Two Chicks Obsessed with Books & Eye Candy

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Handle with Care by Cari Z.: Exclusive Author Guest Post and Release Day Review

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A fragile heart needs extra care.

Burned-out social worker Aaron McCoy is on vacation for the first time in years—boss’s orders. Road-tripping to his brother’s wedding with his best friend, Tyler, seems a fun way to spend the mandatory two-week leave, and they set out for Kansas—and a difficult homecoming.

Aaron’s mother was a drug addict, and his adorable younger brother was quickly adopted, while Aaron spent his childhood in foster care. As Aaron mends fences, Tyler hopes to show him that this time, he won’t be left behind to face his problems alone.

Aaron’s opening up to how right it feels to be with Tyler and to the possibility of taking the leap from friends to lovers. But along with the wedding celebration comes a painful reminder of the past. Aaron’s heart is still breakable. Can he put it in Tyler’s hands?

Title: Handle with Care
Author: Cari Z.
Release Date: October 16, 2018
Category: Contemporary, Dreamspun Desires
Pages: 190

Amazon

Dreamspinner Press

Barnes and Noble

Is it kind of weird that I don’t want to let this book go?

I mean, ha, I’ve already let it go in the big ways. It’s been written, edited, published. It’s out there for people to read and enjoy. It’s done. That part’s over. But there’s more to writing a book than just setting it free in the world. I think writers have to let it go with their minds and hearts too, so they can move on to the next thing. And that part, well…that’s not coming so easily this time around.

Normally I’m good at multitasking, good at the act of releasing one thing and reconnecting with something else. When I wrote Handle With Care, I was working on two or three other novels all while being pregnant. I was working full time. I was busy. I finished the rough draft, polished it up, submitted it and went on my merry way. Since then, though…

I thought I was busy before. HA! Now I have a baby. Now I have to earn money in other ways, mostly by writing and editing during the hours when said baby sleeps. Very little of that writing is on my own, original work. In fact, the last book I finished on my own, for myself, is…

*crickets*

Yeah, Handle With Care. No wonder I don’t want to let it go. If I do, I face the fact that I’ve got nothing new in the hopper. The next big thing isn’t done yet—I don’t know when it will be done. I kind of feel like Aaron, one of the main characters in Handle With Care, as he contemplates the fact that with his job, he’s never “done.” I kind of feel the same way. I really enjoyed writing this book, and despite the fact that it was produced during what I thought of as a chaotic time, right now I’d love to have those kinds of uninterrupted hours to devote to writing. I wouldn’t trade what I’ve got now for anything, but dang. I was spoiled.

I’m still learning how to adapt to my new status, and my options are a little different than Aaron’s. But I have no doubt that like him, and with a little help, I’ll figure it out.

PS—his way involves the St. Louis Arch, uncharted emotional territory, and a strip club. Could be fun 😉

Cari Z. moved far away from her normal, gritty, work to write Handle With Care, and I loved it as much as some of that gritty work! This Dreamspun Desires category romance was friends to lovers, with a road trip, and a small appetizer of angst all rolled into one. Just the right amount of “I’m gonna need a tissue right here” along with two MC’s who clearly have supported and adored each other most of their adult lives.

What I loved about Aaron was seeing his growth in just the short time that he and Tyler were on this road trip. He didn’t just grow in his relationship with the man he’d loved his entire life, but he grew into a more well rounded man, by allowing himself to enjoy his vacation, letting go of the stress of his job, and what he was leaving behind for others to care for. He was able to enjoy his time with Tyler, but also able to learn to re-engage with family that he had felt disconnected from (for very good reasons).

The reader was able to connect with Tyler, through Aaron, and through small glimpses into his past. However, the strongest connection was in how he clearly felt about Aaron. He made it his goal to ensure Aaron was safe and happy, had fun, and lived. And not just during the book, but even in those moments we glimpsed from their past. To bring this man into his family home, when they were both teenagers, connect him with his own family, and not let him go after it was only the two of them in the area, showed his commitment to Aaron on a day to day basis. It was heart warming, because the reader knew that this was about his deep love for Aaron, as a friend, as a brother, but definitely as the man he wanted to love the rest of his life.

These books are all about the HEA, and Tyler and Aaron definitely got their HEA, but also found a joy with their newly found family, which was so much what Aaron’s journey through this book was about. I enjoyed the road trip, the fun they found along the way to the wedding. But even more so, I loved that they found more than that, they found love in many forms, and embraced it.

4.5 pieces of eye candy

Cari Z. is a Colorado girl who loves snow and sunshine. She has a wonderful relationship with her husband, a complex relationship with the characters in her head and a sadomasochistic relationship with her exercise routine. She hopes that you enjoy reading what she’s put out there as much as she enjoyed writing it in the first place.

Social media: Twitter: @author_cariz

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100008212125132

Devil Take Me Anthology: Exclusive Author Guest Post – Rhys Ford, Blog Tour

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Devil Take Me Blurb:

Temptation lurks around every corner in worlds sometimes dark, sometimes lurid. Giving in is both dangerous and satisfying, though never in the ways one expects. While these enticements offer a vast range of benefits and boons, the cost is a soul and the devil expects his due. Sometimes suave and charming or calculating and cruel, these devils have schemes and desires of their own. They can be creatures to run away from… or toward.

Join the most unique and celebrated authors of LGBT urban fantasy and paranormal fiction for a fast-paced and unpredictable ride, from a city on the other side of reality, to a world suspended in dusk, to a twisted version of the 1960s and 70s.

Meet devils in top hats and waistcoats, a defrocked motorcycle-riding priest, and a genderfluid antihero—among many more. Full of humor, romance, horror, action, intrigue, and magic, these stories have one common element….

They’re one hell of a good time.

Wonderland City Blurb

Author: Rhys Ford

When Xander Spade went through the Looking Glass, he wasn’t looking for salvation. He’d been running from the devil who took his soul, only to fall prey to the greatest monster in Wonderland City, the Queen of Hearts. Years later, the Queen is dead and Xander has a chance to go through the Looking Glass and back home where he belongs.

Xander’s devil wants him to find a little girl who escaped into Wonderland City, before her presence brings down an apocalypse of uncontrollable chaos to the already mad world. Along with Jean Michel, the former Knave of Hearts, Xander now is in a race against time to find the missing child before all Hell breaks loose and he loses his chance to go home.

Amazon

DSP Publications

Barnes & Noble

GooglePlay

iTunes

Kobo

Goodreads

 

I love Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking-Glass, and What Alice Found There. I found these books when I was younger and devoured them. I can’t even tell you how many times I bought them because they didn’t survive me or were lost in one of my many moves. I currently own four copies, including the Kindle version because why not.

So when we started to talk about doing the Devil Take Me anthology, I knew I wanted to dive into that world but not during the timeline of the books. Especially since I wanted to explore what would happen to Wonderland after the Queen of Hearts fell and how a little girl — a very human little girl — would affect the chaotic carousel of Wonderland’s infrastructure.

Because nothing can mess up chaos more than a little girl.

But I didn’t want to write one.

Instead, I wanted to introduce a new take on the Queen’s deck of cards. A sort of Battle Royale situation where she pitted people against one another to become her favourite and right before she was taken down, that position was held by Xander Spade, a human who’d traded his soul to the devil in order to escape the life he was living on Earth.

This change up allowed me to expand on Wonderland, evolving it from the place Carroll left it to a post-industrial revolution sprawl where magic might be king and any inventions have to be cobbled together by whatever technology is brought through the Looking Glass. So in essence, I had a sort of Victorian-influenced society with bits of modern touches populated by Wonderland’s creatures as well as a couple of humans I tossed in for good measure.

I wanted to keep this in a more noir vein, a bit of that language and tone because I felt that smoky, metal taste in the words would enhance Wonderland’s current state.

And well, there’s always the fun and dabs of violence and horrific to play with.

I had a lot of fun writing this somewhat familiar world with a different twist to it. I loved figuring out the machinery and tech brought into the world, extrapolating how Wonderland City would adapt things like cars and landlines to the reality and also what was the realm’s normal.

Telling the story from the POV of a human who’d been there a while was a great challenge because he was rooted in the familiar of an Earthen perspective yet still be able to function in the Looking Glass world without being overwhelmed by the fantastical.

Because we had a lot of room to play with word wise, I was able to introduce Xander as a character and establish a bit of the world before plunging directly into the main part of the story. Since I always view the environment as its own character in the story, it gave me some time to play with the surroundings and at the same time, embed Xander into the space.

Also, I could have a really great time playing with the Looking Glass characters and explore how Xander would fit into it. And since he really just wants to go home, explore how he could get out of the crazy realm he’d been thrust into after signing his name on that dotted line.

I hope you all have as great of a time reading Wonderland City as I had in writing it. I am beyond honoured to be included in this cast of great writers and the anthology was a fantastic project for us to let loose and stretch our wings, letting us take our imaginations to places for a brief jaunt and delve into storylines we hadn’t yet explored.

Thank you for having me along for the ride and I hope you enjoy your trip through the Looking Glass.

Rhys Ford

 

Tour:

10/10/18 – My Fiction Nook: Jordan L. Hawk

10/11/18 – It’s About the Book: TA Moore

10/12/18 – Love Bytes Reviews: Ginn Hale

10/13/18 – Joyfully Jay Reviews: C.S. Poe

10/15/18 – Two Chicks Obsessed: Rhys Ford

10/16/18 – The Novel Approach Reviews: Jordan Castillo Price

 

Rhys Ford is an award-winning author with several long-running LGBT+ mystery, thriller, paranormal, and urban fantasy series and is a two-time LAMBDA finalist with her Murder and Mayhem novels. She is also a 2017 Gold and Silver Medal winner in the Florida Authors and Publishers President’s Book Awards for her novels Ink and Shadows and Hanging the Stars. She is published by Dreamspinner Press and DSP Publications.

She’s also quite skeptical about bios without a dash of something personal and really, who doesn’t mention their cats, dog and cars in a bio? She shares the house with Harley, a grey tuxedo with a flower on her face, Badger, a disgruntled alley cat who isn’t sure living inside is a step up the social ladder as well as a ginger cairn terrorist named Gus. Rhys is also enslaved to the upkeep a 1979 Pontiac Firebird and enjoys murdering make-believe people.

| Blog | Facebook | Twitter |

 

The Spy’s Love Song by Kim Fielding: Exclusive Guest Post and New Release Review

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For a singer and a spy, love might be mission impossible.

Jaxon Powers has what most only dream of. Fame. Fortune. Gold records and Grammy awards. Lavish hotel suites and an endless parade of eager bedmates. He’s adored all over the world—even in the remote, repressive country of Vasnytsia, where the tyrannical dictator is a big fan. The State Department hopes a performance might improve US relations with a dangerous enemy. But it means Jaxon’s going in alone… with one exception.

Secret agent Reid Stanfill has a covert agenda with global ramifications. Duty means everything to him, even when it involves protecting a jaded rock star. Jaxon and Reid’s mutual attraction is dangerous under Vasnytsia’s harsh laws—and matters get even worse when they’re trapped inside the borders. Romance will have to wait… assuming they make it out alive.

Title: The Spy’s Love Song
Series: Stars from Peril
Author: Kim Fielding
Release Date: October 2, 2018
Category: Contemporary, Suspense, Dreamspun Desires
Pages: 205

Amazon

Dreamspinner

 

Hi! Kim Fielding here, and I have a new book out. Yay! The Spy’s Love Song is the tale of a jaded rock star and a State Department operative who end up in deep trouble in a country with a repressive totalitarian government. And there’s romance.

Much of this book takes place in Starograd, the capital of the fictional country of Vasnytsia. I modeled Starograd (but not its current politics) on several real cities in Central and Eastern Europe. Most of Starograd’s architecture was inspired by Sarajevo, the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina. And lucky me! I just returned from my second visit to Sarajevo, so I have photos to share.

Sarajevo’s buildings reflect its three major historical eras. The city was founded in the 15th century, when it was part of the Ottoman Empire. So the oldest part, Baščaršija, has a definite Eastern feel. In fact, it was the commercial center of the city—the bazaar—and there are still coppersmiths who do beautiful work. There’s also a  gorgeous mosque, a Sephardic synagogue from the 16th century, a lunar clock, and some of Europe’s first public toilets. 

In the 19th century, a fire destroyed half of Baščaršija. By then, Sarajevo was part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. The replacement buildings have the same architectural style you can find in Vienna. The transition from Ottoman to Austro-Hungarian architecture happens suddenly, as you cross a narrow pedestrian street. 

After World War I (which began, actually, in Sarajevo, when Archduke Franz Ferdinand was assassinated in Baščaršija), Yugoslavia was formed. Although it was not part of the Soviet Union, it was a communist country; locals tell me Yugoslav communism was a softer sort than the Soviets had. During this time period, the city built lots of the big cement apartment buildings that were common throughout communist countries. You can see one in this photo. These buildings are ugly, but a local told me they were appreciated during the long siege of Sarajevo (1992-1996) because they were so solidly built that they better withstood the constant shelling and sniper fire. 

And this brings me to my last architectural point about Sarajevo. During the siege, I’m told, every building in the city was at least damaged. You can still see this damage everywhere, although Sarajevo’s now a vibrant, safe city. I took that final photo while waiting for my tram in the middle of what was known during the war as Sniper Alley. Again, very safe today (unless you’re careless about crossing in front of a tram), but during the war, it was a brutally dangerous place to be.

As you’re reading The Spy’s Love Song—and you are going to read it, right?—you might recognize bits of Sarajevo in Starograd.

Wow! This was not quite what I expected at all. I do love Kim Fielding’s work, and one of the things I enjoy most is she doesn’t write the same version of the same character’s doing the same thing. This book is a great example of that.

The MC’s in this were very different people but set up well, and the location…well, you can’t get much better than what was provided for you in this. The book covered everything from regime type politics, to a rock star who mentally complained about his beach chair being uncomfortable by not having arm padding to a gruff government agent.

As with all Dreamspun books though, there is always romance sprinkled throughout, and without it being too much, it was just enough for two men who had themselves placed in a tenuous situation.

And of course a happy ending, as all the category romances must have.

4 pieces of eye candy

 

Kim Fielding is the bestselling author of numerous m/m romance novels, novellas, and short stories. Like Kim herself, her work is eclectic, spanning genres such as contemporary, fantasy, paranormal, and historical. Her stories are set in alternate worlds, in 15th century Bosnia, in modern-day Oregon. Her heroes are hipster architect werewolves, housekeepers, maimed giants, and conflicted graduate students. They’re usually flawed, they often encounter terrible obstacles, but they always find love.

After having migrated back and forth across the western two-thirds of the United States, Kim calls the boring part of California home. She lives there with her husband, her two daughters, and her day job as a university professor, but escapes as often as possible via car, train, plane, or boat. This may explain why her characters often seem to be in transit as well. She dreams of traveling and writing full-time.

Follow Kim:

Website: http://www.kfieldingwrites.com/

Facebook: http://facebook.com/KFieldingWrites

Twitter: @KFieldingWrites

Email: Kim@KFieldingWrites.com

 

Craft Brew (Trouble Brewing #2) by Layla Reyne: Blog Tour, New Release Review, Excerpt and Giveaway

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Assistant US attorney Dominic Price is staring down the barrel of his father’s debts. The bull’s-eye on his back makes him a threat to everyone he cares about, so when his lover wants to go public with their relationship, he bolts. Not because he isn’t in love—he can’t stomach the thought of putting Cam in danger.

Kidnap and rescue expert Cameron Byrne is determined to figure out what trouble Nic is running from, but devastating news from home brings him back to Boston and to the cold case that has haunted his family for two decades. Shoving aside his pride, he calls Nic for help.

Together they search for answers, navigating the minefield of Cam’s past. But when they get too close to the truth, Cam must use every skill in his arsenal to save the man he loves…before it’s too late.

Genre: M/M Romantic Suspense

Release Date: E-Book and Audio – October 8;

Paperback – October 30

Publisher: Carina Press

Tropes and Themes: Workplace romance, forced proximity, friends-to-lovers, coming out

Amazon

Carina
He waited for Cam to finish wiping off, then took the rag and tossed it aside. He stretched an arm over him, planting it in the mattress on the other side of his hip, icy blues staring down at him. “I’m not running.”

“You tell me your rental is getting demo’d and you’re getting kicked out, which thank fuck because that place should have been torn down ages ago.” Aside from its proximity to the brewery Nic co-owned, the run-down duplex made no sense for Dominic Price, federal prosecutor and son of a real estate mogul. “Seeing as you’ve been here every night for four months, I made the logical suggestion that you move in.” He flung an arm toward the door. “And then you bolted like the sheets were on fire.”

“I’m leaving for San Diego.”

Shock propelled Cam up to seated again. “You’re what?”

Nic leaned back just in time to avoid a head-on collision. He folded his arms, lean muscles taut as they bisected the myriad of tattoos painting his torso. “The US Attorney down there is taking paternity leave. They need someone to cover.”

“And you volunteered?”

“No, they asked me.”

Cam scooted back against the headboard, letting it hold him up as his world spun faster than he was equipped to handle at this hour.

It was a great opportunity for San Francisco’s best Assistant US Attorney—getting out from under his asshole boss here and taking the reins of an entire operation there. Major problem for Cam, who after a year in the Bay Area had only recently begun to feel at home, in no small part due to the man beside him.

Anger and hurt bested professional goodwill. “Bullshit you’re not running.”

Nic inched closer, laying a hand on his thigh. “You’ll be safer if I’m not here.”

“This is about your father,” Cam surmised.
 

Cam and Nic are back and we see them taking the next steps in the relationship. But Cam is called home to Boston for a family emergency while Nic stays behind. Clearly they each want Nic to be in Boston but it’s still early stages, and meeting the family while Cam isn’t even out to them is out of the question. Nic meanwhile still isn’t sure he should be with Cam as the bad business with Nic’s father puts Nic and anyone he cares about in danger. An unacceptable risk, but Nic can’t seem to let Cam go for good.

I like Cam and Nic together and the rest of the Whiskey and Irish crew, who show up here and pitch in to help. The ending is satisfying but the guys’ story isn’t done yet. While Cam found resolution to a decades’ long mystery, Nic still has to confront the situation surrounding his father’s bad business dealings that have Nic being chased by hit men. But by his side will be the new family who will go all in to protect him.

It always warms my heart when characters who have no family of their own, for whatever reason, are received by someone else’s with open arms. Nic gets that with Cam, so I couldn’t be happier. Waiting for the next installment to see how they resolve their relationship and the danger facing Nic!

3.5 pieces of eye candy

 

Author Layla Reyne was raised in North Carolina and now calls San Francisco home. She enjoys weaving her bi-coastal experiences into her stories, along with adrenaline-fueled suspense and heart pounding romance. When she’s not writing stories to excite her readers, she downloads too many books, watches too much television, and cooks too much food with her scientist husband, much to the delight of their smushed-face, leftover-loving dogs. Layla is a member of Romance Writers of America and its Kiss of Death and Rainbow Romance Writers chapters. She was a 2016 RWA® Golden Heart® Finalist in Romantic Suspense.

Author Links:

FB Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/216903272072959/

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/layla-reyne

Amazon: https://amazon.com/author/laylareyne

Newsletter: https://www.laylareyne.com/signup

Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/laylareyne/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/laylareyne/

FB: https://www.facebook.com/laylareyne/

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/laylareyne/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/laylareyne

 

 

  

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Honey from the Lion by Jackie North: New Release Review

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Soulmates across time. A love that was meant to be.

In present day, Laurie, tired of corporate life, takes a much-needed vacation at Farthingdale Dude Ranch.

The very first night a freak blizzard combined with a powerful meteor shower takes Laurie back to the year 1891. When he wakes up in a snowbank, his only refuge is an isolated cabin inhabited by the gruff, grouchy John Henton, who only wants to be left alone. His sense of duty prevails, however, and he takes Laurie under his care, teaching him how to survive on the wild frontier.

As winter approaches, Laurie’s normal fun-loving manner make it difficult for him to connect with John, but in spite of John’s old-fashioned ways, the chemistry between them grows.

Sparks fly as the blizzard rages outside the cabin. Can two men from different worlds and different times find happiness together?

A male/male time travel romance, complete with hurt/comfort, true confessions, a shared bed, fireplace kisses, the angst of separation, and true love across time.

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited

Honey from the Lion is a time travel that follows modern day Laurie, a guy who needs a break from his fast paced life that has him burned out. Laurie falls back in time to 1891 and meets rugged mountain loner John. Being a modern guy, Laurie has no idea how to fend for himself in the Colorado mountains and at first John is grumpy with this unexpected nuisance who’s shown up at his cabin’s door. But Laurie coaxes John into teaching him what he needs to live in the wilderness and the two soon fall for each other. Being snowed in is wonderful, but 19th century Colorado isn’t going to be kind to two men who are in love. Will the two be able to make a life this way? Or can Laurie get back to his own time? Will he even want to get back to his own time now that’s he’s found love?

This is a sweet story. I liked how Laurie knew how to navigate John’s grumpy self to uncover an excellent frontiersman willing to share his knowledge. It hurts me how John suffers from PTSD from his time during the Indian wars and that he has had to fight his attraction to men all his life. I love that they find peace, love and comfort with each other. I found the writing style a little bland; where that, and then this, and then that happened. But it seems this will be a series, and I might give the rest a try. The author has left a few areas that could be explored and I want to see how our heroes fare in the future.

3 pieces of eye candy

For the Love of Luke by David C. Dawson: Exclusive Guest Post and Giveaway

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A handsome naked man. Unconscious on a bathroom floor.

He’s lost his memory, and someone’s out to kill him.

Who is the mysterious Luke?

British TV anchor and journalist Rupert Pendley-Evans doesn’t do long-term relationships. Nor does he do waifs and strays. But Luke is different. Luke is a talented American artist with a dark secret in his life.

When Rupert discovers Luke, he’s intrigued, and before he can stop himself, he’s in love. The aristocratic Rupert is an ambitious TV reporter with a nose for a story and a talent for uncovering the truth. As he falls deeper in love with Luke, he discovers the reason for Luke’s amnesia. And the explanation puts them both in mortal danger.

Title: For the Love of Luke
Author: David C. Dawson
Release Date: October 9, 2018
Category: Mystery/Suspense
Pages: 196

Amazon

Dreamspinner Press

Universal buy link

Thank you so much to Two Chicks Obsessed for letting me stop by!

For the Love of Luke is a story of love, and has been a work of love for me. Not just the wonderful heroes Rupert and Luke, but also the British locations they visit in the book.

One of them is Adie’s All Day Breakfast Bar in Little Portland Street in London. Now I have a confession to make. Little Portland Street is indeed a narrow street just down the road from the BBC’s headquarters. And there is a café on the street called Little Portland Café.

But Adie’s All Day Breakfast Bar? It’s a fabrication. I created it so that I could introduce the name Adrian Such into the book. He’s the guy who runs the breakfast bar. Adrian is a real person. He’s from Australia originally, and was very keen to appear in one of my books.

In real life Adrian doesn’t run a breakfast, or any kind of restaurant. He’s a very clever digital media expert. But he loves the idea of running an all day breakfast bar in London! These kinds of small restaurants are numerous across the city, and I often go to eat there. The very best ones are usually family-run, noisy, bustling, and serving excellent comfort food. Whenever you visit London, find your nearest all day breakfast bar. You won’t be disappointed!

The leathers Rupert brought for Luke were a snug fit. They clung tight to almost every part of his body. Luke admired himself in the full-length mirror. He turned side on. They felt good. He had to admit it. They looked damn good. Tight, black leather jeans enhanced the bulk of his thighs and the narrowness of his waist. They sagged a bit in the ass, but Rupert explained that was necessary to allow Luke to sit comfortably on the motorbike. Luke turned up the collar of the black leather jacket and closed the zips on both sleeves. Kevlar protective panels in the back, sleeves, and shoulders of the jacket filled out the upper part of his torso, adding bulk to his hours of work in the gym. He crossed to the bed and sat to pull on the reinforced bike boots, fasten their zips and Velcro covers.

Luke smoothed his hands across the surface of the leather stretched tight across his thighs and grinned at a stirring in his groin. The sensation both surprised and pleased him. He stood, and the rigid shape of the boots forced him to lean forward, like a skier about to descend a black run. He attempted to stand straight, the upper part of his body compensating for the enforced bend in his knees. The jeans pulled tight against his crotch, and his cock rose to the stimulation of the leather hugging his body.

“Sexy man.” Rupert’s voice came from the doorway. Luke turned. Rupert wore a one-piece racing suit made of red leather. White leather panels stitched into it enhanced the shape of his torso and legs. He crossed the bedroom to stand behind Luke at the mirror and placed his hands on Luke’s thighs. “I’ve not worn those leathers for a long time.” He studied Luke’s reflection in the mirror with an admiring grin. “They fit you really well. How do they feel?”

Luke took Rupert’s hands in his and pulled them to wrap around his waist. “They’re making me horny,” replied Luke. “I was getting a hard-on just standing here, even before you came in.”

Rupert slipped his hand down and caressed the front of Luke’s leathers. “And now you’re rapidly outgrowing those jeans. By the second, it feels like.”

He placed both hands on Luke’s shoulders and pulled him gently forward. He bent his head and kissed the side of Luke’s neck, slowly and tenderly, his tongue warm and moist against Luke’s skin. “I want you right now, the way you look and feel,” breathed Rupert. “But we’ve got to get moving. It should take us only an hour and a half to get there. Come on.”

 

David C. Dawson writes contemporary thrillers featuring gay heroes in love. His debut novel The Necessary Deaths is published by DSP Publications and was described as “a real page turner”. It won Bronze for Best Mystery & Suspense in the FAPA awards. Rainbow Reviews called it “an exciting read with complex characters”.

The Deadly Lies is the second book in the series and came out last December.

For the Love of Luke is David’s third book. His fourth comes out in 2019.

David lives near Oxford in the UK, with his ageing Triumph motorbike and two cats.

Website: www.davidcdawson.co.uk

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/david.c.dawson.5

Twitter: https://twitter.com/david_c_dawson

Answer this simple question and you’ll have the chance to win a digital copy of For the Love of Luke! Email your answer with your name to: david@davidcdawson.co.uk. Competition closes on midnight October 19, 2018.

Question: In For the Love of Luke, what’s the name of the man who runs the breakfast bar in Little Portland Street?