement and loud than I expected. “Apparently one of the junior partners at his firm isn’t nearly as boring as I am. They’ve been having an affair for months.”

My mother made a sound of disgust. “Oh, honey, I’m so sorry, and you are not boring.”

“Sure, I know, but Dave thinks I am.” And honestly, I thought he was probably right. I preferred to stay at home rather than go out. I spent most days in sweats and T-shirts. When Dave did drag me to a party with his socialite friends, I inevitably embarrassed him with my lack of knowledge of current affairs. I’d taken to hiding out in the bathroom writing notes for my next book on my phone. He’d even attempted to coach me in the art of party conversation. I’d used his lessons in a book but ignored them as they applied to me. The book had done well; readers found the lessons hilarious.

When Dave suggested I was not only an uninteresting social companion but boring in bed as well, I’d taken that seriously. I might prefer a quiet lifestyle, but I knew how to please a partner sexually. After pondering what I could do to shock him, I’d gotten my nipples pierced, something I’d secretly wanted to do for years. He’d laughed. I should have broken up with him that night. We’d only had sex a few times after that, and each time, Dave raced to completion, showered off the scent of me, and promptly fell asleep.

I heard my mother’s heels click against the floor. She must be pacing, something she always did when strategizing. “I’m so sorry, honey. Do you want us to cancel our cruise?”

That was the last thing I wanted. “Of course not. You’ve been looking forward to it for months. I’m fine. Really.”

“Are you sure?”

I held the phone between my shoulder and ear as I poured myself a generous measure of whiskey. “Yeah, things hadn’t been great between me and Dave for a long time.”

She huffed. “That doesn’t give him any excuse to—”

I held up my hand even though she couldn’t see me. “No it doesn’t. He acted like an ass, and I think he knows it. He moved out of his beloved apartment and told me I could keep it.” Not that I could afford it for long unless my next book was a runaway hit.

Mom sighed. “I don’t want you spending Christmas alone.”

After draining my drink, I’d wandered into my bedroom and caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror. My eyes were red from lack of sleep and they looked more hazel than their usual bright green. My curly dark hair stood out at odd angles. The stress of trying to meet the deadline for my book and trying to hold on to a relationship that had died long before I caught Dave fucking his colleague in his office hadn’t been good for my appetite. I’d lost weight and the bones in my face showed prominently. I was definitely not looking my best, but I wanted a few more days to wallow in self-pity.

“I really don’t want to be around anyone right now.”

My mom sighed. “But it’s Christmas.”

I ran my hand through my hair, making it stick out even more. “I’m not in the mood for holiday cheer.”

“Your dad and I can go on a cruise another year.”

“No, arranging this once was difficult enough. Rick and Cindy will want to spend next year with you since they’re with Cindy’s family this year. And Ally’s trip to California is a special one-time deal. This is our gift to you, and I won’t be responsible for screwing it up.”

“You wouldn’t be responsible, Dave would be.”

“I wasn’t exactly looking forward to listening to his family brag about how wonderful they all are. I’ll have a better time alone.” My mom’s pacing stopped, and I realized I’d said the wrong thing.

“Eli, why didn’t you tell us you didn’t want to go home with Dave? We would never have agreed to the cruise if we thought you’d be miserable at Christmas.”

I tried to back pedal. “It would have been fine. I enjoy visiting Boston even if the company leaves something to be desired.”

“Hmm.” My mom didn’t sound convinced. “Maybe we could get you a ticket for the cruise. It might not be full.”

The cruise was supposed to give my parents some uninterrupted time together. And the last thing I wanted was be trapped on a ship with lots of happy, smiling people encouraging me to socialize while my mom fussed over me. “No, thanks. I really, truly would rather be on my own.”

“But what will you do?”

“Stay home and drown my sorrows in Christmas cookies and eggnog.”

She gasped. “Eli, I’m going to see if we can schedule the cruise for another time.”

I rolled my eyes. “Mom. I’m kidding.” A little. “I’m truly not that upset over Dave. More than anything I’m angry I didn’t end it sooner. I’ll enjoy having some quiet writing time.”

“You work too much. At least if you’d gone to visit Dave’s family you would have been forced to get off the computer for several hours a day.”

While being tortured with small talk and the dreaded Christmas play Dave’s family put on every year with Dave playing a wise man who somehow became the star of the show. “I like my work.”

“Still, you shouldn’t be in that apartment for Christmas. There are too many bad memories for you. You need to get away.”

“Mom, I haven’t been in love with Dave for a long time. I’m not going to be lying around pining for him”

“Well…”

I imagined she was weighing what she could and couldn’t say. To help her out, I said, “I know you didn’t like him.”

“He didn’t respect you.”

I ran a hand through my hair. “No, he didn’t. I realize that now.”

“What did you see in him? I mean, he’s lovely to look at, but—”

What had I seen in him? He was older, successful, and interested in me when I would never have expected a man like him to be. I wanted him to want me. He’d lavished me with gifts and had been very attentive initially, if a little bit cold. At first I found his reserve charming. He was a fantasy, and I didn’t want to admit he didn’t really live up to my expectations. “I think I liked the idea of him more than the man himself.”

“Hmpf. You made his life way too easy. The nerve of him to cheat on you after all you did for him.”

Mom was right. He’d never taken my work seriously since I could do it from home in my pajamas, and I’d reinforced his thinking by doing the majority of the domestic chores since I was home anyway. No wonder he hadn’t wanted to break up with boring old me. How could I have been such an idiot?

My mom made a little noise of excitement. “I’ve got a great idea.”

My stomach knotted. What crazy scheme had she come up with now? I loved my mom, but once she concocted a plan, getting her to let go of it was next to impossible.

“Linda and Jim are going to visit Rosalind this year so they won’t be using their cabin. Let me call Linda and see if you can use it. At least a trip to the mountains would get you out of that awful apartment.” My mother had always found Dave’s apartment spartan and uninteresting, and she had a point.

“Mom, I don’t need to—”

“You need a vacation.”

I wanted to protest further, but my mother’s tone told me it would be useless.

“Think of it as a writing retreat if you must.”

There was no stopping her. If I didn’t give in to this scheme, she would cancel her cruise, and I’d never get over the guilt. And, as much as I hated to admit it, she was right. Getting out of Charlotte for a few days would be good for me, though I wasn’t sure I wanted to go anywhere as remote as Linda and Dave’s cabin that was located in Middle of Nowhere, Madison County. It did have the advantage of being only a few hours away so I wouldn’t have to stay long.

“Fine. If the cabin is free, I’ll use it for a holiday writing retreat.”

My mom sighed. “I’m going to miss you.”

“I’ll miss you too.” And I really would. I’d gone home for Christmas every one of my twenty-eight years.

“I’ll give Linda a call and see what I can arrange.”

“Okay, Mom. I love you. Tell Dad I love him too.”

She made kissing sounds into the phone. “I love you too, and so does your dad. Are you sure you’re okay?”

“Yes, I’m fine.” Angry, embarrassed, and disgusted, but fine.

“You want me to do some damage to him, you just give me the word.”

Her words made me smile as she’d known they would. My mom might be five feet even and girlishly thin, but she was a force to be reckoned with. Dave would not want to tangle with her. “Thanks, Mom.”

Next Big Thing Blog Hop – Arresting Love

Dec 12, 2012 Filed under: cowboy, m/m, shapeshifter, web event

Welcome to the Next Big Thing Blog Hop. The delightfully talented Angel Martinez tagged me last week so now I’m here to share a little about my current work-in-progress.

What is the working title of your book?

Arresting Love

Where did the idea come from for the book?

This is Book 2 in my Wild R Farm series, and as I was writing Book 1, Finding Release, I developed quite a soft spot for Billy, the barn manager at the farm, and I decided he needed his own book.

What genre does your book fall under?

M/M Shapeshifter Cowboy Erotic Romance – I like to get specific J

Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie?

Billy: David Boreanaz

Levi: Colton Haynes

What is a one sentence synopsis of your book?

Billy Lawson wants a real relationship, but he’s just about given up hope when he meets Levi, a wounded cat shifter who needs his help.

Will your book be self published or represented by an agency?

I am self-publishing this series.

How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?

a month

What other books would you compare this story to within your genre.

The farm setting combined with some suspense make it similar to Laura Harner’s Willow Springs Ranch series and Sara York’s Texas Soul series, but since I’ve combined my favorite elements of both western-themed romances and shapeshifter stories, it’s difficult to find an exact comparison.

Who or What inspired you to write this book?

The horse farm setting was inspired by taking my daughter to horseback riding lessons and observing the horses in the barn and the paddock.

What else about your book might interest the reader?

Levi can take on the form of a mountain lion and I spent time observing the pair we have at a local zoo in order to visualize how he would move and behave. When I write shapeshifters, I like to make sure the characteristics of their animal form are also reflected in the gestures they make as humans.

I’m tagging Hank Edwards and Sara Jay to post next week 12/19. I’m looking forward to hearing about what they’re working on.

Christmas Blog Hop: Needing A Little Christmas

Dec 1, 2012 Filed under: bears, book release, contemporary, excerpts, holiday, m/m, web event

I love Christmas. I don’t allow myself to watch Christmas movies or listen to Christmas music in the “off season” except during my kids annual Christmas-in-July party, but once November hits, I wait impatiently for the official kick-off of the Christmas season. No I don’t mean the day after Halloween like so many retailers but the day after Thanksgiving.

Rather than fighting crowds at the mall on Black Friday, I spend part of my day pulling out the boxes of Christmas decorations, books, movies, seasonal artwork my kids have done, ornaments that remind me of past Christmases and cookie tins. Cookie tins that will soon be bursting with our selection of holiday cookies. Sitting down with Christmas-themed cookbooks and magazines and selecting the cookies and candies my daughters and I are going to make is one of our favorite traditions.

I love the domestic coziness of Christmas – baking, admiring the Christmas tree lights in the evening, drinking cocoa while reading our favorite Christmas books, cuddling on the couch and watching A Christmas Story for the gazillionth time. That warmth and making myself slow down to enjoy more family closeness is what I treasure each December. When I write Christmas stories of my own I try to make sure my characters get a taste of this snuggly type of Christmas cheer.

In Needing a Little Christmas, Eli is used to a cozy Christmas with his family. He’s twenty-eight and he’s never once spent Christmas Day anywhere but at his childhood home with his parents and siblings. This year, however, Eli and his brother and sister have given their parents a special gift, a holiday cruise.

Eli is supposed to spend Christmas with his boyfriend, but when he finds his boyfriend doing the naked tango with a co-worker, he’s left on his on. At his mother’s insistence, he decides to get out of the city and go to one of her friends cabins right as a major snowstorm hits. When he realizes he’s trapped with no wood to heat the cabin, he calls Mac’s Wood Delivery and unknowingly saves his Christmas.

Mac has also spent every Christmas of his life wrapped in the warmth of family. He can’t stand the thought of Eli being alone without even a Christmas tree. He knows Eli needs a little Christmas, and Eli knows that what he needs most is Mac.

To offer you even more Christmas cheer, comment on this post for a chance to win a copy of my 2011 Christmas story One Kiss, filled with truffles, cinnamon rolls, light-up polar bears, and Christmas aprons.

 

Needing A Little Christmas will be released on December 6. You can pre-order it now.

Excerpt

“What do mean you’re not going to be with Dave’s family for Christmas? Why?”

I pulled the phone away from my ear. I’d known my mother would be upset, but her reaction was even more vehement and loud than I expected. “Apparently one of the junior partners at his firm isn’t nearly as boring as I am. They’ve been having an affair for months.”

My mother made a sound of disgust. “Oh, honey, I’m so sorry, and you are not boring.”

“Sure, I know, but Dave thinks I am.” And honestly, I thought he was probably right. I preferred to stay at home rather than go out. I spent most days in sweats and T-shirts. When Dave did drag me to a party with his socialite friends, I inevitably embarrassed him with my lack of knowledge of current affairs. I’d taken to hiding out in the bathroom writing notes for my next book on my phone. He’d even attempted to coach me in the art of party conversation. I’d used his lessons in a book but ignored them as they applied to me. The book had done well; readers found the lessons hilarious.

When Dave suggested I was not only an uninteresting social companion but boring in bed as well, I’d taken that seriously. I might prefer a quiet lifestyle, but I knew how to please a partner sexually. After pondering what I could do to shock him, I’d gotten my nipples pierced, something I’d secretly wanted to do for years. He’d laughed. I should have broken up with him that night. We’d only had sex a few times after that, and each time, Dave raced to completion, showered off the scent of me, and promptly fell asleep.

I heard my mother’s heels click against the floor. She must be pacing, something she always did when strategizing. “I’m so sorry, honey. Do you want us to cancel our cruise?”

That was the last thing I wanted. “Of course not. You’ve been looking forward to it for months. I’m fine. Really.”

“Are you sure?”

I held the phone between my shoulder and ear as I poured myself a generous measure of whiskey. “Yeah, things hadn’t been great between me and Dave for a long time.”

She huffed. “That doesn’t give him any excuse to—”

I held up my hand even though she couldn’t see me. “No it doesn’t. He acted like an ass, and I think he knows it. He moved out of his beloved apartment and told me I could keep it.” Not that I could afford it for long unless my next book was a runaway hit.

Mom sighed. “I don’t want you spending Christmas alone.”

After draining my drink, I’d wandered into my bedroom and caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror. My eyes were red from lack of sleep and they looked more hazel than their usual bright green. My curly dark hair stood out at odd angles. The stress of trying to meet the deadline for my book and trying to hold on to a relationship that had died well before I caught Dave fucking his colleague in his office hadn’t been good for my appetite. I’d lost weight and the bones in my face showed prominently. I was definitely not looking my best, but I wanted a few more days to wallow in self-pity. “I really don’t want to be around anyone right now.”

My mom sighed. “But it’s Christmas.”

I ran my hand through my hair, making it stick out even more. “I’m not in the mood for holiday cheer.”

“Your dad and I can go on a cruise another year.”

“No, arranging this once was difficult enough. Rick and Cindy will want to spend next year with you since they’re with Cindy’s family this year. And Ally’s trip to California is a special one-time deal. This is our gift to you, and I won’t be responsible for screwing it up.”

“You wouldn’t be responsible; Dave would be.”

“I wasn’t exactly looking forward to listening to his family brag about how wonderful they all are. I’ll have a better time alone.” My mom’s pacing stopped, and I realized I’d said the wrong thing.

“Eli, why didn’t you tell us you didn’t want to go home with Dave? We would never have agreed to the cruise if we thought you’d be miserable at Christmas.”

I tried to back pedal. “It would have been fine. I enjoy visiting Boston even if the company leaves something to be desired.”

“Hmm.” My mom didn’t sound convinced. “Maybe we could get you a ticket for the cruise. It might not be full.”

The cruise was supposed to give my parents some uninterrupted time together. And the last thing I wanted was be trapped on a ship with lots of happy, smiling people encouraging me to socialize while my mom fussed over me. “No, thanks. I really, truly would rather be on my own.”

“But what will you do?”

“Stay home and drown my sorrows in Christmas cookies and eggnog.”

You can find a list of all the posts for the Christmas Blog Hop here.