The events of Love and History run concurrently to The Professorâs Date and works beautifully to tie all the original couples up into their HEA as well as give us a heartwarming romance for one of the remaining Script Club members and a new boarder at the lovely old historic house theyâve been renting the entire series.
Almost everyone has either moved out as they have found their partner and established themselves in their careers. The ones left at the house are Tommy and Holden, both Professors at CalTech, both geniuses going for their PhDâs. All the other scientists/geeks in their circle have moved out, forcing them to rent to jock friends of Blake (Asterâs boyfriend).
If youâve read The Professorâs Date, then youâre aware of how certain events will play out regarding the house. So having Lane use it as a dramatic element is a bit awkward. We know thereâs no real threat there.
I wish another thread was used to have Holden thinking of moving on other then the loss of the house. Cole and Ezra had a realistic reason. They needed a location closer to work, which made sense. Holdenâs emotional ties also felt believable. A renovation versus a loss of lease perhaps?
Anyway, the romance between Holden Galymer ,astrophysicist, microbiologist ,Phd candidate at CalTech and jock/lawyer in the making Ezra Marsden turns out to be incredibly bumbling, sexy, and sweet.
Ezra has been an irritant on Holdenâs nerves since he moved in. With a dislike for clothes past the front door, and a disregard for respecting or replacing someone elseâs groceries, Ezra is a itch Holden canât scratch.
Lane is excellent at creating two wholly opposite characters and then making the reader see how perfect they are for each other. As she does here.
Each man has issues they are still working through. Especially Ezra. A lively outgoing demeanor hides someone whoâs dealing with deep grief and anger over his father as well as a inability to come fully out of the closet as bisexual. Holden too has many layers and things that he keeps hidden. Those issues impact his feelings and ability to move forward into relationships.
How Ezra and Holden stumble through into love and HEA includes some wonderful events, some painful moments, and a outstanding wrap up with every couple in the series.
Itâs a treat and a great way to say goodbye.
This is a series I really enjoyed. I had my favorites (who doesnât) and was absolutely entertained.
If you love contemporary romance, this is a group of men I think youâre going to love. Including their finale. Iâm definitely recommending this!
Iâve totally enjoyed Lane Hayes Script Club romances, a sweet series of stories that are centered around a genius circle of friends that end up with their HEAâs with jocks or people with a sports related story.
But The Professorâs Date, the fifth and final installment, might just be my favorite of all. From the very first introduction to Tommy, our gentle geek (yes we have known him throughout the series), to that heartwarming ending, I was absolutely captivated by their personalities and love story.
Professor Thomas Hartwell , âI teach astrophysics and study biomolecular physics as it relates to astronomyâ is one of the few remaining unattached members of The Scripts Club, and with Holden, still living in the old beautiful house on the corner.
Tommy is a PhD student and Professor at Caltech. Heâs got a oddly stressful relationship with his family, including his twin sister whoâs about to be married.
Tommyâs tight schedule and lack of time for fashion has both his sister and mother requesting him to get a makeover for the wedding. Also a plus one.
While this is a familiar trope, Hayes uses Tommyâs personality and his familyâs inability to successfully communicate with each other to make this a poignant, emotional element. It believable, sad, and feels exhausting because it comes across as a family routine, not a one time issue.
So oddly, itâs not his family that sends him into the hair salon and his meeting with Noah Burns.
Noah Burns, former soccer pro now fabulous hairdresser at StylinâTea, a upscale hair salon.
Noah is a man with a deeply painful past heâs still dealing with, no matter the state of denial heâs in. Noahâs personality is that which is superficial only to those he wants to play and go. But Hayes â crafting of Noahâs character gives us a man of depths, fragile and kind. Heâs as easy to live as his counterpart.
Their meeting is moving, funny, realistic, and awkward. Perfect.
The relationship is one of stumbling, halting motion, introspection, terrific dialogue, sexy scenes surprisingly, and so much warmth.
This is a story you just dive into heart first.
Thereâs angst, and reconciliation. And a marvelous HEA.
I just adore this couple and their romance. As I said I think Noah and Tommy might be my favorites.
Maybe itâs their interesting romance that no matter what, they work, and they kept making their way back towards each other.
Iâm highly recommending The Professorâs Date (The Script Club #5) by Lane Hayes. Iâve listed all the series below.
Plus the author has another book coming out with the last two men remaining, Ezra and Holden. Thatâs Love and History. Be on the lookout for that!
The professor, the hair stylist, and a wedding dateâŚ
Tommy
Help! My sister is getting married and according to her, I need a date. And a makeover. Iâm a busy man, though. I donât have time to meet eligible bachelors, and the tape holding my glasses together works just fine. Until my hair stylist steps on them.
Yes, Noah, my dazzling dreamboat of a hair guru created a mini disaster, but I donât mind at all. Heâs a sweet, funny, kind jock whoâ
Screech! No jocks. I have nothing in common with sporty people.
ExceptâŚNoah is different.
Noah
I donât date. However, Iâm not opposed to offering fashion advice to a sexy professor in need. A haircut, a quick shopping expedition…
Boom! Mission accomplished.
Not so fast. Iâve misjudged the situation and my attraction to the geek with the tragic sense of style. Sure, Thomas is too smart for me by a long shot, but thereâs something about him that makes it easy to forget my past. It might be his quietly commanding nature or his movie-star good looks. Or maybe itâs just him.
All I know is that Iâm very tempted to be the professorâs date.
The Professorâs Date is an MM geek/jock romance featuring a nerdy professor, a soccer-playing hair stylist, and a quest for the perfect date!
âââ-
Unless itâs noted, all books reviewed have been purchased by the reviewer
The Real Baxter starts off so awesomely. We dive into the universe and get an immediate understanding of both men, their personalities, and backgrounds.
Sebastian Rourke, wealthy, gorgeous. A true silver fox whoâs a producer and much sought after executive . Also a single gay father, and damaged adult whoâs mourning the loss of his ex who is about to be remarried.
Trent Mackay. Actor, fake bodyguard, and now fake boyfriend maybe. With more then a few walls of his own heâs erected for his own protection.
Lane created some fascinating characters, gave them both realistic and painful back histories. Surrounded both by layered personalities and utterly charming people I loved, from Sebâs mini me older son Charlie to his adorable younger one, Oliver. Letâs not forget Macy as well.
Each man has had some emotional mountains of trauma to surmount. One is still trying. All rings so true and painful. All while navigating LA celebrity scene and slowly connecting.
So I couldnât figure out why I wasnât enjoying what was clearly a great story. Then around the 2/3 mark it hit me! Thereâs never been any point where the men have really been at ease , where thereâs no anxiety , no tension, or possible emotional explosions waiting to happen in the next 60 seconds. Itâs that way for them. Itâs that way for the reader. We never relax or take a breath.
And that makes for an equally anxious, hard, stressful read.
A story, imo, needs to behave a bit like a stream or rivers. With eddies , flows, and different ranges in its movement. At times peaceful, so you can have time to appreciate the scenery and at other places, high swells, fast currents, to make your heart race and laugh or screaming, and hang on for dear life.
But if all youâre doing is clutching with white knuckles, and trying to win out over a undertow, that stress and anxiety wears you down.
The characters are amazingly well crafted. Believable with real depth. Seb, especially with his pain over the loss of his ex to his marriage and the memories of his past faults. Extremely well done. Itâs so haunting that it tears at you.
His relationship with his children? Also realistically portrayed. Charlie and Oliver are both charming and perfectly realistic.
Trent too , from the moment we meet him is someone we get. From his background and family to the existence heâs scrabbling away at in LA.
But my issue is when theyâre supposed to be having a semblance of normalcy, happy times. Itâs a as ârelated byâ situation. Trent tells us about them. The reader never gets that part of their relationship that developing., until weâre almost finished. We only get the fake news bits, the stress, the anxiety.
The reader needs to be âinâ on what makes them work for everything else to make emotional sense.
Plus thereâs this.
âHe made me feelâŚimportant. Necessary. Not just for sex, although sex was amazing and got better every day.â
Made. Not makes. Past tense.
That was Trent speaking. See what I mean about tension? As a reader Iâm not thinking happy thoughts about their future hereâŚ
Took me a while to realize everything was past tense. I loved, I had, he made⌠and the story is about 3/4 over. Shouldnât I be feeling a bit more hopeful about them by now?
Thereâs so many different interesting interconnected relationships here. Grey, Sebâs ex, and his love, rocker Justin. * Charlie, Sebâs oldest son, (who also was devastated when his fatherâs broke up) and his husband , Ky Baldwin, bassist in the same band as Justin.*. Oliver, the youngest son, his mother and with her newest boyfriend. Everyone is interwoven into a extensive family unit of multiple households and at times, strained relations. It seems very realistic.
Laneâs story comes across, for me, at its best when Trent and Seb are dealing with Olivier. Navigating a childâs feelings about a new person entering their very complicated and crowded life, with all the ramifications, is a delicate matter. Something thatâs not done with Charles, who I thought maybe needed it more, even as grown up as he was.
The pain Charlie felt was telegraphed perfectly along with his divided emotions. But as beautifully as Lane deals with Olivier, I thought that Charlie was overlooked in all the drama and itâs resolution towards the end. Except at the Epilogue.
The Real Baxter (The Baxter Chronicles #1) by Lane Hayes is a exceedingly well written story but the anxious flow of the romance, getting to have some happiness not until later, and ,for me ,leaving much of the fundamental work on relationship foundation to Trent , Oliver, and ,only lastly Seb, made this a wonderful but less fun read.
I think a lot of people will bring many different emotions to this story. It will be interesting to read all the reviews.
Gorgeous cover!
Iâm recommending it. And wonder how the series is going to continue going forward. With another person or the same couple. Stay tuned.
*Both Grey and Charlieâs romances can be found in Hayesâ Starting From series. Starting From Zero is Grey and Justinâs. Starting from Scratch is Charlieâs.
Whoâs the true hero behind the Hollywood heartthrob, crime-fighting, adventure-seeking international man of mystery? Me. Iâm the real Baxter.
Well, I wear the suit and let the action play out onscreen. You want to know the secret of my success? Sell the story you want to tell. Even if you have to bend the truth a little.
OkayâŚa lot.
Trust me, no one will notice. Except Trent, who seems to notice everything. And for some reason, I like that. I like him. Iâm just not sure what to do about it.
Trent
Look, Iâm not exactly killing it. Iâm a typical struggling actor-slash-waiter, hoping for a break. And boomâŚin walks Sebastian Rourke. Heâs a cutthroat, wickedly charming silver fox, a Hollywood legend in the making. No joke. Youâve got to sell a piece of your soul to get in this manâs orbit. Or fake a British accent, then take a job playing bodyguard to fool the press. As one does.
I know I should take advantage of the very strange situation I find myself in, but Iâm not sure Iâm cut out for it. However, Iâm willing to take a chance, âcause I want the real Seb.
Even though it might cost me everything.
The Real Baxter is a MM age-gap, bisexual romance featuring the man who has everything and the actor whoâs willing to show him whatâs real.
Justin Cuevas is going through a rough patch. A broken relationship, a scandal, and the demise of his band have shaken the aspiring rock starâs confidence. Working two jobs and sleeping on his friendâs sofa isnât ideal, but Justin isnât ready to give up yet. With a little luck, heâs hoping to re-launch his music career in LA with his new band, Zero. The key is to stay focused, and not get distracted by his pastâŚor the sexy songwriter he canât get out of his head.
Gray Robertson has written dozens of hits and worked with some of the biggest names in the industry. But heâs never met anyone like Justin. The younger man is fiery, passionate, and smart. A powerful voice for a new generation. Other than an unforgettable one-night stand and a passion for music, the two men have nothing in common. Or do they? Justin knows the out-of-the-blue challenge to write a quintessential love song is a huge opportunity. And itâs the ultimate test for someone whoâs doesnât believe in happily ever after. When sparks fly, Justin and Gray realize they have a shot something special if they start from zero together. Maybe even love.
Excerpt
Justin turned to me with a fiery expression and gestured toward the glittering lights below. âEveryone here wants more than what they have. And I guess Iâm the same. I donât need recognition and I sure as fuck donât want love, but I wouldnât say no to a few bucks,â he commented with a laugh. âWhat about you?â
I did a double take. I was two steps behind, struggling to keep up, and if possible, memorize every word heâd said. I hadnât been around anyone so raw or so honest in a long time. He made rules and broke them with at whim, letting me in and then shutting me out. He had a way of revealing himself that made me feel as though he was holding a mirror to me, daring me to acknowledge my broken pieces too. He was either slightly insane or incredibly gifted. I suspected it was the latter. The cadence of his speech lured me in…and made me want more. Iâd tell him anything he wanted to know, just to be near him and this intense spark of…newness, creativity, and wonder.
âWhat about me?â I asked in a low raspy voice.
âWhat do you want to accomplish before you leave the planet?â
âI want to write the perfect song,â I replied unthinking.
âThereâs no such thing.â
âMaybe, maybe not. But it would be nice to leave something that felt special.â
Justin held my gaze then inclined his head in agreement. âYeah. I want that too.â
We stared at each other. Whispers of conversation floated from the far corners of the rooftop deck. We werenât alone, but we might as well be. I couldnât remember ever feeling so intimately connected to someone Iâd never really touched. It was puzzling and enchanting at the same time.
He shivered when the breeze kicked up. I took it as a sign from above and pulled him against me. I had to feel him. I studied the sexy indentation in his bottom lip before giving into impulse and resting my hands on his hip. Justin gave me a funny look but he didnât push me away.
âYou shouldnât be anonymous. You have too much to share. Too much to say,â I said.
âWhat are you doing?â
âI…Iâm not sure. Is this okay?â
âYeah. Itâs good.â Justin nodded and snaked his arms around my waist.
We were still for a while. He was so close I could feel his breath on my lips. The lingering quiet was deceptive. A casual observer might have mistaken us for old lovers engaged in a tender moment. Or maybe theyâd guess we were tentative strangers anxious to make the right moves. Not too fast, not too slow. Neither was correct. There was no quiet here. An electric current sizzled and hissed between us. Intense sexual awareness and something more. Something fiery and passionate. He was wild and rough with jagged edges and a sharp mind. Instinctively, I knew I should proceed with caution because walking away wasnât an option.
âI want to kiss you,â I whispered, inching closer so our noses brushed.
Justin gave me a crooked smile and tugged at my belt loop. âThen do it.â
I tilted my chin slightly and pressed my lips to his. He was deceptively tender at first. He closed his eyes and hummed into the connection. When I licked at the corner of his mouth, he let me in without hesitation. I couldnât get enough. He tasted like gin and nicotine with a hint of peppermint. All the things I apparently couldnât do without.
I pulled him closer, cupping the back of his neck to kiss him harder and deeper. Our tongues twisted in a growing frenzy until everything and everyone around us dissolved into white noise. Justin lulled me into complacency and let me think I was in control. I pushed him back slightly and wrapped my fingers around his neck to keep him in place when he leaned forward to nip my bottom lip. He grinned like a madman and then lowered his eyelashes in a show of faux subservience. I didnât trust him to stay still or obey for a second. Justin was wild and headstrong. He wasnât going to do anything that wasnât either his idea or a bad idea.
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. She is the bestselling author of the Better Than, Right and Wrong, A Kind of Stories and Leaning Into Series and the Out in College series. Laneâs novels placed first in the 2016 and 2017 Rainbow Awards. She loves travel, chocolate, and wine (in no particular order). Lane lives in Southern California with her amazing husband in an empty nest.
Title: Out in the Deep, Out in College #1 Author: Lane Hayes Publisher: Lane Hayes Narrated by: Michael Pauley Release Date: January 17th, 2019 Heat Level: 4 – Lots of Sex Pairing: Male/Male Length: 4 hrs and 34 mins Genre: Romance, New Adult, Bisexual, College romance, Water Polo, Coming out
Derek Vaughn is a little too serious. Heâs a type A control personality with a penchant for order and a love of water polo. But heâs determined to enjoy his last year of college. The real world with a serious job and big expectations can wait for a few months. Heâs going soak up every minute on campus with his friends and teammates before he moves on. The only possible kink in his plan is the new guy on the team⌠also known as his nemesis.
Gabe Chadwick has big Olympic dreams. His transfer between Southern California universities has nothing to do with scholastics. The degree is his backup plan. Heâs not there to party or make friends. And he certainly isnât going to announce his sexuality. But he canât deny thereâs something special about the uptight team captain. However, when an unwitting friendship and mutual attraction collide, both will have to decide if this is the real thing or if theyâre about to lose it all in the deep.
Title: Out in the End Zone, Out in College #2 Author: Lane Hayes Publisher: Lane Hayes Narrated by: Michael Pauley Release Date: January 23rd, 2019 Heat Level: 4 – Lots of Sex Pairing: Male/Male Length: 4 hrs and 58 mins Genre: Romance, New Adult, Bisexual, College romance, Football, Coming out
Evan di Angelo is an upbeat, good-natured goofball who loves his friends and family⌠and football. A traumatic accident may have ended his hopes of playing professionally, but heâs made the most of his four years on the field at a small Southern California college. Heâs learned the hard way to embrace change, take chances and try things outside of his comfort zone…like agreeing to play fake boyfriends for someone elseâs senior project.
Mitch Peterson knows that being his authentic self is the path to true happiness. Heâs grown from a shy, quiet kid from a broken home to an out and proud budding internet sensation bound for grad school. An awesome senior project is the key. Itâs unlikely anyone will believe the hunky, straight athlete is Mitchâs new lover, but itâs worth a shot. However, as their tentative friendship blossoms into unexpected attraction, the lines between reality and fiction blur for both men. Evan is forced to face old demons and decide if he has the courage to take the next step and come out in the end zone.
Meet the Author
Lane Hayes is grateful to finally be doing what she loves best. Writing full-time! Itâs no secret Lane loves a good romance novel. An avid reader from an early age, she has always been drawn to well-told love story with beautifully written characters. These days she prefers the leading roles to both be men. Lane discovered the M/M genre a few years ago and was instantly hooked. Her debut novel was a 2013 Rainbow Award finalist and subsequent books have received Honorable Mentions, and won First Prize in the 2016 and 2017 Rainbow Awards. She loves red wine, chocolate and travel (in no particular order). Lane lives in Southern California with her amazing husband in a newly empty nest.
Michael has well over 50 audio book titles currently available for purchase on Audible.com. He is versed in multiple styles and genres including fiction (novels and short stories) ranging from romance to science fiction to crime dramas to thrillers; business strategy books; health and wellness books; and even an occasional children’s book.
Christian Rafferty is a talented quarterback with a big secret. Heâs determined to make the most of his final season on the football field, and if possible, avoid any confrontations with his conservative parents about his future. It shouldnât be difficult; heâs become adept at keeping his public and private lives separate. However, when a math class threatens to derail his plans to graduate on time, he realizes he may need outside help.
Rory Kirkland has a reputation for being a tough guy. Heâs a former wrestler and recent college graduate who needs a real job. Until he finds one, tutoring is a decent temporary gig. Luckily, his brain is his biggest asset. Rory is a genius. He credits his sport for helping him deal with angst and rumors about his sexuality when he was younger, but he doesnât care what others think anymore. He likes his new status as an out and proud bi man; and he recognizes something of himself in Christian. But Rory didnât count on falling for him. When an unlikely friendship collides with intense attraction, both men begin to realize that coming out on offense just might be the surest path to love.
âYou donât want to hear about my game or the stupid college parties I went to, so letâs talk statistics.âI tapped the cover of the textbook meaningfully.
âWeâll get there. Did you win?â
âYeah, it was a blowout.â
âSorry, the acoustics in here are whack. Did you say you got a blowjob?â
I snickered, then sat back and twisted the straw in my to-go cup. âUnfortunately, no.â
Rory tsked. âToo bad, my friend.â
âDid you?â
âYep. I want to brag and tell you it was amazing, but it wasnât all that special. I was horny. He was willing.âŚYou know the story.â
âYeah, I think itâs called a short story with a happy ending,âI joked.
âHa! Exactly. Thatâs what happens when you go lookinâ for love in da club. Everyoneâs out for a quick fix. Sounds perfect until itâs over ten minutes later. Then you gotta deal with the uncomfortable âDid we really just do that?âaftermath. Not so fun. Enjoy college life while you can. This adult business sucks,âhe huffed humorlessly. âAnd yeah, I took Spanish in school and my brother speaks it. I know enough to hold a short conversation. Thatâs about it. Whyâd you ask?â
I frowned. âI donât know.â
Rory gave me a patient look. âTalk to me, Christian. We covered Basic BS 101. You told me you won your game and went to a coupla boring parties. I told you I went to WeHo with some friends. Now Iâm backtracking to your question about whether or not I speak Spanish âcause Iâm polite like that. Plus it was a weird one. Whyâd you want to know?â
âYour tattoo,âI replied, gesturing at his wrist.
Rory turned his palms over for me to inspect. âTheyâre lines from a Pablo Neruda poem. This one says, âEn mĂ todo ese fuego se repiteâ and this says, âEn mĂ nada se apaga ni se olvida.âThe translation is, âIn me all this fire is repeatedâ and âIn me nothing is extinguished or forgotten.âThe poem is called âIf You Forget Me,âand itâs poignant as fuck. If you donât know it, look it up.â
âI will. Thatâs cool.âAnd âpoignant as fuck,âas he so eloquently put it. âBut what does it mean to you?âI asked.
âThat goes a little beyond water-cooler talk, QB. Weâll save it for when and if we get to know each other well enough to tell secrets,âhe said, winking to take the sting from his words.
I nodded in understanding but instead of pulling away, I absently reached out to touch the script. Then I looked into his eyes, and I could have sworn I saw the tiniest crack in his armor before an invisible shield fell into place. In that fraction of a second, a silent communication passed between us. Heâd been through hard times and heâd emergedâŚpossibly stronger than ever. I was curious for sure, but there was no way to politely ask his story, so I inclined my head and switched gears.
âDid you study poetry in college?â
âNo.âRory sat back and eyed me for a long moment before continuing. âAre you ready to tackle stats now?â
I slumped in my chair with a theatrical sigh and gave myself a mental high five when he chuckled at my antics. âReady as Iâll ever be.â
âIâll go easy on you. Iâve got a feeling this is gonna hurt me more than itâll hurt you,â he snarked.
I chuckled at the playful innuendo as I leaned forward, intent on giving him one hundred percent of my attention for as long as I could possibly stand it.
Lane Hayes is grateful to finally be doing what she loves best. Writing full-time! Itâs no secret Lane loves a good romance novel. An avid reader from an early age, she has always been drawn to well-told love story with beautifully written characters. These days she prefers the leading roles to both be men. Lane discovered the M/M genre a few years ago and was instantly hooked. Her debut novel was a 2013 Rainbow Award finalist and subsequent books have received Honorable Mentions, and were winners in the 2016 Rainbow Awards. She loves red wine, chocolate and travel (in no particular order). Lane lives in Southern California with her amazing husband in an almost empty nest.
Christian Rafferty is a talented quarterback with a big secret. Heâs determined to make the most of his final season on the football field, and if possible, avoid any confrontations with his conservative parents about his future. It shouldnât be difficult; heâs become adept at keeping his public and private lives separate. However, when a math class threatens to derail his plans to graduate on time, he realizes he may need outside help.
Rory Kirkland has a reputation for being a tough guy. Heâs a former wrestler and recent college graduate who needs a real job. Until he finds one, tutoring is a decent temporary gig. Luckily, his brain is his biggest asset. Rory is a genius. He credits his sport for helping him deal with angst and rumors about his sexuality when he was younger, but he doesnât care what others think anymore. He likes his new status as an out and proud bi man; and he recognizes something of himself in Christian. But Rory didnât count on falling for him. When an unlikely friendship collides with intense attraction, both men begin to realize that coming out on offense just might be the surest path to love.
Excerpt
“Can I do anything to help?â I asked, setting my backpack on one of the two barstools at the narrow counter space.
âNope. As soon as the veggies are sautĂŠed, weâll be ready to eat. Want something to drink?â
âYes, please. Water is fine. Whereâs Buttons?â
Rory pulled a water bottle from the small fridge behind him and handed it over, then pointed at a basket next to the sofa.
âSheâs hiding behind that basket. Sheâll make an appearance if she decides youâre worthy. In the meantime, thereâs bread in that basket on the counter next to your bag. Help yourself. Iâll bring dinner out.â
I thanked him, then twisted the cap from the water bottle and took a generous sip before rounding the corner in search of the bread. I was ravenous. I bit into the baguette with gusto before turning to check out my surroundings.
Roryâs apartment was tiny. Probably half the size of mine and much older. But unlike the rough exterior, it wasâŚpleasant. Surprisingly so. A short wall delineated the narrow kitchen from the main living area. There was just enough room for a sofa, an ottoman, a TV console, and a smallish television. Two barstools were tucked under the small peninsula by the cut-out in the kitchen wall. The palette was basic âdudeââŚdark leather against stark white walls, though a large red throw rug anchored the room and provided a nice splash of color. It was simpleâbut tidy and very clean.
âYour place is cool,â I commented when he entered the room, carrying two plates and a large bowl.
âThanks. Letâs sit on the sofa. We have more room to eat there,â he said decisively as he set his burden on the coffee table. âHelp yourself. Iâll get some forks, napkins, and extra veggies.â
I obeyed and quickly got to work, scooping chicken fettucine Alfredo onto both plates. Rory joined me a minute later, handing over the silverware before taking a seat next to me. I shot a bashful sideways glance at him as I reached for a napkin.
âDo you eat like this every night?â
âItâs really nothing special. I make sauces in bulk and freeze them. Then itâs just a matter of adding protein and veggies. By the way, this Alfredo is a healthy version. If you want to drown it in parmesan, feel free. I wonât be offended. Cheers.â He tapped his water bottle against mine and winked.
âCheers. And thanks again. This is incredible and very unexpected.â I smiled as I twisted the pasta around my fork.
âYouâre welcome. You sounded anxious, but you said weâre cool. Are we?â
âOf course.â
Rory tilted his head and shot me a challenging look. âThen kiss me.â
âUmâŚnow?â
âYeah, now. The other night could have been a fluke. Instead of wondering, letâs get it over with. One kiss should be enough to tell. Câmere,â he commanded, leaning sideways.
I set my fork down and met him halfway until our noses brushed. Then I waited for him to make the next move. He stayed stubbornly still. When I couldnât stand the growing tension, I pressed my lips to his. And wowâŚamazing.
Rory was a great kisser. He had the simple art of give-and-take down to a science. He molded his mouth to mine and gently pushed his tongue inside. The connection was sweet but bold. It was more about discovery than possession. I hummed as I snaked my arm around his neck, pulling him closer. He sucked my tongue, then bit my bottom lip playfully before pulling back.
âDefinitely not a fluke,” he said with a devilish grin.
Lane Hayes is grateful to finally be doing what she loves best. Writing full-time! Itâs no secret Lane loves a good romance novel. An avid reader from an early age, she has always been drawn to well-told love story with beautifully written characters. These days she prefers the leading roles to both be men. Lane discovered the M/M genre a few years ago and was instantly hooked. Her debut novel was a 2013 Rainbow Award finalist and subsequent books have received Honorable Mentions, and won First Prize in the 2016 and 2017 Rainbow Awards. She loves red wine, chocolate and travel (in no particular order). Lane lives in Southern California with her amazing husband in a newly empty nest.
Evan di Angelo is an upbeat, good-natured goofball who loves his friends and family⌠and football. A traumatic accident may have ended his hopes of playing professionally, but heâs made the most of his four years on the field at a small Southern California college. Heâs learned the hard way to embrace change, take chances and try things outside of his comfort zone…like agreeing to play fake boyfriends for someone elseâs senior project.
Mitch Peterson knows that being his authentic self is the path to true happiness. Heâs grown from a shy, quiet kid from a broken home to an out and proud budding internet sensation bound for grad school. An awesome senior project is the key. Itâs unlikely anyone will believe the hunky, straight athlete is Mitchâs new lover, but itâs worth a shot. However, as their tentative friendship blossoms into unexpected attraction, the lines between reality and fiction blur for both men. Evan is forced to face old demons and decide if he has the courage to take the next step and come out in the end zone.
Excerpt
Mitch scoffed. âCooperate, please. This is your intro. Maybe you should put your arm around me and kiss my cheek.â
âNow?â
âYes. This is a rehearsal, soâŚgo for it.â
I moved to his side, slipped my arm around his waist, and kissed his cheek. His scruff threw me off stride. It wasnât noticeable because his facial hair was blond, but I could feel it. He smelled and felt different from anyone Iâd ever kissed before. Sure, Iâd kissed male relatives. I was part Italian. No one in my family shied from physical contact. But a hug and kiss on each cheek from my Uncle Gianni was different from kissing an attractive man. I caressed his cheek impulsively and then leaned in to sniff him the way Iâd wanted to since the party. âMmm.â
âWhat are you doing?â he asked.
âYou smell good. Iâve never kissed a guy I wasnât related to who had a five oâclock shadow.â
Mitch gave me a funny look. âYou kissed me yesterday at lunch.â
âYeah, but you havenât shaved since this morning, right? The texture is like sandpaper but in a good way. I like it,â I assured him.
He looked flustered for a second but recovered quickly. âWell, thatâll make the real kiss easier then.â
âRight. When do we kiss, and whatâs the intensity level supposed to be? G, PG, PG-13? Or are we going straight to the nasty?â I teased.
âHa. G is peck on the cheek, which we just covered. PG is peck on the lips. So somewhere in between that and PG-13 works.â
âGot it. Maybe we should practice first,â I said.
âUmâŚsure.â Mitch turned around and gestured toward the bar stools at the island. âWe can sit there, and Iâll set up the tripod a foot or so from where youâre standing now.â
âWe donât have to be in exact position. I just need to get used to touching you. It would be the same with anyone. Guy or girl.â
Okay, fine. I wanted to do it again. Iâd thought about him nonstop since the party last weekend. And that throwaway kiss yesterday at the restaurant had opened a Pandoraâs box. I was consumed now. I didnât want to practice kissing him. I had to or Iâd go crazy.
âMaybe youâre right. UmâŚokay. You can kiss me,â he said in a low voice.
âWell, you have to participate,â I chided as I stepped into his space.
âIâmâŚyes. Do you want to go first? LikeâŚâ Mitch set his hand on my hip and inched closer still. âThis?â
I lifted my right hand and hovered it above his ear for a moment before threading my fingers through his hair. He suddenly looked nervous, which somehow worked in my favor. I held his gaze, then moved forward and gently pressed my lips to his. And fuck, it felt amazing to be here again. I tilted my head slightly, loving the intoxicating contrast of his soft lips and scratchy chin. Mitch closed his eyes and hooked his arms around my neck so we stood toe to toe and chest to chest. All the ways this felt different no longer applied. I knew what to do here. I was practically a fucking expert.
Lane Hayes is grateful to finally be doing what she loves best. Writing full-time! Itâs no secret Lane loves a good romance novel. An avid reader from an early age, she has always been drawn to well-told love story with beautifully written characters. These days she prefers the leading roles to both be men. Lane discovered the M/M genre a few years ago and was instantly hooked. Her debut novel was a 2013 Rainbow Award finalist and subsequent books have received Honorable Mentions, and won First Prize in the 2016 and 2017 Rainbow Awards. She loves red wine, chocolate and travel (in no particular order). Lane lives in Southern California with her amazing husband in a newly empty nest.
Ryan Haskell loves everything about the wine business. Heâs fortunate to work at one of the most prestigious wineries in Napa Valley doing something he enjoys with the people who are like family to him. But he could do without the good-natured intern slash former jock with the wicked grin who always seems to be in the way. Ryan isnât sure why the new guy is under his skin when everyone else loves him. Thankfully heâll be gone after the holidays.
Danny Meyers canât believe his luck when he lands an internship at Conrad Winery. Itâs the perfect temporary gig to wrap up his graduate studies. Heâs left his dreams of tennis stardom on the court to focus on a new career and a new life. However, he didnât count on the spark of attraction he feels for his prickly co-worker. When their tentative friendship blossoms into something more than either man counted on, they may have to change direction and lean into a holiday wish.
âNothing. UmâŚI need a few minutes to get ready,â I said. I didnât bother moving. I still felt sluggish and half-asleep. I needed more caffeine before I could even think about swinging a racket.
âTake your time. The courts are empty. Weâre good. Sit back, fuel up, and tell me about Batman, Nutella, and whatever else cranks your chain.â He snickered at my blank stare then added, âIâm just shootinâ the shit here, Ry. Just tell me about yourself. What came firstâŚwine, music, or the Caped Crusader?â
âThe Caped Crusader, of course,â I scoffed without heat. âI went through a strong Batman phase when I was a kid followed by my teenage music years. The wine phase came in college, but I still love all three. And Nutella.â
Danny let out an amused huff and sat back to observe me. God only knew what he saw. My curly hair had a tendency to do its own thing in the morning. No doubt it was wild. The stretched out, ancient concert tee, black boxer briefs, and bare feet screamed geeky bachelor louder than my superhero art.
âThatâs cool. You know what you like and you stick with it. Seems like a good trait.â
âThanks.â I studied him over the rim of my coffee cup then took a sip and set it on the table again. âWhat about you? What are you into besides wine and tennis?â
âBeer and football,â he quipped.
I lifted my brow inquisitively. âHonestly, thatâs what I thought. You look like youâd be at home in a country bar guzzling brews with a bunch of beefy former jocks who hung up their shoulder pads for cowboy hats.â
âDamn, boy. Youâve got me all figured out, donât you?â he asked irritably before reaching over to tug at my wayward curls. âGuzzle that there coffee, slick, and letâs get ourselves a court.â
The boxers with T-shirt combo surely did nothing to enhance my diva-esque moment but that couldnât be helped, I mused as I rolled my eyes and stood. âIâll be out shortly.â
Danny snickered in response. âJust hurry it up. If you arenât out here in five minutes or less, Iâm coming in there.â
âIs that a threat or a promise?â
âItâs whatever you want it to be, Ry.â
The low timbre of his voice sounded sexy as hell. Thankfully, my brain intervened before I made a fool of myself and offered him something he didnât want. It was a close call. Closer than it should have been. Shit. I needed more coffee.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Lane Hayes is grateful to finally be doing what she loves best. Writing full-time! Itâs no secret Lane loves a good romance novel. An avid reader from an early age, she has always been drawn to well-told love story with beautifully written characters. These days she prefers the leading roles to both be men. Lane discovered the M/M genre a few years ago and was instantly hooked. Her debut novel was a 2013 Rainbow Award finalist and subsequent books have received Honorable Mentions, and were winners in the 2016 Rainbow Awards. She loves red wine, chocolate and travel (in no particular order). Lane lives in Southern California with her amazing husband in an almost empty nest.
Josh Sheehan is unlucky in love and now⌠newly unemployed. Heâs not sure what to do next, but heâs sure he should give up on romance. Especially after last time. His friends warned him that falling for the hunky Irishman was a bad idea. Josh canât help feeling torn even though he knows itâs best to move on. But when an unexpected dose of family drama blindsides him, Josh finds himself leaning on the one man heâs supposed to forget.
Finn Gallagher is driven by success. He makes no secret that building a name for his tech company is his number one goal. Finn left home a decade ago with a ton of regret, a heavy heart, and a vow to never repeat the same mistake twice. However, there is something undeniably appealing about the self-deprecating man with the silly sense of humor that makes it difficult for Finn to remember why falling for Josh is a bad idea. It soon becomes clear theyâre both in deeper than they intended. There is no way to remain untouched. And there is so much to gain, if theyâre brave enough to lean in.
Excerpt
Finn smiled and fell into step beside me. It seemed quieter on the street than it was earlier; there wasnât as much foot traffic. Typical for midweek, I supposed. I breathed in the refreshing night air, loving the faint smell of the ocean. I shivered and crossed my arms. So much for enjoying a leisurely stroll. It was cold as fuck out here. I picked up my pace, but Finn pulled at my elbow to stop me.
âAre you daft? Whereâs your coat?â
âI f-forgot it at the last bar. Itâs okay. Iâm cl-close.â I visibly shook when the wind whipped up the sidewalk, sending a scrap of newspaper flying by us like a paper airplane.
âLetâs go back and get it.â
âNo, my friend will give it to me later. Or her friend will. Iâm almost h-home soâwhat are you doing?â
âPut this on, then.â
Finn shrugged his suit coat off and set it over my shoulders like a cape or a cloak. He was two inches taller than me and far more muscular. It was like being wrapped in his warm, cologne-scented embrace. The gesture was so chivalrous, it left me speechless for a moment. I knew he was just being kind, but I couldnât contain my smile.
âThank you,â I said. âAre you sure you wonât be too cold?â
âWhere Iâm from, this is a summer breeze. You need it more than I do. Now tell me about your mates. Iâm relieved to know you werenât out drowning your sorrows on your own tonight.â
I snickered at his paternal tone. âIâm not above it, thatâs for sure, but noâŚI was with my work crew for one last happy hour. Marley insisted. She was the redhead with the awesome curls I was with this morning at the museum.â
âI remember. Sheâs the one holding your jacket for ransom, eh?â
âYeah. Sheâs on a mission to find the perfect man for me,â I huffed, making sure he saw my eye roll before we turned the corner to my street.
âHas she ruled out women? Youâre bi, arenât you?â
âHonestly, I donât know what I am anymore. I had girlfriends in high school and even in college but after the first time I was with a man, I havenât been interested in anything but dick.â
Finn laughed. âGood to know.â
âWhat about you?â I asked, leading him down a brick path and up a short flight of stairs.
I leaned against the bright red door as I fumbled for the house key in my front pocket. In my head, I was planning a cinematic-worthy good-bye. Something lighthearted but sincere before we parted for the last time. It would have been a helluva lot easier to concentrate if he wasnât standing so close and looking at me like I was the last brownie on the buffet table. I cocked my head and waited for him to break the spell.
âI like it too,â he said in a husky voice I hadnât heard in far too long.
I gulped and licked my bottom lip as he moved in, bending slightly to brush his nose against mine. He surrounded me in every possible way. The heat of his body and the warmth of his coat draped me in a seductive cocoon. I felt woozy with a rush of desire so intense, I wouldâve swayed on my feet if he hadnât been standing so close. I set my right hand on his hip to steady myself and leaned inâŚjust as he pushed away.
Finn let out a ragged breath and swiped his hand over his stubbled chin. âFuck. I forgot how bloody difficult it is to walk away from you.â
âThen donât.â
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Meet the Author
Lane Hayes is grateful to finally be doing what she loves best. Writing full-time! Itâs no secret Lane loves a good romance novel. An avid reader from an early age, she has always been drawn to well-told love story with beautifully written characters. These days she prefers the leading roles to both be men. Lane discovered the M/M genre a few years ago and was instantly hooked. Her debut novel was a 2013 Rainbow Award finalist and subsequent books have received Honorable Mentions, and were winners in the 2016 Rainbow Awards. She loves red wine, chocolate and travel (in no particular order). Lane lives in Southern California with her amazing husband in a newly empty nest.
Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words 