Rob Colton's Blog, page 13
March 11, 2014
Noah's New Plan: Chapter 25
Here’s Chapter 25 of my free Wednesday Briefs story, Noah’s New Plan.
Noah was a bit embarrassed talking to Nicholas and Leslie about his Valentine’s dinner. It wasn’t anything extravagant, but it was special to Noah. He left out all the sexy details, but just thinking about it made Noah’s cheeks turn red.
As much as he enjoyed chocolate-covered strawberries, that didn’t begin to compare to riding Eli’s cock, not stopping until they both came… hard. And then they did it again.
All through the talk, Leslie had a goofy grin on her face, making Noah feel self-conscious.
"What?" Noah muttered.
Leslie sighed dreamily. “It’s just so sweet. Finding love at your—”
Noah put his hand on his hip. “Age? Were you just about to call me old?”
Before Leslie could backtrack, the three co-workers’ attentions were drawn to the door.
A young man had walked through the door with a sour look on his face. His bleach blond hair was moussed to perfection. Bathed in pastels, he even had a sweater draped over his shoulders.
Nicholas clicked his tongue. “Ooh, gurl. The eighties called and they want their sissy back.”
Noah admonished Nicholas with a look. “Shh. Be nice.”
The preppy twink walked up to Nicholas and read his name tag, then turned to Noah. His eyes lifted from the ID around Noah’s neck to glare at Noah with eyes ablaze.
"Stay away from my man."
Noah blinked, utterly shocked by the harsh tone coming from the blond twink. “Excuse me?”
"Derek Pepper is mine. You stay away from him.”
Nicholas gagged.
Yeah. So, this was Reagan. The home-wrecking, exorcist-needing slut. Noah turned towards his clerks. “Can I get a minute please?”
But Reagan wasn’t finished, and he obviously didn’t care about being discreet. The volume of his voice increased as he moved into Noah’s personal space. “He told me how you threw yourself at him. How desperate and crazy you were.”
What the? Noah moved a step back. “Now, hold up—”
"I’m telling you, if you come near him, you’ll be sorry."
"Listen, I don’t want Derek. I have someone else, so he is all yours. Any insecurities on your part are just that. Yours.”
"I am not insecure! He told me what a dead fish you were. Now that I see you, I can see why he dumped you. You’re pathetic."
Noah was this close to slapping that bitch across the face. He decided to take the high road. When Noah glanced down at Reagan’s wrist, he experienced a depressing sort of déjà vu. The twink’s shiny gold watch looked expensive. It also looked brand new.
"That’s a nice watch you have," he said quietly. "I got one just like it after I found the condoms in Derek’s gym bag."
When Reagan flinched, Noah knew he had hit a tender spot. Reagan covered his wrist with his other hand, and went silent.
As much as Noah despised the little snot, he couldn’t help but feel a bit of sympathy for him. Maybe if someone had taken him aside years ago, he would have been spared the pain and humiliation.
"Let me give you a piece of advice. If he’ll cheat for you, he’ll cheat on you.”
Reagan narrowed his eyes and his lip curled into a sneer. “You have no idea what I’m going through— what you’re talking about. I’m warning you one last time. You stay away from Derek.”
He spun on his heels and stormed out of the library in a huff, leaving Noah speechless.
Nicholas finally interrupted the silence. “Dramatic much?”
* * * *
Check out the new Wednesday Briefs web site. Read a snippet of all of the free Wednesday Briefs stories in one place, then jump to each author’s site to read the entire post. Check out all the free stories!
March 10, 2014
Guest Post: Michael Mandrake
Please welcome fellow Wednesday Blogger, Michael Mandrake. Michael is here to talk about I Love It Rough: N’Awlins Exotica Book 2.
When the Muse Speaks to You
Michael Mandrake
Greetings. Today I’m talking about muses. What’s that you say? You wonder how a muse could talk about his own muses? Well I can since I am however the writing muse and not the character muse in the book.
Authors, do you actually have moments where the muse has spoken to you directly? It’s true! Your friends and family have often thought you had screws lose anyway when you talk about how your characters speak to you when writing a story. Mine shake their heads and groan but in actuality, when the muse speaks to you directly, the story comes out better.
In the short time I’ve been writing, I’ve discovered how important it is to have more of a relationship with your main character. Learn what’s most important to him or her. What they like and dislike what they need and how they feel they can achieve their ultimate goal. So I figured why not interview the characters before I’ve written the story. I write down personal facts, traits, have a picture if possible, and have a “recorded” conversation with them to get everything down I possibly can about that muse.
Interesting right? In a sense, me, the author is talking to a fictional character and learning all we can to make a more complete book. In the beginning, I didn’t feel I did it enough. I had all their facts in my head but I didn’t really translate that to my readers and while it also makes for an interesting blogpost, meaning the character interview, it helps us as writers to keep the plot moving and cover all the bases in our stories.
For this series, the main character is played by Shemar Moore. For those who don’t know him, this handsome fellow plays on Criminal Minds, ironically as a detective. And as I stated, I “interviewed” the character I created which is Detective Frankie Choteau who works in homicide for New Orleans Police department. Other than the fact Frankie is a no nonsense detective, I figured out how much he loves sports, was very close to his late mother, and closeted cop who only wants to be accepted by his peers. Those were only a few details but just writing these into the first book of the series brought him to life.
I have others for the series but since he was the main character I used him as an example. With every story I write I do the interview as well as a character arc to move along the plot. In my opinion, both of these assist me in building a more complete book for you the readers to enjoy. No, it isn’t gospel but it’s one of the many things us writers use while we write our book and again, it gives us an excuse to talk to ourselves. *chuckles*
Thanks for listening to this muse ramble. Here’s more information on the series including book 2, I Love it Rough.
Blurb
Livin’ in N’awlins ain’t all that easy…
Kajika Fortier loves his job, the attention he gets from onlookers, and Frankie Choteau. However, his new partner’s jealousy, mood swings, and over protectiveness drives Kajika to the brink but at the same time, excites him to no end.
To complicate things further, a murderer is on the loose looking for blood. All three of the killer’s victims are strippers which not only makes Frankie nervous about Kajika’s safety but leaves him questioning his love for being a homicide detective. Coupled with the stresses of cold cases as well as some fellow officers shunning him for coming out, Frankie is having second thoughts about staying in New Orleans. Despite the encouragement from Vance, Kenina, and Orrin as well as new chief Quinn Murray, Frankie is wondering if his life’s passion really is to catch the killers.
Will the new couple survive these new issues that impede their nearly perfect union? Or will the relationship fail, thus leaving Kajika alone and a target for New Orleans latest serial killer? Detective Choteau and Kajika’s commitment to one another is being tested in more ways than one and they only have one another to lean on.
Buy Links
Excerpt (R-Rated!)
“Kajika, Kajika?” Frankie dropped his duffel at the door and locked it tight. The lights were dim and smells of vanilla incense wafted through his nostrils. “Babe, you here?” Frankie frowned and ran his hands over his smooth dome. “I thought you left me a message to…” He dropped his gaze to the floor and eyed a single envelope. “Hmm, what’s this?” Frankie picked it up and grinned, looking at Kajika’s beautiful penmanship. The light brown envelope smelled of Kajika’s sweet scent and a small set of lips were on the seam of the letter. “Ooohkay, baby, what are you up to now?” Frankie unfolded it and read:
Dear Frankie Choteau,
This ticket admits you to a special performance by Kajika Fortier, Native American Hunk D’ Jour. As soon as you arrive, please take a seat in the chair closest to the stage and feel free to enjoy the refreshments.
Thank you
KF
“Oh yeah? A special performance hmm?” Frankie stroked his newly trimmed goatee and headed for the basement where Kajika’s practice area had been installed for the past couple of months. Despite his disdain for Kajika’s occupation, he fully supported his need to perfect his craft.
“Alrighty, then.” Frankie sniffed the note once again and made a sharp right to the basement door. Anxious to see what his man had come up with, he bounded downstairs and sprinted to the seat closest to the platform as asked. “Nice place.” Frankie chuckled and slid into the chair, sighing when his butt touched the covered seat. Fully relaxed, he grabbed one of the Heinekens out of the ice bucket and popped it open with his personal opener. “Now, I’m comfortable; where is the entertainment?” Frankie loosened his jacket and leaned on his knees, tapping his feet against the hardwood floors. Regardless of their dispute or his fascination with Orrin, Frankie knew he was still head over heels in love with Kajika Fortier. He’d been looking forward to getting back with his baby after the successful capture of Surenthia Jakes’ killer. Their reunion was the perfect way to end a dangerous but great day.
Frankie took another swig of his beer and several red and blue lights went off over his head. A familiar bass line filled the room, causing a smile to come to his face. “Mhmm, more Janet Jackson and, damn, I love this song.” Frankie nodded to the beat and eyed the stage, watching his lover come out dressed in a black g-string and thigh high black boots with silver buckles. His long black tresses were tied back in a ribbon with the rest flowing over his muscled shoulders. “Damn, baby, whew!” Frankie fanned himself, knowing he was in for a treat. Yeah, he hated that Kajika showed his pretty ass off to the masses but when it was just for him, he didn’t have one single complaint. Kajika was by far the most gorgeous individual on earth.
“Baby, do you mind, touching me…” Janet’s sweet voice filled the air along with heavy breathing and a slow, fuck me beat.
Kajika spun on one heel and kicked one leg up in the air, touching the silver metal pole in front of him. He wrapped his arms around it and held on, twirling around until his plump ass hit the stage. He moved to the electric thump, shifting his shoulders from left to right and winking at Frankie as he did so. The look in his eye was wicked, playful, something that drew Frankie and many others in.
“Damn, babe. You know I love it when you dance for me.” Frankie finished his beverage and set the empty on the table. He pulled his jacket off, tossing it to the side while he continued to ogle his man.
Fucking Orrin is hot but not like my man.
Frankie still didn’t feel guilty for his actions, nor was he ready to let go the notion of the two of them getting together. However, he knew he’d never leave Kajika for anyone else, despite the temptation. He’d found his soul mate, the man he’d always been wishing for. No way would he ever let that go. “Baby, I’m all yours, I promise.”
Kajika didn’t say a word, only kept dancing and moving along with the tune. He did a backwards somersault and a split with his legs outstretched, humping the floor. Kajika grinned at Frankie and wagged his tongue while he pulled at the thin strings covering his most treasured prize. Once he got them all undone, he flicked it at Frankie and stood up straight, not even covering his erection.
“Whew!” Frankie watched it fall in front of him. He grabbed another beer and leaned back, running his hand over his crotch. He was rock solid, practically bulging out of his pants, wanting to get into Kajika right away. Fuck the routine. Frankie stroked himself through his polyester slacks, running his fingertips over his swollen balls while the other tilted the bottle towards his mouth. “Holy shit, babe. You are…”
Kajika kicked his leg up again, still keeping in rhythm for the last parts of the song. He wrapped his leg around the pole and swung until he was upside down, spreading his thighs to give Frankie a better view.
“Fuck baby!” Frankie cursed and yanked his pants apart, busting the zipper. He took his swollen dick in hand, dragging his thumb through the pre-cum seeping through the slit. Frankie plopped the bottle on the table, forgetting about wanting another beverage. In front of him was something a lot more satisfying. “Holy shit, Kajika! I swear you got me so hard right now.”
Kajika leaned his head back and stretched his legs out again. “Really, Choteau? You want me?”
Frankie stopped jerking and spat on his hand. When he took hold to his dick again, he sped up his movements. It wouldn’t be too long before he was ready to explode. “Fuck yes, Kajika. Get your pretty little ass over here and ride my cock, baby!”
March 9, 2014
Guest Post: Elyzabeth VaLey
Please welcome fellow Wednesday Briefs blogger Elyzabeth VaLey. She’s here to talk about her new Naughty Fairy Tale release, Blind Beauty, and to give us a fun little quiz.
Thank you for having me!
Fairy tales… fantasy, magic, and sometimes a lesson or two to be learned. They were always such great fun to read as children, so why not continue the tradition as adults?
Blind Beauty is a Naughty Fairy Tale. You know what that means, right? *wiggles eyebrows* It has magic, a lesson or two, lots of love and some hot scenes. There is also adventure, of course. James Macintosh, our handsome (though he doesn’t think so) hero finds certain things in his path that lead him into Richard’s arms. He makes some appropriate (or maybe not?) decisions. Take the quiz and find out how you would fare if you were in his place.
You are on your way home when your horse stops moving and a child comes running into your arms. You hear a woman calling her name in the distance. You:
a. - Push the child off you and run away.
b. - Pull out your sword and confront the woman. (What if it isn’t her mother?)
c. - Ask the child if the woman calling her is her mother.
The woman gives you the heebie jeebies. She’s friendly enough but there’s something about her that you can’t pinpoint. You:
a. – Hand her the child and run away.
b. - Stab the woman and run away.
c. – Chat with the woman and offer to help her. (They’re on their way to town after all and the weather is lousy.)
You’ve just said goodbye to the child and the strange woman, who has helped you get your horse moving again, (strange that you didn’t see that thorn in her hoof and you checked twice), when it starts to snow heavily. You:
a. – Curse your luck and return in the direction you came from.
b.- Brave the storm and continue towards your destiny.
c. – Turn back in search of the woman and the child. (They’ll never make it to town in this weather!)
Uh-oh, you’re lost. You:
– You sit under a tree and pray that you don’t freeze to death.
– You’re never lost.
– You search for a place to brave off the storm.
Results
a. Running away… tsc. tsc. That’s not going to get you anywhere.
b. Heroes have to stop and think every once in a while. Pulling out your sword for everything might not be the best solution.
c. Congratulations! If you picked all C then you’re following James’s footsteps and are on the right track to find your one true love. Albeit, you still have some difficulties to go through…
Blurb:
James Macintosh is hours away from his new home. He is ready to start a secluded life away from all the rumors, insults and disgusted faces concerning his appearance. However, a meeting with a mysterious woman and her child, mingled with a sudden harsh snowstorm will set him down a very different path than the one he had originally envisioned.
Richard Randywine is an accidental fugitive living with a band of rowdy thieves. A good man at heart, he has gotten used to hiding his emotions behind his strapping muscles and brute strength. Yet, when the thieves ambush an unsuspecting rider, Richard is forced to drop his mask and step forward.
Will both men be able to see what lies before them or will they be blind to the possibility of happiness?
Available at:
Add it to your Goodreads
Author Bio:
Defined as weird since she was about eight, Elyzabeth honors the title by making up songs about her chores, doodling stars and flowers on any blank sheet of paper and talking to her dog whenever he feigns interest.
Losing the battle to the voices in her head is her favorite pastime after annoying her younger sister with her singing. Writing stories full of passion and emotion where love conquers all is her happy pill and she’ll forgo sleep to make her readers live the dream.
Stalk me at:
Blog
Website
Facebook
Twitter
Goodreads
Pinterest (Blind Beauty has its own board! Check it out here)
Excerpt:
He climbed atop his horse, as told. His back molded to Richard’s, his body betraying him as it molded into the other man’s embrace. Richard pulled him hard against him, his body enveloping him in an almost suffocating hug.
“Go,” he whispered huskily into his ear, his breath fanning it. James pressed his thighs against Faith’s flanks, hoping the animal would understand, considering the strange position she was in. She did, for she set off at a trot in the direction Richard indicated. They galloped in silence, trees whirring past them, snow flying when they swept past. James eyes widened and he barely controlled the urge to order Faith to stop as he realized their impasse.
“Richard, the hoof prints, the snow.” James pointed at the visible trail. “They’ll track us down as easily as the king’s hounds trace a fox.”
Richard’s breath was warm in his ear. His hair tickled his temple and James had to suppress a shiver.
“I know.” Richard chuckled. “Don’t worry. I have a plan, besides wishing that they’ll wake up during the night and we’ll be miles away by then or that it snows heavily again.”
James wished he didn’t have to worry, but he couldn’t relax. The problem wasn’t so much the thieves that could pursue them at any moment, but the man behind him. He was too close, too comforting, and all too desirable. James shifted in his seat again, trying to find a comfortable position. One in which he wasn’t pressed up tightly against Richard’s groin. One in which he didn’t imagine he felt the length of his cock hard against him. Because, he was convinced it was his imagination. Otherwise, how could a man like Richard be interested in him? It didn’t make any sense. In his experience, men like Richard were ladies’ men. They seduced, fucked and discarded women. He wasn’t a woman and he’d been rejected too many times in his life. He didn’t need this. He didn’t need more pain. Richard’s fingers brushed against his side, the fingers digging into his flesh and distracting him as arousal flared in every centimeter of his flesh.
“What got you into thievery?” he asked, attempting to forget how close their bodies were.
Richard grunted in reply and he fell silent once more, fishing his mind for a topic of conversation. It came up blank. He thought about asking Richard to stop. Faith was probably tiring though she didn’t show it and surely, they were safe by now. He should ask. James knew he should, but he couldn’t. He was losing his mind, falling prey to the liquid fire that was consuming him inside and outside. He wasn’t sure if the man was hard, but he was. His cock was stiff and throbbing, the idea of taking or being taken by Richard flashing through his mind every time Faith bounced.
What would it feel like?
Flesh both silky and hard as steel brushing against him, an intimate caress, deep and longing. They’d become one man, writhing, gasping, and moaning. James’ breath hitched, the tightness in his breeches becoming uncomfortable. He clenched his teeth together and grasped the reins so tightly the material cut into his hands. He scrambled to regain his bearings, to remember whom he was with and what had occurred in the last 48 hours. He couldn’t trust Richard, but neither could he trust his treacherous body. He was not a beautiful man. Surely the thief didn’t want him. The thief. That’s right, Richard was a thief. He had no morals, no scruples, no—James groaned as Faith skipped over a fallen log, throwing Richard’s body against him, the erection he was sure he was imagining grinding against his bottom.
March 7, 2014
Enforcer: Chapter 1
Chapter 1 of Enforcer: Timber Pack Chronicles Book 2 is now live!
http://www.gayauthors.org/forums/story/rob-colton/enforcer
Be sure to leave a review or discuss the story in the Forum:
http://www.gayauthors.org/forums/topic/38552-rob-colton-enforcer-timber-pack-chronicles-book-2/
Enjoy!
March 4, 2014
Coming Soon: Enforcer: Timber Pack Chronicles Book 2
The long awaited Enforcer: Timber Pack Chronicles Book 2 is finally coming!
Look for Chapter 1 on GayAuthors.org on Saturday March 8th. After that, a new chapter will be posted every week, until all 17 chapters plus the epilogue are posted.
Special thanks to Alicia Nordwell for beta reading the story and providing me with valuable feedback. And thanks to Mann Ramblings for turning around edits quickly and efficiently. Both of them helped to make this story the best it can be.
Blurb:
Jed Stone suffers in silence, damaged and poisoned from his fight with the rogue wolf. But he puts on a smile and does his duty, making sure his Timber Pack mates are safe.
Buzz Hinske belongs to a traditional lycan pack. Challenges and violence seem to be their way of life.
When they come together at the annual Lycan Conclave, Jed is elated at finding his destined mate. Unfortunately, Buzz has already been promised to another…
Cover Reveal!
Check out the brand new cover, created by Chris (Slumberus). Look how hunky Jed is!
March 1, 2014
Timber Pack Chronicles Book Release
Book 1 of Timber Pack Chronicles is now available in Paperback and eBook !
The object of Parker Montgomery’s crush is big man on campus Colton Butler, who is much more than he appears to be.
Colton has been watching Parker from a distance, patiently waiting for the day when he will finally be able to claim his destined mate.
When Parker is threatened by a rogue wolf, Colton’s instincts take over and he finds that his actions have consequences that threaten to tear his pack apart.
Available in eBook from:
Amazon.com and Kindle Store
BarnesAndNoble.com and Nook Store
Available in Paperback from:
Amazon.com (includes free ebook version with Kindle MatchBook)
February 25, 2014
Noah's New Plan: Chapter 24
Here’s chapter 24 of my Wednesday Briefs story, Noah’s New Plan.
This week I used the prompt “Stop acting like an ass.” ;-)
Noah raced through the front door after Eli, but he didn’t get far. He barreled right into Eli, who stood his ground on the porch stairs. Before he could tumble down the stairs, the bigger man grabbed Noah and put him back on his feet.
The man was so obviously pissed. If Noah didn’t know Eli better, he might have been worried that he still wore his security uniform and had a loaded pistol strapped to his belt.
“Eli.” Noah took a deep breath for courage. “It’s not what it looks like.” Immediately, he winced. Isn’t that what cheaters always say? But in this case it happened to be true. He just hoped Eli would see it.
Turning on the stairs, Eli pressed his lips together and looked at Noah. His tone was right when he finally replied, “I know that.”
Noah stared back at Eli. Since the taller man was two stair steps below where Noah stood, they were practically nose-to-nose. He usually had to look up to see his man’s eyes. It was a bit disarming, as was Eli’s reply. Did he say he knew?
“I didn’t kiss him,” Noah further clarified. “He kissed me.”
“I know.”
Wait, what? Now Noah was completely confused. Shouldn’t Eli be trying to defend him from his ex? “Well, why did you leave?”
“Because”, Eli replied with a snarl, sending spittle flying out of his mouth. “If I didn’t walk out of the fucking room, I would’ve pulverized that slimy piece of shit motherfucker into goddamned ground beef.”
“Okay, that was… colorful.So, if you knew what he was doing, why didn’t you try to stop him?”
Eli sighed. “Because you don’t need me to come to your rescue, Noah. You’re a strong and independent man who can take care of himself. And I won’t be the kind of man who takes that from you.”
Oh god. Noah pressed his lips together to keep his chin from trembling. His eyes teared up and he blinked rapidly. He didn’t want to cry like a little girl.
He didn’t know what to say to Eli. The first words that came to his mind simply spilled from his lips. “I love you.”
“I know.”
Noah laughed. The look on Eli’s face was one of pure happiness. And Noah had put it there, just by acknowledging his feelings. He leaned forward, pressing his body against his man’s. He grabbed Eli’s head in his hands and kissed him soundly.
“Jesus.”
Noah didn’t want to stop making out with Eli, but the sound of Derek’s voice grated on his nerves.
Reluctantly, Noah ended the kiss and looked over his shoulder at his ex.
“Stop acting like an ass.”
“Then stop acting like a whore.”
Noah felt Eli’s body tighten behind him. He knew the man was once again fighting the urge to pound Derek into ground meat.
“Listen, Derek–”
“Get inside, Noah. Everyone can see you out here for Christ’s sake. I have a reputation in this neighborhood. I won’t have you destroy it by acting like trash.” Derek reached out, grabbed Noah’s arm and pulled.
Big mistake.
Noah slapped Derek’s hand away, then brought his knee up as hard as he could.
Derek cried out as he doubled over. He gripped his nuts with one hand, while trying to steady himself against the door with the other.
“Don’t ever touch me again,” Noah barked.
He turned around to face Eli, who was staring at him proudly.
“Damn, you just gave me a boner.”
Noah laughed and shook his head back and forth. “Come on. Let’s go.”
* * * *
Eli flopped down onto the couch, pulling Noah down with him.
Noah straddled his lap as Eli’s hands moved around to grip his ass. When he tugged Noah forward, he could feel Eli’s hard cock through his uniform pants, pressing into him. Noah’s dick responded accordingly, plumping up within seconds.
“So… You love me, huh?” Eli grinned like a Cheshire cat.
“I do.” He did a little grind against Eli, making the big man moan. “I love you.”
“Mmm… Damn. I don’t think I can get enough of that. Say it again.”
Noah rubbed his hands over Eli’s clean-shaved head. Cupping his face, he rubbed his thick beard whiskers with his thumbs. Staring into Eli’s eyes, he made sure the man was looking at him when he repeated the words. “I love you, Eli.”
As the two men kissed, Eli’s arms tightened around Noah, hands gripped Noah’s ass. With a grunt, Eli stood up, taking Noah with him.
Noah squeaked against Eli’s lips, shocked the man was able to lift him like this. He clung tight to Eli as the big muscle bear of a man carried him to the bedroom.
* * * *
Check out the new Wednesday Briefs web site. Read a snippet of all of the free Wednesday Briefs stories in one place, then jump to each author’s site to read the entire post. Check out all the free stories!
February 24, 2014
Monday Meet at Brynn Stein's blog
I’m over at Brynn Stein’s blog today for her Monday Meets feature.
Get to know the mysterious Tomas and what he thought when he first met Jamie.
http://brynnstein2.wordpress.com/2014/02/24/monday-meet-rob-colton/
February 20, 2014
Meet the Author chat with Rob Colton
Hello everyone!
Dreamspinner Press is pleased to present a Meet the Author chat with Rob Colton, author of the new book, “An American Lamb in Europe” on Saturday, February 22nd from 2-5pm Eastern/11am-2pm Pacific.
Do you have questions about “An American Lamb in Europe”? Questions about Colton’s upcoming works? Make sure to join in this Saturday to ask and find out.
The chat will be held at the Dreamspinner Press main Goodreads page:
https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/45452-dreamspinner-press
"An American Lamb in Europe":
http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=4693
Rob Colton:
http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/index.php?cPath=899
See you there!
February 18, 2014
Noah's New Plan: Chapter 23
Here’s chapter 23 of my free Wednesday Briefs story, Noah’s New Plan.
The contest to win a free copy of my new novella, An American Lamb in Europe, is still underway until Thursday at midnight. Head on over to the Wednesday Briefs site and leave a comment for a chance to win a free ebook. Be sure to check out all of the other free stories while you’re there.
http://wedbriefsfic.com/2014/02/18/toss-up-tuesday-an-american-lamb-in-europe-by-rob-colton/
With a lull in library traffic, Noah took the opportunity to grab his planner. Standing at the counter, he opened the notebook to a new page. At the top of the page he wrote:
Eli’s Valentine Plan
As he racked his brain over what he wanted to do, he chewed on the end of his pen. Realizing what he was doing, he pulled the pen free, then began tapping his bottom lip with the still wet instrument.
His thoughts were interrupted by the tinkling chimes of his cell phone. Noah looked at the screen and groaned.
"Hello?" He answered, trying to bite back an exasperated sigh.
"Noah. The realtor is showing the house tonight at six. I won’t be able to make it. I’d like you to be there."
"Derek, I have plans."
"This is important. I need you."
Noah let out another exasperated sigh. “Fine.”
* * * *
When Noah unlocked the door and entered his old place, it felt so strange. Despite the fact that he’d lived here for twenty years, this condo was almost unfamiliar.
Cold.
Lonely.
The tiny little apartment he’d been in for the past couple months was more of a home than this place had been for a very long time.
Noah walked through the condo, making sure it was presentable for the showing. When the realtor arrived with a young couple, Noah gave them his friendliest smile.
"Please make yourselves at home," he said. "I’ll be around if you have any questions."
They were a young couple. The young lady gushed over the place, especially the kitchen. Her husband seemed to want to make her happy; he agreed with everything she said.
Noah hoped they would be happy here if they ended up buying the place.
After about an hour, the realtor thanked Noah, then left with the couple.
Noah checked his phone. He still had plenty of time to make it to Eli’s place. When Noah told him about Derek’s “request,” he could tell Eli was annoyed, but the man didn’t say anything. Instead they made plans to meet at Eli’s. They’d order take-out and stay in. That sounded really good to Noah. Curling up on the sofa and watching a movie would be perfect.
Just as Noah was about to lock up, the door opened and Derek stepped in. Closing the door behind him, he pulled off his trench coat and hat, then hung them on the coat rack by the door.
"How did the showing go?" he asked.
"Fine. The realtor said she’d be in touch."
"Good." Derek let out a soft breath as his eyes drifted around the room. "It’s a shame… We had a lot of good memories here."
"I suppose," Noah answered noncommittally.
"Don’t be like that." Derek moved closer to Noah. "Things weren’t always bad. You were happy here once."
"Yeah, well, I was blind… in denial…"
"It’s that gorilla you’ve been… dating." He said the word like it tasted foul. "I don’t understand what you see in that man. He’s beneath you."
"Eli treats me well… He loves me. He loves me for who I am."
Noah realized then what a mistake it was not telling Eli how he felt. He was in love with the man. He should’ve told him. Eli had told him more than once, and each time Noah had been silent.
"He doesn’t really love you, Noah. He’ll never love you the way I did."
"God, I hope not. The way you loved me included you fucking other men behind my back."
Derek frowned. “You picked up that language from him. He’s a bad influence.” He reached up and brushed Noah’s hair over the top of his ear. “Your hair is nice this color. The darker shade is growing on me.”
Noah jerked his head away. “Don’t.” He stepped back, bumping against the wall. Nervously, he pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose.
A little smile ghosted across Derek’s face. “I remember the first time I kissed you. You were so nervous, you kept fiddling with your glasses. I had to take them off.” Derek reached for Noah’s glasses, but Noah moved away.
"Quit it."
Derek moved his arms to either side of Noah’s head, boxing him in.
"I remember the first time we made love. You were so scared, it being your first time, but you told me you loved me. You so wanted to please me."
Before Noah could react, Derek pinned him to the wall. He kissed Noah, hard, pushing his tongue into the smaller man’s mouth.
Noah pressed against Derek’s chest as hard as he could, but the man was strong. He began to panic as Derek’s body started to grind against his.
The front door suddenly opened and Derek finally backed off.
Noah looked over Derek’s shoulder to find Eli standing there, his hand still on the doorknob.
"The fuck!"
The man was fuming, his rage completely undisguised. His face had gone beet red, his fist clenched at his side while the other looked as if it was going to rip the knob clean off the door.
Eli opened his mouth, then shut it. Without a word, he turned and walked out, slamming the door behind him so hard the frame rattled.
Noah shoved Derek as hard as he could and ran after Eli. It was all a horrible misunderstanding. He couldn’t lose Eli, not like this.
He threw open the front door.
"Eli! Wait!"
* * * *
Check out the new Wednesday Briefs web site. Read a snippet of all of the free Wednesday Briefs stories in one place, then jump to each author’s site to read the entire post. Check out all the free stories!
