Monday, July 25, 2022

πŸŽ…πŸŽ†πŸŽ„Monday Morning's Menu-Xmas in JulyπŸŽ„πŸŽ†πŸŽ…: The Omega's Krampus Christmas by Lorelei M Hart



Summary:
Never take an elf’s cookie… even if it is for a good cause.

School teacher Alger loved his job, his town, and his volunteer work at the local children’s hospital. That is until he loses it all with one mistake: he gave away the wrong cookie. Now cursed to be a Krampus and scare children into behaving, he is miserable. Beyond miserable. At least there’s an out to his curse: Find unconditional love. If only it were as simple as that.

Widower single father Jordan is not a fan of Christmas, not since his alpha’s accident. Each year Jordan fakes it, slapping on his best Christmas Cheer persona in the hopes of making it special for his son. Each year it gets a little bit easier. Who knows… maybe one year the holidays will be merry and bright.

When an unexpected blizzard comes to town, Alger and Jordan end up trapped together and learn that there really is magic in Christmas snow.

The Omega’s Krampus Christmas is a super sweet with knotty heat MM Mpreg Holiday retelling of the fairy tale Beauty and the Beast featuring an alpha who accidentally pissed off the wrong elf, an omega who sees the heart within, more Christmas cookies than anyone should eat in a lifetime, a magical sleigh ride that leaves more than just Santa’s bag being filled, the cutest cat ever…as in ever, Christmas wish lists a mile long, a Christmas miracle or two, including an adorable baby on the way. If you enjoy true love, fated mates, a little bit of whimsy, and your mpreg with heart, download The Omega’s Krampus Christmas today.

Original January Book of the Month 2022:
I gotta start by just saying: WOW!!! 

Christmas romance with a twist✔️
Fairytale with a twist✔️

It's that "with a twist" that gives The Omega's Krampus Christmas an extra special level of holiday yummyness.  I've always been intrigued by holiday stories that go outside the box by having Krampus involved and Lorelei M Hart really brought the intrigue to the table here.  I should add that not only did I find this story to be my favorite of this holiday season's reading but it is also my first mpreg, first omegaverse, and my first Lorelei M Hart read.  That's a lot of firsts to venture into especially with a holiday story.

Alger, aka Krampus, and single dad Jordan have an instant connection but after decades of a lonely existence, Alger has built a wall around his heart.  Will he let Jordan and his daughter Thea in?  As you can probably guess my answer: you'll have to read this one for yourself to discover if Alger opens up.  I will say that I couldn't help but love every character in the story, each one played a part, nobody was extra, nobody was page filler they all added to the story and to Alger and Jordan's journey.

There is really not much more I can add without being tempted to divulge too much of the story.  I will say that if you aren't fond of mpreg, I still highly recommend this Christmas tale because The Omega's Krampus Christmas is so much more than mpreg.  This is a story about seeing beyond the surface, letting someone in, and opening one's heart which is something we all need to do more of and not just during the holiday season.  Definitely a delightful, heartwarming holiday gem.

RATING:



Prologue 
Alger 
Once Upon a Time 

Teaching school paid next to nothing, but I had cheap lodgings and some of the families made me meals from time to time, which helped keep body and soul together. Some did not consider teaching a man’s job, one that could support a family, but at least for the time being, my pleasure in helping to form young minds superseded any other factors. 

Especially at the holiday season. On the last day of school before the Christmas vacation break, we suspended regular classes to bring all the classes together in the decorated auditorium for a holiday recital and festivities before sending the children to their frolics until the New Year. 

This year, our class would be singing a selection of Christmas carols and I, dressed in the red suit of Saint Nick popularized by Clement Moore’s ’Twas the Night Before Christmas or A Visit from Saint Nicholas would appropriately read that story to close the event. As I prepared for my reading, a little sadness tugged at my heart. It was easy to pretend I had enough time with these children during class terms, but on holidays, when they were with their real families, the loneliness seeped in. Maybe I should have aspired to another career. 

Sitting in the armchair placed at the front of the stage, with my students seated on the floor around me, my heart warmed. Sometimes the poverty many of them lived in daunted their spirits, but now smiles of pride at their performance lifted the corners of their lips. They’d indeed done well, and Santa Claus might have taken notice from his North Pole residence. I cleared my throat, bemused at my suspension of logic. Christmastime always made me sentimental, reminded me of my parents and brother, grandparents, all those who’d already departed this realm. They would celebrate the birth of the Christ Child with the angels in heaven, while I sat in my rented room eating whatever someone thought to bring me from their holiday table. 

Even my landlady, who often included me in her holidays, would be away. I’d put her on the train myself, this morning, laden with presents and baked goods she’d prepared. I didn’t resent her good fortune this year. Her married daughter had remembered she had a mother for the first time since my arrival and invited her for the festive season. Mrs. Dougherty’s excitement had been contagious, buoying my spirits as I waved until the train disappeared down the tracks. 

Such a good soul, she deserved happiness. A tug on my trousers reminded me of where I was, and I began the poem. I recited more than read the beloved verses, putting as much heart into them as possible. My gift to the children whose faces I gazed into every school day, who learned their letters and numbers at my tutelage. 

I taught the youngest of them, tasked with giving them a love of learning as much as any specific knowledge. If they had that love, they would do well going forward. 

Finishing the reading, I closed the large book on my lap and chuckled as I thought Saint Nicholas might have before going up the chimney after laying out the gifts for the children of the house in the story. 

Silence for a moment had me worried I’d not done justice to the tale, but then appreciative applause reassured me. The book was one my mother read the same story to me from, precious in its faded covers and holding just as much magic now as then. After I finished, the headmaster stood from his seat at the back of the stage and made a short speech. The same speech, word for word, as last year and the year before. But it suited the occasion and sent everyone off with a smile and a wave. 

A few other teachers and I supervised some of the older boys putting the auditorium to rights before closing the school for two weeks. When we were done, and all the handmade decorations removed, it looked so dull. But clean and ready for the events of a new term. 

As we were leaving, I spotted a bit of litter near the stage, so I bid the others goodbye, said I would lock the doors as I went, and crossed the room to pick it up. Alone, I looked around again. Just an hour or so ago, it had been filled with singing and laughter and bright colors both in the decorations and the students’ and their families’ holiday best attire. 

Now, there was just me, in my brown jacket and trousers, not one sprig of greenery or red ribbon in sight. And since we’d turned down the furnace, the warm air in the room was being replaced by a distinct chill. 

Time to go home. 

I was about to leave the building when I saw a small boy sitting on a chair by the door, kicking his feet and staring at the floor. Little Timothy from my class. All by himself. I approached him and took the seat beside his. 

“Timothy, did your fathers leave without you?” All the families were invited to the holiday recital, filling the auditorium with their appreciation for their children’s performances. 

“No, Mr. Bobell.” His legs slowed their kicking but did not stop. Nor did he look up from his focus on the black-and-white tiles. 

Oh. “They were unable to attend today, then.” He looked so sad. 

“They never come. Like they didn’t come on Meet the Teacher night. Or our spelling bee or...or anything. Sir.” 

I didn’t always get to speak to every parent when they came. Some were shy or just never made it to the front of the room for one reason or another. But from the children’s reports, nearly all their parents or guardians attended when we invited them. Making the invitations was always a fun and popular activity for our art class the week before, and I had some very talented artists in my room this year. Timothy was one of the best. “Sometimes parents are very busy with their responsibilities and cannot take time to enjoy themselves. It’s a shame. But we must try to understand.”

He did lift his eyes to mine at that point, and they held all the pain and disappointment no child should have to experience. 

“I have to lock up now, Timothy. Can you see yourself home?” Some did, and some others had a parent or older sibling to walk them. 

“Yes, sir. I always go home alone.” 

Alone. I had a feeling he often arrived into an empty house. His worn shoes and everyday clothes had stood in stark contrast to most of the other children’s holiday outfits, but poor didn’t mean abused or neglected, and not all had new clothes. But his sad loneliness said it all. How had I not realized just how bad things were? Maybe because we were not allowed to interfere with students’ outside of school, and parents had absolute authority there. Knowing they had it rough made it even harder to do my job and treat all the children equally. 

Still. 

Timothy stood and started for the door, but on a whim, I stopped him with a question. “Timothy, what is your wish this Christmas?” If it was within my power to grant it for him, I would, even if it meant I skipped a meal or two. 

“A cookie,” he replied. “Like my grandma used to make before she died.” 

My heart squeezed so hard, I gasped for a moment before recovering my breath. My mind worked furiously. Where had I seen cookies? A big cookie on a plate! “Timothy, do not leave. I will be right back.” 

I dashed down the hall to Mr. Samberg’s class where, on his desk, sat a plate with a large, perfect, dark-brown molasses cookie. A single delight that might bring a smile to a young man’s face. Mr. Samberg was gone already, and by the time we returned from our holiday, it would be gone anyway, food for a stray mouse. 

Timothy was still there when I returned, and I gave him the cookie, thrilled to see the sadness retreat from his expression while he studied the marvel in his hands. “This is all for me? This whole cookie?” 

“Merry Christmas, Timothy.” I held the door open, turned off the lights, and followed him outside. “Be a good boy, and I’ll see you after New Year’s.” I locked the door and by the time I turned to leave, the little boy was nowhere in sight. I wished I had so much more to give to this child and to the others who might have less-than happy Christmases for different reasons this year. 

Like me, many had lost relatives in the Spanish Flu epidemic a few years before, others had folks who were out of work or had debt that made it impossible to buy things for a festive meal or gifts. 

Saddened by the thoughts that not all the children I taught would have what all children should have for Christmas, I trudged away from the school building. 

“Hey, you. I have a bone to pick with you, Mr. Teacher.” 

That couldn’t be...but it was. An elf.


Author Bio:
Lorelei M. Hart is the cowriting team of USA Today Bestselling Authors Kate Richards and Ever Coming. Friends for years, the duo decided to come together and write one of their favorite guilty pleasures: Mpreg. There is something that just does it for them about smexy men who love each other enough to start a family together in a world where they can do it the old-fashioned way ;).


EMAIL: Lorelei@mpregwithhart.com




Sunday, July 24, 2022

πŸŽ…πŸŽ†πŸŽ„Week at a GlanceπŸŽ„πŸŽ†πŸŽ…: 7/18/22 - 7/24/22

















πŸŽ…πŸŽ†πŸŽ„Sunday's Safe Word Shelf-Xmas in JulyπŸŽ„πŸŽ†πŸŽ…: The Christmas Fling by Heidi Cullinan



Summary:
The Christmas Town #1
Sometimes it takes a village to fall in love. 

Eccentric, reclusive, socially awkward project designer Evan Myles doesn’t date. Paying for sex with professionals is so much more efficient and suits his needs well enough. But when he’s on assignment in rural Logan, Minnesota, for the Christmas Town project and a handsome stranger at the bar catches his attention, Evan decides it’s time to break his rule. It doesn’t matter that he’s never so much as flirted before. It can’t be that hard, can it?

Davidson Incorporated lead architect Terry Reid hasn’t been hit on so clumsily in his life. Terry’s the first to admit he’s a neurotic Prince Charming, and he’s kissed his share of male and female frogs, but he’s never met anyone quite like Evan Myles. Evan calls Terry by the wrong name, mistakes Terry for a simple construction worker, and picks apart his work as an architect. Despite this rough start, Terry is lured by the brilliance of Evan’s ideas, his quirky personality, and once they’re alone in Evan’s cabin, the man’s mad skills in bed. Yet Terry knows it takes more than a single night of passion to make a relationship work, and after so many failures, he’s just not ready to try again.

Evan and Terry’s path is strewn with stones neither of them can dislodge. Fortunately, they’re not alone on the road to romance. They’re in Christmas Town, home to matchmakers, meddlers, and more “fairy godfathers” than they could possibly know what to do with.

Most importantly, in Logan, Minnesota, happy ever after is guaranteed.



Original Review December 2017:
Evan Myles may be socially awkward and eccentric but he is also sweet and honest but its that social awkardness that has left him paying for escorts and sex, it just makes life easier with no emotional messiness.  Terry Reid has a few hang ups of his own that has left him a bit on the neurotic side.  When Evan and Terry's worlds collide, their controlled set of personal rules are thrown for a loop.  Will the Logan Christmas Town project give them common ground to build on or will it throw one too many curves into the path for them to overcome?  Will the boys of Logan be able to work some holiday magic to guide Evan and Terry?

I love when an author gives us characters with eccentricities that we don't often see.  Some might say that the characters are too eccentric and therefore unbelievable or unrealistic but life is full of phobias and what some might call oddities.  Its what makes us all unique so when we find well written characters such as Evan and Terry, we not only get to enjoy a lovely story  but we also get to see some of our own peculiarities explored on the page/screen.  Whether you understand Evan and Terry's hang-ups doesn't always keep us from wanting to wrap them in bubblewrap one minute and whack them upside the head the next.  Its those warring emotional connections to the characters that makes The Christmas Fling so fun.  Now don't get me wrong, just because its fun doesn't mean there isn't drama but the author blends it all together so perfectly that before you know it you have reached the final page.

I will say that the humiliation kink is not necessarily something that ticks my boxes but its a real kink that people do get pleasure from and the author deals with it wonderfully and realistically, both the actual kink and Terry's inner feelings of shame afterwards.  However, if it is something that doesn't quite sit with you, you can skim through a couple of scenes and still enjoy a beautifully written journey of acceptance and love.  I know some people are not fans of miscommunication or misunderstanding tropes and truth is when not done correctly it can be a bit cliche but in the case of The Christmas Fling I think it actually adds to helping the reader understand the inner "pain" that Evan and Terry deal with every day.

Whether you label this new series a spin-off of or sequel to the author's Minnesota Christmas doesn't really matter.  Yes, Christmas Town is in Logan, Minnesota and the characters we have grown to love are there, but Evan and Terry are the beginning of a whole new set of holiday romances that I can't wait to read in Christmases yet to come.  So many authors out there bring us wonderful holiday stories but only a select few continue to amaze and entertain with an annual holiday romance that somehow manages to mesh original creativity with expected holiday cliches that guarantee to wow the senses.  Heidi Cullinan is one of these such authors and I am already hungry for what she will bring us for the 2018 holiday season.  The Christmas Fling was a complete surprise for me because I had no idea there was going to be a new one this year but Amazon decided it was something I'd enjoy so when it popped up in my "Recommended For You" list, I gobbled it up. Talk about an early Christmas present from Santa.

RATING:



Evan Myles really should have included an escort clause in his employment contract.

When he said as much to his assistant Charlotte as they sat drinking together in his Northwoods cabin one Saturday evening, she laughed. “Okay, I’ll bite. Why would you need an escort clause?”

“For the obvious reason, of course.” Evan grabbed the bottle of wine in front of him and took a swig. “I haven’t gone this long without sex since I entered puberty and learned what to do with my dick in the first place. This assignment isn’t difficult, but it’s endless. It’s not fair I have to learn how to arrange for sexual companionship in such an environment on top of everything else.”

“To be fair, I arrange for all your needs except personal hygiene.” Charlotte cupped her chin thoughtfully, resting her elbow on the tabletop. She had a glass of wine in front of her, but she sipped it slowly, as usual. “Though I hadn’t thought of the problem of your personal life. I mean, I knew you had escorts in Minneapolis, but I didn’t realize you only had escorts.”

“I wouldn’t have the first idea how to arrange for a sexual relationship in any other manner.” He glared at the label of the wine bottle. “I tried to use apps here to find men. It didn’t work. I don’t think there are very many gay people in Logan, Minnesota.”

“Please. The place is swimming in gay, proportionally. They aren’t even a thousand people in town and yet they have not one, not two, but three married gay couples, plus whatever it is you want to call Dale and his librarian. There’s also the lesbian veterinarian who moved in earlier this summer, plus that bisexual farmer. Dale has that Rainbow group too, and it’s getting so big they’re talking about building a center. This place is so queer it generates its own rainbow.”

Dale Davidson was the owner of Davidson Incorporated, the company in charge of the construction and promotion of Christmas Town in Logan. Evan liked Dale, and he understood Logan was important to his employer. That didn’t mean Evan cared for the place, especially when it was causing him so much frustration. “The point is there are no gay men for me to sleep with.” Evan stared balefully at the countertop. “It’s been over two weeks now. I’ve never gone this long without having sex. I’m starting to be convinced I might die.”

Charlotte gave him a long-suffering look.

Evan relented. “Very well, I understand I won’t perish without sex. However, my creative performance has absolutely suffered, stuck up here all this time.”

“You’ve put out some of your best work while you’ve been in Logan. Try again. I mean, it’s okay to simply say you’re horny and be done with it. I’m not going to judge. We can buzz down to the Cities for a weekend pass, get you laid, and be back by Monday. Dale’s busy with Gabriel at the moment, but I’ll leave him a message, tell him it was an Evan emergency.”

“You’re missing the point. I don’t want to go to Minneapolis and get laid.”

Raising her eyebrows, Charlotte tilted her head at him. “You’re right, I did miss the point. Tell me again, and I’ll listen harder.”

Most people would say something like that and they’d be teasing Evan, but Charlotte never made fun of him. She was as refreshing as always. “Escorts aren’t only sex workers. They provide companionship for me. Yes, I pay them for it, but it’s a tidy arrangement, and it suits me. I miss that more than the sex. I don’t think I can find that kind of situation up here.”

“You didn’t say that, though. You told me how you’d never gone this long without having sex.”

Evan drank more wine. “Well, I was embarrassed.”

Charlotte winked as she rubbed his arm. “You know, if you were a woman, I’d have seduced you a long time ago and made you mine.”

“It wouldn’t have worked. I prefer men, and we’re both too dominant in bed.” He frowned. “I assume you’re dominant.”

“Oh, I am. It also wouldn’t matter that you prefer men. If I wanted you, I could win you.”

Pushing the wine bottle away, Evan threw up his hands. “How? How can you be so good at seducing people you can win them over even if they aren’t interested in you? I can’t believe that’s true.”

“Believe it. I’ve dined like a queen in Christmas Town. All the so-called straight girls loved having one-night lesbian stands with the wicked lady from Minneapolis, especially when they heard what I could do with my tongue.”

Evan considered this. “So I should let the straight men know I give incredible blow jobs?” He tried to imagine himself walking up to men in Logan and shuddered. “I couldn’t do it. I haven’t even left the cabin once since I got here. I hide in the basement when the cleaning people come, or whoever it is bringing the food.”

“That would be Frankie Blackburn, one of Dale’s good friends. He’s a hair stylist formerly from the Cities who owns a salon on Main Street, but he’s also married to a local lawyer, Marcus Gardner.”

The sea of names and titles had leaked out of Evan’s ears, with the wine to sail away on. “The point is I don’t speak to regular strangers, let alone strangers I’d like to sleep with regularly.”

“Strangers you’d like to sleep with are easier than regular strangers. That’s Charlotte’s hot tip number one.”

Somehow Evan found this claim suspicious, but he wanted to believe. “How are they easier?”

“It’s not much different than your escorts, to be honest, except you’re not paying them. The exchange is that you promise them a good time instead of money.”

Already Evan wasn’t fond of this. “See, I’ve had a few escorts who admitted they’d see me for free, which sounded like dating. I told them it would lead to complications and declined.”

“You’re one in a million, Ev. I take it this means you give your escorts a good time either in bed or out of it?”

“They usually tell me I take some getting used to because I’m so blunt, but I’m a generous lover.”

“See? All we need to do is give you a bit of polish and set you loose on Logan.”

Evan was nervous simply thinking about it. “I don’t know about that.”

“I do.” Charlotte clinked his bottle with her glass. “Drink a little more wine, and we’ll head into town and people-watch at the bar. If you see someone you like, you can go in for a dry run. If you don’t, we get you an emergency session with an escort for tomorrow and try again with the locals next week.”

The idea of trying with the locals at all was so terrifying Evan wanted to skip to the emergency session here and now. Except he did need to set something up in Logan. He’d be here for several more weeks at least, and he’d be back up again at some point for another phase of the project. Even if he could bring up an escort, he could only bring one, and in his experience relying on one escort made things awkward.

Charlotte patted his leg. “Don’t worry, honey. I’m going to be with you every step of the way. Well, up until you bring your catch of the day back to your luxury cabin and decide to show him your shower attachments. Okay?”

Evan nodded. “Okay.”

“Right. Class is in session, genius boy. I’m going to teach you how to get laid no matter where you are. Ready to get schooled?”

“I’m ready,” Evan said, though he wasn’t confident in this plan in the slightest. Somehow he was sure what worked for Charlotte wouldn’t come as easily to him.


πŸŽ…πŸŽ†πŸŽ„Saturday's Series Spotlight-Xmas in JulyπŸŽ„πŸŽ†πŸŽ…:  Part 1  /  Part 2



Author Bio:
Author of over thirty novels, Midwest-native Heidi Cullinan writes positive-outcome romances for LGBT characters struggling against insurmountable odds because they believe there’s no such thing as too much happy ever after. Heidi’s books have been recommended by Library Journal, USA Today, RT Magazine, and Publishers Weekly. When Heidi isn’t writing, they enjoy gaming, reading manga, manhua, and danmei, playing with cats, and watching too much anime.

Heidi goes by Jun when being spoken to in person or online, and Jun’s pronouns are they/them.


FACEBOOK  /  TWITTER  /  WEBSITE
PATREON  /  FB GROUP  /  INSTAGRAM
AUDIBLE  /  GOOGLE PLAY  /  B&N
iTUNES  /  AMAZON  /  GOODREADS
EMAIL: heidi@heidicullinan.com



The Christmas Fling
B&N  /  SMASHWORDS  /  WEBSITE
KOBO  /  iTUNES  /  GOODREADS TBR

Minnesota Christmas Series
B&N  /  SMASHWORDS  /  WEBSITE
KOBO  /  iTUNES  /  GOODREADS TBR


Saturday, July 23, 2022

πŸŽ…πŸŽ†πŸŽ„Saturday's Series Spotlight-Xmas in JulyπŸŽ„πŸŽ†πŸŽ…: Unwrapping Hank by Eli Easton



Unwrapping Hank #1
Summary:

Sloane loves a good mystery. He grew up as the son of two psychiatrists, so he finds most people tediously easy to figure out. He finds his way to Pennsylvania State University, longing for a rural experience, and ends up being lured into joining a frat by Micah Springfield, the hippest guy on campus.

Nothing in Sloane’s classes is as intriguing as Hank Springfield, Micah’s brother and fellow frat house member. Hank looks like a tough guy—big muscles, tatts, and a beard—but his eyes are soft and sweet. He acts dumb, but he’s a philosophy major. He’s presumably straight, but then why does Sloane feel such crazy chemistry whenever Hank is around? And why does Hank hate Sloane so much?

When Sloane ends up stuck on campus over Christmas, Micah invites him to spend the holidays at their family farm in Amish country. It’s a chance to experience a true Americana Christmas--and further investigate the mystery that is Hank Springfield. Can Sloane unlock the secrets of this family and unwrap the heart hidden inside the beefcake?


Midwinter's Night's Dream #2
Summary:

Micah is the hippest, most chill guy on campus. But when he gets the hottest kiss of his life from a cute guy during a game of ‘spin the bottle’, Micah’s cool turns into a puddle of anxious goo. Sure, Micah’s always been a little bi-curious, but he never thought he’d pursue a guy, much less a guy who doesn’t seem to be interested in getting caught.

Leo is passionate about two things: gay rights activism and acting. He stays focused and in control, and he never, ever, dates straight guys. When a chance spin of a bottle at a party has him locking lips with Micah Springfield, president of the Delts, dread-headed, serial-dating, straight Micah, Leo is determined to forget about it, no matter how incendiary the sparks or how gorgeous Micah may be.

Leo has bigger problems. His senior project is directing Shakespeare’s Midsummer Night’s Dream just before the Christmas break. When his venue cancels at the last minute, Micah offers the use of his parent’s barn in rural Pennsylvania. Leo’s play may be saved, but what about his heart? Between Micah’s sweet lips, his family’s welcoming arms, and a devious bulldog who is determined to play Puck, Leo may find himself falling under the spell of Christmas magic.

Unwrapping Hank #1
Original Review December 2014:
I've never read this author before but I can tell you I will be reading her again.  How can you not love Sloane?  And what about the title character?  Hank is definitely a conundrum wrapped in a very bulky package.  Sloane has his work cut out for him trying to figure that guy out.  Micah, Hank's big brother, doesn't exactly help matters either.  This is a very pleasant holiday story, hell it's a great holiday story and really despite it being a Christmas tale it's really quite perfect for anytime of year.

Midwinter's Night's Dream #2
Original Review December 2015:
What a great follow-up to Unwrapping Hank,  I forgot just how much I loved Sloane and Hank.  This time around Hank's brother, Micah is in need of some holiday love and when he finds himself drawn to Leo his whole world is changed.  Leo has his hands full trying to get his Shakespeare production completed, he finds Micah to be a hiccup he doesn't need but can't quite shake.  Sometimes life's hiccups are exactly what we need and that's the case for Leo and Micah, not to mention those around them also find some unexpected happiness.  Did I find myself as emotionally invested in Micah and Leo as I did Hank and Sloane? Probably not but I wouldn't want to put a wager on the difference.

RATING:



Unwrapping Hank #1
CHAPTER 1
Sloane
 “SLOANE, why don’t you get us some more sangria? In the kitchen. On the kitchen table. That’s the good stuff.” Micah Springfield winked at me.

“You know, Hank is—” Brian started.

Micah put an arm around Brian’s neck in a casual stranglehold, clapped a hand over his mouth, and patted it lightly, as if he was joking around. “Sloane?” Micah held out his glass to me.

“Uh… sure.” I took his glass, wondering if this was a pledge thing. If I, as a new member of Delta Sigma Phi, and a lowly freshman, was going to be a community gopher for the foreseeable future.

But so far, Micah and the Delts had been amazingly benevolent. When I and four other freshmen rushed, there were no illegal pranks, panty-on-head wearing, belly-crawling through urine, or naked spanking. Which was good, because I would have laughed, ho ho ho, at least at everything except possibly the naked spanking. Then I’d have made a beeline for the exit.

I never thought I’d be the type to rush a frat. In fact, if my parents knew about it, they’d be lecturing me over the phone on peer pressure, the dangers of codependency in closed social structures, and the effects of one’s social group on GPA in a university setting. They were both psychologists, and I, I was their lifelong patient. Nothing in my life went undeconstructed. But when Micah, a TA in one of my classes, latched onto me and gave me the hard sell, I didn’t resist.

Micah Springfield was president of the Delts. He was that guy who was hipper than you could ever hope to be, even if you took master lessons from Bob Dylan and Will Smith. He was genuinely smart but a thousand leagues from being a nerd, good-looking but lazy with it, you know? He had wild curly brown hair down to his shoulders, with these little braids in it, dread-style, and a remarkably unskeevy soul patch. He wore slouchy low-riding jeans, crazy-patterned shirts, and leather sandals most of the time, even in November. He was a senior in environmental science, of course, because that’s what terminally hip people major in. And he had these insightful brown eyes, eyes that looked right into yours and said I’m touching your soul, brother.

Micah was warm. In other words, the opposite of my parents.

Besides, the Delts lived in a cool old mansion, which was so much better than sharing a dumpy dorm room with my perpetually anxious, tums-chewing, pre-med roommate. I was over all the hair-pulling. He pulled his own hair, not mine, but still. I was definitely ready to move into a room in the Delts house that first weekend in November.

And if I’d had some stirrings of attraction to Micah at first, it honestly had nothing to do with my decision. I figured out in the first ten minutes that he was straight, and that was the end of that. Tiny nubbin of interest nipped in the bud, and we were both the better for it.

“Kitchen,” I repeated, looking pointedly at the punch bowl not two feet away.

“Trust me,” Micah insisted, winking at me again.

I sighed and went off to find the frat house kitchen.

 
* * * * * * *

 
I pushed through a swinging door and saw a refrigerator. I’d found the kitchen. My sense of accomplishment lasted for about two seconds. Then I noticed the guy standing at the sink doing dishes.

The Delts I’d met so far were upscale-looking guys. Even with Micah’s slouchy hippiness, there was a sense of quality about him that shone. And the other frat members, like Brian, tended to polo shirts and button-downs and managed to tread that narrow line between respectable students and nerds. They were more prone to hacky-sack and ultimate Frisbee on the front lawn than video games or football and steroids. It was a zone I felt comfortable in, if not one where I precisely belonged.

But this creature at the sink was something else.

He was a big guy, had to be over six feet and he was broad. He wore old, holey jeans that showcased a perfect, firmly rounded ass. On top, he wore a white tank top and nothing else, which left acres of huge muscles and tattoos exposed. He had a thick buzz cut and a full beard. One bare foot was propped up on the opposing calf as he washed glasses in hot, soapy water.

I clenched the stems of the glasses in my hands so hard it was a miracle they didn’t break. Black began to descend on my vision, and it took me a moment to identify the problem—I wasn’t breathing. Silly me. I gasped in a mouthful of oxygen, and the sound caused Sink Guy to turn his head to look at me.

“Hey.” Sink Guy’s grunt was low and rough like a dog or a bear. He turned around and went back to washing dishes.

I loved a good mystery. In fact, I found it boring how unmysterious life was most of the time. Study the material, get correct answers on tests, get a good grade, eventually get lots of good grades to get a good job. Point A to B to C. And people? Growing up the son of two psychologists, and furthermore being a huge fan of murder mysteries, I had a tendency to analyze people and put them in boxes fairly quickly. For example, the pinch of my mother’s mouth could indicate long-suffering, irritated, or secretly pleased, depending on its exact tension. There’s a look a guy gets in his eye when he’s attracted to you and a different look when he finds out you’re gay and he’s disgusted by that. Most people were open books.

But standing in that kitchen, my head was flooded with a dozen questions.

Who was this guy?

What was he doing in the Delts’s kitchen washing dishes? He didn’t look like a Delt, but he didn’t look like anyone a sane person would hire for catering or cleanup either.

He seemed young, about my age, yet I knew he wasn’t a freshman rushee, because I’d met all of them and we were currently being schmoozed out front in our ‘welcome to the frat’ party.

Why was he barefoot?

If he was a Delt, why was he hiding in the kitchen doing dishes instead of socializing with everyone else?

And why, oh, why did I have an overwhelming urge to run my hands over the plump muscles on those arms, shoulders, and back, when I’d never before in my life been attracted to muscle guys or tattoos? The guys I’d dated had been smart and fairly sophisticated. A guy like this should not move me. But he did, like Mt Vesuvius.

Oh God, was I going to hell? Would I end up living in Texas?

The guy looked over his shoulder at me again. His eyes were dark blue, with what looked like flecks of gold, and he had long, long black lashes. They were soft eyes.

How did a guy who looked like an ex-con have eyes that were that sweet?

“Need something?” he asked me with a slight frown.

Right. Because standing frozen by the kitchen door holding two glasses in a death grip was not weird at all.

I cleared my throat. “Refill.” I spotted the pitcher of sangria on the table and managed to fill up the two glasses. The guy had gone back to ignoring me, gently clinking glasses in the water and being ridiculously noir with the steam from the sink wafting around him like a figure in an old Humphrey Bogart film.

Some snooping was definitely in order. I left Micah’s glass on the table and wandered over to the sink with my sangria.

“Are you a Delt?” I asked, all casual.

He took his hands out of the suds and braced them on the edge of the sink. They were thick hands, flush with veins.

He looked me over critically, and I tried not to betray the fact that I found him incredibly attractive. Playing it cool, I took a sip of my drink.

“Yeah,” he said at last. “I’m Hank. Who are you?”

Oh, God. Oh, no. “Sloane. Greg Sloane.”

“Oh.” His face closed off in a heartbeat. He went back to washing dishes. “Yeah, Micah mentioned you.”

As it happened, I’d heard of Hank too. Hank—the one guy at the fraternity who’d voted against my membership, a fact I shouldn’t know but did because Brian had let it spill. He’d also told me to “never mind Hank. Just stay far away from the guy, and he won’t bother you.” The impression I’d been left with was that bothering me—maybe with his fists—was entirely possible should I accidentally annoy this paragon.

Hank, the one Delt I’d never met but had a vague notion was homophobic and thus hated me on principle.

That’s when I noticed the cross tattooed on his impressive left bicep. Without another word, I picked up Micah’s drink and went back out into the living room. My heart was beating fast, and something like disappointment burned in my stomach.

“Hey,” Micah said. He took his glass and threw his other arm around me. “Come on, I want you to meet Sam Wiser. He’s a junior and in the vet sciences program too.”

“Sure, uh… There was a guy in the kitchen… Hank.”

Micah stopped and looked at me, smiling shyly. “Yeah? What’d you think?”

What’d I think?

“He seemed really… domesticated. You know, for a white supremacist.”

I was being perhaps a wee bit judgmental, but Micah laughed, a big booming laugh that made everyone turn to see what was so funny.

“I guess you know the guy,” I commented, even more perplexed by Micah’s reaction.

“Oh, I know him.” Micah pulled me in by the neck to whisper in my ear. “Hank is my baby brother.”

 

That night, in my dorm room, I couldn’t sleep. I had boxes shoved up next to my bed, all ready for the move to the Delts’s house, and my hair-pulling roommate was snoring away in the bed nearby.

Maybe I should have been having misgivings, but I wasn’t. I was excited. I couldn’t stop thinking about the move. I couldn’t stop thinking about Hank Springfield.

I finally decided to banish the mental tail-chasing by making a list. I took my iPad from the top of a box and turned it on, thankful it was self-illuminating. I opened the notepad app.

The mystery of H.S.:

1. He’s Micah’s brother — how could they have grown up in the same household and be so different?

2. Eyes too soft for his biker-style tatts

3. Doing dishes at a frat rush party — socially awkward? Lost a bet? Biker dude clean freak?

4. Doesn’t fit the Delta Sigma Phi mold

The list bothered me. Not because I had no answers, but because I had questions at all.

Why did I care about Hank Springfield anyway? He was very possibly a homophobe. It was clear he had something against me personally, which made no sense since I hadn’t met him unless it was just about what I was. If I was smart, I’d put him out of my mind. As my mother would say, ‘not let him own a single moment of my thoughts.’

I would, I promised myself. Soon. He’d just engaged my curiosity was all. Hank was a puzzle piece I had yet to fit. Once I had, I’d lose all interest in him. I was pretty sure.




Midwinter Night's Dream #2
CHAPTER 1
Micah
“I predict that tonight is the night Micah Springfield finally falls in love. And the magic eight ball says…” Sloane shook the black paperweight with vigor and held it up. “The spirits agree! Ca-ching!”

I was squeezing my long dreads with a towel to dry them. I made a pfft sound. “Oh yeah? Well, my magic eight balls say: ‘Odds are against it.'”

Sloane waggled his finger at me. “See! That just proves it. Because you always have to say something like that hours before you fall into the abyss. It’s the Rule of Famous Last Words.”

“You’re goin’ out with that theater chick, right?” Hank asked. My baby brother was slouched all over my bed, as usual, paying half-assed attention to the conversation as he read on the tablet Mom and Dad had gotten him for his birthday. It was probably some book on Eastern Philosophy. My butch-looking, muscle-bound baby bro was a regular Joseph Campbell.

“Yeah. Her name is Yasmine.” I said.

“Like I said, the theater chick. She’s hot.”

The lack of any real enthusiasm in his voice saved him from having the magic eight ball lobbed at his head. Still, Sloane made a face. “Excuse me? Beloved?”

Hank glanced up at his boyfriend and looked sheepish. “I mean… for a girl. If you’re into that sort of thing. Which I’m not.”

“No fighting or making out in my room. House rules,” I reminded them with my I-mean-it voice. Because spontaneous eruptions of either, or both, were always a risk when Sloane and Hank were in the same room in the Delta Sigma Phi house. “And yes, Yasmine is hot. She’s also very nice.”

It was only a little bit strategic when I started up my blow dryer, cutting off further conversation.

Honestly, I was over how much time the dreads took to maintain. They’d gotten so long, they were almost down to my waist. They looked totally rad. And at this point, I’d had them so long, they were part of who I was—Micah, the guy with the dreads. I resisted cutting them off because, fuck it, I didn’t want to look like everybody else. And people more or less knew where I was coming from before I ever opened my mouth. That liberal, hippy guy. And it was true, so it saved a lot of energy on my part. But the dreads were a pain in the ass to dry.

I was only wearing a towel, and my eyes roamed over my pale chest in the mirror while my hands were on auto-pilot doing the hair. Yasmine Armand. She was bi-racial and had beautiful carmel-colored skin, green eyes, and a light brown fro with braids. She was tall and slender, graceful-looking. She liked to wear African influenced clothes and jewelry, especially long tie-dyed skirts. And she was artsy. She was a junior majoring in Theater Arts.

She was, in other words, exactly my type.

This was our first actual date, but she’d been interested in me for months. She’d finally gotten tired of waiting for me to ask her out and invited me to a party tonight. I let girls chase me. I didn’t get worked up about much of anything, except, maybe, stuff that related to my frat. I was president of the Delts, and the house was important to me. But otherwise, life is too short, you know? I like a girl in my bed as much as the next guy, but drama of any size, shape, or form—that I can do without. Besides, why expel effort when you don’t have to? Women’s lib, man. Let ’em fly the flag, pay their own way, show their nipples, have boy toys, and do the heavy lifting when it comes to relationships. I was a hundred percent down with all that.

Behind me in the mirror, I saw Sloane wander over to my bed and flop down beside Hank. Hank looked up from his tablet and they stared into each other’s eyes. I could feel the sexual tension charge the air, so thick it nearly short-circuited my hair dryer. Oh for fuck’s sake.

I shut off the dryer long enough to say, “Hey! No making out in my room.”

Without a word, Sloane and Hank got up, their eyes already glazed over with lust. I laughed as the door slammed behind them.

“Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do,” I chuckled to my reflection.

My humor faded as a familiar pain burned inside my body. It was below my heart and above my gut, in the Solar Plexus Chakra. I didn’t have a name for that pain. I wasn’t jealous of Sloane and Hank. They were so perfect together they were like the world balanced on the head of a pin. And yes, there’d been a time when I’d sort of dug Sloane myself, thought about maybe experimenting a little on the gay side with him. But I was way over that. Maybe that ache was regret. I was never gonna have a union like Sloane and Hank’s.

Yeah, yeah. I know all about the power of positive thinking. But there’s also accepting yourself, you feel me? Knowing your path. I’m a child of the air, a dandelion puff destined to be spread far and wide, a rolling stone. There’s power in union, but there’s power in freedom too, getting to know lots of people, spreading the love around. Just because you occasionally feel a longing for something, or envy it, doesn’t mean it would be right for you.

I finished my hair and turned to get a shirt. That’s when I noticed the magic eight ball sitting in the middle of my bed, all ominous like. Sloane’s voice echoed in my head: Famous last words.

I chuckled at the whisper of magic in the room. Imagination, man. Imagination kicked ass.


* * * * * * *

 
"We need two more people. Come on Yasmine, Micah! No guts, no glory!"

I looked at Yasmine and shrugged. Sure. Why not?

I had a pleasant buzz from my second hard cider, and the music was indie, throbbing, and slow. I felt way chill and was game for anything. The people at Tyrell's party weren't my usual crowd, but they seemed cool. There were theater geeks, some guys from Lambda, the gay fraternity on campus, goths and emos, and other random artsy types. We'd just gotten back from Thanksgiving break, but Tyrell's small house near the Pennsylvania State University campus was already decked out with Christmas lights. Or maybe he kept the white twinkle lights up year.

I strolled over to the group circle, leading Yasmine by the hand. She looked beautiful tonight in a yellow caftan shirt and jeans, and several of the guys in the circle watched her as we approached. There were eight people already seated on the floor, four guys and four girls. There was a brunette theater chick I'd seen in a few productions—Melissa something. She looked drop-dead gorgeous on stage, but was stuck up in person. I hate that vibe, man. So not my thing. She gave me a flirtatious look, which I pretended I didn't see. People scooted to make room for me and Yas, and we sat down cross-legged in the circle.

"S'up," I said to no one in particular. I pushed my long dreads behind my shoulders.

"Cool. We're full up. The app has a max of ten players." Tyrell, a very large, very dark-skinned theater guy, was typing on his phone, probably entering my name and Yas's. "So here're the rules." Tyrell held up a phone, which had a 'spin the bottle' app. There was a bottle on screen as well as a ‘pie’ that had slices with everyone’s name. "JoJo, to my left, will start. She spins the phone on the floor and that spins the bottle on screen. Whichever little pie slice the app points to, JoJo has to kiss—doesn't matter who is it, male, female, whatever. The kiss has to last for sixty seconds on the clock. Then the turn passes to JoJo's left. If you're in, you're in for one full pass around the circle. So if you're not up for this shit, leave now, yo."

I smirked as we all looked at each other. There were certainly people in the circle I wouldn't go out of my way to kiss. But there were a few, too, that would be no hardship for sure. And guys? My only kiss that had involved a male had been a mistletoe kiss with Sloane last Christmas, and he hadn't even responded. But whatever, I was down with it. Some of the combinations would be hilarious.

"You cool with this, Micah?" Yas whispered in my ear, sounding worried.

"Yeah, it's all good." I wasn't the jealous type. Besides, Yas and I hadn't even kissed yet ourselves.

It was about then that my gaze caught on a frowning brow and worried blue eyes on the other side of Tyrell. My body went cold.

The guy's name was Leo. I'd seen him before in a few of the campus productions and here and there around school. In fact, he'd been the lead in A Streetcar Named Desire last spring. He was fucking amazing. When he was on stage, you didn't notice anyone else. I remember thinking the guy had major mojo, a killer aura, you know? I'd even looked up his name in the program. Leo… Datson, Daitson, Dayson, something like that.

He was even better looking in person. He had that thing Sloane had, that intelligent, sophisticated, slightly uptight thing, wafts of librarian erectus. And like Sloane, Leo was out and proud on campus. Only Leo was more intense than Sloane. He looked Serious with a capital S. He was lean, but he looked fit. He wore his dirty blond hair all one length to his chin and tucked behind his ears. He had a little stubble and his dark blue eyes… there was depth in those eyes, like an old soul, like a window into someplace awesome that you can only dream of but never go.

I don't even know what the hell that means, but that's what came to me as I looked at Leo across the circle. And I trust the vibes I pick up from people.

Maybe he felt me staring at him, because his gaze shifted to me for a moment, then he looked away again, cold, like I wasn't there. Interesting. I was generally popular on campus. I wasn't used to people throwing me shade for no good reason.

But why should I care? I didn't even know Leo. Maybe he was just shy, or he’d had a shitty day. I shook it off.

"I should probably bail," Leo said to Tyrell, just as Tyrell set the phone down in the middle of the circle.

"Aw, come on, man! We've got five guys and five girls. We're all set," Tyrell whined.

Leo did a 'crack your neck' sort of head tilt. Man he was uptight. Why?

"Fine. Go ahead," he conceded, looking at the floor.

JoJo, a cute strawberry blonde, put two fingers on the phone and spun it hard.

As I watched the phone spin, I felt strange. My heart was pounding hard, pulsing in my throat, and I got lightheaded and sick to my stomach. Maybe there'd been something in the cider. Or the chip dip. Hash. Amphetamines. Maybe somebody spiked something.

Then I looked up at Leo, saw his gaze skitter away from mine, like he'd been caught staring, and I realized my body was reacting to him—to the fact that the game was on: I was playing Spin the Bottle in a circle with Leo.

Two in ten, I told myself. No. I remembered my stats class. There was only one chance in nine—I wasn't included—that I'd end up kissing Leo. There was one chance in nine when I spun, and one in nine again when he spun. Chill. But my mouth was dry and my skin prickled on the back of my neck.

Why was my body freaking out? Even if it happened, it wouldn't be a big deal. Right?

JoJo got Melissa and they laughed and camped it up, moaning and making smacking noises. Theater majors! Then Yasmine spun and got Tyrell, which made everyone laugh and claim the game was rigged. Tyrell obviously enjoyed the hell out of the kiss, which involved tongue. I laughed with everyone else. Why should it chaff my hide to know I was with a desirable girl? It didn't. After Yas, it was my turn to spin.

Fuck, I was not nearly drunk enough for this. I took several slogs off my cider before wiping my hands on my jeans and leaning forward to the phone.

"Micah!", "Whoo!", "Pick me!"

People chanted my name and teased, but I kept my mind blank as I gave the phone a quick twist. It swirled around on its back.

When it stopped, the app pointed to a girl who did costumes for the theater, Kristen. I felt both relieved and disappointed, but I stood up, shaky on my feet, and gave her a smile.

Kristen was on the chunky-and-nerdy-side, and she turned bright red and giggled when she realized the app's bottle was pointing at her. I reached out for her hand, pulled her up into the circle with me, and kissed her. I could hear the phone's timer counting it down in the background, the beeps getting faster and faster. It was fine. Kristen was a nice girl and she tasted like beer. She also obviously hadn't kissed many boys before. Her energy was all nervous and giddy.

The timer went off, and I broke away. I received the cat calls with a calm smile and winked at Yas. Then I couldn't help glancing at Leo as I sat back down. He was watching me with another worried frown, chewing on his bottom lip. My stomach plunged again.

Play continued around the circle. Nobody else got me on a spin, but Yas had to kiss Melissa, which was pretty sweet. I could have watched a lot more of that, you feel me?

The funniest was when Adam, a straight goth guy, got Tyrell. They made a big show of hating it, laughing and backing off each other repeatedly. But with urging from the circle, they finally pressed lips and made 'this is gross' hand gestures the sixty seconds. I laughed with everyone else until I glanced at Leo and saw him picking at his shoelace, wearing his deepest frown yet. I guess it wasn't cool that Tyrell and Adam made such a huge deal out of kissing another guy. They weren't really homophobic. But still.

Finally, it was Leo's turn.

He was apparently a popular guy and, like I said, good-looking. People started hooting for him. Go Leo! Do it! There were whoos and whistles.

A girl with neon red hair and forties style makeup who was watching from the sidelines shouted, "Leo! Show these straight people how it's done!", which made everyone laugh.

I felt a wave of dread-tinged excitement as he leaned forward into the center of the circle on his hands and spun the phone. It whipped around, wobbling a little. It slowed down on the third rotation and then….

It stopped. I had to double-check the screen a few times, blinking my eyes hard. But the bottle on the screen was definitely pointing at the little pie slice that said "Micah."

Through the roaring in my ears, I heard people in the room going nuts, cheering like it was a fucking Steelers game. I stood up slowly. My throat was tight and everything felt surreal, like I was watching myself move. I looked over at Leo.

He stood too, his face showing nothing. He glanced at me from under his brows, looked away again. "Nah, it's cool. I'll let you off the hook." His shoulders were up, and he had this whole uncomfortable, stick-up-his-ass vibe going on.

Everyone around the circle booed and hissed.

"No, dude, it's the game," I said. "Let's just do it." I took a step into the center of the circle.

He didn't move, didn't look at me.

Fuck. He was going to leave me hanging like I had cooties or something. What was his fucking problem? Then it struck me—maybe he thought I was going to embarrass him, do the whole 'ooh this is gross' thing like Adam and Tyrell had done. I would never do that.

Tyrell was having none of it. "Leo, dude! You knew the rules at the start of the game! Don't be a jerk."

"I'll kiss Micah!" some skinny guy with purple bangs said. "Tag me in." He held up his hand toward Leo.

"You can't 'tag somebody in'!" Tyrell bitched. "Jesus Christ! The rules are not that complicated."

By now I felt like a total idiot, but I tried to look like I didn’t care. "It's fine, man," I told Leo with a smile. I wanted to say if I'm willing to do it, you should be. Because he was the gay one, right?

He visibly swallowed and a resigned huff escaped his nose. He shook his head once, arrogantly, like a fucking thoroughbred horse or something. Then he stepped into the circle and right up to me. He met my gaze challengingly. His eyes were bottomless. I was pretty good at reading people, but I had no clue what he was thinking.

"Say when," he told Tyrell, not breaking my gaze.

"Now," Tyrell said, finger over the timer button.

Before I could move, Leo put both palms on my jaw and kissed me hard.

 
* * * * * * *


The sound of the beeping timer faded away, along with the room and everything in it.

Except Leo. His hands gripped firm on my jaw. They felt weighted, like they were pinning me down in space and time. He moved closer until I felt the whisper of his thighs through denim, and the rise and fall of his chest. And his mouth… Christ, his mouth.

He’d been trying to get out of it a moment ago. Now he was all demand and hunger.

My first time really kissing a guy. Wow. This is good. It was the last rational thought I had.

Leo was so… present, hyper-real. The stubble around his mouth prickled sharply against my chin. His lips were firm and warm, his tongue wet and earthy and blatantly bold. His raw energy overwhelmed me. It was all: I'm in control and I want you and I'm taking this. The floor tilted beneath my feet, and my kneecaps dissolved. I grabbed his biceps to keep standing. They felt like iron, and he took my weight without flinching. Oh, wow. Wow.

His opened his mouth more and he licked against my tongue with the flat of his, heavy and so fucking good. Holy shit, that was hot. My body wanted to slide and surrender just to get that tongue other places—on my neck, my chest, between my legs. His hands slipped down to my neck. His grip was just on the good side of tight, his palms hot on my skin. His thumbs rubbed my collarbones, rough and firm, like it was my—

"Yo, guys!" Tyrell shouted.

Leo abruptly pulled away. Everyone was staring at us. Melissa fanned herself with her mouth hanging open. Some of the guys looked uncomfortable. Yasmine had a sweet little frown of confusion between her eyes.

"Maybe ya'll better get a room, 'cause that timer went off, like, two minutes ago," Tyrell pointed out dryly.

I managed a cocky smirk, like it had all been for show. I stumbled back to my spot, unable to look at Leo. I managed to give Yas a half-assed shrug: No biggie.

"That was fucking hot!" said some girl outside the circle.

"Well, that was an interesting end to round one." Tyrell cleared his throat. "Who's in for round two? Do we want to do this again? I have a 'Truth or Dare' app too."

A bunch of people outside the circle clamored to get in. I was just freaked the fuck out, like the world had shifted on its axis, and I wasn't sure which way was up. Yas and I bailed on the next round.

By the time I worked up my nerve to look around for Leo, he was gone.


Author Bio:

Having been, at various times and under different names, a minister’s daughter, a computer programmer, a game designer, the author of paranormal mysteries, a fan fiction writer, and organic farmer, Eli has been a m/m romance author since 2013. She has over 30 books published.

Eli has loved romance since her teens and she particular admires writers who can combine literary merit, genuine humor, melting hotness, and eye-dabbing sweetness into one story. She promises to strive to achieve most of that most of the time. She currently lives on a farm in Pennsylvania with her husband, bulldogs, cows, a cat, and lots of groundhogs.

In romance, Eli is best known for her Christmas stories because she’s a total Christmas sap. These include “Blame it on the Mistletoe”, “Unwrapping Hank” and “Merry Christmas, Mr. Miggles”. Her “Howl at the Moon” series of paranormal romances featuring the town of Mad Creek and its dog shifters has been popular with readers. And her series of Amish-themed romances, Men of Lancaster County, has won genre awards.


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EMAIL: eli@elieaston.com



Unwrapping Hank #1

Midwinter Night's Dream #2