Title: Love's Magic
Author: Janice Jarrell
Series: Revolutionary Heart #1
Genre: M/M Romance
Release Date: May 9, 2018
Professor Nate Reese rushes to protect a female student and is severely injured at the hands of her assailant. Traumatized by the attack, Nate sets his feet on a no-holds-barred path of activism designed to force university officials into addressing the issue of on-campus assault. At the same time, terrified of losing his hard-won status at the university, his partner, David Gardener, a veteran of 12 years as a very popular Professor, is reluctant to support Nate's militant efforts. Seemingly abandoned by his partner, Nate sees David's aversion to his activism as indifference to the trauma he suffered. Day by day they watch as their relationship disintegrates, while still struggling to resolve the disruptive issues engulfing the school they love.
In the meantime, Irishman Colin Campbell, handsome and charismatic Sergeant for the campus police force, fights his own on-going war against campus assault. But behind his obsessive desire to gain justice for victims lies a devastating secret which could forever destroy his fiercely independent facade and expose his deepest fear. Ultimately, it is Colin’s powerful connection to a steady, dark-eyed Title IX consultant which threatens to tear down his defenses and shatter the barriers protecting his heart.
Cocky and irresistible, the dynamic police officer was everything Joshua Abrams had ever longed for in a man, but Colin simply didn’t ‘do’ relationships. Unless Joshua would settle for a one-night stand, or a very short-term liaison, there was no room for him in Colin’s life. Yet even knowing this, he couldn’t keep himself from falling hopelessly in love with his ‘magic man’. Despite the passion between them, he knew his quiet, reclusive nature could never hope to entice the vibrant, freedom-loving Irishman, so eventually he begins to back slowly away.
Eventually, a disagreement over an oddly disturbing case causes Colin’s hot Irish temper to erupt and their relationship is irrevocably shattered. Heartbroken, and convinced that Colin is gone forever, Joshua flees Charlottesville without a word, leaving Colin adrift and inconsolable.
But Joshua Abrams hadn’t merely stepped over the indelible line Colin had drawn between his heart and the dangers of real love, he had burned through it like hot lava. Finally forced to acknowledge his love for Joshua and his desperate need to have the quiet, Jewish man by his side, Colin must now face the dark and long-suppressed memories which are irrevocably linked to his love for the handsome consultant. Without even a forwarding address to guide him, he vows to find Joshua and bring him home. Colin’s struggle to conquer his pride and fear in order to find the love of his life and achieve their happily ever after will touch your heart.
Four lives in turmoil fighting for the relationships they cherish, and at the heart of the struggle, a great university struggles to survive its most harrowing challenge.
"Please, Josh," Colin said, drawing the words out seductively. "You'll make me think you're mad at me. Do you think I haven't noticed that you've been avoiding me lately? Especially since..." he hesitated, then grinned, "well, since we became close friends."
"I'm not avoiding you," Joshua lied. "I'm not mad at you. I'm..." he drew in a deep breath. "I'm protecting myself."
"From having a drink?" Colin teased, rising and walking to where Joshua stood with the case file clutched tight in his hand. Colin glanced down the hallway and seeing no one there, he lifted his hand and twisted one of Joshua's thick, dark curls around his index finger in a slow, sensuous movement that sent chills over Joshua's entire body.
Sensing that Joshua was weakening, Colin pressed his advantage. The bewildering adrenaline rush he'd experienced a few moments ago had quickened his heart rate and left him shaken. He longed to lose himself in Joshua's calm, solid presence. "Just one drink?" Colin coaxed, his voice low. "I promise I won't try to jump you."
He smiled engagingly and Joshua felt his heart lurch in his chest. Goddamn it!he thought. He quickly moved out from under Colin's hand. "I can't do it, Colin," he said through clenched teeth. "I need to go."
Disappointed, Colin's face fell, then, suddenly decisive, his hand flew to Joshua's wrist and gripped tightly. "What do you want from me, Josh?"
Joshua forced himself to meet Colin's eyes. "I want what you can't give." He lowered his eyes, the heartbreak in his voice palpable even to his own ears.
"You know I have feelings for you," Colin said hoarsely, using his hold on Joshua's wrist to draw him closer.
"For me and every other guy you take to bed," Joshua replied.
"This is about possession?"
Joshua smiled and shook his head. He lifted his hand and cradled Colin's cheek once again gazing steadily into his honey-green eyes. "God, Colin, it's not about that," he whispered. "It's you, Colin. It's you. If it was some other guy, maybe it wouldn't matter. I'm no innocent and I'm no prude. I've had casual sex before and liked it just fine. But I can't do it with you, Colin. Nothing I feel for you is casual. Nothing. I told you once that I had a weakness for larger-than-life men, and you are the poster boy for larger-than-life men, at least you are to me. You're the magic man. You're Colin Campbell. I can't do it with you, Colin. I just can't." He lowered his hand from Colin's cheek and turned away. He tried to free his wrist from Colin's grasp, but the big policeman held on tightly.
Joshua turned to face him. "You have to let me go."
"Josh, I—I wish…" Colin began. He exhaled sharply through his teeth then stopped. He stared into Joshua's eyes for a long moment then slowly released him.
"Me too," Joshua said in a choked whisper. He turned away and fled the building, nearly running. He heard Colin say his name but ignored him in his rush to get away. In another few seconds he would have surrendered to Colin's pleas and gone with him. Gone with him anywhere he wanted Joshua to go. The heat of Colin's fingers burned his wrist like a brand. He could feel his body's intense response to even this casual contact. Colin Campbell was a drug, and Joshua was completely addicted.
"From having a drink?" Colin teased, rising and walking to where Joshua stood with the case file clutched tight in his hand. Colin glanced down the hallway and seeing no one there, he lifted his hand and twisted one of Joshua's thick, dark curls around his index finger in a slow, sensuous movement that sent chills over Joshua's entire body.
Sensing that Joshua was weakening, Colin pressed his advantage. The bewildering adrenaline rush he'd experienced a few moments ago had quickened his heart rate and left him shaken. He longed to lose himself in Joshua's calm, solid presence. "Just one drink?" Colin coaxed, his voice low. "I promise I won't try to jump you."
Disappointed, Colin's face fell, then, suddenly decisive, his hand flew to Joshua's wrist and gripped tightly. "What do you want from me, Josh?"
Joshua forced himself to meet Colin's eyes. "I want what you can't give." He lowered his eyes, the heartbreak in his voice palpable even to his own ears.
"You know I have feelings for you," Colin said hoarsely, using his hold on Joshua's wrist to draw him closer.
"For me and every other guy you take to bed," Joshua replied."This is about possession?"
Joshua smiled and shook his head. He lifted his hand and cradled Colin's cheek once again gazing steadily into his honey-green eyes. "God, Colin, it's not about that," he whispered. "It's you, Colin. It's you. If it was some other guy, maybe it wouldn't matter. I'm no innocent and I'm no prude. I've had casual sex before and liked it just fine. But I can't do it with you, Colin. Nothing I feel for you is casual. Nothing. I told you once that I had a weakness for larger-than-life men, and you are the poster boy for larger-than-life men, at least you are to me. You're the magic man. You're Colin Campbell. I can't do it with you, Colin. I just can't." He lowered his hand from Colin's cheek and turned away. He tried to free his wrist from Colin's grasp, but the big policeman held on tightly.
Joshua turned to face him. "You have to let me go."
"Me too," Joshua said in a choked whisper. He turned away and fled the building, nearly running. He heard Colin say his name but ignored him in his rush to get away. In another few seconds he would have surrendered to Colin's pleas and gone with him. Gone with him anywhere he wanted Joshua to go. The heat of Colin's fingers burned his wrist like a brand. He could feel his body's intense response to even this casual contact. Colin Campbell was a drug, and Joshua was completely addicted.
My name is Jan Jarrrell. I am a 76-year-old retired grandmother who lives in Seattle, WA. I have been a writer of slash fan fiction for almost twenty years under the name Rakshi. I have written both RPS fiction and FPS and my list of works stands at three hundred and thirty-seven, including stories as short as drabbles (stories of 100 words) and a series which was 119,012 words long. You can find my works on Archive of our Own and on LiveJournal under the username Rakshi.
I began writing original character fiction about a year ago and I love it more than words can say. This creative outlet has made my retirement years the best ones of my life. I tend to fall in love with my characters and always want to give them the happy ever after that I just know they deserve.
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