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Saturday, September 30, 2017

Smutterday - Bound by Thorns

For smutterday today, I'm sharing a smutty excerpt of Bound by Thorns, the third book in the Dragon Soul series from Carina Press, which came out on September 26.

Bound by Thorns

Park ranger Luke Beteferoce likes the quiet of the forest—a place he can be alone. The dragon shifter keeps himself busy maintaining his territory in the park…that is, until he meets ex-soldier Greyson Paulson. Suddenly, Luke finds himself thinking of all sorts of scenarios that involve Greyson. And with the kind of tension he's feeling, hot, sweaty, nonkinky sex is only the beginning. 

While he's perfectly fine being left alone, Greyson finds he enjoys the company of the bossy yet tender park ranger. Soon, trying to fight the heat between them is a losing battle: he's ready to give in to the irresistible lust he feels for Luke. Greyson may not be ready to completely submit, but he still can't stop himself from following every command Luke whispers his way. 

Luke hasn't felt this kind of connection and satisfaction with anyone ever before, leading him to discover Greyson's marked as his mate. But with Greyson battling his own limitations and lack of experience, it's going to take Luke more than hours-long hot sex to convince Greyson to stay and accept his destiny. 

 Book three in the Dragon Soul series 

buy links:

Book 1 of the series is Branded by Flames.
Book 2 of the series is Seduced by the Tide.

Smutty Excerpt:

Luke didn’t immediately follow him down onto the bed. Instead, Luke stood there and slowly undressed, pulling his clothes off but somehow never losing Greyson’s gaze.

“This is a dream, isn’t it?”

“Not that I know of.” Luke climbed on the bed, straddling his legs and slowly moving up.

“No? Good.” He didn’t want it to be. He wanted this to be real.

Luke put his hands on either side of Greyson’s head and slowly bent to bring their lips together. He exhaled, the connection between them strong enough to make him ache, deep in his bones.

Luke’s nostrils flared, like he was pulling in Greyson’s scent on the air, and he reached for Luke, stroking the lines of his angular jaw.

“I could kiss you for the rest of time,” Luke murmured against his lips before sliding those lips along his newly bared cheek.

Sweet words. And if Luke was right, if they were going to be together for the rest of time, he wished this had happened before he’d gotten hurt.

“I wasn’t joking, Pet. And I should get my wish, too.” Luke kissed him hard. “You are my soul mate, so you will be mine forever. Nobody else has the soul that matches mine.” Luke gave him a quick, hard hug. “Now, making love or more shaving?”

Like he could answer that. Seriously. He grabbed Luke behind the neck, tugging the big guy into a kiss.

Luke rocked against him, cock hard and leaking on his skin, leaving burning hot little lines that left him gasping. 

It didn’t matter what part of Luke touched him, he felt it to his bones.

Damn, that was something else. Something he couldn’t quite comprehend.

Luke’s lips left his, moving again along his bare jaw, licking and nibbling, but very quickly moving to tease the skin on his neck, leaving little shivers behind. “Mine,” Luke whispered. “All mine.”

“Shh.” They’d known each other approximately thirty-five seconds, for fuck’s sake.

Luke grinned at him, looking smug as fuck. It was kind of annoying that it was as attractive on Luke as every other look.

He’d never found another man as attractive as he found Luke. It was…undeniable.

Luke licked his way down to Greyson’s right nipple. He breathed on it. Then breathed on it some more. The anticipation made his body tense, made his skin tighten. His nipples hardened as he continued to wait.

When Luke finally pounced, lips wrapping around his nipple, so hot, it felt enormous.

He cried out, the sound shocking him, the pressure making him shudder.

His reaction saw Luke begin to suck, tongue flicking back and forth across the tip of his nipple. 

God, were guys even supposed to get off on that? Was that a thing? 

Whether it was a thing or not, he totally was. 

Then Luke bit and he howled, the sudden sharpness enough that he whimpered and twisted, caught by Luke’s teeth.

Luke grabbed his hips, pulling him in tighter and grinding their hips together as he didn’t let go of Greyson’s flesh.

“Aches.” And he couldn’t seem to breathe around the pressure.

Luke’s teeth closed over his nipple again, just the tip, all the while grinding against him.

Heat poured from him, shocking the hell out of him. Luke rumbled and let go of his nipple, moving down immediately to lap the come from his belly.

He watched, utterly stunned, as Luke lapped up every single drop, tongue dragging along his skin.

When Luke looked up, he smiled. “Mmm, you’re delicious.”

“You…” That had been the hottest thing in history.


Sean
smut fixes everything

Monday, September 25, 2017

Movie Monday

A while ago I went to see the Hitman's Bodyguard and enjoyed it very much. It didn't hurt that I went to see it in a VIP theatre, which means chushy seats that reclined and in seat food. I had yummy popcorn cauliflower. Who would have known that coating and deep frying cauliflower would taste so good? I do now!

So I was in a very good mood and comfy when watching the Hitman's Bodyguard and it was fun and funny and action packed. Ryan Reynolds was great as the straight man, so to speak, to Samuel L. Jackson's funny guy. Jackson was clearly having a blast chewing up the scenery and being over the top. He's a hitman with nothing to lose so for him there were no rules. Ryan Reynolds' character on the other hand, sweated every little detail because he was  hanging on by a thread. I'd totally recommend this one.

And I finally got to watch Wonder Woman yesterday. It was a great movie - definitely the best of the DC Comics movies, imho. It was so great to have a strong female lead. And one who believed in people and love and helping others. 

My favorite line in that was when the secretary was listing all the things she did and Diana tells her that where she comes from they call that slavery. *cackles* 

I appreciated the way they did backstory - made it interesting instead of a slow infodump that you can't wait until it's over. 

This one makes me look forward to Justice League.

I'm hoping to see the new Thor movie next!


Sean
smut fixes everything

Sunday, September 24, 2017

Sneak Peek Sunday - Bound by Thorns

For today's sneak peek, I have an excerpt from Bound by Thorns, the third book in the Dragon Soul series from Carina Press, which is coming out on September 25.

Bound by Thorns

Park ranger Luke Beteferoce likes the quiet of the forest—a place he can be alone. The dragon shifter keeps himself busy maintaining his territory in the park…that is, until he meets ex-soldier Greyson Paulson. Suddenly, Luke finds himself thinking of all sorts of scenarios that involve Greyson. And with the kind of tension he's feeling, hot, sweaty, nonkinky sex is only the beginning. 

While he's perfectly fine being left alone, Greyson finds he enjoys the company of the bossy yet tender park ranger. Soon, trying to fight the heat between them is a losing battle: he's ready to give in to the irresistible lust he feels for Luke. Greyson may not be ready to completely submit, but he still can't stop himself from following every command Luke whispers his way. 

Luke hasn't felt this kind of connection and satisfaction with anyone ever before, leading him to discover Greyson's marked as his mate. But with Greyson battling his own limitations and lack of experience, it's going to take Luke more than hours-long hot sex to convince Greyson to stay and accept his destiny. 

 Book three in the Dragon Soul series 

buy links:

Book 1 of the series is Branded by Flames.
Book 2 of the series is Seduced by the Tide.


Bound by Thorns Excerpt:

The snow was whiter out here. In the city it turned gray so quickly; here it just built up around the cabin and insulated the world, leaving him alone with his whiskey and his private war.

Greyson had never been anywhere this isolated. It wasn’t a matter of his nearest neighbor being a certain distance away—he had no nearest neighbor.

The whiskey burned all the way down and he winced. He needed to grab wood. He needed to make a tin of soup. He needed to do a lot of shit.

What he did was sit and watch the snow.

The leafless trees made interesting shadows and he watched them moving, changing with the wind. That one there looked like a dragon, big wings flapping across the landscape. Then the next looked like a missile, and he closed his eyes against the memory of fire licking against him, of the shrapnel biting into him. 

No. No. Eyes open. Focus. Snow. White. Cold. Implacable. The snow simply was.

Greyson took another swig of the whiskey and let it drown him that much more. Please, God, I don’t want to remember. I don’t want to dream.

A crunching noise made itself known, getting slowly louder, drawing near. 

He frowned and stood on shaky legs, looking out the window. No one was supposed to know he was here. No one was supposed to be here. No one.

A guy geared up for the winter appeared, some sort of insignia on his sleeve. He kept coming toward Greyson and he didn’t disappear. Not a hallucination, then.

“Great. Fuck.” He made sure the door was locked, closed the curtain. He wasn’t talking to anyone.

The knocks on the door sounded like shots, breaking the heavy silence.

“Go away. I don’t want any.”

“Park ranger. Open up.”

Goddammit, he didn’t want to see anyone. He imagined “park ranger” was as good as “police” out here in the extreme boonies, though, and not answering the door was going to be more trouble than not.

“Oh, for fuck’s sake.” He opened the door. Christ, he hadn’t changed his clothes in two days. At least. 
“What can I do for you?”

“You can tell me who you are, what you’re doing here, and how long you’re staying.” The voice was all growl.

“I’m just a guy. I rented this cabin. And as long as I want to.” He could snap with the best of them.

The ranger crossed his arms. “This land is a part of the park, so you’re in my territory. You respect that. You respect the land.”

Greyson snapped to attention and saluted.

Piercing dark green eyes narrowed. “Are you sassing me?”

Sassing? Really? Did he look like a fucking twelve-year-old? He’d been a fucking sergeant for Christ’s sake. “I am. I rented this place. I’m not hurting anything.” And he’d asked for their most isolated cabin when he’d made the arrangements. He hadn’t wanted to be bothered. He’d paid for a month in advance and they had his credit card number to keep charging unless he told them otherwise. This was not in his plans.

“Have you been drinking?”

“Yup.” It took the edge off the constant ache in his thigh and made the daily muscle cramps and shooting pains more or less tolerable. Not that it was any of this asshole’s business.

“Out here all by yourself? You might want to reconsider. If you forget to put on winter clothes when you go out—or even if you do, but pass out in the snow—it’ll kill you. And then there will be paperwork. I don’t like paperwork.”

“Paperwork. God forbid. I’ll try not to freeze to death on your watch.” He’d bet dying like that wouldn’t hurt.

“See that you don’t. I’ll be back to make sure of it. You got enough fuel? Food? Water?” The words were concerned, the tone more exasperated.

“I think so, yeah. Thanks.” Did he? How the hell did he know? He’d never done this before. But he wasn’t about to tell Dudley Do-Right that.

“You think so?” Dudley snorted. “I’ll be back. Try not to die before then.”

The guy was huge, and, Greyson imagined, intimidating, if he was in a place to be intimidated. Either way, Greyson wasn’t fucking impressed.

“I’ll do my best. Have a fab day.” Asshat.

That earned him another snort. “Ditto.”

“Yeah.” He closed the door with a click, locked it, and stumbled to his chair.

The crunching of the ranger’s footsteps faded away, leaving him alone in the woods once again.
Alone with his nightmares. Alone with the snow.

It was all he needed.

* * *

Luke patrolled the forest every day, shifting into his dragon and flying over it, making sure everything was as it should be. For a couple of weeks, he avoided the quadrant where the stranger was staying. No one had been at the little cabin on that corner of the land in a long time. It was too far out even for the service to use as storage, so it sat empty. He went by twice a year to make sure everything was in good repair, but aside from that, it had been empty for years. 

It wasn’t empty anymore, as he’d discovered by accident when flying over it some fifteen days ago. 

No. Now it was filled with a shaggy blond drunk with the palest blue eyes he’d ever seen. Someone had dropped the ball somewhere, not letting him know the place was now occupied, especially given the time of year. 

He found himself flying too close again, sniffing hard, seeking the stranger’s scent to make sure the guy was still alive. If he wasn’t careful, he was going to get caught. There was only one thing for it. He was going to have to go back. He’d take over a lasagna, a case of water, and maybe some milk and a box of cookies or something. Check up on the man. That ought to assuage his need to make sure the guy wasn’t about to expire on him.

He packed the cooler on the trailer behind the snowmobile and headed for the cabin. He was going to deal with this nonsense, once and for all. These were his forests. Nobody came here during the winter. It was too isolated, too far north, too easy to get trapped once the rain turned to snow.

He pulled the snowmobile up next to the cabin, and slowly got off it, noticing a car-shaped tarp next to the building. Was the guy going to come to the door because of the noise, or was he really going to wait until Luke knocked? It wasn’t like he was here for anyone else. He took a moment to look under the tarp, finding a beat-up jeep that had seen better days. Letting the tarp go, he went back to the front door.

When no one appeared, he shook his head, then knocked. 

The man answered the door in a pair of boxers and nothing else, long blond hair covering his shoulders, beard masking a heavy frown. Fuck, that lean body was covered in scars, most of them concentrated on one thigh. Luke tried hard not to stare, but damn, they were brutal. Made him wonder what had happened to the guy.

“Can I help you?”

“Wellness check,” he said, pushing his way in. Luke wasn’t waiting for an invitation, especially as he didn’t figure he was going to get one. 

“What the fuck? I’m fine!” 


Sean
smut fixes everything


Saturday, September 23, 2017

Smutterday - Shifter Rescue 8: And One Makes Four

Here's a smutty excerpt of my latest release - Shifter Rescue 8: And One Makes Four from Changeling Press. This is the follow-up book to Three Uncaged where we first meet Stripe, Xeno and Shen.

Shifter Rescue 8: And One Makes Four

Now that zoo shifters Stripe, Xeno and Shen have been rescued, Pirou finds an expert to help them learn how to live their own lives.

Levi is good at his job, professional and passionate about helping. After all, he was a rescue once himself. He always provides whatever help he can, and he never takes advantage of his charges.

These three are different, though, and when Shen makes overtures, Levi finds himself unable to resist the sweet kit. Stripe, Xeno and Shen come as a package, though.

Is there a way for three to become four?

Buy Links:
Changeling Press
Amazon
Barnes & Noble
iBooks
Kobo


smutty excerpt:


“Is that wrong? This is new to me. I’m a bad man.” Shen scooted away, head down. “I’m sorry.”

“No! No! Not at all.” He reached for Shen automatically, gently touching his skin. “You aren’t bad at all. I just didn’t know if you would want that or not. I didn’t want you to feel like you had to.” He wouldn’t force anyone to do anything, or take advantage of a feeling of obligation.

“It felt good before…” Blue eyes started up at him from beneath dark lashes.

“If it doesn’t feel good, you’re doing something wrong,” Levi admitted. Would the other two be upset if he connected with Shen through lovemaking?

Did he care?

Shen called to him, drew him in. He wanted Shen in a way he’d never wanted any of his other charges. Well, in a way he’d never wanted anyone, in fact.

He moved back toward the shifter, took Shen’s cheeks in his hands and gently pressed their lips together. Shen smiled, lips moving lazily, easily against his. Levi returned the caresses and realized that they probably should have moved to the bed, small as it was, before they’d started this. So, he rolled onto his back, bringing Shen with him and giving the kit his body as a mattress.

Shen cuddled in, moving slowly, rhythmically. Shen might be new at this, but his instincts were great.
Levi dropped one hand to Shen’s ass, encouraging the long movements. If he hadn’t already been turned on from the brushing, this would have certainly done the job.

Shen moaned, tongue slipping out to taste. Levi touched that questing tongue with his own, sliding them together. Those lovely eyes shone at him, the look open, eager, utterly fascinating.

“You’re absolutely delicious, Shen. I love tasting you.” Levi went back for another kiss, tongue pushing in a little harder this time, more insistent.

Shen was so responsive, opening up to him and pressing down against him. Groaning, Levi wrapped his hand around the back of Shen’s head, deepening the kiss even farther.

There was no shame, no tension, just a lazy hunger that Shen fed to him. He was glad this was something outside the zoo experience for Shen and the others, that they could have this pleasure.

He began sliding his hands up and down along Shen’s back, loving the sensation of the hot, silky skin beneath his fingertips.

“Are you seducing our mate?”


Sean
smut fixes everything

Friday, September 22, 2017

Random Friday

...is not only random, but long overdue!

  • It's been a while since I last updated here. The weather suddenly turned hot again and my brain went back into hibernation mode. I just can't seem to get into any sort of rhythm or do more than panicky last-minute hitting deadlining on anything right now.  I need the weather to turn and I need it to do it soon!
  • Cleaning and cooking are also harder to do when it's hot like this - it's not just the work that gets left behind but everything. 
  • My living room fan has gone from quietly blowing air at me to sounding like a plane is going to be taking off any minute now, even on its lowest setting.
  • I'd like to go apple picking this year, but if the weather doesn't change soon, I'm going to miss the season entirely.
  • Haven't decided yet what I'm going to serve for Thanksgiving (it's in October up here in Canada). I guess what I serve will depend on how many people I wind up with.
  • I was thinking of not doing cookies at Christmas this year, or just doing a couple of kinds rather than the dozen or so varieties I usually do. However, I can already feel the desire to do it at the back of my head, so I likely will. I will need to find the magazines that I've used in the past with the recipes for a lot of them, though...
  • Finally saw Wonder Woman - it's a great movie and I'd say the best for DC Comics. Hopefully this bodes well for Justice League. I know if nothing else I'm looking forward to seeing Aquaman. I may be a bit of a Jason Momoa fan... from back in his Stargate: Atlantis days.
  • I'm looking forward to the new TV season - the return of certain shows and all the potential in the new shows is always fun.
  • Second Avenue Sweets on Second and Bank has the best lemon tarts and lemon squares. They are extremely lemony and tart, not like a lot of lemon desserts at most places, where there's a tiny bit of lemon flavor and a whole ton of sweet.
  • I'm very worried about BA - she's sick and the doctors have no idea what's going on and the insurance won't approve her going to the Mayo where they deal with the more extreme cases. Hell, if the current health 'plan' gets rammed through, she's not going to be covered at all in the new year. I just don't understand the lack of caring that lets people even contemplate a plan where over 30 million people will lose access to health care. I just don't understand that.
  • The other day they cut down the big maple that was just outside my backyard fence because it had a slight lean toward the house (it wasn't falling over, that's just how it grew to get sunlight). The backyard now looks very stark. It's awful. Not to mention I've lost all my shade and I have to pull the curtains during the afternoon because there's nothing shading the living room from the sunlight.
  • And it's so hot out there right now - the sun is crazy hot. Hell, you can even feel it first thing in the morning as it comes up. I walk the dog as the sun is coming up and it's decent out there. As soon as the sun crests the trees/houses/etc, you can feel how darn hot it's going to be later, just by how hot that sudden sun is. Blah.
  • Okay, this is getting whiny, so I'm going to say.... TGIF!!
Have a good weekend.
Sean
smut fixes everything

Saturday, September 9, 2017

Smutterday - Perfect 10

As promised, here is a smutty excerpt from Perfect 10.

Perfect 10

Despite a life-threatening injury sustained in a vaulting accident, top gymnast Christopher Allen is determined to get back to his former perfect condition and compete again. Brian Rainings is a coach in need of someone to believe in, and he takes Chris on, admiring the spirit and determination that drives Chris to succeed. And admiring the sturdy, muscled body Chris maintains.

Admiration soon leads to something much hotter as they train together. From their scorching first kiss, Brian and Chris’s chemistry is obvious, but they have a long road ahead to get Chris back into shape. Months of hard work lead to success, with Chris gaining strength every day and finally finding the elusive sponsor he needs for financial support. Secrets, hidden dangers, and family troubles plague them, though, and they have to face the fact that Chris might never compete again and score that perfect ten.

Second Edition. 

First Edition published by Torquere Press, 2006.

Buy links:
Dreamspinner Press
Amazon 
Barnes & Noble 
Kobo 


Smutty Excerpt:

Brian stepped forward suddenly, reached for Chris’s head, and crashed his mouth down on Chris’s.

Oh sweet fuck.

Chris opened right up, this kiss completely different from the one at the gym, hard and deep and needy. Brian’s groan filled his mouth, their teeth clicking together as the kiss went on and on, the need growing stronger.

The phone stopped ringing, but Chris barely noticed, lips swollen and hot, aching from the kisses. Brian’s hips pushed into him, pressing him against the counter, hard prick solid and hot.

Oh fuck. He wanted. Right now. Heat rushed through him, his cock throbbing, aching in his jeans. Brian’s fingers twisted in his hair, tugging his head back, the kiss deepening further. Their hips ground together, cocks rubbing through too many fucking layers.

Chris wrapped one leg around Brian, pulling them tighter together. Yeah. Yeah, he…. Oh. Oh fuck.

Brian sawed against him, and a strangled sound pushed into his mouth, the tang of blood sudden and strong as his lower lip caught on Brian’s teeth. His hips jerked, muscles going tight and his balls drawing up. Shit. Soon. Damn.

One of Brian’s hands slid away from his hair, pushed between them, Brian fumbling with his own zipper before suddenly grabbing at his arm. Brian stiffened, a shudder moving through him. “Chris! Fuck!”

“Uh. Uh-huh.” He could smell sex now, sex and need and hunger.

“Oh damn. Sorry. Long time. Sorry. God. Uh. Your turn,” muttered Brian, breathless, still shivering, shuddering. Brian started kneading the front of Chris’s pants, tongue fucking his mouth.

“Please….” Chris bucked, undulating into Brian’s touch, his eyes rolling.

Brian managed to get a hand into Chris’s jeans, wrap his fingers around Chris’s cock and hold it tight. 
With his free hand, Brian tugged Chris’s zipper the rest of the way down, giving him more room to move, to stroke Chris.

“Oh God. Good.” He fucked Brian’s hand furiously, letting himself go, letting himself move.

Brian pushed under Chris’s T-shirt, fingers finding a nipple, ratcheting everything up yet another notch. “Wanna feel it. Wanna feel you come.”

“Uh-huh.” Chris went up on his toes, balls going tight. Fuck. Fuck yes. Brian stared at him, and fuck, so good. Good enough that he shot, thighs shaking.

Brian whimpered softly, mouth meeting Chris’s in a kiss as gentle as the earlier ones had been demanding. The hard grip on Chris’s prick barely loosened, Brian still stroking slowly, tugging out one more shudder and then another.

“Oh. So good.” Chris blinked, head rolling on his shoulders. “So good.”

Brian leaned against him, pushing Chris’s ass against the counter as they caught their breath. “Yeah. Man. Wow.”

Chris’s phone suddenly started ringing 

Sean
smut fixes everything

Wednesday, September 6, 2017

Random Update

So summer was hard like it always is and I kind of hibernate. Bake bread, make meals, curl up in front of the fan with the AC cranked high, We've finally had a turn in the weather about a week and a half ago and it's September, which while not fall until we're through two thirds of the month, still means a turn of season for me mentally. Or at least Labour Day does. The last summer long weekend.

So the todo list is currently scary as heck, but I'm tackling it, so hopefully I'll get caught up in... God knows. Soon, I hope. ;)

Someone who loves me was in the States for the long weekend and they know me well and bought me some Haribo Halloween candy. Haribo gummies of various kinds in Halloween sized packets. Including my very favourite Happy Cola. OMG. So happy. I love that I'm going to have those in the little packages. I know it's not environmentally friendly, but the little candy packages make me happy.

I love these and I love the mini Halloween bars from nestle where they change the names. The Scareos, Coffin Crisp, Kit Kats and Scaries instead of Aero, Coffee Crisp, Kit Kat and Smarties.

Can you tell I'm looking forward to Halloween? 'Cause I am.

I'm looking forward to the cooler weather just getting cooler and cooler. And I'm looking forward to the new TV season.

I've also got some great books coming out in the next few months. The Supers and Daddy Needs a  Date from Dreamspinner. The next Shifter Rescue from Changeling. And I've got the next book in the Underground series coming out - Protection Detail. A tale of two Doms. I think it's pretty hot and I'm looking forward to sharing it with you. It and the others, too.

Okay, back to it. Happy Humping Day to all.

Sean
smut fixes everything


Book Day Wednesday

Today is the re-release day for Perfect 10. I'd like to thank Dreamspinner Press for taking it on to reprint it and giving it such a wonderful cover! There's a non-smutty excerpt here - look for a smutty one on Saturday!

Perfect 10

Despite a life-threatening injury sustained in a vaulting accident, top gymnast Christopher Allen is determined to get back to his former perfect condition and compete again. Brian Rainings is a coach in need of someone to believe in, and he takes Chris on, admiring the spirit and determination that drives Chris to succeed. And admiring the sturdy, muscled body Chris maintains.

Admiration soon leads to something much hotter as they train together. From their scorching first kiss, Brian and Chris’s chemistry is obvious, but they have a long road ahead to get Chris back into shape. Months of hard work lead to success, with Chris gaining strength every day and finally finding the elusive sponsor he needs for financial support. Secrets, hidden dangers, and family troubles plague them, though, and they have to face the fact that Chris might never compete again and score that perfect ten.

Second Edition. 

First Edition published by Torquere Press, 2006.

Buy links:
Dreamspinner Press
Amazon 
Barnes & Noble 
Kobo 


Excerpt:

Chapter One
 
Brian stopped in front of the diner and looked at the door for a moment.

It was one of those silver-bullet, old-style diners, the chrome dull with age, the windows shining clean and bright. Kind of a strange place for a job interview, but that’s essentially what this was.

He’d heard through the grapevine that Christopher Allen was trying to make a comeback after his vault accident, despite the fact that his coach and corporate sponsorship had bailed on him. He’d also heard it was a long shot, that the guy was lucky he wasn’t in a wheelchair, let alone even thinking about competing again. Scuttlebutt said Christopher was too old to start over, too injured, too past it.

And too stubborn to admit it.

Brian liked that in an athlete.

So he’d called and asked for a meeting. He hadn’t told Christopher he’d have to fly in just for this meeting. He’d kept it casual—let’s have lunch at that little place on the corner of Smith and Fifth.

This could change Brian’s whole life. Not that he didn’t like coaching the girls at the private school where he was working, but he missed men’s gymnastics, missed being involved, the feeling of the powder on his hands, the shaking in his muscles as he pushed himself past the point of his endurance….

His own glory days, such as they were, were over, but he had a chance to coach someone else into that sweet place where hard work and achievement met.

He had to convince Christopher Allen that he was the man for the job.

Brian took a breath and went in, the sounds of the street replaced by the sounds of people talking, china and silverware clinking, and the smell of grease filling his nose.

He scanned the booths, looking for Christopher.

It took him a second to find the guy, the signature blond hair dull and overgrown where it was bent over a menu, the square jaw hidden by a scrappy beard. The man had lost some weight, some form, but Brian could see the musculature still evident through the tight T-shirt.

Brian made his way over slowly, that feeling coming over him, the one that said this was a moment he wanted to remember, one he wanted to be sure to live in.

He stopped at Christopher’s booth and cleared his throat. “Christopher Allen? Hi, I’m Brian Rainings.”

“Hey there. Call me Chris.” Chris stood, unfolding himself from the booth, the motion a little awkward, a little stiff. “Nice to meet you. How’s it going?”

“Good, thanks. What about you? How’re you doing?”

“Doing good. Doing real good.” One square hand was offered over. “Have a seat, man.”

Brian shook Chris’s hand. Chris had a good grip, warm and firm, not overbearing. “Thanks. And thanks for agreeing to see me.”

Chris might have been on the injured list and abandoned by his people, but the buzz around him had been incredible before the accident, and Brian figured he couldn’t be the only one who wanted this job.

“Sure. You and I competed together once, a long time ago. Back when I was a junior and you were on top.”

“Yeah, I do remember. The buzz in the locker room was all about this blond kid who was going to smoke everyone in a few years.” The vinyl seats were surprisingly soft, like they’d been well taken care of.

“Yeah. Talk’s probably still the same, just for another kid.” It was a little unnerving looking at Chris. One eye was a bright blue, the other a deep, dark green.

“It always is. Everyone wants to discover the next big thing. Of course, I might be sitting right in front of him.” Brian grinned, knowing he was laying it on thick.

Chris chuckled, eyes dancing. “You do know I had back surgery, yeah?”

“Oh, you’re that Christopher Allen.” Brian winked and nodded. “Yeah, I know. I also know you’re looking to come back.”

“Looking to, yeah. I’ve been working on the trampoline, stretches, getting up to speed. I want to be ready.”

“Sounds good. You tried any of the equipment yet? The vault?”

“The rings. The bar. No landings yet.”

“How’s it feel?” He still worked out using some old routines himself—it was a hard thing to give up, pushing your body to its limits and beyond like that, feeling high and free.

“Stiff. I’m loving the tramp work. I can’t do much else—nowhere wants a guy without a coaching staff doing much training.”

He nodded. “Yeah, they don’t want the responsibility. So you still need a coach, then?”

“Yeah, Harry and Jeff moved on. They got Les Martin and both Evvie and Jean Parsons. Three for the price of one, you know?”

“Sounds like a good deal. For them. Kind of left you in the lurch, though, yeah?”

Man, that was a practiced shrug. “It’s a business. I’m not a sure thing.”

“Neither are they. What if there’s another accident? Harry and Jeff going to move on again?” Brian held up his hands. “Sorry, loyalty’s a dying art, you know?”

“Yeah. Yeah, I know. You want a burger? Chili dog?”

“Chili dog. With fries. And I hope they’re greasy.” And a milkshake. Brian loved diner food. “What about you? Burger? Chili dog? Coach Rainings?”

Those eyes caught his, curious, questioning. “You haven’t even seen what I can do yet.”

“No, but I know what your heart is. You had every reason in the world to give up—between the surgery and losing all your support—but you didn’t. You’re still out there working, getting ready. I know I’m not a big-name coach, and I haven’t proved myself yet. I’m sure you’ve had a number of offers, but I promise you, I will meet you heart to heart, and I won’t let you down.”

Chris nodded, stopped as the waitress came up. “I want a cup of black coffee, two beef patties with cheese, and a salad.”

“Chili cheese dog, fries, and a chocolate milkshake, please.”

“Mmm. Chocolate.” Chris chuckled, winked. “Where do you like to work?”

“Well, frankly, I’d prefer somewhere small, quiet. You don’t need the pressure of a high-profile gymnasium with big names. There’ll be pressure enough without that.”

“Yeah. I’d prefer to fall on my ass in private the first few zillion times.”

“There’s a facility in Monterey. I know the guy who owns it. It’s a beautiful town, weather’s nice, and it’s off the beaten path as far as gymnastics goes, but it’s still close enough to a lot of the big meets.”

“Monterey? Like California? Man, I don’t have any sponsors. I can’t afford an apartment out there.”

“Well, all it takes is one. Have you made any calls?” Brian started sorting names through his mind. Mars used to sponsor him; he bet if he gave Bob Silmon a call, he could work something out—they were good people.

“No. No. I…. Well, I sort of hoped that Harry and Jeff would….” Christopher stopped, blushed. “No, not yet.”

The waitress came with their drinks, and Brian said, “Thank you,” waiting until she’d gone again before answering. “They aren’t going to, though, are they? But I’m here.”

“Yeah. Yeah, I’m not caught in the past, man. I’m not.”

“Well, I don’t know if anyone could blame you if you were, but in order to get past what happened, you are going to have to face forward, reach for that brass ring, and not live in I-used-to-be-somebody land, you know?” He leaned forward. “You also need to do this because you have to. If you’re not going to put two hundred percent into it, you’re not going to come back.”

Chris met his eyes, gaze still, steady. “If I give it five hundred percent, there’s a good chance I won’t come back, but that hasn’t stopped me yet.”

Jesus, Brian thought, there was some fury right there, under the surface.

“I’m glad you know that. And now you know that I know it. So it’s all out in the open. And I’m still here.” He took a sip of his drink, enjoying the cold on his tongue. He bet that anger alone would push Chris far. But it wouldn’t be enough on its own.

Chris finished one cup of coffee and motioned for another, offering the waitress a half smile of thanks. “So what do you get out of this? You looking for a springboard to the big leagues? Because I’ll be honest, I’ve just finished being that, and it sucked.”

“Well, I’ve got a job right now. Coaching gymnastics at a girls’ private school. The money is good. It’s steady work. And the girls are great—they really are. But it’s not…. Men’s gymnastics is where my heart is, but I don’t want to be some assistant coach for some big club or school. I want to work hands-on with someone.” He gave the waitress a smile of his own as their food came. “I want a challenge. I want to believe in someone.”

“I hear that.” Chris dug into his burger, slathering it with mustard and using lettuce leaves for the bun.

Brian grinned as he dug into his fries. That was one thing he didn’t miss about competing—the constant need to watch your carb intake, to chart body-mass indexes, watch every pound you added, making sure it was all muscle.

“I can tell you this, Chris. If you agree to let me coach you, you will always have someone in your corner. Someone who will push you when you can’t push yourself, who will believe in you. Someone who will be there for you no matter who or what else is around.”

Chris nodded, stared at the table. “I need to think about it. I have to finish this semester before I can do anything, before I can make plans.”

Brian nodded. “I’d heard you were back in school. How close are you to graduating?”

He hadn’t given up his day job. Hell, he wouldn’t be giving up his day job to train Chris, not to start with anyway. He had a few contacts in Monterey, knew there was a phys ed teaching position for him if this worked out. Until Chris had proved himself, sponsorship money was going to be damned tight.

“I’ll have my bachelor’s in May. Then I have to decide where to go from there. There are lots of options.” Chris had a reputation for being driven, for being stubborn and one-track minded. Brian could so see it.

Chris was going to need that, coming off an injury like his.

“If you’re going to come back, though, you don’t want to wait too long. Once you’re an old man like me, you’re washed up, injury or no injury.” Brian grinned wryly, recognizing the irony of being not quite yet thirty and over the hill.

“Shit. I’m trying. I’m fucking trying, but no one lets me on the equipment. I need somewhere to train, to take chances.”

“Well, why don’t you come out to Monterey for the summer? I have a teaching position and no other commitments until, possibly, September. That would give us a few months to work together, let you push it, see how you’re feeling.” There it was. He couldn’t lay it out there much plainer. Come and train.

There was a spark in Chris’s eyes, a sudden hunger. “I… is there a place I can stay? Rent a room?”

“Well, Monterey has this private school. Kind of a sister school to the one where I’m currently working. They run a summer program for the girls, and the job’s mine if I want it. I could use an assistant coach, someone who knows what they’re doing. Pay should cover room and board, and the equipment would be ours as soon as the girls clear out.” It wasn’t a big facility or unlimited time for training, but it was workable.

“That sounds like a damned sweet deal.” Chris drank another cup of coffee, starting to bounce a little.

“That’s because you’ve never worked with teen and preteen girls.” Brian winked but then grinned and finished his fries. “So should I tell my friend he’s got a coach and assistant coach?”

“Yeah. Yeah, I could…. I can do that. Hell, worse comes to worse, I can run on the beach.”

Brian nodded. “A change of scenery can be a great boost, but you’ll get time on the equipment. It’ll be part of our contract.” He’d make sure of that.

He kept his knees from bouncing by sheer force of will, eager for a definitive yes.

“Okay. Okay, I can do that. I graduate the twelfth.” Brian got a half grin, a bittersweet smile. “I can tell my folks I already got a job.”

“Oh, you’re good at putting a good spin on things. One of the first lessons, isn’t it?” Brian held out his hand. “Shall we shake on it? On new beginnings?”

Chris stared at him for a long, slow minute, then took his hand, shook it. “I don’t know whether to feel sorry for you or not.”

Brian shook his head. “I’m a big boy, Chris. I make my own decisions. And I’m not here for altruistic reasons. I’m here for me.” He held on to Chris’s hand a moment longer and then let go. “I’m lucky what I want and what you want are the same thing.”

“Yeah. Yeah, okay. Do…. What all paperwork do you want? Doctor stuff? Therapy? I have it all in a box at my apartment.” Chris started eating again, chowing down.

“Yeah, that would be good. Would it be possible to take it with me today? I’m on a flight back home tonight, and it would be cheaper for me to take it than for you to ship it. I’d like to get a look at you too, if I can. See what you can do, where you’re at.” That was likely more important than anything papers could tell him.

“Sure. I can probably get a spot at the university gym. When’s your flight?”

“Not until nine forty, so we’ve got some time. I’m really looking forward to seeing your form.”

It would let him put together a game plan, get started on paper. Hell, it would tell him how far Chris had come since the injury and how much further he had to go.
Brian drained his drink and wiped his mouth with his napkin. Damn, there was nothing quite like greasy food. It had always been one of his downfalls.

“Cool. I’ll make some phone calls, see what Coach Farris can do. Excuse me.” Chris slid out of the booth, pulling out a cell phone as he walked away. Brian heard, “Steve? Hey, man, this is Chris. You got a minute?”

Brian pulled out his wallet and looked around for the waitress, signaling that they wanted the bill. Then he sat there, still not quite sure he believed it.

He’d made his pitch, and Chris had gone for it. He’d pinned his hopes on this trip, and it had worked out for him. He chuckled, the way he felt too big to hold in.

Chris wandered back, nodded a little, and dug out his wallet. “Steve says we can have the place in a half hour. We just need to meet him there.”

“Oh, that’s excellent! I’m glad they could be so accommodating.” Brian nodded toward Chris’s empty plate. “You going to be okay so soon after the heavy meal?”

“If not, we’ll find out.” Chris shrugged. “It isn’t like we have a ton of time.”

Brian laughed, nodding. “There is that. I really don’t want to re-see that meal, though.”

He gave the waitress his card. “Why don’t you leave the tip?” After all, he’d invited Chris out, and he imagined that with the injury and all his backers pulling out, things were tight.

“Yeah? Okay. Thanks. I’ll buy us something to drink for the gym. I’m always thirsty as hell after.” Chris put a five on the table, face showing a bit of animation.

Oh, the man was hooked on it; Brian could see it.

In fact, Chris’s enthusiasm was contagious, and when Brian got his card back and they headed out, there was a definite bounce in his step.

“If they aren’t letting you do much on the equipment, as you’re coachless, what have you been doing?”

“Studying. Working. I sold all my furniture and bought a weight set, and my GPA jumped to a 3.9.”
Chris led him out, straight toward a little old green Honda. His walk was a bit stiff, but not bad. Not impossible.

“What equipment was it you’ve been on again?”

It was one of the things he liked about teaching, getting to show the girls stuff, being able to use the equipment now and then.

Not that they had rings at his current job, but they did have a pommel horse. It wasn’t like he still had decent strength in his upper body anymore anyway. It was amazing how quickly that faded. “And have you been working on your upper body, keeping your strength up?”

“Rings. The bar. I haven’t hit a landing. No one wants me to try yet.” Chris opened the car door, slid in. “I do weight training five hours a day.”

Brian put on his seat belt. “Have your doctors prohibited you from landing?” If Chris couldn’t land, he couldn’t compete. It was as simple as that.

Chris’s strong hands clenched the steering wheel, the leather around it creaking. “I haven’t been cleared. I can’t land if I can’t train. I can’t train if I don’t get a coach. I can’t compete if I can’t land.”
Brian nodded. “Yeah, that’s pretty much the way of it. But we’re about to break that vicious circle, yeah? We did shake on it, right?”

“Yeah?” Those two-toned eyes looked over at him. “I…. Man, I thought you were about to tell me you’d changed your mind.”

“Oh! No, no. I’m sorry, didn’t meant to stress you out. I mean, back surgery, I knew it was going to be a long haul. Hell, Chris, you’re probably taking a bigger chance on me—I’m totally untried in coaching men’s gymnastics.”

He got a quick look as they backed out of the parking lot. “Well, then, I bet I can come up with a list of gymnast demands.”

Well, well. Look at that.

A sense of humor.

Brian laughed. “Hey, as long as it doesn’t cost money, you might be able to talk me into that list.” There was a surprising amount of traffic as they drove out onto the highway—it’d been too long since he’d been in the big city. “It always busy like this?”

“Yeah, pretty much.” Chris drove with confidence, changing lanes, zipping down the highway. “I’ll grab my box, and then we can head to the school.”

Chris drove them to a little dragged-down section of town, its old houses made into dozens and dozens of student apartments. Dingy and tired, but solid. Comfortable. Lacking in terrible scariness.

“You gonna mind sharing digs with me in Monterey? We don’t have to, but there’ll be more money for other stuff if we share.” He wasn’t too sure about the “don’t have to” either, but he didn’t want to force it on Chris.

He got another quick look. “Look, man. I don’t know what you’ve heard, but I know how to stay in my own bed, and I haven’t ever been inappropriate with a teammate.”

They pulled into a driveway, and Chris turned off the engine.

“Um… I’m not quite sure what you’re talking about.” Though from what Chris had said, Brian could guess. “I was more thinking about you being uncomfortable living with a stranger, sharing digs. Or what you might have heard about me.”

“Oh.” Chris looked at him, mouth opening and closing like a fish. Brian chuckled. “I think we both need our gaydar tweaked.” To be honest, he’d been so focused on seeing Chris, convincing him to accept his offer of coaching….

“Yeah. You need to catch up with the latest gossip too.” Those sharp cheekbones were painfully red, Chris’s eyes pinned to the steering wheel. “You want to wait here or come up while I get that stuff for you?”

“Well, that depends. Are you going to catch me up with the gossip?” Brian bumped their shoulders together. “I’ll stay here.” Give Chris a few minutes to compose himself.

“Okay, I’ll be right back.” Chris headed upstairs, disappeared behind a little red door.

Lord, a guy with a reputation.

Brian wished he knew what that reputation was. He really was out of the loop at Mrs. Kernicke’s School for Girls. And now he was curious as hell.

It had him chuckling at himself. He wasn’t even back in the scene for a half hour, and already he was eager to hear the gossip.

Back in the scene.

Wow.

Too cool.


Sean 
smut fixes everything