Wow! I can't believe my dream has come true. The wonderful folks at eXtasy Books has contracted my first story with a release date of July 15th. I am so excited. Here's a little excerpt from my story, Far Away Promises, a scifi m/m romance.
Varick ascended the ladder once again and went about working on the lantern between the last two windows. As he painted, his thoughts invariably wandered in the direction they had been going over and over again for the last two weeks. He wondered whatever happened to Cal. After their brief encounter that Saturday morning on his front lawn, he hadn’t seen him again. The sensible part of him thought he should be glad he hadn’t run into him. He had to admit to himself that Cal’s dominating presence had been both daunting as well as exciting. He couldn’t trust himself not to start something that he would more than likely live to regret later. Varick finished up the last lantern while lost in his thoughts. A deep familiar voice invaded his musings, stopping him in his last brushstroke.
“Well, you may have no knack for anything mechanical, but I see that you have hidden talents elsewhere. I wonder what others you may harbor that have yet to be discovered.”
Adrenalin pumping through his veins, Varick held his breath and glanced down the ladder, once again looking straight into those same bright hazel eyes that had plagued his dreams every night for the last two weeks.
“Come down.”
Without a thought, Varick obeyed, leaving his palette and brushes on the top of the stepladder. Upon reaching the sidewalk, strong hands grabbed his own and pushed him to the wall past the last window. Just as tall and muscular as he remembered, Varick felt dwarfed as his hands were pinned above his head. A firm grip prevented him from moving, but not too strong to actually hurt him.
Cal dipped his head. Luscious full lips locked onto his own with such fierce intensity Varick thought he would come just by the sheer power coursing through the kiss. That tongue demanded entrance between his lips and, unable and unwilling to resist, Varick gave him full access, adding his own to the play. Their tongues danced with other, Cal’s leading all way, maintaining control throughout the long passionate kiss. He tasted like a delicious red wine, bold and full of life.
Cal suckled his bottom lip and released it slowly.
Feeling suddenly empty from the loss of his touch, Varick let out a soft husky whisper, “Please don’t stop.” Consuming hazel eyes burned with the same fierce intensity that his kiss had held.
“Begging so quickly. Maybe there’s hope for you yet.”
Instead of giving into his pleading, the man backed away, but still kept his arms pinned to the wall behind him.
“I think I’ll make you wait a little longer. Your wanting will only make our next kiss that much sweeter.”
Varick lowered his head, avoiding further direct eye contact with this delicious demon of desire he longed to taste again. Anger ran through him, more with himself for begging like a wanton fool, than with Cal for making him feel so much so fast. Getting hold of his emotions took all of his self-control. Raising his head, he glared hard into hypnotic hazel eyes. “Let me go. I have work to finish and I made a promise to the restaurant owner, Mrs. Jamison, to be cleaned up and back here for dinner tonight.”
“Do you always keep your promises?”
The slight catch in Cal’s voice and the strange look in his eyes told Varick that there was something more to this odd question than mere curiosity, but he couldn’t quite put his finger on what it could be. For some reason, he felt compelled to answer the question honestly. “I strive to, but there was one time in my past I wasn’t able to do so.” He looked grimly off into the afternoon sky. “That one time I failed to keep my word will haunt me for the rest of my life.” Released, his chin was captured in a gentle grip. “Who knows, maybe someday you’ll be given a chance to redeem yourself.”
“Well, you may have no knack for anything mechanical, but I see that you have hidden talents elsewhere. I wonder what others you may harbor that have yet to be discovered.”
Adrenalin pumping through his veins, Varick held his breath and glanced down the ladder, once again looking straight into those same bright hazel eyes that had plagued his dreams every night for the last two weeks.
“Come down.”
Without a thought, Varick obeyed, leaving his palette and brushes on the top of the stepladder. Upon reaching the sidewalk, strong hands grabbed his own and pushed him to the wall past the last window. Just as tall and muscular as he remembered, Varick felt dwarfed as his hands were pinned above his head. A firm grip prevented him from moving, but not too strong to actually hurt him.
Cal dipped his head. Luscious full lips locked onto his own with such fierce intensity Varick thought he would come just by the sheer power coursing through the kiss. That tongue demanded entrance between his lips and, unable and unwilling to resist, Varick gave him full access, adding his own to the play. Their tongues danced with other, Cal’s leading all way, maintaining control throughout the long passionate kiss. He tasted like a delicious red wine, bold and full of life.
Cal suckled his bottom lip and released it slowly.
Feeling suddenly empty from the loss of his touch, Varick let out a soft husky whisper, “Please don’t stop.” Consuming hazel eyes burned with the same fierce intensity that his kiss had held.
“Begging so quickly. Maybe there’s hope for you yet.”
Instead of giving into his pleading, the man backed away, but still kept his arms pinned to the wall behind him.
“I think I’ll make you wait a little longer. Your wanting will only make our next kiss that much sweeter.”
Varick lowered his head, avoiding further direct eye contact with this delicious demon of desire he longed to taste again. Anger ran through him, more with himself for begging like a wanton fool, than with Cal for making him feel so much so fast. Getting hold of his emotions took all of his self-control. Raising his head, he glared hard into hypnotic hazel eyes. “Let me go. I have work to finish and I made a promise to the restaurant owner, Mrs. Jamison, to be cleaned up and back here for dinner tonight.”
“Do you always keep your promises?”
The slight catch in Cal’s voice and the strange look in his eyes told Varick that there was something more to this odd question than mere curiosity, but he couldn’t quite put his finger on what it could be. For some reason, he felt compelled to answer the question honestly. “I strive to, but there was one time in my past I wasn’t able to do so.” He looked grimly off into the afternoon sky. “That one time I failed to keep my word will haunt me for the rest of my life.” Released, his chin was captured in a gentle grip. “Who knows, maybe someday you’ll be given a chance to redeem yourself.”
1 comment:
Aloha from sunny Waikiki Marianne! Love the cover of Faraway Promises. We're both having books released on July 15 and I hope we both sell, sell, sell! Welcome to eXtasy Books hon!
A.J.
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