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AUDIOBOOK RELEASE Book Title: Lonely Diner Author and Narrator: Dann Hazel Release Date: February 9, 2024 Genre: Contemporary M/M Romance Tropes: Military Romance, Coming Out, Overcoming Adversity, Second Chances Themes: Dealing with Trauma, Gay in a New City, Forgiveness Heat Rating: 4 flames Length: 11 hours and 5 minutes It is part of a series, but each novel can be read as a standalone. It does not end on a cliffhanger. Buy Links Two conflicted military men. A longing for happiness. One Lonely Diner, where people often search for a recipe for love. (The food is good there, too.) Blurb Two conflicted military men. A longing for happiness. One Lonely Diner, where people often search for a recipe for love. (The food is good there, too.) One man plays it straight. Another grieves over a lost best friend with benefits. Everyone thought they were meant for each other. Lance, an Air Force computer engineer, and Ryan, a former submariner in the Navy and now a military college professor, are gay men blinded by the painful wounds of their past decisions. Both men are ready for love. But because of their pasts, they’ve slammed the brakes on their desires. Now thirty years old, a younger Ryan Ball decides he can be happy only by conforming to social expectations. So what does he do? He decides he must have a wife and kids. Though he acknowledges that he can never be straight, he is convinced that with effort, determination, alcohol and erectile dysfunction meds, he can play the necessary roles. Vikki, Ryan’s girlfriend in high school and now his wife, begs to differ. At thirty-one, Lance Dingle falls for his best friend and roommate, Randy, a stunt pilot who agrees to a friends-with-benefits arrangement. From Lance’s perspective, there’s a spark in their arrangement that Randy denies. Then, tragedy strikes. Lance finds himself alone and lonely, living with memories of Randy and an ever-expanding list of “what-might-have-beens.” Finally forcing himself into the dating scene, Lance discovers that Mr. Right is more elusive than he ever imagined. Then, Callie Yenti, transwoman, drag performer extraordinaire and entrepreneur, enters the picture. She owns the popular Lonely Diner and possesses an uncanny insight into the workings of the heart. Even the complicated hearts of her two hard-headed friends, Lance and Ryan. An HEA gay romance. Trigger Warning: This novel includes scenes from a sexual assault and a PTSD episode. Excerpt It was at this point—this question—that Ryan slammed both hands flat against the table. He heard Diamond’s short scream and grimaced. He lowered his voice. “Okay. Fine. The two of you want the truth? The whole truth? You’ll have it, then.” He could imagine what Vikki would say. She would never have advised handling his parents the way he intended now. Ryan inhaled deeply. “For years now, I have denied a big part of who I am. In my denial, I asked Vikki to make a sacrifice—a sacrifice of which she was unaware for years—while I sorted my shit out. A fool’s way of avoiding the truth. It took a stint in the Navy but finally, I did. I sorted everything out and realized I am gay. There. I said it. And I said it without fear or shame.” “Oh, dear God!” Mr. Ball’s voice boomed, echoing against the walls of the dining room. “What kind of farce do you have in store for us next? That you’ve fallen in love with a sailor, and with him, you intend to live happily ever after?” A pause. Then: “Gay!” He spat out the word. “Another fad. Another trend. It’s not real. I’ve known men who thought they were homosexuals, then after years of lying to themselves passed, I discovered they were happily married with children.” “How many people have you told?” Mrs. Ball demanded. “To what degree have you brought shame to this family?” And then, after a thought: “And what about Vikki? Can you say with certainty that you’re really Diamond’s father? After all, you’ve been at sea for months at a time.” “Wait just a minute!” Ryan’s voice exploded. “First, I must say that your assertion is offensive—both to me and, I’m sure, to Vikki. Just because I’m gay doesn’t mean I can’t perform sexually with a woman.” He turned to his father. “Which probably is part of the reason why your gay acquaintances were able to pull the wool over your eyes so successfully. Being gay is more than just sex, you know.” Mr. Ball glared at his son. “I am so fearful of what will happen to this country when your generation takes the reins.” “Just—stop it! Just shut the fuck up! Both of you. I’m tired of it. Tired of the bullshit.” The expression on both parents’ faces confirmed the fact that their son had never spoken to them using this tone, these words. Ryan lowered his voice to a subtle whisper. “What Vikki and I are dealing with? Well, it’s our concern. No one else’s.” Then, a voice. Vikki’s voice. Coming from the doorway. Diamond, still absorbed in her coloring activity in the family room. “Please understand. Both of you. I was able to handle your son’s honesty. Was I deeply hurt when I discovered the truth? Yes. Of course. And I’m sure you bear some hurt of your own. But you should not weaponize that hurt into anger against your son. It’s important that you try to do what Ryan and I did. It took some effort, but it was worth it. With open communication and a willingness to be accessible to one another, we began to work things out. I know there are still challenges ahead of us, especially with our little girl. That’s uncharted territory, to be sure. But Diamond is loved. By both of us. We will still be a family, even when Ryan is in Florida and I’m here, in Virginia. We want both of you to be a part of our family. But that’s not going to happen if the two of you can‘t see your way forward to cultivate a little understanding.” To avoid escalating the situation even more, what Vikki and Ryan did not say was that Mr. and Mrs. Ball would never see their grandchild again if they could not surmount their anger, doubt and resentment. About the Author Dann Hazel has been writing both fiction and nonfiction for more than twenty years. Besides writing romance, he has taught high school English and journalism, college psychology and human sexuality, directed federal grants and worked as a therapist in a psychiatric hospital. His fiction genre interests include thrillers, horror, literary and gay romance. He has published the Some Like It Haute Gay Romance Series, including Room for Dessert, My Own Private Biscuit and Lonely Diner. Nonfiction works include Witness: Gay and Lesbian Clergy Report from the Front and Moving On: The Gay Man’s Guide for Coping When a Relationship Ends. Dann’s personal interests include reading and writing, cinema, jogging, Broadway, keeping abreast of current events and travel. Currently, Dann lives in Central Florida with his husband, Josh, and their American Eskimo canine, Flurry. Social Media Links My snippet this week is from For the Long Run. Jay mouthed a thank-you and took the glass, sipping the water. Setting the glass on the podium, he drew in a deep breath and looked around the room. “I’m sorry. As I was… I… um….” Jay faltered again, cleared his throat, and took a tissue from a box inside the podium and dipped it in the water. Senator Molloy leaned over, hands braced on his knees for a few seconds. He drew in a few deep breaths, then straightened and appeared normal. “What’s he doing?” Jeanette gripped Eric’s arm, pulling his attention back to Jay. Jay started wiping the damp tissue over his face. “I’m not pressing charges, and this isn’t going any farther, but… I’m done hiding.” “Oh shit,” Eric said. He took Jeanette’s elbow and turned her around, aiming her at the exit. “Can you get your car to the back entrance?” “Yes, but—” She was already fumbling in her purse for her keys. “Jay.” “I’ll get Jay. We’ll meet you there. Please, trust me on this.” Read more snippets in the Rainbow Snippets Facebook group! For the Long Run is available in eBook, paperback, audio and through Kobo Plus.
J. Scott Coatsworth has a new queer sci-fantasy book out, Tales from Tharassas book 3: The Hencha Queen. "A richly painted world that is both beautiful and sinister, evoking landscapes that are as much science fiction as Tolkiensian fantasy. 5 stars." --Ulysses, Paranormal Romance Guild SILYA COMES INTO HER OWN, BUT WILL SHE BE ENOUGH? Silya finally has everything she always wanted. She's the Hencha Queen, head of the Temple, and is working to master her newfound talents. So why does the world pick now to fall apart? Her once-nemesis Raven is off riding dragons, and their mutual friend (and her ex) Aik is nowhere to be found. Meanwhile, a new threat menaces the Heartland from the East, and if she can't convince a reluctant Gullton city council to prepare for the worst, she may lose everyone and everything she's ever cared about. As she uses her magic-like abilities, wit and sheer determination to try to save the city, she's joined by Raven and his new friends. Will their help tip the scales? And will they finally find out what happened to Aik as a dark storm threatens to sweep them all away? Forget messy. Things just got apocalyptic. Universal Buy LinkAbout the Series The Tharassas Cycle is a four book sci-fantasy series set on the recently colonized world of Tharassas. When humans first arrived on planet, they thought they were alone until the hencha mind made itself known. But now a new threat has arisen to challenge both humankind and their new allies on this alien world. Books 1 & 2 are on sale through March 31st for just 99¢ each (eBooks, all vendors). And if you buy one (or all three) of the main series books, email scott@jscottcoatsworth.com and let him know and he'll send you a free copy of Tales From Tharassas, the prequel. See All the Pre-Release DealsGiveaway Scott is giving away an eBook copy of Tales from Tharassas, the prequel, to everyone who enters the sweepstakes: Direct Link: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/b60e8d47308/? Excerpt A sharp crack filled the wine cellar. Kerrick swung the heavy mallet back and then assailed the flopwood boards that blocked the tunnel entrance again. The ancient wood splintered under the blow, sending shards clattering across the stone-paved floor. It felt good to work out his frustrations. Still, the stubborn wood held out against his assault. He rested the mallet on the black-tiled stone floor, wiping the sweat off his forehead with the back of his hand. Even after a hundred years, the barrier was strong. He’d tried to pry the boards out of the solid stone, but they’d been fastened in too tightly. Brute force it is. “You’re doing great!” Cor’Lea’s voice was artificially bright, and she was as tall as he was, maybe a little taller, peering over his shoulder at the sealed tunnel entrance. Silya had tasked her with bringing him down here to check out these hidden caverns under the Temple, in preparation for the coming war. Important, sure, but also clearly an excuse to get him out from underfoot while she prepared for her official Raising. He grunted. “Thanks. These boards are hard as iron.” And hard as Silya’s will. One day things would be different between them, once this crisis was over. I just have to be patient. Coral laughed. “I’m sure a big, strong man like you can break through them easily.” She squeezed his bicep appreciatively. He shrugged her off. He wasn’t sure if the gawky initiate was flirting with him or just trying to encourage him to get on with it, but either way, he wasn’t interested. “Stand back.” He hefted the hammer again, and she scurried out of his way. He suppressed a smile, swinging the mallet around for another heavy blow. Craack. This time the board buckled inward visibly. Another few hits should do it. He pulled back the heavy iron hammer again and hit the same spot with blow after blow. Craack. Craack. Craack. The mallet broke through and a board fell away into splinters, clattering across the stone floor. One down, three more to go. “Why did they seal this cavern up?” Cor’Lea gestured at the natural chamber. “There was a winery here before the Temple. Sister Dor said they used to use it for extra wine storage.” She looked around the natural chamber, which was now filled with wooden shelving holding a variety of bottled food stores. “When Jas ordered the Temple to be constructed, they kept this wide cavern and blocked off the rest of the tunnels.” “Just in case the gully rats got in?” That thief Raven had apparently made his home in one of the underground tunnels. Who knew who else—or what else—lived down there? Cor’Lea snorted. “Maybe.” Are tunnels all connected, somehow? That was one of Silya’s most urgent projects, to map out the network of caverns beneath the city. Another reason she sent me down here—to get me out from under her robes. A few more whacks at the next board served to both break it and let out his frustrations at the situation preventing him from doing his sworn job and keeping them apart. And at what she said was coming. Craack. Craack. Craack. The board snapped in half, and he judged that he’d cleared enough space to step through into the blocked-off tunnel. “Hand me that lantern? Cor’Lea complied, taking the opportunity to brush his hand. He rolled his eyes. I should be flattered. But his heart was already taken. It was times like these he wished his brother Enrick were still alive. He’d know what to do. He’d been absurdly confident about everything, even though he’d been younger than Kerrick. Kerrick wasn’t great with women. He took the lantern and stepped over the bottom board, holding it in front of him. The bright light temporarily blinded him as he sought to get his bearings. “What do you see?” Cor’Lea peered through the hole behind him. His sight adjusted, and the tunnel’s walls came into focus. He whistled. Stacked along the side of the tunnel were hundreds of crates, all strapped together in groups and sealed. “It’s… I don’t know what it is. But I’ll bet Silya will be surprised.” They’d have to find a place to put all this stuff—whatever it was, it was likely rotten after all this time. Silya needed somewhere to store people, not ancient goods. Cor’Lea stepped carefully over the splintered boards to join him. “What do you think’s inside them?” The long row of crates disappeared into the darkness. Who knew what the ancients had considered valuable enough to stash down here. Coin? Lost treasure? “One way to find out. Does the Temple have a crowbar?” Author Bio Scott lives with his husband Mark in a yellow bungalow in Sacramento. He was indoctrinated into fantasy and sci fi by his mother at the tender age of nine. He devoured her library, but as he grew up, he wondered where all the people like him were. He decided that if there weren’t queer characters in his favorite genres, he would remake them to his own ends. A Rainbow Award winning author, he runs Queer Sci Fi, QueeRomance Ink, Liminal Fiction, and Other Worlds Ink with Mark, sites that celebrate fiction reflecting queer reality, and is the committee chair for the Indie Authors Committee at the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA). Author Website: https://www.jscottcoatsworth.com Author Facebook (Personal): https://www.facebook.com/jscottcoatsworth/ Author Facebook (Author Page): https://www.facebook.com/jscottcoatsworthauthor Author Mastodon: https://mastodon.otherworldsink.com/@jscottcoatsworth Author Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jscottcoatsworth/ Author Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8392709.J_Scott_Coatsworth Author Liminal Fiction (LimFic.com): https://www.limfic.com/mbm-book-author/j-scott-coatsworth/ Author QueeRomance Ink: https://www.queeromanceink.com/mbm-book-author/j-scott-coatsworth/ Author Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/J.-Scott-Coatsworth/e/B011AFO4OQ J. Scott Coatsworth has a new queer sci-fantasy book out, Tales from Tharassas book 3: The Hencha Queen. "A richly painted world that is both beautiful and sinister, evoking landscapes that are as much science fiction as Tolkiensian fantasy. 5 stars." --Ulysses, Paranormal Romance Guild SILYA COMES INTO HER OWN, BUT WILL SHE BE ENOUGH? Silya finally has everything she always wanted. She's the Hencha Queen, head of the Temple, and is working to master her newfound talents. So why does the world pick now to fall apart? Her once-nemesis Raven is off riding dragons, and their mutual friend (and her ex) Aik is nowhere to be found. Meanwhile, a new threat menaces the Heartland from the East, and if she can't convince a reluctant Gullton city council to prepare for the worst, she may lose everyone and everything she's ever cared about. As she uses her magic-like abilities, wit and sheer determination to try to save the city, she's joined by Raven and his new friends. Will their help tip the scales? And will they finally find out what happened to Aik as a dark storm threatens to sweep them all away? Forget messy. Things just got apocalyptic. Universal Buy LinkAbout the Series The Tharassas Cycle is a four book sci-fantasy series set on the recently colonized world of Tharassas. When humans first arrived on planet, they thought they were alone until the hencha mind made itself known. But now a new threat has arisen to challenge both humankind and their new allies on this alien world. Books 1 & 2 are on sale through March 31st for just 99¢ each (eBooks, all vendors). And if you buy one (or all three) of the main series books, email scott@jscottcoatsworth.com and let him know and he'll send you a free copy of Tales From Tharassas, the prequel. See All the Pre-Release DealsGiveaway Scott is giving away an eBook copy of Tales from Tharassas, the prequel, to everyone who enters the sweepstakes: Direct Link: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/b60e8d47308/? Excerpt A sharp crack filled the wine cellar. Kerrick swung the heavy mallet back and then assailed the flopwood boards that blocked the tunnel entrance again. The ancient wood splintered under the blow, sending shards clattering across the stone-paved floor. It felt good to work out his frustrations. Still, the stubborn wood held out against his assault. He rested the mallet on the black-tiled stone floor, wiping the sweat off his forehead with the back of his hand. Even after a hundred years, the barrier was strong. He’d tried to pry the boards out of the solid stone, but they’d been fastened in too tightly. Brute force it is. “You’re doing great!” Cor’Lea’s voice was artificially bright, and she was as tall as he was, maybe a little taller, peering over his shoulder at the sealed tunnel entrance. Silya had tasked her with bringing him down here to check out these hidden caverns under the Temple, in preparation for the coming war. Important, sure, but also clearly an excuse to get him out from underfoot while she prepared for her official Raising. He grunted. “Thanks. These boards are hard as iron.” And hard as Silya’s will. One day things would be different between them, once this crisis was over. I just have to be patient. Coral laughed. “I’m sure a big, strong man like you can break through them easily.” She squeezed his bicep appreciatively. He shrugged her off. He wasn’t sure if the gawky initiate was flirting with him or just trying to encourage him to get on with it, but either way, he wasn’t interested. “Stand back.” He hefted the hammer again, and she scurried out of his way. He suppressed a smile, swinging the mallet around for another heavy blow. Craack. This time the board buckled inward visibly. Another few hits should do it. He pulled back the heavy iron hammer again and hit the same spot with blow after blow. Craack. Craack. Craack. The mallet broke through and a board fell away into splinters, clattering across the stone floor. One down, three more to go. “Why did they seal this cavern up?” Cor’Lea gestured at the natural chamber. “There was a winery here before the Temple. Sister Dor said they used to use it for extra wine storage.” She looked around the natural chamber, which was now filled with wooden shelving holding a variety of bottled food stores. “When Jas ordered the Temple to be constructed, they kept this wide cavern and blocked off the rest of the tunnels.” “Just in case the gully rats got in?” That thief Raven had apparently made his home in one of the underground tunnels. Who knew who else—or what else—lived down there? Cor’Lea snorted. “Maybe.” Are tunnels all connected, somehow? That was one of Silya’s most urgent projects, to map out the network of caverns beneath the city. Another reason she sent me down here—to get me out from under her robes. A few more whacks at the next board served to both break it and let out his frustrations at the situation preventing him from doing his sworn job and keeping them apart. And at what she said was coming. Craack. Craack. Craack. The board snapped in half, and he judged that he’d cleared enough space to step through into the blocked-off tunnel. “Hand me that lantern? Cor’Lea complied, taking the opportunity to brush his hand. He rolled his eyes. I should be flattered. But his heart was already taken. It was times like these he wished his brother Enrick were still alive. He’d know what to do. He’d been absurdly confident about everything, even though he’d been younger than Kerrick. Kerrick wasn’t great with women. He took the lantern and stepped over the bottom board, holding it in front of him. The bright light temporarily blinded him as he sought to get his bearings. “What do you see?” Cor’Lea peered through the hole behind him. His sight adjusted, and the tunnel’s walls came into focus. He whistled. Stacked along the side of the tunnel were hundreds of crates, all strapped together in groups and sealed. “It’s… I don’t know what it is. But I’ll bet Silya will be surprised.” They’d have to find a place to put all this stuff—whatever it was, it was likely rotten after all this time. Silya needed somewhere to store people, not ancient goods. Cor’Lea stepped carefully over the splintered boards to join him. “What do you think’s inside them?” The long row of crates disappeared into the darkness. Who knew what the ancients had considered valuable enough to stash down here. Coin? Lost treasure? “One way to find out. Does the Temple have a crowbar?” Author Bio Scott lives with his husband Mark in a yellow bungalow in Sacramento. He was indoctrinated into fantasy and sci fi by his mother at the tender age of nine. He devoured her library, but as he grew up, he wondered where all the people like him were. He decided that if there weren’t queer characters in his favorite genres, he would remake them to his own ends. A Rainbow Award winning author, he runs Queer Sci Fi, QueeRomance Ink, Liminal Fiction, and Other Worlds Ink with Mark, sites that celebrate fiction reflecting queer reality, and is the committee chair for the Indie Authors Committee at the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA). Author Website: https://www.jscottcoatsworth.com Author Facebook (Personal): https://www.facebook.com/jscottcoatsworth/ Author Facebook (Author Page): https://www.facebook.com/jscottcoatsworthauthor Author Mastodon: https://mastodon.otherworldsink.com/@jscottcoatsworth Author Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jscottcoatsworth/ Author Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8392709.J_Scott_Coatsworth Author Liminal Fiction (LimFic.com): https://www.limfic.com/mbm-book-author/j-scott-coatsworth/ Author QueeRomance Ink: https://www.queeromanceink.com/mbm-book-author/j-scott-coatsworth/ Author Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/J.-Scott-Coatsworth/e/B011AFO4OQ Mason nodded. He looked around, then squinted at the sky. “We have to find cover for the night. I’m not sure we’ll get to our base camp before it gets dark. Once we’re dried off and it’s totally dark, we can make a bit of headway then.” “The temperature is going to drop a lot, isn’t it?” Riece asked. “Yeah, it is. If we don’t at least get dried off, we won’t have a chance.” Mason pointed out a direction. “Let’s head that way. It’ll get us close to where we want to go.” “Do you think they’ll follow us?” Riece looked back the way they’d come. “I don’t see them. Maybe we lost them.” “I think it’s more likely they’ll need to get that guy some medical help, or if not they’ll have to take him somewhere he can be patched up. His wound was bleeding a lot. That’s why I stabbed him, though I would have loved to have killed him.” Riece walked beside Mason and glanced sideways at him. “You’re not just blowing off steam, are you?” “Oh hell no.” “You’re supposed to enforce the law,” Riece said softly. “Yeah. Which is why I want to avoid killing anyone. I’m afraid they don’t have the same concerns. They’re going to try to kill us, Riece, and if it comes down to them or us—” Mason stopped and drew a deep breath. “—then I vote us.” There are more snippets in the Rainbow Snippets Facebook group. Gone Away is available in eBook, paperback and through Kobo Plus.
Nick and Todd rode in the lead wagon. Nick felt much better sitting beside Todd and was finally able to relax. “How’re you doing?” Todd held the team’s reins in one hand and rubbed Nick’s knee with the other. “You tossed and turned a lot while we were supposed to be sleeping.” “Sorry.” “Don’t be. It’s not your fault.” Todd gave his knee a squeeze. “Look up there. Natural light. How well did you jam the lock on the inside of the entrance door?” “Pretty well, though I guess if someone really wants in, they’ll get inside. We could bring explosives back and collapse the tunnels. So far it’s clear in this section,” Nick said. Todd sighed. “I guess first things first, get these people out safely.” The last thing Nick wanted to do was go back and confront those spirits again, but if it was necessary, he would do his job. He leaned back against the bench and closed his eyes, letting the gentle rocking of the wagon lull him to sleep. Nick woke up when the motion of the wagon stopped. As before, he felt much better after a few hours’ sleep. A look at his watch told him it had been more than a few hours, though. He’d slept for six hours. The wagons were stopped and gathering into groups again. They would rest and feed the teams, then themselves. A few hours later, Nick was adjusting the tack on one of the saddle horses. He pulled the girth tight and fastened the straps. “I’m all packed and ready.” He looked over the horses then back at Todd. “I haven’t felt anything hostile since we left the area of the first control room.” Todd nodded. “Good. Scouting ahead will be a lot more efficient…and faster…on horseback.” He swung onto the horse. Nick mounted his horse as well. Each of them carried a bag of iron shavings, salt, and an iron rod along with their standard weapons. They rode side by side, a Faraday lamp fastened to each of their saddle pommels. The side of the tunnel that ran parallel to the tracks had been originally engineered to drive livestock through, so it was fine dirt tamped down to make it firm and level. “Whatever happened near the first control room must have been bad,” Nick said softly. Todd glanced at him, reached out, and patted Nick’s thigh. “Tell me about what you sensed.” Nick sighed deeply. “It was all scrambled.” “Nick, I know you’re not comfortable remembering or talking about this stuff, but keeping it bottled up isn’t healthy for you. Spill.” It was making Nick’s job of checking out the people coming and going much easier. He readjusted his chair and inched it closer to the bar so he could hear what Todd said. Todd stood at the end of the bar closest to their table. The kid got up, took a few steps toward Nick, and snagged a menu from the empty table near him. He nodded to Nick, then sat close to Todd, separated by an empty stool. Todd glanced sideways at the kid, sighed, and waved to the bartender. The kid raked his gaze up and down Todd. Nick leaned forward, rested an elbow on the table and his chin in his palm. He raised his eyebrows when the boy said to Todd, “It’s a nice night. Have you been to this place much?” Nick coughed, and Todd tossed a dirty look over his shoulder at him. Todd placed their food order, then said to the kid, “Passing through on a business trip.” The kid turned his stool so he fully faced Todd and held out his hand. “Drew Pell.” Nick tried very hard not to laugh, but he wasn’t as successful as he would have liked. He shoved his chair around and grabbed up the menu to cover his face again when both Todd and the kid looked over at him. Todd nodded politely but didn’t shake the offered hand. His expression changed from confusion to relief when the bartender came by and set down the drinks Todd had ordered. Before Todd could respond to the kid, a young woman swept into the bar. Nick pulled his attention from the entertainment of Todd and the kid and was immediately riveted to the woman. Todd saw Nick’s response to the woman and turned to look as well. That’s when Nick noticed nearly everyone in the bar, including the staff, was having the same reaction. Nick mentally corrected himself: everyone who was male. Nick had never been attracted to women, and no doubt he wasn’t the only one in this bar with similar tastes. Yet it was quite clear every male in the place was drawn to her and watched her. The kid laid a hand on Todd’s arm, making him start. Drew asked, “Do you know her?” “No, I…” Todd grabbed the drinks and hurried back to their table. The woman wasn’t overly beautiful, but she was alluring, and that made no sense to Nick. He was willing to concede that, maybe to a man attracted to women, she was gorgeous. She swayed when she walked and almost seemed to be floating over the floor instead of stepping on it. Her hair was short and had a nice wave that made it bounce softly as she moved. The garment she wore covered her entirely. It was an odd, straight sort of dress that did nothing to show off or accentuate whatever figure she might have. Her skin had a sort of bluish cast to it, but the dress was blue and somewhat shiny, so Nick could attribute her complexion, at least in part, to what she wore. “That’s her,” Nick whispered. “And your boyfriend is coming to hit on you some more.” Read Ringed Love today! Blair held up his phone. “I’ll get a text in a minute or two pointing us toward any phone or computer our perps use.” Forge’s gaze went from Blair to the server, then swept the room and landed on Blair again. “Huh.” “One or two more steps and then I’ll show you how it works.” Blair headed back into the hall, Forge trailing behind after pulling the door closed and making sure it was locked. “Now what?” Forge asked as they walked through the dining area. Blair found a table close to the middle and settled in a chair. “I could go for a coffee. They have pumpkin pie spice.” He nodded at a handwritten sign beside a coffee shop. Forge turned and looked toward the sign, then focused on Blair. “Nothing more than a couple enjoying their day.” Blair nodded. “Pay in cash.” Forge wandered to the coffee shop and stood in line. Every time Blair glanced in his direction, he could tell Forge was keeping an eye on him. A few minutes later Forge returned and set a large cup of steaming hot liquid in front of Blair. He settled in the chair beside Blair and sipped from his own steaming cup, which smelled of espresso and chocolate. “I have to do a few things on my phone first,” Blair said softly. Leaning back in his chair, Forge rested his ankle on his other knee and pulled out his own phone. After a minute he grinned and said, “Sweet. I can get all sorts of live sports feeds on this.” Blair glanced up and smiled. “I like to give special gifts too.” “I knew I loved you for more than your pretty face.” People walked by them, but no one lingered or appeared to pay a bit of attention to either man. Blair sipped his coffee while he worked. “Okay, now for all the details,” Blair said. Forge stood up. “Come on.” “Where are we going?” “Somewhere we won’t be easily overheard.” Forge waited for Blair to tuck his phone away before he motioned to the hotel’s front door. They took their coffees and walked casually onto the street. “There’s a shopping center about a half mile from here. We can try that.” Walking in silence, Blair knew from the way Forge glanced in store windows and pointed out various landmarks or other things of interest that they weren’t being followed. Blair realized Forge was so adept at knowing his surroundings such tactics had become second nature. The shopping center was an open-air type. They wandered among shops and restaurants to a miniature park with benches and a fountain. Blair sat on one of the benches, close to the cascading water. “Declan, can you hear me?” “Only in my earbud,” Declan said. “Where’s our target?” Forge asked and sat beside Blair. “Mr. Wrong and Mr. Very Wrong are sitting at the bar beside the lobby, but they aren’t paying any attention to each other,” Lucas said. Quarry is available in eBook, paperback and through Kindle Unlimited. This week's snippet is from Strays, a scifi MM Romance. There was a long, empty stretch of what looked like road between two buildings and Kyle headed for that, hoping he could double around and back to Daniel. He realized too late it was a wharf, jutting out into the lake. He stopped long enough to see the path behind him blocked, tiny bits of water slithering down his neck and back, causing him to shiver. The government agents were running at him; he had nowhere to go. Kyle realized if they had to follow him down the length of the wharf, they’d likely spread out; he might be able to dodge around them and back to solid land. If that didn’t work, it would at least give the Militia assault team more time to reach him. He didn’t have much choice he could see other than go farther onto the wharf. As soon as he cleared the shelter of the buildings, he was hit with sharp, cold winds coming off the lake. A split second later he learned the truth about black ice: you really didn’t see it until you were sliding across it. His feet found no purchase and Kyle’s legs spun out from under him. There were a few moments of the sickening feeling of being without gravity and not knowing up from down; then he hit the water and was plunged into frigid cold and dark. Read more snippets in the Rainbow Snippets Facebook group. Strays is available in eBook and through Kobo Plus.
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Welcome to My World
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