Monday, October 31, 2011

The Closer You Get by L.A. Witt

The Closer You Get

Samhain: http://store.samhainpublishing.com/the-closer-you-get-p-6532.html

Blurb

Self-described manwhore Kieran Frost is loving the single life. Two years after moving to Seattle, he still has his friends with benefits, Rhett and Ethan, plus a never-ending supply of gorgeous, available men wandering through the bar where he works. A relationship? Spare him the drama and heartbreak. He’s got no complaints about his unattached lifestyle.

When Rhett’s daughter introduces him to newly-out-of-the-closet Alex Corbin, Kieran’s interest perks up. After all, the quiet ones are always the freaks in bed. But Alex isn’t just shy and reserved. He’s a virgin in every sense of the word, having never even kissed anyone else.

Kieran is no one’s teacher, and his first instinct is to run like hell in the other direction. But his conscience won’t let him throw the naïve kid to the wolves for someone else to take advantage of. The plan is to introduce Alex to his own sexuality, pull him out of his shell, then go their separate ways.

It’s the perfect, foolproof plan…assuming no one falls in love.

Warning: This sequel to The Distance Between Us contains a curious virgin, a shameless slut, a trip to a sex shop, and one stubborn heart. Oh, and a dildo.

Excerpt

“I still think it’s a travesty that Alex is gay.” Beth’s voice drew me out of my thoughts and into the conversation going on in the car. From the driver’s seat, she glanced back at me. “No offense.”

I waved a hand. “None taken.”

Lisa, Sabrina’s other friend, said, “I’m telling you, if that man was straight, I would date him in a heartbeat.”

“I second that,” Beth said. “I swear to Christ, every hot man at school is either gay, taken, or a complete asshole.”

“Some are probably all three,” I said.

“Bastards,” Sabrina muttered.

I chuckled. “What do you care? Your dads won’t let you date until you’re thirty anyway, remember?”

Beth and Lisa laughed aloud, and Sabrina’s cheeks darkened.

“So, this Alex guy,” I said. “I assume he’s single?”

“Oh, yeah,” Beth said. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen him date anyone.”

“Is he cute?”

“Uh-huh,” all three girls said in unison.

“Cute?” Sabrina clicked her tongue. “He’s gorgeous.”

Well, that was a plus. Good-looking. College. No one had ever seen him date. Probably meant any guy he’d “dated” was gone by sunrise. My kind of man.

“Don’t you have a picture of him on your phone?” Lisa asked.

“Oh, you’re right.” Sabrina reached into her purse. “I’d forgotten all about that.” She pulled out her phone and scrolled through a few pictures. “Ah, here it is.”

I took the phone from her.

Oh, hello. Maybe I could be persuaded to stick around for a while tonight after all. The lighting and resolution didn’t let me get a very good look at his eyes, but what I could see of him was certainly attractive. Clean cut, clean shaven, with dark hair that was just long enough to run fingers through. Or get a good grip on.

Settle down, Kieran. Meet the guy first.

I cleared my throat and handed the phone back. “Nice-looking guy.”

“God, yes.” She put her phone back into her purse. “Just wait ’til you see him in person.”

“True that,” Lisa said. “But then, all gay guys are cute.”

I shook my head. “Oh, my dear, you only say that because you’ve never spent any time dating gay men. I assure you, there are plenty of unattractive men batting for my team.”

“Not many,” Lisa said. “You guys get way more hotties than we do. It isn’t fair.”

“Yeah,” Beth said. “Even Sabrina’s dad and stepdad are hot.”

Sabrina wrinkled her nose. “Oh, eww, don’t talk about my dads that way.”

“What?” Beth said. “Face it, girly girl, for two old guys, they’re—”

“Shut. Up.”

I laughed to mask my sudden panic at Rhett and Ethan being brought into the conversation, as if someone might catch on to what we had going on. Sabrina didn’t need that. Neither did I.

I quickly changed the subject back to Alex. “So, how did you meet this guy, anyway? He in some of your classes or something?”

Sabrina nodded. “He just transferred in at the beginning of the year from another state.”

Mercifully, the conversation stayed safely in the realms of Alex and school for the rest of the drive. Rhett and Ethan weren’t mentioned again, thank God.

“Here we are.” Beth turned on her signal and slowed down.

I barely kept myself from groaning when she pulled into the parking lot of one of those places that was like a pub-sports bar hybrid. The type of place that probably had a house country band some nights, football other nights, and a jukebox that still played vinyl. My favorite kind of place.

On our way in, we passed a row of neon beer signs and walked in through a tinted glass door that had tarnished sleigh bells banging against the window. Seattle had banned indoor smoking years ago, but places like this still always managed to have a hazy atmosphere, like the air had never quite cleared after decades of cigarettes.

The bar was lined with customers whose belt buckles were probably at least six inches across. Some quietly drank, others made animated gestures with their beers as they yelled at an umpire on one of the grainy TVs above the bar. Frying grease crackled faintly in the background, and the thick smell of all things fried and salty hung as heavily in the air as the haze.

Through that haze, I made eye contact with one of the bartenders, and his eyes widened with both recognition and horror as the color slipped out of his cheeks. It only took a second or two for me to place him: he was a frequent patron at the gay bar where I worked. We’d flirted a few times, and I was pretty sure he and one of the bouncers had been sleeping together for the last few months.

If his expression was any indication, I was the only one in this establishment who knew about any of that, and he desperately wanted to keep it that way.

I pretended not to notice or recognize him, and followed the girls to the back of the room. Their friends—maybe a dozen or so guys and girls—greeted Sabrina with hugs and birthday wishes. They’d commandeered a few booths by the pool tables, and the beer was already flowing.

For a twenty-first birthday, though, they kept it pretty mellow. There were bottles, glasses, and pitchers of beer on tables, the odd mixed drink here and there, but the booze wasn’t the center of attention. The group had obviously been here awhile, having settled into a couple of lively games of eight-ball, but no one was visibly drunk.

I could see why Ethan and Rhett weren’t all that worried about Sabrina tonight. Her friends weren’t a wild bunch, from what I could see. Besides, she was a smart kid, had her head screwed on straight—clearly nature over nurture, I often teased her dads—and she was the one who’d chosen this place for her birthday instead of one of the racier clubs downtown. A few beers in a place with neon Budweiser signs and pool tables instead of a potentially dangerous binge under flickering disco lights. She actually stood a chance of remembering her twenty-first birthday party.

“Where’s Alex?” Sabrina asked the group. “Tell me he didn’t bail on me.”

Someone gestured with a pool cue. “He’s playing cricket with Shane and Cory.”

“Oh, good.” She put her hand on my elbow. “Thank God, he actually showed up.”

“Were you concerned he wouldn’t?”

Her cheeks reddened. “A little.”

I shot her a glare but then followed her.

“He’s just really, really shy,” she said as we crossed the mostly empty club. “Took me forever to even get his name out of him. He’s—oh, there he is.” She pointed at the dartboards, where one guy was getting ready to throw while two others watched.

I furrowed my brow, looking at each of the guys in turn. Two of their backs were to me, which kept me from matching anyone up with the face I’d seen on Sabrina’s phone.

“Which one?” I asked.

“Gray T-shirt.”

My gaze shifted to the one she’d indicated, and I suddenly had a feeling this evening would be worth the sacrifice of leaving Rhett and Ethan with a bed and a bottle of Patrón.

The gray T-shirt Sabrina had used to identify him rested over a set of broad shoulders, and his tight-but-not-too-tight jeans clung to deliciously narrow hips. From here, I guessed he was an inch or two taller than me, which was also a bonus. I wasn’t a fan of having to crane my neck up or down to kiss someone. Nothing threw cold water on a kiss or a hot fuck like a damned neck cramp.

Of course, Sabrina had only brought me here to coax him into Seattle’s gay lifestyle, but there wasn’t a man alive I didn’t automatically size up in terms of whether or not I’d sleep with him. Even when I wasn’t dying to get laid. Some people said that made me a slut. Hey, if the shoe fits…

Sabrina nudged me toward him. “Come on, I’ll introduce you.”

Oh, yes, please do.


L. A. Witt & Lauren Gallagher
Abnormal Romance Author
2010 Carnal Passions Author of the Year
Website * Professional Blog * Personal Blog * Webcomic * Twitter

Fate's Second Chance by AJ Jarrett

Fate's Second Chance by AJ Jarrett

Blurb

Marie thought dying was the worst thing to happen to her, until informed she's always been a man's soul trapped in a woman's body. As Marc, he's got one shot to set things right--by finding love with his best friend and soul mate--with only a month to do it.

Marie Carter has never felt comfortable in her own body, and it took dying to find out why. Ross, her unlikely guardian angel, informs her that mistakes were made and he needs her help to save her fate, Ross's wings, and her best friend's heart.

Six month's after Marie's death, Marc arrives with one month to heal Sabrina's—his sister's—suffering, and win his soulmate, Shawn. If he fails, Sabrina will never know peace, Ross will be kicked out of heaven, and the love of his life will die from a broken heart. Will that be enough time to heal the wounds a lifetime in the wrong body has caused?

Excerpt

I always assumed when I died my life would flash before my eyes, but that was so not the case. Sitting on an airplane with complete strangers as the massive piece of machinery plummeted to the ground, all I could think was why the fuck did I take the earlier flight.

I was being a little dramatic I know, but I was about to die and leave my sister and my best friend. The only people I loved in the world, plus the only family I had. I was more than likely leaving them due to faulty equipment or engine malfunction. What a lousy way to go.

My poor sister Serena, what would she do? Our parents died when I was fifteen and she twenty-two. We were all we had in the world, and now I would be bailing on her too. Of course, this entire situation wasn't my fault but it didn't make it any easier. She'd been my friend and parent for the past ten years. I loved Serena, she was truly the best sister slash parent a girl could ever have.

Then there was Shawn, my best friend since kindergarten. The only man I ever truly loved. He was there when my parents died, there when Serena caught me having my first beer, and there when my first boyfriend broke my heart. Whenever I needed someone, he was there to pick up the pieces no matter how big or how small. I couldn't have picked a better friend.

The only thing bad about being in love with Shawn was that he's gay. I'm a girl so a romantic relationship would never happen. Now I wouldn't even get the chance to say I love you in more than a friend kind of way. Maybe going down was for the best. Telling Shawn my true feelings would ruin our friendship.

These were the things going through my mind minutes before the plane crashed and I'd die. To have just one more chance to tell Shawn and Serena I loved them, I would have given anything.

The swift drop in altitude told me the engines had stalled. I heard other passengers screaming, crying, and praying, but I sat there with my eyes clenched tight. Behind my eyelids, all I saw were Shawn and Serena. Then nothing.

* * * *

Sometime later I woke up. I took in my surroundings--white walls, white bed linens, and I was wearing a white gown. My nose twitched at the sterile clean smell of the room. I had to be in a hospital.

How could I have survived a plane crash? Maybe I had dreamed the whole thing. I sat up and looked around me. I took notice of the large white room with fluffy white fog floating around the floor.

Okay, that was weird. I had to be dreaming.

"You're not dreaming, sweetheart. You're dead as a doornail."

What the fuck? I spun around and clutched my blanket to my chest. There was a man leaning against the wall. I could tell even in a relaxed state he would tower over my short stature. He had a golden complexion, platinum blond hair that came to his shoulders, and a smile on his face that lit up the room. Definitely gorgeous in a preppy guy way, as if he just stepped out of a J Crew ad. He wore all white as well.

What was up with all the white? Okay, this wasn't the time for stupid questions. I needed to focus.

"Yes, please focus since we don't have a lot of time here, sweetheart, but thanks for the compliment."

Okay, is he reading my freaking mind? I tilted my head to the side to study this apparent psychic medium.

"Yes, I can read your thoughts, but can you start using your mouth? It would make this less awkward," the man said as he pushed away from the wall.

I tried to swallow but my mouth was too dry. I wasn't sure if it was the rising fear or shock that had me unable to move or react. "Where am I?" Start slow, Marie, you can do this.

"Okay, once again, speak words to me. Reading your mind is giving me a headache and that's just poor manners." The man came and sat down at the end of the bed I was lying on. "To answer your question, you're in what we like to call limbo. There has been a mistake, or actually," the man let out a small chuckle, "a few mistakes but who's counting. My name is Ross and I'm your guardian angel."

The angel named Ross held out his hand for me to shake. So I did. After all, I was completely crazy. The dude just said I was in limbo. Crazy Town, population me.

"Girl, seriously, snap out of it. My name is Ross, your guardian angel. Let us speed this up, shall we? You remember the plane crash?"

Plane crash, plane crash, plane crash. Fuck! Ross nodded up and down. "I'm really dead. My whole life seems like a dream and I'm just now waking up." I looked around me to get a better look. "Is this the waiting room for Heaven?" I whispered as I leaned toward him.

Ross shook his head at me. Sue me; I was new to all this dying business.

"L-I-M-B-O. Did you get that? Jeez, you're slow," Ross said as he relaxed back on his elbows.

"Dude, you don't need to shout at me or spell shit. I hear perfectly fine and speak English. You're just a lousy explainer," I said as I pointed my finger at him. Okay, maybe yelling at the crazy man claiming to be my guardian angel wasn't the smartest thing for me to do.

"I'm trying to explain but you're not listening." I watched as Ross ran his hands through his white blond hair as he mumbled something I couldn't make out. "Okay, let's try this again. My name is Ross, you died in the plane crash, and you're sitting in limbo. Long story short, there's been a mistake and like I said this dying business isn't the first mistake to happen to you."

I chewed on my lower lip as I tried to digest all the info. All I heard was mistake, dying, and wasn't the first mistake. Where does a person begin?

"What do you mean mistake? To me someone dying is a huge thing to fuck up on. Don't you think?" I shouted.

"Okay, first off, you can't yell at me if I can't yell at you, and second you cuss way too much. I've always thought that, you know," Ross said as he flipped his hair back in a very feminine manner.

Was this guy serious? "Listen here, grandma, if you don't explain yourself I'm going to want to speak to your boss or manager or some shit like that." There, that didn't sound completely absurd or anything.

Breathe, Marie, everything is all right, you're not crazy. My breaths started rushing in and out of my chest with so much force I thought I might hyperventilate.

"Take deep breaths and calm down. Can't have you dying on me again." Ross started to laugh and I narrowed my eyes at him. "Too soon for death jokes?"

"You think?"

"Sorry, you need to lighten up and laugh, because you're going to be laughing after I explain this whole mix up." Ross sat up a little straighter and crossed his legs at the knee.

"Okay." What else could I say? I didn't know how to get out of this place so listening to Ross was my only option.

"Twenty-five years ago I became a guardian angel. The night I got my wings, I went and celebrated with some other angels. That ceremonial wine has a kick like you wouldn't believe." Ross started to laugh but at my lack of amusement, he went on with his story. "Anyway, I overslept my first assignment. See, when we get our wings, we're given charges to follow from birth to death and you are mine. Actually you're my only one."

"You sound bothered by that. Why am I your only one? Are you supposed to have more than one?" This dude sure wasn't gaining my confidence.

"Well, I made a mistake and until I fix this debacle, I'm stuck with just you. And let's just say you're not the most exciting person in the world."

"Hey! We are talking about your fuck–up, not my boring life. And for the record, my life is so not boring." I stuck my tongue out at him. Childish? Yes, but I didn't care.

https://spsilverpublishing.com/product_book_info/coming-soon-c-2/fate-s-second-chance-ebook-p-653

AJ Jarrett
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