Friday, December 30, 2016

Nothing Special V ~ A.E. Via





Author A.E. Via
Title:  Nothing Special V
M/M GAY CONTEMPORARY
Edited by: Tina Adamski
Cover Artist – Jay Aheer
PAGE COUNT – 365
Release Date: December 12, 2016

Synopsis
The boys are back and fiercer than ever!

"We were a unit tonight, moving as one. Even apart, we are deadly, but when combined – we are f**kin’ unstoppable." ~~ God ~~

Atlanta's notorious narcotics task force is at it again. They are stronger, bigger, and better than ever. Especially when a city councilman sends RECON Marine, Edwin Steele - who’s been blacklisted from his Oakland department - to join the team. God and Day weren't recruiting. They have a lot on their plates, like the fact they're supposed to be getting married soon. They don't have the time or the patience to integrate a decorated war hero with a slight chip on his shoulder into their well-oiled machine. 

A hothead that's uncontrollable and terrible with authority… but wasn’t that their team motto?

Steele was ready to hang up his shield. He was done fighting with bigoted bastards that couldn't respect the job. He was good at fighting; he just needed the right team to fight with. When his uncle - City Councilman, Rasmus Steele - shows him a video of God's team in action, he knows right away, it's where his nephew belongs in order to restore his faith. 

Steele pointed to the driver, a behemoth of a man wielding those massive firearms like a true beast… like a soldier. “And him. Who the hell is he?”

“That’s your new boss. Lieutenant Cashel Godfrey… they call him… God.”


Steele was skeptical about his new placement, but when he meets God's technology specialist/computer genius, “Tech,” he's willing to give it his all, and he definitely shows and proves.

Tech is stunning. His sweater vest and khakis, a stark contrast to the blue-jeaned roughnecks he works with. A beautiful sheep amongst the wolves. Steel thinks there's no way the brilliant man would be interested in a hardhead like him, but Tech has a few badass hidden talents of his own and manages to surprise him... surprise all of them. 

This story is a part of a series but can stand alone. It does not end on a cliffhanger and has a HEA. There are no multiple pairings in this novel. 



AUTHOR BIO:
A.E. Via is an author in the beautiful gay romance genre and also founder and owner of Via Star Wings Books. Her writing embodies everything from hopelessly romantic to adventure, to scandalous. Her stories often include intriguing edges and twists that take readers to new, thought-provoking depths.
When she’s not clicking away at her laptop, she devotes herself to her family—a husband and four children. Adrienne Via has tons of more stories to tell, but she really would like to hear yours. Via Star Wings Books is currently accepting submissions for established and aspiring LGBTQ authors.
Visit my site to learn more! Go to A.E. Via’s official website http://authoraevia.com  for more detailed information on how to contact her, follow her, or a sneak peak on upcoming work, free reads, VSWB submissions, and where she’ll appear next



Links

Amazon Buy Link:  https://goo.gl/LXaMrW
All Romance: https://goo.gl/M6JYv9
Barnes & Noble: https://goo.gl/DVKJ5O
Smashwords: https://goo.gl/psjFiu

Author Official Website: http://authoraevia.com


Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/aeviaauthor


EXCERPT

Tech was getting ready to go over to Syn and Day when one of the homicide detectives burst through their doors wearing a pair of sweats and an APD tank top, his face sweaty and flushed but his eyes as wide as saucers. “Your new guy, the Marine, is sparring with God downstairs!” he yelled, and took off back through the bullpen, a few of the beat officers racing along behind him. 
Ruxs and Green were already in motion, taking off like two bats out of hell. Tech was right behind them and he could hear the heavy steps of Syn and Day on his heels. 
“Hey, what’s going on?” The captain frowned from the entrance to his office, looking confused at all his officers scattering like rats.
“The Marine’s in the ring with God,” someone yelled.
“Oh hell,” the captain said and joined in the crowd. 
Tech’s heart was beating frantically, taking the stairs two at a time, all of them sounding like a cattle stampede. It was no secret around the precinct who their new addition was, a lot of them having seen the footage of him at the fast food robbery, so the thought of him going head to head with the baddest cop in Atlanta, that was something to run and see. 
When Tech came through the swinging doors, the first thing he saw was the goddamn crowd. Everyone was down there, even a couple of the officers from booking. What the hell? Then he noticed all the cell phones that were pointed in the direction of the ring, recording. The noise was crazy like they were watching two heavyweight champions. His breath stopped when he saw God shove Steele into the ropes and hammer away at his ribs. Steele tucked his elbows in tight, a look of determination and pain etched on his sweaty face. 
“Get outta there, Marine!” a deep voice shouted. “Get off the ropes.”
Tech watched Steele wrap God up in a bear hug to halt his punches. God stumbled back, pushing Steele off him, but to his surprise, Steele came at God with a combination that would’ve made Ali proud. 
“Yeah!” The crowd cheered when God stumbled back into the buckle, his big biceps flexing as he tried to defend against Steele’s hits. 
Tech swallowed hard. He was amazed and extremely turned on by how fast Steele moved. God swung a quick left hook, the crowd erupting again when Steele ducked and returned the same level of punishment on God’s ribs. Steele jumped back, meeting God in the center of the ring. Tech didn’t know what round this was, but both of them looked like they’d had the workout of their lives. He’d seen God not even break a sweat in the ring, but large droplets poured off his chest and shoulders while he brought his hands up, squaring off with Steele again. 
God gave Steele a come-hither sign, telling him he was ready for more. 
Steele brought his arms back up and Tech’s mouth watered, taking in Steele’s strong upper body, his broad shoulders and ripped back. His pecs were thick and dripping sweat profusely, making the large tattoo there glisten in the dim lighting. The huge bald eagle clutching the world in his sharp talons with USMC beneath it, done masterfully. But the best part was Steele’s knuckleduster piercing the image, the words Death Before Dishonor wrapped around the blade. Tech’s skin heated and he eased back into the corner to silently keep watching and also hide his reaction.




 


Wednesday, December 28, 2016

Cover Reveal ~ Hipster Brother by K.A. Merikan

Title:  Hipster Brothel
Author: K.A. Merikan
Publisher:  Acerbi&Villani ltd.
Cover Artist: Natasha Snow
Release Date:  24th of January 2017
Heat Level: 3
Pairing: M/M
Length: 50,000 words
Genre/Tags: Contemporary Romance, Erotic Romance, M/M Romance, Hipsters, sex work, friends to lovers, bisexuality, post-break up issues, coming out, first time, alternative lifestyles, lumbersexual bear, commitment

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Synopsis

--- The lumberjack of his dreams is now available for rent. --- Mr. B has always been a safe guy for Jo to crush on. He’s the cutest bearded lumber-god to salivate over. Add to that his friendly, outgoing personality, and Mr. B might just be the first guy Jo would be willing to kiss. Fortunately, Mr. B has been in a relationship for years, and Jo is no home-wrecker. But when Mr. B breaks up with his partner and all of a sudden is single, available, and talks about his plans to be sexually adventurous, Jo isn’t so sure anymore if he has the guts to come out as bisexual. After a sour breakup, Mr. B wants to show his ex that he’s independent, exciting, and can do very well without him. His best friend Jo is there to the rescue, and they come up with a great new business venture. One thing they lack to start their own line of artisanal boozy jams - money for the investment. After a drunken brainstorming session, Mr. B finds a way to both gather the cash and show the middle finger to his ex. He will create a one of a kind Hipster Brothel - The Lumbersexual Experience - offering wood chopping lessons, pipe smoking, and a reclaimed wood bed where the magic would happen. It’s bound to be a success… if only Mr. B can go through with it, because the mixed signals from Jo are making him wonder if his best friend is as straight as he always seemed. WARNING: Explicit content, strong language. A shameless amount of buzzwords. May cause second-hand embarrassment.

Meet the Author

K.A. Merikan is the pen name for Kat and Agnes Merikan, a team of writers, who are mistaken for sisters with surprising regularity. Kat’s the mean sergeant and survival specialist of the duo, never hesitating to kick Agnes’s ass when she’s slacking off. Her memory works like an easy-access catalogue, which allows her to keep up with both book details and social media. Also works as the emergency GPS. Agnes is the Merikan nitpicker, usually found busy with formatting and research. Her attention tends to be scattered, and despite being over thirty, she needs to apply makeup to buy alcohol. Self-proclaimed queen of the roads.
They love the weird and wonderful, stepping out of the box, and bending stereotypes both in life and books. When you pick up a Merikan book, there’s one thing you can be sure of - it will be full of surprises. e-mail: kamerikan@gmail.com More information about ongoing projects, works in progress and publishing at: K.A. Merikan’s author page: http://kamerikan.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KAMerikan Twitter (run by Kat): https://twitter.com/KA_Merikan Agnes Merikan’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/AgnesMerikan Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6150530.K_A_Merikan Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/KAMerikan/ Save Save Save Save Save Save

Friday, December 23, 2016

Catch and Release by BA





Title:  Catch and Release
Series: The Release Series book 3
Author: BA Tortuga
Publisher:  Dreamspinner Press
Release Date: December 19, 2016
Heat Level: 1 - No Sex
Pairing: Male/Male
Length: 75000
Genre: Romance, cowboys, ex-con, lawyer, sweet romance

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Synopsis

Dakota Landry just got out of prison after twelve years. If anyone can understand how that feels, it’s his new friend, Sage, who is determined to help him get used to life on the outside—and believes Dakota didn’t commit the crime he was in for.
Jayden Wilson is a former prosecutor who agrees to look into the case at the request of Sage’s lover, Adam. He sets out to prove Dakota is just another “innocent” ex-con, but once they meet, Jayden is more and more convinced Dakota just didn’t do what everyone thinks he did.
Trouble follows Dakota, and nothing is easy as he struggles to figure out how to live, now that he has choices. And Jayden isn’t sure how Dakota, or any lover for that matter, fits into his life. Their path from friendship to romance is a slow one, but Dakota begins to believe he deserves a chance at life, and Jayden falls a little more for Dakota every day. Now they just need to tell each other how they feel.

Excerpt

“One wallet with six dollars and eighty-three cents. One pair of jeans, T-shirt, pair of boots. Belt with buckle. Sign here.” The paper bag was shoved over to him, and Dakota Landry scratched his signature on the paper, his hand shaking harder than he wanted to admit.
One wallet with six dollars and eighty-three cents.
One pair of Wranglers.
Twelve years, three months, and eight days.
Dakota sighed and rolled his shoulders. The Unitarians had donated a gently worn pair of tennis shoes, a button-down from the Walmart, and a pair of new jeans, which hung on his scrawny ass like a bad costume. They were what he had, though. He’d lost seventy pounds since he was twenty, and he read way more bull rider than bulldogger these days.
The rest of the processing flew by, and he walked out of the gate half an hour later, blinking at the late-afternoon sun. He was gonna puke.
He had a suitcase of his shit from his cell and this paper sack and….
A white pickup pulled up, the window rolling down to expose this weathered face peering out from under a straw brim. “You Landry?”
“Yessir.” He braced himself, waiting for a barrel to appear from the window. God hated him, he had no doubt, and it would be just like the evil bastard to have one of the McCarthys come to shoot him as soon as he walked outside as a free man.
It wasn’t a pistol that appeared, though. It was a gnarled cowboy hand. “Sage. Sage Redding. You want a ride, man?”
A lump lodged in his throat. Sage. Okay, he knew this guy from letters and the occasional call. When he knew he was getting out, he’d been assigned… what? Sage was no counselor. He was a godsend, though. “I do, yeah.”
“Cool. Come on. Let’s get the fuck out of here.”
“Please.” He climbed up into the truck, breathing in the smell of horseshit and Old Spice and hay, and suddenly he was thirteen again and had a whole summer in front of him and all these dreams and….
“Hey.” The word was short and sharp, dragging his attention right to Sage’s face. “Stay here. Stay with me, man. You start thinking and the fucking world goes straight to shit.”
“I just….”
“We’ll go to the next town over, and we’ll grab some burgers and a Coke. You ain’t a vegetarian, are you?”
“I’m pretty fucking sure they put all of them in minimum security.”
Sage hooted, the sound natural as breathing. “I bet so.”
“Thanks. I didn’t expect….” He hadn’t known what to expect. He had the numbers for the Salvation Army and a halfway house, neither of which he intended to call.
“No sweat. I been there.”
“Yeah.”
Manslaughter, Sage had said, and the man never once claimed to be innocent. But he was out and living on a ranch, doing his parole and writing prisoners in this exchange deal. Dakota wasn’t sure what the fuck Sage got out of it, but it looked good to the parole board, and to his credit, Sage had written a letter to them.
Sorta like the murderers speaking for the rapists. Whoopdi-fucking-doo.

Purchase

Dreamspinner Press | Amazon

Meet the Author
Texan to the bone and an unrepentant Daddy’s Girl, BA Tortuga spends her days with her basset hounds and her beloved wife, texting her sisters, and eating Mexican food. When she’s not doing that, she’s writing. She spends her days off watching rodeo, knitting and surfing Pinterest in the name of research. BA’s personal saviors include her wife, Julia Talbot, her best friend, Sean Michael, and coffee. Lots of coffee. Really good coffee.
Having written everything from fist-fighting rednecks to hard-core cowboys to werewolves, BA does her damnedest to tell the stories of her heart, which was raised in Northeast Texas, but has heard the call of the high desert and lives in the Sandias. With books ranging from hard-hitting GLBT romance, to fiery menages, to the most traditional of love stories, BA refuses to be pigeon-holed by anyone but the voices in her head.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | 
eMail | Instagram

Tour Schedule

December 19 - Dog-Eared Daydreams
December 19 - Andrew Grey
December 20 - Divine Magazine
December 20 - Happily Ever Chapter
December 20 - Prism Book Alliance
December 21 - Because Two Men Are Better Than One
December 21 - BFD Book Blog
December 22 -Two Chicks Obsessed with Books and Eye Candy
December 22 - Wicked Faerie's Tales and Reviews
December 22 - Bayou Book Junkie
December 23 - V's Reads
December 23 - Dean Frech

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Seasonal Sentiments Anthology

Title:  Seasonal Sentiments
Author: Anthology
Publisher: NineStar Press
Release Date: December 23rd
Heat Level: 3 - Some Sex
Pairing: Male/Male
Length: 154000
Genre: Romance, Erotica, Fantasy, Science Fiction, 10 short stories, multiple holidays represented, gay, cisgender, ace, bi, pan,

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Synopsis

NineStar Press 2016 Holiday Anthology

Hearts Alight by Elliot Cooper
Dave Cunningham hates the rampant consumerism that’s come to dominate his family’s Hanukkah celebrations. But a chance to bring a bit of a holiday happiness to his long-time crush, Amit Cohen, helps put him in a more festive mood. In the quest to craft the perfect gift, Dave tries to urge a few personal details out of stoic Amit. Unintentionally, he learns the Cohen family’s secret: Amit is a golem. But Amit has a problem that runs deeper than his magical origin, and a Hanukkah miracle might be the only thing that will keep the budding flame between him and Dave from going out.
2 Days Later by CM Corett
Nate Beckett doesn’t expect much from life, and he definitely doesn’t believe in New Year’s celebrations or resolutions. A happy New Year? Not likely. As the manager of McGee’s bar, the best he can hope for is a drama-free night. One glance at the sexy young man on the dance floor and that hope is long gone. Once again, his young neighbor Justin is back to tempt and torment him. Despite the undeniable attraction, Nate knows he’s too old and jaded for someone like him, so the time has come to reject Justin. It’s for his own good! Justin may be young and inexperienced, but he knows what he needs. His New Year’s resolution—to tempt and win Nate over. One lame seduction attempt later, and he’s on his way home in a cab. Alone. But later that night, Justin wakes up battered and bruised on Nate’s doorstep, and Nate insists that Justin stay with him. The big, beautiful man’s protective and caring instincts are definitely kicking in. Maybe, just maybe, there’s a chance for a happy New Year after all!
Of Christmas Past by Teryn Day
Jonathan Barthes has always been able to see—and speak to—the dead. Unfortunately, restless spirits tend to be somewhat needy, and his “gift” has cost him everything from a promising acceptance into med school to a long string of failed relationships. Unable to find a purpose after a terrible autumn semester, he accepts his aunt’s offer to become the caretaker of one of the estates his great-uncle left her over the holidays. He expected the restless spirits: the little girl, the mean governess, and he especially expected the ghost of the vindictive young man who calls himself Cecil. Cecil's handsome enough when he’s not making the mirrors bleed or the radios speak in tongues. As the year crawls on and reaches its end, however, Jon begins to help Cecil uncover the mystery of his life—and his tragic death. Jon had a dream of helping the living—but maybe, just this once, when he helps a ghost, that ghost will help him back.
Tow Trucks & New Year’s Kisses by Lila Leigh Hunter
A Jag with out-of-state plates is the last car Scott DeLaney expected to find when answering a tow call as a favor to his drunken godson. But, the tall man in the fedora seems like a nice reward until Scott finds out the stranger's destination. Yes, he'd take care of the brooding man, but he has a selfish reason for it. Finding himself in a ditch after dodging a deer is the least of Patrick Samuels's problems when his rescuer arrives, wearing a tuxedo and driving a hot pink flatbed. Perhaps his older brother’s scheme will benefit Patrick after all. Who knew that a New Year’s kiss is far more efficient than any boardroom strategy to seal a deal?
New Year’s Eve Unzipped by J.C. Long
Colby, a caterer, is working New Year’s Eve at the Crestview Hills Country Club, a place full of rich, uppity people, promising a boring night. The night becomes a lot more interesting when he starts receiving erotic messages on Unzipped, a hook-up app, from someone who happens to be at that very party.
Stone and Shell by Lloyd A. Meeker
Eight-year-old Howie Evinger is convinced that his dad would be happier if he found a new husband. Howie would be happier, too. And somewhere out there in the city of Vancouver, there's the right man for his dad to love. But how to find him? That’s a problem, especially if you’re just a kid and your dad says he doesn’t want another husband. With the help of his quirky aunt, Shanna, who calls herself a Buddhist Wiccan, Howie builds his very own solstice altar with cool symbols to support his search. It has a candle, a feather, and a twisty stick, plus an agate for his dad, and a scallop shell for his new husband. Share Howie’s solstice adventure as he learns how real magic requires courage and patience as well as symbols.
One Wish by Caitlin Ricci
Christmas is supposed to be a time of happiness and family, but after a tragic accident the year before, Callen is left feeling the complete opposite. He's sad, miserable, and angry at everyone and everything. Harry is an elf sent to bring Callen some joy. It's one thing when a child stops believing in Christmas—that happens all the time—but Callen loved everything about Christmas, and Santa needs him back. Harry is there to grant Callen one wish in the hopes of making him feel better. One wish to bring Christmas back to a man who hates the very thought of it.
Ibiza on Ice by Gillian St. Kevern
Tired of being ridiculed as the man dumped in favour of an ugly Christmas sweater, Aston is determined to get revenge--by having his dream vacation at Ibiza's hottest clubs! He's even planned a social media campaign to make sure his ex, Dan, knows exactly what he's missing. When a snowstorm strikes, and Aston's media campaign takes off before he does, he finds himself propositioned by his unwelcome roommate Mike: trade vacations, or Mike will out Aston as a fake. Desperate to save his reputation, Aston finds himself in Finland--and falling hard for a man with a sweater almost as terrible as Dan's. Worse, Laaksonen cares as little about impressing people as Aston cares about being nice. Aston knows he has too much self-respect to fall for a man so hazardous to his reputation. But the long Polar Night poses the ultimate test to his Ibiza club dreams...
Epiphany by L.A. Stockman
Khafra has spent more than three thousand years wandering the Earth, fascinated by humanity and its many rises and falls. When he meets a young student at Cambridge, he is utterly unprepared for the effect Alfie has on him. Eager and open and full of wonder, Alfie is perhaps the perfect submissive. While the sex is spectacular, the real surprise for Khafra is his growing love for Alfie. Such unions are grand while they last, but inevitably doomed to time and mortality. Can he open his heart one more time, for a beautiful young man whose defiance of custom and courage in the face of danger are so captivating? Or will he continue as he has for so long, living on the fringe? Everything depends on the outcome of Epiphany.
A Christmas for Oscar by Alex Whitehall
Oscar has never liked the holidays and all the surrounding rigmarole, but that doesn't stop his best friend from dragging him along for her Black Friday shopping spree. The only perk of the day is that he meets Nathan while he's there. With sparkling blue eyes, curly blond hair, and a smile that won't stop, Nathan is a Christmas elf in the flesh. He even spends his days in a workshop! But Nathan is more than his bright smile, and he may be just the right person for Oscar. Assuming, of course, Oscar doesn't drive him and his holiday spirit away first.

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NineStar Press | Amazon


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Monday, December 19, 2016

A Christmas for Oscar by Alex Whitehall


Title:  A Christmas for Oscar
Author: Alex Whitehall
Publisher: NineStar Press
Release Date: December 19, 2016
Heat Level: 3 - Some Sex
Pairing: Male/Male
Length: 20400
Genre: Romance, Contemporary, holiday

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Synopsis

Oscar has never liked the holidays and all the surrounding rigmarole, but that doesn't stop his best friend from dragging him along for her Black Friday shopping spree. The only perk of the day is that he meets Nathan while he's there. With sparkling blue eyes, curly blond hair, and a smile that won't stop, Nathan is a Christmas elf in the flesh. He even spends his days in a workshop! But Nathan is more than his bright smile, and he may be just the right person for Oscar. Assuming, of course, Oscar doesn't drive him and his holiday spirit away first.

Excerpt

Alex Whitehall © 2016 All Rights Reserved “Come on, Oscar, don’t be such a grouch.” He glared at Marie. “That is so original.” She shrugged, merry as ever. He grumbled as they were forced to swerve around another mother with two shopping carts. “If you didn’t want me grumpy, then maybe you shouldn’t have dragged me out shopping on Black Friday.” “You’re my best friend—” “Which means you shouldn’t torture me like this.” “Who else am I going to take?” “Your mother?” Eye roll. “Your sister-in-law?” Eye roll. “Cindy?” “I love the girl, but she doesn’t really know my family. And she can’t spot a sale to save her life.” “I can’t spot sales!” “But you know my family. Oh! I wanna hit this one.” He sighed as he was dragged—yes, dragged—into Another Store. Under his breath, he muttered, “You could go alone.” She continued on, oblivious. Or at least very good at faking it. He hoped this earned him some major points. “What do you think of this?” She held up a cashmere-blend sweater in baby blue. “For who?” Her lips puckered in moue. “Me.” “I thought we were shopping for your friends and family.” He mock glared. Well, mostly mock. Marie flapped her hand at him. “Just tell me.” He sighed and glanced over to the picked-through selection. “It’s gorgeous, but is it even in your size?” She bounced—like she hadn’t even considered that, somehow—and twirled back to the rack, furiously searching through the remaining sweaters. She chirped and pulled out a much larger size in what Oscar could only call puce, folded it over her arm, and returned to the baby-blue ones. “I’ll have to ask if they have more in the bac— Oh my god, look at that sale!” She tossed the blue sweater to him. “Can you find a salesperson, and ask if they have a small? I need to be over there!” And she was gone. Which left him with two options: say no and be a horrible friend, or say yes and tear through the crowds to find an overworked, overstressed salesperson. Joy. With a sigh, he searched for someone in the store’s dress-coded uniform, and wasn’t sure if it was a blessing or a curse when he spotted the cute guy smiling winsomely, surrounded by a mob of people. The most attractive thing was that his mob was smaller than the mob surrounding all the other salespeople. Gritting his teeth, he clenched the sweater and elbowed his way over through arguing women, grumbling men, and a few screaming children. And that was only across six feet. When he finally arrived at his destination, he noticed his salesperson was six inches shorter than him, with curly blond hair, and wearing an elf hat. He had shimmering blue eyes and apple-round cheeks. He couldn’t possibly be real. The bright-blue eyes flashed up to Oscar with a literal sparkle in his eye, although that had to be the overhead lights. “Hello! How can I help you?” Despite his elfish appearance, the dude’s voice wasn’t high-pitched. In fact, to keep with the ridiculous metaphor developing in Oscar’s mind, it was more like caramel or hot chocolate. It was almost enough to make him forget where he was. And then some jackass elbowed him in the back, hard, and he was shoved forward. He growled and pushed back, not taking his eyes off his little elf helper. “Hi. I was wondering if you have more sizes of this in the back? I need a small.” He held up the sweater in question. The little elf’s lips puckered in thought. “I can check, sir, but I think what we have out is all we have. Wait right here.” He was gone in a flash, and Oscar was left standing there, blinking at the space where the man had been. “Ex-scuse me,” a woman lashed out. “Can we not stand in the middle of the aisle, puh-lease?” He heaved a sigh and stepped back—the six inches he could—to let the woman pass. She scrunched her nose at him and hurried on to the next big sale. Restraining another sigh, he wished he could close his eyes and sink into the floor, or vanish, or at least run the hell out of here. But no, he waited, like a good friend, for the salesperson to return. And it seemed to be taking forever, but he was sure that was his imagination—and frustration—playing tricks on him. Glancing around, he checked on where Marie was, because today he wouldn’t put it past her to leave without him or the sweater, and found her almost swallowed up in the jewelry section. He nodded and looked back to where his elf had been, only to find his helper had reappeared, cheeks rosier, curls somehow unrulier, and elf hat slightly crooked. “Good news! There was one small tucked behind another bunch.” He held up a slightly rumpled blue sweater. “Looks like it may have gotten missed when the stock was brought out. It doesn’t look damaged or anything, but feel free to inspect it and let me know…” The guy trailed off, probably because Oscar was staring at his hat. It shouldn’t have been humanly possible for a disheveled hat to make him that much cuter. But it did. Oscar slung the sweater he was still holding over his shoulder, reached out, righted the salesperson’s hat, and then tucked a particularly rebellious curl under the rim. There. He smiled. Much better. “Uh, sir?” the guy asked, not quite squeaking, but definitely breathily. Oscar’s eyes shot down to meet those sparkling blues. “Oh! Sorry. It was… You must have knocked it when you were getting the sweater. So I… It was only right that I help. Thank you. For the sweater.” Certainly not for the pounding of his heart. He held out his hand for the top. The elf’s uncertain, wide eyes scrunched up with his grin. “Thank you for fixing it.” He really had the bluest eyes. It seemed like they would have to be contacts, but Oscar didn’t think even a company could manufacture that pure a blue. “Ex-scuse me!” Oh hell, it was the woman from before. Oscar couldn’t move much and was about to tell the woman she could probably go around, but the little elf flashed a customer’s-always-right expression and glided over, clearing the aisle and putting not much between them but the sweater. Oscar’s breath caught. The little elf beamed up at him. “Is there anything else I can help you with today, sir?” Oscar had some ideas. Some very dirty ideas, actually. But then the elf blinked, casting a glance at the chaos surrounding them, and Oscar remembered now wasn’t a good time to be hitting on a salesperson. And that he was waist-deep in Black Friday. He groaned and slid his fingers around the small sweater, gently taking it. “I think this will be all. Thank you very much,” he murmured—well, as much as he could murmur and still be heard in this mess. The elf’s smile widened—if that was possible, and somehow it was—and his eyebrows lifted with the excitement strewn across his face. “Well, I hope you have a good day. And I really hope you come back again sometime.” Then, just like that, Oscar’s helpful little elf was swallowed up by the crowd. The cheerful good-bye was probably a standard store requirement, Oscar told himself as he turned to hunt down Marie. It almost certainly wasn’t to entice him to return just to see his elf again. The guy probably wasn’t interested. Oscar sighed. Though his eyes had seemed to light up when they’d been pressed together. And he hadn’t minded Oscar taking certain privileges with his hat. And he had been so very helpful. Which, yeah, it was his job, but… A tiny tot ran into his shin, the mother glared at him, probably for standing in space that her child wanted to occupy. When he looked around, he realized he’d lost where Marie was. “Goddamn it!” Several glares were shot his way. He didn’t care, though. “Did you find someone?” popped Marie’s voice from behind him. He spun around, clenching both sweaters to his chest. “Jesus!” “You found one!” “Yes, I found one,” he snapped, shoving the smaller size at her. When his hand was free, he began searching out the original location, but even with his height advantage, the store was a swirl of bodies and colors. He glared at Marie. “And you can put the other one back.” She pouted. “But you’re supposed to be helping me—” She clicked her jaw shut at his glare. “I mean, you found one in my size, so thank you so much! Let’s go return this one to the rack.” She led the deceptively easy way back to the sweaters and hung it up. “Okay, with that done, let’s get on with the day.” He groaned, knowing that the best part of the day had already walked away.

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Meet the Author

If there are two types of people in the world, Alex Whitehall probably isn’t one of them, despite being a person. Their favorite pastimes include reading, horseback riding, sleeping, watching geek-tastic television, knitting, eating, and running. And wasting time on the internet. And spending glorious afternoons laughing with friends. While Alex prefers sleeping over doing anything else (except maybe eating), sometimes they emerges from the cave to be social and to hunt for food at the local market. They can be found blogging, searching the Internet for more books to read, and tending after their aloe plant Cornwall. That’s a lie; the single plant has become an entire forest. Pronouns: they/them

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