Starting Over: It Can Happen To You – Guest Post by Starla Kaye & Contest!!

This morning I have two very special guests on It Can Happen To You: Corbin Bradley and Matthieu DuCharme. Thank you for taking time out of your busy schedules to be here today. Our audiences, both in the studio today and at home, are true lovers of happy endings. We all know there is far too much sadness in the world; the news is filled with it. On my show I like to focus on the good things that happen to people.

Corbin, you and Matt, are excellent examples of how love can find a way. Your story is a beautiful one and I am so pleased that you agreed to share some of it with us.

(Corbin blushes, but Matt just smiles at the audience and then at Corbin) I'll admit that when you asked us here to talk about our relationship, I was more than hesitant. Uncomfortable, actually.

(Matt gently pats Corbin's knee, his smile even warmer) I think that is putting it mildly. (He laughs and looks back at the audience) We've both watched this show and we talked about the focus of it. We strongly agree that happiness in life is hard to find. Fortunately, each of us has been blessed with having found love twice. Not many people can say that.

As I explained to our audience just before you joined me, each of you has previously experienced loving relationships. Each of you has faced losses that took great inner strength to get over.

(I look at Corbin, smile encouragingly) Corbin, you were married a number of years before you and your wife realized it couldn't work any longer. You had buried your true sexual interests for a long time. What finally made you decide to, as they say, "come out of the closet"?

(Corbin frowns in discomfort for a second and then sighs) I loved my ex-wife and she knows it. She's still my closest friend. (He looks sad, regretful) But, as people also say, the magic wasn't there. Had never really been there. Us getting married had been expected by others and it simply happened. Neither of us was really happy, at least not in the bedroom. (He glances at his feet, blushing when he looks up again) I couldn't keep her from finding someone worthy of her, someone who could satisfy her in ways I would never be able to do.

How did she take it when you admitted you were gay? (I watch Matt gently squeeze Corbin's knee again)

(Corbin raises his chin and looks determinedly at the audience) Actually, she was the one to force me to admit my true sexual preferences. I'd tried to hard to make her happy, never wanted to hurt her. (He swallows hard) It was a difficult confrontation. I attempted to deny it, but she wouldn't let me. We both ended up in tears as we struggled to accept the truth. She's an amazing woman. (He smiles and looks thoughtful) Actually, she's the one who talked me into contacting Madame Evangeline and her matchmaking service. She was determined for me to finally face who I was and get on with my life the way it should be.

(Corbin glances at Matt and they share a special look) I'll always be grateful to Pamela for loving me enough to push me away, to nudge me into starting over.

(I'm choked up at the intense emotion sparking between the men.) Matt, you, too, went through a difficult time before meeting Corbin. You lost someone special in your life.

(Now Corbin gently pats Matt's knee and Matt draws in a ragged breath) Yes. I thought I had found the one person that I was meant to be with the rest of my life. I'd struggled through a number of relationships before finding Henri. (He draws in another deep breath, looking lost for a moment) What we had was…well, special. But not meant to be.  He died. I wasn't quite sure how to go on after that. Until I was encouraged to give Madame Evangeline's 1 Night Stand services a try, to at least start over somehow.

I've heard such wonderful happy-ever-after stories of other matches this amazing woman has made. If I weren't already happily married, I would be tempted to try her services. (I smile at the men, who now look less uncomfortable) I'm so glad you agreed to come here today. We haven't talked a lot about the current relationship between you, yet I think everyone here in the studio can see how strongly you feel about one another. You've each found something special, someone who understands you, someone you love. Am I right?

Definitely (both men say at the same time).

BLURB

Corbin was finally trying to ease into his new lifestyle. He was scared shitless, wondered what had possessed him to agree to this 1 NightStand arrangement. He'd spent years fantasizing about this. As he neared the long, lean man with graying hair a bit shaggy, a hard on pushing at the front of his swim trunks, and a sexy-as-hell grin, the dreams paled in comparison.

EXCERPT

Matt had considered changing his mind about this one-night arrangement. But as the tall, well-built man walked across the pool area toward him, all thoughts of that fled. Those broad shoulders, the amazing pecs, the spattering of dark hair on his chest…all of it called to him. He wanted to touch it, play with it. He forced himself to calm down. This was a virgin gay man. He would be his first male lover and he would have to find the inner strength to take his time. Could he?

Matt sat on a chaise lounge near the poolside bar, sipping on some fruity island drink the bartender had insisted he try. Not bad really, but he preferred beer. He'd been out here almost an hour and already had two women and a young stud make advances. He'd politely turned them all down, saying he was here with someone. Now he wished that someone would join him before he had to make excuses again to the Barbie-doll shaped woman heading in his direction.

She had no sooner wobbled up on her ridiculously high-heeled sandals than he spotted Corbin Bradley walking into the pool area. Well, well, well. Prime male and mine for the night. The thought surprised him, but he couldn't deny the way his pulse raced and his body went on high alert. He grinned, glanced past the twenty-something blonde, and waved at his roomie. "Over here."

Frowning her disappointment, the blonde walked off, muttering, "What a waste."

He'd heard that kind of comment many times over the years and didn't care a bit. He was comfortable with his homosexuality, even if others couldn't easily see it until he revealed it. Unconcerned with her reaction, he studied the tall, well-built man making his way across the pool area. The photo he'd seen of Bradley didn't do him justice. It seemed so wrong to ever hide those broad shoulders, the amazing pecs, and incredible six-pack beneath a suit, even an obviously expensive, tailored one. He longed to smooth his hands over what he saw, feel the muscles beneath his palms, play with the nipples and the spattering of dark hair on his chest. He wanted to…. God! Get it together. Stop salivating and be cool.

His cock had hardened and pressed the front of his trunks, so he lowered the hardback book he'd been reading and tented it over his erection. "Any trouble getting here?" A lame question, he knew.

"No." He looked down at him and Matt saw uneasiness in his eyes. Yet he'd come all this way in spite of his rigid posture, the tightness in his jaw. He stretched out a hand. "Corbin, but I guess you know that already."

Matt gave him a reassuring smile and shook it. Their hands, like their overall size, appeared similar, except his was callused from work. "Matt."

With a slight nod of acknowledgment, Corbin eased onto the chaise lounge next to him, turning his head to take in the scene, the dozen sunbathers, the few people enjoying the pool. "I guess you can tell how nervous I am. I hope I don't disappoint you."

Matt relaxed. "I didn't come here with a lot of expectations other than getting away, seeing someplace new, sharing the experience with someone." He held Corbin's gaze and said, "I'm a little nervous myself, but I think we'll be fine together."

His dark brown eyes looked hopeful. "As long as you understand…."

"Don't worry about it."

As if he needed to make sure Matt knew what he'd meant, Corbin leaned closer and said so only he would hear, "I've never…well, never been with a man."

The admission took guts. Until that moment, Matt hadn't really intended to actually have sex with the date he'd been matched with, although he'd toyed with the idea. Now he intended to be Corbin's first male lover. He would guide him into what could happen between them.

Publisher: Decadent Publishing

Genre: Contemporary, GLBT, Erotic Romance

Heat Level: 4

Buy Link: Decadent Publishing http://www.decadentpublishing.com/product_info.php?manufacturers_id=92&products_id=325&osCsid=6c1232251c1e45744bd0b3ee7262f414

Author Website: http://starlakaye.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/StarlaKayeWriter

Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B002ZH8K3U

Contest!

Starla Kaye will be giving away an ebook copy of Starting Over to one randomly chosen person. Just leave a comment to enter. Contest is International and ends October 2, 2011 at midnight EST.