Workaholic Nate
Erickson is a successful real estate developer who thrives on long hours and
stress. When a Los Angeles project prompts him to relocate to Santa Monica, he
welcomes the change of scenery. Nate has always considered romantic
entanglements trouble, but his sexy next-door neighbor isn’t easy to ignore.
Which makes no sense, because Nate is straight… or so he’s always thought.
Alex Reyes is a
retired professional soccer player turned West Hollywood business owner with an
insatiable lust for life. He loves his family, friends, and work. But there’s
one life challenge left to accomplish: coming out publically. Respect for
traditional Latino values has kept him in the closet, but Alex begins to think
he and his new neighbor might help one another combat their fears. As Alex and
Nate forge a strong friendship, they soon realize facing their personal demons
will take more courage than either man bargained. The reward is immeasurable…
if the timing is right.
Excerpt for The
Right Time by Lane Hayes...
I hadn’t worked
out with a professional in years, and it felt foreign to wait for someone
else’s direction.
“Any issues with
your shoulders or arms? Any injuries I should know about?” he asked, handing me
the weights.
“No, I’m good.”
“Great. Start with
your palms facing your thighs, lift them both over your chest, then lower the
left. Good. And now the right.”
He stood over me
diligently, making slight corrections when needed. My supine position gave me
an interesting perspective. When I looked up, I noted how his strong brow
offset his twinkling eyes. I swallowed uncomfortably and turned my head, only
to find myself staring at his crotch. His dark shorts seemed to hint they were
covering a generous package.
Holy fuck.
“You doing okay?”
“Uh yeah. Hey,
weren’t you going to tell me about your Friday night?” I needed him to talk. I
didn’t trust my thoughts anymore, and I was stuck in my current position
crazily aware of a man in a way I hadn’t been in over fifteen fucking years.
Diversion in any form was welcome.
Alex snorted. “I
already told you. I went dancing, and oh yeah, I did get lucky.”
He added the last
part with a hearty chuckle, no doubt catching my wide-eyed expression. I hadn’t
expected that.
“Oh.”
“You asked.”
“Right.” I did?
The strong flash of jealousy took me by surprise, but I pressed on. “Did you go
back to the beach to get those girls’ numbers last weekend?”
He looked confused
for a second, but a slow cocky grin soon spread across his handsome features as
he crouched so his face was close to mine.
“No, I told you
they weren’t my type.”
I gulped and
watched his eyes lower to my throat. He licked his top lip and reached out to
adjust my wrist.
“Lift ’em both at
the same time, Nate. That’s it. Push it. Harder.”
I sent up a quick
prayer I wasn’t sporting a tent in my shorts. Alex’s voice, touch, and yeah,
the unintentional innuendos were making me nuts. And horny. I felt terribly out
of my element. I wasn’t sure what we were talking about anymore, but the potent
silence made me more uncomfortable than speech. Keep talking, I thought.
“So a dance
partner?”
“What? Oh. Yeah, I
think so. I can’t remember. It was just one of those things, you know? Sit up.
Let’s give your arms a break.”
“Just one of those
things?”
“Yeah. One night.
No numbers exchanged. No hassle, no fuss.”
I had no words.
Literally.
Alex chuckled
gleefully as he led the way to a leg machine. He gave instructions and stood
back to observe me for a moment.
“It’s not
necessarily my favorite kind of sex, but hey….” He shrugged his shoulders with
his hands outstretched as if to say “what’s a guy to do?”
I recognized this
cue. It was my opportunity to commiserate about the trials and tribulations of
being a single man with a healthy sexual appetite. Now was my chance to admit
it was nice every once in a while to have sex of the nonsolo variety with
someone who knew the score. But I was tongue-tied and equally aware of a
completely different undercurrent. One I wasn’t brave enough to explore.
“You can stop
having fun at my expense any time.”
Alex squeezed my
shoulder and smirked playfully. “You’re easily rattled.”
“How so?”
“You seem like
someone who has a place for everything and likes everything in its place. You
have a routine, and you don’t appreciate any deviation. I should be flattered
you came to the gym with me at the spur of the moment.” He paused, running his
tongue over his plump bottom lip. “If you’re not careful, I’m gonna think you
like me.”
The air between us
crackled. Alex leaned forward so his handsome face was mere inches from mine.
His proximity alone seemed to issue a challenge. Daring me to confess I was
more than I appeared to be. I doubt he expected any revelations, but his intent
was certainly to… how had he put it, rattle me. And damn, it was working.
Lane Hayes is
finally doing what she loves best. Writing! An avid reader from an early age,
Lane has always been drawn to romance novels. She truly believes there is
nothing more inspiring than a well-told love story with beautifully written
characters. Lane discovered the M/M genre a fews ago and was instantly hooked.
Her debut novel, Better Than Good, was a 2013 Rainbow Awards finalist. She
loves travel, chocolate, and wine (in no particular order). Lane lives in
Southern California with her amazing husband and their very old dog in an
almost empty nest.
Tour
Dates & Stops: May 26, 2015
Parker Williams, Dawn’s Reading
Nook, Rainbow Gold Reviews, Inked Rainbow Reads,
BFD Book Blog,
Bayou
Book Junkie, Carly’s Book Reviews, Elisa
- My Reviews and Ramblings, 3 Chicks After Dark,
Andrew Q. Gordon,
Chris McHart, Cate Ashwood,
Wicked
Faerie's Tales and Reviews, MM Good
Book Reviews, Love Bytes, Sinfully
Addicted to All Male Romance, TTC Books and More, Vampires,
Werewolves, and Fairies, Oh My, Scattered
Thoughts & Rogue Words, Wake Up Your Wild Side, Molly Lolly,
Charley
Descoteaux, Divine Magazine,
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