A Happy Effin Valentine by Stephanie Burke #RomCom #DarkFantasy @FlashyCat @changelingpress

Posted on January 31, 2021 by JessicaS

Masataka is a shape-shifting neko who makes the unfortunate mistake of picking up a stunning kitsune at a bar and taking her home for the night. How was he to know it was her wedding day? Or that her chosen mate was a nine-tailed kitsune of great distinction and power? Masa’s punishment is to be banished to Earth, stuck in his cat form until someone wishes for him to stay.

If it weren’t for bad luck, Effin wouldn’t have any luck at all. It’s Valentine’s Day, a day supposed to symbolize love and romance. Instead, it’s the worst day of Effin’s life. Whatever could go wrong, does. Abandoned in the middle of nowhere, Effin finds a homeless kitty. Charmed, she takes the cute, furry creature home.

It just so happens that the pretty kitty is actually Masataka, that lucky, lusty, shape-shifting neko. Suddenly, bad dates, worse clothes, and the sister from hell are a thing of the past.

Effin is the woman of Masataka’s dreams. Effin’s not so sure. It’s up to Masataka to convince Effin to believe in the staying power of love… and in her sexy lucky charm.

Available Now at Changeling Press

preorder for February 5th at online booksellers

EXCERPT

Effin was not having a good day.

In fact, not since Vesuvius had erupted and tons of hot volcanic ash had descended upon the denizens of Pompeii had anyone had a bad day like this. Come to think of it, bad was too minor a word. Her day had been vile, loathsome, horrid, terrifying, disgusting, and monstrously illogical.

And it all started on February thirteenth — Friday, February 13th, when Effin Damnwell Hurtzs opened her mouth.

Her mother had always warned her to think before she spoke, a trait she lacked, and a tendency she shared with her mother. “That little pink thing in your mouth is going to get you into a world of trouble, Effin.” Her mother sighed, shaking her head as if she knew that trouble for her eldest daughter was inevitable.

Hell, she was born during a leap year! Double hell, if Effin’d had any luck at all, Trouble would have been her middle name.

She came upon her unusual moniker by accident. When her mother, doped up with painkillers and sedatives, was asked two different questions at the same time after a forty-three hour labor, this was the result:

Her father: “How does it feel?”

The medical receptionist: “What shall we name this beauty?”

Her mother’s response: “It effin damn-well hurts, you bastard!”

Her father had finally learned to keep the pink thing in his mouth still, especially after his loving wife ripped out a handful of chest hair.

The medical receptionist had sniffed: “You don’t have to be so mean about it! I heard you just fine!”

Her mother: “What?”

The result: A tiny, beautiful little chocolate baby girl stuck with a name that would ensure future school fights and taunting for a lifetime.

And now, how Effin wished she had taken her mother’s advice to heart, especially after she recalled how she’d got her name. But no! Effin Damnwell Hurtzs had to challenge fate and miscellaneous creatures by loudly declaring, “There are no such things as gremlins!” when her best friend confided that she was being plagued by a goodly tribe of them.

And what’s even worse, she made her declaration on Friday, February 13th, black Friday, the unluckiest day of the year.

After ignoring her best friend Christa’s horrified stare, she went home, had a nice mug of cocoa laced with a liberal shot of Cask & Cream Caramel Temptation, indulged in a nice hot bath, and retired to her boudoir to dream wonderful dreams of the blind date Christa had set her up with.

According to Christa, her date, Buster, was a CPA with an MBA and drove a BMW. The brother was supposed to be fine as hell, independent, didn’t live with his mother, had a lucrative job that ensured he wouldn’t be hitting her up for loans, and had impeccable social skills. That meant he had proper pronunciation and would say shrimp instead of scrimps, would chew with his mouth closed, would not brag about himself, and she would not suddenly determine that his ethnicity was actually Russian or Roman from the speed and accuracy of octopus hands.

Yes, Effin went to sleep with a smile on her face, her tummy warm and full, feeling sated and altogether pleased with herself.

Life was good, and tomorrow, Valentine’s Day, it would only get better.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Stephanie is a USA Today Best Selling, multi published, multi award-winning author, Master Costumer, handicapped, wife and mother of two.

From sex-shifting, shape-shifting dragons to undersea worlds, sexually confused elemental Fey and homo-erotic mysteries, all the way to pastel-challenged urban sprites, Stephanie has done it all, and hopes to do more.

Stephanie is an orator on her favorite subjects of writing and world-building, a sometime teacher when you feed her enough tea and donuts, an anime nut, a costumer, and a frequent guest of various sci-fi and writing cons where she can be found leading panel discussions or researching varied legends and theories to improve her writing skills.

Stephanie is known for her love of the outrageous, strong female characters, believable worlds, male characters filled with depth, and multi-cultural stories that make the reader sit up and take notice.

New Release: Night Song by E.D. Parr #GayRomance #HolidayRomance @parr_books

Posted on December 21, 2020 by JessicaS

Night Song

Words 26,415

E. D. Parr

MM romance, gay seasonal romance

Released from Evernight Publishing December 8, 2020

Twenty-five year old Oliver Honeycutt has no idea how handsome he is. He’s creative, brilliant at his job, and underused in the designer fashion store where he works. Behind the scenes, Oliver takes special care with orders for customer, rock star, Zane Highwood. When Zane is to be the main attraction in the store’s Christmas party, fashion show, Oliver hopes Zane will notice him.

Multi-millionaire, twenty-five year old, Noah Somersby, made his first million before he was twenty-one and now owns a number of casual-chic menswear stores. He’s a designer, gorgeous, and desperate to find a man who will love him for himself and not see dollar signs as they kiss.

Noah doesn’t often take the train into the city, but one rainy day he does, as he settles into a seat opposite Oliver, the two men exchange interested glances.

In fact, Noah is super attracted to Oliver and Oliver thinks Noah is gorgeous.

As the store holiday season party approaches, can serendipity bring them together?

Read a sweet, sexy teaser

Noah felt Oliver shift in his arms as if to pull away, but then he winced, bent his head, and leaned on Noah.

Concerned, Noah tightened his hold on Oliver. “I’m worried about you.” A tingle of surprise raced along Noah’s body as Oliver raised his face to gaze at him with open desire in his eyes.

“I think I need another kiss … to make it all better.”

Noah smiled before he kissed Oliver, not even feeling a sliver of guilt at kissing a possibly dazed man.

This time Oliver returned the kisses.

Noah drifted in sensation. He lingered on Oliver’s lips, kissing him, then breathing, then kissing him again. His eyes closed and his mouth only a sigh away from Oliver’s, he rested his forehead on Oliver’s and murmured, “I wanted to kiss you the other morning on the train. I’m sorry I hurt you, but not sorry I jumped on you, because I want you … want to know you … get to know you.”

Oliver stirred in his arms again and Noah opened his eyes.

Oliver placed a soft kiss on Noah’s mouth. “I … feel the same about you. I wanted the kiss—craved it, in fact. Noah, I should probably go home and check my bruises, get cleaned up—if the ride is still on offer.”

Noah forced himself from the languor of Oliver’s kiss. “What if you stay here and I’ll race off and bring my car back? I’ll only be a few minutes.”

“I’m really okay, just sort of achy.”

Noah shook his head. “I’d feel better if you rested here.” He left Oliver leaning against the wall and dashed along the street to his store’s delivery space. Happiness shielded him from the cold, foggy night. Lingering delight from Oliver’s kisses protected him from the fine rain that drenched everything. Elated, Noah sped back for Oliver. He turned up the heat in his car, parked in the no-parking zone, and helped Oliver into the passenger seat.

Oliver smiled at him in the dim glow of the streetlights. “Thank you.”

The seasonal fairy lights in the adjacent store window penetrated the fog with hazy dots of color. The drizzle put a ring of sparkles around Christmas lanterns hanging from the decorative rope lights strung across the streets. Noah leaned to Oliver and kissed him gently.

“Where do you live?”

Copyright E. D. Parr 2020, Evernight Publishing

BUY the BOOK

On launch discount at Evernight only https://www.evernightpublishing.com/night-song-by-e-d-parr/

Or find this gay romance on All Amazon sites http://mybook.to/NightSong

Smashwords https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1057936

Siren Bookstrand, https://www.bookstrand.com/book/night-song-mm

KOBO https://www.kobo.com/gb/en/ebook/night-song-12

NOOK https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/night-song-e-d-parr/1138445708

Find E. D. Parr

Evernight Publishing http://www.evernightpublishing.com/e-d-parr/

Twitter https://twitter.com/parr_books

Amazon page https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B01MUNJ3I8\

Blog https://parrx.blogspot.com

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/parrbooks/

Book Blitz: Holiday Magic by Alexa Piper #HolidayRomance @prowlingpiper

Posted on December 17, 2020 by JessicaS

Welcome to Magic Pen Book Tours‘ organized book blitz for Holiday Magic by Alexa Piper taking place December 14-18, 2020!

Book Details

0 COVER Holiday Magic by Alexa Piper

Title: Holiday Magic
Series: Elwenswood Tales #1
Author: Alexa Piper
Release Date: December 18, 2020
Genres: Adult, Urban Fantasy, Paranormal Romance, Romantic Comedy, MMF Romance (LGBTQ)
Type: Novella
Publisher: Changeling Press

Blurb

A hot vampire or a hot Elf? Charlie could choose… unless she makes both of them her lovers.

Charlie, the only non-witch in a family of witches, has resigned herself to the role of the black sheep who doesn’t fit in. She lives a normal, boring human life, interrupted only by the occasional family visit over the holidays.

But even a normal, boring human can run into a vampire. Hugo might just be the caring, protective, blood-drinking boyfriend Charlie never knew she needed, even if her family will disapprove.

Before Charlie and Hugo can even go on a proper date, Fae try to ruin Christmas, and Charlie finds herself confronted with her vampire boyfriend’s very hot Elven friend. The three of them will have to take a trip to Faerie to save Christmas before they can figure out who gets to kiss whom first.

PURCHASE NOW!
Amazon / KOBO / iBooks / Barns & Noble / Changeling

available now 1 Holiday Magic by Alexa Piper

Excerpt

The tram was climbing the part of New Elvenswood that had spread out over the sloping hills to the northeast. New Elvenswooders called it the Hills, Hillside, or even Upside. The valley, on the other hand, was usually just the Valley.

Charlie looked out the tram’s window. The November sky was hidden behind a lace-like veil of fog that gave the world a magical look. It pulled her mind toward fairy tales, toward Fair Folk on iridescent wings that made the holiday forests come to life with light and icy ornaments. Charlie looked away, looked down to the casserole of caramelized pears she had prepared for the Thanksgiving dinner. Magical. Though not for her.

Charlie had tried to worm her way out of spending Thanksgiving at her parents’ house, but her father and her mother had mounted a combined assault on their youngest daughter strong enough to render any lie of prior plans null and void. They had appealed to her emotions.

We hardly get to see you anymore, and you live just down in the Valley, her mother had said. You never come visit.

I’m almost done restoring that cabinet finally, and you promised you would help me, remember? Let’s do that over the weekend, her father had said.

In the end, Charlie had caved and agreed to come home for Thanksgiving dinner. She had determinedly not brought an overnight bag because she had no wish at all to stay the night, let alone the weekend, and spend it in her old room, her old bed, feeling like she had when she still lived at her parents’ house.

Charlie put the casserole down in the empty seat next to hers, fussed with her scarf and the suddenly itchy and too tight dress under it. Mom and Dad never make the twins feel that guilty, and they actually moved out of town.

The tram was almost empty, and Charlie got off at one of the last stops on this line, Oak Eaves. She readjusted her scarf again, pulled on her gloves, and stepped out of the warmth of public transport into the icy November air. It had started snowing just a couple of days ago, and here on the Hills, there was still a good amount more snow than back down in the Valley. Charlie crunched her way through the whiteness as the tram started speeding away past her. Her sighs turned into icy clouds.

“Miss! Excuse me?”

Charlie turned, and stared. “Ah, my pears!” One of the other passengers had her casserole dish in hand and was walking up to her.

“Sorry — you left this on the tram,” he said, and handed her the dish.

“Oh, thank you. You just saved me from embarrassing myself.” She looked after the tram, which was moving farther up the Hills. “Was this your stop?”

He had no cap on, no gloves either. His hair was dark and thick, already catching snowflakes like icing sugar, and there was laughter in his eyes. “No, not quite. But I’m afraid I had to get off to catch your attention.” He grinned. “Your mind seemed elsewhere.”

_____

Author Bio

Alexa Piper writes steamy romance that ranges from light to dark, from straight to queer. She’s also a coffee addict. She loves writing series, and her Fairview Chronicles follow a ragtag gang of supernaturals who try to make their city safer. Mostly. Her second series, Dusk & Dawn, explores banter and the trappings of a world in which Vampires, Werewolves, and the Fae live alongside humans.

New Release: How Not to Date a Snowman by Stephanie Burke #ParanormalRomance #HolidayRomance @FlashyCat

Posted on December 16, 2020 by JessicaS

How Not To Date A Snowman (How Not To 11)

It’s Christmas, and climatologist Lydia Doyle is stuck in the worst place possible — the Florida Everglades — alone in a record breaking heat wave. Her twin sister, who she usually spends the holidays with, has bailed, but not before she sends a special Christmas present — a cute stuffed, snowman plushy.

After rebelling to free his people, Nix, onetime Warrior Prince of the Snowmen tribe, finds himself cursed into a soft, helpless body until someone makes a heartfelt wish. He never expect to be thrust into this new world stuck in his secondary form, with the most beautiful human he’s ever seen.

But a heated argument, an attack goose named Frankie, and an accidental melting changes things for them both, all in one chaotic morning. Now Lydia has to find a way to put her snowman back together again and hope she hasn’t ruined her chance for a very happy holiday.

Available from Changeling Press

EXCERPT

“Grandma got run over by a reindeer!” Lydia Doyle sadly sang along with the radio as she melted into a puddle of overheated climatologist. Here she was, lying in her bed dressed in just an oversized tank top, tossing grapes to her pet goose while she tried to get over that feeling of betrayal her twin sister’s absence caused. “On my way to my house Christmas Eve–” An indignant honk from her pet and best friend at least put smile to her face.

Frankie was an Egyptian goose with distinctive pink legs and feet. He also had beautiful bronze-colored flight feathers that matched the smaller, softer feathers that surrounded his piercing amber eyes. With his unique beauty, there was no way anyone could mistake him for anything but the beautiful territorial bird that he was and not a typical unsophisticated barn goose. Sure, his pink beak, with the hooked, black-tipped end, made him appear dangerous, but he was just a big old sweetheart…that had the ability to geld a man if she asked him nicely.

“Silly goose.” She laughed. “How can I be alone when I have you?”

Even that amusement was short-lived, however, because no matter how she looked at it, Lydia was trapped in Doug.

Doug wasn’t a really bad place… Okay, it was surrounded by ghost towns and had the added tourist attraction of being home to a place where the occasional croc was seen keeping company with alligators while some perverted dolphins watched, but at least it wasn’t some frozen arctic wasteland… though a little arctic air would not be amiss at this moment.

Lydia’s house came with a sweet HVAC unit… and unfortunately it was busted. When she complained about it to her landlord, he supplied a window unit for her to use… but it too was broken. And here she was, stuck in Doug during one of the longest heat waves on record for the Everglades in South Florida.

Doug was an island about ten miles away from Chokoloskee, Florida, with a static population of less than four hundred people, and some of the prettiest gardens she had ever seen. But her company didn’t think getting her accommodations on the pretty main island was close enough to her testing station. So no, she did not have access to their pet friendly restaurants, nail salons, and shopping district where she could waste her hard-earned cash on frivolous items that would remind her of her time in Florida. Alas, no. She was on Doug with a population that was more scarce than teeth in a hen’s mouth, an absolutely stunning colloquialism she had learned since she had been dropped off and abandoned here. She would kill to see four hundred people instead of the roughly two hundred she had to deal with here… on Doug.

Doug had a tight-knit community, one that she really wasn’t a part of. The people there let her know it, ignoring her greetings and giving her the side-eye when she went for a walk with Frankie to alleviate her boredom when her workday was done. She was alone and that made her even sadder because her placement here was indefinite.

“I feel so lonely, I could cry,” she muttered and Frankie honked at her before preening as she tossed him another grape. That last honk was more of an emotive squawk, almost as if Frankie could understand what she was saying and was now intent on reminding her that sometimes two legs were just as good as four, if not better.

She had acquired Frankie when she was doing her stint in studying desert climates in South Africa. He was an injured sterile male who would never have a chance at finding a mate. He had been a parting gift to her by her then lover…. The asshole who shall remain nameless… right before he skipped off to marry a woman his family arranged as a wife. It would have been nice if the bastard had told her he was only in it for fun and games before she managed to catch feelings for that son of a bitch.

Well, the sex had been good. Damn, she missed the sex. She was running out of batteries for her BOB, battery operated boyfriend, and the Bessie Sisters who ran the general store were beginning to give her odd looks for the sheer quantity she went through in a week. Maybe she could buy them in bulk from Amazon?

And speaking of mail order deliveries, Lydia again looked at the package that had been waiting for her today after she was done tromping through the razor grass and horny lizards — who knew that a crocodile and an alligator could have a sexual relationship? — that filled the areas surrounding Doug where she had to take water temperatures and plant life samples.

Her twin sister, Lana Doyle, a research biologist stationed in the friggin’ South Pole, was supposed to come and visit, but there was some issue or something with some gay penguins actually finding an abandoned egg to adopt that left her screaming in delight and unable to leave her guys until she knew if the egg was viable. Lana’s explanation for the last-minute cancellation came with a barrage of photos and apologies that forced Lydia put on a happy face and forgive her sister for leaving her alone in fucking Doug.

“As if penguins are better than geese.” She snorted, shaking her head at her sister’s stupid obsession. “She even let one of those fish munchers live with her, setting up a habitat for it in her yurt and everything. Sometimes I wonder what’s going on in that girl’s head.”

Frankie honked in agreement and she tossed him another grape.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Stephanie is a USA Today Best Selling, multi published, multi award-winning author, Master Costumer, handicapped, wife and mother of two.

Find her online: Website | Facebook

SPOTLIGHT: Silent Knight/Sleepless Knight (Duet) by Gale Stanley #HolidayRomance #LGBTQ @GalenStanley

Posted on December 16, 2020 by JessicaS

Silent Knight / Sleepless Knight by Gale Stanley

Cover art: Bryan Keller

Genres: Gay Romance, Multiple Partners, Holiday

Length: Box Set

Page Count: 145

Silent Knight

Paul Stanton thought he had it all, a great job, a beautiful condo and a stable relationship with his boss, but when his lover dumps him for another man, Paul is forced to rethink his life. Rather than spend the holidays alone in San Francisco he visits his childhood home in rural Pennsylvania. But only a few days with his family is enough to convince Paul that you can’t go home again.

Paul leaves for the airport in the midst of a snowstorm. Stranded in the woods, a chance meeting with a hunter is his only option for survival. Paul knows the type, a backwoods bigot just like the men he grew up with, but what choice does he have? A few days with the hunter convinces Paul there’s more to Andy Reynolds than meets the eye. But is it enough to bind two men who have nothing in common except their sex?

Sleepless Knight

Andy and Paul are totally committed to each other, but when the two-year itch infects their relationship, Paul becomes distant and refuses to talk about it. Andy arranges a much needed vacation, but on the way home they pick up a hitchhiker who’s willing to trade sex for a roof over his head. Andy will do anything to make Paul happy, even if it means bringing another man into their bed. But is a threesome really the answer? Or will it drive them further apart?

Silent Knight Excerpt:

Andy studied his houseguest. Under different circumstances, Paul’s features would be extremely appealing, but right now, his high cheekbones were an unhealthy shade of pale, and his sensual lips were blue. He hoped Paul would accept his help. “Okay, let’s get you into bed.”

“I usually get dinner first,” Paul mumbled.

Paul’s attempt at humor was a good sign. Andy chuckled. “I’ll give you something to nibble on later, city boy.”

Andy helped his unexpected guest to the sleeping alcove. It was only across the room, but Paul leaned heavily on Andy, and by the time he sat on the bed, sweat beaded on Paul’s forehead. The man was obviously exhausted, but he tried to push Andy away when he attempted to undress Paul.

“Come on, city boy. You need to warm up.”

“I’m good.” Paul’s sentence ended with a shiver.

“You’re not good. You’re hypothermic and maybe frostbitten. Let me take your clothes off, and maybe we’ll save a few body parts.”

Andy’s harsh words must have gotten through to Paul. He stopped protesting and allowed Andy to undress him. When only Paul’s boxers remained, Andy surveyed his body with a clinical eye. There were no disturbing signs of frostbite. He just needed to rest and warm up. Paul might be cold, but he was also incredibly hot. Andy couldn’t help checking out his houseguest’s perfect golden tan. Obviously, the man was from a warmer locale. And Paul’s lean, muscular body, sprinkled with light brown hair, shouted gym rat. When Paul lay down on his back, Andy was surprised to see an erection escaping Paul’s boxers. He reached for the waistband to pull the shorts off.

Paul rose on his elbows and swore under his breath. “See anything you like?”

Sleepless Knight Excerpt

Los Angeles, California

Who gets fired from a stripper job? Un-fucking-believable. He’d missed one fucking last minute schedule change and the manager gave him the boot. At the last club, he’d got sacked for arguing with a customer who’d gotten too frisky.

Maybe he should try another line of work. Do you want fries with that?

Zach consoled himself with a beer at the Banana Bar, an upscale dance club he really couldn’t afford. He didn’t even notice the guy next to him until he felt a firm thigh rubbing against his. He glanced over from the corner of his eye.

“A penny for your thoughts.”

“They’re not worth that much.”

“Bad day?”

“The worst. I lost a lover and a job.”

“Shit, man. That’s too bad. Let me buy you another beer. I’m Rick Lord, by the way.”

“Zach Baker.” He twisted and put out a hand.

“It has a nice ring to it. Real or screen name?”

“I don’t have any use for a screen name. You?”

“You never heard of me?”

“No, can’t say I have.”

“Well, I haven’t been in the business long,” Rick conceded.

“What business is that?”

“Rick Lord of the Jungle.”

Zach looked at him blankly.

“Porn, sweetheart. My dick is getting rave reviews.”

“Sorry man. I’ll have to pick up a copy. I’ve been thinking about getting into skin flicks myself.”

“Really?” Rick eyed him with interest. “My producer is always looking for guys. Wanna show me what you got?”

This could be the break he’d been waiting for — or just another guy looking for a blowjob. What the hell. Zach couldn’t afford to pass up a chance, even a small one. He nodded.

“Meet me in the alley.” Rick threw some money on the bar. Zach slid off the stool and walked toward the backdoor, knowing Rick would follow.

Light from the street cast a dim glow over the alley. Zach unzipped and freed himself. Rick ran his fingers up and down Zach’s flaccid prick. Zach took over, pumping until his erection grew long and hard in his hand. “Seven inches.”

Rick licked his lips. “Nice, but let’s see what you can do.”

Zach expected he’d have to audition. He got to his knees and worked on Rick’s zipper. The man’s cock sprang free. Already rock hard, it didn’t need much work. Christ, eight or nine inches at least. But Zach had no doubts about his cock sucking abilities.

He closed his eyes and inhaled Rick’s intoxicating male scent before licking the head of his cock and wrapping his lips around the shaft. Zach relaxed his throat muscles and let the long, hard length ease down his throat until Rick’s trimmed bush tickled his nose.

Zach slid his lips back up Rick’s cock and he sucked on the sensitive head. The taste of precum exploded on his tongue and he sucked harder. He reached down and fisted his own stiff dick.

“That’s it sweetheart. Use your tongue.” Rick urged him on.

He knew Rick was close when he started fucking Zach’s mouth in earnest. In a few minutes Rick filled his throat with spurts of hot salty cum.

Zach swallowed Rick’s load and jerked his own cock in a frenzied attempt to get off. A few more hard strokes and he splattered the bricks with his cum.

Available at

Changeling Press | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | iBooks

Author Bio and Links

Gale Stanley grew up in Philadelphia PA. She was the kid who always had her nose in a book, her head in the clouds, and her hands on a pad and pencil.

Some things never change.

Happy Reading!

New Release: Wrapped in Red and Green by Wendi Zwaduk #HolidayRomance #ContemporaryRomance @MeganSlayer

Posted on December 16, 2020 by JessicaS

Wrapped in Red and Green by Wendi Zwaduk

Naughty or Nice? collection (Book #4)

Contemporary Holiday Romance

Menage, M/F/M, BDSM, Anal Sex, Double Penetration, Toys, Spanking, Bondage

From Totally Entwined

Santa Dom is coming to town….

Darby Mitchell wants two things for Christmas—to be left in Masters Adam and Hill’s stocking and to have one hell of a scene with both men. She writes a letter to Santa Dom pleading her case. Will the naughty old elf listen?

Adam Dent and Hill Joseph want Darby. She’s sweet, adorable and their kind of sub. When they learn she’s asked Santa Dom to be theirs, they set about making her holly, mistletoe and naughty dreams come true. There’s one catch—she’s not the only sub who’s asked for them for Christmas. Can they prove she’s the one or will forces she can’t control mean she has to wait another year for her wishes to come true?

If Masters Adam and Hill have their way, they’ll give her the painfully fun Christmas Eve she’s always wanted.

This book contains scenes of mfm menage, wax play, voyeurism and exhibitionism.

General Release Date: 15th December 2020

Available Now:

Excerpt:

Darby groaned. “Thank you, Sirs.”

“So responsive still.” Hill threaded his fingers into her hair, tipping her head back. “Do you want to play with us more?”

“Yes, Sirs. I do, Sirs.” Darby gasped. She glanced at Hill, then at Adam. “I want to be owned by you.”

Interesting. Adam spanked her again. “Maybe Santa Dom will gift you to us this year. Would you like that?”

She met Adam’s gaze again. “Yes.” Her eyes lit up. “I would, Sirs. Thank you, Sirs.”

Hill nuzzled her neck again, then removed the collar and leash. He handed her a robe. “If you want to be ours, make sure you wear the same outfit.”

“And remain smooth,” Adam said. He slid his hand over her belly, then speared his middle finger between her legs. “Wet already? You are responsive.” Christ. He loved when the sub got so excited for play.

Hill draped the robe around her shoulders. “Write that letter. Santa Dom just might be inclined to give in to your request.” He picked up her clothes and handed the garments to her.

“Yes, Sirs.” She clutched the front of the robe. “I will, Sirs. Thank you, Sirs.”

“Good Girl.” Adam rested his hand on her lower back. He escorted her to the main playroom. He’d prefer to have more time to scene with her tonight, but he didn’t want to overwhelm her yet. Besides, he and Hill needed the chance to discuss her. On their next scene, he and Hill would test her and learn about the rest of Darby.

About the Author:

Wendi Zwaduk, is a multi-published, award-winning author of more than one-hundred short stories and novels. She’s been writing since 2008 and published since 2009. Her stories range from the contemporary and paranormal to LGBTQ and BDSM themes. No matter what the length, her works are always hot, but with a lot of heart. She enjoys giving her characters a second chance at love, no matter what the form. She’s been the runner up in the Kink Category at Love Romances Café as well as nominated at the LRC for best author, best contemporary, best ménage and best anthology. Her books have made it to the bestseller lists on Amazon.com.

When she’s not writing, Megan spends time with her husband and son as well as three dogs and three cats. She enjoys art, music and racing, but football is her sport of choice. She’s an active member of the Friends of the Keystone-LaGrange Public library. Find out more about Megan and Wendi at: http://wendizwaduk.com/indexMegan.htm Sign up for the newsletter here: http://ymlp.com/xgjmjumygmgj

Website, Blog, Fan Page, Amazon Author Page, Bookbub, Instagram, Goodreads, and Twitter

New Release: Blood (Salvation’s Bane MC) by Marteeka Karland #ContemporaryRomance @marteekakarland

Posted on December 12, 2020 by JessicaS

Alizay — My life is complicated enough without the big biker mercenary I’m tasked with helping to rehabilitate. He’s not a fan of physical therapy and I’m not a fan of the way I react to his body. Nothing in my life could have prepared me for the man called Blood. He’s crass, stubborn, and so sexy it actually hurts. If I’m going to resist him I’ve got to be strong. I’m just not sure any woman is strong enough to ignore him when he decides he doesn’t want to be ignored.

Blood — I’m the one who cleans up the messes made by others. Then she comes along and suddenly I’m the mess. She thinks she’s leaving when she’s done with me, but I’ve got other plans for little Alizay. She’s going to be mine whether she wants to or not. Her past may stand in our way, but that doesn’t mean I’m going to give up.

With Christmas on the way and me dragging out my recovery in order to get some quality time with my sexy therapist, my club and my team decide to bring Christmas to me. Bones, Salvation’s Bane, and the Shadow Demons. All under one roof. What could possibly go wrong?

WARNING: Explicit violence which could be a trigger for some readers. Explicit sex that might offend some readers. As always, you can expect a HEA with no cheating.

Now Available at Changeling Press

or preorder for December 18th at online booksellers

EXCERPT

“Fucking hell! Is everyone here? Blood needs immediate medical attention!” That was Shadow. The big African-American was trying to pry off Blood’s body armor. What had been once been as flexible as a T-shirt was now stiff as fucking steel. Shadow swore as he pulled and tried to force the material away from Blood, but it wouldn’t budge. “Someone tell me how to get this fuckin’ shit off him! I need to see how bad he’s hurt!”

Blood could have told him it was pretty fucking bad. But the more Shadow and Sword tried to work with the armor, the worse it hurt. It wasn’t long before the edges of Blood’s vision blurred. The pain was so bad now he couldn’t scream even if he’d wanted to. Every movement of his leg took any breath he might have used, so he didn’t have breath to spare to scream.

He closed his eyes, trying to find the calm that was so easy for him to hold on to in battle. It was there, but the pain was unrelenting. There seemed to be no ease on it. It was like that fucking body armor was holding his leg in an unnatural position, creating the unbearable, stabbing pain in his hip and thigh.

Blood heard his brothers readying for battle. Blindly, he reached for his sidearm, trying to chamber a round. Someone grabbed the weapon from his hands, not bothering to explain.

The next thing he saw was the most angelic, beautiful face he’d ever had the pleasure of viewing. As before, when he’d first noticed the threat looming over him, the sun shone on the woman leaning over him. Her golden hair gleamed as she moved, looking much like a halo around her head. Impossibly pale skin was stained with pink on her cheeks. Her hand brushed over his face, pulling off his helmet. Everywhere her skin touched his was like silk over his rough skin.

“We’re going to get you out of here,” she said, her voice melodious and strong. Blood reached for her wrist weakly when she pulled away. His big hand circled her delicate arm with room to spare. Was she a child? She reached for his chest and did something with her free hand. Immediately, the armor relaxed around him and his leg moved back to a more relaxed position. The pain was still there, but not the sharp, constant agony from before. She immediately stuffed what he thought was a trauma dressing over the leg she’d just bared, pressing down hard. Pain exploded down the limb as she did.

“What did you do?” He managed to bite out, his voice barely above a whisper and so hoarse he hardly recognized himself.

“Sometimes, the material gets stuck,” she explained, sounding like she was oversimplifying the process but repeating it as it had been told to her. “You have to release it. So I did.”

Blood wanted to ask her how, but now that the pain had ebbed somewhat, he was crashing. Hard. Try as he might, he couldn’t focus on the woman. All he managed to croak out was, “What’s your name?”

When she smiled, it was like the heavens had opened up and welcomed him with arms wide. “Alizay,” she said. Blood let out a breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Erotic romance author by night, emergency room tech/clerk by day, Marteeka Karland works really hard to drive everyone in her life completely and totally nuts. She has been creating stories from her warped imagination since she was in the third grade. Her love of writing blossomed throughout her teenage years until it developed into the totally unorthodox and irreverent style her English teachers tried so hard to rid her of.

Book Blitz: The Christmas Spirit by Alexandrea Weis #ContemporaryRomance @alexandreaweis

Posted on December 10, 2020 by JessicaS

The Christmas Spirit
Alexandrea Weis
Published by: Rosewind Books
Publication date: October 27th 2020
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

“Ghostly occurrences and ancient folklore make this feel like a modern, romantic twist on A Christmas Carol.” ~Library Journal

SOMETIMES IT TAKES ONE BROKEN HEART TO HEAL ANOTHER.

Courtney Winston is a writer on a deadline. Eager to finish her book and get over a recent break-up, she ditches Christmas with her family and retreats to a secluded cabin in the mountains.

Appliances rarely work, and cell service is spotty, but Courtney senses there is more to her rustic rental—something dark and haunting.

Then Peter, the attractive Stone Mountain Lodge owner, and a meddling cook, Mrs. Finn, keep coming around, shattering her peace and offering advice on how to fix her heavy heart.

Courtney grows closer to Peter, but Mrs. Finn warns her of his troubled past. Undaunted, Courtney sets out to win him over. But being with the brooding stranger may end up costing her more than she ever imagined.

Goodreads / Amazon

—

EXCERPT:

Peter collected the chopped wood and set it on top of the pile against the house. Then he went around a corner, still not looking at her.

She waited on the step, refusing to go after him, but not mad enough to head inside and get out of the cold.

When he returned, he had three more heavy logs in his arms. Peter dumped them by the stump, keeping his eyes on the wood.

“Good morning,” she said, unable to stand the silent treatment any longer.

He ignored her and set one of the logs on the stump. He lifted his ax, centering the blade over the wood.

The ax came down, perfectly splitting the log in two. He worked methodically as he retrieved one of the halved pieces.

Another thunk cleaved the wood into smaller portions.

“Are you still mad about me beating you?”

He collected the pieces and brought them to her woodpile, keeping quiet.

She folded her arms, growing annoyed.

“I didn’t do anything to you that isn’t done a hundred times a day in any hockey rink across the country.”

He picked up another log and set it on the stump.

The heat in her cheeks rose. “Was leaving me in those woods your way of getting even? Well then, congratulations. One cheap shot deserved another.”

He lifted his ax and ran his hand up and down the handle. “I didn’t leave you. I made sure you could follow me back.”

“Am I supposed to be grateful to you for scaring me to death?”

He poised the ax blade above the log. “You’re not dead. Not even close.”

A loud crack reverberated as the ax drove into the wood.

A slither of satisfaction coiled through her when the blade got stuck halfway through the log.

With one arm, he picked up the ax and slammed the jammed log against the stump, but the stubborn log held on. Peter’s cheeks reddened as he raised the ax again and kicked at the determined chunk of wood.

“You need to sharpen your ax,” she said in a matter-of-fact tone.

He finally looked up at her. “What would you know about chopping wood?”

She smirked. “I know a dull tool when I see one.”

Her point made, Courtney turned back into the cabin, leaving him to stew.

But the moment she shut the door, it flew open. He stood in the doorway, the vexation in his eyes mirrored the knots in her stomach.

He put his hands on the doorframe, digging his nails into the wood. “I’m not mad about the game. I’m not a child.”

She pulled her robe closer. “Then why are you acting like one?”

The harsh lines in his brow softened. “I should never have come to you. I should have stayed away and left you alone in this cabin.”

Her first reaction was to balk at his confession, but then the meaning behind his words sank in, hitting her harder than any blow from his ax.

“Is that why you ran off the other day? Because you regretted knowing me?”

“I could never regret that. You have been a shining light in my very dark world.”

Author Bio:

Alexandrea Weis, RN-CS, PhD, is a multi-award-winning author, screenwriter, advanced practice registered nurse, and historian who was born and raised in the French Quarter of New Orleans. Having grown up in the motion picture industry as the daughter of a director, she learned to tell stories from a different perspective. Infusing the rich tapestry of her hometown into her novels, she believes that creating vivid characters makes a story moving and memorable.

Weis writes romance, mystery, suspense, thrillers, supernatural, and young adult fiction and has sold approximately one million books. She lives with her husband and pets in New Orleans where she is a permitted/certified wildlife rehabber with the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries and rescues orphaned and injured animals.

She is a member of both the International Thriller Writers Association and the Horror Writers Association. http://www.AlexandreaWeis.com

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / Newsletter

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Book Blitz: O Night Divine (A Holiday Collection of Spirited Christmas Tales) #historicalromance @XpressoTours

Posted on December 2, 2020 by JessicaS

O Night Divine: A Holiday Collection of Spirited Christmas Tales
Publication date: December 17th 2020
Genres: Adult, Historical Romance, Romance

A MASTERPIECE OF HOLIDAY STORYTELLING…

Enjoy this stunning holiday collection from some of your favorite Dragonblade Publishing authors in this collection of never-before published seasonal tales!

Imagine, if you will, that it is Christmas Eve.

The candles are guttered, one by one, and a hush falls over the parlor. The children have gone to bed, and a tall, gloriously decorated Christmas tree looms in the shadows of the hearth’s dying embers. A tattered copy of Charles Dickens’ masterwork, “A Christmas Carol” sits, cold and lonely, upon a table nearby.

A small gust of wind, hurling from the seam of an ill-fitting window, blows the cover open. The first chapter appears… “Marley’s Ghost”…

The clock on the wall chimes midnight.

Now, the magic happens.

From the gaily bedecked halls of Regency England to the cold and crisp air of the Scottish Highlands, and everything in between, enjoy the magic of a holiday collection that has drawn inspiration from Charles Dickens’ most beloved literary works. Where the ghosts of Christmas, the incandescent spirit of a tiny disabled boy, and the joy that is the very heart of the Christmas season come alive.

USA Today and Internationally bestselling authors bring you their version of a Dickens’-inspired holiday in O NIGHT DIVINE.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo

—

This collection includes:

Twas the Executioner Knight Before Christmas by Kathryn Le Veque

A medieval version of the Ghost of Christmas Future…

No one survives an Executioner Knight and least of all, Maxton of Loxbeare. But when he married his wife and had children, three little girls right away, Maxton grew a heart. He became a devoted and dedicated father who loved his children dearly. But the Executioner Knight in him still lived. So after a very bad dream, Maxton sees that, for his daughters’ sake, he must change.

Learn more about Kathryn Le Veque: https://kathrynleveque.com

The Laird’s Yulebringer by Caroline Lee

The Mackenzies are in mourning… none so much as their laird. Since the loss of his wife, leaving Callan to raise a young son alone, he believes he’s lost his chance at happiness. As his extended family gathers to celebrate the Yule together, they can do naught to raise his spirits… until a midnight visitor—of the ghostly variety—brings him hope for the future.

Learn more about Caroline Lee: https://collettecameron.com

Making Spirits Bright by Chasity Bowlin

After a lifetime of secrets, scandal, and disappointment… Elizabeth doesn’t believe in happy endings, at least not for herself. But an unconventional nobleman, with the help of a novice Spirit of Christmas, may just change her mind…

Learn more about Chasity Bowlin: https://chasitybowlin.com

The Haunted Scot by Hildie McQueen

The allure of a reformed rake…

She’s as determined to pursue him as he is to keep his distance. After a heartbreaking debacle, Thomas Sullivan decides to give up his roguish ways and considers the priesthood. Unfortunately, the beautiful arrival gives him second thoughts. Mary Asher is not sure why the handsome new driver tries to avoid her at all costs. After being told he follows her every move, Mary decides to test him.

Learn more about Hildie McQueen: https://www.hildiemcqueen.com

Never Keep a Secret at Christmas by Maggi Andersen

’Tis not the season to be surreptitious…

Alice Dountry’s father has gout, and she must spend Christmas with her sister, Marian, Lady Belfries. Their neighbor, the gruff, bad-tempered Earl of Hawkinge, refuses Marian’s invitation to Christmas dinner.

While chatting with him over the garden wall, Alice suspects something deeper lies beneath his humbug opinion of Christmas. Hawkinge and his grandson, Hugh Gifford, are at odds. Alice writes to Hugh but must keep it a secret from her sister.

When the handsome Lord Gifford arrives, there is an immediate spark between them. But Lord Hawkinge is hardly welcoming, and now, Marian and her husband argue over the secret letter.

Learn more about Maggi Andersen: https://maggiandersenauthor.com

Her Star from the East by Mary Lancaster

Miss Emma Sayle has enjoyed two London seasons and rejected many suitors. Her heart was given long ago to an exciting prince of the east, a man of another country and another faith. As Christmas approaches, she daydreams of what her life with him might have been – until his ghost walks out of the freezing fog. But is it the ghost of his past or her future?

Learn more about Mary Lancaster: https://www.facebook.com/mary.lancaster.1656

The Remembrance of Love by Meara Platt

Hyacinth Farthingale has known and loved Lord Innes Buchan since the day she was born. She is now in her debut season, and as Christmas approaches, it is high time this aloof and lonely lord realized his happiness depends on marrying her.

Learn more about Meara Platt: http://www.mearaplatt.com

How to get an Earl of Christmas by Violetta Rand

Learn more about Violetta Rand: http://www.violettarandromance.com/

Yuletide at Gillingham by Alexa Aston

A lonely holiday…

One boy abandoned by a greedy gambling father. Another boy watches his father slowly dying. A lasting friendship that will see them through the hard times—and beyond…

Top of Form

Bottom of Form

Can two lonely boys draw strength from one another during a Yuletide season that only promises heartbreak?
Learn more about Alexa Aston: https://alexaaston.com

A Thrill of Hope by Anna Markland

Foiling an attempt to assassinate Queen Victoria earns Parker a medal and royal gratitude. The lunatic’s bayonet plunged into his thigh leaves him with a pronounced limp and reassignment to a small constabulary. Particularly trying is having to spend Christmas Day with his

miserly uncle.

During her family’s Yuletide celebrations, Samantha discovers she doesn’t love her straitlaced fiancé. A bleak future looms large.

Neither realize that anarchists are plotting to blow up a newly-constructed railway bridge—although Parker might if he’d heed the mysterious warning voices he hears.

A tale of the eternal struggle between good and evil.

Learn more about Anna Markland: https://www.annamarkland.com/

A Gift for Agatha by Anna St. Claire

A visit and a warning…

Years after her husband’s death, Lady Agatha Wendt has become a surly, cold-hearted miser, increasingly left to her own company. Childless and with little family, the wealthy widow fears

falling into poverty and spurns even the smallest gestures of Christmas giving. A determined spirit visits the wealthy widow and warns her change must happen.

Charles Bentley, her butler, sees goodness in her, and finds himself attracted to the real Agatha—despite knowing they could never be.

Can the spirit awaken Agatha to her real fears and help her to overcome them in time to realize the gift she has always wanted?

Learn more about Anna St. Claire: https://www.annastclaire.com

The Heart is Never Silent by Aubrey Wynne

Miss Etta Rose Comden is desperate to protect her younger sister, Horatia, after the death of their father. When the heir—and Tia’s new guardian—finds out his ward is deaf, he makes plans to send her away and marry Etta. With no one to turn to, the sisters flee in the middle of the night.

Dr. Gus Wharren, disillusioned with his practice in London, retreats to his late grandmother’s estate. Instead of a much-needed respite, he finds two lovely females stranded along the road.

Two sisters on the run. A London physician who has given up on humanity. The spirit of a loving grandmother. The stage is set for a holiday full of coincidence, a little Christmas magic, and a happy ever after.

Learn more about Aubrey Wynne: https://www.aubreywynne.com

Of Christmas Past by Charlotte Wren

Pride and promise before forgiveness

At the volatile age of seventeen, Percival Josiah Northcott storms out of Highfield Hall on Christmas Eve, vowing never to return. It is a vow supported solely by pride, which, as the old adage goes, generally comes before a fall.

Five years later, Percival has fallen about as low as a man can get. He secretly longs to return home, but pride and fear stand in his way. That is, until he’s visited by someone from his past, someone who gives him the courage to seek his family’s forgiveness.

But first, he must promise to complete a very special task.

Learn more about Charlotte Wren: https://www.facebook.com/Wrenbook/

Tidings of Comfort by Elizabeth Ellen Carter

A boy with a remarkable talent…

In the lead up to Christmas, Captain Kit Hardacre is in London looking for his long-lost parents. After a disappointing initial search, he finds himself in the city alone. Bringing him out of his self-pity is a call to help in a search for a missing little boy. But which one of them is more lost?

When Kit finds Pip, he discovers a youngster with a remarkable talent for going directly into the heart of those he meets. After seeing Pip safely returned, Kit’s faith in family is restored and a kind word gives him the courage to continue his search.

Learn more about Elizabeth Ellen Carter: https://eecarter.com

A Christmas Miracle by Elizabeth Johns

Alex Hartmere, Duke of Frompton, has endured enough heartache to make any man bitter.

Having lost his wife and child in the war in Canada, he returns to England, only to inherit a dukedom from a father who dies in a scandalous duel soon afterwards.

Repairing to his family estate for Christmas, Alex finds his first love now widowed and penniless. Can a Christmas miracle, in the form of a crippled little girl, bring them the happiness which was once stripped away from them?

Learn more about Elizabeth Johns: https://www.elizabethjohnsauthor.com/

Her Christmas White Knight by Elizabeth Keysian

England, Yuletide 1587

The dice have really been loaded against Mistress Julia Wentworth. Little wonder she no longer trusts a soul—except for the urchin she rescued from the poorhouse. Having fallen in love with—and been abandoned by—a murderous traitor, Julia’s been turned out by her family and left to scrape what living she can on the brutal London streets. When a goose strays into her yard, it looks as if she’ll at least have something to feast on at Christmas.

Exploding into her life in pursuit of his goose is Myall Farrar, a scarred nobleman who loathes his miserly father and can’t afford to lose the fowl for which he’s scrimped and saved all year.

Can there be any common ground between the mismatched Myall and Julia? Is there any hope of goodwill within their families? And—perhaps more importantly—will the goose prove itself worth saving from the butcher’s knife?

Learn more about Elizabeth Keysian: https://elizabethkeysian.com/

Always the Mistletoe by Emily E K Murdoch

When a woman loves a man, it’ll take more than a little Scrooge like behavior to stop her standing by him. Her family, on the other hand…

Learn more about Emily E K Murdoch: https://emilyekmurdoch.com

A Libertine’s Christmas Miracle by Emily Royal

Christmas is a time for miracles

Alice and Ross Trelawney are enjoying a quiet Christmas in Cornwall, until their daughter Amelia strays onto the nearby estate of Mr. Scrimgeour, the infamous Beast of Boscarne. When Amelia comes home in tears after a terrifying encounter, Alice resolves to teach the Beast a lesson.

Haunted by his late wife’s ghost and taunted by the locals, Edward Scrimgeour hides away in his crumbling mansion. His peace is shattered when his neighbor’s hellion of a wife storms into his home on Christmas Eve. But she’s no ordinary trespasser. When events threaten to take a tragic turn, Edward is given a chance at salvation, showing that miracles can occur in the unlikeliest of places.

Learn more about Emily Royal: http://www.emroyal.com/

Past, Present, Future by Lynne Connolly

Rhona sent the love of her life away once, but now Frederick is back. He doesn’t care that she’s a housekeeper, and he’s a wounded soldier and the brother of a duke. For the three nights of Christmas, he’ll give her three gifts; wooden figures he carved for her in the long nights before his last battle. They represent their past, their present, and what they could have in the future. If she doesn’t accept his love this time, he’ll leave for good.

Learn more about Lynne Connolly: https://lynneconnolly.com

A Yuletide Yearning by Maeve Greyson

Regret is a sly enemy…

Captain Tait Mackenzie doesn’t regret a life of pirating, but it’s Christmas and he’s lonely. Thoughts of dying alone trouble him. What woman would settle for a life with a pirate lord?

If wishes and dreams were oceans and streams, she’d sail her way to happiness…

Ellie has always loved Tait, but he politely ignores her. She intends to change that with a little help from the North Star.

Can three pirate ghosts on Christmas Eve scare some sense into a Scottish rogue and make him see that the love he needs has been right in front of him all along?

Learn more about Maeve Greyson: http://www.maevegreyson.com/

A Strange Christmas Game by Whitney Blake

Mr. Charles Mason doesn’t expect a December summons to end in his own love story…

Learn more about Whitney Blake: https://www.whitneyblakeauthor.net

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New Release: Waiting on a Friend by Megan Slayer #holidayromance #GayRomance @meganslayer

Posted on November 27, 2020 by JessicaS

Waiting On A Friend (A Start Me Up Christmas Story) (Set In Stone Multi-Author 12)

King Mason doesn’t want to spend another year alone. He loves his job at the men’s shelter, but there has to be more from life than work. He’s seen the pretty blond man around the community and can’t wait to make a move at the Christmas street party.

Randall Stevens has big plans for Christmas 1980, and all of them involve meeting King Mason. He’s fallen hard for the man, and his wish is to take things to the next level. Christmas Eve just might be the night — except some wishes are meant to go sideways. Can Start Me Up help provide the solution he and King need?

Get it Today at Changeling Press

or Preorder for December 4th at online booksellers

EXCERPT

King Mason tipped his face to the sky and breathed in the night air. For a December evening, the weather in Ohio was unseasonably warm. Probably good since the Christmas street party was scheduled for tonight. He wasn’t in the mood for dancing or drinking, but he wanted to be around people. For the last year, he’d drowned his sorrows in his work at the men’s shelter. He needed to forget his boyfriend, Chuck. Now ex-boyfriend. Chuck wanted to move on. He didn’t want a daddy. He wanted a pretty boy.

King gritted his teeth. Even thinking about Chuck’s term for him annoyed him. A daddy. So he was hairy. So he liked to take care of his partner. Was that bad? At least he could’ve been called a bear or something. He wasn’t super hairy, but more than a lot of guys. He’d never be pretty. It just wasn’t in his genetic makeup. He had scars from his antics as a child and would never not have five o’clock shadow. He looked rough.

He sighed and headed out to the street party. Guys he’d seen from the community, plus a whole lot more, had poured out to the streets. Guys of every shape, size, and so much red and green. Some guys had arrived in drag, sporting sumptuous glittery ball gowns and others with hair a good foot tall. He admired the drag queens. They had so much charisma and ferocity.

Christmas music played and lights glittered from every post. Whoever had done the decorating really liked the twinkle lights. Strands of tinsel blew in the slight breeze. The only way there could be more glitter would be to have someone tossing it from up above.

A guy sashayed passed King and flapped a length of garland at him. He’d decorated his blond wig with rhinestones and wore thick makeup, giving him the look of a tall version of the blond bombshell, Mae West — except with a moustache. “Come up and see me sometime,” the guy said and grinned. “When I’m bad, I’m better.”

King nodded. “Next time.” Everyone loved those old Mae West lines. He wandered through the men to the knot of his friends. Seeing the guys he knew and the ones who respected him helped. They wouldn’t ask about Chuck, and they wouldn’t bother him to hook up with someone else.

That didn’t mean he didn’t have a wish for Christmas. He tipped his face to the stars and murmured his desire. “Santa, I want a man for Christmas. A sweet one, who understands I want love and is willing to be a partner. Someone who will accept my idiosyncrasies and won’t run because I’m getting older.” He doubted there was enough magic in the cosmos to grant that wish, but it didn’t hurt to try. He wished the handsome man he’d seen wandering the community would be there. Every time he looked at the pretty blond man, sparks shot through his system. He’d like to hang some tinsel on him and kiss him under the mistletoe.

King snorted. He never considered himself a romantic, but he’d like to try a little romance with the blond — if he showed up.

“Gonna wrap someone in tinsel and kiss them under the mistletoe?” Todd asked. He’d made overtures toward King lots of times, but wasn’t quite what King wanted. “You keep telling me I’ll get a turn, but you’re always off with someone. You want to tease me, don’t you?”

“I wouldn’t say that.” King shrugged. “I’ve been single for almost a year.”

“Then take me home. We can play a game and hide presents from each other.” Todd trailed his fingers down King’s chest. “Or fuck. Who needs presents when you can fuck?”

“I’ll take it under consideration.” King smiled to hide his true feelings. He hated having to be on, but he wanted men to feel comfortable coming to the shelter, and Todd frequented the shelter — usually trolling for dates.

King prided himself in perpetuating a pleasant atmosphere at the shelter. The guys who showed up tended to be scared and at their wits’ end. Many had been disowned by family and were living on the fringes. They needed somewhere safe to exist and sort themselves out. Some needed to dry out, others needed to clean up… King wanted to be sure the guys were safe and had a friendly face at the desk.

Being a friendly face didn’t soothe his loneliness, especially at Christmas.

Kaz, a man King knew from the baths, crooked his brow. “Want to hook up in the changing rooms? Share a little Christmas cheer? I’ve got poppers.”

“Not tonight.” King wasn’t one for drinking, and he’d taken drugs exactly once — not his thing. The headache from the hangover was a drag, and the lone time he’d gotten high freaked him out too much. He hated losing control, and Kaz tended to fly a little too close to the edge for King. “Have a merry Christmas,” King said. “Happy New Year if I don’t see you before then.”

“You know I will — on both accounts.” Kaz shrugged. “If you’re interested, I’ll be at the baths until two.”

He didn’t doubt it. Kaz spent all his time looking for someone to fuck. King wasn’t one for casual. He wanted a steady guy. Someone to come home to, fuck, and love. Someone to hold when they slept. That’s what he wanted. Was that guy out there?

He hadn’t found the opportunity to talk to him. What if he could be King’s forever?

Darryl, the new owner of Start Me Up, strode up to King. “I hear you could use this.” He handed King a card. “I don’t know what for, and I don’t want to know. Take it.” He mashed the card into King’s hand. “Trust me.”

ABOUT MEGAN SLAYER

Megan Slayer, aka Wendi Zwaduk, is a multi-published, award-winning author of more than one-hundred short stories and novels. She’s been writing since 2008 and published since 2009. Her stories range from the contemporary and paranormal to LGBTQ and white hot themes. No matter what the length, her works are always hot, but with a lot of heart. She enjoys giving her characters a second chance at love, no matter what the form. She’s been nominated at the LRC for Best Author, Best Contemporary, Best Ménage, Best BDSM and Best Anthology. Her books have made it to the bestseller lists on various e-tailer sites.

Find her online: Author Website | Facebook

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