LEON
When I’m looking for a hook up, I want three things:
Big, thick, and rough.
So it doesn’t make sense that I can’t get my new hire out of my head.
He’s a tiny guy with big ideas … and he’s my apprentice which means he’s completely off limits.
But he’s already under my skin.
And for the first time with any guy, I don’t think I can hold my own against him.
Physically, yes. Emotionally, no.
Auggie makes me weak.
AUGGIE
Growing up, I always wanted to go into the family business and follow in Dad’s footsteps.
Until in my senior year of high school when he told me to find a new dream.
No one would let a small, clumsy guy like me on a construction site.
And after trying and failing for years, I was starting to believe him.
Then LJ Constructions calls me for an interview and when I meet Leon, he becomes my new dream.
He’s hot as hell, self made, and instead of putting me down, he sees what I’ve always seen in myself.
But I’m not dumb enough to throw away this one chance at my dream job, not even for him.
Not even if I really, really want to.
A Never Just Friends Novel, Book 3
By Saxon James
Amazon – Kindle Unlimited
Goodreads
Book 1: Just Friends
Book 2: Fake Friends
I try to play it cool, like Leon kissing me is a totally normal, everyday occurrence. His beard scrapes my skin, and his tongue pushes against mine, and I swear every part of me has turned to jelly—except my dick, which is now rock hard—but I manage to keep on my feet. Manage to meet each lap of his tongue with one of my own. Manage to not hump his leg like a dog in heat.
Though that one is a very close call.
He breaks away, and I can’t quite make out his expression with his back to the streetlight.
“This okay?” he asks, slightly out of breath. Because of me. I did that.
“If it wasn’t, I would have kneed you in the balls by now.”
He reaches down to cup his groin. “Good to know.”
“So, umm …” My nerves are buzzing, making it hard to think. “House. My house. Are you coming? There! Coming there. Not coming coming, though I definitely hope there’s some of that too.”
Leon chuckles, and his lips brush mine again. “I’m coming to your place, where I’m going to make you come so hard, I’ll ruin you for anyone else.”
Mmm … he already has. Just locking me between his arms, up against a wall like this, is enough to do it, and I mean, he didn’t even touch me last time and it was still one of the hottest moments of my life. Looking up from my knees at his sexy body towering over me …
“I’ll be holding you to that.”
Before I can overthink it, I slide my hand into his and tug him back out onto the street. It’s only a few minutes’ walk before we’re rounding the hardware store, climbing the stairs we built, and walking into my apartment.
I expect Leon to get straight to it, but instead, he hesitates.
“Here’s the thing …”
“Uh-oh. Nope. Don’t go promising me hot sex and then back out.”
That makes him laugh, at least. “I’m not planning on backing out, even though a smarter man would.”
“Then what is it?”
He nods at my couch before taking a seat and patting the place next to him.
Ah. We’re talking.
Fun.
I flop down beside him.
“Ground rules.” His voice takes on a bossy tone that I like. “We covered some last time, but I want to make sure we’re both on the same page before things get started. First, this is casual. It’s only sex.”
I hurry to agree because like hell am I dumb enough to let those terms get in between me and Leon’s dick. “Just sex. Got it.”
“Second, I want to reiterate that us hooking up doesn’t affect work. Those things are completely separate.”
And yep, I know that’s a pretty important point, but all I latch onto is, “Hooking up? As in present tense. As in possibly more than just last time and tonight?”
A whole mess of conflict crosses his expression before he pushes it away. “Let’s take it one day at a time, but … well, I’m attracted to you. Very. And I can’t see that going away anytime soon, but we both have to be okay with the other person turning around and being honest when it isn’t working anymore.”
“Of course. Yes. I can do that.”
He watches me for a moment. “So tomorrow, if I decide I’m done, you’ll be okay?”
“I’ll be disappointed because I can’t imagine a time when I don’t think you’re the sexiest man I’ve ever seen, but I’ll understand. And I won’t hold it against you. Or let it interfere with work.”
His handsome face breaks into a smile as he turns his body toward me. I almost melt when he reaches for my face and smooths a calloused thumb over my cheek. “Yeah, I don’t think one more night will be enough either. But we’ll see.”
I wriggle closer. “Is there a third point?”
“Yes.” He clears his throat. “And for some reason, it’s more awkward to tell you this than random strangers that I meet, but … I’m a cuddler. So after sex, there’s none of that leaving right away bullshit. I like the intimacy of it, so if that’s too weird for a casual hookup, you need to tell me now.”
Aww … sexy, big, bad Leon is a snuggler? I melt, and when I give him the soppiest face I can manage, he barely holds back from rolling his eyes at me.
“Yeah, yeah, I’m a big ol’ teddy bear.”
“That’s adorable.”
“It’s totally normal and not at all weird for someone to want closeness after sex. I don’t buy into the crap about needing to fuck and run.”
“No, I agree.” I’m still trying not to laugh though. Not at him. But, well … okay, kind of at him, but only because he’s uncomfortable which is usually my domain, and also, he’s so adorable I can’t even.
“One question,” I say, tucking my knees under me and shuffling closer to him.
“Mmm?”
“Are you the big spoon or little spoon?”
He chuckles and pinches my thigh.
So, I haven’t read the first two books, but thought this one sounded sexy and fun, so in I went. 🙂 And I was rewarded with sexy and fun, with low angst, just my type of book.
On the one hand, Auggie, super cute, sweet, very twinkie, adorkable, etc, but apparently with a serious dong. lol He loved what he did, but had a father who didn’t trust him, rightfully so, which made it that much more difficult to find the right position. But he wasn’t afraid to go after what he wanted, whether it was the job, or the man. And as he gained more confidence in himself professionally, he was able to stand up for himself more with his father, and step in as needed with Leon’s company.
Leon…poor guy…to be that young and work himself into the ground, literally. He chose Auggie for reasons that weren’t as cut and dry as him being the best candidate. It eventually worked out well for him, but he was stressed so often, he was putting himself into an early grave. Auggie worked on teaching him to enjoy time away, by being there when he needed it, and still forcing him to step away.
Definitely HAWT, seriously HAAAAWWWWTTTT, sex scenes. And Auggie wasn’t as shy there, as he was everywhere else. 🙂 They meshed well together as they discovered things about each other that went beyond the “naked” eye.
My one issue with this book was the proofreading/editing. I’m aware that the author is from Australia, and so there are phrases that I absolutely recognized as being from Australia. However, the book is set just south of Portland, so things like “footpath” are things that should be caught by a proofreader or editor. It’s generally negligible, and I rarely comment on editing/proofreading simply because it is an ARC. However, it appears to me that if it has gotten this far in the process, those kinds of corrections should be brought to the author’s attention. Also, I would feel that way if the opposite was true, and it was based in Australia, and the character was native and then said sidewalk. Again, small issue on the whole for a book I really enjoyed.
I enjoyed the book, the MC’s chemistry, and even appreciated the references to the side characters who appeared in the previous books. I am terribly interested in one event that seems to have carried forward as a story arc, and maybe, hopefully will be resolved in the next book? 🙂
4 pieces of eye candy
Saxon James is an author from Australia who’s obsessed with writing queer characters. She has a range of books from YA to adult and they all have one thing in common: swoony, sweet love.
When not writing, Saxon exists on a diet of coffee and chocolate while putting her KU subscription to the test.
Connect with Saxon:
Facebook page: www.facebook.com/pg/thesaxonjames/
Facebook group: www.facebook.com/groups/saxonssweethearts/
Bookbub: www.bookbub.com/profile/saxon-james
Amazon: www.amazon.com/Saxon-James/e/B082TP7BR7
Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/author/show/19404191.Saxon_James
Instagram: www.instagram.com/saxonjameswrites/
