Monday, March 30, 2020

Book review: Shadow & Light (Arizona Raptors book 3) by RJ Scott & V.L. Locey



Buy Links: Amazon US | Amazon UK | Universal Link

Length: 54,500 words approx.

Cover Design: Meredith Russell

Arizona Raptors Series

Book #1 - Coast to Coast - Amazon US | Amazon UK | Universal Link
Book #2 - Across The Pond - Amazon US | Amazon UK | Universal Link

Blurb


Is it easier to fall into the shadows than hold onto the light?

Injured in a horrific car accident by a man who made him feel like nothing, Henry was left with life threatening injuries, crippling self doubt, and his career as a hockey player destroyed. He’s struggling to see, and as much as people tell him to have hope because he’s young and fit, his vision is compromised and he’s spiraling into despair. Estranged from his family, and his money all gone, there seems to be no hope. Hockey gave him freedom, and now it’s all been taken away.

Adler insists on letting Henry stay in a vast Lockhart-owned mansion in Tuscon, but it's a big and lonely place. When Apollo arrives at the house with his sunny smile and infectious optimism, along with his no-nonsense rules, he slowly becomes an integral part of Henry’s life. But one day, when Henry is better, Apollo will leave, and what happens then? Has Henry really fallen for the dark eyed man, or is it all just smoke and mirrors?

If there is one thing that Apollo Vasquez knows all about it’s helping others and living with quirky athletes. After all, he’s spent most of his adult life tending to one of the richest hockey playing heirs in America. His days have been filled with friendship, laughter, and the knowledge that he’s needed. Or he used to be. Over the past year Apollo’s best friend, Adler Lockhart, has been slipping away, his time spent with his boyfriend, on the ice, or traveling the world with the man he loves. This leaves Apollo feeling like a clunky third wheel or all alone in a luxurious apartment with no one to fuss over.

Knowing that his life is at a crossroads, his loving nature leads him far away from his childhood friend to the dry desert town of Tucson where he signs on to care for Henry Greenaway as the young Raptor recovers both mentally and physically from a near fatal car crash. Henry is also facing a new life, one that might lead him from the sport he has loved for so long. Cooking, cleaning, and providing moral support is just what the doctor ordered for Apollo, and he soon finds himself not only rediscovering himself and a new life he adores, but falling for the sweet, lost, injured man who’s slowly capturing his heart one timid smile at a time.


USA Today bestselling author RJ Scott writes stories with a heart of romance, a troubled road to reach happiness, and most importantly, a happily ever after.

RJ Scott is the author of over one hundred romance books, writing emotional stories of complicated characters, cowboys, millionaire, princes, and the men who get mixed up in their lives. RJ is known for writing books that always end with a happy ever after. She lives just outside London and spends every waking minute she isn’t with family either reading or writing.

The last time she had a week’s break from writing she didn’t like it one little bit, and she has yet to meet a bottle of wine she couldn’t defeat.

She’s always thrilled to hear from readers, bloggers and other writers. Please contact via the links below:




USA Today Bestselling Author V.L. Locey – Penning LGBT hockey romance that skates into sinful pleasures.

V.L. Locey loves worn jeans, yoga, belly laughs, walking, reading and writing lusty tales, Greek mythology, Torchwood and Dr. Who, the New York Rangers, comic books, and coffee. (Not necessarily in that order.) She shares her life with her husband, her daughter, one dog, two cats, a pair of geese, far too many chickens, and two steers.

When not writing spicy romances, she enjoys spending her day with her menagerie in the rolling hills of Pennsylvania with a cup of fresh java in one hand and a steamy romance novel in the other.




a Rafflecopter giveaway


Have lots of tissues on hand when you read this one!

While this is book 3 of the Arizona Raptor's series, it can be read without reading the previous two books as the authors give enough background into events and the characters from the previous books, but I recommend reading all three in order to enjoy a fuller experience.

Many years ago I suffered an injury that was life-altering, so in a way I can relate to Henry. We both lost the ability to do what we loved to do most. This is why I was not surprised by his - for lack of a better term, attitude - was the way it was. When I was a coach for Special Olympics, we were required to spend several hours blindfolded to get a feel for what some of the athletes experience. This made Henry quite real to me.

Apollo. What can I say about the quirky, upbeat, chatterbox other than he's my favorite character from the series. Hiding his own pain to help Henry is admirable and endearing. He's great and deserves a lot of credit for how he helps Henry without thinking about what he can get from Henry in return. He does get the one thing he wants from him... his love.

5 out of 5 stars and a definite must read.

Thursday, March 26, 2020

Book review: Give Me A Hand (Beyond Desire series book #1) by Gwen Martin

Title: Give Me A Hand
Series: Beyond Desire #1
Author: Gwen Martin
Genre: LGBT Bisexual MM NA College Romance
Release Date: March 10, 2020


Their Worlds Collided. Everything Changed.
Cam and Jude had been college roommates for two years, fitting into each other's lives with ease. 
That is, until Cam walked in on Jude getting off alone in their shared dorm bathroom. 
Everything shifted between the two of them, awakening feelings Cam hadn't felt for anyone in a long time. Feelings Cam believed had shriveled up after surviving a near fatal car accident to then suffer a disastrous breakup with his first love. 
Since then, Cam kept his heart sealed tight in a fortress, keeping himself busy with a lot of mindless hookups and a steadfast refusal to ever commit. 
Cam's life had been predictable. He knew what he wanted. 
Until that impromptu mutual orgasm with Jude. 
Cam didn't want a boyfriend, and he certainly didn't *need* a relationship. 
But he knew one thing he did crave and that was more of Jude Ellison. 
Will Cam be able to work through his painful past if Jude offered him a chance at more?
Gwen Martin lives in Florida where the sun is always shining, the humidity is always high, and Disney is just a hop skip away. When she’s not trying to write one of her million story ideas, she’s usually hanging out with her husband and four cats.
Gwen first started writing at a young age, coming up with stories in class instead of paying attention to the math lesson. Since then she has been exploring her love of writing in various fan communities where she has learned how to cultivate character development and romantic interactions.
She has a strong love affair with cold brew coffee, black cats, and nerding out in various fandoms. When she’s not writing, she’s reading everything she can get her hands on, listening to a lot of lo-fi and making playlists, chilling with her four gatos and obsessing about Pusheen. Because it’s always about Pusheen.
HOSTED BY:


I found this book to be lackluster.

The characters were kinda boring and there was no really drama to pull the reader into the story.

The story line was interesting though. If there had been a little more character development and a little angst from the beginning, or even towards the middle of the book, instead of the end it would have been much better.

As much as I would like to have given it a better rating, I have to give it a 3 out of 5 stars.

Wednesday, March 25, 2020

Book review: Without A Trace (Lancaster Falls trilogy book 2) by RJ Scott



Buy Links: Amazon US | Amazon UK | Universal Link - (KU from March 21 2020)

Length: 85,000 words approx.

Cover Design: Meredith Russell

Lancaster Falls Series

What Lies Beneath - Amazon US | Amazon UK |Universal Link

Blurb

When long-buried secrets are exposed, and the search for truth becomes a race to save a life, how can two men ever hope to find real love?

Losing his brother has shaped Drew to become the man he is today—heartbroken, alone, but determined to make a difference in the world. Joining the military, fighting battles in places that he’s never even heard of, is his attempt to make amends for telling his brother to go to hell. After his brother disappeared, he’d clung to the hope Casey was out there living his life. Of course, he’d be furious at Drew, and probably hate his brother, but at least in Drew’s head, Casey was safe.

One call changes everything. Casey’s body has been found, and the hope that had fueled Drew’s constant search for the truth is destroyed. Coming home to Lancaster Falls to bury his brother and face his mom’s anguish and accusations, is a nightmare made real, and he has nowhere to run from the pain.

Logan has made a home in Lancaster Falls. As a police officer, he plays by the rules, and he would never think of working off-the-grid. All that changes when an anonymous tip crosses his desk, and he is thrust headlong into solving a hundred-year mystery that could be connected with the modern day death of Casey McGuire. Fighting an attraction to Casey’s brother is hard enough, but the infuriating man is there at Logan’s every turn, interfering with the case, breaking the rules, and demanding that Casey’s story be heard.




USA Today bestselling author RJ Scott writes stories with a heart of romance, a troubled road to reach happiness, and most importantly, a happily ever after.

RJ Scott is the author of over one hundred romance books, writing emotional stories of complicated characters, cowboys, millionaire, princes, and the men who get mixed up in their lives. RJ is known for writing books that always end with a happy ever after. She lives just outside London and spends every waking minute she isn’t with family either reading or writing.

The last time she had a week’s break from writing she didn’t like it one little bit, and she has yet to meet a bottle of wine she couldn’t defeat.

She’s always thrilled to hear from readers, bloggers and other writers. Please contact via the links below:





a Rafflecopter giveaway


It's a book from RJ Scott. Do I need to say more? She has yet to write a book I haven't loved.

The only think I don't like about Without A Trace is that you have to read What Lies Beneath (Lancaster Falls book 1) in order to completely understand what's happening in Without A Trace.

That said, with more twists and turns than a bag of curly fries, Without A Trace is an incredibly powerful, masterfully written book worthy of being on everybody's eBook reader.

If you love mysteries, this is definitely a must-read book.


Sunday, March 22, 2020

New from RJ Scott & V.L. Locey: Shadow & Light (Arizona Raptors book 3)



Buy Links: Amazon US | Amazon UK | Universal Link

Length: 54,500 words approx.

Cover Design: Meredith Russell

Arizona Raptors Series

Book #1 - Coast to Coast - Amazon US | Amazon UK | Universal Link
Book #2 - Across The Pond - Amazon US | Amazon UK | Universal Link

Blurb


Is it easier to fall into the shadows than hold onto the light?

Injured in a horrific car accident by a man who made him feel like nothing, Henry was left with life threatening injuries, crippling self doubt, and his career as a hockey player destroyed. He’s struggling to see, and as much as people tell him to have hope because he’s young and fit, his vision is compromised and he’s spiraling into despair. Estranged from his family, and his money all gone, there seems to be no hope. Hockey gave him freedom, and now it’s all been taken away.

Adler insists on letting Henry stay in a vast Lockhart-owned mansion in Tuscon, but it's a big and lonely place. When Apollo arrives at the house with his sunny smile and infectious optimism, along with his no-nonsense rules, he slowly becomes an integral part of Henry’s life. But one day, when Henry is better, Apollo will leave, and what happens then? Has Henry really fallen for the dark eyed man, or is it all just smoke and mirrors?

If there is one thing that Apollo Vasquez knows all about it’s helping others and living with quirky athletes. After all, he’s spent most of his adult life tending to one of the richest hockey playing heirs in America. His days have been filled with friendship, laughter, and the knowledge that he’s needed. Or he used to be. Over the past year Apollo’s best friend, Adler Lockhart, has been slipping away, his time spent with his boyfriend, on the ice, or traveling the world with the man he loves. This leaves Apollo feeling like a clunky third wheel or all alone in a luxurious apartment with no one to fuss over.

Knowing that his life is at a crossroads, his loving nature leads him far away from his childhood friend to the dry desert town of Tucson where he signs on to care for Henry Greenaway as the young Raptor recovers both mentally and physically from a near fatal car crash. Henry is also facing a new life, one that might lead him from the sport he has loved for so long. Cooking, cleaning, and providing moral support is just what the doctor ordered for Apollo, and he soon finds himself not only rediscovering himself and a new life he adores, but falling for the sweet, lost, injured man who’s slowly capturing his heart one timid smile at a time.

USA Today bestselling author RJ Scott writes stories with a heart of romance, a troubled road to reach happiness, and most importantly, a happily ever after.

RJ Scott is the author of over one hundred romance books, writing emotional stories of complicated characters, cowboys, millionaire, princes, and the men who get mixed up in their lives. RJ is known for writing books that always end with a happy ever after. She lives just outside London and spends every waking minute she isn’t with family either reading or writing.

The last time she had a week’s break from writing she didn’t like it one little bit, and she has yet to meet a bottle of wine she couldn’t defeat.

She’s always thrilled to hear from readers, bloggers and other writers. Please contact via the links below:




USA Today Bestselling Author V.L. Locey – Penning LGBT hockey romance that skates into sinful pleasures.

V.L. Locey loves worn jeans, yoga, belly laughs, walking, reading and writing lusty tales, Greek mythology, Torchwood and Dr. Who, the New York Rangers, comic books, and coffee. (Not necessarily in that order.) She shares her life with her husband, her daughter, one dog, two cats, a pair of geese, far too many chickens, and two steers.

When not writing spicy romances, she enjoys spending her day with her menagerie in the rolling hills of Pennsylvania with a cup of fresh java in one hand and a steamy romance novel in the other.




a Rafflecopter giveaway

Friday, March 20, 2020

Book review: Falling For My Roommate by Garrett Leigh



Buy Links: Amazon US | Amazon UK | Universal Link - Exclusive to Amazon and Available to Borrow with Kindle Unlimited

Cover Design: Black Jazz Design

Blurb

Falling for his roommate gives ex footballer Micah the second chance he deserves, and what could be better than loving your best friend?

Micah
I’m a broke ex-football player with a bum leg and PTSD. Last summer, I had two choices: the streets, or find a cheap room to rent in the city. I chose the second option, which landed me with a brand-new problem, cos I hadn’t banked on my roommate becoming my best friend. Or that before long I’d find myself head over heels in love with him. Trouble is, even if Sam likes me back, I ain’t fit to be no one’s boyfriend. I don’t know how. All I do is wade through every precious moment and hope that he doesn’t regret the day he ever met me.

Sam
I’m a gay book nerd with no business falling in love with hunky athletes. Micah is the dictionary definition of beautiful, inside and out, he just doesn’t know it. And he definitely doesn’t know I’m ridiculously in love with him. The embarrassing kind of love.

He’s all I can think about.

But it’s not as simple as loving someone who doesn’t love me back. Micah is damaged goods—at least, that’s how he’d put it. The world has chewed him up and spat him out, and he thinks he deserved it. That he’s still the battered mess he was a year ago.

I want to shake him, and shout in his face that he’s not. To force the truth on him and make him believe in himself the way I do. But I can’t save Micah. One day, perhaps he’ll realise that he already saved himself.






Garrett Leigh is an award-winning British writer and book designer.

Garrett's debut novel, Slide, won Best Bisexual Debut at the 2014 Rainbow Book Awards, and her polyamorous novel, Misfits was a finalist in the 2016 LAMBDA awards.

When not writing, Garrett can generally be found procrastinating on Twitter, cooking up a storm, or sitting on her behind doing as little as possible, all the while shouting at her menagerie of children and animals and attempting to tame her unruly and wonderful FOX.

Garrett is also an award winning cover artist, taking the silver medal at the Benjamin Franklin Book Awards in 2016. She designs for various publishing houses and independent authors at blackjazzdesign.com, and co-owns the specialist stock site moonstockphotography.com with renowned LGBTQA+ photographer Dan Burgess.

Website: http://www.garrettleigh.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/garrettleighauthor/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Garrett_Leigh


a Rafflecopter giveaway


Another incredible book from Garrett Leigh, with a strong, believable story line and amazing characters.

Micah and Sam have a depth of character you don't often see in other MM novels. Most definitely multi-faceted.

Being a huge soccer fan I was horrified to read about what happened with Micah and what it's done to his internal identity. I'm not sure I'd be as strong as he is, given the same circumstances.

I'm grateful for Sam, who through his quiet ways provides Micah with support and comfort just by being his friend.

I really love this heartwarming book and I can't recommend it highly enough.

5 out of 5 stars and I hope to ready more of Micah and Sam's story.

Monday, March 16, 2020

New from RJ Scott: Without A Trace (Lancaster Falls trilogy book 2)



Buy Links: Amazon US | Amazon UK | Universal Link - (KU from March 21 2020)

Length: 85,000 words approx.

Cover Design: Meredith Russell

Lancaster Falls Series

What Lies Beneath - Amazon US | Amazon UK |Universal Link

Blurb

When long-buried secrets are exposed, and the search for truth becomes a race to save a life, how can two men ever hope to find real love?

Losing his brother has shaped Drew to become the man he is today—heartbroken, alone, but determined to make a difference in the world. Joining the military, fighting battles in places that he’s never even heard of, is his attempt to make amends for telling his brother to go to hell. After his brother disappeared, he’d clung to the hope Casey was out there living his life. Of course, he’d be furious at Drew, and probably hate his brother, but at least in Drew’s head, Casey was safe.

One call changes everything. Casey’s body has been found, and the hope that had fueled Drew’s constant search for the truth is destroyed. Coming home to Lancaster Falls to bury his brother and face his mom’s anguish and accusations, is a nightmare made real, and he has nowhere to run from the pain.

Logan has made a home in Lancaster Falls. As a police officer, he plays by the rules, and he would never think of working off-the-grid. All that changes when an anonymous tip crosses his desk, and he is thrust headlong into solving a hundred-year mystery that could be connected with the modern day death of Casey McGuire. Fighting an attraction to Casey’s brother is hard enough, but the infuriating man is there at Logan’s every turn, interfering with the case, breaking the rules, and demanding that Casey’s story be heard.


USA Today bestselling author RJ Scott writes stories with a heart of romance, a troubled road to reach happiness, and most importantly, a happily ever after.

RJ Scott is the author of over one hundred romance books, writing emotional stories of complicated characters, cowboys, millionaire, princes, and the men who get mixed up in their lives. RJ is known for writing books that always end with a happy ever after. She lives just outside London and spends every waking minute she isn’t with family either reading or writing.

The last time she had a week’s break from writing she didn’t like it one little bit, and she has yet to meet a bottle of wine she couldn’t defeat.

She’s always thrilled to hear from readers, bloggers and other writers. Please contact via the links below:





a Rafflecopter giveaway


It's RJ Scott. Do I need to say more? There's not one of her books I haven't loved. Without A Trace definitely fits into this category.

The only thing I didn't like about Without A Trace is that you have to read the first book in the Lancaster Falls series, What Lies Beneath, to totally understand what's going on in this book. *sigh* An incredible hardship, I know. *shit-eating grin*

The guilt and pain, along with his mother's attitude makes you want to grab Drew and take away all the bad. Sometimes you want to shake the ever-loving shit out of Drew for interfering with Logan's investigation, but in some respects it's understandable.

Logan is a saint and deserves a medal for the way he deals with Drew. Back- and butt-slaps for sure.

As I said, it's RJ Scott, which makes Without A Trace a must read automatically.

Buy it. Read it. Love it.

5 out of 5 stars.

What's next for the residents of Lancaster Falls?

Saturday, March 14, 2020

New from Garrett Leigh: Falling For My Roommate



Buy Links: Amazon US | Amazon UK | Universal Link - Exclusive to Amazon and Available to Borrow with Kindle Unlimited

Cover Design: Black Jazz Design

Blurb

Falling for his roommate gives ex footballer Micah the second chance he deserves, and what could be better than loving your best friend?

Micah
I’m a broke ex-football player with a bum leg and PTSD. Last summer, I had two choices: the streets, or find a cheap room to rent in the city. I chose the second option, which landed me with a brand-new problem, cos I hadn’t banked on my roommate becoming my best friend. Or that before long I’d find myself head over heels in love with him. Trouble is, even if Sam likes me back, I ain’t fit to be no one’s boyfriend. I don’t know how. All I do is wade through every precious moment and hope that he doesn’t regret the day he ever met me.

Sam
I’m a gay book nerd with no business falling in love with hunky athletes. Micah is the dictionary definition of beautiful, inside and out, he just doesn’t know it. And he definitely doesn’t know I’m ridiculously in love with him. The embarrassing kind of love.

He’s all I can think about.

But it’s not as simple as loving someone who doesn’t love me back. Micah is damaged goods—at least, that’s how he’d put it. The world has chewed him up and spat him out, and he thinks he deserved it. That he’s still the battered mess he was a year ago.

I want to shake him, and shout in his face that he’s not. To force the truth on him and make him believe in himself the way I do. But I can’t save Micah. One day, perhaps he’ll realise that he already saved himself.


Garrett Leigh is an award-winning British writer and book designer.

Garrett's debut novel, Slide, won Best Bisexual Debut at the 2014 Rainbow Book Awards, and her polyamorous novel, Misfits was a finalist in the 2016 LAMBDA awards.

When not writing, Garrett can generally be found procrastinating on Twitter, cooking up a storm, or sitting on her behind doing as little as possible, all the while shouting at her menagerie of children and animals and attempting to tame her unruly and wonderful FOX.

Garrett is also an award winning cover artist, taking the silver medal at the Benjamin Franklin Book Awards in 2016. She designs for various publishing houses and independent authors at blackjazzdesign.com, and co-owns the specialist stock site moonstockphotography.com with renowned LGBTQA+ photographer Dan Burgess.

Website: http://www.garrettleigh.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/garrettleighauthor/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Garrett_Leigh


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Friday, March 13, 2020

Happy Book-versary to Broken Soldier!

all-soldier-covers
Happy Book-versary today to Broken Soldier! When I wrote this I was quite nervous about publishing it, since it was very, very different from any other book I’d written. It was my first book with an already established couple and quite dark and serious in tone, dealing with extreme measures taken in an undercover, special ops mission resulting in a forced drug addiction and subsequent recovery. Well, I needn’t have worried, because Broken Soldier is still to this day, my best-selling book!
It even spawned an entire Shadow Unit series, with three other novels (Rogue Solider, Hunted Soldier, Dying Soldier) and a Christmas short story (Snowbound Soldiers). Plus three of the four books are individual award winners, along with the entire series.
So many thanks to all of you who took a chance on Broken Soldier and if you haven’t read it, I’d love it if you’d take a chance on it, too! #GayRomance #GayRomanticSuspense
BROKEN SOLDIER (Shadow Unit Book 1):
BLURB:
 Sergeant Connor Finley and Sergeant Shawn Weller are dedicated soldiers working covert ops for Shadow Unit — a joint UK/US anti-terrorism task force.
Partners in the field and out, they had been through hell together for the last four years and made it through standing side by side. But when their latest undercover op to bring down an arms dealer plunges them into a world of drugs, sex and violence, Shawn must literally get in bed with the enemy in order to complete the mission. And Connor is forced to watch, helpless, as his partner is broken into pieces.

Will love be enough to put them both back together or will this be their final mission?
WARNING: Contains scenes of drug use, graphic sex and realistic situations
BUY LINKS:
₪₪₪₪₪₪₪₪₪₪₪₪₪₪₪₪₪₪₪₪₪₪₪₪₪₪₪₪₪₪₪₪₪₪₪₪₪₪₪₪₪₪₪₪

If y'all have not read any of the Shadow Unit series you should. It is an exceptional series.
You can read my review of the series here:

Wednesday, March 11, 2020

New from Gwen Martin: Give Me A Hand (A Beyond Desire series book 1)

Title: Give Me A Hand
Series: Beyond Desire #1
Author: Gwen Martin
Genre: LGBT Bisexual MM NA College Romance
Release Date: March 10, 2020
Their Worlds Collided. Everything Changed.
Cam and Jude had been college roommates for two years, fitting into each other's lives with ease. 
That is, until Cam walked in on Jude getting off alone in their shared dorm bathroom. 
Everything shifted between the two of them, awakening feelings Cam hadn't felt for anyone in a long time. Feelings Cam believed had shriveled up after surviving a near fatal car accident to then suffer a disastrous breakup with his first love. 
Since then, Cam kept his heart sealed tight in a fortress, keeping himself busy with a lot of mindless hookups and a steadfast refusal to ever commit. 
Cam's life had been predictable. He knew what he wanted. 
Until that impromptu mutual orgasm with Jude. 
Cam didn't want a boyfriend, and he certainly didn't *need* a relationship. 
But he knew one thing he did crave and that was more of Jude Ellison. 
Will Cam be able to work through his painful past if Jude offered him a chance at more?

“You staying?”  
“Hm, yeah,” Cam murmured, the edges of sleep pulling him under. “What about the gym?”
Jude chuckled, his fingertips tracing over Cam’s shoulder and collarbone. “If I miss one day, it won’t hurt.”
Cam hummed noncommittally. Jude’s fingers continued to move over his stomach, gentle wisps of touch, until it stopped on his hip. Cam blinked and furrowing his eyebrows. Jude was staring down at his scar.
The scar stretching over Cam’s hip was large but had faded over the years. It was the constant reminder of Cam’s ruined track career, the one dream the drunk driver stole from him. Cam missed running, missed the excitement of humid air against his sweat-soaked skin, the blur of scenery passing by. But between the knee surgery and hip replacement, it was impossible to have that ever again. 
Cam pushed forward, though. He had tried to get back into running, against the suggestions of doctors and his parents, but he couldn’t give it up just yet. Cam thought he could do it, but found out quickly that he couldn't. Running was not an option for him anymore. So, he switched his goal and focused on getting his business degree. 
He pushed all of his thoughts about the loss of running into his studies.  It was important to have a goal, even if it wasn’t the original dream he had worked hard for in high school. He refused to let some drunk driver ruin his life forever. Even if the past still snuck up on him. 
“I’ve never seen this before,” Jude whispered, his gaze focused on the scar.
There was an uncomfortable spiky feeling in Cam’s throat. He inhaled a deep breath and shrugged. “It’s not a big deal.” 
Jude’s eyes lifted to Cam’s and a tiny part of Cam was set alight. Something deep, and uncharted, and Cam felt disoriented by the feeling, like he was suddenly shifted into space without gravity. 
“Can I—” Jude stopped, turning back down to the scar. 
Jude was asking permission to touch it, Cam realized. The way Jude’s mouth tightened into a sad frown made Cam’s chest turn stiff inside. He nodded, speechless. 
A few beats stretched before Jude brushed the back of his knuckle across the scar. The touch was soft, warm and careful. Jude unraveled his hand, pulling Cam’s boxers down before rearranging on the bed to examine the old injury, studying every imperfection. 
Cam avoided looking at the scar now. Right after the accident it was all Cam could do when he was able to stand up in front of a mirror. He would study the thin clean line, a permanent brand on his body. To him it appeared jagged and wrong, despite the doctors saying he healed well and the scar would be almost non-existent. But Cam never got used to it, couldn’t shake how it had shifted his life so drastically. 
He felt more exposed in that single moment than he did just minutes ago with his cock out. Breathing was proving to be impossible, and Cam’s chest rose and fell rapidly as his lungs heaved for more oxygen. 
Then Jude brushed his lips against the scar. The sensation was odd, like new nerve endings coming back to life. When Jude flicked the flat of his tongue along the entire length of it, Cam whimpered, biting his lip to stop himself from sounding too desperate. 
Cam kept his eyes clenched shut, unable to bear the sight of Jude being intimate with the evidence of Cam’s shattered dreams. Eventually Jude stopped, putting Cam’s boxers back to rights, and laying down next to Cam again. 
Cam didn’t open his eyes. 
“We should sleep,” Jude said, pulling the duvet over both of them. Cam nodded and turned away. His cheeks were burning, and his heart was beating so loud he was certain the whole dorm could hear it. 
Cam’s nerves were firing all over under his skin, and he could barely hum a response when Jude whispered goodnight. He listened for the even breathing of Jude sleeping behind him, his insides twisting with uncertainty. He considered making an escape once he was sure that Jude wouldn’t detect his absence.
It wasn’t until Jude rested a hand on Cam’s battered hip that he was finally able to fall asleep. 
Gwen Martin lives in Florida where the sun is always shining, the humidity is always high, and Disney is just a hop skip away. When she’s not trying to write one of her million story ideas, she’s usually hanging out with her husband and four cats.
Gwen first started writing at a young age, coming up with stories in class instead of paying attention to the math lesson. Since then she has been exploring her love of writing in various fan communities where she has learned how to cultivate character development and romantic interactions.
She has a strong love affair with cold brew coffee, black cats, and nerding out in various fandoms. When she’s not writing, she’s reading everything she can get her hands on, listening to a lot of lo-fi and making playlists, chilling with her four gatos and obsessing about Pusheen. Because it’s always about Pusheen.
HOSTED BY: