Lucy Felthouse's Blog, page 274
January 1, 2013
Another Fab Review of Reindeer Games: Cupid
Yay – what a great start to the new year! Reindeer Games: Cupid, my paranormal erotic romance, has been reviewed by Manic Readers, and awarded a score of four and a half out of five!
Here’s what they had to say:
“Cassius Cupid is a mild-mannered postman 364 days a year, and one of Santa’s shifter reindeer one day a year. When the tables turn and sexy Carina delivers a package to Cupid, he is head over heels. But how can he ever explain to his love that he has to disappear for a few days at Christmas every year? While he dithers about explaining, Carina takes things in hand, literally and figuratively, and all is well with a surprising twist at the end, which I never expected. Another cute little story from this group that you will no doubt enjoy.”
Read the full review here.
Get your copy of Reindeer Games: Cupid here.
December 31, 2012
2012 Round Up!
I’ve been looking forward to writing this post for a while. Mainly because, without sounding big-headed, I’m proud of what I’ve achieved this year. I had some goals, some smaller than others, and I’ve achieved them all. Here are some of them:
Have a story accepted by Alison Tyler (check – she accepted three! The Big Book of Bondage is released next month, and Sudden Sex in May 2013)
Have a story accepted by Maxim Jakubowski (check – Quick & Dirty Erotica is due April 2013)
Have a story accepted by Violet Blue (check – I’m in Best Women’s Erotica 2013 – very excited!)
Be published by Ellora’s Cave (check – A Taste of London out now, A Taste of Paris currently with my editor)
Have more publications than last year (check – 25 last year, 30 this year)
Another thing that I’ve achieved that I knew I’d do eventually, but hadn’t specifically earmarked for 2012 was to write a novel. I currently have a first draft of my ménage erotic romance book sitting on my computer, waiting for me to come back and polish it to within an inch of its life.
I also had my first non-fiction piece published, which was an essay in the Fifty Writers on Fifty Shades of Grey collection.
My total publication count was 30, which includes print and eBooks, but if I sell the same story more than once, I only count it as one. So I’m pretty damn proud of that!
Here’s a photo of the paperbacks I’ve been in this year – though I’m missing two. Best Women’s Erotica 2013 hasn’t arrived yet, and the same goes for the Seven Deadly Sins anthology. So imagine two extra books on that pile.
Happy New Year, everyone! And here’s to an even better one in 2013 
A quick amendment to this – my copies of Best Women’s Erotica 2013 arrived after I scheduled this post. Also, I totted up my word count this year, and am absolutely astounded to report that I have written 225,672 words! Not all of them are published, of course, but many of them are, some are on submission, and 75,355 of those belong to my novel, which will probably be longer than that by the time I send it to a publisher. Happy New Year!!
December 29, 2012
Reindeer Games: Cupid Review and First Chapter!
It’s a busy old day for that gorgeous reindeer shifter, Cassius Cupid. First, he received a fab review from The Cat’s Meow:
“This is such a cute little Christmas romp. I loved the English accent that came across in this story and the humorous style of writing. I recommend this story to anyone that loves Christmas stories, Reindeer, unusual shifters, and a fun, short romp!” 4 out of 5
And secondly, the entire first chapter of the book is featured at D. Renee Bagby’s First Chapters. Find it here.
Grab this paranormal erotic romance here.***
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December 27, 2012
New Release: Dangerously Mine by A. M. Griffin
Blurb:
After aliens invade and conquer Earth, Eva is transported to a distant slave trading planet. Escape and freedom are her only priority, but none of her martial arts training prepared her for what she faces. She finds herself enslaved to the warrior King Taio. Eva’s drawn to this sexy alien male who ignites her heart and body.
Taio is disgusted with the idea of owning a slave—until now. From the moment he sees her, he knows Eva is his for the taking. Torn between lust and duty, Taio knows nothing will stop him from protecting his little warrior.
Excerpt:
Eva pressed her face against the rectangular window in the training room, watching the lights of unknown origin whiz by. She stood in one of the training rooms Ship had sequestered for her. After lunch, she felt more than a little stir-crazy. She needed to work off some of the tension that coiled around her muscles. It took all her strength not to get up and leave the dining hall while Taio’s gaze bored through her back. Did he really have to keep sending those smoldering looks her way?
His lavender eyes locked on her whenever she entered a room. The intensity of his gaze made her body respond in a way that she didn’t want it to. No one would ever consider her to be a coward. But there was something about the way he looked at her that had her frightened.
And that tattoo on his face. Sometimes it intrigued her and other times it made her scared. Who would allow such an intricate drawing to be completed? The pain alone would have been enough to deter any sane person from getting it, alien or not.
His body was a whole different story. It was downright criminal to have a body like his. The man had a body that would make a nun want to sin. He was tall, unbelievably so, but he was all rippling muscle.
This vessel was full of men and the only one who would give her a second glance was Taio. The thought should have given her some type of comfort. Instead of beating off twenty men, there was only one she would have to worry about. There was no mistaking his intentions. Every time he looked her way, it was as if he were willing her clothes to fall from her body. Her only counterattack so far was to stay away from him.
But she did have to agree with Ship, being under the care of Taio was for the best right now. She was fed, the dining hall was open around the clock, which was a plus. Oftentimes she found herself standing in front of the computer, requesting the buro flank with nitlick soup after everyone else was fast asleep. These were the closest thing to Earth food she could find. They had the same taste as chicken and tomato soup.
She was finally clean. Although she would have loved to feel the caress of running water on her skin again, the ionized shower hit the spot. She had clothes, which, although they were tight, were at least clean. And most of all, she didn’t feel her safety was in any type of jeopardy, not at the moment.
She wanted to find Ally, but she had to face the hard facts.
She was far away from home.
In an alien world.
No money whatsoever.
Nowhere to go.
And alone.
Finally, pulling herself away from the window, she pulled a training bag from the corner to start her workout. Hand-to-hand combat always made her feel primal, the main reason she loved it so much.
Within minutes, her training suit clung to her body, the lightweight material not constricting her movements at all. Perspiration covered her from head to toe, her once tied-back hair hanging wet and loose around her. Her muscles thrived under the workout, coming alive once again.
Heavy breathing behind her caught her off guard. She flipped away, landing in a fighting stance facing the intruder.
Taio stood in the doorway, watching. He gave a curt nod her way, the acknowledgement doing nothing to make her feel relaxed.
“You have good skills, Eva.” He hooked his thumbs in the waist of his pants and leaned on the doorway.
Her name never sounded better.
“Thank you.” She relaxed and straightened, her eyes still watching him. This was his first time speaking to her since their ill-fated first encounter.
She didn’t dare move closer, especially since she still didn’t know his intentions. She didn’t move away either, fearing he would view that as a sign of weakness. So she stood her ground, her body betraying her in the worst way. Her heart sped up a little and her breathing became more labored. Now she found her nipples hardening as her name rolled off his tongue.
I know trouble when I see it.
Eva willed her body to fight against whatever “mojo” he was throwing at her.
Taio walked into the room and took a sword off a rack on the wall. He began flexing it, testing its weight. The gesture caused his arm and chest muscles to ripple with each movement.
Jesus.
“Who taught you fighting moves?” he asked.
“My sensei, he lived back home.”
“Earth,” he said as a statement, rather than a question.
“Yes, Earth. Ann Arbor, Michigan, more specifically.”
She eyed the weapons on the wall. She was trained to use various fighting weapons—sais, kamas, knives, nunchakus, bo staffs and swords. She could show him a thing a two.
She walked over to the rack and took another sword off the wall.
Shit!
It weighed a ton! No wonder he smirked when she picked it up. Even though she strained to hold it in both hands, she made sure not to let him know. She would give anything to smack that look right off his face. Instead, she concentrated hard on not dropping the sword. She wouldn’t give him the satisfaction. She dared not try to maneuver it as he had.
“A male taught you?” He sounded surprised.
“Yes. Thirteen Earth years of training.” Taio laughed and shook his head in disbelief. “It’s not unusual on my planet,” she said. “A male can teach a female how to fight or even a female can teach a male.”
He laughed harder and shook his head. “There could never be such a thing on my world.”
She turned away. “I earned a black belt, first Dan in Kyokushin Karate. On Earth I’m considered to be a great fighter.”
“Your people did not fare well in the war against the Loconuist. The fighting techniques of your species mean nothing to me.”
Ouch.
If the sword in her hands wasn’t so heavy, she would have swung it at him.
Asshole.
“We didn’t know how to fight them. We’d never encountered aliens before.”
“Then it is good that I will take care of you from now on.”
Her head snapped around. “I don’t need you to take care of me.”
“You were captured by the Loconuist and the Tresdonians almost killed you.”
She shrugged. “But they didn’t.”
He smirked. “Because I saved you.”
“Thanks, but I can take care of myself.”
“It doesn’t matter. You are my responsibility now. You are my slave.”
Her eyes, squinting and cold, fixed on his. “Ship told me those assholes on that planet gave me to you. I think you got cheated. I’m not a slave. Not yours or anyone else’s.”
“If this arrangement does not suit you, I could turn the vessel around and give you back to the Tresdonians.” He turned from her and put the heavy sword back on the wall rack.
Her heart began pounding in her chest. He wouldn’t… “No. I’m not going back there.” She held her sword tightly in her grasp.
“Then you are my slave.” He stalked slowly toward her. His eyes locked on hers.
“No.” She backed away from him.
This cannot happen.
“You are mine.” He took another step toward her. “You will need to get used to the idea.”
“Never.”
He stopped his advancement. They stood facing each other. Her breathing came out in deep and heavy breaths. Her heart thumped in her chest.
Abruptly, he turned and walked from the room. She blinked at the empty doorway. The cold surface of the wall was against her back. She held the sword close to her chest, shielding her body. She stayed there until her arms shook from the sword’s weight.
She was no one’s slave.
Enjoy! Griffin
Now available from Ellora’s Cave - http://www.ellorascave.com/dangerously-mine.html
You can find out what else I’m working on by visiting: http://www.amgriffinbooks.com
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50% Off Ellora’s Cave Titles!
I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and that Santa brought you everything you wanted!
Good news – if an eReader was something you asked for, or even if it was something you already had – All Romance eBooks has something fantastic for you – a 50% rebate on all Ellora’s Cave books from 25th – 31st December!
You know what that means, don’t you? It means that you can get my erotic story, A Taste of London, for a tiny $1.25! Bag it quick, because I’ve submitted the follow up story, A Taste of Paris, to my editor, so hopefully that’ll be accepted and on their release schedule soon. I’ll keep you posted!
You can also bag Succubus Comes Home for absolutely nothing at All Romance eBooks at the moment, too! Kink up your Kindle with some Felthouse smut this holiday season! 
***
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December 23, 2012
Happy Holidays!
Whatever you celebrate, or if you don’t celebrate at all, have a lovely few days. Here’s a photo of my dog with his advent calendar on day one. If you want a real laugh, check out this YouTube video, too.
Happy Holidays! xx
P.S. I won’t be around from 22nd until the 27th, and I’ll be around on and off from the 28th until the 31st. Hopefully normality will resume after then. I’ll reply to emails as and when I can, so bear with me!
P.P.S. My newsletter should go out on the 27th – unless I’m ridiculously busy. Keep an eye on your inboxes ***
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December 22, 2012
Guest Blogger: Avril Ashton
Exotic dancer Monroe Calliste recognizes the reindeer shifter eyeing her with open curiosity as she performs on stage. She remembers too well the one night they allowed themselves free reign over each other’s bodies. But he doesn’t recall their tryst, or maybe pretends not to. Either way, Monroe sets out to give him a refresher course.
Dasher Petrovic has no memory of the coffee-colored temptress insisting they shared more than their bodies at one time. Monroe’s eyes reflect a mutual burn, but she can’t be right. If he’d spent even a second in her bed, he’d know. His ice melts under Monroe’s fire, but the question remains, what happened to his memory?
Buy Link: http://bit.ly/QW0l4j (Secret Cravings)
EXCERPT
Outside in the main area, she pulled the fedora low on her head, covering as much of her face as she could as she looked around for him. He was tall, way taller than her, but no matter how much she strained her neck she couldn’t find him. He’d left or maybe gone back into hiding.
Fuck.
Maybe the bartender, Ioan, remembered something about him. She pushed through the thick crowd and over to the bar. There he sat, beer still in hand, hunched over.
She allowed herself a quick drool over the way the white shirt he wore pulled tight over the muscles in his back, putting them on display. At one time, way back when, she’d had her legs around his neck, her fingers digging into all that muscle as he worked her over.
Hmm. Damn.
She was all wet, and he hadn’t even touched her, not that he would. She sidled up to the bar and hopped on to the stool next to him. Frustrated heat poured off him, intoxicating enough to make her forget place and time.
“Long time no see, shifter.”
His entire body froze.
Monroe smirked and turned her head as Ioan approached with her drink, a Grand Marnier, a splash of lemon juice, and three ice cubes.
To his credit, the shifter waited until Ioan moved away before he looked up at her. There again was the confusion, but he blinked, and it disappeared. Different expressions cycled quickly through his eyes; lust, need, confusion, until he settled on cold distrust. Oh, that one hurt.
“Do I know you?” A blank question before he raised the beer to his lips.
“Yes, you do.”
The blond hair he’d sported back then was shaved off until only a shadow remained on his scalp. His eyebrows and lashes gave him away. Lashes she’d been jealous of, they were so long and curly. His cheekbones were more prominent, the bump on his nose wasn’t there the last time, neither was the scruffy beard. Her shifter had gone through some changes.
“You do know me, shifter,” she said. “But more importantly, I know you.” She leaned forward and spoke into his ear. “The pretense doesn’t become you, reindeer.”
Except for the tightening of his knuckles around the beer bottle, he showed no outward signs of acknowledging her words. Monroe fisted her hands.
“Dasher Petrovic. Your name,” she whispered.
His body started shaking.
“Reindeer shifter.”
The shaking grew worse, and he’d closed his eyes.
“I’ve got more. I know more about you than I think you even know.”
“How?” The word rumbled in his throat. “How?”
Was he for real? Monroe frowned. “Two years ago you spent a weekend in my bed, Dash. I know everything because you told me.”
The beer slipped from his hands and spilled onto the bar top as his eyes stabbed into her. “No.”
Denial. Really? She lifted her head. “This isn’t the place for this conversation. Come with me.”
“Fuck that.” He shook his head. “Not happening.”
She smiled. “You and I both know you will.”
AUTHOR BIO/LINKS
l always wanted to have a sexy bio, one to reflect who I am, but after drawing a blank, l could only come up with: I eat cake and I read books…ooh, and I write ‘em too. No one liked it and after massive peer-pressure and pouting, I managed something more…suitable?
A Caribbean transplant, Avril now lives in Brooklyn, N.Y with a tolerant Spousal Equivalent. Together they raise an eccentric daughter who loves reading and school (not so much school anymore). Avril’s earliest memories of reading revolve around discussing plot points of Nancy Drew and The Hardy Boys with an equally book-minded mother
Always in love with the written word, Avril finally decided to do the writing in August of ’09 and never looked back. Spicy love scenes, delicious heroes, and wicked women burn up the pages of Avril’s stories, but there’ll always be a happy ending; Av remains a believer of love in all its forms.
Visit: http://www.avrilashton.webs.com
http://www.avril-ashton.blogspot.com
Friend Avril on: http://www.facebook.com/writeravrilashton
http://www.twitter.com/#!/AvrilAsh
Goodreads:http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4623203.Avril_Ashton
Authorgraph:http://www.authorgraph.com/authors/AvrilAsh
The Romance Studio: http://www.theromancestudio.com/fm/aashton.htm
iTunes: http://itunes.apple.com/gb/artist/avril-ashton/id446081990?mt=11
Amazon Link:https://www.amazon.com/author/avrilashton
ARe: http://www.allromanceebooks.com/storeSearch.html?searchBy=author&qString=Avril+Ashton
B&N Link: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/Avril-Ashton?keyword=Avril+Ashton&store=ebook
Sony eReader: http://ebookstore.sony.com/author/avril-ashton_235888
Powell’s: http://www.powells.com/s?kw=Avril+Ashton&class=ebooks
December 20, 2012
It’s Blissemaaaaaaas!
Yes, it’s that very special time of year – Blissemas! Where the fab husband and wife team Victoria and Mit put together lots of seasonal goodness for us to enjoy, including cool prizes and brand new books for us to buy. Speaking of which, I have a brand new book out – did you know? It’s Christmas themed, too. Kind of, anyway. It’s set in a very snowy and icy early January, but the main character is one of Santa’s reindeer. For one day of the year, anyway. The other 364 days, he’s a regular guy. And he’s lonely too, which is why this year Santa has done something very special and helped Cassius Cupid to find a woman – how nice is that?!
So if you want to find out how a delivery and some ice can bring a couple together, you should definitely check out my erotic romance, Reindeer Games: Cupid. It’s part of a series, so take a peek at the others, too. Also, you can add it to Goodreads here.
Before you rush off and buy my book, though (:D), make sure to read the paragraph below to find out how you can win this Blissemas.
You could win the Blissemas Kindle Fire! Simply leave a comment on this blog and all the others listed at blissemas.co.uk and for each comment you’ll win an entry into the draw! Please note only one comment per person per blog will be counted. Please check out http://blissemas.co.uk for terms and conditions.
December 19, 2012
Guest Blogger: Drea Layne
First I want to thank my fellow Wickedly Sexy Writer, Lucy, for having me on her blog today!
Today I am visiting to share with you all my new Christmas book, Rudolf & Dancer, which is part of the Reindeer Games anthology between the Wickedly Sexy Writers. It was a complete pleasure working with these ladies on these stories and I couldn’t be more excited to show you my little piece of this great set of stories!
OMG how annoying is Christmas music. Okay well you might not think so but for me they start playing it way too early and WAY too much. There are a few songs I like to hear at Christmas like Where Are You Christmas by Faith Hill, Baby It’s Cold Out Side by Nick Lachey and Jessica Simpson, and White Christmas by just about anyone. But that doesn’t mean I want to hear them over and over again until my brain goes numb with holiday cheer.
No I am not the Grinch, although I love the movie, I just think they could maybe tone it down a little bit to maybe just playing it the week of Christmas. Like right now I have Rudolf the rednosed reindeer stuck in my head. Now I must say that it is only stuck there because of my story and writing so many blog posts lol.
What do you think? Am I completely nuts or do they play it way too much?
Make sure you check out my story, Rudolf & Dancer, coming December 17, 2012 from Secret Cravings Publishing.
Blurb:
After years away from home, her brother’s freak accident brings Donna Dancer home to the man who broke her heart. Time hasn’t diminished the lust and love, and emotions can’t be denied. Donna is sick of playing reindeer games with her mate, Paul Rudolf, but there are only so many rejections a girl can take.
It takes a dedicated man to lead the group of reindeer shifters responsible for bringing joy to millions of children, and Paul takes his job very seriously. Women were nothing more than a distraction he doesn’t need, but he now finds himself feeling lonely and hating the job he’s loved for so long. Rejecting Donna was the one decision he regrets more and more with each passing day.
Will this Christmas be as lonely as the rest? Or will Paul and Donna finally find holiday bliss in each others arms.
Excerpt:
“You’ve been gone an awfully long time, sweet pea. We honestly didn’t know if you would say yes.”
“I’m sorry, Daddy. I just…”
“I know, honey. Just don’t go away that long ever again. Okay?”
“I promise.”
Donna looked around, searching from one face to another, trying to keep her gaze casual as she scanned the crowd for the only other man she desperately wanted to see.
One face blurred into another as she took the crowd in at a slow pace. After a few minutes of searching, she almost gave up. Then, she locked gazes with the one man who held her heart. The world shifted, causing her to stand uneasy on her feet. An overwhelming need to shift and run took over her body as she dropped her gaze from his eyes and handed her bag to her mother, giving her an ‘I need to get away’ look.
Without another word, she turned her back to the crowd and sprinted toward the woods behind the house. Her deer half wanted to run as much as her human half did, and just like every other time she was in her mate’s presence, she lost complete control and could only give in to what her body and soul needed.
Ditching her dress on a limb just outside the tree line, Donna let the change come over her swiftly. Muscles burned and bones reshaped as Donna went from human to deer. When the transformation was complete and she was standing at the forest’s edge, Donna opened her eyes and took in the cabin and people as they milled around. Kids played with each other at the waters edge while parents watched closely from where they visited, not far away.
Once upon a time, she envisioned herself doing that very thing with children of her very own. Without a mate, that future was impossible and it tore her up inside, knowing she wouldn’t ever have that happiness.
With one last look at the party, she turned and sprinted through the forest. She didn’t know where she was going but anywhere was better than here right now. The pain in her heart was almost too much to bear. But in the end, she loved Paul with her entire being, and if he’d have her, she would gladly forget all the heartbreak and spend forever in his arms.
Buy links:
http://drealayne.com/bookshelf/holiday/rudolf-dancer/***
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December 18, 2012
Guest Blogger: Rawiya
Good morning. Recently I’ve crossed over into a new realm in my writing. I’ve done the M/M as well as the M/F. My latest, I Like Em’ Pretty is out now. And once again, I’m bringing a lady into the mix but this time, the men aren’t the couple. One of the males and the woman are. How different is that! Add to that mix the man has an attraction to the other guy and the feelings are mutual. Whoa! That sounds like tension but with only 15k to work with you can only solve so many problems. So needless to say, I have a full and a sequel coming for these characters. *adds to the already long list* That’s the fun thing about being a writer. A new plot bunny will always pop up even when writing a new story!
*smiles*
So what about my latest, Comet? Gabriel “Comet” Marrisco and his wife Shelba are happily married but Comet is attracted to Denny Brothers a charity worker who visits his veterinary clinic all the time. What to do? You have to find out in my book. Look for the next books to come out in 2013 at some point. *grins* I’ll keep you posted when they do.
*****
Gabriel “Comet” Marrisco is blessed with good looks, has a great career as a veterinarian and has a lovely wife named Shelba however, in December, he’s obligated to take off and be part of Santa’s Sleigh Team of Reindeer. Because of his deal with Father Christmas, he must make a regular human’s Christmas better than the last and grant a wish.
Denny Brothers, well respected charity worker, young, handsome, and unfortunately socially inept is searching for a boyfriend. Denny has never had a man and Father Christmas has asked Comet to find him a date and assist him in falling in love with someone else. However, Denny has a crush on Comet and the feelings are mutual. Will Comet be able to find him a mate when he wants him for himself? His very livelihood depends on his decision.
*****
Excerpt:
After visiting Gabriel in his office, Denny ran home to his beloved dog and lonely apartment on the north side of Chicago. His place was at the end of a quiet block in Lincoln Park, where many professionals lived. He’d had the studio for three years and loved the area because he could access all the shops and attractions by walking or bus. Not only that, his job at Cancer Charities was less than twenty minutes away, which made his decision to stay in the neighborhood even easier. Why move when he had everything right here?
Denny welcomed the chilly air after feeling Gabriel’s heated gaze upon him. He hoped the doctor hadn’t noticed the tent in his pants while they had talked. Denny had noticed Gabriel’s crotch several times and couldn’t help but stare. Too bad they couldn’t have taken care of one another properly.
With keys in hand, he opened the door to a three flat brownstone and sprinted to the first floor apartment. Although Denny’s place paled in comparison to others in size, it never bothered him because it was only him and Preston. And despite the fact property values had more than doubled since he’d moved in, his landlady, Mrs. Bagley, hadn’t increased the rent. She claimed to like him, especially since he always helped do yard work and small fixes around the building. Denny appreciated the elder lady’s generosity.
“Here boy!” Denny called out to his beloved chocolate lab, Preston.
Preston’s tail wagged behind him while he stood on his hind legs to greet Denny.
“Good boy. You’ve been a good dog today, huh? It’s not real cold outside so we can take a walk to the store and get some more of those treats you like.” Denny removed his jacket and hung it up on hook. He knelt down in front of his dog and rubbed under his chin while nuzzling the animal’s cold nose. “Whew, you need a bath and your teeth cleaned. Are you gonna be patient and let me clean you up?”
Seemingly the lab didn’t like Denny’s suggestion and whined in response.
“Aw c’mon boy, we might be going somewhere for the holiday. You know Doc Gabriel, right? Well, he invited us over for Christmas. You can’t go there smelling bad, you know. There’re other dogs for you to play with.”
When Denny mentioned that, the dog gave a hearty bark and licked his face as though he understood.
“Okay, okay, good, I knew that would sway you.” Denny laughed and stood up straight, then sighed and glanced at his empty place. “Well at least we might have a little fun on Christmas, Preston.”
Slowly, he walked to the mantle above the fireplace with Preston panting and wagging his tail while he followed. Attempting to hold back the tears, he stared at the picture of his family photo from four years ago, one of the last taken before he’d come out. They all looked so happy together, his father holding him tightly and mom leaning against his other shoulder. Denny was their only child and unfortunately, they couldn’t get past the fact he was gay.
Months later, they had thrown him out the house, telling him to never return until he had repented and married a woman. Denny’s folks were religious fanatics who didn’t believe someone could love their own gender.
Despite that, Denny didn’t hate his mom and dad. He still loved them and hoped they would understand his admission one day. Perhaps they could be a family again, but Denny wasn’t holding his breath. He’d prayed about it himself, but he knew it would take a miracle for that to happen. They hadn’t called, written, or even tried to come see him in three years. “Hope you’re havin’ a great holiday Mom and Pop.” While a tear slid down the length of his cheek, he traced the photo, wishing they’d at least return his calls. Regardless, he’d continue hoping they would give in.
Denny set the photograph down and turned to his dog who lay on the hardwood floor with his paws on his head. He wiped the moisture from Preston’s face and patted him. “Alright pal. We’ll just take the walk and I’ll save the bath and teeth cleaning for tomorrow. I don’t much feel like it anyway.”
Right then, the lab perked up and licked Denny’s face while he barked loudly.
“You’re happy about that, huh?” Denny held him close and planted a kiss on the animal’s head. “I’m too tired. I’ll get it done before the charity event since I’m taking you with me. Let me change so we can take a quick walk then. C’mon, boy.” He rose up and walked to his bedroom while he loosened his tie.
Preston jumped on the bed and watched him remove his shirt and search for a tee to put on.
While he looked, he thought back to the conversation he’d had with Gabriel at the office. Why did he come on to him like that and embarrass him? Gabriel had to have known Denny had a huge crush on him. He got an erection just thinking about the vet. Why did he have to be married? Yep, his wife stood in the way of who Denny considered to be his perfect match and now, he’d invited Denny to stay at his house for the holiday. Just what was he trying to do?
Denny wished he’d turned him down, but he just hated the idea of staying home alone for the fourth straight Christmas. At least Shelba and Gabriel would be good company and he’d get a great meal out of it, too.
Better than staying home with no one to talk to. Sure it would, but being around Gabriel would be torture the whole time especially when he couldn’t do anything about his feelings for him.
Darnit, why didn’t I meet him first?
*****
RAWIYA is the more sensual erotica writer in the BLRawiya duo. She loves multiracial characters who overcome obstacles other than race. Sweet, sassy, and spicy would be the best way to describe her work. Happily married mother of two, loves music, computers, and travel. She blogs regularly at Wickedly Sexy Writers. For more please visit the Rawiya’s blog on WordPress.
