FAST Balls, book #5 in the
BALLS TO THE WALLS series
got a gorgeous new cover!
Fast Balls
(Balls To the Walls Series, #5)
by Tara Lain
Blurb
Can two men with skewed self-images see their true reflections in each other’s eyes?
Jerry Wallender—firefighter, surfer, and occasional nude model—knows he’s no rocket scientist. So why does he keep choosing intellectual guys who make him feel dumber? He worked his buns off to overcome his reading disability and pass the firefighter’s test, and he loves everything about the job. Well, except for Mick Cassidy, the big, blond, hunky homophobe who harasses Jerry for being gay. But Jerry is smart enough to realize it’s not hate driving Mick, but the pain of a very unhappy upbringing.
Mick Cassidy, Firefighter Assist and Search Team, fights fires, but he can’t fight his attraction to the kindest, most generous—and sexiest—guy he’s ever met. Does that make him gay? If it does, he just might get himself killed by his gay-hating preacher father—and take Jerry down with him.
This is a re-release
Re-Release Date:
July 12, 2017
Available for pre-order
Excerpt
“My mom says fire
is scary. I had bad dreams.”
is scary. I had bad dreams.”
Jerry smiled and leaned forward on the folding chair
toward the kids sitting on the big rug in front of him. Mick sat beside him on
another chair, looking like someone had thrown him into a swamp full of
alligators. He’d said something about kids making him nervous on the drive
over, and he hadn’t been kidding.
toward the kids sitting on the big rug in front of him. Mick sat beside him on
another chair, looking like someone had thrown him into a swamp full of
alligators. He’d said something about kids making him nervous on the drive
over, and he hadn’t been kidding.
Jerry nodded. “Your mom is right. Fire can be real scary.
But remember, it’s good too. How else would you get hot dogs and s’mores?”
But remember, it’s good too. How else would you get hot dogs and s’mores?”
All the kids laughed and echoed him. “Yeah, s’mores.”
“Now you guys did really good yesterday when you exited
your building.”
your building.”
“What’s exited?”
Jerry smiled at the little girl with cocoa skin. “It
means when you marched out the door just like in your fire drill.”
means when you marched out the door just like in your fire drill.”
“Ohhh.”
“And because of that, Firefighter Cassidy and I have been
authorized, uh, I mean we’ve been told, we can give each one of you an Honorary
Firefighters Badge.”
authorized, uh, I mean we’ve been told, we can give each one of you an Honorary
Firefighters Badge.”
“Yayyy.”
“Wow!”
“Can I have two?”
Jerry laughed. “But first, tell me all the stuff you know
about how to handle fire.”
about how to handle fire.”
The kids stared at him.
For the first time, Mick moved. He leaned forward and
said real soft, “Matches.”
said real soft, “Matches.”
One little boy nodded authoritatively. “Ohhh, yeah. Never
play with matches.”
play with matches.”
“Don’t touch matches.”
Jerry looked at Mick and gave him a wink.
The guy looked down at his hands. Jeez, he’s weird.
He looked back at the kids. “And what else can you tell
me about fire?”
me about fire?”
The children all looked right at Mick. His ears turned
pink, but he got into the game. “Fireworks,” he whispered.
pink, but he got into the game. “Fireworks,” he whispered.
One little black-haired boy rolled back on the carpet. “Fireworks
are great!”
are great!”
Jerry laughed. “Right, but where do they belong?”
Once again, all eyes turned to Mick. He held up his hand
beside his mouth. “In the city fireworks display.”
beside his mouth. “In the city fireworks display.”
One redheaded boy threw his hand in the air. “Ciddy
firewooks!”
firewooks!”
Jerry nodded. “Right! Never, ever pick up fireworks or
buy them at the store. They can hurt you, and they’re not allowed in Laguna
Beach. You know where that is, right?”
buy them at the store. They can hurt you, and they’re not allowed in Laguna
Beach. You know where that is, right?”
Heads nodded.
“Okay, good. Now Firefighter Cassidy and I will hand out
your badges. Remember, fire is good most of the time, but you have to use it
right. Never play with it—and do your fire drills regularly. Ready for your
badges?
your badges. Remember, fire is good most of the time, but you have to use it
right. Never play with it—and do your fire drills regularly. Ready for your
badges?
“Yes!”
“Yayyyyy!”
He took the plastic badges from a box and handed some to
Mick. As the kids flocked around him, the big guy smiled and looked kind of
happy.
Mick. As the kids flocked around him, the big guy smiled and looked kind of
happy.
A little Hispanic girl grabbed Jerry around the legs.
“Thank you, Fireman.”
“Thank you, Fireman.”
He knelt down. “Thank you. What’s your name?”
“Antonia.”
“You enjoy your new badge, okay? Show it to your mommy
and daddy.”
and daddy.”
“I only have a daddy.”
Jerry’s breath caught. “Well, I’ll bet you love him very
much.”
much.”
She nodded. “Yes. He makes me sandwiches, and we’re in it
together.”
together.”
Jeez, should he laugh or cry?
“Do you have a little girl, Fireman?”
He smoothed her inky hair. “No, but I wouldn’t mind
having a little girl just like you someday.”
having a little girl just like you someday.”
“I hope you find her.”
Heat pressed behind his eyes. “Oh, I hope so too.” No crying, man. He hugged Antonia’s tiny
frame. “Thank you for letting us come to your class today.”
frame. “Thank you for letting us come to your class today.”
Big wide eyes. She nodded. “Thank you for coming.”
He smiled. When he looked up, Mick was staring at him.
The Balls to the Wall Series
Volley Balls
Bk #1
Available at
Fire Balls
Bk #2
Available to purchase
Beach Balls
Bk #3
Bk #3
Available to purchase
About the Author
Tara Lain writes the Beautiful Boys of Romance in LGBT erotic romance novels that star her unique, charismatic heroes. Her first novel was published in January of 2011 and she’s now somewhere around book 32. Her best-selling novels have garnered awards for Best Series, Best Contemporary Romance, Best Paranormal Romance, Best Ménage, Best LGBT Romance, Best Gay Characters, and Tara has been named Best Writer of the Year in the LRC Awards. In her other job, Tara owns an advertising and public relations firm. She often does workshops on both author promotion and writing craft. She lives with her soul-mate husband and her soul-mate dog near the sea in California where she sets a lot of her books. Passionate about diversity, justice, and new experiences, Tara says on her tombstone it will say “Yes”!
You can find Tara at Lain
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Character Bio – LORD OF A TOUSAND STEPS by Tara Lain – Blog Tour
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