Helena Stone's Blog, page 2

Flashback to Lessons in Love

Good evening my friends,
I hope you're enjoying my weekly teasers because there are still a few to come.
This week it is the turn of Lessons in Love , the second story featuring Mitch and Cian.
Mitch has turned eighteen since he met Cian in A Miracle in the Library , and has travelled to Dublin to spend the long St. Patrick's Day weekend with Cian...on their own...without parental supervision.
Unsurprisingly, this means our two young lovers take their relationship beyond the kisses they've so far enjoyed. But with Cian not being a whole lot more experienced than Mitch, there's a fair amount of worry and second-guessing involved.
Enjoy
Lessons in Love buy link: mybook.to/LiL
***
When he’d run out of reasons to be in the bathroom, Cian slowly made his way back to his room, taking a deep breath before opening the door, only to release it on a loud puff.
Obviously, Mitch didn’t share his concerns, considering he’d found his way into the bed and under the covers with only his head and shoulders—his naked shoulders—visible. The light mounted on the wall behind the bed spread a soft glow over his mop of black hair.
A quick glance around the room showed Cian the pile of clothes Mitch had left on the floor under the curtained window. As far as he could tell, the collection did not include any underwear.Without looking at Mitch but fully aware of his gaze locked on his body, Cian made quick work of stripping and adding his jeans and top to Mitch’s clothes.
The first thing he noticed when he slipped underneath the covers was that for once they weren’t chilly. Mitch’s body heat had created a nice warm nest for him to crawl into. The second thing was Mitch’s naked thigh pressing against his. He shifted, breaking the contact between them before it could freak Mitch out.
He wished he could have practiced for this night, that there was a scenario he could follow. He knew he should just open his mouth and talk to Mitch, find out what, if any, concerns he had. But he couldn’t for the life of him figure out how to phrase the question without it sounding as if he was asking Mitch how far he was willing to go.
He stiffened when Mitch’s leg connected with his again,but decided to ignore it. With the bed being as small as it was, contact would be unavoidable, and making an issue out of every time it happened would only make the situation worse, not better.
The mattress dipped as Mitch turned. When he placed a hand on Cian’s exposed neck, his breathing hitched.
“Is this okay?” Mitch’s question indicated that Cian’s discomfort hadn’t escaped him.
Cian turned on his side and faced Mitch, shocked to find his boyfriend’s face only inches from his. “Yes, if it’s okay for you, it’s okay for me.”
A small smile played on Mitch’s lips. “You realize I have no idea what I’m doing, right?”
Cian returned the smile, grateful that Mitch had found the courage he lacked. “I haven’t got much more of an idea, to be honest.”
Mitch gazed at him, his brown eyes even darker in the dim light. “Well,” he said, “I know we’re both okay with this.” He drew closer and pressed his lips against Cian’s.
The connection, the soft glide of Mitch’s tongue across his lips, was all Cian needed to chase away his worries. Mitch was right. They both knew how to do this…very well. They’d figure the rest of it out as they went, together. Then those thoughts faded too as he deepened the kiss and lost himself in the smell, taste, and feel of Mitch.
When he could think again, Cian noticed they had somehow ended up pressed together, most of their upper bodies touching too. As a result, there was no way he could fail to notice Mitch’s stiff cock pressing against his thigh, mere inches away from his own equally hard dick.
As their kisses got ever more heated and demanding, Mitch moved against Cian’s body, obviously seeking more pleasure. As tempting as it was to touch Mitch’s dick, Cian resisted and limited himself to stroking his boyfriend’s shoulder and chest. His heart sang when Mitch copied his caresses, while Cian’s cock went from hard to bordering on uncomfortable.
It wasn’t long before the combination of Mitch’s touch, kisses, and still covered dick rubbing against his leg became too much, and Cian lowered his free hand and squeezed his own cock. A slight shift in the bed told him Mitch had copied this action too.
Lust took over, pushing any and all concerns Cian had harbored into the back of his mind. He pushed the duvet to the end of the bed and freed his straining penis from his suddenly very tight boxer briefs, stroking himself slowly without ever pulling out of their endless kiss.
Hmmmm. Mitch hummed against Cian’s lips as they both tugged at their dicks.
“Wanna see.” As much as he hated ending their lip-lock, Cian couldn’t resist his longing to see Mitch in all his naked glory. Without interrupting his wank, he raised himself up a little and allowed his gaze to travel across Mitch’s naked body. Christ, but he’s gorgeous.
His body, stretched out on the bed, was lean but not skinny. The muscles in his legs and arms were easily visible without being clearly defined. As for his cock…. Cian swallowed hard as his gaze locked on the long, erect, and “heavier than he would have expected” dick and Mitch’s hand gliding over it, pushing the skin up and down while soft, needy sounds fell from his lips.
Cian wasn’t sure why this felt much more intimate than the few hand and blow jobs he’d given and received in the past. All he knew was that the combination of watching Mitch as he pleasured himself and his own hand on his ready-to-explode dick drove him to his climax with shocking speed.
He raised his chin and shifted his focus to Mitch’s face. His lips were parted, his cheeks flushed, and his gaze was firmly fixed on Cian’s hand as he stroked and squeezed his erection.“So good,” Mitch rasped, his breath escaping him in sharp, short bursts. Then he stiffened, and Cian lowered his gaze just in time to see cum erupting from his cock.
It was all Cian needed to push him over the edge too. His orgasm roared through his body, forcing his eyes shut as he surrendered to the previously unknown pleasure of coming together with someone he cared for.
***
Please check back next week for a new excerpt.

The Rose by Tiffany Reisz

400 Pages
Buy links: Amazon US | Amazon UK| Harlequin | AudibleBlurb

Author Tiffany Reisz returns to the world of The Red with an imaginative sequel full of lust and magic, and the dangers unleashed when the two are combined… 

On the day of Lia’s university graduation party, her parents—wealthy art collectors with friends in high places—gift her a beautiful wine cup, a rare artifact decorated with roses. It’s a stunning gift, and one that August Bowman, a friend of her parents and a guest at Lia’s party, also has his eye on. The cup, August tells her, is known as the Rose kylix, and it’s no ordinary cup. It was used in the temple ceremonies of Eros, Greek god of erotic love, and has the power to bring the most intimate sexual fantasies to life.

But Lia is skeptical of August’s claims of the cup’s mythology and magic—after all, he’s a collector himself, and she suspects he just wants to get his hands on this impressive piece of art. So he dares her to try it for herself, and when Lia drinks from the Rose kylix she is suddenly immersed in an erotic myth so vivid it seems real—as though she’s living out the most sensual fantasy with August by her side…

Realizing the true power of this ancient and dangerous relic, Lia is even more wary of giving it up, though August insists it is only safe with him. He’s willing to pay the full value of the cup, but Lia has another type of trade in mind. One that finds them more tangled up in each other—and in fantasy—than either was prepared for. 
Review
Before I start this review, I have three confessions to make.
I’ve been a Tiffany Reisz fan ever since I first read The Siren, almost seven years ago.I’ve been obsessed with the old Greek myths for as long as I can remember.I half read and half listened to this book.

As I mentioned above, I’ve been fascinated by the Greek myths since I was a young girl. In fact, I’m pretty sure I wrote an essay on the Trojan war while I was still in primary school. If I remember correctly, I enjoyed reading my mother’s book about Greek myths more than I did the actually writing, but in my memory, the whole experience was exquisite.
Not quite as exquisite as reading The Rose was though. Before I started reading this book, I knew that offering me a book based on those myths and written by one of my favourite authors, equalled handing me a one-way ticket to paradise. But even that certain knowledge before I started the story couldn’t prepare me for the pure joy that was losing myself in The Rose .
The Rose did not disappoint. This book is a showcase of that special talent Tiffany Reisz has when it comes to layering her stories. On the surface this is a rather fluffy, fairy-tale like, and very sexy fantasy. But that’s only true if you limit yourself to what is in plain sight. If you look a little deeper, you’ll appreciate how much research must have gone into the Greek mythology referenced in The Rose. What’s more, the author doesn’t limit herself to a retelling of those myths, she adds to them, gives them slightly different meanings or outcomes, or provides answers where the original myth only leaves us with questions.
Lia was an utter delight. Just twenty-one years old, she has the whole wanting to be an adult and treated as such, but still reverting back to childish reactions, thoughts, and emotions, down pat. For a long time, August remained a bit of a mystery to me. He was obviously gorgeous and smart not to mention incredibly kind, but for a long time I didn’t feel as if I knew him at all. Of course, that was exactly as it should be because Lia doesn’t know him that well, and we experience the story through her eyes.
I retrospect, I have no idea why I even gave that vagueness in August a second thought. I should have known there would be a reason…a very good reason…an utterly delightful (although not completely unexpected) reason for his mysterious aura…and of course I have no intention of what that reason might be. Read the book.

Flashback to A Miracle in the Library

As I mentioned in my previous post, I've started sharing excerpts from my published books in my Facebook group, Helena's Book Haven. If you want to read them as soon as I put them up, you'll have to join my group, but I will share them here too a week later.

This week the spotlight is on A Miracle in the Library and I've decided to share another first kiss.

****
Mitch didn’t recognize the smile on Cian’s face. It was soft and warm and inviting and….“You are something else.” Cian reached out and lifted Mitch’s chin with the press of a few fingers. “Stop me if you don’t want this.”Cian’s gaze mesmerized him. He glanced from the beautiful brown eyes to Cian’s mouth and back again. Stop him? Nothing was further from Mitch’s mind. He was lost in the moment and hoped he would never be found.Mitch’s heart beat faster when Cian pressed his lips against his. The only people to have ever kissed him were family members. It didn’t compare. Lips should be lips should be lips, but there was a world of difference between Aunt Mary’s dry pecks and Cian’s lush caressing of Mitch’s mouth.He wanted more. He wanted…a taste. With his heart rate increasing even further, he parted his lips slightly and pushed the tip of his tongue through until he encountered Cian’s mouth. Cian’s response was immediate. He wrapped a hand around the back of Mitch’s neck, holding him in a light yet possessive grip. At the same time he too parted his lips, and the next moment Mitch was lost.Closing his eyes, Mitch didn’t actually see lights flashing, but he understood why people described the experience as such. He was transported to a version of life he hadn’t known existed, a world filled with sensations, feelings, and thoughts he didn’t recognize. The kiss sent tendrils of heat coursing through his veins. Mitch felt Cian’s heart beating against the palm of the hand he’d pressed against his solid chest. This was…. He didn’t have words for what it was. New, shocking, the best thing in the world, scary, delicious, more….The urge to scream came over him for the second time when Cian pulled back, gave him one more peck on his lips, and stepped aside.“Much as you taste like more, I think that’s probably enough for here and now.”“Much as I hate to admit it,” Mitch grumbled, “I think you’re probably right.” He kicked the fence for good measure.“Will I see you in the library tomorrow?” Cian asked.“Abso-fucking-lutely,” Mitch said, cringing when he realized how childish that sounded.“It’s a date.” Cian grinned before giving Mitch one more kiss and walking away.Mitch didn’t move from his spot until Cian was out of sight. It’s a date. He had a date.
****
If you'd like to read more, you can find the A Miracle in the Library here: mybook.to/AMITL

Flashback to Double Dutch Courage

This week I started something new in my Facebook Readers’ Group.
Because it will be some time before I’ll have a new book to announce or new tidbits to tease you with, I’ve decided to share a fragment from one of my earlier books once a week.
There’s a poll in my Facebook Readers' Group where members can indicate which story they’re most curious about. At the moment, Double Dutch Courage holds the #1 spot, so I shared an excerpt from that story last Monday.
I will post the excerpts I share in my group here too. But, if  you want to be first to read them or if you want to have a say about the order in which I share these flashbacks, you can join my group here: Helena’s Book Haven

The following scene takes place at the end of a rather difficult and painful conversation and features the very first time Ronan and Lucas kiss...the very first time Ronan kisses full stop. 
If the excerpt makes you hungry for more, you can find Double Dutch Courage here: mybook.to/DDC
****
Ronan took a few steps, closing the distance between them, his gaze so intense it sent shivers down Lucas’s spine.“I didn’t think too much of it at the time, but now I’m thinking he must have been speaking from personal experience. Didn’t you say he’d been looking at your Facebook timeline?”Ronan nodded again.“Maybe,” Lucas said, “he regretted leaving as he did but felt it was too late to fix the situation? Did you ever ask your mother? Would she have allowed contact if that’s what your father had wanted?”He could almost see the cogs in Ronan’s mind working as he pondered the question.“No, I never asked but I don’t think she would have been okay with that.” A grim smile tugged at his lips. “If she mentioned ‘good riddance to bad rubbish’ once while referring to Paul, she must have said it a thousand times.”He took the last few steps separating them and dropped to his knees opposite Lucas. “Thank you. I’m not sure where that came from. Like I said, I never used to waste any time thinking about him. I guess living in his house, living his life almost, has triggered some long repressed curiosity and resentment in me.”Ronan seemed to search Lucas’s face for something, then lowered his gaze until Lucas was convinced he was staring at his lips. He mused that the sunshine had to be getting to him as the afternoon took on a dreamlike quality. Ronan licked his lips, the tip of his tongue tempting Lucas, teasing him. When Ronan leant forward Lucas wondered what was happening, whether he was imagining things. Surely Ronan wasn’t about to —The soft press of Ronan’s lips against his elicited a sigh from Lucas. He would have been embarrassed about his reaction if he hadn’t been lost in the moment. It was the second time Ronan had taken him by surprise in this manner, except on this occasion he didn’t appear to have any intention of pulling back.With so many reasons why this was the worst idea ever, it didn’t make any sense that the overriding thought running through his mind was more.He cupped Ronan’s neck, keeping the pressure light, barely there. Ronan reacted as if Lucas had used force and pressed his lips firmer against his, parting them in the process.Lucas was helpless against the onslaught. It had taken him days to stop obsessing about Ronan’s mouth after that quick, shy kiss a week earlier. There would be no coming back from this. He had no doubt he would end up hurt. Even as he had the thought, Lucas parted his own lips, slipped his tongue through the gap and tentatively caressed Ronan’s mouth.“Oh.” Ronan’s soft exclamation meant his lips parted farther and Lucas took advantage. Fuck being sensible. Fuck worrying about tomorrow, or next week, or six months from today. He was here, now, and the tongue hesitantly exploring his was nothing like what he’d expected and everything he wanted it to be.The kiss transported him back to his teenage years, to the first boy he’d ever kissed. Clumsy and with clashing teeth, it had been as awkward as it had been exciting. Pretty much as it was now, except this time it didn’t make sense.He pulled back until the tips of their noses were the only parts of them still touching. Ronan’s lashes fluttered before he opened his eyes. They widened and he lowered his gaze.“That bad, eh?” Ronan directed his words at the grass beneath their knees.“Not bad.” Lucas tried to figure out what to say. Not sure what he was reacting to, he didn’t know which words to use either, so the truth would have to do. “It just brought back a memory of something I hadn’t thought about in ages.”“Oh?”Ronan still wouldn’t look at him and Lucas didn’t like it. He lifted Ronan’s chin with his index finger. “It reminded me of when I was fourteen and me and Hans, my best friend back then, decided to find out what the big deal about kissing was.”“It was like your first kiss?” Ronan still tried to avoid meeting Lucas’s gaze.“Yes.” Lucas smiled. He couldn’t believe Hans had slipped his mind. They’d done a lot of exploring together before Hans decided he was interested in girls after all. He got so lost in his reminiscence he almost missed the words Ronan muttered.“Makes sense.”It hit Lucas like a ton of bricks. Here was yet another reason why getting involved with Ronan was the worst idea ever. If he was right, he would be Ronan’s first in everything. The thought that Ronan’s inexperience might include kissing hadn’t crossed his mind until this moment. He wasn’t sure he could make that journey with Ronan without getting emotionally involved. He had to know for sure.“I’m your first?”The combination of shame and defeat Lucas read in Ronan’s expression tore at him. He didn’t need an answer. He also didn’t need to think about what to do next. Yes, he would end up getting hurt, but he’d deal with it. It wouldn’t be the first time or, in all likelihood, the last. He could be Ronan’s first and make it a good, a memorable, experience.“I want to be your second, too.” He didn’t wait and pressed his lips back against Ronan’s before he could respond.The change in Ronan was immediate, tension leaving his body as if Lucas had managed to open a valve. The touch of Ronan’s hand against his cheek, his fingertips tentative as they explored the stubble, mesmerized him. Those fingers traced every inch of skin on the right side of Lucas’s face, as if they wanted to commit his features to memory.He smiled into the kiss when he realized this second encounter was already less messy than the first had been. In fact, it wasn’t just less clumsy, it was also more sensual than any second kiss had the right to be. Ronan appeared to have moved on from shy to curious and explored Lucas’s mouth with breathtaking intensity, making the kiss more sensual with every passing second. Lucas was very aware of his cock filling and grateful they were still kneeling, so it wasn’t quite as obvious.He lost himself in the kiss, straightening his upper legs and pulling Ronan up with him. Their chests connected, his hands were on Ronan’s shoulders, back, and sliding lower until he cupped his ass and pulled him closer again. He wanted more, he needed to lie down, feel Ronan on top of him, underneath him. It didn’t matter where or how but he yearned to be close.“Mam, waaromzoenen die mannen?”The young voice shattered the moment and Lucas drew back, following the kid and his parents with his gaze while releasing Ronan so suddenly he swayed before finding his balance again.“What’s wrong?” Ronan turned his head in the direction Lucas was gazing. “What did he say? What did it mean?”“The kid asked his mum ‘why are those men kissing.’”“Oh.” He tried to be casual about it but Lucas didn’t miss Ronan’s sudden need to inspect his surroundings. “I forgot where we are.”“Yeah.” Lucas sighed. “That makes two of us. And I should have known better.”“I thought Amsterdam was pretty tolerant when it comes to same sex relationships,” Ronan said.“Sure,” Lucas agreed. “But there’s a difference between being tolerant and wanting to witness full-on exhibitions of lust.” He couldn’t stop the grin from spreading. “And that was more than just a kiss.”Lucas watched in wonder as Ronan touched his own lips. He’d never believed people did that in real life.He should be grateful they’d been interrupted. He should take this opportunity to talk to Ronan about all the reasons why this was a bad idea. He should remind Ronan of the fact that work relationships had a bad reputation for good reasons. He should… He should… He should… And he already knew he wouldn’t do any of those things. For better or for worse he would take what was on offer while trying to build a buffer zone around his heart so that when—if—Ronan decided to go back to Ireland he wouldn’t be shattered. He had no choice. There was no way he could make himself dim the light that had sprung to life in Ronan’s eyes.

Lessons in Love (Mitch & Cian #2) – Out Now

Word Count 18700 approx
Buy links: Universal | Amazon US | Amazon UK
Available to read in Kindle Unlimited
Happy St. Patrick’s Day my wonderful readers. If you’re celebrating, I hope you’re having a blast.
And talking about celebrating and having a blast, Mitch and Cian are having the time of their lives during their St. Patrick’s Day weekend in Dublin!!!
Blurb
Falling for each other was easy. Staying together comes with a learning curve.
Three months after they met in the miraculous library, Cian is nervously preparing for Mitch’s arrival in Dublin. As much as he’s looking forward to three long days with his boyfriend—without parental supervision—he can’t help worrying about the fact that they will have to share both his small room and his even smaller bed. He doesn’t even own pajamas.
Their relationship is new, and Cian may be two years older, but he has little more experience than Mitch when it comes to intimacy and boyfriends. He isn’t sure what he’s doing or what’s expected of him. As a result, Cian and Mitch are in for a whirlwind weekend, filled with shocks, surprises, fun, and deepening feelings.
Against the backdrop of Ireland celebrating its national holiday, Cian and Mitch learn their first Lessons in Love.
While a Miracle in the Library was a young adult story, Lessons in Love features two young men old enough to consume alcohol and be sexually active. This book is therefore meant for readers who are eighteen years or older and contains sexual acts between two consenting men.

Want to know more?
Read on for a never shared before, not entirely safe for work, excerpt from Lessons in Love :
Excerpt
Resolutions are always easier to make than to follow up on.
Cian’s room looked even smaller than it actually was when they’d both entered and closed the door behind them. They still had the flat to themselves, which was a blessing as far as Cian was concerned. He’d taken advantage of his housemates’ absence to give Mitch a quick tour of the apartment so that he knew where the bathroom and the kitchen were and, probably most importantly, which shelves in the fridge and larder held items belonging to Cian.
Now that he was faced with the reality of having to spend the next eight or so hours in the tiny space with Mitch, all his doubts were back. He’d never shared a bed with another man before, and he was pretty sure the same was true for Mitch. And his bed really was narrow.
Pulling himself out of his thoughts, Cian focused on Mitch, hoping to determine his mood, only to find him studying Cian, his expression not so much worried but definitely indicating that Mitch was waiting for Cian to take the lead. Right so.
“Do you want to use the bathroom first?” Cian asked.
“Sure.” Mitch opened his backpack and extracted a small purple toiletry bag and a towel which he clutched to his chest as he stepped into the hallway.
Cian sank to the bed and sat, staring at the door through which Mitch had just disappeared. He needed to pull himself together. This was ludicrous. They were going to sleep…together…in a bed. There was absolutely nothing scary or worrying about that scenario.
Except that they were bound to end up close together, touching. The bed was too small for that not to happen. Except that he didn’t know how far to strip before getting under the covers. He normally slept naked. Common sense told him that probably wouldn’t be a good idea now. But what should he wear? Just underwear? Underwear and a T-shirt? It wasn’t as if he owned anything resembling pajamas.
When the door opened and Mitch returned, still wearing all his clothes, Cian was no closer to finding answers to his dilemma. Buying himself a few more minutes before he had to decide, he took his turn in the bathroom.
He was being silly. He wouldn’t worry about what to wear if he and Mitch were going swimming or to the beach. The only reason nerves cramped his stomach as he brushed his teeth was that they’d be sharing a bed together and that there’d be no way to hide his body’s reaction to having Mitch close, to any accidental or intended touches they might exchange. As if on cue, his cock lengthened. Down, boy.
When he’d run out of reasons to be in the bathroom, Cian slowly made his way back to his room, taking a deep breath before opening the door, only to release it on a loud puff.
Obviously, Mitch didn’t share his concerns, considering he’d found his way into the bed and under the covers with only his head and shoulders—his naked shoulders—visible. The light mounted on the wall behind the bed spread a soft glow over his mop of black hair.
A quick glance around the room showed Cian the pile of clothes Mitch had left on the floor under the curtained window. As far as he could tell, the collection did not include any underwear.
Without looking at Mitch but fully aware of his gaze locked on his body, Cian made quick work of stripping and adding his jeans and top to Mitch’s clothes.
The first thing he noticed when he slipped underneath the covers was that for once they weren’t chilly. Mitch’s body heat had created a nice warm nest for him to crawl into. The second thing was Mitch’s naked thigh pressing against his. He shifted, breaking the contact between them before it could freak Mitch out.
He wished he could have practiced for this night, that there was a scenario he could follow. He knew he should just open his mouth and talk to Mitch, find out what, if any, concerns he had. But he couldn’t for the life of him figure out how to phrase the question without it sounding as if he was asking Mitch how far he was willing to go.
He stiffened when Mitch’s leg connected with his again, but decided to ignore it. With the bed being as small as it was, contact would be unavoidable, and making an issue out of every time it happened would only make the situation worse, not better.
The mattressdipped as Mitch turned. When he placed a hand on Cian’s exposed neck, his breathing hitched.
“Is this okay?” Mitch’s question indicated that Cian’s discomfort hadn’t escaped him.
Cian turned on his side and faced Mitch, shocked to find his boyfriend’s face only inches from his. “Yes, if it’s okay for you, it’s okay for me.”
A small smile played on Mitch’s lips. “You realize I have no idea what I’m doing, right?”
Cian returned the smile, grateful that Mitch had found the courage he lacked. “I haven’t got much more of an idea, to be honest.”
Mitch gazed at him, his brown eyes even darker in the dim light. “Well,” he said, “I know we’re both okay with this.” He drew closer and pressed his lips against Cian’s.
The connection, the soft glide of Mitch’s tongue across his lips, was all Cian needed to chase away his worries. Mitch was right. They both knew how to do this…very well. They’d figure the rest of it out as they went, together. Then those thoughts faded too as he deepened the kiss and lost himself in the smell, taste, andfeel of Mitch.
When he could think again, Cian noticed they had somehow ended up pressed together, most of their upper bodies touching too. As a result, there was no way he could fail to notice Mitch’s stiff cock pressing against his thigh, mere inches away from his own equally hard dick.
As their kisses got ever more heated and demanding, Mitch moved against Cian’s body, obviously seeking more pleasure. As tempting as it was to touch Mitch’s dick, Cian resisted and limited himself to stroking his boyfriend’s shoulder and chest. His heart sang when Mitch copied his caresses, while Cian’s cock went from hard to bordering on uncomfortable.
It wasn’t long before the combination of Mitch’s touch, kisses, and still covered dick rubbing against his leg became too much, and Cian lowered his free hand and squeezed his own cock. A slight shift in the bed told him Mitch had copied this action too.
Lust took over, pushing any and all concerns Cian had harbored into the back of his mind. He pushed the duvet to the end of the bed and freed his straining penis from his suddenly very tight boxer briefs, stroking himself slowly without ever pulling out of their endless kiss.
Hmmmm. Mitch hummed against Cian’s lips as they both tugged at their dicks.
“Wanna see.” As much as he hated ending their lip-lock, Cian couldn’t resist his longing to see Mitch in all his naked glory. Without interrupting his wank, he raised himself up a little and allowed his gaze to travel across Mitch’s naked body. Christ, but he’s gorgeous.
His body, stretched out on the bed, was lean but not skinny. The muscles in his legs and arms were easily visible without being clearly defined. As for his cock….Cian swallowed hard as his gaze locked on the long, erect, and “heavier than he would have expected” dick and Mitch’s hand gliding over it, pushing the skin up and down while soft, needy sounds fell from his lips.
Cian wasn’t sure why this felt much more intimate than the few hand and blow jobs he’d given and received in the past. All he knew was that the combination of watching Mitch as he pleasured himself and his own hand on his ready-to-explode dick drove him to his climax with shocking speed.
He raised his chin and shifted his focus to Mitch’s face. His lips were parted, his cheeks flushed, and his gaze was firmly fixed on Cian’s hand as he stroked and squeezed his erection.“So good,” Mitch rasped, his breath escaping him in sharp, short bursts. Then he stiffened, and Cian lowered his gaze just in time to see cum erupting from his cock.
It was all Cian needed to push him over the edge too. His orgasm roared through his body, forcing his eyes shut as he surrendered to the previously unknown pleasure of coming together with someone he cared for.
****  

A Miracle in the Library (Mitch & Cian #1)
Buy links: Universal | Amazon US | Amazon UK
Available to read in Kindle Unlimited

Valentine’s Surprise (Valentine’s Love #2) - Out Now

With all the excitement as a result of having two novellas available for free over the past few days, I more or less forgot to also promote the release of the second story in the Valentine’s Love series. But, given that today actually is Valentine’s Day, it is probably the perfect occasion to tell you all about Valentine’s Surprise . So, stay tuned for the cover, the blurb, and an exclusive, not available anywhere else, excerpt.

 Valentine’s Love #220k words approx. / 81 pagesPrice: $0.99 / £0.99
Buy links: Universal | Amazon US | Amazon UKAvailable to read in KU
Blurb
Ben Cronin and Ty O’Malley have been inseparable ever since they got together on Valentine’s Day. Nine months into their relationship, dark clouds descend when Ben’s father falls seriously ill and dies in a matter of weeks. Having lost his only close relative, Ben is grief-stricken, and appears to be sinking ever deeper into a black hole.

Desperate to help Ben cope with his pain, Ty plans a getaway for them, to coincide with their first anniversary. But taking Ben back to the stunning beauty of the Swiss Alps, a place he visited with his father years ago, is a risky undertaking. Reuniting him with memories could as easily push Ben deeper into his pain as it might help him find the first traces of light. 

Ty’s plan will either bring them closer than they’ve ever been, or spell disaster— for both of them.

Valentine’s surprise is the sequel to Valentine’s Love. While it can be read as a stand-alone, you’ll enjoy this story more if you read Valentine’s Love first.
Excerpt
I opened my eyes and instantly squeezed them closed again as a bright light blinded me. I placed my arm over my eyes and turned onto my side, trying to put my back between the disturbing brightness and my face.
“Good morning.” Ty chuckled. “I see you’ve also discovered we’re lucky enough to have woken up to a bright, sunny day.”
I carefully squinted through one half-opened eye at Ty, who also lay on his side, his head resting on his arm and his beautiful eyes fixed on me.
“A bit too bright for my liking,” I grumbled. “Especially this early in the morning.”
Ty laughed. “I hate to disillusion you, but the morning has come and gone.”
“What?” I wasn’t awake enough to figure out what he meant.
Leaning forward, he kissed me. “It’s quarter to one, Ben. We slept the morning away.” His lips found mine again. “It’s hardly surprising since it was after three last night when we actually got here, but unless we’re going to spend the whole day in bed, we should probably get up.”
I opened my mouth to tell Ty that staying in bed all day, with him, didn’t seem like a hardship to me when I remembered exactly where we were. Pushing away the covers, I sat up and turned toward the light source that had disturbed me moments earlier. It turned out to be a large floor-to-ceiling window with a door leading onto a balcony. Without thinking about it I got up, approached the door, opened it, and stepped outside.
“Fuck, it’s cold.” I jumped back into the room a mere second after my bare feet touched the snow.
Ty, who had apparently also left our very comfortable bed, sniggered behind me. “I would have thought the white stuff might have warned you.”
“Yeah, yeah. Very funny.” I bent down and snatched a handful of snow before closing the door and turning to Ty.
“Oh, no, you don’t.” He took a step back, but wasn’t fast enough to stop me from grabbing his upper arm, pulling him close and rubbing the already melting snow over his exposed chest. His squeal when the icy substance connected with his nipple was adorable. The thoughts entering my head when it pebbled under my thumb, had little to do with his cute exclamation. Pressing into him, I pushed him backwards until his calves hit the bed. One more firm push and he lay sprawled out in front of me, a red hue to his chest and his boxer shorts tenting.
With a growl, I dropped forward, making sure to hold my descent with my hands before I crashed into him. Heat, need, and a sense of coming home rushed through me as our bodies fully connected. It had been months since I’d experienced this exhilarating connection. Love burned in my heart, my body yearned for his touch, and my hands itched to reacquaint themselves with every inch of his glorious body.
Capturing his mouth, I pushed my tongue between his lips, demanding entrance. For a few short moments, he went along, our tongues alternately caressing and attacking. Then he turned his head. “Shouldn’t we shower first, brush our teeth? It’s been more than twenty-four hours.”
“Don’t care. If we’re both disgusting, we probably won’t notice.” I trailed kisses, licks, and nips from his ear to his mouth, determined not to be denied.
Ty gave up the fight, shaking his head at my insistence while the smile tugging at the lips I wanted to devour and the delight shining from his eyes, told me that he didn’t mind at all.
“Welcome back,” he whispered against my lips before we lost ourselves in a long, sensuous kiss.
Moments later both of us had somehow lost our underwear. His hard cock rested on his belly, mine right beside it. As I rutted into him, our combined pre-cum made the movements slicker and more carnal with each push.
Gliding against him, feeling, seeing, and hearing Ty’s arousal, falling into the depths of his gorgeous eyes woke something up, deep inside me. A door that had been pulled shut and locked when my dad lost his fight, and had refused to budge in the subsequent weeks, now opened a crack, showing me there might be a way back for me after all.
Ty bucked up against me, adding an extra spark to the heat building between us. I wasn’t going to last long, and judging by the sounds falling from his lips, neither was Ty.
“Together,” he breathed against my lips.
“Almost.” I only just got the word out, too far gone to articulate.
Then I was there. My body stiffened before the release coursed through me. “Ty!” For a moment my mind went blank. My body was the whole universe, with a supernova shining bright in its centre, bringing light to where previously only darkness existed. Ty followed me a moment later, hanging on to me for dear life as his release mingled with mine on our bellies.

 And, just in case you haven’t read Valentine’s love yet, here are all the details:

Valentine’s Love #115k approx. / 53 pages Price: $0.99 / £0.99
Buy links: Universal | Amazon US | Amazon UKAvailable to read in KU

Happy Valentine's Day

Happy Valentine’s Day

Okay, I’m three days early, but really, is there ever a reason not to be in the mood for love? I’m delighted to be taking part in the BE MINE Valentine’s Day Bash in Ana Newfolk’s wonderful FB group - Café Lima. The party started Saturday and won’t end until Valentine’s Day itself, so if you haven’t joined the fun yet, there’s still plenty of time to do so. You can join Ana’s group here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/208814836439843/

As part of the festivities and as a special treat for our readers, the participants in this event have all penned a Valentine’s Day flash fiction featuring a favourite couple from one of their previously published books. These flashes will be bundled in an e-book which will be made available for FREE, probably on February 14th, but stay tuned for further updates.
And, while your waiting for the collection, each participating author will share their own flash during the bash in Ana's readers' group.

My flash can be found below and features a couple I first introduced last Christmas. I hope you’ll enjoy spending a bit more time with Mitch and Cian.

This short flash revisits Mitch and Cian from A Miracle in the Library and is an interlude falling between that Christmas story and the St. Patrick’s Day novella I hope to publish mid-March.
Mitch checked the clock. No, he wasn’t imagining things. He really was hungry. He could usually set his watch by his mother’s routine and dinner was never later than a quarter to seven. Except now it was half past.
He sniffed the air, frowning when he encountered no mouth-watering aromas. Bemused, he got up from the couch he’d been lounging on and walked to the kitchen.
“Ma?” Whatever he’d expected, it wasn’t his mother sitting at the breakfast bar, reading a book.
She put her finger on the page, then looked up at him. “Yes?”
“Are we even having dinner tonight?” Mitch was struggling to keep a handle on his temper. It was frustrating enough that he couldn’t spend Valentine’s Day with his boyfriend. Just my luck that it has to fall on a Thursday. With Mitch in the final year of secondary school and Cian in college in Dublin, a midweek get-together just wasn’t in the cards. Not even on Valentine’s Day. Not even with my first-ever boyfriend.
His mother gave him one of her infamous patient smiles, the ones she gave when she thought he was being especially dim-witted. “All in its own good time, my lad.” Her smile changed, turning almost evil. “Don’t worry. You’ll get fed.” She lowered her gaze and continued reading.
The situation was so unusual Mitch had no idea what to say, so he returned to the living room. Here he was, eighteen at last and stuck at home while others celebrated love. Frustrated, he extracted his phone from his pocket and swiped the screen.
No new messages. Mitch’s mood dipped further.
They had exchanged texts earlier, but for the past two hours, there’d been no sign of life from Cian. Mitch’s message was still the last in their thread.

Fuck, I wish we could spend the evening together.

Had he at last gone too far? Been too needy? He wistfully reflected that he could do with another visit from Klaus Nichols. Except this time he needed a Valentine’s Day miracle.
Feeling sorry for himself, he leaned back into the soft cushion and closed his eyes. All he wanted was to spend Valentine’s Day with his boyfriend. Surely that wasn’t unreasonable? No, but it is impossible.
The sound of the doorbell chiming through the house had him sitting up straight. Visitors?
“Would you get that, Mitch?”
“Sure.” As he walked to the door, Mitch wondered if whoever was visiting was the reason they hadn’t eaten yet.
Mitch pulled the door open, curious who he would find on the other side, looked up and….
“Hey.” Cian’s gaze didn’t quite meet Mitch’s, and his smile was almost bashful.
Mitch looked over his shoulder in the direction of the kitchen before facing Cian again. “You…her?”
Cian shrugged. “I thought we could have pizza together. But it’s a school night, so I checked with your ma first.”
“Bastards,” Mitch muttered, unable to suppress his delighted grin. He closed the distance between them, lifted his chin, and kissed Cian. “Pizza sounds good. Let me get my coat.”
Mitch’s heart sang as he stuck out his tongue to his ma before shrugging into his coat and walking away from the house with Cian…his boyfriend…on Valentine’s Day.
****
As stated above, this flash takes place about two months after Mitch and Cian first meet in A Miracle in the Library . I realize Christmas has come and gone, but if you are interested in the start of their story, you can find it here: mybook.to/AMITL
In the meantime, you might be interested in my latest release: Valentine’s Surprise , which is the sequel to last year’s Valentine’s Love.
Valentine’s surprise is €.99/$.99/£.99.
Buy links Valentine’s Surprise: Universal link | Amazon US | Amazon UK

Buy links Valentine's Love: Universal Link | Amazon US | Amazon UK

Careful What You Wish For - FREE!!!!!

I have absolutely no idea how or why it happened, but apparently Careful What You Wish For is FREE on Amazon at the moment. Since I also don't know how long this book will remain FREE, I'd advice you to pick it up as soon as possible.
Blurb
All Josh has ever wanted is to submit to another man; to give all of himself, completely, without reservation.

For the past six months Josh has been chatting with and submitting to Pascal online, and this evening his dream of doing the same in person, is about to come true.

Will Pascal be everything Josh imagines or is he about to learn that wishes can be dangerous?
Buy links: Universal | Amazon US | Amazon UK

A Miracle in the Library - Out Today!!!

A Miracle in the Library and an Abundance of Inspiration
The writing of A Miracle in the Library was exactly that: a miracle.
I already had a Christmas story releasing with Dreamspinner Press this December (more information to follow shortly) and had no intention of writing another one, until one day early November, while I was in the middle of working on something else, inspiration struck with such force, I couldn’t not write the book.
What inspired me you ask? Well, quite a few things in fact.
The setting in A Miracle in the Library is pretty much a carbon copy of the old-fashioned, part-time library I work in one afternoon every other week. As the pictures show, the one room holds nothing except books, a collection of chairs, and a desk for the librarian. I had to modify the place a tiny bit to make it a better fit for my miracle, but it’s safe to say both the library and its location in the book are firmly based on my bi-weekly reality.



While I don’t name them, I had two very specific books in mind for Mitch to read while visiting the library. Having read both of them myself, I highly recommend these books for younger people coming to terms with who they are, of course, but also for all others wanting to gain insight into what that might mean. I reviewed one of them some time ago, and you can find my thoughts here: This Book is Gay
 
Mr. Nichols, as described A Miracle in the Library, had the face, kindness, and wisdom of my good friend Tim O’Rahilly from the moment he sprang to life in my mind. The image below gives you a good idea why.


And last but by no means least, there is this video. Yes, I’m well aware it is an advert for an alcoholic beverage but, while I’ve been known to indulge on occasion, that is not the point here. Panti Bliss, in this short clip, says exactly what I’ve been hoping to convey in my story. Why don’t you take a look?


BlurbSeventeen-year-old Mitch McCann has been trying to dodge his bullies for eighteen months. He isn’t out, but that hasn’t stopped the popular gang at school from tormenting him for being gay. Three weeks before Christmas, in a desperate attempt to shake his pursuers, Mitch flees into the abandoned community hall, only to discover the building is far from empty; inside he finds a fully stocked library as well as Mr. Nichols, the very welcoming librarian.The library turns into Mitch’s refuge of choice, where he can read books that answer his endless questions, without fear of encountering abuse. His peace of mind is shattered when nineteen-year-old Cian Leavy enters his sanctuary. Cian is the boy who made Mitch realize he’s gay, and he’s more attractive now than he was eighteen months ago, when Mitch literally ran into him.Will Cian unwittingly disrupt Mitch’s life again? Or has the scene been set for a miracle in the library?Buy Links: Universal AmazonLink | Amazon US | Amazon UK
Available to read in KU

Happy Release Day to All or Nothing!!!!!!!!!

To celebrate the fact that All or Nothing is now available on Amazon and in KU I’m sharing a second excerpt from the book. It only seems fair to introduce you to Amber this time. (If you missed the post introducing Hector, you can find him here.)
Blurb
If she’s not good enough for all of him, she’d rather have none.
Forty-one-year-old Hector Kelly has lived the BDSM lifestyle all his adult life, but the recent influx of inexperienced and starry-eyed young women has killed its luster for him. When he reluctantly accompanies his best friend to The Dark Cellar during an open night, he is not surprised when he has to rescue a clueless young woman from a predatory Dom. Against his better judgment, he spends the rest of the night showing the gorgeous Amber around the club.Until she entered The Dark Cellar, twenty-one-year-old Amber Sommerville was convinced BDSM only existed between the covers of her favorite romance novels. As Hector introduces her to this unknown world, everything she sees awakens desires she’s never experienced before.The attraction between Hector and Amber is as instant as it is undeniable. But with an almost twenty-year age difference between them and Hector’s conviction that Amber is too young both for him and to know whether or not she wants to submit, their developing relationship remains purely vanilla—for the most part. When Amber witnesses Hector in full Dom mode, she recognizes that he’s been holding back and sets him an ultimatum: either he fully commits all of himself to their relationship or she’ll leave. If Hector wants to hang on to the woman who has captured his heart, he’ll have to reassess his preconceived notions.
Excerpt
“You’re serious?” Amber knew her laugh sounded nervous, but she couldn’t stop it from escaping her mouth. When the masked man had first walked up to her and told her to kneel, she’d thought it was a joke, orchestrated by her sister. It would have been just like Sinead and her mates to do something like that. Now, she wasn’t so sure. Whoever this was, he clearly expected her to kneel before him. He was in for one hell of a disappointment.
“Very serious. Did you really think you could walk into a BDSM club and not obey the rules?” Anger or something very close to it vibrated off the man, and for the first time since he’d approached her, Amber felt a stab of fear. Not that she’d show him her feelings. She lifted her chin and relished the surprise she thought she recognized on what she could see of his face when she looked him straight in the eye.
“I’ve no intention of kneeling for anyone, least of all you.” It took all her strength not to flinch when he raised his hand. She’d no idea if he planned on striking her or just wanted to force her to her knees.
“That’s enough, Carlos.”
The deep, calm voice coming from behind her startled Amber. She wanted to turn around and discover who it belonged to, but knew she couldn’t afford to take her eyes off the man in front of her.
Said man in front of her—Carlos apparently—frowned for a moment, as if confused, as he glanced over her shoulder. “Hector, this has nothing to do with you. Leave us alone to sort this out.” The masked man returned his steely-eyed attention to Amber.
“It does when you’re determined to give all of us a bad name.” The warm voice touched something deep in Amber. She was no damsel in distress and hated relying on others, but she couldn’t help being grateful for the help. She’d no idea what sort of trouble she’d gotten herself into. Which meant she didn’t know how to get herself out of it either.
The anger Amber’d thought she recognized in Carlos’s eyes transformed into fury, and for the first time since he’d addressed her, he fully focused on somebody other than her.
“Stay out of this. I won’t tell you again. Who do you think you are? You disappear for years, and then you presume you can tell me how to behave. Go back to wherever you’ve been hiding and leave this to us real men.”
“Look at her wrist, Carlos. You’re right. You shouldn’t need me to explain how this works.”
Amber glanced at her wrist and the white armband they’d told her to wear when she’d entered the club with the other girls. Apparently, it wasn’t just proof of admission.
“A white armband. I know. I saw that immediately. Doesn’t mean the girl shouldn’t know how to behave.”
Amber’s temper rose. She didn’t enjoy being the subject of a conversation she didn’t appear to have a role in. She opened her mouth, although she’d no idea what she wanted to say, when the sonorous voice behind her beat her to it.
“That’s exactly what it means, Carlos. I don’t like these open nights either, but that’s what this is, and as a result, most people here right now don’t even know there are rules, never mind what they might be. Leave the girl alone and find yourself an experienced submissive.”
Suddenly, it all came together for Amber. Now, she understood why her sister—the bride to be—and her friends had giggled as much as they had when they’d entered the club. She’d read about submissives. She almost smiled but remembered the dicey situation she found herself in just in time. She enjoyed reading about Doms and those who submitted to them. She’d somehow failed to translate those works of fiction into real possibilities. And she’d been slow on the uptake. After all the books she’d read, she should have recognized this club for what it was—far more than “just” a sexy nightclub.
Lost in her thoughts, it took Amber a moment before she became aware of the staring contest taking place between Carlos and the man behind her. The urge to turn around and find out who he was had grown stronger, but she still didn’t want to turn her back on the Dom in front of her. When Carlos gave a small nod before stalking away, Amber relaxed, her body releasing the tension she hadn’t known she’d been holding.
“Thank you.” Amber turned around as she spoke. Everything else she’d wanted to say disappeared from her mind as she looked straight into the dark brown eyes of the man who’d come to her rescue. She tried to figure out what she saw there. She would have called it kindness except she also detected a note of anger in his gaze.
“What were you thinking, girl? Why didn’t you stay with your friends? There’s safety in numbers.” The anger she’d seen in his eyes didn’t translate to his voice. If anything, he sounded resigned, exasperated.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to cause trouble.” Amber thought for a moment. It was true; she hadn’t meant to create a problem, hadn’t known she might when she allowed the rest of their party to move on while she’d studied her surroundings. “I didn’t know I shouldn’t be on my own. I mean, they never said anything when we came in.”“How did you end up here anyway?”
Something bristled inside Amber before subsiding again. She didn’t mind answering his questions, just as she hadn’t been upset when she picked up on his anger. It didn’t make sense, because she wasn’t in the habit of letting others tell her what to do or allowing them to interrogate her, but she didn’t question her instinct.
“It’s my sister’s hen party. One of her friends suggested this club.” As she spoke, she remembered the looks Maeve—the friend in question—had exchanged with Mary, another friend. She hadn’t thought anything about it at the time, but now, she realized they’d known exactly what they would be leading the rest of them into. “Sinead, my sister, was already very drunk by then and appeared to be eager to visit a club...any club. I just tagged along.”
She’d resented that. Sure, she was a few years younger than the rest of the party, but she wasn’t a child anymore. She’d bitten her tongue all through the evening as Maeve and some of the others had belittled her. Sinead had defended her earlier on in the evening, but as people kept on pouring drinks into her, she’d soon lost contact with reality.
“But you didn’t stay with them when they moved to the other side of the club?”
His question took her by surprise. How did he know where the others had gone? She looked around until she spotted them on the far side of the dance floor and nearly groaned out loud. It was impossible to miss her sister. Sinead stood on a table in only her underwear and the veil she’d put on earlier. A blush crept up Amber’s neck and cheeks as she wondered what this man might think of her and her sister.
“Ah, I think I understand.” The man’s low chuckle took her by surprise and allowed her to relax again.
“Yes, well. What can I say? I don’t like getting drunk, and I’m not overly fond of some of my sister’s friends. Letting them go on without me for a while seemed like a good idea. If I’d known I’d cause trouble in the process...” She thought for a moment before deciding she had nothing to lose. “Besides, there’s so much to look at here. I had to stop and take it all in.”
She allowed her gaze to roam the club again and only barely repressed the shiver of excitement threatening to run down her spine as she observed more people kneeling on the floor at the feet of others. A girl she’d noticed getting down to her knees earlier was now on her feet, following the man who, Amber assumed, had to be her Dom toward closed double doors on the far side of the room, her head slightly bowed.
She felt her rescuer’s gaze on her and tore her attention back to him.
“By the way, I’m Amber Sommerville. Thank you for stepping in just now. I had no idea how to deal with that man.” Again, she noticed something in his eyes she couldn’t name.
“Hector Kelly.” He took the hand she offered and held it slightly longer than she’d expected. “You should either join your sister or go home, Amber. This is no place for young women on their own.”
“Oh no.” She laughed. “I’ve no intention of going yet. I want to see more. I’ve only read about places like this. I never believed they really existed, never mind could be found in Dublin. Now that I’m here, I want to discover how much of what I considered fiction is in fact real. And I want to know what’s on the other side of those doors.”
She’d no idea how she knew, but she’d no doubt Hector disapproved of her plans. His expression hadn’t changed, and yet she could almost feel his frustration. Tough.She was grateful he’d helped her out of a tricky situation, but it didn’t give him the right to tell her how to spend the rest of her evening. It was a shame though. She would have loved to get to know him better but not if it meant allowing him to make her decisions for her.
“Thank you again, Hector. I’m just going to have a look around before I join the others again.” She took a few moments to really look at him. The slight stutter in her heartbeat took her by surprise, and she dismissed it. Hector was very attractive—not far removed from her image of the ideal man in fact—and he was bossy, which should have been off-putting but, strangely enough, didn’t actually bother her. It was a shame she’d probably never see him again.
The moment she saw him take a deep breath, she turned and walked toward the half-hidden doors at the back of the club. She didn’t want to hear why he thought she should leave.
Book Details
Release Date: September 26, 2018Pairing: MFLength 61k words approx.Universal buy link: mybook.to/AoNAll or Nothing is available in KU and as a paperback.