Phoenix Rising by Valerie Ullmer

NEW RELEASE

Book Title: Phoenix Rising (An M/M/M Romance)

Author and Publisher: Valerie Ullmer

Cover Artist: Valerie Ullmer

Release Date: August 6, 2024

Genre: Contemporary M/M/M Romance

Tropes: Best friends to lovers, bisexual awakening, best friends in love with the same man, and hot sexy times

Themes: Moving past childhood trauma

Length:  57 000 words/ 209 pages

Heat Rating: 5 flames

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

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Buy Links - Available in Kindle Unlimited

Amazon US  |  Amazon UK

Two best friends want the same man.

Will all three be able to fall in love and make their relationship work?

Blurb

Phoenix Aalto had everything he wanted in life.
His own bakery, close friends, and his plants.

There was nothing more he could ask for after escaping the life his father wanted for him.

Or that’s the lie he told himself each time the two men of his dreams walked into his bakery, looking every bit a happy couple. He wasn’t delusional enough to believe it was more than a one-sided attraction, but it didn’t stop him from daydreaming of something more.

Luka Kavka lived with his best friend, and they ran a successful landscaping business together. He’d come out during college, but like his friend, no one lasted more than a date.

But a routine meeting in an out of way bakery with a real estate developer changed his fate.

Burton Horváth loved life. Working with his best friend while living with him was everything he thought needed.
When he spotted Phoenix behind the counter, everything he knew about his life changed. The younger man wasn’t his first crush on a man. If he were honest with himself, that honor would go to Luka. But he was the one who shook up his viewpoint at thirty-one years old and made him want a change.

Luka and Burton agreed they would ease into letting Phoenix know they were interested, which included months of daily visits. But change for all three men came when Luka charged in, giving Luka and Burton the opening they needed.

But as they navigate their newfound relationship, will the obstacles from Phoenix’s father allow them to find their happiness?

Excerpt 

Get it together, Phoenix!

“Don’t touch him.”

My mouth dropped open as breathing became difficult. A shiver of pleasure fluttered over my body at the sound of his deep, commanding voice.

A scant ‘sorry’ was all I heard, since I couldn’t take my eyes off the giant of a man, even when I noted movement in my peripheral and the sound of my poor, old-fashioned shopkeeper’s bell being abused.

“Woo! That was one of the… nope, the hottest thing I’ve witnessed in ages. For a second there, I wondered if you were going to rip his arms off, big guy, all because he dared to grab our Phoenix here,” Arthur said as he fanned himself.

“It’s Luka.”

There was a pulse of desire in my lower stomach, and I stifled a gasp when my cock swelled underneath my jeans. Grateful I had the area covered with an apron.

I wanted to join my friend in fanning myself because the temperature climbed in the minute since Luka stepped in to help me.

“And I’m Burton. It’s nice to meet you, Phoenix.” The blond adonis held out his hand.

Reason fled as the eagerness of the situation presented to me overrode self-preservation. I placed my hand in Burton’s stronger, calloused one and sucked on my bottom lip as the tingle from his touch radiated up my arm and spread throughout. Images of me splayed out on a bed as Burton teased me with his warm hands while Luka’s voice washed over me until I erupted in an intense... Fuck!

Okay! Not nice to fantasize about two men who were a couple standing right in front of me.

“It’s also nice to meet you, Burton. Luka.”

“I’ve never seen you blush that shade of peach before, honey. I’m gonna call Jude and tell him.”

Leave it up to my best friend to embarrass me.

“It’s lovely,” Luka said as he ran the back of his finger down my cheek before he cupped my face.

In that moment, I considered the possibility of my entire body igniting into flames, all from Luka’s tiny gesture that, for the first time in my life, didn’t make me recoil. In a weak moment, I wanted to know the touch of the man cupping my cheek and burrowed into his hand.

Then I remembered he wasn’t available and leaned away.

“Sorry, I should’ve asked you before I touched you,” Luka said.

I shook my head back and forth before I found the words, “No, it’s okay. You can. I’m not used to it.”

“What about me? Can I touch you?” Burton asked.

My eyes widened, and I nodded, staring at the bewitching man, who was even more stunning up close. “If… if you want to?”

Arthur chuckled. “Give it up for Phoenix, ladies and gentlemen. He attracts two specimens of male perfection without a clue they’re flirting with him.”

He mumbled as he moved around the counter to clean the tables, leaving me alone with the two gorgeous men. Or at least I believed no one was around. There was no dragging my attention away from them.

“Uh…” I sounded daft as I looked back and forth between the two, confusion swamping me because I was a mess; the decorated apron with green vines and leaves along with depictions of pastries and the logo of my shop, Phoenix Rising, had chocolate stains and other food items I couldn’t identify. My hair stood up in all directions, and I’m pretty sure my fingers were sticky with frosting.

As my synapses fired back up, I swallowed around the dryness in my throat and said, “Just ignore him. He’s still in the honeymoon phase, despite being married for years, and sees romance everywhere.”

Until this conversation, I hadn’t spoken more than a word or two to either of these men. But now they were in front of me, both holding expressions of faint amusement as they stared at me, and I felt faint. And in order to cover my ineptitude in social situations, out came the verbal onslaught.

“Is it hot in here? It’s hot, right? I mean… um, what were we talking about? Oh, right? My deluded best friend thinks, well, stupid things that are out of the realm of possibility because whatever he’s imagining doesn’t happen in real life and as far as I can tell, I’m awake and working. Are you two together? Shit, I did not mean for that to escape my mouth because nosy much, Phoenix? It’s not my business. Over the past several months, I couldn’t miss observing that you two make an exquisite couple. And on that note, I’ll stop talking now,” ending on a groan.

Burton glanced at Luka, who kept his eyes on me the entire time, and beamed at the taller man.

About the Author 

Valerie writes romances.

Valerie resides in Denver, Colorado with her husband. While she had been interested in writing a romance novel for years, it wasn’t until she wrote her first book that she really became hooked, and now she can’t stop. She has notebooks full of ideas, and she plans to write most of them in the years to come.

When she’s not writing or learning about the craft of writing, she can be found surfing the internet way too much, watching Investigation Discovery and thinking that her neighbors are up to no good, and finding new ways to get her husband to laugh.

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Hex Sells (Babylon Boy, Book 2) by TA Moore

NEW RELEASE

Book Title: Hex Sells (Babylon Boy, Book 2)

Author: TA Moore

Publisher: Rogue Firebird Press

Cover Artist: Tammy Moore

Release Date:  July 26, 2024

Genre: Urban Fantasy

Tropes: Warlock Bikers, Menage a Trois, Fresh Start, Own Worst Enemy

Themes: Sins of the Past

Heat Rating:  1 flame    

Length: 58 000 words

Hex Sells is part of a series, but can be read as a standalone. 

It does not end on a cliffhanger.

Goodreads

Buy Links

Amazon US  |  Amazon UK 

My name is Jonah Carrow, and it’s been 320 days since I cast a hex.

Blurb

Jonah Carrow just wants a quiet, hex-free life. It’s harder than he’d thought.

Despite his best efforts, though, magic trouble just keeps finding him. If it’s not his dead relatives trying to turn breakfast into a ouija board, it’s a crow with bad tidings at his door.

Jonah doesn’t know what’s worse, that warlock biker Shiloh has decided to call in his marker…or that he only did it to get him to pass on a message. It turns out that Luke, Jonah’s not-exactly boyfriend, hasn’t been taking the Crossroad Crows calls. …

but when things go wrong, despite not being in the first draft, Jonah gets roped in to find answers. Now he’s knee-deep in secrets, curses, and the sort of temptation in lean, blond Shiloh that is definitely not going to help Jonah stay on the straight and mundane.

On top of all that? He’s getting sick. Without a hex to help put a thumb on the scales, Jonah really can’t catch a break.

Excerpt 

“ROAD’S CLOSED!” he roared. “Fucking—!”

“He’ll turn now,” Ned said, full of confidence. 

The rider could. There was an alley just before the bridge. If he pulled a hard right, he’d probably lose some paint from the sides, but he’d make it. 

He could. 

But he wasn’t going to. 

Jonah broke into a run. Heavy boots and a night’s work dragged like an anchor as he bolted down the bridge. The lights from the hazards caught on the car’s paintwork and splashed it with red. Grahams dropped the flagger. It clattered on the ground at his feet, but he didn’t move. Jonah tackled him and sent both of them crashing into the side of the trailer. 

The van smashed through the barriers, broken wood and plastic strewn in its wake, and into the pool of light cast by the floodlights. Jonah got a glimpse of the driver, just for a second, through the windscreen. He was a middle-aged man with a battered face and a bruise that ran from his temple down to his jaw.

The man glanced briefly over his shoulder, mouth twisted, and then gunned the engine. The van left greasy streaks of rubber on the asphalt as it roared up the bridge. Caught in its path, the rest of the crew stared, frozen for a moment, and then scattered. Only Ned didn’t.

At the last second, the van veered violently. It smashed into the barriers at the side of the bridge and tore through them. The raw metal ripped holes in the side of the van, sparks flying as it pitched over the edge.

There was a moment of stark, breathless silence that dragged out longer than seemed possible. Then, the van smashed into the road below with a crunch of broken glass and crumpled metal. Dark, oily fingers of smoke eddied up and over the edge of the bridge.

“Fuck,” Ned said, the curse coming out respectfully. 

Jonah scrambled to his feet and brushed his jeans down. The rest of the crew had run to the edge of the bridge to look over. He looked back the way the van had come.

The ribbon of smoke that had trailed behind the van was still there. It lay limp on the asphalt, one end frayed and split where it had snapped off the car. Then, as Jonah watched, it twitched and then slowly retreated down the street. Like something at the far, far end of it was reeling it in.

Well. That wasn’t natural.

And that meant it wasn’t Jonah’s business. Not these days. Not in Jerusalem.

About the Author

TA Moore is a Northern Irish writer of romantic suspense, urban fantasy, and contemporary romance novels. A childhood in a rural, seaside town fostered in her a suspicious nature, a love of mystery, and a streak of black humour a mile wide.

Coffee, Doc Marten boots, and good friends are the essential things in life. Spiders, mayo, and heels are to be avoided.

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Silent Partner: Fox Hollow Zodiac #3 by Morgan Brice

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Book Title: Silent Partner: Fox Hollow Zodiac #3

Author: Morgan Brice

Publisher: Darkwind Press

Cover Artist: Adrijus Garcia

Release Date: June 29, 2024

Genres: MM paranormal romance, shifter romance (not MPREG), urban fantasy

Tropes: Hurt/comfort, found family, small town, fated mates

Themes: Working around differences, second chance at love, learning to trust again after breakup

Length: 60 000 words/ 221 pages

Heat Rating:  4 flames   

It is part of a series but can be read by itself. It does not end on a cliffhanger.

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Buy Links - Available in Kindle Unlimited

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A psychic moose shifter. A handsome guy who is psychically silent. 

The chance for a fresh start, and a threat from the past that might get in the way.

Blurb 

Brandon Davis is a psychic and a moose shifter. He makes his living as a wilderness guide in Fox Hollow, NY—a town that is a haven for misfit shifters and psychics. Brandon has a profitable business, a found family of close friends, and a cozy cabin in the woods. Life is good, but he wishes he could find a special someone to share it with. Then he picks up the unmistakable scent of his fated mate--a handsome man who isn't a shifter of any kind and whose thoughts he can't read. The chemistry is undeniable, but can he fall for a silent partner?

Riley Henderson escaped a bad relationship with an ex-boyfriend he suspects is a psi-vamp. He left town and got a scholarship to the Fox Institute to explore his rare ability—his thoughts are mostly closed to being read by psychics. Getting away from his ex was worth being studied for his unusual silence as a “nil” or an “immune.” Especially since the situation comes with a stipend, an apartment, and a regular gig as a musician at one of the local hotels. Riley intends to go boy-sober until he meets a tall, dark-haired stranger with whom he has a sudden, intense connection. When he realizes Brandon is both a psychic and a shifter, Riley needs to figure out how they can overcome those differences to be together. And in the back of his mind, Riley worries—what if his ex shows up to ruin everything?

Silent Partner is a MM shifter romance filled with found family, a snarky moose, a soulful musician, sexy shifters, small town winter fun, fated mates, helpful psychics, lots of snow and a very happy ending.

Excerpt 

Mixed shifter pairings were common in Fox Hollow, although less so in other places. His friends’ marriages proved that. Big vegetarian shifters like deer and elk were rare. He hadn’t met another moose shifter since relocating. Brandon believed he could make things work with a carnivore and perhaps even with one of the other omnivore or vegetarian shifters that weren’t as large as he was. Brandon was happy for his friends who had found love. And although he was busy with guide tours and being an EMT, he still wished he could find someone special of his own.

Now that he felt suitable to be in public, Brandon drove back to the grocery store. For its size, the shop provided a remarkable variety of products, including some specialties crafted by his neighbors. That saved everyone from trekking to Lake George to go to one of the big-box stores. Online delivery only worked in the summer months.

He parked and headed inside. The familiar mix of smells from the bakery and deli, as well as all the luscious produce, made Brandon sigh happily. He waved to Brenda at the register, grabbed a cart, and started to make the familiar trek around the store.

Brandon loaded up on salad, especially cabbage, broccoli, and cauliflower. He skipped the carrots since they gave him indigestion. That was true for some fruit as well, although he loved frozen berries and added them to the cart. His human side craved coffee, oatmeal, and eggs, so Brandon made sure to replenish. He couldn’t resist some chips and cookies and reminded himself to grab a bale of hay from the garden supplies on the store terrace.

Halfway through the store, Brandon stopped dead in his tracks and sniffed the air. A scent he had never picked up before enveloped him, making him light-headed. Anise and maple. How strange. Maybe they’re baking something?

Mate.

Brandon startled, not expecting to hear from his inner moose in such a human-centric place. What?

That’s what our mate smells like. Find him!

Brandon seriously doubted he’d spot a moose in the frozen food aisle or even a moose shifter. Still, the scent captivated him and stirred a hunger deep in his groin that had nothing to do with food.

He steered into the next aisle, forcing himself to keep a normal walking pace. I can’t just run past people and sniff them. That would be weird—even for Fox Hollow.

Shopping forgotten, Brandon searched for the elusive, overwhelming scent. He turned down the baking aisle, and the aroma called to him, far stronger. Only two people were nearby—Mrs. Prendicott—an elderly psychic—and a handsome stranger.

The stranger looked vaguely puzzled like he couldn’t find what he wanted on the tightly-packed shelves. The store overstocked during the bad weather months, especially if there was news of a storm in the offing. That sometimes made it difficult to locate items.

About the Author  

Morgan Brice is the romance pen name of bestselling author Gail Z. Martin. Morgan writes urban fantasy MM paranormal romance, with plenty of action, adventure and supernatural thrills to go with the happily ever after. Gail writes epic and urban fantasy, with less romance, more explosions.

All of the modern-day Morgan Brice and Gail Z. Martin series crossover, so characters from one series appear in cameos and on page in important secondary roles in books from other series. Each book can be read as a standalone, but the more you read the more the expanded universe of friendships and connections becomes clear. 

Morgan and Gail believe that paranormal elements make any story even better, and her worlds are full of ghosts, psychics, shifters, creatures, vampires, monster hunters, and magic. 

She's also a huge fan of the TV show Supernatural. (Chibi art by Kamidiox)

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An Increasing Entanglement (An Unlikely Alliance, Book 2) by Ellie Thomas

RECENT RELEASE

Book Title: An Increasing Entanglement (An Unlikely Alliance, Book 2)

Author: Ellie Thomas

Publisher: JMS Books

Release Date: July 13, 2024

Genre: Historical (Regency) MMM Romance

Tropes: Threesome, Regency, Hurt/Comfort, Class Differences, Interracial, Opposites Attract

Themes: Kidnapping, Avenging Angel, Orphan, Redemption, Found Family

Length: 22 293 words

Heat Rating: 4 flames

It is book two in a series of three.

Book 1 (An Unlikely Alliance) is available for review

It does not end on a cliffhanger.

Goodreads

Buy Links

JMS  |   Amazon US  |  Amazon UK

Can Clem, Abe and Humphrey sustain their burgeoning romance from outside threats? 

And might their connection blossom into lasting romance?

Blurb 

In Regency London, during the Season, after a brief and steamy courtship, the relationship between threesome Clem, Abe and Humphrey holds much promise. 

But their busy routines and different lifestyles, as a professional secretary, society gentleman and an official informant to the military, interfere with their burgeoning romance.

Then sinister forces reappear to threaten their connection and even the life of one of the trio. 

Can these three band together to save the day and keep each other from peril? And given the chance, might they forge lasting happiness together?

Excerpt 

Abe entered the Ye Olde Cheddar Cheese tavern closer to eight o’clock than seven. Clem was sitting at their usual table, alone and forlorn. Abe cursed the informant who had delayed him. 

Abe approached, attracting Clem’s notice. His aspect didn’t brighten. There was no teasing smile of welcome. 

Instead, Abe received a chilly glare. 

“You came then,” Clem said flatly.

Abe sat opposite his friend and lover. “Can I get you another drink?”

“If you like.”  

Clem’s glacial indifference continued when their gin was served together with a jug of water. 

He said casually, “I was at the Old Red Lion yesterday to find you’d vacated your room. I thought you might have run out on us.” 

He took a swig of barely diluted gin, avoiding Abe’s eyes.

“I’m sorry, Clem. I should have let you know.”

If they had been in a less public place or one that catered solely for their kind, Abe would have covered Clem’s hand with his own.

“Yes, well, it’s not like you owe me an explanation.” Clem’s defensive posture said otherwise.

“Of course I do. It was remiss of me. I have been occupied with pressing matters, official-like.”

Clem’s body relaxed slightly. Abe hardly made it public that he was working for Horse Guards, but he had shared that confidence with his lovers. He eyed Abe warily under long light brown lashes, a distinct pout to his lush mouth. 

“You could have sent word to me.”

“Yes, I should have. I see that now. I didn’t mean to hurt you, Clem.”

“Who said I was hurt?” Clem’s indifferent words were at odds with his wounded expression.

“Just because I’ve been busy doesn’t mean that I haven’t been thinking of you. And Humphrey, too. I’ve missed you both.”

“Really?”

“I swear it.”

“Then it’s fortunate that I left a note for Humphrey to meet us here after he’s dined.” Clem’s narrow jaw clenched combatively.

He’s not letting me off lightly. At least he’s still talking to me and hasn’t flounced off in a huff, renouncing me forever.

It wasn’t the right moment to argue that either Clem or Humphrey could have taken the initiative earlier. Abe recognised that Humphrey was too self-effacing to make the first move. As for Clem, he’d learned the hard way to be sparing with his trust.

“I’m sorry,” Abe said sincerely. “I’ll say it a hundred times over if that will make amends.”

Abe was the first to admit that once he got the bit between his teeth, he could be ruthlessly single-minded. Apart from his mother, he’d never had to consider anyone’s feelings. Until now. 

That must change, he vowed.

“I’ll gladly apologise to Humphrey. I’ve neglected you both. You know what I’m like when I’m in full cry.”

There was a brief silence as the waiter topped up their glasses. 

“We all have our burdens,” Abe added. “You’re chained to your desk during the day, I’m no longer my own master and Humphrey has a flock of relatives to shepherd.” 

Clem smiled grudgingly. “Is that an excuse?”

“No, more a recognition of our circumstances. What say you if we make this our regular rendezvous? This is as good a place as any to meet every few days. That should avoid any further misunderstandings.”

“I thought you’d left me.”

Clem’s voice was so low that Abe’s strained to catch the words against the background noise of the narrow tavern. 

“I’d never abandon you, Clem. I may have many faults, but I’m no fool. I would never throw away such a treasure unthinkingly.”

Clem stared in his glass.

“Now I’ve found you and Humphrey,” Abe continued. “I won’t let go easily unless that’s your will.”

Clem gazed at Abe, his face unreadable. Then he glanced over Abe’s shoulder.

“You have an opportunity to repeat your abject apology. Humphrey’s coming this way.”

About the Author  

Ellie Thomas lives by the sea. She comes from a teaching background and goes for long seaside walks where she daydreams about history. She is a voracious reader, especially about anything historical. She mainly writes historical gay romance.

Ellie also writes historical erotic romance as L. E. Thomas.

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A Little More Forgiveness by Pauley J Ray

NEW RELEASE

Book Title: A Little More Forgiveness (Hot Property, Book 3)

Author: Pauley J Ray

Publisher: NineStar Press

Cover Artist: Jaycee DeLorenzo

Release Date:  July 2, 2024

Genre: Contemporary M/M Romance

Tropes: Enemies to Lovers, Forced Proximity

Themes: Threesome, Forgiveness and redemption, Overcoming past trauma

Heat Rating: 4 flames      

Length:  120 000 words/ 836 pages

This is book three of a four-book series. It does not  end on a cliffhanger

Each book concentrates on a different main character from the four owners of a successful construction company. Successive books will include spoilers from the previous ones if the books are not read in order.

Goodreads

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NineStar Press   |   Amazon UK 

Amazon US   |   Amazon CA

Three angry men, two loveable dogs and one isolated cabin. 

What could possibly go wrong?

Blurb

Gabriel Sanchez is a man running away from his past, unaware it’s about to catch up to him. Stuck in an isolated cabin with two strangers is the last thing he planned. One guy, a bear of a man shouldering intolerable emotional pain, Gabe instinctively wants to soothe. The other, kinder, gentler, and just wishing to be seen, Gabe desperately wants to show him how visible he is. However, the harder he tries to keep both at bay, the more they fight and the closer they get until his heart begins to desire things he’s promised himself it can never have again.

Leo Taylor has yearned for approval his whole life, and as the lawyer negotiating the sale of a run-down cabin and its land, this time he may just earn it. But, trying to keep the peace between a cocky New Yorker and the grumpiest man alive is slowly taking its toll. During their confinement, secrets are uncovered that will force Leo to make a tough choice. Close the sale and gain the approval he craves, or follow his heart and fight for the men for whom he’s falling head over heels.

Mitchell Houghton is drowning in grief and guilt following the death of his wife four years ago. Then, along comes a lawyer with an outsider who claims to own 50 percent of his home, his land. After years of self-imposed isolation, Mitch is now trapped with them both in his small cabin. Determined to make their lives a misery, he almost succeeds, until their unwanted interaction and attention makes him remember the man he used to be—the one he thought lost forever—giving him another chance at a happiness he’s not sure he deserves.

Excerpt

“I’m a determined man, Mr. Houghton.”

“Or a foolish one.”

I shrugged, not prepared to admit I was beginning to agree with him.

“Time after time, you were told no, but unlike any decent man, any honorable man, you didn’t leave me alone and walk away, did you?” He didn’t wait for me to answer. “No, instead, you went behind my back and began pressuring my brother to sell, recognizing he’d be the more gullible of us, the weaker of the two.”

I frowned at his answer. Obviously, there was far more bad blood between them than I’d originally suspected.

Not my problem.

“And you think it’s me who’s foolish.” I chuckled and shook my head. “I’m here today because you requested this meeting. You. You were the one who’d finally decided to sell.” I lifted my shoulders. “Don’t kid yourself into believing I’m the bad guy in this scenario. It’s pretty obvious as soon as you received our offer and caught sight of all those zero’s, you had a very rapid change of heart.”

“A momentary lapse in judgment,” he snapped at me.

“Whatever.” I balled my hands into fists in my pants trying to remain relaxed, knowing my next admission wasn’t going to be well received. “Oh, and by the way. To be clear, your brother came to us, not the other way around.”

“No.” His sharp rebuttal sounded almost painful.

I shrugged again. “Believe what you want, but I’m telling the truth. Until Jared Houghton offered up his fifty percent, I’d given up on the purchase, had decided you weren’t worth the time and effort to continue pursuing.”

Something flashed in his eyes at my comment but was gone too quick for me to decipher. “There are other cabins, other land”—removing my hands from my pockets, I spread my arms to indicate the shabby interior—“in much better condition.”

He moved off the jamb and was in my face before I had chance to blink, his voice low and threatening. “Be very careful what you say in my home, Mr. Sanchez.” He said my name like my presence left a bad taste in his mouth. “You’re a guest here, and you better remember that—and your manners.”

I took in a few deep breaths, wanting to calm down and ensure I didn’t say something inappropriate. I hated being threatened. Watching Mason after his attack, how he’d get jumpy and scared at the slightest hint of raised voices or aggression from others, I’d done everything in my power to help him work through his trauma. To the point I automatically placed myself in front of him whenever he got anxious, protecting him from anyone getting too close. So Mitchell trying his intimidation act on with me in the hopes I’d cower meekly? Well, I couldn’t help myself.

“Ah, but that’s not quite true anymore, is it?” My blood pumped hard in my veins, rapidly heading south, making me hard. I wouldn’t say I was enjoying our sparring match, but the male aggression filling the air, raising our body temperature, and releasing delicious-smelling pheromones of sweat and musk pushed all my buttons.

I glanced around the room with its worn couch, scuffed oak furniture, and thick log walls, thinking if renovated, the place would look amazing. “I’m not really here as a guest, am I? I own fifty percent, remember? So this place is as much mine as yours.”

I didn’t see the punch coming until it connected with my gut, winding me as it knocked the air from my lungs in a loud whoosh, doubling me over as pain ripped through my abdomen. The next thing I knew, I was grabbed by the collar of my expensive silk shirt and the back of my leather belt and heaved up as if I weighed nothing. He dragged me around the couch to the front door, which, typically, opened as we got there, to a horrified Leo.

Mitchell pushed past him, me firmly in his grip, my struggling useless against his power and strength as he swung me back, and then let gravity pull me speedily forward before releasing me, sending me flying across the porch to land in the snow and frozen dirt at the bottom of the steps in front of the cabin.

“My house,” he roared. “My home. Mine.” Then he slammed the door firmly behind him, leaving me there on my ass and out in the cold.

About the Author 

Pauley J Ray writes contemporary MM romantic fiction. His books contain sexy yet complicated and flawed characters searching for their own happily ever after.

​When not writing, he can’t wait to get outdoors, and with his husband, go hiking, camping, and travel everywhere they can, as often as they can.

With his husband’s job taking them all over the world, he now gets to write all day, every day, and he's never happier than when sat at his laptop creating new stories about gorgeous and sexy men.

Except when there's coffee...ooh and chocolate...yes, he's way happier when there's coffee and chocolate!

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