Lily G. Blunt

Check out the other books in the Jagged Shores series

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Jerico is about to meet two figures from his past.

One filled with love, the other consumed by vengeance.

Blurb

The coastal town of Nyemouth is the perfect location for celebrity chef Jerico Osman to fulfil a lifetime ambition. With it’s stunning harbour and brisk holiday trade, there’s no better place for him to open his first restaurant. It’s a dream that has been a decade in the making. But there’s another attraction in Nyemouth, one Jerico was completely unaware of.

Andy Quinn is content with his life. He has a great job managing Quay House, the popular waterfront hotel, and a peaceful home with a cat called Patches. Andy spent his twenties working in the cruise industry, exploring the world and has finally settled in his home town of Nyemouth. Those years at sea were a time of adventure and discovery, including a ship bound romance with a young Jerico. After fifteen years, Andy doubts the famous chef will even remember him, but from the moment they reconnect, the time they spent apart falls away.

Andy isn’t the only figure from Jerico’s past. A week before the restaurant is due to open, an act of reckless sabotage puts everything he cares about in danger, including Andy. Jerico has made an enemy, someone who will stop at nothing to see his long-realised dream become a nightmare. As a plan for vengeance is played out, who will survive until the end?

Fall in love with compelling new characters and rediscover some old favourites in the fifth and final instalment of the Jagged Shores series.

Excerpt

The evenings in Nyemouth were beautiful in the summer, when the blue sky was transformed to the most startling shades of purple, pink and red. It was Andy’s favourite time of the year, and tonight, it was even better, as he walked the South Point cliff with Jerico.

“It reminds me of all those sunsets we saw when we were at sea,” Jerico remarked.

Andy nodded his agreement. “I come up here a lot when I have the time, if I get finished at the hotel early enough. It helps me to relax. At this time of year, there’s nothing I like more.”

“It seems like you’ve always been drawn to the sea.”

“Mmm, probably. I grew up at the coast, worked on ships. I can’t imagine ever being far away from it.”

He was aware of Jerico watching him and tried to keep his gaze on the path ahead, though the temptation to turn and feast his own eyes was huge. Instead, he filled his lungs with the salty air coming from the water. Up here, the sticky heat of the hotel and the town centre was forgotten.

“What did you do?” Jerico asked. “After we lost touch. You have me at a disadvantage. You can find out about me online, everything I’ve ever done is there. But you, apart from your professional CV, there’s nothing.”

Now Andy could not resist looking at him, raising a bemused eyebrow. “So, you’ve been cyber-stalking me?”

“Doesn’t everyone?”

His brown skin looked glorious in the evening light. Andy’s mouth was dry. Jerico looked more handsome than he’d ever known him. How had they come to be here, after all this time? Andy knew he wasn’t dreaming. This was very real.

He wet his lips. “It’s a similar story to your own. I kept working at sea until I was around thirty.”

“Doing the same as before? Excursions and tours?”

“For a while, yes. But when I moved to another cruise company, an opportunity arose to join the hotel management side of the ship, and I found I enjoyed that even more. I became Deputy Hotel Manager after just two years. I loved being on the ships. I’m so glad I did all that. For a young guy in his twenties to travel the world and see all those places, how many people are lucky enough to do that?”

Jerico nodded. “It was great, though I don’t miss the force-eleven gales and ten-metre waves.”

Andy laughed. “Yeah, I think I’ve pushed those to the back of my mind and just remember the calm waters and sunsets.”

“I remember some really bad nights, trying to sing and dance while the stage was going up and down beneath my feet.” He gave a dramatic shudder and chuckled.

“But look at it now,” Andy said, gesturing to the peaceful North Sea. Tonight, there wasn’t even a white cap to ruffle its surface. “When I see it like this, I do miss being out there.”

“Would you ever go back? To working on the ships?”

“Nah. Been there, done that. I’m happy here. I’ve got my dream job and my family close by. I’ve seen almost all the world has to offer, so now I’m content to stay home. How about you?”

“I’ve done a couple of themed culinary cruises in the last few years—guest speaking and cookery demonstrations, that kind of thing. It’s a lot different on the other side. The guest staterooms are a lot nicer than those tiny crew cabins we had to stay in.”

“I’ll bet. That’s something I’ve never done, experiencing a cruise ship from a passenger perspective. I imagine it’s a different world from what we were used to.”

“Yeah, but when you’re young, you don’t care, do you? You just need a place to sleep and shag. They could have put me in a cupboard, and I’d have been happy.” He gave Andy a flirtatious wink.

“I remember what you were like, all right.”

They paused and stood side by side and looking out to sea together. For a moment, Andy lost himself in those memories…of standing on the deck of a ship or the shores of exotic countries with Jerico. Were those the best days of his life? No, he decided. The best days were still ahead of him. Be positive and keep moving forward.

It had gone eight o’clock. “I’m getting hungry,” he said. “Do you fancy something to eat?”

“Starving,” Jerico said. “What do you suggest?”

About the Author

Jagged Ends is Thom Collins’ tenth novel. As well as the Jagged Shores series, he is the author of the Anthem Trilogy andCloser by Morning. He has lived in the North East of England his whole life. He grew up in Northumberland and now lives in County Durham with his husband and cat. He loves all kinds of genre fiction, especially thrillers, romance and horror. He is also a cookery book addict with far too many titles cluttering his shelves. When not writing he can be found in the kitchen trying out new recipes. He’s a keen traveler but with a dislike of flying that gets worse with age. Since 2013 he prefers to see the world by sea.

Check out his website for news updates and a free ebook The Night.

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30/04/2024

The Sorcerer’s Gambit by C.S. Harris #kindleunlimited

NEW RELEASE

Book Title: The Sorcerer’s Gambit (The Ring of Worlds, Book 2)

Author: C.S. Harris

Publisher: A New Reality Publishing

Cover Artist: Christopher S. Harris

Release Date: April 25, 2024

Genre: Urban fantasy, epic fantasy, polyamory

Tropes: Lovers reunited after a long separation, heroes

Themes: Coming together, being free, self-discovery, making a life

Heat Rating: 2 - 3 flames

Length: 93 000 words/ 337 pages

It is not standalone story and ends on a cliffhanger. Book 3 comes out this summer.

Buy Links - Available in Kindle Unlimited

Love, Longing, Great Magic, and a Fat Orange Cat.

Blurb

Alex, Imara, and Sirenī thwarted the Unified Government's relentless edicts and fled their homeworld of Gaea to seek refuge elsewhere in the Ring of Worlds. Hunted by the elite squadrons of Zeta Force and the Tèng Empire's Dragon Guard, the Three encountered a new problem as soon as they arrived on Earth: Jack Carter, the man tasked with killing them. Carter expected to kill the Three or die trying, but instead, he traveled along with them. The four strangers must settle into a new life on their adopted world with the people they first met: Jordan McInerney and Richard Bryson.

Maria McInerney, Jordan’s grandmother, helped Alex, Imara, and Sirenī decades before when they briefly stopped on Earth during their quest to defeat Sogma. Meeting Jordan is like coming full circle, and the travelers work to settle into their new life. While adjusting to Earth, the people of Gaea quickly realize that their grand reunion was merely the beginning of their journey. Not everything on Earth is as it seems, and the dark magic of the necromancer has yet to manifest.

Please note:

The central narrative follows a group of main characters engaged in a polyamorous relationship. Initially, the relationship comprises one man and two women, evolving to include an additional man, forming a balanced quartet where each individual shares a deep, equitable connection with the others. Although the story is rooted in the genres of epic and urban fantasy, rather than romance, it includes moments of intimacy that encompass a spectrum of orientations and identities, including interactions among women, men, and supernatural beings such as vampires. Additionally, the narrative features a secondary character who identifies as non-binary. The same gender relations are blatant.

Excerpt

“Carter says those two people have been following us since we left the house,” Jordan whispered to Imara and Sirenī as she pretended to browse the women’s clothes. “He added that if you don’t do something about it, he will.”

“I know,” Imara said placidly. “They’ve been talking about us. I think they’re also flirting, but I’m not certain.”

Jordan watched Imara turn her gaze to Sirenī; she swore she could feel a conversation between them even though neither said a word. After a few seconds, Imara smiled and glanced at the suspected spies. The man looked to be in his forties, while the woman seemed younger.

She was an athletic-looking natural blonde, clearly of Scandinavian extraction, and had bright blue eyes. They weren’t as luminous as Alex’s, but they had that icy look that so many people found alluring.

“We’ll handle it,” Sirenī assured Jordan. “I’d prefer not to make a scene. Muscles probably isn’t the most discreet at things like this.”

***

Drëndi breezed by in feigned excitement as she looked at a shirt that, Brent thought, would flatter her lithe, fit form.

Contemplating Drëndi’s fitness made him think of his own, which was poor. Watching the jacked fellow who’d gone into the dressing room made him think about his health. Brent wasn’t obese and out of shape, but he wasn’t as fit as his partner, either. She took her health more seriously than he took his, but maybe it was time for him to change that.

Fabric rustled nearby. He looked up from the shirt he was pretending to contemplate and froze for an instant as he stared into the sharp eyes of one of the two women. She stood two steps away, studying him.

Damn it! How’d she get so close?

***

Drëndi flinched and clapped a hand to her cheek. It felt like someone just flicked her! She looked around and saw one of the women they’d been surveilling next to Brent. The woman raised a hand and beckoned haughtily, and Drëndi slunk over, still rubbing her cheek.

“Did you do that?” she asked the stranger.

The PID agent was more curious than upset. The woman stood still and appeared to study Drëndi and Brent. She noticed that the stranger’s pupils didn’t contract or dilate, but was that odd? Walmart’s lighting wasn’t great.

The woman spoke; her voice was calm and strangely resonant. Drëndi looked at her partner and wondered if the hairs on the back of his neck were standing on end, too.

“I did. I’m curious why you’ve been following us. I’ve heard you two talking about us since you were out in the parking lot.” She paused, then added, “And Carter noticed you following us in your vehicle when we left the house.”

“Huh…” Brent grunted.

He looked at Drëndi, and she knew he was thinking the same thing: if the stranger had heard the two agents talking from such a distance, her hearing was well beyond the average.

“That’s some sharp hearing you have,” her partner observed.

Drëndi looked at him like, Really, Brent? He shrugged with a small, crooked smile.

“You have no idea,” the woman said dryly. She narrowed her dark eyes slightly. “We’re not being secretive, you know. My name is Imara Inanna. My companions are Sirenī Adamma and Jack Carter. Our Earthen companion is Jordan McInerney. Now, why are you following us?”

About the Author

I'm an artist and author who's been crafting stories since my childhood. My debut series, 'The Ring of Worlds,' is inspired by my love of high-fantasy and science fiction. When I'm not writing, I enjoy gaming, reading, and exploring new worlds—real and imaginary.

Author Links

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27/04/2024

Last Resort by Morgan Brice #giveaway

BLOG TOUR

Book Title: Last Resort (Treasure Trail Book 3)

Author: Morgan Brice

Publisher: Darkwind Press

Cover Artist: Lou Harper

Release Date: March 6, 2024

Genres: MM paranormal romance & supernatural suspense

Tropes: moving in together, second chance at love, healing from the past, dealing with past issues, hurt/comfort

Themes: evolving relationship, learning to trust, forgiving yourself, letting go of the past

Heat Rating: 4 flames

Length: 216 pages

It’s the third book in the series, but can be read as a standalone It does not end on a cliffhanger

Buy Links

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Kobo | Nook/B&N

Can Ben and Erik put the pieces together to solve the case, or when the cards are dealt, will they be left holding the dead man's hand

Blurb

Weird things are happening again in Cape May and the ghosts of old mobsters never rest easy.

Erik Mitchell gets a strange delivery of antique poker chips with odd markings tied to a casino that burned a century ago. Ben Nolan finds a dead guy in one of his rental units—turns out the guy's been missing for twenty years and is linked to a long-lost treasure.

The ghostly energy of the old Commodore Wilson hotel juices up all the town's spirits, and a stranger shows up with an unhealthy interest in both cases. Ben and Erik have just moved in together, and they're still navigating the next step as partners and blending their lives.

Murder, missing persons, hidden treasure, and haunted poker chips. Can Ben and Erik put the pieces together to solve the case, or when the cards are dealt, will they be left holding the dead man's hand?

Last Resort is a suspenseful MM paranormal romance mystery-adventure filled with second chance love, hurt/comfort, true soulmates, old curses, hidden treasure, dangerous secrets, restless ghosts, psychic visions, powerful witches, angry mobsters, and a very haunted hotel.

Excerpt

“This brings back memories.” Ben Nolan and his partner carried the last boxes up the stairs. “I spent too many Saturdays in my twenties helping my friends move in and out of apartments for free pizza and beer.”

“Look at it as a built-in fitness workout,” Erik Mitchell, his boyfriend, replied. “The good thing is that most days, you don’t need to go up and down more than once.”

“I’m sure I can come up with reasons to stay in.” Ben dripped his voice to a sexy growl and gave Erik a knowing look.

Erik shook his head fondly. “Sounds good—but we still need to go to work sometime.”

Erik owned Trinkets, the antique shop in the first floor of the old Victorian house where their apartment took up the second level. “Can’t beat the commute,” he added.”

“True—and mine’s still totally walkable unless the weather is foul.” Ben managed Nolan Resort Real Estate, owned by his aunt and uncle. Until recently, he had stayed in one of the company’s rentals. Ben had moved in with Erik a few months ago, but forgotten about a stack of boxes that were still stored in Trinkets’ back room.

The important stuff had already found a place in the apartment. Now Ben needed to figure out what in these last boxes to keep or toss. He’d packed long enough ago that he had forgotten what remained.

“Actually, I was surprised how fast I got used to the stairs,” Erik told him. “My place in Atlanta had an elevator, but nowhere near the charm.”

Both Ben and Erik had recently moved to Cape May, New Jersey to make a fresh start after their old lives went off the rails. Ben stepped away from being a Newark cop after a betrayal and a near-fatal shooting, and becoming a private investigator had left him burned out and bitter. Erik left his high-profile work stopping art fraud and antiquities smugglers when a bust gone wrong nearly got him killed—and his boyfriend cheated. Differing circumstances led them to Cape May and chance brought them together, but Ben thanked his lucky stars every day for how things had turned out.

“Now we just have to figure out what’s worth keeping.” Ben surveyed the stacks of boxes in the living room. “We already have an interesting decorating style.”

They had found a quirky way to blend his statues of Spider-Man and Optimus Prime and wall art of some of his favorite comics and sci-fi movies with Erik’s more traditional taste, honed by his work for art museums.

“Bring it on,” Erik said with a laugh. “It’s good to shake things up.”

Ben reeled him in for a kiss. “I can think of ways to get a whole lotta shakin’ going on,” he growled.

Erik kissed him and stepped away. “Hold that thought. We need to be able to navigate through the living room, so the boxes can’t stay—which means unpacking.”

“Spoil sport,” Ben grumbled good-naturedly.

About the Author

Morgan Brice is the romance pen name of bestselling author Gail Z. Martin. Morgan writes urban fantasy male/male paranormal romance, with plenty of action, adventure and supernatural thrills to go with the happily ever after. Gail writes epic fantasy and urban fantasy, and together with co-author hubby Larry N. Martin, steampunk and comedic horror, all of which have less romance, more explosions. Characters from her Gail books make frequent appearances in secondary roles in her Morgan books, and vice versa.

On the rare occasions Morgan isn’t writing, she’s either reading, cooking, or spoiling two very pampered dogs.

Series include Witchbane, Badlands, Treasure Trail, Kings of the Mountain and Fox Hollow. Watch for more in these series, plus new series coming soon!

Author Links

Website | Audible Profile | Amazon profile

Pinterest (for Morgan and Gail) | Twitter

BookBub | Instagram

Read a copy of my Badlands short story Restless Nights here for free

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22/04/2024

Reunion of the Three by C.S. Harris #kindleunlimited

BOOK BLAST

Book Title: Reunion of the Three

Author: C.S. Harris

Publisher: A New Reality Publishing

Cover Artist: Christopher S. Harris

Release Date: February 29, 2024

Genres: Urban fantasy, epic fantasy, space opera, polyamory

Tropes: Lovers reunited after a long separation, heroes

Themes: Reunion, coming together, being free, being authentic, self-discovery

Heat Rating: 2 - 3 flames

Length: 95 000 words/320 pages

It is not a standalone book. It is book 1 in the Ring of Worlds series.

Book two is out on April 25, and book three this summer.

Buy Links - Available in Kindle Unlimited

Love, Longing, Great Magic, and a Fat Orange Cat.

Blurb

Foreseeing the annihilation of Gaea by the Tèng Empire and the demonic Sogma, Alexander Eldred and his allies, Imara Inanna and Sirenī Adamma, marshaled their magic to thwart the calamity. Their triumph brought them back to their homeland of Demurria, only to be sundered by a government edict citing their immense combined strength as a threat: Alex is a magical prodigy and never forgets a spell once he's seen it written or cast. Imara hears the universe as a symphony and can control reality with her voice. Sirenī is blessed with fatal beauty, a power so great it can compel into obsession any who behold her.

After fifty years of enforced separation, compelled by a fresh premonition, Alex challenges the mandate to reunify with Imara and Sirenī. This time, the peril extends beyond Gaea, endangering the entirety of the Ring of Worlds, threatened by a formidable necromancer's dark influence. To prevent the spread of this malignant corruption across myriad planets, the trio must reunite and elude the Unified Government's grasp, racing against time to safeguard the future.

Please note: The central narrative follows a group of main characters engaged in a polyamorous relationship. Initially, the relationship comprises one man and two women, evolving to include an additional man, forming a balanced quartet where each individual shares a deep, equitable connection with the others. Although the story is rooted in the genres of epic and urban fantasy, rather than romance, it includes moments of intimacy that encompass a spectrum of orientations and identities, including interactions among women, men, and supernatural beings such as vampires. Additionally, the narrative features a secondary character who identifies as non-binary. The same gender relations are blatant.

Excerpt

Barefoot, Alexander left the primary bedroom and walked through the quiet halls of Eldred Manor. He descended to the first floor and passed the library on his way to the workroom. Once there, he stepped through the large double doors and shut them.

The room was massive and had Spaera Mystica—arcane circles for conjuration—etched into the floor in varying sizes. He stepped over to a small one and held out his hands with his palms facing up. An orange-red glow flared around them, and he began to chant in his natal tongue.

Within moments, mist began to swirl above the sigils etched into the floor. He continued to chant until a hemispherical dome flared into existence, shimmering with striations of faint color like a rainbow. He turned his palms down and changed his chant.

Now the ancient syllables of Darhavil rolled from his lips, and mist filled the Spaera Mystica. Alexander finished his spell, dropped his hands to his sides, and waited. It took several minutes for a figure to appear in the mist, insubstantial and amorphous but irradiant.

“Alexander,” the figure said. The voice had a tremulous quality but was easy to hear. “Why have you reached out to me?”

Alexander bowed his head briefly. “I apologize, Valas. I have been feeling something, a sensation at the back of my mind. The only thing I could think to do was contact you.”

The agglomeration of colors spun like fluid inside the mist-filled hemisphere of the magic circle. The flashes of light occasionally suggested a beaked head, wings, and a long, feathered tail. Alexander watched the manifestation patiently. Subtle anxiety had been building in his mind, urging him to action.

“The patterns suggest an inflection point formed sixteen million years before this moment. Beginning now, the probabilities unravel,” the figure told him.

That was interesting information. Opaque but interesting. What is the inflection point? Was it related to the events of my dream? Can I recover them with a waking dream enchantment?

The Grade Five magic was only as reliable as the ephemeral threads of the mind—so not very.

The sorcerer bowed his head again. “Thank you, Valas. I appreciate your willingness to communicate with me.”

“You are welcome.” The figure began to dwindle; the light faded at the edges into eldritch sparks that winked out as they drifted toward the floor. “I would add one last thing: the time is upon you. You cannot wait.”

Alexander froze. “Are you certain?” he stupidly asked.

Valas Amris is a celestial being. Of course, it is certain! he thought scathingly.

The figure faded until only the mist on the floor remained within the Spaera Mystica, but Valas murmured one last sentence.

“Yes. Complete your work with Skawen’na’há:wi. You are close.”

Alexander took a deep breath as the mist drained into nothing. He released the magic circle with a snap of his fingers and stood there for a long time. His thoughts were jumbled and raced in circles. He felt excitement, anticipation, nervousness, and fear.

After several minutes of stillness, he stirred and turned from the symbols carved into the floor. He retreated from the workroom and planned to return to his bedroom. Instead, he detoured into the library and sat in his favorite chair. Around him were more than a thousand books, including tomes, treatises, and grimoires. He looked at them with unseeing eyes, wrapped in his thoughts. They ran to the two people he loved most: Imara and Sirenī. He hadn’t seen them in a long time, but that was about to change.

Once he finished his training, of course.

Alexander remained in the library until dawn. He blinked when the sun shone through the windows and stabbed his eyes. Turning his head, he cracked his neck and looked around. He'd contemplated and discarded a dozen plans in the few hours it took for the sun to rise.

What is the best way to make contact? he wondered.

Imara lived in Louden, Sirenī in Glendale. He drummed his fingers on his thigh, brow furrowed. Nothing came to him.

Still, he left the library with a bounce in his step. In his heart, he felt excited by what was coming. For almost fifty years, he’d had a lump of stone in his chest, but now he felt it begin to soften and pulse once more.

About the Author

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17/04/2024

The Christopher Books by Stephen G Hardy #kindleunlimited

SERIES TOUR

THE CHRISTOPHER BOOKS

Stephen G Hardy

Follow Christopher as he explores various types of relationships and the impact he has on the lives of others.

The books need to be read in order.

Overall Heat Rating for the series: 1 flame

BOOK DETAILS

BOOK 1

Book Title: Search for Complete

Cover Artist: Ryan Mulford

Length: 80 127 words /335 pages

Release Date: June 4, 2023

Genres: Contemporary LGBTQ+ Fiction with speculative elements.

Tropes: Friends to Platonic lovers

Themes: Interpersonal relationships, Conversations as Catalyst for Change

It is a standalone story and does not end on a cliffhanger.

Buy Links - Available in Kindle Unlimited

Blurb

“Why do I get the feeling that Christopher is the type of man that would make the perfect husband for any woman and, at the same time, the perfect wife for any man?” Laura says shortly after Christopher begins his new job at the TV station. Laura’s statement would turn out to hold more truth than she could imagine. No one who meets Christopher, especially not Laura, as well as David, a gay man he meets at a party, understands what it is about him that draws them to him. They also don’t realize that Christopher is searching for something, a search complicated by their desires for him.

BOOK 2

Book Title: The Price of Happiness

Length: 84 447words/330 pages

Release Date: November 24, 2023

Genres: LGBTQ+ Contemporary Literary Fiction

Tropes: Love and loss

Themes: Parenthood, interpersonal relationships, finding oneself.

It is not a standalone story and end on a cliffhanger.

Buy Links - Available in Kindle Unlimited

Blurb

As Search for Complete left off, the birth of his twins had just completed Christopher. However, though he has what he had searched so long for, he now must deal with the associated costs, namely the unraveling of his relationship with Laura, the mother of his twins. The birth of the twins should have brought Laura joy, yet, instead, she finds herself on an intense emotional rollercoaster. Laura resents Christopher's happiness—resents that he is a better mother than she is. But most of all, Laura resents that the twins are Christopher's spitting image—nowhere does she see herself in them. Christopher fears his happiness in becoming a father has become Laura’s undoing. As he tries to help her adjust to the reality of their situation, Laura struggles to find herself in the tangled mess of their relationship.

In The Price of Happiness, Stephen Hardy has created a profound and moving novel on the themes of parenthood, identity, love and loss—and the cost of getting what we want.

BOOK 3

Book Title: When the Sun and Moon Touch

Length: 87 639 words/353 Pages

Release Date: March 29, 2024

Genres: LGBTQ+ Contemporary Literary Fiction

Tropes: M2M relationships

Themes: Finding oneself, forgiveness, love

The stories need to be read in order. This book does not end on a cliffhanger.

Buy Links - Available in Kindle Unlimited

Blurb

Christopher has settled into life as a single father to his twins, Loren and Christine. Content with his life, he is contemplating the imminent return of their mother Laura, who has been traveling through Europe for nearly a year, when he meets Benjamin, a direct descendant of the sun. Suddenly, his contentment is upended as he tries to understand the reason for their meeting. Despite what Benjamin says, that they are meant to be together, Christopher initially tries to hold

Benjamin at arm's length, believing that he is only to be for Benjamin what Joseph was to him—a friend and mentor.

Excerpt from Book 1

I began to question accepting Laura’s invitation when I heard the noise coming from the backyard as we approached the house. I disliked crowds, and it sounded like an immense crowd was on the other side of the gate.

People were everywhere—seated on lounge chairs scattered around the patio or at the rectangular dining table or milling about in various groups—talking loudly over the blaring music. Laura’s voice broke through the noise.

“I don’t see Peter anywhere. He might be inside. Shall we find him?”

“By all means. I would feel uncomfortable attending his party without meeting him.”

I followed Laura into the house. As we passed through the living room, my eyes fell on a few framed photos of a handsome couple on the wall.

In the kitchen, a solitary male figure was removing a tray of croissants from the oven.

“Hello, Peter.”

As he turned around, I recognized Peter as one of the men in the photos. Tall and slender, with dark hair and a mustache waxed into handlebars, there was a dapperness to him that I found pleasing.

“Hey, Laura. Lovely to see you!”

After setting the hot tray down, Peter hugged her.

“Peter, I want you to meet Christopher. He just moved here from Seattle and works with me at the station.”

“How do you do, Peter?“

Having grown used to the reaction my presence caused, I smiled patiently as Peter, unable to speak right away, shook my offered hand.

“I hope you do not mind my crashing your party. Laura assured me that you would not object to her bringing me.”

“No, of course, I don’t mind.”

The words tumbled out one on top of the other.

“Is there anything we can do to assist you?”

“No, I have it all under control, thanks. Please help yourself to the food and drinks out on the patio.”

“We will. Thanks,” Laura said, taking my arm and steering me back through the living room.

“Peter is very nice,” I commented as we stepped through the doors and headed towards the drinks table. “Can I make you something?”

“A mimosa, thanks. Yes, Peter’s a sweetie.”

We stood sipping our drinks as I scanned the crowd of mostly men, a mix of young and old, before Laura took me around, introducing me to the people she knew.

I instinctively searched their eyes for the essence of another while ignoring Laura’s scrutinizing gaze.

Laura needed to use the bathroom, so she left me standing under the large Ficus tree where we had sought shade from the sun. Within minutes of her departure, I was surrounded by a large group of people vying for my attention. Carrying on multiple conversations was challenging, but I did my best to make each person feel they had my full attention.

He caught my attention on the periphery of my vision: tall and well-built, resembling the small statue of the god Mars that sat on the table in Joseph’s shop. Our eyes met, and I felt my heart skip a beat, seeing something flash in his eyes. Smiling hopefully, I extended my hand to him.

“Hello, my name is Christopher Dunn.”

As he shook my hand, I took the opportunity to search his golden-brown eyes. My initial hope turned to disappointment, for while something was there, it was not another’s essence. Though disappointed, I was intrigued.

“Davidmartelli.”

He slurred the two names into one in his haste to get the words out.

As I gazed into his eyes, the feeling of a purpose to our meeting appeared—first Laura and now David.

“It is a pleasure to meet you, David Martelli,” I said, saying his name distinctly.

David blushed attractively, causing a twinge in my heart.

“Can I get you a drink?”

He looked so crestfallen when I held up my cup that I was tempted to down my drink and ask him for another.

“Oh, you have one.”

“I do, but I appreciate you asking.”

I gave him a smile to back up my words. It was apparent that David was struggling to find something to say, the frustration evident in his handsome features. I wanted to get him away from the people surrounding us and talk to him alone, but I did not see how I could do so without offending everyone else.

Conscious of the eyes watching us, David blushed again and backed away.

For some reason, I knew that this behavior was out of character for him. Watching him walk away, I hoped we would meet again as I wanted to discover what I saw in his eyes.

About the Author

Stephen Hardy was born in the San Francisco Bay Area but grew up in the Pacific Northwest. His career as a fashion designer took him back to San Francisco before he headed to New York City, where he met his husband of twenty years. Tiring of the hectic pace of the fashion industry, Stephen gave up his career to become a stay-at-home dad for his and his husband’s two adopted sons and a quiet life in Connecticut. Now residing in Phoenix, Arizona, and with the kids grown, Stephen returned to university, where he rediscovered his love for writing. His focus is on contemporary fiction, examining social issues regarding gender, sexuality, and relationships. Search for Complete is his first novel.

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