The Sanctuary of Subways by Vivien Dean

When I was eighteen, I went to New York City for spring break. Believe it or not, I went for college credit, the culmination of a course called the "Urban Experience." It was the first major trip of my life, and for a girl who grew up in the middle of nowhere Michigan, the most exciting thing I had ever experienced. That was the week I fell in love with a city for the first time.

I had never experienced mass transit. It makes me sound like a country bumpkin, but the subway pretty much blew my mind. I loved the heat and crush of people. I loved that I could go just about anywhere with so little trouble. I loved the rhythm and pulse of just riding. If you can believe it, for me, it was relaxing. Once, I even fell asleep on the way to the Bronx. (In my defense, it was the end of an exhausting week, and I was with a group of people so felt completely safe.)

So when it came time to write a story with a train theme, I went straight to the first train of my heart. I wanted to write about how it can be a sanctuary, but right away, I hit a wall. Manhattan is a madhouse during the day. The subway is always crowded. How could I create a haven amongst so many people? And why would my hero need it as an escape?

The answer seemed so simple when it came to me. He's on the train at night. And thus, the beginnings of Sean the insomniac started to form.

Building characters is almost always how I create stories, but often, I learn a lot as the story progresses. Things change. The plot moves in new ways. This might be one of the few stories I've done where I wrote more words in history than I used in the entire story. See, one aspect of Sean I knew very early was that he'd written letters to his dead boyfriend as a part of physical therapy for his hand after he'd almost lost it.

So...I sat down and wrote those letters out. A lot of them. And not a single one of them ended up in the story.

But you know what? They introduced me to Sean in ways nothing else could have. I learned how angry he was. How guilty he was. How sad. And when it came time to start writing, choosing to write it in 1st person from Sean's perspective was the most natural thing in the world. I knew him. I'd been in his head for several weeks already. The Unbeaten Track absolutely needed to be told in his voice, because this is his story, his rebirth as he finds a new haven, a new life.

Since the letters didn't end up on the published page, I'm going to share one here. So you can meet Sean like I did. It takes place ten years before the story starts, but it's at the crux of who he is.

*_*_*_*

Dear Dixon,

My hand hurts like a bitch. I still have the cast on my wrist but the PT guy says they're going to move me to a sling his week. Those assholes really did a number on me. Dr. Willoughby says I'm lucky I still have motor control, but I don't feel lucky. If I was, I wouldn't be stuck in a psych ward and you wouldn't be dead. I told her that, too. She asked me if I wanted to switch places with you.

I lied and told her no.

It's too quiet here. Nobody comes to see me. We made the news, you know that? Except they called it gang violence and we were just victims of being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Mom and Dad figured out the truth when I went berserker on the EMT who showed up and tried to pull me away from you. Dad decked me, and then the cops pulled him off. I haven't seen him since. I only saw Mom once. It was after my first surgery. She looked like shit and asked me how long. I said, how long what, and she goes, how long were you and Dixon. Just like that. She couldn't even say the words.

That pissed me off. I knew you were dead by then. One of the nurses told me. So I go, how long were we fucking, you mean? And she went real pale, like she wanted to throw up, and says, all quiet like she's afraid people are going to hear, don't you dare speak to me like that again. Then she left and I haven't seen her since.

I miss you so much.

Sean

*_*_*_*

The Unbeaten Track by Vivien Dean is now available at Amber Allure.

If you'd like the chance to win the entire pax collection, just leave a comment on today's post. On Saturday, a winner will be picked at random from all the comments made this week on the blog. Comment on all, and that's multiple chances to win!

Station to Station by KC Kendricks

When a publisher call came for stories with an “All Aboard” theme, I pulled from the local history for the opening to the story, “Station to Station.”

The area of the country I live in has a long and storied rail history and it’s hard to find a family with roots in the community that doesn’t have a connection to the rails. My great-grandfather was a railroad man, as were two of his five sons. Even today, the CSX, Norfolk Southern, and the Winchester and Western Railroads roll through town on a regular basis.

As long as I can remember there’s been talk of building a commuter rail from the county seat to the Baltimore/Washington area. It’s anyone’s guess if it will happen here, but in my little world of fictional Marionville, it was easy to make happen. All I needed were the right characters - Scott and Dakota.

I hope you enjoy Station to Station.

KC Kendricks

*_*_*

Scott Thomas welcomes the assignment when he’s tagged to oversee the new commuter rail line from Easton to Marionville, a high-profile project that demands expertise. His love of trains makes him a natural for the job. When a friend invites him on a Mystery Train Dinner Adventure, Scott’s onboard for an evening of fun, and gets more than he ever dreamed about when he meets his ideal tall, dark-haired stranger on the train. 

Dakota Reece views the new commuter rail as the opening he’s needed for him and his brother to build their own firm and future. Planning a start-up company while toiling on the commuter rail project is hard work, and Dakota takes an evening off to relax on the Mystery Train. When the train stops to serve dinner, Dakota is boldly cruised by a fellow passenger. He has to get to know this smart, sexy man and asks Scott to join him for a drink. 

Scott and Dakota hit it off and a quiet cup of coffee leads to unexpected possibilities—and consequences. Their budding relationship could cause a multimillion dollar conflict-of-interest charge. When Dakota makes a sudden decision to advance his timeline, Scott will do whatever is necessary to keep them together, on track, and avoiding derailment.

*_*_*

Station to Station by KC Kendricks is now available at Amber Allure.

If you'd like the chance to win the entire pax collection, just leave a comment on today's post. On Saturday, a winner will be picked at random from all the comments made this week on the blog. Comment on all, and that's multiple chances to win!

One Perfect Night by Christiane France

I loved writing this story, it was a real trip down memory lane for me. I was born at Guys Hospital in London, I lived in a small village near High Wycombe, went to school in Marlow, and for several years took the train every day from High Wycombe to Marylebone Station in London. I’ve also taken the Eurostar train under the Channel from London to the Gare du Nord in Paris. Wow! It’s an experience that should be on everyone’s bucket list. 

At one time I worked in an office between Tottenham Court Road and the University College Hospital, and “Gino’s” café is/was a real restaurant. If it had a name I never knew it, but I always ate breakfast there--white coffee and a crusty roll filled with cheese and butter which I sprinkled with pepper and salt. It was delicious.

The incredibly hot summer evening in Termini Station in Rome is also based on a real experience. I was with a girlfriend and we were waiting for the train to Florence when she decided she had to buy Baci chocolates. In that heat they melted so fast I think we got more on our hands than we did in our mouths, but again they were soooo good. 

The hot dogs we bought one cold October afternoon from a street vendor on the Champs de Elysees in Paris were just as I describe—a sausage tucked inside a hollowed out baguette and slathered with Dijon mustard. The only beverage the man had left on his cart that day was Grand Marnier, but it was fine with us. A few minutes earlier we’d had the amazing good luck to get front row seats for that night’s opening of the musical, Napoleon. I don’t know if it was the result of a last minute cancellation, the ticket seller liked our faces, or if it was pure dumb luck. But after standing in a line-up for a couple of hours listening to people being turned away or being told the only tickets available were for months later it was totally unexpected. 

Marylebone Station, London

Marlow, Buckinghamshire

In ONE PERFECT NIGHT, Paul and Nico meet at Termini Station in Rome, then lose touch. Two years later, they reconnect in London and arrange to meet later that same night at a bar in Soho:

 “I guess not.” I (Paul) sipped my beer. We’d pretty much covered our jobs, now what? I’d eaten an apple for lunch and couldn’t remember what I’d had for breakfast, nothing there to talk about. I didn’t follow sports closely enough to risk making comments, nor did I know if we had any interests in common.

I was feeling more awkward by the second. I didn’t have a clue what to say next and I could tell it was the same for Nico. I should have expected it. Vacation friends had memories and shared experiences to fall back on. We were strangers who’d met in a crowded railway station and struck up a conversation while waiting for the trains to resume running. That hadn’t happened, so we’d spent the rest of the night together in a hotel room, not talking but screwing like a pair of bunnies in heat. Now here we were, still wanting one another like it was the next morning rather than two years later, and we still hadn’t exchanged last names. A simple case of sexual chemistry? Or was there more to it than that? Something written in the stars or ordained by Fate that made our meeting again a pre-programmed given?

I wanted to touch Nico, feel the heat and hardness of his body pressed against mine. Most of all, I wanted to assure myself what I felt for him was real and not an attack of morning-after-the-night-before madness that had lost nothing by being put on hold for two years.

As if he’d read my mind, Nico pushed back his chair. “Come. Let’s dance.”

I followed him onto the floor and stepped into his arms. It felt good, like this was where I belonged. I put my worries on hold and tried to relax.

The music was soft and slow and he held me so damn tight I could feel his heart beating. I wrapped my arms around his neck and pressed my face against his. He smelled delicious, exactly the way I remembered—a heady mixture of his own unique scent and a vague hint of some woodsy cologne. Most of all I loved the way our bodies fit together as we moved around the floor. I was hard. I was ready. I nibbled his ear, willing him to move his head so I could kiss him. I wanted to feel his mouth on mine. I wanted us to go somewhere we could get naked and make love.

I wanted all that and more. I wanted to believe Nico and I had something special that would last, something that was meant to be.

Or did I have it all wrong? We’d parted so abruptly that night in Rome—like walking out in the middle of a meal or halfway through a show. Was this some kind of postscript? The universe’s way of giving us one last kick at the can? Tonight we’d get everything out of our systems, and this time next week I’d say, Nico who?

Cool mysteries and hot romance - http://www.chrisgrover.ca

Latest Release: ONE PERFECT NIGHT http://www.amberquill.com/AmberAllure

https://www.facebook.com/chris.grover.71

http://twitter.com/chrisgrover2

http://christianefrance.blogspot.ca/

*_*_*_*

One Perfect Night by Christiane France is now available at Amber Allure.

If you'd like the chance to win the entire pax collection, just leave a comment on today's post. On Saturday, a winner will be picked at random from all the comments made this week on the blog. Comment on all, and that's multiple chances to win!

Next Stop: Funnel Cake by Heidi Champa

When I first heard about the All Aboard PAX, the first thing that came to mind wasn't high speed trains or tawdry encounters on an El Train like in Risky Business. No, my first thought was the young guy who used to drive the miniature train through our local mall when I was a kid. There was one guy in particular who was so cute, I always tried to catch a glimpse of him while loitering outside the food court.

He was the inspiration for my story, Next Stop: Funnel Cake. I didn't want to go the traditional train route, so I took the kernel of the story that young man provided and moved it to a cut-rate amusement park. The result is something I'm really proud of and I hope you all enjoy.

As a delicious treat, much like the funnel cake in the title, here is an extra excerpt of my story.

*_*_*_*

I moved to get out of the train, but he pulled me back in and kissed me, his hand holding firmly to the back of my neck.

"You're lucky you're so cute, Trav. Otherwise, you'd be in big trouble."

I lifted an eyebrow, running my hand along his leg.

"Oh, yeah. What kind of trouble?"

He pulled me out of the train by my wrist and walked us to the caboose. Before we climbed inside, he pushed me against the car and unhooked the clasps that held up the top of my overalls. The pants caught at my hips, but Andrew simply tugged and dropped them to a pool at my ankles. I looked around, even though I knew there was no one left in the park, my mind suddenly frozen in irrational fear.

"This kind of trouble."

I was already half hard when he pulled my underwear down, the night air feeling cool on my skin. Andrew gave the head of my cock a soft lick and a kiss, but nothing more.

"Tease."

"Don't be so impatient, Travis."

"I'm not. But, what if someone walks by."

"Who would be here at this hour?"

He had a point, but there was still an element of danger about the situation I wasn't used to. Andrew found the perfect way to distract me, though, and enveloped the head of my dick, sucking me deep into his throat.

"Oh, Jesus, Andrew."

He moved back and forth between teasing me with gentle licks and devouring me, deep throating me as far as he could go. He was in shadow, the only light around us coming from the security spot light on the corner of the maintenance shed. I put a hand to his head as he sucked me, my feet in danger of sliding out from underneath me. I urged him to his feet, as much as I didn't want to stop him and shoved him into the caboose. He fell into the seat and I stumbled in after him, leaving my pants, shirt and shoes in a heap outside the car.

"Your turn, Andrew."

I undid his belt, wrenching the denim down his hips until they were past his knees. He took them the rest of the way and threw his pants and flip flops next to mine on the ground. Slouching his back against the pleather seat back, I knelt between his knees and grabbed his cock at the base. He squirmed and I couldn't help but laugh.

"Now who's impatient?"

"You think you're so funny, don't you?" he said with a grin.

"I do. Which you know."

He grabbed me behind the neck and pushed his cock into my mouth, his forceful approaching making me hot. I let him fuck my face for a while, before taking over control and slowing things down, stroking his balls with my tongue before swallowing his cock again.

"Fuck, Travis."

His words came out in a hiss and with one last stoke for good measure, I released his cock from my mouth.

"Should we get out of here, Andrew?"

"Not a chance. I want you right here."

"On the train."

"Why not? Give the thing a fitting send off, since you never have to drive it again."

I opened my mouth to protest, but thought better of it.

"Okay, why not?"

*_*_*_*

Next Stop: Funnel Cake by Heidi Champa is now available at Amber Allure.

If you'd like the chance to win the entire pax collection, just leave a comment on today's post. On Saturday, a winner will be picked at random from all the comments made this week on the blog. Comment on all, and that's multiple chances to win!

Staying on Track by Deirdre O'Dare

Writing has been termed a lonely business. In some ways it is, but when you have a head full of people talking to you most of the time, you really are not alone! And no, I don’t think most of us are schizophrenic although at times we may be close. I might be even nearer that edge than most since I manage to keep at least two authorly personas active most of the time. 

As Gwynn Morgan I write what by today’s standards are pretty plain vanilla type romances where although the bedroom door does not close, there are no four letter words of old Anglo Saxon origin or exhaustive detail to the love scenes. As Deirdre O’Dare, though, it’s no holds barred and tell it like it is, expletives emphatically not deleted. Can’t get much more different than that! So even when I’m just chatting about “stuff” like I’m doing now, the voices of those two people are not the same. Deirdre is sassier, blunter, sometimes even a bit bawdy or crude. 

My latest offering in the PAX program is a tale in the new All Aboard PAX titled Last Train to Clarkdale. The railroad background comes naturally to me since I have been a rail buff most of my life. Perhaps it happened because both my grandfathers were in the railroad business. Maybe these things skip a generation since my dad was totally unenthused but my brother and I were grabbed by the rail mystique early on. Similar situation in another area of life since both my grandmothers were avid seamstresses; I too love to sew but mom would hardly sew on a button or patch blue jeans—which was needed since our family was far from wealthy! Anyway, both my brother and I loved trains and got involved with them at early ages.

In a lot of ways, my brother Charlie inspired the character of Clay in Last Train to Clarkdale. He’s not and never was gay, but we were not ever in the BKOC (Big Kids on Campus) set and found a comfortable place with some of the railroaders we got to know. And yes, Clarkdale was a place we knew and lived for some years. Writing this story was a nostalgic trip back for me as well as for Clay! 

The song I ‘stole’ for another inspiration was one from my early era as well. I did a search on “Last Train to Clarkdale” and came up with some fun stuff I may share on my own blog in the next day or two, BTW. I’d thought I was being totally original but dang, wrong again. That’s www.deirdredares.blogspot.com if you want to check it out.

Jon was a different sort of character, definitely not your average bear by any means. Not quite Yogi, either, but a pastiche of a number of people and situations in my world. I grew up with photography, too, as my father had been a photojournalist of sorts and then did illustrations for some of his writing. I got my first camera, a Kodak Brownie, in my late teens and have been snapping pictures ever since. So I drew on that and other tidbits to create Jon and his passion for photography.

It’s fun and funny—the way a writer goes about building a tale. Story telling has always been a big facet of life for me. Even as a small child I was super-imaginative and invented all sorts of games and friends and scenarios. Being the eldest and probably over-protected I often had little to do with other kids –like the summer my parents operated a forest fire lookout on the North Rim of the Grand Canyon—so I learned to amuse myself and the craft of story telling surely grew out of that experience.  

For me it starts with finding a character. I have no idea where they come from; they simply emerge and soon start to talk to me. Since I write romance, there has to be a partner and usually the first person will soon mention that individual and then he or she comes out of the void. They are not always in love at first and may even be very alienated, frenemies or strangers yet that other person has already touched the first character in some way or does so very soon. 

I most often pull in setting from the places I have lived because I like to make it as vivid and real as I can, almost another “character” in the story. Where a tale takes place is critical to me and I want to get it right. The plot just sort of happens since I am a very free-wheeling seat of the pants sort of writer. I trust the characters to give me their story and since it is a story, the plot, like s**t, will happen! 

And in Deirdre’s tales there will be some hot sex. Hey, banging someone is usually fun and it’s a natural part of life, don’t you agree? The pursuit and the foreplay is maybe the best part but you gotta just do it at times and of course you will not read one of Deirdre’s stories where the two—or sometimes more—peeps do not get down and dirty a time or two at least. Last Train will not disappoint there because in between the train talk and picture taking, Clay and Jon do have some rowdy fun and games…  That’s all I will tell you; you gotta read it for yourself! 

OMG, I was going to use a railroad term to sign off but then realized what a great erotica title it would make, something about “high balling” which in RR talk means full speed ahead but the double entendre there holds promise. Hmmm, well, we’ll see what happens next!

*_*_*_*

Last Train to Clarkdale by Deirdre O'Dare is now available at Amber Allure.

If you'd like the chance to win the entire pax collection, just leave a comment on today's post. On Saturday, a winner will be picked at random from all the comments made this week on the blog. Comment on all, and that's multiple chances to win!

LATEST PAX RELEASE - All Aboard

Visit the links to take advantage of our

All Aboard An AmberPax™ Collection of Gay Erotic Romance by Various Authors  Genre: Gay (M/M) Erotic Romance  Cover Copyright ©2012 by Trace Edward Zaber

Included in this collection of erotic romance...
(For more information on each title, or to purchase separately, click on the book covers below!)

Last Train to Clarkdale by Deirdre O'Dare Extended Amber Kiss (Gay)

Next Stop: Funnel Cake by Heidi Champa Novella (Gay)

One Perfect Night by Christiane France Novella (Gay)

Station to Station by KC Kendricks Novella (Gay)

The Unbeaten Track by Vivien Dean Extended Amber Kiss (Gay)

  In conjunction with our newest release, we will be having a giveaway! Starting tomorrow, leave a comment on any post made during the week (10/21-10/25), and you'll be eligible to win the entire pax collection. A winner will be picked at random on Saturday from all comments received.

The Unbeaten Track by Vivien Dean

Insomniac Sean Diaz spends his nights riding the subway around Manhattan, ignoring the people he might encounter, getting lost in the rhythms of the train so he’s exhausted enough to sleep once he gets home. A hallucination of his dead high school boyfriend turns it into an obsession, but when Sean sees him a second time, he nearly falls apart.

That’s how Judah Morey, another nighttime rider, finds Sean. Concern prompts conversation, which in turn sparks friendship. When Judah invites Sean back to his place, Sean decides to take a chance for the first time in nearly a decade. Dating is new territory for him, but he thinks he’s ready for it. He just needs to figure out how to let go of the past so he can take that step into his future... 

Genres: Gay/Contemporary
Heat Level: 3
Length: Extended Amber Kiss (15k words) 

Read a short excerpt...

...I’d avoided the 4 for the most part, but when I got off work, I felt ridiculous for being afraid of it. I made the deliberate choice to get on and stay on until the early commuters started showing. In my mind, that would prove once and for all it was just like all the rest and I wasn’t going crazy.

I got the brilliant idea to recreate the exact situation from last time when I did the turnaround at 125th.

And he was there again, hovering at the edge of my peripheral vision, when I opened my eyes.

My heart thumped against my ribs, like it was just as desperate to break free and get to Dixon as I suddenly was. I couldn’t breathe. I was too afraid to even fucking move because he’d disappeared when I’d done that the last time. I refused to blink and have him vanish in that millisecond for as long as I could tolerate, and then exhaled in relief when his reflection was still there after I did.

I wouldn’t turn my head and look for him, but I let my gaze slide firmly in his direction so it was easier to focus.

When his reflection stayed steady, I felt like crying.

“Dixon,” I whispered.

He smiled at me. I broke. I looked.

The seat opposite the reflection was empty. The reflection itself was gone.

I bolted and ran down the middle to get to where I’d seen him, but the seat and window looked like all the rest of the car. My hands shook as they felt over every inch of the dirty glass, the gritty floor, the textured seat. When I collapsed against the center pole, I trembled all over.

I’d seen him. I was sure of it. Except he wasn’t there, and there was nothing to suggest someone was pranking me, and fuck, I wouldn’t be hallucinating about him now after all these years when I hadn’t even done that after he’d died, would I?

My eyes burned, but grinding the heels of my palms against them eased the urge to sob. It wasn’t an anniversary of any sort that I could figure out. It wasn’t even close. It was the middle of September, and Dixon had died a few weeks before his eighteenth birthday in February. Other months would’ve made more sense, like January for my birthday, October for when we met, December for when we had our first kiss, August for when I got out of the hospital.

September just might be the only month the entire year that I couldn’t find any special significance for at all. At least until now.

I was still sitting on the floor when we reached Grand Central. I thought about getting off, but my legs were watery and my head ached. Better to wait, get off at the Bridge, and spring for a taxi to take me home.

The doors whispered open. Just before they closed again, ready for the train to leave, someone hopped through the opening.

The new arrival was a husky guy in his thirties with a three-day beard and a bulging backpack thrown over his broad shoulder. He huffed as he sank into the closest seat, only noticing me after we’d started up. His relaxed posture stiffened, though to his credit, he didn’t otherwise move.

“You okay, man?”

The question startled me. Forget the fact that talking to strangers on subways is suicide. People rarely spoke to me unless they had to or had known me for a while. It served me well most of the time, but I wasn’t sure what to do about this... 

Station to Station by KC Kendricks

Scott Thomas welcomes the assignment when he’s tagged to oversee the new commuter rail line from Easton to Marionville, a high-profile project that demands expertise. His love of trains makes him a natural for the job. When a friend invites him on a Mystery Train Dinner Adventure, Scott’s onboard for an evening of fun, and gets more than he ever dreamed about when he meets his ideal tall, dark-haired stranger on the train.

Dakota Reece views the new commuter rail as the opening he’s needed for him and his brother to build their own firm and future. Planning a start-up company while toiling on the commuter rail project is hard work, and Dakota takes an evening off to relax on the Mystery Train. When the train stops to serve dinner, Dakota is boldly cruised by a fellow passenger. He has to get to know this smart, sexy man and asks Scott to join him for a drink.

Scott and Dakota hit it off and a quiet cup of coffee leads to unexpected possibilities—and consequences. Their budding relationship could cause a multimillion dollar conflict-of-interest charge. When Dakota makes a sudden decision to advance his timeline, Scott will do whatever is necessary to keep them together, on track, and avoiding derailment. 

Genres: Gay/Contemporary
Heat Level: 3
Length: Novella (25k words) 

Read a short excerpt...

...The back room beckoned and only he and I would know.

“I’m afraid so, but look on the bright side. We’re getting to know each other.”

Dakota leaned back and grinned. “Ah, courtship. It’s a fine concept, but I don’t care for the practical applications.”

I didn’t either. We’d hit it off, and our one kiss had sparked some serious carnal curiosity between us. Moving forward on a personal level hinged on the sex being good. It was shallow, but true. I met his gaze and watched his eyes go dark. He fixed me with the intense stare of a gay man on the prowl. We’d wait, but only because our dicks hadn’t overtaken our brains yet. I licked my lips and watched his Adam’s apple bob as he swallowed.

“So are you still brave enough for dinner tomorrow night?”

“Wild horses couldn’t keep me away, Scott.”

We exchanged cell phone numbers and discussed restaurants and agreed to meet at a little Italian place out toward Easton. We might be observed, but having dinner together wasn’t the same as sleeping together. Dakota finished his coffee and pushed the mug away.

“I guess we should call it a night, huh?”

“It is past midnight.”

He reached for my hand again. “We’re having dinner together tonight.”

“Technically, yes.” I stared into his eyes as I lifted his hand to kiss his knuckles. His lips parted.

“My room is two blocks from here, Scott. Whataya say?”

My resolve to keep stupidity at bay wavered. Hell, it crumbled, and I was about to tread over the broken pieces of it on my way out the door to his place.

The letters awarding the bids were already in sealed envelopes in a locked drawer in the mayor’s office. How much flak could there be if someone found out Dakota and I had a little tryst? I nodded and saw victory flash in his eyes. I downed the last of my lukewarm coffee and pushed back from the table. “Let’s go.”

Dakota rose in an easy, unhurried motion and dropped a five-dollar bill on the table for a tip. “I like a man full of surprises.”

I’m not sure I did when I was that man. I motioned at the exit. “Lead on.”

Instead of heading out, he stepped in front of me and cupped the back of my neck. His mouth covered mine, and my skin heated in a wave. I licked his lips and they opened to me. His silky tongue slid over mine, and my cock swelled to an aching fullness in three throbbing heartbeats. My hands went to his hips, then I pulled him tight against me to let him feel how hard I was for him, but also to know if he was hard for me. His lips bowed under mine as he ended the kiss and rested his forehead to mine.

“That’s for you.”

I certainly hoped so. “We need to get outta here. Let’s go.”

He nodded and kept his arm around my waist to propel me to the stairs and out the door. Dakota walked me to my car, then seized the opportunity to pin me against it and kiss me again. His pelvis ground into mine as I thrust my tongue past his lips. The scent of overheated male teased my senses. I slipped my index finger beneath his belt and ran my fingertip over the soft cotton covering the tip of his cock. It was wet. He pulled away and flipped his thumb in the direction of full size, white, four-wheel drive pickup.

“That’s my ride.”

“I’ll be right behind you.”

He grinned, and I shook my head. “Not tonight, cowboy.”

“You say that now, but tonight is only hours away.”

I gave him a little push toward his truck. “Drive. Now.”

Dakota’s good-natured laughter was infectious. I grinned and climbed into my coupe before he could distract me again. Second-guessing myself was distraction enough because tricking him tonight was incredibly stupid... 

One Perfect Night by Christiane France

Paul knew Nico was special the moment they exchanged that first glance at Termini station in Rome late one hot summer afternoon. And when it was announced their train had been cancelled and travel suspended until further notice, they explored their feelings over dinner and spent one perfect night of passion in a nearby hotel.

Early next morning, when Nico found a flight cancellation and took off, all Paul knew about him was his first name.

Two years later, Paul hasn’t forgotten Nico, and now when they meet again at another train station in London, the chemistry is still there. Nico believes Fate brought them together, and is ready to close his eyes and jump into a relationship. Paul, however, believes they need to be sensible, to first check the water and then take it one step at a time. Which man’s strategy will prevail?

NOTE: This story is part of the London Calling series. 

Genres: Gay/Contemporary/Exhibitionism/Public Places/Series
Heat Level: 3
Length: Novella (20k words) 

Read a short excerpt...

...As I put down the roll and reached for the sugar to add to my coffee, I heard someone say my name. I didn’t recognize the voice, and Paul was a common enough name. I looked up anyway—then stared. “Nico?”

My stomach did a weird backflip, and I sucked in a quick gulp of air.

He dropped into the chair across from me, looking as surprised as I was myself.

“I’m imagining this, right?”

“If you are, then so am I.” What started as a smile turned to laughter and he reached across the table and grasped my hand. “My God! It really is you. This is crazy. I just came back from High Wycombe, and I thought I saw you getting off the same train.”

“You’re kidding?” I continued to stare at him, trying to collect my scattered wits and work my way through the shock. The hardest part was convincing myself this was real. That I wasn’t dreaming, hallucinating, or I hadn’t somehow got caught up in a bad case of wishful thinking. “I was on that train, too. In fact, I thought I saw you while I was waiting on the platform in Wycombe station. Then you disappeared, so I figured—”

“You were seeing things?” He smiled and shook his head. “I wondered that myself when I got off the train just now. I had to make sure, so I followed you over here, but then…

“Then what?”

His eyes seemed a little misty and he squeezed my hand, hard. “I waited outside for a few minutes. It looked so much like you. I was sure but I wasn’t sure, if you know what I mean. I didn’t want to make an idiot of myself. It’s been two years since we met at Termini and we were only together for a very short time.”

I smiled. “I know. And most of it we spent in the dark.”

A faint blush moved up his neck and into his face, and I wondered if he still had the white tan line an inch or so below his hips.

“That’s true. God! I hated leaving you, Paul. But I swear, I had no choice. I had to grab that flight cancellation. It was the only way I could get to Brussels in time. My brother was getting married and I was his best man. He’d have killed me if I hadn’t shown up.”

“So what made you come in here and check?”

He relaxed his grip on my hand, then tightened it again. “I needed to know. I figured if I made a mistake, so what?”

He hesitated, looking unsure or embarrassed, I didn’t know quite which. Maybe a little of both.

He tried for a smile that didn’t quite happen. “You’ll probably think I’m a wacko or I need to get myself a life. The truth is I’ve never been able to get you out of my mind. Crazy as it might sound, I’ve never stopped hoping that one day this would happen. If I’d known your last name, where you lived or worked, some significant small detail to go on, I’d have found you by now.”

Emotion blocked my throat and I swallowed hard. “If we’d been thinking we’d have exchanged phone numbers or something. We didn’t, but that’s okay. I haven’t forgotten you, either,” I said quietly. I drank in the handsome face, the eyes that were the same dark brown as mine, and the trace of five o’clock shadow that made him look even sexier than I remembered. I wanted so much to touch his face, to hold him and to kiss him, and… “Some people you forget five minutes after you meet them and some you do never do. No matter how hard you try, they’re always there at the edge of your mind...” 

Next Stop: Funnel Cake by Heidi Champa

Travis Webber has been working at his uncle’s amusement park since the days of keeping money in his pocket during the summers of high school and college. But, with his college career cut prematurely short, it’s turned into a full-time job. To add insult to injury, he’s forced to spend the bulk of his summer driving the train that runs through the park. This isn’t a huge problem, however, until someone from his past recognizes him.

Andrew Baxter, the guidance counselor who helped Travis in high school, recognizes him immediately, in spite of the seven years that have passed—and Travis’s cheesy overalls. When he invites Travis out to catch up on old times, Travis is reluctant, but his long-dormant crush on Andrew from his teenaged years is still enough to make him say “yes.”

As the two men get reacquainted, demons from Travis’s past threaten to grind the reunion to a halt. Can Travis learn to trust again and let Andrew into his life, or will old hurts derail his future? 

Genres: Gay/Contemporary/Exhibitionism/Public Places
Heat Level: 3
Length: Novella (19k words) 

Read a short excerpt...

...He wrapped his hand around my neck and pulled me close, our lips gently brushing for a brief moment before we kissed. It started innocently, like it had in the parking lot that night. It wasn’t long before his tongue was in my mouth and our hands were roaming everywhere we could reach. When he pulled back, I could barely breathe.

“How do they feel now?”

“I’m not sure. I still can’t believe this is happening.”

“Which part?”

“All of it. Being here with you. The kiss. It’s all crazy.”

“If Shane hadn’t dragged me to Downy’s that day, it never would’ve happened. He didn’t think he could deal with the boys on his own, so I relented and went with him.”

“Then you saw me in my train conductor glory and somehow you weren’t repulsed.”

Andrew laughed as he pulled me into his arms.

“Far from it. I thought you looked sexy as hell. Don’t suppose you get to take those overalls home with you?”

“Not usually, but I might be able to make an exception.”

“Until then, I’ll have to use my imagination.”

His hands held tight to the back of my shirt as we kissed, things getting heated very quickly. When he reached for the top button of my shirt, I once again felt a surge of panic wash through me. I reached up to stop him, throwing a bit of cold water on the mood.

“What’s wrong, Travis?”

“I’m not sure.”

He rested his forehead against mine before looking into my eyes. “If you don’t want to do this, we don’t have to.”

“I want to. I don’t know how to stop being so nervous.”

“I might have a way to help you out with that. Get you to relax a bit.”

He grabbed my hand and led me down the hallway to the bedroom. If anything, what he was doing was making me jumpier, but I tried to go with it. The room was dark, but after Andrew messed with the switch, there was a dim glow all around us. His smile made my legs turn to wet noodles and his lips were on mine again without another word. When his fingers made deft work of my buttons, my brain was screaming, but this time I ignored it and let it happen. The fabric hit the floor and his hands started roaming over my chest, my skin tingling at each point of contact.

“You sound like you’re hyperventilating, Travis. Are you sure you’re okay?”

“Yeah. I’m fine. Would this be a bad time to admit to having a crush on you when I was in school?”

“No. Although, I’m more concerned with how you feel about me right now.”

“Well, I think that’s pretty obvious.”

My hard cock was straining against the zipper of my jeans, and when Andrew put a hand over the bulge, he smiled.

“Seems like a good sign.”

His tongue dove in my mouth as he undid my pants and pushed them to my ankles. After whisking away my socks, shoes and my discarded denim, all that was left were my boxers. Andrew stood up and didn’t do anything but look at me. My face felt hot as I watched his eyes move up and down my body.

“God, you’re cute,” he said.

“And you’re kind.”

He leaned in closer, and I expected another kiss, but he dropped to his knees in front of me and hooked his fingers into the waistband of my boxers... 

Last Train to Clarkdale by Deirdre O'Dare

For Clay, always a shy misfit who was bullied at school, contact with the railroad and railroaders in the small town where he grew up was a lifeline. He went on to a career in the industry, although not out on the track. Now, some odd compulsion draws him back to his long-departed home, despite the painful memories he has of the place.

A chance meeting with Jon, a famous world-traveling scenic and wildlife photographer, results from Clay’s impulse, and the men end up sharing an afternoon’s tourist rail trip. Clay develops an instant crush on the beefy man, but what can a geeky clerical-type rail-buff offer a hunk like Jon, a self-professed and footloose lone wolf? Can Clay be satisfied with a brief, hot vacation fling? Or can mutual interest in trains and photography provide enough common ground to form something more between them? 

Genres: Gay/Contemporary/The Arts/BDSM (Light)
Heat Level: 3
Length: Extended Amber Kiss (16k words) 

Read a short excerpt...

...They both leaned out to view as much of the bright blue expanse of sky as possible. Then they saw them, two huge birds soaring between the looming cliffs, riding the wind currents with incredible grace. Jon began to shoot pictures as fast as he could. Surely some of them would come out.

Then he stepped back a half step. “Come on, Clay. Give it a try anyway.”

The other man had eased back to give Jon room, but now leaned forward and pointed his camera skyward. Jon closed in behind him. He stooped to try to catch a glimpse of what Clay was seeing in the small screen of his camera. Almost without thought, he reached out and steadied the other man’s hand, pointed the camera to catch one of the eagles seeming to hover barely above the eastern rim of the canyon.

“There, snap it quick.”

Clay did, and together they managed a couple more before the train moved on enough to leave the great birds behind. Even then Jon didn’t move. He felt Clay’s posture stiffen for a moment and then relax, as if he, too, enjoyed the close contact. It did feel good. Clay had a nice trim ass, and his snug jeans set it off. Jon felt himself going hard, pressing into that crease with just a few layers of fabric between them.

He heard Clay’s breathing quicken, and the other man gave an almost imperceptible wiggle, pinned between Jon’s bulk and the metal rails.

“W-w-what are you doing?” Clay spoke in the softest whisper, as if to be sure no one overheard, even though there were only about a dozen others in the whole car and no one close to them.

Jon chuckled, a low rumble of amusement. “Having a little fun, maybe. Do you want me to back off?”

“N-n-no. You don’t have to. But we’re right out in front of the world and everybody!”

“That’s what makes it fun. Taking a few risks, being edgy and bold. Life’s a lot better that way.”

Although he knew he’d taken a risk, Jon was pretty sure he’d read the other man right. There was something about Clay that had made him almost sure…nothing specific he could pin down, but just a feeling. These days, with everyone tending to come out and bring their orientation into the open, most men were not as careful in trying not to give any hints or clues. He figured he had nothing to lose by letting the other man know Jon found him attractive.

When Jon did step back, Clay turned around slowly. A quick downward glance revealed Clay was hard, too, the clear outline of his cock straining against the faded denim of his jeans. Jon grinned, but said nothing. A faint wash of color swept up Clay’s face as he lowered his gaze.

“Caught me,” he murmured after a few breaths.

Then he turned back to look at the scenery and the moment passed. Passed but not forgotten by any means. For now, Jon let him off the hook. Maybe there would be a later... 

Amber Pax - a package of Delight and Discovery?!

The idea of the AMBER PAX COLLECTION was created by Amber Quill Press to offer something special to both readers and writers. I think it's worth revisiting its success now and then :)

To quote one (anonymous) reader :

"I like the fact that AQP offers “AmberPax” which is a combination of 5 Erotic ebooks that are sold as one unit at 25% discount. This is a great way to try new authors and I have found that I will even purchase some genres that normally I might not try. These AmberPax purchases do also count towards your “buy 10 get 1 free” which is great."

And that's what we all like either to be, or to reach - a happy reader!

Good value
The discounted price makes it a special treat. All the stories are available individually, but you can buy all the stories in the set with a 25% discount! They also contribute 5 points to your total of working towards a free book. And FIVE books to snuggle up with on your reader? Who can resist!

Treasure Chest
Have you always wondered what the buzz is about steampunk? / ménage? / paranormal? / gothic romance? / friends to lovers? / office affairs? A Pax is a wonderful way to dip your toe in that water! The stories are built around the same theme but always unique, full of variety, and an exciting range of interpretation from the Amber authors. You'll never be bored!

New Favourites
So many of your favourite authors write in the Collections that you know you're always going to get quality stories. But maybe you'll discover new favourites, too! Remember that a Pax is an adventure for the author - it's their opportunity to write in different genres. For example - you may never have read one of XX's books before, yet the Pax topic is one of your favourite themes. Or you may always have read and loved XX's books in contemporary romance, but here is a story from them in a whole new genre. It's an adventure for you, too! but always with the seal of quality that you've come to expect from Amber Quill Press.

So, as that anonymous reader also said:

"I also gave away the xxxx one on my website a while back and the winner said she enjoyed it because they were stories she never would’ve purchased herself."

Treat yourself - and maybe your friends as well!

AMBER PAX - slideshow

Coming up

The rest of 2013 promises a wide variety of stories for our readers to enjoy, as well as a few surprises.

Starting next week, we'll begin highlighting the stories in our All Aboard pax, five different tales that all center around trains.

Then in November, join the authors who contributed to the No Tell Motel pax, stories built around motel settings.

Though we don't have a pax release in December, we have a special month of treats for our readers, and it won't even matter if you've been naughty or nice. In fact, sometimes being naughty is all the better, isn't it?

Giveaway winner

Thanks to everyone who visited with us in September! The winner for the $25 Amber Quill Press gift certificate is...

Natalija!!!

I have your email, so expect to hear from AQP soon!