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Like You Hate Me by Bethany Winters: Blog Tour, Exclusive Excerpt, New Release Review and Giveaway

September 19, 2023 by Denise

I’ve never hated anyone as much as I hate him.

The day my sister died, I told her best friend I never wanted to see him again, and I meant it.

I lost her because of him. Everything I used to care about means nothing now because of him.

It’s all because of him.

So when he shows up on my driveway two years later and tells me he’s moving in with me for his freshman year of college, I kick his ass and tell him to disappear. For good this time.

But I already know the defiant little brat’s not gonna listen. He never does.

Being near him again makes me crazy. I’m supposed to be the college basketball star my father raised me to be, but now I’m focused on a new game. I’m obsessed with watching him, touching him, breaking him. His body, his head, his heart, anything I can get my hands on…

I’m gonna take it all until he’s got nothing left.

And even though he knows exactly what I’m doing to him, he’s gonna let me do it anyway.

Title: Like You Hate Me
Authors: Bethany Winters
Length: 90k
Genre: Contemporary

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“Since when do you venture all the way over here?” Frankie asks, grinning at me over her shoulder as I follow her into the coffee shop.

“Shut up.”

She chuckles and moves up to the counter to place her order. Looking around, I find Xavi sitting at his usual table by the window, wearing a dark gray hoodie with the hood pulled up over his head. I force my face to remain cold and impassive as I watch him be, enjoying the way he shifts in his seat and pulls his sleeves down over his knuckles. His eyes crinkle at the corners when they find me, like he’s trying not to wince.

My face is a punishment for him. And if he insists on sticking around, I’ve got no problem going out of my way to make him look at it every chance I get.

“Nate,” Frankie says, probably not for the first time.

“Yeah?”

“What do you want?”

“Whatever you’re having is fine.”

She raises a brow at that. “A pumpkin spice latte?” she asks, and I scrunch my nose in disgust. “That’s what I thought.” She laughs, turning back to the barista. “He’ll have a cappuccino.”

Once we’ve got our drinks, we sit side by side at one of the empty tables in the corner, both of us people watching for a while as we warm our hands with our cups. We don’t say anything, but it’s not awkward. It’s easy with Frankie. Comfortable.

A group of people rush inside the shop, relieved to be out of the cold, and I don’t miss the way the guy at the back of the group turns his head to look at Xavi, chewing his lip as he takes in his form.

“Does that happen everywhere he goes?” Frankie asks, subtly tipping her chin at Xavi. “Girls and guys?”

I nod, my hands clenching into fists on the table.

“He has no idea, does he?”

“Not a fucking clue.”

He’s always been this way. Even back in high school, the kid was oblivious to all the attention he got. He’s oblivious now too, his head lowered as he tries to pretend he’s not peeking up at me every five seconds to check what I’m doing. I like that I’m his sole focus, that he’s clearly jealous of me and Frankie, but at the same time, that sad, broken look in his eyes makes me want to throttle him. All I can think about is forcing him to his knees, digging my thumbs into his jugular, and shoving my cock down his throat so hard he chokes on it. Taking him as hard and as roughly as I can and giving him something to really be sad about.

“Jesus, the way you look at him…” Frankie mutters. “I wish someone would look at me like that.”

“Like what?”

“Like they wanna fight me and fuck me at the same time.” She smirks, and I smirk right back, leaning into her space and taking her chin between my thumb and forefinger. “You hate it, don’t you?” she whispers against my lips, playing along like the good friend she is. “The way you want him. It pisses you off.”

“Right now, the only thing pissing me off is you,” I tell her, digging my fingertips into her skin, but not hard enough to hurt. Never as hard as I’d do it to Xavi.

“That’s not very nice.”

“I’m not a very nice person, Frank.”

“I know,” she says. “That’s why you’re my favorite.”

Fighting a grin, I tilt my head to the side, kissing the corner of her mouth. “Is he gone?”

“Mhm.”

My grin slips free, and I kiss her cheek this time. She playfully pushes my face away, and I drop back in my seat, resting my arm on the back of her chair. Lifting my coffee to take a sip, I laugh under my breath as I watch Xavi storm off through the courtyard.

Do I love angsty books? You know I do! And this one delivered. Drug addiction, death of a sister and best friend, self loathing, hate, blame, meddling best friends, you name it.

Xavi and Nate haven’t seen each other in two years. The why is shown in various flash backs that just break your heart. Xavi the misfit who becomes best friends with the blind girl. They are both from wealthy families where appearances are everything and they do not fit the mold. Katy’s older brother Nate did fit the mold. Everything changed with Katy accidentally overdosed.

Xavi retreated deeper in drugs and alcohol. Nate fueled himself with hate for Xavi who he blamed for Katy’s death. Xavi got clean after rehab (his reason for getting clean gutted me) and is finally going to go to college. And stay in the house Nate rents. It was the original plan before Katy died. And Nate’s best friend convinces Xavi that it’s fine.

It’s far from fine.

Xavi takes a lot of emotional abuse from Nate. But at the same time, Nate has to sometimes remind himself that he hates Xavi. That Xavi is the reason his sister is dead.

Nate moves to using Xavi for sex. And then ignoring him after. And Xavi thinks he deserves it. Self flagellation much? It’s brutal. Xavi hates himself as much as Nate hates him.

I’ll say that I didn’t love that Xavi’s depression seems to lift when Nate is nice to him. And I really wish Nate had more of a wake up call with how he treated Xavi. AND his friends. He really treats Carter and Easton like crap. Carter I can almost see because they had been friends for so long. But Easton? There’s also Frankie, the lone girl in the group (and house) who seems to have a bit of a tragic back story that we don’t get.

So there were a few things I didn’t like that much but there was a lot that I loved. This was my first book by this author and I hope there are more dark and angsty stories in her backlist.

4.5 pieces of eye candy

. .

Bethany Winters is a Romance author based in the UK.

Connect with Bethany:

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Website: https://bethanywinters.co.uk/
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Whiskey Business (Love in No Man’s Land Series) by Becca Jackson: Blog Tour, Exclusive Excerpt, and Giveaway

September 7, 2023 by Denise

. .

When Marcus suggests we make a bet and if I win I get his ex’s ticket on a four day cruise, I’m not sure he’s for real. He doesn’t like to gamble and he hates to lose even more than I do. Yet, the allure of sharing a room with him for four glorious days is too tempting to resist.

To my surprise, I win, and Marcus doesn’t resist the outcome. It’s almost like he actually wanted to lose. But that would be crazy, right?

Things take an even wilder turn when Marcus’s mom mistakes me for his fiancé, and neither of us corrects her. Now, his whole family believes we’re engaged, and we’re caught in a tangled mess of lies, with even his brother and our friends joining the charade.

Amidst the chaos, I have to admit that this plan might just be the best idea I’ve ever had. Well, except for our little rehearsal of a staged kiss, just in case we need to perform it in front of his family. That was the best idea ever, because with his hands on my waist and his mouth on mine I’m starting to think this fake relationship might be more real than either of us thought.

But when a past hookup threatens to expose everything, it forces Marcus to choose between revealing the truth or pretending I’m just like his former flame.

Can our fake relationship survive reality, or will it crumble under the weight of secrets and revelations?

Whiskey Business

By Becca Jackson

Love in No Man’s Land Series, Book 3

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The Practice Kiss:

“There was something else I thought we should talk about before dinner,” Ari says, and the blush grows pinker as he moves towards me. “Many people don’t like public displays of affection, but this is your family and we’re supposed to be engaged so I just wanted to ask… I mean, what if there is a time that we have to… you know… kiss?”

He’s right in front of me now. His head tilted back, exposing his long neck and his cologne surrounding us in bergamot and musk. It’s fucking delicious.

“Would you be okay with that?” I ask, my voice coming out shakier than I expected.

He’s the one who told them we were engaged, and although holding his hand and cuddling up on the railing felt completely normal, making out with your friends is usually not a good idea.

“I think if the situation called for it,” he says, “I’d be okay. But just because we’ve never done it before, maybe we should practice first?”

My heart jumps into my throat.

“I mean, not practice, we know how to kiss. More like… so that we don’t act like it’s the first time when we need to make it look real. This is stupid. It’s okay, we probably won’t have to, just a thought,” he finishes and turns his attention to his fingers that twist together in front of him.

My cheeks are full as the smile spreads across my face. It’s nice seeing Ari like this. Nervous. It’s actually kind of sweet, seeing him get all twisted up in his words.

“I think you’re right,” I say, placing one hand on his side. He tilts his head up towards me, cheeks flushed, eyes wide, and gaze locked on mine.

I slide my other hand up his arm to his neck, and he licks his lips.

This should feel weird, shouldn’t it? My heart is racing but with excitement, and I lean down as he pushes up onto his toes and meets me halfway. Our lips press together, and they’re soft and slightly wet and warmth fills my chest.

My fingers move to the back of his neck and slide into his hair as his lips part. Instinctively, my mouth mimics the action, and when his tongue brushes slightly against my own, I deepen the kiss. I move my hand from his neck to around his waist and lift him. His legs wrap around me and he holds my face against his, our mouths moving in time, and it’s the most incredible kiss I’ve ever had.

Heat pools in my groin as my cock presses hard against my dress pants and I break our kiss.

He doesn’t lower his legs right away. I catch sight of us in the bedroom mirror and my dick twitches. Fuck, this looks hot.

“That was…” he starts, but then there’s a knock on the suite door and Theo calls out.

“You two ready?”

Becca Jackson is the author of mm romance stories that deliver heart, heat, and happily ever afters for some totally adorkable and fabulous guys.

Connect with Becca:

Instagram: https://geni.us/BeccaJacksonInsta
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Mann Hunt by Peter E. Fenton: RB, Exclusive Excerpt and Giveaway

August 29, 2023 by Denise

. .

Book one in the Declan Hunt Mysteries series

How far would you be willing to go to finish the job?

Declan Hunt is having a bad week. His kidnapping case is showing little progress, his office assistant has left him on short notice, and his latest investigation has left him literally battered and bruised. But things change when he hires twenty-four year old Charlie Watts to help out at the office. They form an unlikely partnership trying to solve two seemingly unrelated cases whose threads begin to weave together when the missing person case turns to murder.

The investigation takes them from the dark alleys, gay bars and bath houses of Calgary, to the richest parts of the city during the world-famous Calgary Stampede.

But will they be able to discover who the killer is before another life is lost? And will Declan be able to solve the mystery of his relationship with Charlie who is clearly attracted to him — especially since it is evident that the attraction is becoming mutual?

Title: Mann Hunt
Authors: Peter E. Fenton
Length: 67k
Series: The Declan Hunt Mysteries, Book 1
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery/Suspense

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Declan sat forward in his chair, bringing him closer to Katherine. “I need to ask you some personal questions regarding your husband.”

Before Declan could continue, she replied, “He wasn’t taking any medications, his health was good and he certainly wasn’t suicidal. Never has been.” She added, almost as an afterthought, “And he wasn’t involved with gangs, drugs or the sex trade.”

Declan smiled. “The police have obviously already asked these questions. How was your relationship with Ian?”

Katherine finished her Scotch and said, “May I have another?”

Declan refilled her drink and noted that she was fiddling with her wedding band. As he handed her back her glass he said, “I was asking about your relationship.”

Katherine took a moment before she answered. “It was…unusual.”

Charlie looked up from his notes, then glanced at Declan.

“Meaning?” Declan asked.

“We loved each other. We were each other’s best friends. We rarely spent more than twenty-four hours apart.”

“So, you didn’t have a fight?”

“No.”

“Then why are you here, Katherine? It seems to me that the police are the best people to handle the case.”

“Well, they would be, except for the fact that when I told them we had an open relationship…”

“Oh…” Declan responded.

Katherine shifted in her chair and scowled. “The one officer got this obnoxious little smirk on his face. He said that it would be best if they left it for another day or so. He said that maybe Ian and his ‘friend’—he actually used air quotes around friend—he said they probably just went away for a while—took a trip.

She took a large swig of her drink.

“I told them that Ian would never do anything like that. We had rules that we followed. He said that men followed their cocks before rules every time. He even suggested that Ian might have run off with another man.”

“Pretty crude,” Charlie judged.

“That describes the cop perfectly.”

“And you don’t believe Ian could have run off with someone?” Declan asked.

Katherine emptied her glass, then looked at Declan. Peter E. Fenton’s first book, The Woodcarver’s Model came out in April of 2022 and was a four time nominee in the Goodreads M/M Romance Readers’ Choice Awards.

Mann Hunt is the first of a three part detective series with upcoming books being released in 2024 and 2025, (all through Pride Publishing).

2024 will also see the release of his first teen romance novel Not Not Normal with Lorimer Publishing.

All of his novels are proudly set in Canada and are filled with humour, heart and unforgettable characters.

Previous creative work was focused on writing for the stage, including award-winning productions of The Giant’s Garden, Newfoundland Mary, and Bemused. His newest play, The Detective Disappears will tour in Canada in the fall of 2023.

Peter spent many years working in palaeontology in remote locations including the Canadian Rockies, the Northwest Territories and Nunavut.

He currently lives in Toronto, Canada with his partner of more than twenty years.

Connect with Peter:
Website: www.peterefenton.ca
Blog: www.peterefenton.ca/blog/
Twitter: @virtualfenton
Publisher: https://www.pride-publishing.com/index.php?route=product/author/info&author_id=11790
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/peterefentonbooks
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/21653233.Peter_E_Fenton
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/peterefentonromance

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French Fancy by Lily Morton: RB, Exclusive Excerpt, Release Day Review and Giveaway

August 24, 2023 by Denise

. .

Pip Simmonds is the twinkiest twink in London. He’s loud, proud,
and packed to the brim with sass. But when he’s laid low by illness, even his hotpants lose their sparkle and his worried boss sends him to the South of France to recuperate in his holiday home.

Cap Ferrat is beautiful, and the periwinkle-blue villa is luxurious, but the real draw for Pip is the villa’s other resident—his boss’s younger brother, Olivier Durand.

Olivier owns a perfume empire and has spent his whole life running from any other form of commitment. He’s worldly, carefree, wild, and the perfect choice for a holiday fling.

Drawn together by proximity, the two men become lovers and friends and then something more. Something special. But will their special bond hold true after summer’s end, when they both must return to their real lives?

This is the second book in the bestselling Model Agency series, but it can be read as a standalone.

Title: French Fancy
Authors: Lily Morton
Length: 396 pages
Series: The Model Agency, Book 2
Genre: Contemporary, Romantic Comedy

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“Good morning,” he says, one dark eyebrow rising. “You slept well, Pip?”

“I did.” I sit down at the table genteelly. “It’s amazing what a nighttime swim does for you.”

His eyes twinkle with amusement. “I will take your word for it.” He cocks his head, and a strand of hair falls across the olive skin of his cheek like a comma. “Pip? Is that your real name?”

“No, it’s Phillip.”

“Philippe. I like that.”

“Well, it sounds a lot nicer in French.”

“What doesn’t?”

“You do not,” Elise scolds me. “Speak in French. How will you ever correct your terrible accent if you do not speak it here?”

I roll my eyes. “It’s not my fault my French teacher comes from Newcastle.”

“Parle-moi en français,” she chides again.

“You are learning French?” Olivier’s face is lively and interested.

Elise puts a plate of food in front of me. “Eat all of that,” she scolds. “Still too thin, Pip.”

“That is not for me?” Olivier says. “If this were a queue in a shop, I should be complaining loudly.”

She rolls her eyes. “To have made food for you at this time of the morning would have required psychic talents to know you were getting up. And if I had that gift, I would be on the stage, no?”

“I can get up early,” he says.

I warm to him even more. His face is mischievous and naughty, and it doesn’t take Elise’s indulgent smile to know this is familiar banter for them.

She waves her hand, dismissing his statement. “Sometimes, if there is enough temptation.”

“There can never be enough temptation,” he tells her solemnly.

She grimaces at him and heads back towards the range. “And coffee and a cigarette are not part of a nutritious diet,” she throws over her shoulder.

“According to you.” He winks at me.

I’ve been staring at him and heat washes over my face at being caught. But then I rally and grin at him. “Nice to see you with all my clothes on,” I say in French.

He’s taking a sip of coffee and accidentally inhales, spluttering over the table.

I am pretty sure that everyone who read The Sunny Side has been eagerly awaiting Pip’s book. He was a scene stealer that everyone noticed. And now almost a year later, here he is.

Seems our Pip was quite ill and insisted on returning to work too soon. But Jonah, his boss, put him on a plane to recuperate further at his family’s villa in the South of France. Poor Pip. However will he manage? Spoiler alert: he’ll manage just fine.

Jonas’ brother, Olivier, shows up at the villa seemingly without a care in the world. It was quite unexpected as he tends to be a workaholic spending most of his time in Paris. Curious.

First thing I noticed was that Pip wasn’t nearly as snarky and attention seeking as he was in The Sunny Side. Part of that was definitely him still being sick. But I think part of it was that he didn’t have to be over the top to get attention from Olivier. I mean, at work in London he is surrounded by models. And while he is a good looking guy, he is short and probably would be easy to look past. But at the villa, Olivier only has eyes for him. As a friend. Mmmmhmm.

Olivier is so oblivious. EVERYONE sees what is going on. Except for him and Pip. Even the grouchy next door neighbor- a famous photographer. And the house keeper. And Olivier’s best friend.

He takes the time to show Pip all of his favorite places and things. Pip has never had a man shower him with so much attention. And Olivier is a GENTLEMAN.

Even after being kind of tricked? but not really? into sexy times by Armand, Olivier’s best friend, they still each insist on that whole friendship label.

But then Pip is recovered and headed back to London. Olivier has huge work fires to put out in Paris. An emergency brings them back together and STILL these dummies can’t figure out what is going on between them. It’s almost comical.

But of course they do and there is a great happily ever after. Well deserved too.

I have to say that the visuals painted by the author were truly amazing. I ended up googling the town and the pictures were just as she described. The town, the sea, the villas, the flowers…just all so stunning. It isn’t often that an author can make me picture so clearly in my mind a place I have never been.

Also, don’t you worry. Pip is still a sassy, snarky guy. But it’s all done with love.

4.5 pieces of eye candy

Lily is a bestselling gay romance author. She writes love stories filled with heat and humour.

She lives in sunny England with her husband and two children, all of whom claim that they haven’t had a proper conversation with her since she got her Kindle.

Lily has spent her life with her head full of daydreams, and decided one day to just sit down and start writing about them. In the process she discovered that she actually loved writing, because how else would she get to spend her time with hot and funny men?

She loves chocolate and Baileys and the best of all creations – Chocolate Baileys.

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The Fortunate Son by Aimee Nicole Walker: Blog Tour, Exclusive Excerpt, and Giveaway

August 21, 2023 by Denise

. .

Ivan Gallagher’s first and only attempt at love nearly cost him everything—his reputation, family, and even his freedom. Needing an outlet for his pent-up passion, the gruff foreman turns his beekeeping hobby into a successful business. Just when he’s on the verge of taking his liquid gold to the next level, a granted favor transforms his orderly life into a sticky mess.

Rory Snyder was born with a silver spoon in his mouth, but wealth couldn’t spare him from loss and heartache. Finding himself at the center of a dangerous media storm, the social media influencer seeks refuge at Redemption Ridge. Too bad the Viking-sized Ivan seems impervious to Rory’s charms because he could use a sexy distraction from the chaos threatening to ruin his life.

Predawn collisions in the hallway lead to revelations, explorations, and something far sweeter than honey. Soon, living in the moment becomes living for the moment. But for how long? A future seems impossible for the humble foreman and the fortunate son until a common nemesis makes Ivan and Rory realize what they truly stand to lose.

The Fortunate Son is book two in the Redemption Ridge series. Though each story features a different couple, reading the series in order is essential. The Fortunate Son contains mature themes and is intended for adults.

Content Warning: homophobia, underage alcohol addiction, and intentional overdosing are briefly discussed in this book, though no graphic descriptions are used.

Title: The Fortunate Son
Authors: Aimee Nicole Walker
Length: 84k
Series: Redemption Ridge, Book 2
Genre: Contemporary

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The hallway was black as pitch, but he could make the trip in his sleep. A few steps away from his destination, the door swung open. Light slashed through the darkness and a cloud of fragrant steam billowed out of the room. Ivan blinked to clear his brain, which felt as hazy as the hallway. What was Dylan doing up so early, and had he bought new shower stuff to impress Harry?

Before his brain could consider any other possibilities, Rory stepped out of the bathroom wearing nothing but a towel wrapped around his waist. Holy shit. He was tanned, toned, and dewy perfection. His tousled hair looked as if he’d run the towel over his head a few times before wrapping it around his waist. A droplet of water cascaded down Rory’s torso, and Ivan watched with rapt attention until the light blue terrycloth absorbed it. Everything inside him urged Ivan to drop to his knees and see if Rory’s skin looked as soft as it appeared. He wanted to jerk that towel off and—

“Hey,” Ivan said abruptly, snapping his head up to meet Rory’s gaze. “That’s my towel.”

“Oops,” Rory replied. “I saw a beige set and a blue set hanging up. They looked clean.”

Because Ivan had washed them the previous day. “Dylan’s are beige. Mine are blue. There are extras in the linen closet.”

Rory’s hands went to his waist, and before Ivan could even think to stop him, he whipped the towel off and tossed it at Ivan. The material smacked Ivan in the chest and landed on the floor. “My bad.”

Ivan told himself not to look even as his eyes devoured the gorgeous flesh on display. Rory made no attempt to cover himself. He just stood there proudly as Ivan looked his fill. Every greedy pass discovered something new. Perfectly sculpted abs, a tiny scar on his right hip. Rory was smooth everywhere. Ivan forced his gaze up to meet Rory’s. He arched a dark brow and tilted his head toward the bathroom in invitation. God, how easy it would be to close themselves inside and give in to their attraction. Somehow, Ivan found the will to shake his head, even if the words wouldn’t form on his tongue.

“Seems to me not everyone agrees,” Rory said, gesturing toward Ivan’s crotch. “You make it so hard for me to behave, even though I promised myself I would.”

Ivan looked down to see his thick erection jutting through the opening in his boxers. If he reached down to tuck it away, he feared he might start stroking it instead. Fuck, he needed to…fuck. “I’ll see you at breakfast,” Ivan said as he picked up his towel from the floor and stepped into the bathroom.

“Or you could let me watch you jerk off.”

Ivan slammed the door. “No.”

“Okay, what if I stay out here, and you just narrate your actions through the door?”

Ivan ignored him and turned on the shower. He would not give Rory the satisfaction of knowing he was jerking off, so he kept the water cold and his shower short.

Ever since she was a little girl, Aimee Nicole Walker entertained herself with stories that popped into her head. Now she gets paid to tell those stories to other people. She wears many titles—wife, mom, and animal lover are just a few of them. Her absolute favorite title is champion of the happily ever after. Love inspires everything she does, music keeps her sane, and coffee is the magic elixir that fuels her day.

I’d love to hear from you.

You can reach me at:
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/aimee-nicole-walker
Twitter – https://twitter.com/AimeeNWalker
Facebook – http://www.facebook.com/aimeenicole.walker
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Blog – AimeeNicoleWalker.blogspot.com

Want to be the first to know about my book releases and have access to extra content? You can sign up for my newsletter here: http://eepurl.com/dlhPYj

My favorite place to hang out and chat with my readers is my Facebook group. Would you like to be a member of Aimee’s Dye Hards? We’d love to have you! Click here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/AimeesDyeHards/

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Heartless by Robin Knight: Blog Tour, Exclusive Excerpt, and Giveaway

August 18, 2023 by Denise

. .

Sometimes love is a three-piece puzzle.

ASHTON

If money makes the world go round, then the real estate market in New York is the engine that keeps it spinning. As one of Manhattan’s elite realty agents, it’s my job to wine, dine and do whatever it takes to close the deal. Yes sir, I act the part and look the part. Designer suit… immaculate. Hair… precision. Body… perfection. Well, maybe not quite, but I’m not about to let anyone know the flaw in this outwardly flawless power single.

So when my secret chink-in-the-armor begins to show, I’ll do whatever I need to protect myself, especially when it comes to putting Jax Lockhart — the newest, slickest, sexiest agent at Vanquest Realty — in his place.

With the help of my assistant Bailey, I’ll do what it takes to bring Jax down. The last thing I was ever expecting was to fall for the enemy… and my assistant Bailey too!

BAILEY

Without any possible rhyme or reason, I’ve been in love with my boss Ashton since the day I started working for him. I have no idea what this irresistible attraction is, especially when he’s the total opposite of me! He’s filthy rich and handsome beyond words, possessing the kind of confidence, ambition and uber-success that I could never match… or even want to match. That’s okay, I have no problems pining over him from afar while I live my quiet little life, looking after my Grammy and scraping together enough to pay the bills.

But then one day Jax Lockhart walks into the offices of Vanquest Realty… the very same Jax Lockhart I’d fallen head over heels in love with at the orphanage where we’d both grown up.

Now what was I to do? Continue dreaming about the boss I could never have? Or rekindle the flame that two kids shared a lifetime ago?

I’m tempted to keep both of my secret crushes a secret… until I find out that both Ashton and Jax each have secrets of their own.

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Instantly he turned to me, his eyes sparkling, as though I’d just turned a key in a lock. Before I could pull away, he grabbed my tie, yanked me toward him and planted his lips firmly on mine.

My entire body trembled.

My lungs were emptied of air, and I couldn’t seem to fill them again.

All I knew was, I wanted that kiss to last forever.

I wanted this Ashton to stay forever.

I wanted—

“Woah!”

The kiss ended.

Ashton and I both turned our heads to see Jax standing there with a pile of Chinese noodle boxes in his arms and a big happy grin on his face.

“Well, well… haven’t we made progress.”

I pulled away from Ashton so fast I fell backward.

Ashton tried to catch me but missed.

Jax dropped the noodle boxes on the table and made an attempt to save my fall but missed as well.

I landed on my ass, humiliation and horror creating a storm inside me that washed away all the bliss and euphoria in a split second.

Ashton and Jax both reached down to help me up, but I bounced to my feet without taking either of their hands and pushed passed them to my computer.

As I slapped my laptop shut, their bickering began immediately.

“Look what you did,” Ashton accused Jax.

“I didn’t do anything… he fell.”

“He fell because you surprised the hell out of us.”

“I surprised you? I’m just the guy who walked into the room and found the two of you kissing… which, by the way, was kinda hot.”

“You snuck up on us. And now you’ve embarrassed the hell out of him and dropped noodle boxes all over my table!”

“Guys… guys… Guys!” I had to shout to get their attention. “I’m leaving. I’m just going to pretend this never happened and finish up my day back at the office.”

Ashton moved toward me. “Bailey, wait. I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have… I don’t know what came over me. It’s the meds, they’re really messing with—”

“Ashton, forget it.” I picked up my laptop and stepped beyond his reach. “I’ll get the spreadsheets finished and email it to you both, then work on the comps list to present to Rudenko so we can get a fair idea on the price guide.”

“Bailey, don’t you want to talk this through?” said Jax.

“God, no. All I want to do now is throw myself into this project. That’s the focus, right?”

I picked up several folders, tucked them under my arm along with my laptop, and headed straight for the door. “I’ll see you both in the morning. I think. Maybe. We’ll see.”

“Bailey!” Ashton and Jax both beckoned to me at the same time.

But red-faced and sore-assed, I was already out the door.. .

Robin Knight is the author of gay fiction novels, novellas, and short stories, ranging in genre from gay adventure, gay romance, gay suspense, and gay comedies.

The heroes of Robin’s books love to spend their time jumping off the page, stumbling through misadventures, and falling in love.

Robin has worked in advertising, politics, journalism, and event management, but nothing is as fun as telling stories.

Connect with Robin:
www.authorrobinknight.com
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100001541476005
https://amzn.to/3siuynH

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