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Synopsis
Max Maldonado loves baseball. He knows playing first base at a private college probably won’t get him to the big leagues, but he doesn’t mind. He loves the game and his teammates. If he has to stay in the closet until he graduates, that’s okay. Baseball comes first. Relationships are complicated anyway. And after his recent messy breakup, Max prefers to keep things simple.
Phoenix Bell is a fabulous theater geek. He’s excited about his recent transfer to a new school with an elite liberal arts program. Life has been on hold for a while, but this opportunity feels like the fresh start he was hoping for when he moved to California. And the chance reunion with the hot closeted jock is an unexpected surprise. The two men have nothing in common and their timing couldn’t be worse. However, when their unconventional alliance blossoms into friendship and perhaps something more, it may be time to make some hard decisions. And perhaps risk it all…out in the field.
Excerpt
his drink in silence as occasional bits of conversation and laughter from the
party drifted our way. We were far enough from the action that the excess noise
didn’t penetrate our cocoon. Just a couple of strangers in the dark again,
minus the club music and lights and unrealistic hopes from the first time. I
didn’t know about Phoenix, but this felt cathartic somehow. Like a fresh start.
not me, is it?” I asked with a comedic expression.
tend to get a little blue on the night of the final performance. The
anticlimactic feeling sucks, but it’s the nature of the beast. The cycle of
slowly learning lines and getting to know your castmates is followed by long
rehearsals where everything starts to gel. The excitement builds before the
shows and everyone gets better and better and then…<em>boom</em>!
It’s over. All that momentum and all the joy that comes from being part of
something special disappears overnight. I’m gonna wake up in the morning back
at square one.”
and took a sip. He set it between us before flashing a lopsided smile my way.
“It’s just part of the process. I’ve been doing some version of this for years.
You’d think I’d be better at transitioning from high to low.”
When we start in January, most of the guys are out of shape and out of sync. We
have to get used to a new crew and figure out how to work together. By the time
our season ends in May, we’re a well-oiled machine. I’m not always sad when
it’s over. Sometimes I really need the break. But by June, I miss it. The best
thing to do is to stay in the game as much as possible. Play, watch, read
stats. There’s probably a theater equivalent.”
already memorizing the script for the spring production at the Arts Center.
They’re doing <em>Chicago</em>. God, I love that show. So many
juicy roles. ‘And all that jazz,’ ” he sang that last line, then took
another drink and handed his cup to me for no particular reason.
on my knees. His gaze dipped briefly to my crotch before he licked his lips and
glanced away.
mean…in the play.”
have a dick, so I’ll have to audition for Billy and pretend not to be crushed
when they give me the role of prison guard or mafia henchman number two.”
draining the vodka cocktail.
actually be a perfect Billy. Have you ever thought about acting?”
incredulously. “Fuck, no.”
play baseball.”
anyway.”
good fantasy while you lasted.”
with a faux scowl.
close to nothing about you except that you’re a decent kisser and—”
amazing. A real-life Prince Charming. But we can be friends now and—”
intercepted.
a second before crashing my mouth over his.
than I remembered. I caressed his jaw tenderly before tilting my head to deepen
the connection. I didn’t want to overwhelm him, but damn, it took everything I
had not to put my hands all over him. I licked the corner of his mouth and
groaned. He tasted sweet—like cherries or something. That had to be his lip
gloss, I mused before driving my tongue inside.
when I cupped his neck and tilted my head slightly to soften the connection. I
flicked my tongue at the corner of his mouth before biting his bottom lip and
pulling away. The kiss was sweet but much too short. And yeah, I was incredibly
impressed with my restraint, but I couldn’t afford to start something we’d both
regret later. Phoenix wasn’t a stranger anymore. He was a fellow student who
knew my biggest secret. I should have been more concerned with resetting
boundaries and moving on. But it didn’t feel that simple.
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Meet the Author
Lane Hayes is grateful to finally be doing what she loves best. Writing full-time! It’s 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 First Place winners 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.
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