11/16/2012

New Release! Willow




Willow 
November 16, 2012
BUY LINKS


BLURB
Making decisions is sometimes difficult for Willow Shaw, but loving Cade Lawson comes easily. Too bad Cade regards him as too young to know his own mind.

As a favor for an old friend, cop Cade Lawson is keeping a watchful eye on his young neighbor, Willow Shaw. He'd thought that would involve some hanging out, watching movies and heart-to-heart talks on college life.

But the Will who moved into his apartment building wasn't the same little boy who'd worshiped his father's friend. No, this Willow is rowdy, defiant, challenging, and alluring. He stirs feelings that Cade is uncomfortable with.

Cade might be uncomfortable, but Willow Shaw is desperate. He's had a crush on Cade for years, and he'd hoped it would fade away one day. Hiding his growing feelings is his top priority, even if it means acting like a prick, because there is absolutely no way a man like Cade—strong, decisive, handsome, and experienced—is going to be attracted to him.

EXCERPT
"Your dad asked me to keep an eye on you, Will. That's not something I take lightly." Look, not lust. The reminder was timely. When Matt Shaw had requested the favor, Cade had pictured himself and Will watching action movies, hanging out and having fun, much as they had when the kid was younger. Reality had been far different. 

Will snorted. "Right. I forgot. Well, I was seventeen then, and maybe he had some excuse, but I'm not a kid anymore. It's been eighteen months of fun with you peering over my shoulder, but I'm nineteen now and I don't need you looking out for me anymore."

Cade reached out a hand to clasp Will's slender shoulder, but the young man flinched back, almost hiding behind the door. He shook off his disappointment. Will just didn't like him anymore; he had to get over the loss of affection. "You're still young, Will, and since your Dad can't be here to guide you, he asked me to keep an eye on you because he loves you."

"Yeah. He fucking loves me so much, where is he?"

Sadly, Cade shook his head. He clenched his fist around his keys in frustration. This wasn't the first time they'd had this argument, and probably wouldn't be the last. "He's working a lot of extra hours to pay for your college fees."

"Tell me, Cade, when's the last time you spoke to my dad?"

Guilty heat burned his neck. He'd spoken to Matt Shaw just yesterday. The man called regularly. Cade considered him a good friend. "Will, your dad and I have been friends a long time. We speak frequently, and it's not always about you, huh?"

"Figures. You know when I spoke to him last? I can't remember. It's my nineteenth birthday, today, Cade. This is my party. You'd think he could call today, wouldn't you?"

Damn Matt Shaw. Helplessly, Cade shrugged. "Happy Birthday, Will. I'm sorry to disrupt your party, but I've had a long night and I have to work in the morning. I just need peace and quiet and sleep."

Footsteps in the gravel behind him drew Will's eye and he smirked knowingly at Cade. "Here's your boyfriend. Looks like your long night isn't over yet. Keep the noise down, you two. I have an exam in the morning and..." He leaned forward confidingly. "You may not realize this, but you're fucking loud when you fuck, dude.

11/15/2012

Crawl in Bed With Andy Slade & Ali Wilde


Crawling Into Bed With Ali Wilde & Andy Slayde
And a Good Book

*crawls across bed* Important things first, are these sheets silk or cotton?
Ali: Cotton, it’s cooler than silk for the Aussie climate. They have a high thread count, though, and match the continental quilt cover.
Andy: Cotton is very nice. We’re lucky we have a bed big enough for the three of us.

Yes...this is rather a large bed, isn't it? What are you wearing?
Ali: black pajamas; singlet and shorts in that T-shirt material. They do have some lace... 
Andy: A white and black striped nightshirt.  I left my flannel pengie jammies at home.

Y'all make me feel a bit under-dressed in my sweats...but they're black so we're all color coordinated, at least. What are we snacking on in bed while we read tonight?
Ali: Pringles, honey mustard.
Andy: Nothing. Hate getting crumbs in bed. *scoots over to the edge*
Ali: I don’t waste Pringles by dropping crumbs.
Andy: Well it’s not my bed... So I’ll have some macadamia nut cheesecake.
Ali: And you’ll be sharing that, won’t you?
Andy: I’ll give you a slice or two for some Tim Tams and Cherry Ripes.
Ali: Like I’d be able to hold you back if you spied them. Andy: *laughs* You know me so well.

Nice...If I open this nightstand drawer, what will I find?
Ali: No! Don’t open that! *BOOM!* Ooops... No, seriously? Books, candles, lip balms and Tarot Cards among a lot of papers and some jewelry. I really need to clean this out.
Andy: Really? *leans over and opens the top drawer and starts pulling things out*
Ali: *smacks grabby hands* Now you’ve made a mess. Happy?
Andy: Aww, I’ll put it all back. I swear. I don’t have a nightstand so I like to see what other people have in theirs.

Now now...no need to resort to violence. Do you roll up in the blankets like a burrito, or kick the covers off during the night?
 Ali: Roll up, at the moment, hence the king size quilt on the queen size bed. We might all get some. 
Andy: We should have used my bed. I have enough blankets/quilts/comforters/whatever you want to call them on my bed so we can all roll up.

I've learned over time to bring my own, just in case. Can I put my cold feet on your calves to warm them up?
Ali: My calves will be colder than your feet.
Andy: Sure, but you’d have warmer feet if you stuck them under Mr. Big Paw’s feet. Did I forget to mention I brought my cat?
Ali: No cats in my bed. 
Andy: Fine, you try and shove him off.

Good thing I left MJ, my Great Dane, at home then. What are we reading?
Ali: A Bitter Taste of Sweet Oblivion by Jordan Castillo Price. 
Andy: Lord John and The Brotherhood of the Blade by Diana Gabaldon

Oh come on...your book! I came over here to listen to you two read to me from YOUR book, How Was He Supposed to Know?


Why does Reece need to carry a color chart on a night out? When his bandana gets him into trouble, longtime-crush Lane saves the day, turning Reece's world--and future--upside down.

Who knew the bandana Reece wears and uses on his family dairy farm could cause so much trouble? Reece's main company is his family and the cattle. So, when the opportunity for a night off arises, he grabs it with both hands and heads for the only gay club within fifty miles.
Reece has had a crush on Lane--one of the bartenders--forever. But Lane's leaving town at the end of the week. What good would come of hooking up with him now? Should that stop Reece from going home with Lane and finding out what Lane's bandana really means?


Excerpt: It was official: the Fates were conspiring against him. Friday night had arrived and Reece had finally talked his brother Liam into handling the morning milking without him, which meant Liam was going to have to get either Darryl or Keith--the farm hands--to help him. In return Reece would have to get up early two mornings in a row, once with Liam and once with one of the farm hands, to milk. A small price to pay in order to go out, blow off some steam, have a few drinks, and possibly get laid, without having to be back at four in the morning to milk cows which didn't want to be up at that hour any more than he did.

The only thing standing between him and his night of freedom was one calf. One ornery calf. You wouldn't think a little calf--in a pen--could be difficult, but oh, they could be. This one had run around on its long wobbly legs, doing everything in its power to delay Reece's departure.

The little calf stood in one corner of the pen, its gaze momentarily off Reece. Reece made his move, rushing the calf, straddling it and shoving the bottle in its mouth. Even though the calf was suckling greedily from the bottle, it still squirmed and thrashed about. Great. No doubt there would be bruises. And bruises were so sexy. Well, such was the life of a dairy farmer. Bruises, cuts, and scrapes were all par for the course. If he hooked up with anyone tonight, he'd make sure the lights were off when they got down to business.

Reece pulled his bandana from his back pocket and wiped his face and neck. Now he needed a long, hot shower. Even if he still ached a bit, he wouldn't smell like cow and straw and... worse.

He'd never been to The Ice Cave in Summerset, and now was as good a time as any. Lane wouldn't be bartending there much longer. Hell, he wouldn't even be around the farm and hanging out with Liam anymore. Reece didn't want to dwell on Lane leaving. And he didn't delude himself into thinking he could change Lane's mind.

"So, I'm off to New York City in two weeks time."

Those words, spoken by Lane just last week, would be forever etched in Reece's mind. Lane leaving was probably for the best as it might enable Reece to get over the crush he had on his brother's best friend and concentrate on finding someone closer to his own age, someone who didn't treat him like a little brother and fondly tousle his hair. Okay, yeah, that hadn't happened for a few years, but it seemed as though Lane still saw Reece as Liam's thirteen-year-old brother. That's how old he'd been on Lane's eighteenth birthday when Lane had left for Summerset.

The rural community of West Summerset had never been exciting enough for someone like Lane. He had a kind of rock-star glam thing happening that had been so out of place there. Hair that had gone through many color changes and styles was now white-blond and cut short but for long bangs falling over his wide blue, immaculately kohled and mascaraed eyes. Nail polish, earrings, and a lot of black leather clothing, usually tight, so unlike everyone else in town, marked him as different. He'd been like that since he was about fifteen and come out to his parents and, essentially, the rest of West Summerset. Lane's parents had hit the roof and thrown him out, but Reece's parents defied most of the town's bigots and taken Lane in. With model looks and a flamboyant style, there hadn't been many days when Lane hadn't come home from school without a new cut or bruise from being jumped by kids. Liam had done his best to deflect the bullying, but he couldn't be around Lane all the time, and besides, Lane hated dragging Liam into his problems, preferring to settle them himself. Lane was no wimp, despite his glam looks.

When Lane had spoken the words that broke Reece's heart, he'd pushed the hair out of his eyes and gazed happily at Liam. Liam had looked stunned for all of five seconds and then embraced Lane in a manly hug, congratulating him and wishing him all the best of luck, while extracting promises that he'd come back to be best man at Liam and Julie's wedding later in the year.

And all Reece could come up with had been, "But... you can't go."

Two pairs of eyes; one green, so like his own, and the other slightly tilted and lined with black eyeliner, had looked at Reece. "Why?" Liam and Lane had chorused.

Why? Wasn't it obvious? On one hand, Reece thanked his lucky stars neither Lane nor Liam had noticed his crush; on the other, he was kinda disappointed. He'd mumbled something inane about Liam needing his best friend around, about needing help on the farm--yeah, that one had got a laugh. Lane was not the farming type.

And then, to make matters even worse, Lane had explained patiently--like Reece was still thirteen and really had no clue--that he couldn't stay. He'd set up a ten-year plan to make enough money to go to New York City and find what he was looking for: bright lights, glitz, fun, glamour. And that deadline had all but arrived. So, after spending ten years in Summerset, tending bar at The Ice Cave--and being where Liam could always get in touch with him, only twenty minutes away--he'd finally handed in his notice and would be gone in a week.

New York City was too far to drive back and forth on a whim. Reece couldn't take the time off anyway. And why would Lane come back to a place which held nothing pleasant for him except Reece's family? Nah, it had taken ten years of Lane's life to accomplish what he had. No one, least of all Reece, would be able to talk him into staying.

So, no, he wasn't going to The Ice Cave to try to hook up with Lane. That would be a mistake on so many levels. He was going to The Ice Cave to meet someone who didn't know his brother and parents and grandparents and every other boy he'd ever dated or even made out with. Someone whose name he didn't know and someone he could flirt with, trade small talk with and get to know over a couple of beers.

He looked at himself again in the full-length mirror on the wall of his bedroom. God, he hoped the other men at The Ice Cave didn't all look like Lane. If they were all glam, he'd stick out like the country boy he was, wearing the fanciest clothes he owned: a pair of tight blue jeans, black T-shirt and black cowboy boots. The casual look had always seen him right at the local watering hole; he hoped it'd be okay for a gay bar in Summerset.

Reece took his wallet off the dresser, ensured the couple of condoms were within their use by date and stuffed the wallet in his back pocket, with his bandana. It was now or never. With a deep breath and keys jangling, Reece raced down the stairs from his loft bedroom two at a time and walked briskly to the front door. Before opening the door, he gave the loft and downstairs area a cursory glance to ensure lights were off, and then jogged to his pick-up truck.

Time to have some fun, and forget about milking cows, mowing fields and shoveling shit--if just for one night.






11/14/2012

YES PARTY at TRR- Your Invitation!



Event starts from November 15, 1200am EST and runs to December 15, 1159pm EST.

Hey friends! I'm participating in the Q & A portion of the 

YES! Party again this year. 

The Fun and Games start on Nov. 15th, and end on Dec. 15th. 

SO, I"ll be offering a copy of Willow to one lucky reader. 




Flash Fiction: Senior Bonfire


Hey friends- flashing with my lovely Havan again today... here's our inspiration pic- 



Senior Bonfire

Crackle. Snap. Trey closed his eyes. The flames danced on his eyelids as tears seeped between his lashes. The rhythmic shush of the waves breaking covered the silence after Clive's whispered words.
"Why?" Salt stung his sun-chapped lips and he pretended the moisture was from the sea spray, blown into his face by the chill evening breeze.
A sandy hand cupped his jaw, rubbed an abrasive caress over his lower lip. "It's time, Trey."
"You said you loved me." He shoved the hand away, lips tingling, heart aching.
"It's college. I'm going, you're staying. Expecting you to wait wouldn't be right."
"I'd wait if you asked me to, Clive." Ask me...his hand clenched fiercely in the sand at his hip. A sharp stabbing pain from one of the tiny shells cutting into his palm prevented him from begging.
"I can't, Trey. Can't you see it's not fair? We've been together since junior year. Neither of us knows anything but what we've had together. What if there's more out there, just waiting for us to experience it?"
Ah.  "If it's about sex..." His jaw clenched tight and his throat worked to swallow a sudden painful lump. "I..."
"I didn't say that to blackmail you into having sex. I just want us to be free to enjoy being young and in college."
"You mean you want to be free to have sex with people who aren't me." Okay. Well, that was different. Now, instead of being heart-broken, he could be pissed off.


Like my 250 words? Click on over to Havan's and see what she's done with this pic....


11/13/2012

Crawl in Bed With Jonah Winters


Crawling Into Bed With Jonah Winters

And a Good Book It Takes A Village

Important things first, are these sheets silk or cotton?
Cotton. Triston and I can work up a lot of friction...we'd slide right off silk.

What are you wearing? A smile...or more like a leer.

What are we snacking on in bed while we read tonight?

Well, I would say chocolate and whip cream *leers at Lee again*, but since we are reading a book, and we wouldn't want to get it all messy, we'll go with pretzels and Tequila.

 If I open this nightstand drawer, what will I find?
Hmmm, the usual...underwear, socks, lube...Triston might have a toy or two in there, but usually those are in my nightstand on the other side. Let's look, cuz my lover might have added more goodies.

Do you roll up in the blankets like a burrito, or kick the covers off during the night?
Triston is a hot number, so we both kick off the covers.

Can I put my cold feet on your calves to warm them up?
Sure, but they'd warm up a lot faster somewhere else. *winks*

What are we reading?
We're going to read all about me and my family. *grins and gives Lee a smooch on the cheek* Come on babe, let's settle down and cuddle. This is a great story! *points* That's me holding Triston on the cover.

Excerpt:
Jonah slumped onto Triston as his lover's legs slid down to cradle Jonah's body. His breath was ragged, heart pounding as he came down from one of the most intense orgasms he could remember. He started to pull from Triston's body, but Triston grabbed his ass and pulled him back tightly.
"No, don't leave. Stay. I want… just stay inside me for a little longer… please," Triston stuttered in a shy whisper. Jonah was stunned to see this side of Triston. He'd only seen Triston's confidence, which bordered on arrogance. It was refreshing to see that Triston could be vulnerable.
Jonah made himself comfortable on top of Triston, nuzzling his damp neck. A minute later, Triston shifted to lower his legs completely to the mattress and Jonah held the condom as his softened member slipped from Triston’s entrance. His lover gave a tiny gasp of disappointment.
Jonah rolled to his side and looked at Triston. He could easily fall for Triston and knew with equal conviction that he needed to protect his heart. He'd had it broken too many times to let himself fall in love so quickly again.
Jonah gave Triston a chaste kiss on the cheek and then got up to dispose of the condom. He was thankful that both Sky and he had their own en-suite bathrooms.
He came back out and pulled on a clean pair of briefs. Now was the awkward "after" time, and Jonah always felt stupid, as if he should thank the person, but that didn't seem right. It was if he was showing his gratitude to a hustler, which was far from the truth, especially with Triston. Usually he remained silent, unwilling to insult a one night stand. He stood near the bed, staring down at Triston, and they shared a smile. That smile made Jonah feel better.
"That was amazing."
Jonah relaxed further. He would have liked to cuddle with Triston and sleep, but his lover got up and went into the bathroom. Jonah heard water running, and then Triston came back out and began to dress.
"You're leaving?" Jonah’s disappointment rang in his voice.
Triston's expression softened and he walked over to Jonah, leaned forward, and kissed him softly on the mouth. "I have to be up early to be at the track, otherwise; I'd stay here and wrap myself around you and sleep." Triston finished getting dressed. "I'll call you later today, after I'm done working." Then Triston slipped quietly out of the bedroom. Jonah heard the front door close and sank to his bed with a sigh.

Work-in-Progress Blog: http://guilianowip.blogspot.com/

Be Yourself

To be nobody but yourself in a world which is doing its best, night and day, to make you everybody else means to fight the hardest battle which any human being can fight; and never stop fighting. ~e.e. cummings, 1955
The Romance Reviews