New Excerpt: The Librarian

Coming Soon 

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Breathless Press

The Librarian


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Valentine Michaels has just taken a vow of celibacy. 

Adrian Gray is going to convince him to break it.

Excerpt

Adrian writing in purple ink stunned him more than the idea that Adrian had a crush on him. After all, they'd been down that road once before. Purple ink was so not Adrian. Black. Or Blue. Traditional. Classic. That was Adrian.

"Yeah, did you like it?  Here, grab a cup of coffee and a pastry and let's take a walk."  The other man turned and walked out the door, apparently assuming that Val would follow.

Val grabbed a coffee and hurried to catch up with Adrian. Jeez. Now what would he do? He had to let Adrian down gently. No sense ruining what had been a perfectly good friendship. No way could he ask Adrian to help with the redecorating project now. Distance, not closeness, was called for.

 "Listen, Adrian, we have to talk. I really meant it when I said I'm not interested in men right now and honestly," he touched the other man's arm sympathetically, "you're just not my type, you know?  So, much as I appreciate all the little gestures, I just feel friendship for you, okay?"

The other man's blue eyes sparkled at him, in apparent—amusement?  "Are you done, Val?"

"Well, yeah, that's what I wanted to say. No hard feelings, right?"

"Right, Val. Let me set you straight on a few things before we talk about feelings, okay?  First of all, I noticed you were down Friday, so I sent you the flower, yeah. I love those bird of paradise flowers. The colors are so sunny and cheerful. Then this morning, I wanted to talk to you about something, and sorry, but the coffee and pastries were as much because I knew I'd be hungry as for you. Yeah, you're hot as hell, but I know I'm not your type. And you know I know it, too. That's why you've been ramming tales about your wild and crazy love life down my throat for the past ten years, isn't it?  I've heard about every new man as soon as you've met him, and every break up when it inevitably comes along. Why do you do that, Val?  It's not for your own benefit, you know? You've been making sure that I knew that you weren't interested in hooking up with me all these years. I fucking get it, okay? You don't seem to see that I'm not the same man today as ten years ago. And that's your loss, not mine. I've done things, experienced things in the last few years that have helped me define who and what I am, in and out of bed, Val. Too bad you can't say the same."

Val swallowed and pulled his hand back. He shook his head as his brain whirled trying to keep up, to comprehend all the data Adrian threw at him in one long speech. "Whoa. Sorry. I just talk while I'm working, you know? I…shit…sorry."