M.A. Church's Blog, page 167

Welcome Rob Colton

Yup, that's me all over the place, lol. Today Rob is visiting us to talk about his release, The Ranch Foreman. Now, some of you may know him as Robcub from Literotica. I remember when his first story hit Lit. Man, I fell in love. If you don't know Rob's work, take it from me, you need to check his stuff out.

Time passed and I had to the honor of getting to know Rob. Guys, he's a sweetheart. When he emailed asking for suggestions pertaining to publishers, I was thrilled! His work deserves to be published. :) Not long ago he told me his next novella, An American Lamb in London, had been contracted by Dreamspinner. It's due out Feb/March of next year.

Having beta that, let me say, it needs to be on your TBR list. :) Okay, enough out of me, lol! Time to meet Rob...




Hey everybody! My name is Rob Colton and I’m here to preview my new novella, The Ranch Foreman, which comes out tomorrow, August 14th. This is my first professional publication and I am very excited.
Before I talk about the book, I wanted to thank M.A. for hosting me today. She has been a great friend and her advice has been invaluable throughout this entire process.
The Ranch Foreman is a contemporary western story, set on a cattle ranch in the Midwest. Young ranch hand Matty Ward finds himself attracted to his new boss, burly cowboy Baxter Hollingsworth. Usually the one being pursued, Matty finds the closeted cowboy a challenge he can’t refuse.
I hope you enjoy reading the story as much as I enjoyed writing it. Thanks for your time!

 The Ranch Foreman Blurb:
When Madison “Matty” Ward finds himself out of work and without a place to live, his cousin comes through with a job on the Gates cattle ranch. Despite not knowing anything about herding cattle or taking care of horses, Matty does his best to impress the older hunky foreman, Baxter Hollingsworth. Baxter is drawn to the new young hand, but he’s deeply closeted, and after an openly gay veterinarian shows he’s interested in Matty, Baxter’s repressed feelings lead to an explosive encounter. Baxter then withdraws—leaving Matty feeling angry and used—until an accident forces him to confront his fears.
Pages: 120
Cover Artist: Leah Kaye Suttle  
Pre-Order/Purchase Link:http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=4093 
 
Excerpt:
BY the end of the day, Matty wanted to crawl into a hole and die. He leaned against the horse paddock fence and groaned. Muscles he didn’t even know he had were telling him loud and clear they were not happy.
Brian leaned up against the fence next to him and laughed knowingly. “Hard day?”
“Yeah. How long did it take you to be able to muck stalls without gagging?”
Brian laughed again and elbowed him in the side. “You’ll be okay.”
“What did you do today?”
“Rode the cattle fences on the west pasture, made a couple of repairs.”
“That sounds more exciting than cleaning stalls. But I’m pretty sure the horses appreciated having somewhere clean to rest.”
“That’s the spirit. C’mon. Let’s get washed up for supper.”
Miss Ethel made meatloaf for dinner, and Matty didn’t have to be prodded to eat up. After stuffing himself, he asked Miss Ethel if she needed help, but she shooed him away with a wave of her hand. He returned to the bunkhouse with the other men.
Exhausted, he collapsed on one of the sofas and instantly fell asleep. When he woke a little over an hour later, he got up and decided to take a walk, hoping to get rid of the crick in his back and legs.
As he started on his walk, Matty saw the outline of Baxter near his house. He was crouched down in a squat, playing with the two dogs. The orange glow of a cigar lit momentarily, followed by the strong smell of smoke.
Matty saw it as a chance to get to know the boss man better. Maybe flirt a little. He walked up to the big man and smiled. “Hi.”
Baxter didn’t look up. “Matt.”
“What kind of dogs are those? They kinda look like German shepherds, but they’re not, are they?”
“Australian cattle dogs.”
Matty squatted down and held out his hands. The dogs licked his hands and let Matty pet them. Baxter stood up and watched while he puffed his cigar.
“Clyde said you did alright today.”
“Yeah?”
“You’ll be fine.”
Matty stayed squatted down, playing with the dogs, but secretly he basked in Baxter’s praise. His eyes raked up Baxter’s long body, pausing at his crotch. That big package surely hid a big dick. When he met Baxter’s gaze, he just stared. The big man’s hazel eyes were smoldering with desire. Yup, Baxter was gay without a doubt.
The way Baxter looked at Matty made his heart race. He couldn’t remember the last time a man had looked at him like that. Matty glanced back down at Baxter’s crotch, which seemed to be a little bulgier than before. He then returned his gaze to the other man’s eyes, letting the cowboy know not-so-subtly he was interested. Very interested.
Baxter turned without speaking a word. He disappeared inside his house, the door pulling shut behind him with a decided click.
Matty frowned with disappointment. He really wanted to play. It had been quite a dry spell for him, what with taking care of Aunt Martha and all.
Even though Baxter was technically his boss, Matty couldn’t bring himself to care about the consequences of fooling around with his superior. The man was just too sexy for words.
Matty clearly had his work cut out for him where Baxter was concerned. He was usually the one being chased, but he also wasn’t one to give up so easily.
Trying to ignore the uncomfortable pressure in his jeans, Matty stood and began to walk the property. He strolled along the cattle fence with the two dogs following and running circles around him. 

  

Author Bio:Rob Colton is a software developer by day, and avid reader of romance novels at night. A romantic at heart, he loves stories that feature big, burly men who find true love and happy endings.
Rob grew up in northern Michigan and currently lives in the Atlanta area with his very supportive husband and their very spoiled miniature schnauzer.
 
Author Links:http://robcolton.com/
https://twitter.com/robcub32
https://www.facebook.com/robcub32

Goddess Fish Tours - Temptation by Lee Brazil

 
Lee will be awarding an E-copy of The Park at Sunrise to a randomly drawn commenter at each stop, plus a $5 ARE Gift Certificate to one randomly drawn commenter during the tour.
Please follow the tour; the more you comment, the better your chances of winning. The tour dates can be found here: http://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com/2013/06/virtual-book-tour-temptation-by-lee.html






Hi! Thanks so much for inviting me over to talk about my work! My name is Lee Brazil and I am an author of m/m romance. I write contemporary romance with Breathless Press, and Regency Romance with Silver Publishing and Evernight Publishing. For those who don't know me, I'm addicted to coffee, rock'n roll, and tequila. My biggest vice is reading, and my SO bought me a kindle to keep our house from bursting at the seams.
Normally on these posts, I just babble about whatever strikes my fancy, but MA has asked me to talk about why I wrote Temptation. It's not a terribly exciting story, but it's fun. To begin with, you have to know that I belong to a writing group called Story Orgy, and what we did was write stories based on prompts in weekly installments. I say did, because while the group still exists, we have evolved since then to something slightly different.
I was chatting online with a friend, the delightful Havan Fellows, and somehow we got to talking about flawed heroes. I like them. But you always see the same old flaws, he's arrogant, he's bitter, he's suffering from the loss of something. Always, tragedy is at the root of success, and tragedy stands between the hero and his ultimate HEA.
And I thought…hmm. There's a lot more prolific flaws in the human race. What about vanity, and shallowness, and impatience, and so on?
And Lake was conceived. Then with this flawed character in mind, I went to bed, and I awoke with this statement revolving through my thoughts.
"I'm Lake Wynters. Yes, you heard that right. Get used to it, I had to."
And Lake was born, beautiful, vain, frivolous, and as unprepared for love as any man could be.
The path of the story was guided by weekly prompts, and after the blog run was over, it was revised, expanded by about ten thousand words, and edited for publication by Breathless Press. I hope you all enjoy Lake's metamorphosis from …ah, who am I kidding? He'll probably always be a shallow little bit of fluff, but I loved writing him, and I hope you enjoy his story.     Temptation by Lee Brazil   BLURB: After a hot interlude at a holiday party, Lake Wynters and Solomon Arsdale exchange phone numbers but not promises. Lake is fine with that until something happens he's never experienced. As days pass without Solomon calling, Lake discovers he just can't forget the sexy older man. Giving in to temptation, he takes matters into his own hands and visits Solomon at his office, breaking his own dating rules.   Waiting in Solomon's office, Lake is shaken to the core by how much Solomon's acknowledgement of their encounter means to him, and how much more he wants it to lead to.   But when the door he's eagerly watching opens, it brings new temptation in the form of Adonis Kosmias. Adonis isn't anything like Solomon. Not many would call him beautiful. His features are too harsh, his body too angular. But he moves with fluid grace and his hair falls in perfect waves and his eyes sparkle with warmth. From the first touch of his hand Lake is thrown into even greater confusion. So distracted by Adonis's touch is he, that when Solomon finally makes an appearance, their hands are still clasped.   Meeting Solomon again while holding hands with another man wasn't in Lake's plan. Neither was anything that happened afterward.  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~    Excerpt: I'm Lake Wynters, I reminded myself as I paced, keeping an eye on the massive oak door that stood stalwart between me and the man I'd come to see. The secretary tried to make me sit, even offered me a copy of a news magazine to read. I think my blank look surprised her. She wanted me to sit in that plush but horrible amber colored chair and wait quietly for Solomon to decide whether my claim to friendship was a lie. I sort of was, and I sort of wasn't. But that wasn't why I paced.   And it wasn't because I wasn't sure if my pants would crease or fuzz would stick to my butt either. I just couldn't be still. It was unbelievable how much my existence seemed to hinge on his decision to acknowledge me. So I paced around the soft brown carpet, from the window that overlooked the parking lot and a very distant view of the sparkling waters of the ocean, to the chair. The door didn't open, even though it felt like it must have been a half hour since she'd called through and his deep voice had asked for a few minutes.   He's going to remember me, he's going to see me; he's going to be glad I came. He wouldn't have given me his number otherwise, would he? I wanted to believe that so badly. Because I wanted to see him. I didn't want to get brushed off. Why wouldn't he want to see me again? I was pretty...we would look great together, and I'd already proven to him that I knew what the fuck I was doing. That thought had me cursing silently as my cock stirred a bit. Okay—no remembering the blow job in the vestibule.   Just remember the indulgent smile. The way his hand closed around the number written on his palm. The way his thumb wiped the tiny drop of semen from the corner of my mouth. Yeah, those were the things I needed to remember, the things that said more than getting off for fun, the things that said maybe what we'd had meant a little something more.   Every little sound fell on my ears like a blast from a car horn, from the coiffured secretary's hands clattering on the keyboard to the hushed slur of paper in the printer. Wearing me down, tearing at the confidence I'd mustered in order to come here today.   I wanted to double-check my appearance, run to the nearest restroom and check my makeup, the shine on my boots, the cut of my jeans. I wanted to tell her to forget it, to run out and get my hair done, buy new boots, new jeans, anything to chase away the doubt this man created in me.   I was on edge and I didn't like it. I didn't like being here. I didn't like that he hadn't called me. Why hadn't he called me?   Everyone always calls me.   Not Solomon Ardale. I closed my eyes and his face hovered there in front of me, dark, solemn eyes, strong smooth jaw. The bold, aquiline nose I'd kissed playfully two weeks ago, the thick dark brows I'd traced with my fingers.   The moist hot mouth that had captivated me with one swift brutal kiss before he'd pushed me aside. Had he tasted himself in that kiss? Certainly his taste lingered in my mouth. That flavor was so imprinted in my memory that I could savor its echoes today, the blend of salt and sweet and bitter, smooth and slick against my teeth, my tongue.   But he left me there, mouth hanging open, clutching the little white business card he'd given me after I wrote my number in eye liner in the palm of his hand.   He hadn't called.   Not to ask me to dinner, or the theater, or a movie.   He wasn't even interested in a repeat performance.   Why did it fucking matter? I didn't think he was in love with me. I didn't expect him to even like me overly much. After all, a half an hour at a party isn't much to base affection on.   And yet, here I was, wasting prime holiday shopping time sitting in a stuffy office hoping to see someone I'd only met once.   The door behind me clicked and I spun around, expecting to see Solomon, but instead it was a younger man, handsome in his own way, but leaner with a darker appearance. That explained why Solomon hadn't admitted me right away. He was with someone. The relief I felt made me a little wobbly in my heels, but I smiled at the newcomer, letting my suddenly lighter spirit show. Maybe I smile too much for the camera and it came off as flirty instead of friendly, because one arched brow rose high and I nearly giggled. It made him look very much like an inquiring Vulcan and less wicked than I'd first thought.   He looked me over slowly, extending a hand in greeting. "You're Lake Wynters?"   I accepted his hand, squeezing gently, just as my behavior coach had taught me. "I am. You'll get used to it. It's my real name. My parents were wannabe hippies. I had to get over it, just one of many things." Jesus, why was I babbling? More to the point, why did this man's dry, firm touch send goose bumps up my arm?   "Will I? Get used to it, I mean?" He smiled a little, just the tiniest quirk of his lips, but I felt at ease suddenly.   "I think so. At least, I hope so. And you are?" I wanted to put a name to a face that I would surely remember for a long time. I had the feeling we could be friends, maybe more than friends.   "I'm Adonis Kosmias. Alas, my parents were also enamored of odd names." He smiled fully now, white teeth gleaming between full dark lips.   "Adonis?" He seemed to find the name amusing, but it sounded nice to me. So did the husky note in his voice and the gentle laugh that came as he recognized my confusion.   "He's the Greek god of beauty and desire. Come in, Solomon will see you now." I realized our hands were still clasped, though neither of us made any pretense at shaking and felt my neck and ears flame instantly. I blushed. I'd be walking in to see Solomon with my ears and cheeks flaming red. So much for appearing sophisticated and debonair. My cover, such as it was, was blown.   But, the Greek god of beauty and desire? Yeah... I could understand his laughter. Not many would call this man beautiful. His features were too harsh, his body too angular for beauty. But he moved with fluid grace and his hair fell in perfect waves and his eyes sparkled with such warmth.   His touch distracted me from Solomon, who was now willing to see me. On the other side of the door I'd been obsessed with just minutes earlier.   The door opened before I remembered that I could tug my hand out of his grip and didn't need to wait for him to release it. So, what the man I'd dreamed about for two weeks saw when I stepped into his office, was me holding hands with another man.   ~~~~~~~~~~~~~   AUTHOR Bio and Links:  A multi-published author with Breathless Press, Silver Publishing, Evernight Publishing and Total-e-Bound, Lee Brazil is a retired teacher of grammar and composition. Moving around the country a lot as a child meant a constant stream of new schools, new locations and new people. As a child Lee was swept away into incredible worlds with the turn of every page, from Camelot to Sherwood Forest, the deck of a whaling ship, or the frigid Alaskan tundra. Every book spurred new adventures. Even before Lee started putting what if's on paper, the stories were there. As Lee grew into adulthood, the stories changed, and the focus changed from wild adventures and feats of daring to simpler, more enduring themes. Today Lee writes about one of the most basic of human needs...the need to love and be loved.    Contact Links  Lee on FB http://www.facebook.com/lee.brazil  Lee on Twitter @leebrazil  Lee Blog http://leebrazilauthor.blogspot.com/   Pinterest  http://pinterest.com/leebrazil/  You Tube http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKmjXLWlO4c2_5ZZQigbeZg?    Facebook Links  https://www.facebook.com/leebrazilauthor  https://www.facebook.com/SOGroup  https://www.facebook.com/BreathlessPressPage  https://www.facebook.com/pages/Truth-or-Dare/262636600433556    Buy Linkhttp://www.breathlesspress.com/index.php?main_page=product_free_shipping_info&cPath=1&products_id=451

Welcome Ann Raina

Ann Raina – Lovers in the WoodWebsite – www.annraina.comFacebook: www.facebook.com/ann.raina.7
  Lovers in the Wood

Purchasing info - http://www.extasybooks.com/lovers-in-the-wood 
Log lineIf you thought falling in love in the woods is romantic, think again. 
Short synopsis / Blurb  
Rayenne thought this would be an easy police job—take the suspect to Belson Park for interrogation and make it fast. However, there is a strange wood to cross with stranger creatures to encounter before she gets rid of him. Can she withstand the challenges of both her male companion and dangerous animals to reach her destination and not lose herself on the way? 
  Excerpt   

Sajitar took in the campsite and himself. He was still dressed, lying beside his saddlebags, and Ray wore her jacket buttoned up, hands put close to warm at the steaming pot. The sticks of the tent glowed in warm yellow, illuminating the night. Above them was the thick roof of the forest with no star gleaming through. “I just…” He managed to sit up, grimacing at the sudden impact of pain. He swallowed. His head felt as if all his brain cells were shaking in a wild dance. “Ray?”
“Yes?”
“Did you send me images this time?”
A tentative and slightly insecure smile crept across her face as she cocked her head.
“No, not that I know of. I still wait for the nightmares to come, or however you call that. I’ll let you know when I get attacked.” She frowned. “What did you dream about?”
Sajitar took a deep breath, trying to clear his mind. There had been something strange with this dream and he was not sure what it meant. Is that a way of remembering? Does my brain juggle my experience and my wishes? He reached out to her.
“Come here, please.”
She moved closer.
“Saji, what’s wrong?”
“Nothing. I think. I dreamed of kissing you…like this.” He placed a gentle, chaste kiss on her lips, half expecting her to move away and reject his approach. She giggled when his beard touched her skin, then looked at him, eyebrows raised.
“Oh, did you truly imagine it like that?”
Sajitar hesitated. The amusement had been a trap in the beginning of their acquaintance and he distrusted her lightness. She was an actor who had lured him in and made him drunk. Still, the memory of the dream lingered like a fine scent. He felt very bold.
Rayenne purred.
“I would imagine it like this.” Ray gently cupped his face and kissed him eagerly, letting him know that she was not holding back. He kissed her in return, feeling a sudden release of feelings like a wave crashing over both of them. His hands were in her hair suddenly, then they reached down her shoulders to pull her closer and into his lap. For the moment the pain in his side was forgotten. He fell prey to the rush of hormones and did not want to think about anything but the feel of Rayenne’s skin on his, of her hands in places he wished them to be, of touching her as if he was exploring new lands. ***
Biography – Ann Raina started writing as a young adult and never stopped since. She is a working mom with two kids, four cats and a horse, so riding is besides writing one of her hobbies. Until now, she has published seven novels with eXtasy books. Two more are finished and will come soon. 
Back list – http://www.extasybooks.com/freedom-in-chains-5/ 
http://www.extasybooks.com/living-for-the-act-1-4/  

http://www.extasybooks.com/no-fool-an-undercover-mission-4/ 
http://www.extasybooks.com/spice-for-your-life-4/ 
http://www.extasybooks.com/the-prophecy-reincarnated-3/ 
http://www.extasybooks.com/how-to-please-an-alien/

Welcome Etienne!

    Grand Tourby Etienne 
This book was rejected by two publishers for the same reason: it deals with first cousins falling in love and having sex.  I don’t understand the objection to cousins having relationships.  In fact, it was once quite common.  If my gr-gr-gr-gr-grandfather hadn’t married his first cousin in late 18thcentury Virginia, I wouldn’t be here.  Of course, that wasn’t too good for the children.   My gr-gr-gr-grandfather had 13 children by two wives, only four or five of which survived infancy.  Of course, with male/male cousins, the issue of flawed offspring, is moot.  One of the publishers wanted me to change the story and make the cousins merely good friends, but I declined.  The whole point of the story was to address the effect on cousins from two of Boston’s most Brahmin of Brahmin families having a relationship.
 
Blurb:  
William and Henry are cousins, sons of identical twin brothers, and members of two well known Boston Brahmin families. They've roomed together through prep school, Harvard, and Harvard Law, and dated some of Boston's most eligible young women.  In fact, social-climbing mothers often threw their allegedly virginal daughters at them, in hopes of obtaining a match. 
Instead of taking a grand tour of Europe, they opt to go backpacking around the US, and are taken prisoner and sexually assaulted in a small southern city. The assaults make them realize how they've always felt about each other, but first, they have to escape. 
After their escape they plan and execute an elaborate trap and ultimately catch their attackers red handed. After their attackers are tried and convicted, they settle down to practice law together on Beacon Hill.  
 
Excerpt: (the cousins, having graduated from Harvard Law School, have decided to backpack around the country rather than take the grand tour of Europe their families had offered them.  In a small town in South Carolina, a policeman offers them shelter from the rain and takes them to the police station.  In a holding room Henry is brutally raped by a cop.  The other cop had expressed a desire for a blow job, so William offers to give him one, and gets revenge for his cousin by doing maximum damage to the cop’s erection with his teeth in the process.) 
Henry is narrating.
 
“William,” I said. 
“What?” 
“I have something to say to you.  Something clicked inside of me while I was being raped and later when I watched Starling knock you out.” 
“I’ve got something to say to you as well,” he said, “but you go first.” 
“I love you, William.  I’ve always loved you, but I never realized until now how much I love you.  I’m not talking about brotherly love here you understand.  I love you in exactly the same way that my father loves my mother.” 
Having said that, I lay down full length on top of him and kissed him thoroughly.  He began to kiss me back and we kissed for a while, then he broke the connection.  We had both become erect during the kissing. 
“Henry,” he said, “when I saw that bastard raping you, I had a sudden realization that I love you, too.  I can’t believe I never realized it before.” 
“Shut up and fuck me,” I said. 
“Say what?” 
“Those guys are going to come back here sooner or later and kill us,” I said.  “Think about it—they don’t dare leave any witnesses to what they did.  And if I’m going to die, I want to die knowing that at least once I had an opportunity to show you just how much I love you.” 
“Aren’t you worried that I’ll hurt you just like he did?” 
“I remember the pain of that guy raping me,” I said, “how could I possibly forget that.  But If I’m going to die with a memory of pain, I’d much rather that memory be a part of the process of giving you pleasure.  Now shut up and fuck me.  I don’t know how much time we have, but we’re wasting it with all this talk.” 
“Okay,” he said.  “Roll over on your stomach.” 
“No,” I said, “not that way.” 
“What?” 
“I want to be on my back, with my legs in the air, so I can see the pleasure on your face.”  I rolled off him and over onto my back.  “Hurry, we don’t have a lot of time.” 
He didn’t say anything else; he just got on his knees between my legs and raised my heels to his shoulders.  He spat on his hand and used the spit to lubricate his erection as best he could.  As he began to slowly insert it into me, I winced at the intrusion. 
“I knew this was a bad idea,” he said.  “I’m hurting you.” 
“Hopefully it will pass,” I said, “in any case, shut up and fuck me.” 
As he began to slowly thrust in and out of me, the pain was replaced by a feeling that I couldn’t describe.  
“You don’t know how good this feels,” he said. 
“Yes, I do,” I said.  “Go faster and deeper.” 
He complied and began to thrust deeply into me.  At the bottom of every stroke he must have found my prostate, because my erection began to twitch with every thrust.  He noticed this and, bending double, took my erection into his mouth and began to suck it. 
“What are you doing?”  I said. 
He took his mouth off of my erection long enough to say, “The same thing you are and for the same reason, that is, writing a good memory over the top of a bad one.”  He put his mouth back where it had been and continued to fellate me. 
After a few minutes, he grunted, and I actually felt him spurt inside me.  Mere seconds later I erupted into his mouth.  Eventually he pulled out of me and placed my legs back on the floor before climbing back on top of me and kissing me. 
“You cheated,” I said. 
“Cheated?” 
“Yes, cheated,” I said.  “I didn’t get to see your face when you came.” 
“Next time,” he said.  “If there is a next time.  But first, we’ve got to get out of this mess.” 
We got up, removed dry clothing from our backpacks, and dressed.  Then we stowed our still wet clothes and damp towels in the packs so that we were ready for flight should the opportunity arise.  Sometime later we heard footsteps in the hallway, followed by someone fumbling with the doorknob. 
“Whatever happens, William, know that I love you more than I can ever tell you.” 
“I love you, too, Henry.  Just as much, perhaps more.” 
The door began to open and we both stood behind it waiting to pounce. 
* * * * * * * * * 
Excerpt:    (It’s a couple of days later, and the cousins have escaped from their captors and made their way to a hotel in Atlanta, where they are recuperating—and exploring their new-found status)
William is narrating.
 
“Okay,” I said.  “While I shower why don’t you order us a snack of some sort?” 
“Anything in particular?” he said 
“No,” he said.  “Just something to tide us over until dinner.  Surprise me.” 
I went into the bathroom, shut the door, and stood under the shower for a long time.  When I finished, I toweled myself dry and walked naked back into the room with my towel over my shoulder.  I saw that a waiter, Sam according to his name badge, was in the process of setting up a plate of cheese and fruit on the desk and pouring wine from a carafe.
Henry noted my presence and said, “William, wrap your towel around yourself.  We’re not alone.” 
“I can see that,” I said as I walked to where Henry and Sam were standing, “but I don’t think Sam minds a bit.  I think he likes what he sees, don’t you, Sam?” 
Sam nodded his head. 
“You are gay, aren’t you, Sam?” I said. 
Sam nodded again. 
“I’ll bet you’re good at oral sex, too?” I said. 
Sam found his voice and said, “So I’ve been told.” 
I walked over to the night stand, retrieved my watch, and returned to stand in front of Sam and Henry.  “Are you a betting man, Sam?” I said. 
“Sometimes,” he said. 
“Good,” I said, “because I have a little bet for you.  If you can make me hard in ninety seconds, using just your mouth, you can have it any way you want it.  But if you fail, you have to do something for me.” 
Sam actually licked his lips before asking, “What?” 
“I can’t tell you now,” I said, “but I promise you it will not involve sex, it won’t cost you anything, and I think you’ll enjoy it.  I held my watch in front of me and looked at the second hand.  Your ninety seconds start right now.” 
Sam dropped to his knees in a flash and took my penis in his mouth.  Holding on to my legs to balance himself, he began to lick and suck.  I watched the second hand of my watch, being careful to maintain a totally ‘poker face’.  It was difficult to ignore the sensations that Sam’s talented mouth and tongue were producing.  Finally I said, “Forty seconds left.” 
Sam started working a little harder and I began a countdown.  It took all of my self-control to keep from sprouting wood, but eventually I said, “Time,” and stepped back from Sam, who got to his feet. 
Henry was still standing beside us with a totally dumfounded look on his face, so I took his hand and placed it on my penis.  “Make it hard,” I said. 
Henry squeezed it a few times and it sprang to attention.  “See,” I said to Sam, “it only works for him.”  I wrapped my towel around my waist as I said it and added, “Now about the bet.” 
“What?” Sam said. 

“Until a few days ago, Henry and I had always thought that we were straight, but as it turns out, we aren’t so we’ve never been out and about in gay society.  What I want to do is to go to a gay restaurant, or failing that, a gay-friendly restaurant.  Then I would like to go to a couple of gay bars just to see what it’s like.  You can be our tour guide; you can even bring a date; we’ll pay for everything.” 
“Sure, why not?” Sam said.  “When?” 
“When’s your next night off?” I said. 
“Friday,” Sam said. 

“Then Friday it is,” I said. 
When the door had closed solidly behind Sam, Henry gave me a look and said,  “One of these days you’re going to give me heart failure.” 
“Who, me?” I said. 
“Yes, you,” he said. 
“Well, lover,” I said, “to quote a well-known Harvard Law School graduate, ‘that’s what keeps life so interesting, isn’t it’?”  
* * * *
  Purchase link:  https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/158947 Use coupon code RG69B (not case-sensitive) at checkout and receive a 25% discount.

 
BIO 
Etienne lives in central Florida, very near the hamlet in which he grew up. He always wanted to write but didn't find his muse until a few years ago, when he started posting stories online. These days he spends most of his time battling with her, as she is a capricious bitch who, when she isn't hiding from him, often rides him mercilessly, digging her spurs into his sides and forcing the flow of words from a trickle to a flood.  
He is the author of 17 novels and 2 novellas, all but two of which are available from Dreamspinner Press: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/index.php?cPath=55_346
 
~Two novels are available from Smashwords.Com 
Sold!   (Use coupon code TA39W (not case-sensitive) at checkout for 25% discount) https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/167310  
Grand Tour (use coupon code RG69B not case-sensitive) at checkout for 25% discount.https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/158947  
Visit Etienne at http://www.etiennestories.blogspot.comYou can contact him at Etienne.Reynard@comcast.net 

Welcome Julian Griffith!

  Buy link:  http://www.stormmoonpress.com/books/Love-Continuance-and-Increasing.aspx    Michelle, thanks for having me here today! I'm Julian Griffith, and my first novel, Love Continuance and Increasing, is just out from Storm Moon Press. It's a historical m/m/f ménage romance set in England in the first few years of the 19th century, during the Napoleonic Wars. To introduce it, I'd like to talk for a minute about:     Why Historical Romance?   On the surface, that's an easy question. What's not to love about ladies in long flowing dresses, or gentlemen in dashing military uniforms with breeches and boots, or horse-drawn carriages, or tall ships? What better setting for courtship than a glittering ballroom? And then there's the appeal of manners far more elegant than the sort that we have today. It's a fantasy.    But the reality wasn't nearly as glamorous. Those ballrooms were lit by scores of candles whose flames made the air stiflingly hot, and which might drip molten wax on the unlucky dancers below. The horses pulling the carriages left London's streets choked with their droppings. And a soldier or a sailor setting off in his handsome uniform might never come home at all.    The strict manners of the day put another set of burdens on men and women who preferred their own sex. In England, sodomy laws by land and the twenty-ninth Article of War by sea imposed the death penalty on any men who were caught and convicted. There were no such legal penalties for women, but property law and economic reality meant that most women had to marry men if they didn't want to spend their lives in poverty or as the permanent dependents of their parents. How could queer romance possibly flourish in such a society?    That question is exactly what draws me to QUILTBAG historical romance. Romance is all about how lovers overcome obstacles to be together, and in a historical setting, the obstacles are built right in. I love exploring the ways that people can get around their society's rules, and find happiness with each other in ways they never would have expected, and, in Love Continuance and Increasing, that's exactly what I set out to do.       Blurb: Lieutenant William Thorne, of His Majesty's Navy, was a man of humble origins. He knew that his affair with Major Anthony Rockingham of the 43rd Infantry couldn't last forever, not only because the war against Napoleon sent him on blockade duty in the English Channel while the major's regiment trained ashore, but because Rockingham was a viscount, and viscounts must marry. When Rockingham's letter reached him, saying that he'd chosen Miss Caroline Filmer as his bride, it was no more than Thorne had expected.  What he had not expected, when he returned home after the Battle of Trafalgar, was to find an invitation to the christening of Rockingham's son. He had not expected, when he met the young viscountess, that he would fall instantly and passionately in love with her. And he had certainly never expected that Caroline would fall just as desperately in love with him. Thorne was sure that their feelings for each other could only lead to disaster, even more so as his love for Rockingham had never gone away. While the war with France continued, he found himself fighting a war within his own heart...     Excerpt: "She's well practiced at arranging such things," Anthony said. "But I fear it was very tiring for you, even so. Do you wish to sleep?"   "I do." Caroline drew in a breath, gathering her courage. "But, Anthony, I would speak with you."   "Of course, my darling. What did you wish to say?"   Caroline curled tighter against him, trying to reassure herself that she would not soon be pushed away. "Do you remember, before we wed, when you bid me that should I ever find myself in love, I should tell you of it, and you would not reproach me?"   Anthony kissed her hair, and rubbed his hand in circles on her back. "I remember well. Are you telling me of that now?"   Caroline found that she could answer him only in the smallest of voices. "I am."   He kissed her again. "I'm glad to hear you tell me," he said. "I hoped very much that you would believe me when I said I'd not be angry, and trust me enough to do so. I'm glad you find me worthy of that trust. But you are unhappy. Will you tell me more?"   Caroline blinked back the tears that were welling in her eyes. "I did not wish this," she said. "It came all unbidden. I hoped it might be a moment's fancy, but I cannot put him from my thoughts. I fear I am in love with Lieutenant Thorne." She sniffled. "And I was right. Being in love is most uncomfortable."   Anthony held her close, resting his lips at the crown of her head as she hid her face against his shoulder. He moved his hand in slow strokes down her spine. "Oh, my darling. I'm sorry it grieves you so. I don't blame you for an instant. William is the best of men, and it's no surprise you should love him. I love him, too."   "But hardly in the same way, I think, my lord?"   "In very much the same way, I should think. I'll speak it plain: you wish to lie with him?"   The tears would not be stopped. "I do."   "As do I," Anthony said softly. "We were lovers once, and I care for him still."   The surprise was enough to do what comfort could not. Lovers? Well, Anthony had said, upon their very wedding night, that he'd lain at times with men. She'd not taken much notice of it at the time, being intent on other concerns, and he'd never spoken of it since. But he'd told her privately of Captain Birtwhistle's love for Alexander Godwin, not with any distaste, but only so that she might not trouble them with questions about sweethearts; and with Mr. Godwin one of Stephen's godfathers, it was clear at least that Anthony counted it no sin, never mind who might think otherwise. And could she fault him for desiring William, when she did the same? But that they'd once been lovers... she'd never have suspected.     Bio: Julian Griffith’s first book was a travelogue of St. Croix, lavishly illustrated in crayon. She’s been writing ever since. Meanwhile, she’s worked as a professional gift wrapper, a receptionist, a baker and caterer, a data entry clerk, and has even run a jackhammer on a construction site.   She’s been a devoted fan of Doctor Who since she was a teenager, and hopes to finish her Fourth Doctor scarf sometime before the end of the decade. She also has a strong interest in historical cooking, and a good thing, too, because there are times when her characters won’t let her write the next bit until she makes what they’re supposed to be eating.   Julian says, “I never expected to find myself writing romance, because I’ve been a fantasy and science fiction reader since I discovered The Hobbit at age seven. But I’ve always liked stories that focus on the relationships between characters more than they focus on the magic or technology they use, and the past is another world just as surely as any distant planet. And one you can research, at that.”   “I choose to write about QUILTBAG characters in historical settings because, as I and so many people close to me fall under that umbrella, I can’t help but think about how our lives would have been different in another era. How do my characters live their lives in a culture that doesn’t even acknowledge them, much less accept them? How do they think of themselves, before the terms ‘gay’ and ‘lesbian’ existed the way they do now? And, most importantly, how do they find happiness? Whether I’m writing romance, or just stories with strong romantic elements, or even the detective stories that two of my characters are insisting I need to write for them, those are the questions that are always on my mind.”  Julian lives in New England, sharing a house with two writer friends, six computers, and an ever-expanding collection of books. If only the collection of bookshelves were able to keep up!    Links: Website: http://www.julian-griffith.com/ Goodreads: http://www.julian-griffith.com/ Dreamwidth: http://www.julian-griffith.dreamwidth.org Livejournal: http://www.julian-griffith.livejournal.com Tumblr: http://juliangriffith.tumblr.com Twitter: @julianxgriffith 

Welcome Antonio

I still remember when I received the e-mail from Dreamspinner Press informing me that they were interesting in publishing my first novel Dueling Divas.  I was so overwhelmed, all I could do was cry.  To know that someone believed in something I wrote enough to buy it was incredible.  I’ve had friends and strangers ask me how I did it and for advice, etc.  There are also people who asked me how I actually started.  I’d written some short stories and plays back in school but had left it behind for a while.  As an English Literature major in college I was kept busy writing term papers and trying to write what the instructors wanted rather than what I wanted.  But that’s what one has to do in order to obtain a degree.  After that, I didn’t think much about writing for a while and then something changed. What changed?—For so long I’d written what others wanted but with Dueling Divas I had something that I wanted to say.  It didn’t have to be anything profound or earth-shattering, but I wanted to give voice to my thoughts.  There was a story I wanted to share with others and a story which was demanding to be told. The process—It’s not a quick process.  At least for me it wasn’t.  I had the story fairly down pat, but had never really learned to type which meant I had to learn how many spaces needed to go before or after a period or after a comma, etc.  The editing took a lot longer than I would’ve thought.  At this time you learn a lot such as making sure that what your thinking regarding the story actually makes it down on paper.  The audience can’t read your mind. Advice for those wanting to write—Make sure you have something to say and that you believe in your work and “need” to do it.  It can be a long process and you need to believe in what your doing otherwise you’ll become bored or discouraged.  Also start growing a thick skin now—more on that below. My approach to Dueling Divas, an Avondale story—The idea for Dueling Divas was born after a disastrous night out with family members to a local club.  I’m not fond of the club scene and felt tricked into going.  I remember being angry and needing an output for the anger.  That was when the idea came to me.  The funny thing is that an idea can take you to a far different place then where you started.  Divas turned out to be a story which at its core is about family, relationships, and love.  So, how did I actually start.In my writing, characters are everything.  It’s all about the people inhabiting my world and what makes them tick.  The characters come first and I flesh them out in my mind so that they have distinct personalities which become even more rounded out as the story progresses.I’m lucky in that I can actually picture my story in my mind like a film.  I can see it so clearly that it’s as if I’m jotting down the notes from what I’m watching.  The next thing I do is write an outline of the story that I can refer back to and then I’m off.  At that point you just jump in with both feet, start writing and see where the characters take you.Oftentimes the characters led me where they wanted to go and I think a well written character will do that. Some good advice I received—The best advice I got was from the writer Etienne.  The advice was to write yourself a cast of the characters with all their pertinent information.  Their age, description, quirky traits.  That way you always have something to refer to without having to go back and dig through what you’ve already written. The biggest thing I learned—To be completely honest, I had to learn how to deal with criticism.  I was shocked by how protective I felt about my work when I dealt with my first editor.  And I did yell at the computer and pound my fist on the desk, all that good stuff.  Then I calmed down and realized, hey they have a point.  Often times the fixes were small things that I just needed to make clear.  There were times I needed to say I believe in this and I’m not changing it, but I also needed to learn to see others viewpoints.  Not easy but a very necessary thing to learn. Who am I as a writer?—I think that foremost I am a writer who finds characters to be the most important things in a story.  You can have a fantastic story to tell but without compelling characters it’ll fall flat.  I enjoy putting characters in unusual circumstances where they may meet people they wouldn’t otherwise meet or be places they wouldn’t usually go. Dueling Divas, an Avondale story—Divas has compelling characters who find themselves in unusual circumstances.  Avondale is an actual area of Jacksonville where I lived for many years.  Some of the places mentioned in the books are made up for the story—such as the clubs.  And then there are real places, some of the eateries, which really do exist.In the story an aspiring singer named Nash finds himself having to don drag in order to compete in a contest he feels could help further his career.  Along the way he finds love with Bobby, the brother of his biggest competitor, a woman named Stacey.  These three characters live fairly normal lives filled with good friends and family.  They meet some quirkier characters while in the contest.  All of the characters are somewhat out of their element in the story and learn to turn to one another for survival when a murderer starts killing of contestants of the singing competition.Dueling Divas is a fun story filled with romance, mystery, drama and heart.  Thank you all and let your inner divas shine.    Exclusive excerpt from the story:  When they arrived at Publix, Meggy and Bobby headed to the ice cream section to pick up Meggy’s favorite—ice cream sandwiches. Bobby had his head in the fridge getting the ice cream sandwiches and a carton of plain vanilla ice cream when he heard Meggy calling him and pulling at the hem of his shorts.“What, Meggy?”“It’s Mr. Wow!” Meggy said. “Look, it’s Mr. Wow!”“Mr. What?” Bobby said, not remembering what he’d said the last time he was in Publix with his niece.Bobby put the ice cream in the cart, and looking around noticed the familiar ass of the man bent over stocking the freezer across the way. Bobby walked toward the man, guiding the shopping cart with one hand and holding Meggy’s hand in the other.“Well, hello stranger,” Bobby said.Nash looked around and saw familiar bare feet in flip-flops. Resisting the urge to kiss the feet he found so sexy, he stood up and turned around with a big smile on his face. “Well, hello, yourself.” Then he looked at Meggy and said, “I recognize you, little lady.” He took her hand and gently shook it.“I’m Meggy. We came to get ice cream. I know who you are. You’re Mr. Wow. I heard Uncle Bobby call you Mr. Wow last time we were here.”Bobby found it funny how his niece had added the Mr.title to his Wow comment when he’d first seen Nash. He figured it saved him the embarrassment of having to explain himself to her.“There you two are,” Jeffrey said from the end of the aisle as he walked toward his daughter and brother-in-law. “Did you find everything all right?”“Sure did,” Bobby said.“We’re talking to Mr. Wow,” Meggy said.“Nice to meet you, Mr. Wow,” Jeffrey said, extending his hand to shake Nash’s while looking at Bobby with a quizzical expression on his face.“Nice to meet you, too, but actually the name’s Nash, though I kind of like Mr. Wow too. Are you folks finding everything you need today?”“I’ve found everything I need,” Bobby said, still looking at Nash.“I found the chips and steaks,” Jeffrey said, starting to figure out what was going on in front of him. “We’re grilling out tonight.”“You can come,” Meggy said.Jeffrey noticed the eye contact between Bobby and Nash and how Bobby blushed when Meggy extended the invitation to Nash. Poor Bobby, his blushing always gave him away at things—cards, surprises, and now this. Jeffrey felt like he could see his brother-in-law clearly for the first time.   Link to buy Paperback: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=3649   Link to buy e-book: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=3648    Author bio  Antonio was called to write at various times in his life.  When he was young the writing consisted of plays and short stories.  Then he explored the fine arts and literature, earning a bachelor’s degree in the latter while minoring in art history.  In his studies he was fascinated by and enjoyed analyzing characters, their personalities and motivations.  To him it’s always been the characters that make a story special.  Once again writing has taken hold of him.  In the past it was just an amusement, but now—for Antonio—writing is a passion to live, eat, and breathe. http://antoniosstories.blogspot.com/  e-mail address:  antonio.stories@comcast.net 

Welcome to the Wednesday Briefers flash group. The short ...

Welcome to the Wednesday Briefers flash group. The short stories have a maximum of a 1000 word count plus links at the bottom to the other flashers. The prompts for this week are: 
"Enter at your own risk"
or use a viper's next
or use a rock n' roll theme
or "Wrecked 'em? Damn near killed'em!"
or find a creative use for a Sharpie or use a Shar-pei
or "In this case, two plus two equals something rotten in the state of Denmark!"
or use a fraternal lodge in your story, such as the Elks or the Knights of Columbus or the Fraternal Order of Water Buffalo.
~ ~ ~ ~
~Nighttime Promises is the 3rd book in the Nighttime series, which is published by Romance First. I'm using the prompts to help me get going on this book. Yes, this is a tentacle story lol. 
Fair warning! I'm going to pull this about 3/4th of the way through, expand it, and send it off. Most of the story will be shown on here though. I'm giving this warning so no one will be caught off guard when I pull the story.
 
Nighttime Promises #6
Daroshi made a point of watching Bryan eat, but he was careful not to let Bryan know. The feeling of seeing Bryan eat something he’d prepared himself sent a small thrill through his body. He’d provided substance his mate needed in order to grow stronger.
Daroshi turned away from Bryan. Okay, so the replicator had actually created the food, but he’d brought it to his human. Maybe once they were back on his planet he could talk Bryan into a small hunting trip. Then, what he killed, he could serve Bryan. Bryan had mention several times he was a ‘country boy’, so he should enjoy such a thing.
Silence filled Medical as Bryan ate. Daroshi busied himself. He programmed the replicator to produce clothing according to the measurements on file. The basic boots that ended above the ankle, tight matte-black pants, and a sheer, black shirt was his species’ usual mode of dressing—drab colors Bryan didn’t seem overly enamored of, if the critique of his living quarters were any indication.
Finished with the clothing, he returned to Bryan’s side and cleaned away the remains of the meal. Bryan had eaten everything, not that there was much to begin with.
“How do you feel?”
Bryan stretched, twisting his back until it popped. “Better now that I’ve got something in my stomach. Still feel a little… raw, but I’m good. So, what happens once we get to your home world? There going to be a lot of folks around, gawking at the strange humans as we disembark, staring at us? Maybe a band playing and confetti thrown in the air to celebrate your species’ triumphant return?”
Daroshi shook his head. “You watch entirely too much TV. No, there won’t be anything like that. Once we go through final checks on the ship, we’ll leave. The only ones that should be around will be the star ship maintenance crews.”
“Good. I wasn’t looking forward to that.”
“Bringing a new species to our planet isn’t an unusual occurrence, Bryan. Not like it would be on Earth. We will then report to the Council on how our voyage to Earth went and what complications arose. I wish I could take you to my home first, but I’m required to attend the meeting with Ziang since I’m his First Officer. Shawn will be with you, and the both of you will be placed in a room with guards until the debriefing is finished.”
Bryan grimaced. “Sounds like… a damn dull time for us.”
“I’m sorry, but yes, it will be. It shouldn’t take long. Mainly, Ziang will need to relate the incident with Haya, and justify her removal from his crew. I will also lodge my complaint against her concerning you.” Daroshi shrugged. “Nothing will come of it, but there will be a record.”
“Sounds like a load of fun.” Bryan threw the ugly blanket off him. “Is there somewhere here I can shower? I’d like to clean up before I dress.”
“There’s a sonic shower here in Medical. It’s a technology that uses sonic pulse vibrations to clean dirt and grime off a body. It makes you feel very clean, and can be relaxing.”
“I’d prefer water, but whatever.” Bryan let his legs drape over the side of the medibed then eased to his feet.
Daroshi readied himself in case Bryan faltered. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah, just making sure I’m not going to end up on the floor. I’m cool, Daroshi. I feel a little weak, but that’s to be expected. Help me turn that thing on, will you?”
“I will.” Daroshi followed Bryan into a small, enclosed private area, pleased to see Bryan was mostly steady on his feet.
The shower was a free-standing cloudy tube made of material similar to glass, but much stronger. A small screen hung by the entrance. He tapped the screen; glowing white symbols that represented their language appeared. Quickly, he programmed it. As soon as Bryan stepped in the enclosed area, the shower would activate.
“You’re ready to go. You won’t see anything, but you will feel the pulses as they… Great galaxies, Bryan!”
“What?” Bryan dropped his remaining clothes on the floor. “What seems to be… Oh. Man, get that look off your face. I’m not strong enough to get nailed in the shower yet. But rain check, okay? Definitely a rain check.”
Daroshi’s tentacles came to life; they reached for Bryan. One wrapped around Bryan’s wrist and pulled Bryan’s naked body close. A low, soft growling purr filled the tiny area. “For this alone, I should kill Haya.” Daroshi bent down and rested his forehead against Bryan’s. “I know you’re not strong enough, but I can’t help but react when I see you unclothed. I want to sink my mating tentacle into your hot, snug hole… bury another tentacle in your mouth and fill you up.”
“Jesus Christ,” Bryan mumbled as tentacles caressed him. “Well, at least we know being poisoned hasn’t affected my… Fuck, I’m hard, Daroshi.”
“And I just may kill Haya anyway.” Daroshi stepped back and looked down at the hard dick that begged for attention. “Do you want me to—”
“More than my next breath, but we’re not going to. If you suck me off, I’ll be back on that medibed, too tired to move. And I will walk off this ship.” Bryan jerked as a low noise echoed through Medical. “What the hell is that chiming sound?”
Daroshi snarled quietly, body tightening for battle. “Someone is asking permission to enter Medical, and they should know they’re entering at their own risk. Go take your shower. Just step in, it’s programmed.”
“Uh, just remember that ‘someone’ may actually need the services here, Daroshi.”
Daroshi gently kissed Bryan and nudged him toward the sonic shower. “If it’s not something truly serious, they might well need Medical once I’m done with them.”
“No killing without a good reason, Daroshi.”
“Understood.” 
TBC. Make sure to drop by the other flashers!Cia Nordwell  

A.R. Von  

J.A. Harmon  

BL Morticia 

Nephylim  

Tali Spencer  

Julie Lynn Hayes
 
 http://victoriaadams.blogspot.com

Welcome Lane Hayes

Better Than Good by Lane Hayes 
My new book (and yes... first ever) Better Than Good was released July 8th.  It is a story of self-discovery and ultimately acceptance.   Of course, it’s also a love story because truthfully, that’s my favorite kind of story.  I will read almost any type of genre, but the ones I end up enjoying the most have at the very least a side note love story.  I gave up feeling guilty that I wasn’t reading War and Peace equivalents long ago.  Been there, done that.  Now I happily read my M/M romance novels when I’m not busy trying to pen them myself.  
Matt and Aaron, the main characters from Better Than Good have been in my head for some time.  I think of myself as sane (well mostly), but I swear I could hear very specific conversations between them and knew it was somehow crucial that their story be told.  I remember once reading about an author saying how she could smell her characters, which yeah... sounds a little strange, but I totally get it. 
Better Than Good is told from Matt’s point of view.  He relates at the beginning of the book that he had literally seen the most beautiful person ever, male or female.  That person is Aaron.  A beautiful, self-confident and lively out and proud gay man.  Nothing is the same for Matt after that first chance encounter.  It doesn’t matter that he’s straight (or has identified as such) or that he has a girlfriend.  Matt wants Aaron, but will have to come to terms with how he views himself and the labels he identifies with before he has a chance to win Aaron’s heart.   I love these characters. Hopefully readers will enjoy them too.  In my head, their story keeps going... and going...! 
Thank you for having me today!  I appreciate the warm welcome! 
Lane Hayes 
 

Better Than Good

By Lane Hayes 
Blurb 
Matt Sullivan understands labels: law student, athlete, heterosexual. He has goals: graduate and begin his career in law. One fateful night, Matt tags along with his gay roommate to a dance club and everything changes. Matt finds himself attracted to the most beautiful man he's ever seen. All labels go flying out the window. 
 Aaron Mendez doesn't believe in labels, and he’s leery of straight curious men.  He makes it clear that he’ll hide his fabulous light for no one. While Aaron can't deny the attraction between him and Matt, he is reluctant to start anything with someone who is still dealing with what this new label means—especially when that someone has a girlfriend. 
 
Excerpt from Better Than Good by Lane Hayes 
By the time I took him back to his place, it was three a.m.  The usually busy streets were virtually empty.  A fine layer of fog from the river painted the low lying shrubs and sidewalks in front of his building.   It looked a little mystic and magical as though the early morning hour still held promise.  I pulled close to the curb, set the car in park and turned toward my companion.  I didn’t want to say goodbye, yet I didn’t know where this thing between us could go.  I felt that familiar wave of frustration.   
“Can I walk you up?  I mean it.  I just want to be sure you’re safe.”  It sounded like a lame request, but Aaron seemed pleasantly surprised. 
“You are a gentleman, aren’t you?”  His eyes twinkled.   “I won’t say no and I’ll try to keep my hands to myself.  There’s a parking spot up there.  Take it so you don’t get a ticket.”   
I parked the car as instructed and met Aaron at the curb.  His smile lit his entire face.  God, he was beautiful.    He took my arm when I reached his side.  I didn’t protest, though the gesture seemed overly familiar.  It just felt amazing to have this beautiful creature at my side looking at me like I was some kind of hero for offering to walk him to his door. 
There was a bright lantern light on above the old glass and iron front door.  Aaron couldn’t get the latch to catch, so I took the key from him and gave it a try.   
“It sticks sometimes.”  He muttered under his breath. 
It opened easily for me.  I was beginning to think my levels of chivalry were being tested.  The thought made me grin when I should have been annoyed. 
“You’re my hero!” he whispered loudly.   
“Knock it off.  Where is your place?” 
“Uh oh, Matty’s getting mad.  Watch out kids.”  Aaron pointed to the elevator off to the right.   The corridor was not as well lit as the front alcove had been.  I was actually glad that I was making sure he was safe.  I was a little nervous myself.  Which must have shown on my face, because Aaron laughed out right as the elevator doors opened. 
“Relax, sweetie.  This isn’t the Bates Motel.  It’s just an old building.  Supposedly historic, but really it just means the lighting is poor and the water pressure is worse.  My apartment is cute though.  Come see.  You’re safe.”   
I rolled my eyes this time, but gamely followed him. 
His apartment was on the fifth floor.  He led me down another long hallway and stopped in front of #5E.   
“Home sweet home.” He said with a flourish as he opened his door.  “Come make sure there are no boogie men and then I promise to let you go, Matty.” 
Aaron turned on a light and breezed through his small entry into a larger living room.  As I followed him I took in my surroundings.  The apartment was small with an open floor plan. 
I could see into his bedroom from the living area and although it was dark, I could see that the bed was neatly made.  Aaron’s entire apartment was immaculate.  And the juxtaposition of his modern tastes and the apartment’s older features, like the high ceilings and a floor heater, made for a homey and comfortable space.  It was nice, and it suited Aaron perfectly. 
Aaron threw his keys in the egg shaped bright orange bowl on his small kitchen table and turned around with his arms outstretched. 
“Well, it’s tiny but it’s all mine.  As long as I pay the rent, that is.” 
“It’s really nice.  Suits you.”  I felt a little awkward as I stuffed my hands back in the leather jacket Aaron had returned to me earlier. 
            “Thanks for walking me up.  That was very gentlemanly of you.  Is that a word?  Whatever, it was sweet.”  His smile was a little shy and his bangs had fallen back into his eyes.  This time I couldn’t help myself.  I reached out to move his hair away from his eyes.  He looked up at me in surprise and my breath caught.  We stared at one another for a second more before our mouths met. 


  
Lane Hayes Bio: 
Lane Hayes is a designer by trade, but is first and foremost a lover of the written word.  An avid reader from an early age, Lane has always been drawn to romance novels.  She truly believes there is nothing more inspiring than a well-told love story.  Lane discovered the M/M genre a few years ago and was instantly hooked. She loves to travel and wishes she could do it more often.  Lane lives in Southern California with her amazing husband, three teenage kids and Rex, the coolest yellow lab ever.

 
Here are my links so far... 
Facebook:  www.facebook.com/Lane-Hayes
Twitter:  www.twitter.com/LaneHayes3
Website:  www.lanehayes.wordpress.com
Email:  lanehayes@ymail.com
 
 Purchase Links: 

Dreamspinner Press:http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=3968
Amazon:http://www.amazon.com/Better-Than-Good-ebook/dp/B00DTM2FJA/ref=pd_rhf_gw_p_t_1_E5JE
Barnes & Noble:http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/better-than-good-lane-hayes/1115944430?ean=9781623806392
 
 Reviews: 

http://liveyourlifebuythebook.wordpress.com/2013/07/04/better-than-good/ 
http://mmgoodbookreviews.wordpress.com/2013/07/13/better-than-good-by-lane-hayes/ 
http://sidlove.wordpress.com/2013/08/03/book-review-better-than-good-by-lane-hayes/ 
http://heartsonfirereviews.com/?p=22182

Giveaway winner

 winner of the giveaway is...                                                                lori warwick Lori, I've sent the gift card to your email. :) Stay tuned, guys, lots of interesting stuff coming this month. ;) ~M

Celebration and GC giveaway

 LOL, yup, my blog has hit the 300, 000 view mark. I mean, wow, Decadent Delights is only a year and a half old! LOL, it actually hit about a week ago, but hey, better late than never, right? :) So, I wanted to say thank you for all the support.  Now for the fun part: I'm giving away a $20.00 GC to Amazon. To be entered, answer these questions:  1.What soda do I drink waaay too much of?  2.What was my pen name at Literotica? 3.What is my pet's name?  Hehe, if you know me at all, you'll know these. Plus, I dropped hints on Twitter and Facebook. Make sure to leave me an email address too. The giveaway will run from now to August 4th. I'll announce the winner the 5th.  ~M