Lessons in Love (Mitch & Cian #2) – Out Now

Word Count 18700 approx

Buy links: Universal | Amazon US | Amazon UK

Available to read in Kindle Unlimited

Happy St. Patrick’s Day my wonderful readers. If you’re celebrating, I hope you’re having a blast.

And talking about celebrating and having a blast, Mitch and Cian are having the time of their lives during their St. Patrick’s Day weekend in Dublin!!!

Blurb

Falling for each other was easy. Staying together comes with a learning curve.

Three months after they met in the miraculous library, Cian is nervously preparing for Mitch’s arrival in Dublin. As much as he’s looking forward to three long days with his boyfriend—without parental supervision—he can’t help worrying about the fact that they will have to share both his small room and his even smaller bed. He doesn’t even own pajamas.

Their relationship is new, and Cian may be two years older, but he has little more experience than Mitch when it comes to intimacy and boyfriends. He isn’t sure what he’s doing or what’s expected of him. As a result, Cian and Mitch are in for a whirlwind weekend, filled with shocks, surprises, fun, and deepening feelings.

Against the backdrop of Ireland celebrating its national holiday, Cian and Mitch learn their first Lessons in Love.

While a Miracle in the Library was a young adult story, Lessons in Love features two young men old enough to consume alcohol and be sexually active. This book is therefore meant for readers who are eighteen years or older and contains sexual acts between two consenting men.

Want to know more?

Read on for a never shared before, not entirely safe for work, excerpt from Lessons in Love:

Excerpt

Resolutions are always easier to make than to follow up on.

Cian’s room looked even smaller than it actually was when they’d both entered and closed the door behind them. They still had the flat to themselves, which was a blessing as far as Cian was concerned. He’d taken advantage of his housemates’ absence to give Mitch a quick tour of the apartment so that he knew where the bathroom and the kitchen were and, probably most importantly, which shelves in the fridge and larder held items belonging to Cian.

Now that he was faced with the reality of having to spend the next eight or so hours in the tiny space with Mitch, all his doubts were back. He’d never shared a bed with another man before, and he was pretty sure the same was true for Mitch. And his bed really was narrow.

Pulling himself out of his thoughts, Cian focused on Mitch, hoping to determine his mood, only to find him studying Cian, his expression not so much worried but definitely indicating that Mitch was waiting for Cian to take the lead. Right so.

“Do you want to use the bathroom first?” Cian asked.

“Sure.” Mitch opened his backpack and extracted a small purple toiletry bag and a towel which he clutched to his chest as he stepped into the hallway.

Cian sank to the bed and sat, staring at the door through which Mitch had just disappeared. He needed to pull himself together. This was ludicrous. They were going to sleep…together…in a bed. There was absolutely nothing scary or worrying about that scenario.

Except that they were bound to end up close together, touching. The bed was too small for that not to happen. Except that he didn’t know how far to strip before getting under the covers. He normally slept naked. Common sense told him that probably wouldn’t be a good idea now. But what should he wear? Just underwear? Underwear and a T-shirt? It wasn’t as if he owned anything resembling pajamas.

When the door opened and Mitch returned, still wearing all his clothes, Cian was no closer to finding answers to his dilemma. Buying himself a few more minutes before he had to decide, he took his turn in the bathroom.

He was being silly. He wouldn’t worry about what to wear if he and Mitch were going swimming or to the beach. The only reason nerves cramped his stomach as he brushed his teeth was that they’d be sharing a bed together and that there’d be no way to hide his body’s reaction to having Mitch close, to any accidental or intended touches they might exchange. As if on cue, his cock lengthened. Down, boy.

When he’d run out of reasons to be in the bathroom, Cian slowly made his way back to his room, taking a deep breath before opening the door, only to release it on a loud puff.

Obviously, Mitch didn’t share his concerns, considering he’d found his way into the bed and under the covers with only his head and shoulders—his naked shoulders—visible. The light mounted on the wall behind the bed spread a soft glow over his mop of black hair.

A quick glance around the room showed Cian the pile of clothes Mitch had left on the floor under the curtained window. As far as he could tell, the collection did not include any underwear.

Without looking at Mitch but fully aware of his gaze locked on his body, Cian made quick work of stripping and adding his jeans and top to Mitch’s clothes.

The first thing he noticed when he slipped underneath the covers was that for once they weren’t chilly. Mitch’s body heat had created a nice warm nest for him to crawl into. The second thing was Mitch’s naked thigh pressing against his. He shifted, breaking the contact between them before it could freak Mitch out.

He wished he could have practiced for this night, that there was a scenario he could follow. He knew he should just open his mouth and talk to Mitch, find out what, if any, concerns he had. But he couldn’t for the life of him figure out how to phrase the question without it sounding as if he was asking Mitch how far he was willing to go.

He stiffened when Mitch’s leg connected with his again, but decided to ignore it. With the bed being as small as it was, contact would be unavoidable, and making an issue out of every time it happened would only make the situation worse, not better.

The mattress dipped as Mitch turned. When he placed a hand on Cian’s exposed neck, his breathing hitched.

“Is this okay?” Mitch’s question indicated that Cian’s discomfort hadn’t escaped him.

Cian turned on his side and faced Mitch, shocked to find his boyfriend’s face only inches from his. “Yes, if it’s okay for you, it’s okay for me.”

A small smile played on Mitch’s lips. “You realize I have no idea what I’m doing, right?”

Cian returned the smile, grateful that Mitch had found the courage he lacked. “I haven’t got much more of an idea, to be honest.”

Mitch gazed at him, his brown eyes even darker in the dim light. “Well,” he said, “I know we’re both okay with this.” He drew closer and pressed his lips against Cian’s.

The connection, the soft glide of Mitch’s tongue across his lips, was all Cian needed to chase away his worries. Mitch was right. They both knew how to do this…very well. They’d figure the rest of it out as they went, together. Then those thoughts faded too as he deepened the kiss and lost himself in the smell, taste, and feel of Mitch.

When he could think again, Cian noticed they had somehow ended up pressed together, most of their upper bodies touching too. As a result, there was no way he could fail to notice Mitch’s stiff cock pressing against his thigh, mere inches away from his own equally hard dick.

As their kisses got ever more heated and demanding, Mitch moved against Cian’s body, obviously seeking more pleasure. As tempting as it was to touch Mitch’s dick, Cian resisted and limited himself to stroking his boyfriend’s shoulder and chest. His heart sang when Mitch copied his caresses, while Cian’s cock went from hard to bordering on uncomfortable.

It wasn’t long before the combination of Mitch’s touch, kisses, and still covered dick rubbing against his leg became too much, and Cian lowered his free hand and squeezed his own cock. A slight shift in the bed told him Mitch had copied this action too.

Lust took over, pushing any and all concerns Cian had harbored into the back of his mind. He pushed the duvet to the end of the bed and freed his straining penis from his suddenly very tight boxer briefs, stroking himself slowly without ever pulling out of their endless kiss.

Hmmmm. Mitch hummed against Cian’s lips as they both tugged at their dicks.

“Wanna see.” As much as he hated ending their lip-lock, Cian couldn’t resist his longing to see Mitch in all his naked glory. Without interrupting his wank, he raised himself up a little and allowed his gaze to travel across Mitch’s naked body. Christ, but he’s gorgeous.

His body, stretched out on the bed, was lean but not skinny. The muscles in his legs and arms were easily visible without being clearly defined. As for his cock…. Cian swallowed hard as his gaze locked on the long, erect, and “heavier than he would have expected” dick and Mitch’s hand gliding over it, pushing the skin up and down while soft, needy sounds fell from his lips.

Cian wasn’t sure why this felt much more intimate than the few hand and blow jobs he’d given and received in the past. All he knew was that the combination of watching Mitch as he pleasured himself and his own hand on his ready-to-explode dick drove him to his climax with shocking speed.

He raised his chin and shifted his focus to Mitch’s face. His lips were parted, his cheeks flushed, and his gaze was firmly fixed on Cian’s hand as he stroked and squeezed his erection.

“So good,” Mitch rasped, his breath escaping him in sharp, short bursts. Then he stiffened, and Cian lowered his gaze just in time to see cum erupting from his cock.

It was all Cian needed to push him over the edge too. His orgasm roared through his body, forcing his eyes shut as he surrendered to the previously unknown pleasure of coming together with someone he cared for.

****

  

A Miracle in the Library (Mitch & Cian #1)

Buy links: Universal | Amazon US | Amazon UK

Available to read in Kindle Unlimited

Valentine’s Surprise (Valentine’s Love #2) - Out Now

With all the excitement as a result of having two novellas available for free over the past few days, I more or less forgot to also promote the release of the second story in the Valentine’s Love series. But, given that today actually is Valentine’s Day, it is probably the perfect occasion to tell you all about Valentine’s Surprise. So, stay tuned for the cover, the blurb, and an exclusive, not available anywhere else, excerpt.

 Valentine’s Love #2

20k words approx. / 81 pages

Price: $0.99 / £0.99

Buy links: Universal | Amazon US | Amazon UK

Available to read in KU

Blurb

Ben Cronin and Ty O’Malley have been inseparable ever since they got together on Valentine’s Day. Nine months into their relationship, dark clouds descend when Ben’s father falls seriously ill and dies in a matter of weeks. Having lost his only close relative, Ben is grief-stricken, and appears to be sinking ever deeper into a black hole.

Desperate to help Ben cope with his pain, Ty plans a getaway for them, to coincide with their first anniversary. But taking Ben back to the stunning beauty of the Swiss Alps, a place he visited with his father years ago, is a risky undertaking. Reuniting him with memories could as easily push Ben deeper into his pain as it might help him find the first traces of light. 

Ty’s plan will either bring them closer than they’ve ever been, or spell disaster— for both of them.

Valentine’s surprise is the sequel to Valentine’s Love. While it can be read as a stand-alone, you’ll enjoy this story more if you read Valentine’s Love first.

Excerpt

I opened my eyes and instantly squeezed them closed again as a bright light blinded me. I placed my arm over my eyes and turned onto my side, trying to put my back between the disturbing brightness and my face.

“Good morning.” Ty chuckled. “I see you’ve also discovered we’re lucky enough to have woken up to a bright, sunny day.”

I carefully squinted through one half-opened eye at Ty, who also lay on his side, his head resting on his arm and his beautiful eyes fixed on me.

“A bit too bright for my liking,” I grumbled. “Especially this early in the morning.”

Ty laughed. “I hate to disillusion you, but the morning has come and gone.”

“What?” I wasn’t awake enough to figure out what he meant.

Leaning forward, he kissed me. “It’s quarter to one, Ben. We slept the morning away.” His lips found mine again. “It’s hardly surprising since it was after three last night when we actually got here, but unless we’re going to spend the whole day in bed, we should probably get up.”

I opened my mouth to tell Ty that staying in bed all day, with him, didn’t seem like a hardship to me when I remembered exactly where we were. Pushing away the covers, I sat up and turned toward the light source that had disturbed me moments earlier. It turned out to be a large floor-to-ceiling window with a door leading onto a balcony. Without thinking about it I got up, approached the door, opened it, and stepped outside.

“Fuck, it’s cold.” I jumped back into the room a mere second after my bare feet touched the snow.

Ty, who had apparently also left our very comfortable bed, sniggered behind me. “I would have thought the white stuff might have warned you.”

“Yeah, yeah. Very funny.” I bent down and snatched a handful of snow before closing the door and turning to Ty.

“Oh, no, you don’t.” He took a step back, but wasn’t fast enough to stop me from grabbing his upper arm, pulling him close and rubbing the already melting snow over his exposed chest. His squeal when the icy substance connected with his nipple was adorable. The thoughts entering my head when it pebbled under my thumb, had little to do with his cute exclamation. Pressing into him, I pushed him backwards until his calves hit the bed. One more firm push and he lay sprawled out in front of me, a red hue to his chest and his boxer shorts tenting.

With a growl, I dropped forward, making sure to hold my descent with my hands before I crashed into him. Heat, need, and a sense of coming home rushed through me as our bodies fully connected. It had been months since I’d experienced this exhilarating connection. Love burned in my heart, my body yearned for his touch, and my hands itched to reacquaint themselves with every inch of his glorious body.

Capturing his mouth, I pushed my tongue between his lips, demanding entrance. For a few short moments, he went along, our tongues alternately caressing and attacking. Then he turned his head. “Shouldn’t we shower first, brush our teeth? It’s been more than twenty-four hours.”

“Don’t care. If we’re both disgusting, we probably won’t notice.” I trailed kisses, licks, and nips from his ear to his mouth, determined not to be denied.

Ty gave up the fight, shaking his head at my insistence while the smile tugging at the lips I wanted to devour and the delight shining from his eyes, told me that he didn’t mind at all.

“Welcome back,” he whispered against my lips before we lost ourselves in a long, sensuous kiss.

Moments later both of us had somehow lost our underwear. His hard cock rested on his belly, mine right beside it. As I rutted into him, our combined pre-cum made the movements slicker and more carnal with each push.

Gliding against him, feeling, seeing, and hearing Ty’s arousal, falling into the depths of his gorgeous eyes woke something up, deep inside me. A door that had been pulled shut and locked when my dad lost his fight, and had refused to budge in the subsequent weeks, now opened a crack, showing me there might be a way back for me after all.

Ty bucked up against me, adding an extra spark to the heat building between us. I wasn’t going to last long, and judging by the sounds falling from his lips, neither was Ty.

“Together,” he breathed against my lips.

“Almost.” I only just got the word out, too far gone to articulate.

Then I was there. My body stiffened before the release coursed through me. “Ty!” For a moment my mind went blank. My body was the whole universe, with a supernova shining bright in its centre, bringing light to where previously only darkness existed. Ty followed me a moment later, hanging on to me for dear life as his release mingled with mine on our bellies.

 And, just in case you haven’t read Valentine’s love yet, here are all the details:

Valentine’s Love #1

15k approx. / 53 pages

Price: $0.99 / £0.99

Buy links: Universal | Amazon US | Amazon UK

Available to read in KU

Happy Release Day to All or Nothing!!!!!!!!!

To celebrate the fact that All or Nothing is now available on Amazon and in KU I’m sharing a second excerpt from the book. It only seems fair to introduce you to Amber this time. (If you missed the post introducing Hector, you can find him here.)

Blurb

If she’s not good enough for all of him, she’d rather have none.

Forty-one-year-old Hector Kelly has lived the BDSM lifestyle all his adult life, but the recent influx of inexperienced and starry-eyed young women has killed its luster for him. When he reluctantly accompanies his best friend to The Dark Cellar during an open night, he is not surprised when he has to rescue a clueless young woman from a predatory Dom. Against his better judgment, he spends the rest of the night showing the gorgeous Amber around the club.

Until she entered The Dark Cellar, twenty-one-year-old Amber Sommerville was convinced BDSM only existed between the covers of her favorite romance novels. As Hector introduces her to this unknown world, everything she sees awakens desires she’s never experienced before.

The attraction between Hector and Amber is as instant as it is undeniable. But with an almost twenty-year age difference between them and Hector’s conviction that Amber is too young both for him and to know whether or not she wants to submit, their developing relationship remains purely vanilla—for the most part. When Amber witnesses Hector in full Dom mode, she recognizes that he’s been holding back and sets him an ultimatum: either he fully commits all of himself to their relationship or she’ll leave. If Hector wants to hang on to the woman who has captured his heart, he’ll have to reassess his preconceived notions.

Excerpt

“You’re serious?” Amber knew her laugh sounded nervous, but she couldn’t stop it from escaping her mouth. When the masked man had first walked up to her and told her to kneel, she’d thought it was a joke, orchestrated by her sister. It would have been just like Sinead and her mates to do something like that. Now, she wasn’t so sure. Whoever this was, he clearly expected her to kneel before him. He was in for one hell of a disappointment.

“Very serious. Did you really think you could walk into a BDSM club and not obey the rules?” Anger or something very close to it vibrated off the man, and for the first time since he’d approached her, Amber felt a stab of fear. Not that she’d show him her feelings. She lifted her chin and relished the surprise she thought she recognized on what she could see of his face when she looked him straight in the eye.

“I’ve no intention of kneeling for anyone, least of all you.” It took all her strength not to flinch when he raised his hand. She’d no idea if he planned on striking her or just wanted to force her to her knees.

“That’s enough, Carlos.”

The deep, calm voice coming from behind her startled Amber. She wanted to turn around and discover who it belonged to, but knew she couldn’t afford to take her eyes off the man in front of her.

Said man in front of her—Carlos apparently—frowned for a moment, as if confused, as he glanced over her shoulder. “Hector, this has nothing to do with you. Leave us alone to sort this out.” The masked man returned his steely-eyed attention to Amber.

“It does when you’re determined to give all of us a bad name.” The warm voice touched something deep in Amber. She was no damsel in distress and hated relying on others, but she couldn’t help being grateful for the help. She’d no idea what sort of trouble she’d gotten herself into. Which meant she didn’t know how to get herself out of it either.

The anger Amber’d thought she recognized in Carlos’s eyes transformed into fury, and for the first time since he’d addressed her, he fully focused on somebody other than her.

“Stay out of this. I won’t tell you again. Who do you think you are? You disappear for years, and then you presume you can tell me how to behave. Go back to wherever you’ve been hiding and leave this to us real men.”

“Look at her wrist, Carlos. You’re right. You shouldn’t need me to explain how this works.”

Amber glanced at her wrist and the white armband they’d told her to wear when she’d entered the club with the other girls. Apparently, it wasn’t just proof of admission.

“A white armband. I know. I saw that immediately. Doesn’t mean the girl shouldn’t know how to behave.”

Amber’s temper rose. She didn’t enjoy being the subject of a conversation she didn’t appear to have a role in. She opened her mouth, although she’d no idea what she wanted to say, when the sonorous voice behind her beat her to it.

“That’s exactly what it means, Carlos. I don’t like these open nights either, but that’s what this is, and as a result, most people here right now don’t even know there are rules, never mind what they might be. Leave the girl alone and find yourself an experienced submissive.”

Suddenly, it all came together for Amber. Now, she understood why her sister—the bride to be—and her friends had giggled as much as they had when they’d entered the club. She’d read about submissives. She almost smiled but remembered the dicey situation she found herself in just in time. She enjoyed reading about Doms and those who submitted to them. She’d somehow failed to translate those works of fiction into real possibilities. And she’d been slow on the uptake. After all the books she’d read, she should have recognized this club for what it was—far more than “just” a sexy nightclub.

Lost in her thoughts, it took Amber a moment before she became aware of the staring contest taking place between Carlos and the man behind her. The urge to turn around and find out who he was had grown stronger, but she still didn’t want to turn her back on the Dom in front of her. When Carlos gave a small nod before stalking away, Amber relaxed, her body releasing the tension she hadn’t known she’d been holding.

“Thank you.” Amber turned around as she spoke. Everything else she’d wanted to say disappeared from her mind as she looked straight into the dark brown eyes of the man who’d come to her rescue. She tried to figure out what she saw there. She would have called it kindness except she also detected a note of anger in his gaze.

“What were you thinking, girl? Why didn’t you stay with your friends? There’s safety in numbers.” The anger she’d seen in his eyes didn’t translate to his voice. If anything, he sounded resigned, exasperated.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to cause trouble.” Amber thought for a moment. It was true; she hadn’t meant to create a problem, hadn’t known she might when she allowed the rest of their party to move on while she’d studied her surroundings. “I didn’t know I shouldn’t be on my own. I mean, they never said anything when we came in.”

“How did you end up here anyway?”

Something bristled inside Amber before subsiding again. She didn’t mind answering his questions, just as she hadn’t been upset when she picked up on his anger. It didn’t make sense, because she wasn’t in the habit of letting others tell her what to do or allowing them to interrogate her, but she didn’t question her instinct.

“It’s my sister’s hen party. One of her friends suggested this club.” As she spoke, she remembered the looks Maeve—the friend in question—had exchanged with Mary, another friend. She hadn’t thought anything about it at the time, but now, she realized they’d known exactly what they would be leading the rest of them into. “Sinead, my sister, was already very drunk by then and appeared to be eager to visit a club...any club. I just tagged along.”

She’d resented that. Sure, she was a few years younger than the rest of the party, but she wasn’t a child anymore. She’d bitten her tongue all through the evening as Maeve and some of the others had belittled her. Sinead had defended her earlier on in the evening, but as people kept on pouring drinks into her, she’d soon lost contact with reality.

“But you didn’t stay with them when they moved to the other side of the club?”

His question took her by surprise. How did he know where the others had gone? She looked around until she spotted them on the far side of the dance floor and nearly groaned out loud. It was impossible to miss her sister. Sinead stood on a table in only her underwear and the veil she’d put on earlier. A blush crept up Amber’s neck and cheeks as she wondered what this man might think of her and her sister.

“Ah, I think I understand.” The man’s low chuckle took her by surprise and allowed her to relax again.

“Yes, well. What can I say? I don’t like getting drunk, and I’m not overly fond of some of my sister’s friends. Letting them go on without me for a while seemed like a good idea. If I’d known I’d cause trouble in the process...” She thought for a moment before deciding she had nothing to lose. “Besides, there’s so much to look at here. I had to stop and take it all in.”

She allowed her gaze to roam the club again and only barely repressed the shiver of excitement threatening to run down her spine as she observed more people kneeling on the floor at the feet of others. A girl she’d noticed getting down to her knees earlier was now on her feet, following the man who, Amber assumed, had to be her Dom toward closed double doors on the far side of the room, her head slightly bowed.

She felt her rescuer’s gaze on her and tore her attention back to him.

“By the way, I’m Amber Sommerville. Thank you for stepping in just now. I had no idea how to deal with that man.” Again, she noticed something in his eyes she couldn’t name.

“Hector Kelly.” He took the hand she offered and held it slightly longer than she’d expected. “You should either join your sister or go home, Amber. This is no place for young women on their own.”

“Oh no.” She laughed. “I’ve no intention of going yet. I want to see more. I’ve only read about places like this. I never believed they really existed, never mind could be found in Dublin. Now that I’m here, I want to discover how much of what I considered fiction is in fact real. And I want to know what’s on the other side of those doors.”

She’d no idea how she knew, but she’d no doubt Hector disapproved of her plans. His expression hadn’t changed, and yet she could almost feel his frustration. Tough. She was grateful he’d helped her out of a tricky situation, but it didn’t give him the right to tell her how to spend the rest of her evening. It was a shame though. She would have loved to get to know him better but not if it meant allowing him to make her decisions for her.

“Thank you again, Hector. I’m just going to have a look around before I join the others again.” She took a few moments to really look at him. The slight stutter in her heartbeat took her by surprise, and she dismissed it. Hector was very attractive—not far removed from her image of the ideal man in fact—and he was bossy, which should have been off-putting but, strangely enough, didn’t actually bother her. It was a shame she’d probably never see him again.

The moment she saw him take a deep breath, she turned and walked toward the half-hidden doors at the back of the club. She didn’t want to hear why he thought she should leave.

Book Details

Release Date: September 26, 2018

Pairing: MF

Length 61k words approx.

Universal buy link: mybook.to/AoN

All or Nothing is available in KU and as a paperback.

Double Dutch Courage – Out Now

If you follow me on Facebook (or Twitter, or MeWe) you may have noticed that I released my new book, Double Dutch Courage, two days ago.

Unlike my previous full-length novels, this book was self-published, which turned out to be both a terrifying and exhilarating experience. And, for the first time I’ve set my story in Amsterdam, the city where I was born and raised. Exciting times indeed. J

Below you’ll find all you might want to know about Double Dutch Courage as well as a new, never before shared, excerpt.

Word count: 63k approx

Cover images: Dan Skinner & Stephen Cassidy

Cover design: Stephen Cassidy

Universal Buy Link

Blurb

Ronan Collins has spent most of his life in Dublin hiding who he really is. Coming out would hurt his mother, and Ronan isn’t going to be the second gay man to do that. When he receives news the father he has never known has died, leaving him both a house and a business in Amsterdam, he jumps on the opportunity to get to know the man who fathered him and to discover what he’s been denying himself for years.

Lucas Brandt thought he had it all when Paul Kelly offered him a job and rooms to live in. With Paul deceased he fears he may be about to lose both. He didn’t even know Paul had a son, and now this stranger is on his way from Dublin to pull the rug out from under Lucas’s feet.

The two men don’t expect to like each other, never mind feel attraction. With numerous reasons why hooking up would be a bad idea, why does giving in feel so much better? And is Ronan’s back story really as he’s always imagined it to be?

Sudden changes require great bravery. Can both men find the courage to be true to themselves and each other?

Excerpt

Lucas checked how late it was for the sixth time in the space of twenty minutes. He hated waiting. He detested it more now than he’d ever done before. The next hour, day, week — he’d no idea how long it would take — would decide his immediate future. Everything was up in the air. All he knew for sure was that his life was no longer in his own hands. Some stranger was about to arrive and, depending on what that man decided, Lucas’s existence could change beyond recognition. If it wasn’t for the horrific reality of it he could have been persuaded it was some cruel April Fool’s Day stunt.

He picked up his mobile again and cursed when he saw no more than four minutes had passed since the last time he’d done so. He pushed his phone into his pocket, hoping that keeping it out of sight would make it easier to stop checking the screen every few minutes. He needed to keep busy. It would be at least another hour before his visitor would arrive. Except that he couldn’t think of the man — Ronan Collins — in those terms, of course. As soon as the Irishman walked through the door, Lucas would be reduced to the status of a, more than likely, unwanted guest.

He went to the kitchen and poured himself a cup of coffee. No! I’m not a visitor here either. Paul named me in his will, he gave me part of his business. This Ronan will need my cooperation almost as much as I’ll depend on him.

Carrying the coffee with him, he made his way to his bright and spacious studio. He stopped on the threshold and studied the room in detail for the first time since he’d furnished it almost three years ago.

This is mine! Everything from the clean lines, to the white walls, and the bright splashes of color had been his idea, his design and his execution. Paul had allowed him to get on with it, not putting any restrictions or expectations on him.

‘You do exactly what you want, lad. These will be your rooms and if you bring clients to your studio it should show them what your style is, give them an idea of what to expect if they work with you.’ A lump formed in his throat and he lowered himself into his comfy chair. He missed Paul, and the big hole in his life didn’t appear to be shrinking. Three weeks had passed since the cremation and he hadn’t even come close to getting used to the idea that the man who’d been so much more than his mentor for the past three years was no longer around.

Blowing on his still too-hot-to-drink coffee, he surrendered to the memories surging through his mind. He’d been so lucky. He’d met Paul when he was in his last year of college. Paul had been a guest lecturer and had given a month’s worth of lessons. Even now, almost four years later, Lucas couldn’t believe that Paul had been so impressed with his ideas that he’d offered him not only a job but also a place to stay once he’d discovered Lucas’s predicament. Lucas had moved in and started working two weeks after he’d received his diploma.

He stared at the mug in his hands as the loneliness that had been his constant companion ever since Paul died, tried to engulf him again. The house wasn’t the same without Paul in it. It was too big for him on his own. At least once a day he’d find himself halfway up the stairs before remembering that nobody awaited him in the rooms at the top. No more shared coffee breaks, no more discussions of designs and clients, no more…

He forced himself to not get trapped in that particular vortex of painful thoughts again. It hurt too much. There were moments he feared he would drown in the loneliness, when he had to talk out loud to himself to break the silence surrounding him. He missed Paul. He hadn’t realized how used to his company he’d become until he was no longer around. Forty-nine was too young for anyone to die. Lucas still had so much to learn, so many unanswered questions, and now he’d never know.

I can’t believe he never told me he had a son.               

Early Reviews

“Trust me, with writing like this you won’t want to miss a phenomenal story!” – OJ He Say

“One of the things I really liked about this book was its setting. Amsterdam and the Netherlands become almost a character in the book. I loved reading about the cultural items throughout the book: the travel, the food, the holidays, etc. It was like I was actually there touring the country with Ronan and Lucas. I've read a lot of books set in other countries that could be anywhere. Ms. Stone made the location a part of her book!” – Eric McDermott

“I enjoyed this smooth-moving story of discovery, redemption, and restoration so much I hardly know where to begin. […] Romance novels are usually so predictable. Everyone seems to follow the same script to attract and titillate the reader. This is where Ms. Stone steps away from the pack. Her characters are delightfully unpredictable. The surprises are artfully dispersed throughout the story, using charm, humor, and emotion in such a way as to enhance your reading pleasure.” – Sharon

“This was such a lovely story. Sweet, fun, and charming. Low on sex, but high on feelings.  […]This book is for everyone who loves a well-written story with great characters, who loves a laugh and sweetness without being sappy.” - Tanja